If you live in Joburg and want to call yourself a trail runner, the routes of Merrell’s Trail Runs held every Autumn and Spring at Walter Sisulu National Botanical Gardens will give you suitable credibility and bragging rights. This Sunday saw 400 runners tackling the technical routes once again, through the gardens and surrounding Hero Adventure Hobby Park to claim victory over the hills.
Multiple past winner Tranquil Gumbo led the 12km field with an astonishing time of 51:59 and Nicolette Griffioen brought the ladies home in 1:03:44.
First through the finish arch for the 6km race was speedy 11 year old Daniel Ellis in 33:07, followed 20 seconds later by Nicky Ndhlovu who came flying in, but from the opposite direction. Nicky had been leading the race and took a wrong turn when he failed to wake up the slumbering marshalls placed to direct runners onto the final leg, and so ran an extra 450m around the park to reach the finish. Race director Graham Bird made the fair decision to allow both to claim first place and tied their results. Lorne Schnugh was the first woman in, although this wasn’t recognised immediately in the results as she had inadvertently been registered as a male!
Despite petty crime reaching an absurd low when 2km of ribbon route markings, which were placed out an hour before the start, were stolen, resulting in the pre-sweep runner frantically rearranging personnel out on the course, a good day out was had by all. These trails, so close to town, never fail to disappoint.
Highlight of the morning for many was the inaugural Kids Run which set off at a pace on a 2km trail around the Gardens, chaperoned by crazy colourful characters. Some of the face-painted young ones had been warming up all morning on the Merrell jumping castle and slowed to a stroll through the beautiful shaded route. Each one passed through the finish line and received a medal and cheers from proud parents.
Presenting sponsor Clicks handed out Aquelle water to all thirsty finishers and generously presented winners with gift vouchers, along with providing a nurses station where all could have their blood pressure and sugar tested for free and claim Vitality points.
As always, runners were treated to PVM nutritional products up at the water table to ensure all made it back with enough energy to go shopping for shoes as Merrell displayed some of their new range of running footwear.
Mountain Runner events are now setting up for the Autumn Trail Night Run at Delta Park on Wednesday evening, 9th March which is now hosted from Delta Cafe’ and then will be back in Spring for another set of ‘proper, honest trail runs.’
All results are posted on the website and photographs on the facebook page on the same or next day. www.mountainrunner.co.za
