A Paarl pearler...
In the heart of Paarl, lies a serene and scenic reserve with dramatic granite rock formations, abundant plant and bird life, and some pretty good running trails! This was the race course for the near sell-out race three in the Cape Winter Trail Series. It's the fastest race course of this four race series and it showed. Runners gathered at the iconic Taal Monument from 7am in the misty morning light, pinning numbers and holding on to jackets, beanies and hot coffee for as long as they possibly could.
The 'A' batch in the long course once again featured Maties speedster Llewelyn Groeneveld, on the hunt for a third course record after nailing the records at race 1 and 2. Runners climbed from Taal Monument, in to the reserve where wild olives, rock candlewoods, waaboom trees and an abundance of other Proteas species lined the misty trails. The usual sweeping views from the top were marred by a...
Race 1 and 2 have come and gone, in a blur of mud, drizzle, mist and madness. Perfect winter running conditions, in other words. With race 3 coming in hot this Sunday, let’s take a look at what has rolled out so far:
The big apple bites
On Sunday 21 July, Paul Cluver Estate welcomed the return of a capacity field of runners for the first of four show downs. An exclusive opportunity to run the rollercoaster trails of this mountain biking haven, the grand opening features a typical rolling farmland hills, mountain trails and waterfalls water as well as climbs rewarded by magnificent views of the soaking lush Elgin valley.
An icy dawn chill gave way reluctantly to some soupy winter sunshine, but the heat was all out on the trails as the fast end threw down the pace. Storming the long course win was Llewelyn Groenewald. The 15.6km route took him...
Ready to rock your first Cape Winter Trial Series®? The best thing about winter kicks off on 21 July at the Paul Cluver Estate. You can choose between the short or the long course, and you’ll need to complete 3 of the 4, in the same distance category, to achieve the coveted CWTS medal.
The Trail Series® concept has always catered for beginner trail runners, whilst enjoying some hot racing at the sharp end. For those contemplating their very first, we have compiled a comprehensive checklist.
1. Training
You do not have to be a racing snake to participate in the series, but a reasonable level of fitness and running ability is recommended. Train on a combination of road and trail, throw in some grass laps for your speed work, and you’ll be ready to roll. Remember not to increase your mileage too rapidly. No more than a 10% increase in overall mileage per week.
2....
Our good friends at Boldgear are sponsoring a men's and ladies cut ‘Four-out-of-four’ (4004) 250g micro-fleece worth R395 for anyone who enters and completes all four races in the Cape Winter Trail Series 2019 (subject to the T&C’s below):
The rules of engagement are:
You must have entered and paid for all four races (long or short) BEFORE the SECOND race in the Cape Winter Trail Series 2019.
You must complete all four long or all four short races in the Cape Winter Trail Series 2019. No mixing of races allowed!
You must have completed online or have sent us all the required personal information we need such as gender and size.
It must be the entrant who enters and completes all four races OR any substitution is done before race two.
You will not receive your 4004 micro-fleece if:
You fail to give us correct personal information such as gender or size (during the entry process).
You fail to enter all...
Seasons change, and so must we.
Since our inception in 2007, Wildrunner has maintained a position of unquestionable innovation in the trail running arena. In 2008 we launched the Trail Series® - South Africa's original short course trail running events Series that went on to have races in five provinces in South Africa. In the 11 years that followed we rolled on with so many firsts - first three day stage race in the Wildcoast Wildrun®, SA's first South African Championships, first stage race in Lesotho and pioneering transfrontier Wildrun experiences to name just a few of many more highlights. During this time we have enjoyed introducing so many people young and old to this wonderful sport, and seeing all of SA's current elites come through the ranks of the Trail Series® before taking flight in competitions around the world. We have built up an extensive community of 31 000 runners...
Entries of the 12th and final Cape Winter Trail Series® will open on the 24th April 2019 at midday. Our classic winter collection is on offer once again including Paul Cluver, "The Tyger", Paarl Rock and Kogelberg Biosphere in Kleinmond. Mark it down in your diaries and don't miss out on the Cape's original short course trail running adventure.
Check out the events tab for more info or contact us on 072 438 32 42.
Share your intent on Insta or Facebook and give us some motivation and stand a chance of winning entries! Simply add a photo of you on a training trail run and include the following hashtags: #CWTS19 #UnleashYourWildStride
It was fierce, fast and full of fun!
The first race in this year’s edition of this popular series was made up of a 10km (400m ascent) and 5.8km (309m ascent) at Kirstenbosch Gardens. Participants enjoyed the amazing experience of running past the fragrance gardens and up onto the fringes of Cecilia Forest along the contour path. After the beautiful mountain trails, there was a playful technical descent followed by a magnificent indigenous forest, all as the sun went down.
In the long course, the A batch was destined to give it a proper smack. Names such as Siviwe Nkombi, Stephen Millard, Rory Scheffer, Lucas Adams, Jono Black, Peter Tsawayo and Daniel Claasen took off at whiplash speed. The finish line crew were ready with seconds to spare as Nkombi stormed through, taking 40 seconds off the previous course record to finish in 38m48sec. Scheffer, too, finished within the previous course record, in 39min24sec,...
If you entered for all four races (of the same distance) in the Cape Summer Trail Series 2019 by midnight 21st January, and have already completed races 1 and 2, your name should be on this list!
Assuming you go onto complete the remaining two races, you will qualify to receive this unique 4004 (Four-Out-Of-Four) technical tee by Boldgear.
At 8am on 24th January, we sent an email to your registered email address with a link to a SurveyMonkey questionnaire requesting vital information from you in order to make sure we have this ready for you at race 4, Oak Valley, on the 3rd February. This questionnaire needs to be completed by 4:30pm 25th January.
If your name is on the list below but you have not received the email link, please first check your spam folder, second that mailbox you never look at, and failing that drop us an mail at info@wildrunner.co.za...
By race 2 in this 4-race series, things always start to get interesting. Individuals committed to achieving particular outcomes rock up with a keen eye for their competitors. Tactical decisions are made according to working the point system, and the finish line becomes an exciting place to watch it all unfold.
On Sunday 20 January, the usual mix of every level of trail runner came through to play on the beautiful Lebanon Forest mountain bike trails.
The route offers a classic mix of exciting single track, forest paths and fynbos studded trail through orchards and playful switch backs. The race village area looks over an inviting dam, and as temperatures rose during the morning, more than a few runners had a splash before heading home.
The 13.4km long course was once again stacked with speedy potential. Siviwe Nkombi, winner from Race 1 at Kirstenbosch the Tuesday prior, took an early lead. Hot on...
It’s January, and the worries are long. So finding your tribe at the base of the mountain at sunset, and running off along some of the most beautiful trails of Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens before reaching sweeping views of Cape Town was a welcome remedy, and a cracking launch of the 2019 trail season.
The first race of 4 in this year’s edition of this popular series was made up of a 10km (400m ascent) and 5.8km (309m ascent). Participants enjoyed the amazing experience of running past the fragrance gardens and up onto the fringes of Cecilia Forest along the contour path. After the beautiful mountain trails, there was a playful technical descent followed by a magnificent indigenous forest. Then back into the gardens and through the magical setting of the cycad forest at night and onto the festive finish line, where food trucks, hot coffee, pancakes, free massage and a top notch lucky draw...