After a hard battle Eric Ngubane (Nedbank Running Club) achieved one of his best victories in trail running this weekend when he won Lesotho's ultra sky race over 50 km.
The race between Ngubane and Spain's Gerrard Morales turned out to be a real humdinger. In the end the two athletes were separated by a mere 16 seconds.
With about seven kilometres to go, the quest for victory started in earnest when Morales, showing true grit, caught up with Ngubane and passed him with five kilometres to go. The Spaniard quickly managed to open up an 80 second lead.
'I will admit that when Gerrard passed me, my body was prepared to quit. Being from Durban, running at an altitude of 2 000 m to 3 000 m for five hours made me suffer like seldom before. At the highest point of the course (3 100 m) I battled to breathe properly. My lungs, throat and nose were burning for lack of oxygen,' Ngubane said.
'Luckily my mind took control of my body, enabling me to keep going. I knew that if I could catch up with Gerrard over the last two kilometres, I would be the winner. The fact that I am a trail runner gave me the edge. Because I regularly race on the road I have speed.
'Over the last few kilometres I switched intro time trial mode, running 3:30 minutes per kilometre. Basically I outsprinted the Spaniard to take the victory.'
Ngubane won in 5:33:59 with Morales second in 5:34:15 and Quintin Honey third in 5:41:04.
The ultra sky race took place in the heart of the Maluti Mountains. Serving as the 'veins' of this region, an intricate network of trails exists along the valleys and mountain flanks, connecting many of the remote villages. Used primarily by livestock and shepherds, many of the mountain passes have been made by hand, allowing people and animals to pass through the Malutis on foot.
According to the organisers it was the ancient philosophy of man's primal need to explore and conquer his surrounding terrain that has led to the development of the race.
Morales, whose nickname is Blacky, is one of the best-known athletes in Spain. He used to be a professional tennis player who reached an ATP-ranking of 452 before he discovered the joy of trail running and was hooked.
*** On 11 November Risper Kimaiyo (Kenya) won the gold medal in the women's race at the IAU 50 km Championship in Doha. Her winning time was 3:22:45.
Nele Alder-Baerens (Germany) finished second in 3:25:53 and Amy Clements (Britain) was third in 3:26:17.
Kimaiyo, who runs for Nedbank Running Club when she is in South Africa, did part of her training in Johannesburg.
***Andrew Mogotlane (Nedbank Running Club) won the Muller Potgieter 10 km the past Saturday in 34:36.
Siyabonga Dingile (Nedbank Running Club) was the winner of the Muller Potgieter 21 km. His winning time was 1:12:46.
***Bongekile Mbatha (Nedbank Running Club) finished third in the Hope Challenge & Abstinance Run 10 km race in Durban. She ran a time of 54:46.
****The Nedbank Running Club – George received the Club of the Year award at the Athletics SWD year-end function.
Other awards were:
• Godwin Heynes – Junior Male Athlete 2016
• Melissa van Rensburg – Senior Female Athlete 2016
• Elfonso Pieterse – Senior Male Athlete 2016
• Anel van Wyk – Female 35–39 Athlete 2016
• Lana Theunissen – Female 40–49 Athlete 2016
• Lindile Tokota – Male 40–49 Athlete 2016
• Annatjie Botes – Female 50–59 Athlete 2016
• Eddie Mouton – Iron man 2016