The Spur Gauteng Summer Trail Series® kicked off at Hennops River this past weekend as more than 600 runners were reunited with trail running friends on a scorching Highveld summer day.
In the 18.5km XL race Thabang Madiba, one of South Africa’s favourite and finest trail runners, lived up to his reputation as he blitzed the course in 01:43:34 over some technical terrain and steep inclines to hold off the charge of Daniel Jenner. He pushed Madiba all the way and came home in 01:44:22 with Egor Oussov running a super race to claim third place overall with a time of 01:48:39.
In the ladies XL race Adel Terblanche ran a great race to claim the overall ladies win comfortably in 02:11:56. Sally Fenwick took second place a few minutes in a time of 02:19:22 while Angela Kavalliertos completed the ladies overall podium with her time of 02:26:06.
In the men’s 12.5km long...
In partnership with Spur Steak Ranches, we’re launching a series of short clips where we will try and answer any trail running questions you have… and if we don’t know the answer we’ll get in the experts!
The first episode will be launched in November so watch this space!
We’ve identified this list of initial topics that we’d like to cover and want to know your questions on these topics.
November 2015: Technique & training: downhill & technical
December 2015: Trail shoes
January 2016: Kit
February 2016: From road to trail
March 2016: Technique & training: uphill & strength
April 2016: Recovery & stretching
May 2016: Nutrition
June 2016: Technique & training: Speed
July 2016: Mountain Safety
August 2016: Weather & environment
September 2016: About the Spur Trail Series®
October 2016: Upgrading from short to long distances
If you have other (trail running) topics please let us know. We’d love to find the answer to help you run with a taste for life!
So what do...
The Spur KZN Trail Series® headed down deep into the Valley of 1000 Hills to the tranquil and beautiful setting of iSithumba for the final race of the Series.
In the men’s 11.3km long course Championship race, it was the athletic figure of Eric Ngubane who made it three wins out of three as he wrapped up another first place in a time of 48:59 to take the overall Series win before jetting off to France to represent South Africa in the 75km Grand Trail des Templiers. We wish him and the team all the best!
Second over the line at race 4 went to regular podium placer Juan Botsis who cruised home in 56:29 with Luke Muller claiming third over the line with a time of 01:01:19.
In the ladies race, all was set for an epic battle between Puseletso Dladla and Zoe Papadakis with Dladla leading the overall standings with only...
Race 3 in the Spur KZN Trail Series® saw Eric Ngubane make it two wins from two as he clocked the fastest time around the 11.2km Championship course at the beautiful Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve, the only a two lap race in the Series.
Ngubane ran home in 48:59 to win by more than 3 minutes as Thierry Pletinckx came home in second overall in 53:33 with Juan Botsis claiming the final spot on the overall podium in a time of 54:32.
In the ladies Championship race, the ding dong battle for the overall Series title continued as Puseletso Dladla won this round, finishing first overall with a time of 01:00:17 with Zoe Papadakis not too far behind, coming home in 01:02:53. Leilah Saville claimed her first podium of the Series by coming home in 3rd with a time of 01:22:13.
Dladla is now only 29 seconds ahead of Papadakis in the overall...
The Spur KZN Trail Series® headed to the wonderful Giba Gorge on Wednesday night for race 2 as close to 100 runners were treated to a spectacular evening with conditions ideal for running.
In the long course 10km Championship race, the presence of national trail runner Eric Ngubane went almost unnoticed as the quiet, unassuming ultra runner (who will be representing South Africa at the Ultra Trail World Champs in France later this year) lined up in the corner of the start line, only to be singled out by the race MC and his cover was blown. For the next 47 minutes, everyone knew whose light they were chasing.
Ngubane certainly didn’t disappoint and, despite the course being 90km too short for him, he came home first over the line in a time of 47:18, showing you just how tough it can be to run over the dark trails of Giba Gorge.
Next...
Gorgeous, hot conditions greeted more than 130 runners as the Spur KZN Trail Series® kicked off at Inanda Dam this past Sunday. Both courses experienced some magnificent flowing single track along the banks of the Inanda Dam with nature and views making the searing heat all worthwhile.
In the men’s 8.9km long course Championship race, it was a bare-footed local Inanda Dam runner who proved local knowledge is king. Mbhasobhle Gumede blitzed his way to first place in a time of 34:01 with Spur Trail Series® stalwart, Muzi Madikwa coming home just over a minute later in 35:06. Third over the line went to Mduduzi Khumalo in 37:06.
In the ladies long course race, Zee Mkhize showed her prowess for the trails by claiming the overall ladies prize in a time of 44:14 with Zoe Papadakis hot on her heels in second place, crossing under the arch in a time of 44:42....
The final race of the Spur Cape Winter Trail Series™ was a dramatic affair as approximately 800 runners were challenged with gale force winds as they took on the beautiful trails surrounding Kleinmond. With tents blown over and jumping castles travelling toward the ocean, there wasn’t a dull moment at the race village, but this was not a patch to the exciting racing going on at the same time.
The once-off 23.3km XL course is known as one of the most scenic in the Western Cape but the winners clearly didn’t stop the admire the view as Rory Scheffer covered the distance in a blistering time of 2:00:48. He was followed by Ben Brimble in 2:02:49 and Simon Muller in 2:09:27. It is a shame that race favourite, Bernard Rukadza took a wrong turn and ended up doing 3km less – he would have certainly been in the running for a...
You would have been forgiven if you thought the third race of the Spur Cape Winter Trail Series™ took place on a summer’s day as the sun shone down on over 900 trail runners at the Taal Monument in Paarl.
Traditionally known as the fastest course of the Series, this year was no different with the winners of both the long and short courses putting in scintillating performances as they blitzed their way around the Paarl Mountain Reserve before finishing at the inspiring Taal Monument.
In the 13.5km long course Championship, Tsungai Mwanengeni and Liandi van der Westhuyzen took control of the Series as they both claimed their second victories of the current Series. They now only need to put in another consistent performance of the final race of the Series to secure the title.
Mwanengeni showed the value of his experience as he beat the young gun, Raydon Balie to the line...
Over 900 trail runners took on the Tygerberg hills on a picture perfect Cape winter's day this Sunday to bring the Spur Cape Winter Trail Series™ to its halfway mark.
With conditions pretty much perfect, all runners were treated to immaculate views of Table Bay as they made their way over and around the Tygerberg Nature Reserve. However, they were made to work for it as getting to the top of Tygerberg is no easy matter.
In the 12km long course Championship race, newcomer Timothy Chambers surprised most as he beat both the seasoned Tsungai Mwanengeni and Raydon Balie to the line in a superb time of 56:11. Mwanengeni ran a great time, after running approximately 10km to get to the race and claimed second spot in a time of 58:47. Balie was the only other runner to break the one hour mark in 59:23 to take third place.
There was a tight...
Approximately 1 000 runners were met with a perfect Cape winter day as they made their way to the Paul Cluver Estate in the Overberg for the first race of the Spur Cape Winter Trail Series™ and the Spur GLB46 Ultra.
The early wake-up call was definitely worth it as the cold front that hit the Western Cape in the preceding week left behind crystal clear skies, bubbling brooks and views that went on forever.
The Spur GLB46 Ultra started off first with almost 100 runners taking on the ultra distance across the Groenlandberg. There was an epic battle at the front of the field with Dylan Solms, Damian Will, Eddie Lambert and Chad Gordon chasing each other all the way. Solms led the way for most of the race but Will made his move in the final kilometre of the race and eventually took the win in 3:50:38, only two minutes...