Well-supported Blythedale trail run wraps up 2025 coastal series
Over 200 runners enjoyed an early run through the Blythedale Forest last Saturday.
A strong field of 213 runners and walkers tackled the third and final event of the KZN Trail Running 2025 Coastal Series in Blythedale on Saturday
Shooting out from the beach into the Blythedale Forest, participants of all ages tackled the 5km, 11km and 17km races, ending inside Grumpy’s Beach Bar.
Race organisers, Sanele Dladla and Brian Berleine, were happy with the overall event.
“It has been a great race,” said Dladla. “We have had a lot of positive feedback about the trail. We used to start and finish the race in the Blythedale Event Bowl, but we changed it this year to finish the route inside Grumpy’s.”
Berleine agreed: “It turned out to be a great idea. There’s a wonderful vibe at Grumpy’s,” he said. “There is a market feel about the place, and it’s nice to see people enjoying themselves afterwards.”
Like most businesses, KZN Trail Running took a knock post Covid-19. Four years after the pandemic, however, the sport is beginning to boom again.
“Trail running is growing again,” said Berleine “Some trail runs can have anywhere between 200 and 600 runners.”
KZN Trail Running wants to add a race to Ballito or Umdloti, but they need the right venue.
“We used to do a race in Seaton Estate,” added Berleine, “But the area is being developed, which makes it complicated to host a trail run, but we’ll find a venue.”
As for Blythedale’s fastest finishers, Ian Dickinson (1.35:02) and Charmaine Rossouw (1.52:56) were the leading man and woman over 19kms.
Gift Mhlongo took the 11km men’s race in 56:55, while Ansa van der Merwe claimed the women’s top spot in 1.11:11.
Rounding out the race winners on the day were Antony Mckenzie (27:44) and Kyra Leigh Cooper-Reed (31:31) over five kilometres.
Find the full list of results from Blythedale and for the wider Coastal Series here.
- Note: This story differs from the print version. The race results were added.
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