Ultra athlete tests his mettle in wilderness race
Gerald Pavel will be taking on a 37-hour trail race through the Addo Elephant Park this week.
RUNNING may not be everyone's activity of choice, but for local athlete, Gerald Pavel, running has become an addiction.
While many runners aspire to take on the ultimate challenge in the Comrades Marathon, Gerald, wanted to push himself even further when it came to ultra-marathons.
Last year the Durban Runner Athletics Club athlete took on the Washie 100 Miler which is a 160km road race between Port Alfred and East London. In his next challenge, Gerald will line up with 38 other ultra-athletes on Friday 26 February for a 37-hour trail race through the wilderness of Addo Elephant Park.
The race route was designed to test the runners both physically and mentally and will include river crossings and some challenging climbs with elevation gain of 5640m and a promise of spectacular views from the top.
Gerald admits he likes testing the boundaries of his body and mind. His training saw him running through Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve at night, running between 20 to 45km daily.
Gerald is a hardcore addict of endurance sports.
