Runners conquer Mount Sheba

Those inclined to run for a living or just as a pastime, rarely have the opportunity to do it in an indigenous rainforest with an abundance of rare plant and wildlife.Many road and cross-country runners also won’t pass pristine waterfalls or run along the edge of cliff with a sheer drop of a couple of hundred metres. But those who braved last weekend’s Ilanga Trail Series at the picturesque Mount Sheba Forever Resort, had an opportunity to experience all of the above – and then some.All of the 6km, 12km and 18km routes passed by at least two waterfalls, zigzagged across the clearest and purest mountain water streams, and passed by such rare sights as the Samango ape, the Nerina trogon and even the Knysna turaco on their way to the finish line.

The abundance of nature, the technicality of the adventure course and the rush of adrenalin are the main attractions for the new era of adventure runners, such as Lydenburg’s Franco Krause, who ripped through the field to win the 18km for senior men in a time of 02:12:59. According to Krause, the Mount Sheba course is one of the best he has ever attempted and he added that the mixture of the highly technical course with the luxury of running through a rainforest makes it an unforgettable experience. The completion of the course by father-and-son duo, Pieter and Schalk Schoeman, serves as testimony to just what a great family outing adventure trail running can be.

Lydenburg’s Lourens and Alicia Beeslaar further highlighted what a great family affair the run was, after they both won their respective routes while their two sons were being looked after at the start/finish point.Taking a look at the times over the various distances, compared to the average time of road runners over the same distances, it is easy to see just how technical and trying and adventure trail course can be.Adventure trail running, such as the series presented by the Ilanga Trail Series, are not races in which runners will clock their best times, but it will be the races that the runners would rarely forget and the ones in which they will have the most fun. The Lowveld, renowned across the world for its magnificent and idyllic nature scenes, is highlighted by the Ilanga trail runs, which takes place in some of the most unique spots.

This year alone, runners have experienced the breathtaking beauty of the Mount Sheba and Misty Mountain resorts, as well as the Matumi trail and can look forward to the adventure run through the Berlin plantation in Kaapsehoop in November this year. So if you like to keep fit, have a love of nature and thrive on a bit of adrenalin, the Ilanga adventure trail running is tailor-made for you, and experiencing the Mount Sheba course should be very high on your bucket list. And for those who don’t want to try their hand at running, Mount Sheba has 10 beautiful walking trails that include no less than seven waterfalls for those who just want to break away for the weekend and get closer to nature.