Metcalfe completes grueling 40th 100 miler
The race crossed over the mountains into Lesotho and back.
Fochville’s local ultra-distance running star, Cornel Metcalfe, completed a gruelling 100-mile trail race this weekend.
The Ultra-Trail Drakensberg 100-mile (160 km) trial run took runners from South Africa into Lesotho.
“Taking on a new challenge of completing two 100 miler trail races, the Kenton 100 and the UTD160, on consecutive weekends was somewhat daunting. Cornel had previously completed two circuit-100 milers within four days of each other, but trail running is more technically challenging than the continuous loops of a 500 m circuit. Many trail runners refer to Cornel as a machine, as she keeps her head down and motors along rather consistently,” says Metcalfe’s husband, Mark.
The Ultra-Trail Drakensberg’s route change in Lesotho meant that supporting crews could stay in our neighbouring country longer and assist their runners as they crossed the checkpoint twice. The runners did two loops resembling a bow tie on the GPS route.
“The weather gods tried their best to derail Cornel this weekend, as thick mist managed to break over the ridge of Sani Pass and into Lesotho. The afternoon conditions were treacherous, as visibility was only about three metres. That made the running from marker to marker impossible, meaning runners depended on their wristwatch GPS route. Cornel uses the Coros Vertix GPS Adventure watch that I could only collect from Coros personally on Wednesday due to a courier technical glitch,” says Mark.
With the mist came drizzle, making underfoot conditions muddy and slippery, especially over the cobbled road down Sani Pass. The rain continued for most of the night and cleared up by Saturday morning, although clouds were still around.
Metcalfe ran most of the race with Walter Heinrich Moldenhauer, and the two eventually crossed the finish line on Saturday night in 36:13, placing them 21st and 22nd overall.
Cornel was the fourth woman home of the nine who completed the UTD160. In total, there were 57 starters and only 45 finishers.
“Again, we are so blessed for her amazing God-given talent and the protection that comes from above during those hours on the trails in the middle of nowhere,” says Mark.
