| TRAIL Mail #5: Friday 5 Feb 2021 | Take the next step. Are you fitter than last year? Enter the Trail Film Awards. Khuliso runs for clean water. | | | | | | | | | | Every step is another chance.
I didn't really do sports in school, just the compulsory swimming and athletics try-outs. The pressure of a make-or-break swing of a racquet, or a kick to the goals, didn't appeal to an anxiety-ridden teen.
But when I run, every step is another chance to make it a good one. We can stretch the metaphor, and say that each issue of TRAIL, or each page, is another chance to reach a reader. The pressure of a book is far too high, but the TRAIL team have produced several books' worth of superb content.
Our latest step into your minds and hearts (and legs and feet) is issue 38. We continue writing the history book of events like SkyRun and Otter African Trail Run, advance your understanding of strength and heat training, and introduce you to real characters and their epic adventures. Take the next step towards a great run, when you read TRAIL.
Some of you are creating beautiful, funny, or informative films. Entries for the 2020/21 Trail Film Awards close on 30 June, and we can't wait to see what you make. You might walk (well, run) away with one of two Saucony Haul Lite backpacks. | | Take the next step, and the next step, and the next, then stop to take a photo to share in our Trail Trophies thread on Monday.
Heloise Hunter, TRAIL editor | | | | PROMOTED EVENTS
WildSeries Three Cranes Challenge. Fri 26 – Sun 28 February (KZN) POSTPONED to 8-11 July. 29km/25km/23km, 29km/40km/23km. Bushwillow Park, Karkloof. Scintillating forest trails through the beautiful indigenous Karkloof Conservancy. Start 6am. wildseries.co.za
Lake Gariep Run. Sat 1 May (EC) 40km, 20km. Driekwartblou Guest House, Gariep Dam. A trail run in the Karoo next to the biggest dam in South Africa. Start 7am. R550/R650. lakegarieprun.co.za | | | | We enjoyed seeing your summer adventures on our Trail Trophy Facebook thread. In our favourite for the week, Jolene Visser radiates joy at the IMLA Farm Trail Weekend, in Clocolan, Freestate.
Her photo may appear in a future TRAIL issue – and so could yours.
Prefer telling stories? Write us a letter and receive a pair of Feetures socks | | | | | | Some trail running events will commence.
Well done for weathering Level 3 lockdown! Now that Adjusted Level 3 is here, please be safe so we can delay the third surge.
The South African Association of Mountain Endurance Sport (SAAMES) interprets the updated restrictions to allow members to host trail events with fewer than 100 participants. A hundred seems to be the golden number for outdoor gatherings and recreation.
Some event organisers are waiting for Level 2 for explicit authorisation to resume their race calendar.
Khuliso runs for clean water.
TRAIL venue contributor and ultra runner Khuliso Mulaudzi plans to run the Big Backyard Ultra (BBU) on 20 February, to raise R50k for Kusini Water's H2HOPE initiative.
The initiative focuses on providing previously disadvantaged communities with clean, fresh water. Kusini has already installed over 50 sites in South Africa, and through its H2Hope campaign aims to be in 100 sites by 2021.
This is the first year where South Africans will participate in the worldwide Big Backyard Ultra. The format challenges runners to complete a 6,706m loop every hour on the hour, until they can't anymore. Khuliso's goal is to run 15 laps, accumulating over 100km.
In 2019, he successfully raised R60k for the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, by running the 76km Addo Elephant Trail Run.
Help Khuliso reach his latest fundraising goal, and get clean water to communities in need, via Givengain. | | | | |
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