Friday, 27 January 2012
Speed Freaks

 Speed Freak and Tortoise

I met Speed Freak at a trailrunning Xmas bash – seems that some CEO thought that sending his staff up Table Mountain to set an ascent record was a brilliant idea.

The occasion attracted a few ballsy mountain goats, hell bent on pushing their quads and lungs through the pain barrier and well into the stratosphere. No prize money, no accolades, just bragging rights and a personal duel with gravity and any other demonic forces you choose to wrestle against.

Charging up mountains is it's own game. It is a sub section of trail running that attracts the specialists. Everybody hurts (also an REM song), but the winners use the piercing agony of their burning quads and wheezing lungs to spur them on.

It helps to be fitter than Sherpa Dingbat carrying 60 kilos up Everest, but who actually trains with any decent weight in their backpack? We are soft and so rely on mental fortitude to triumph in the battle against the desire to stop, the yearning to slow down and catch your breath – but also know, that doing so is the end. No PB, maybe just a PW (personal worst!)

On this day the record was broken – one Andre Calitz cracked the 27 minute mark, with a 26m40secs power climb. It was not so long ago that we were congratulating ourselves on breaking the 40min barrier, then 35min and finally 30min. This reads like the history of the 4 minute mile and it is happening today!

Trail running is writing it's own history and you are part of it.

'BUT', shouted the tortoise from beneath his shell, 'trail running is about the adventure, not the fastest times!' and indeed the slothful fellow is correct, but there are a few extremists in every sport that need to know what the limits are, so that they can test themselves against the bar, and hopefully move it a bit!

We will see many trail running records changing hands and being improved upon over the coming months and years, as the sport gains momentum and attracts more runners.

Foot note – descending a steep mountain trail at top speed is a death wish, but if you are signing out of the matrix, then try beating 11 minutes for the Platteklip Drop. I watched 'human meteor' Andrew Hagen leap 3 boulders per step to achieve this – there are 2000 boulders. A dry day, helmet and air-bag suit are advisable.

Thanks to Runners World