How Slow Can You Go?
“How slow can you go?” is probably not the first question that springs to mind when you think about completing a race now, is it? Yet, as there is nothing ordinary about this race, perhaps your approach should be somewhat out of the ordinary…
Looking at DGT Run statistics can easily make the challenge seem grim and pretty daunting, to say the least. Some would even consider it impossible, but that would be an irrational conclusion to draw without first doing some in depth analysis on how slow you can really afford to go. So, let’s do just that!
I love problem solving and the first step I always take when faced with a seemingly impossible task is to “rationalise” the irrational. Now this is a mental training strategy and obviously won’t eliminate the possibility of defeat or failure, but it can get you to a point where you believe in yourself and adopt an “I can do this” mentality. In this headspace you can confidently sign up for an extreme event and know that you have the possibility of achieving the objective if approached in a logical manner. No, it still won’t be easy. But then nothing worth doing is easy!
So, let’s start by breaking down the DGT Run course.
210 kilometres.
A maximum of 100 hours.
That gives us a pace of 28.5 minutes per kilometre, or 2.1km/hr. Easy game!
Well, not quite… This is mountain running after all, and mountains aren’t flat, nor are there any paved paths or way markers. There may be unpredictable weather, you will certainly be moving through the night at times, and there’s also the need to consider sleeping during your 100 hour journey. Not everything that can happen in the mountains will be foreseeable nor within your control, but we can still account for some of these factors in pacing calculations. So, let's start with the elevation and terrain.
Although your choice of route will result in slightly different end numbers, the recommended DGT Run route has approximately 8000m of ascent. This may sound substantial but distributed across 210km it’s only 38 metres per kilometre, which is quite manageable. Nonetheless, the terrain is challenging, particularly in the northern Berg, where you move closer to the escarpment and have long sections without trail. Here the underfoot conditions can be really rough, rocky and grassy. Later along the route, however, there are plenty of amazing cattle and sheep paths on which to make up time and enjoy the scenery, especially in the Lesotho valleys.
The rule of thumb for pacing is that the average hiker, with a backpack, in the Drakensberg, will move at 3km/hr. To this you add an additional 1 hour for every 300m of ascent.
At 3km/h without any rest you would cover the flat DGT Run distance in 70hours. Accounting for the elevation gain will add 27 hours, bringing your total to 97 hours.
But you may be thinking, we are runners! We are not going to hike the whole way… We can go much quicker! Perhaps, which is just as well. Because we still need to allocate some time to eating, sleeping and drinking coffee!
Now, there are infinite ways to arrange the numbers, but let's run through a few realistic scenarios that would be relevant to the challenge ahead.
1. Move slower, stop less.
This is very much in line with the above numbers. You choose to move slower in general but sacrifice rest and time off of your feet as your pace does not allow for it. Say you plan to move at 3.5km/hr, accounting for the climbing will have you finishing in 87 hours. This would allow for 13 hours to sleep, eat and rest. That may sound like plenty, but one example of what this equates to is sleeping for 3 hours per night for 3 consecutive nights over 4 days. That leaves you with 4 hours to tend all your other needs - 1 hour per day to “waste.” Definitely not ideal, but it could certainly be done in this way.
Hopefully it’s becoming apparent that you won’t be expected to run at any incredible speeds on the DGT, but merely move consistently and manage your body well. Now let’s look at this challenge from another perspective.
2. Move faster, rest more.
If you forget about the pacing and just focus on the times, you might say: I want to move for 18 hours a day, take 2 hours for eating, sorting gear and tending any issues that may arise, and then sleep for 4 hours. To simplify the calculations and build in a safety “buffer” of 4 hours for things that will inevitably go wrong, let’s work on a 4 day finish time (96hours).
Moving time 18 hours x 4 days = 72 hours
Sleeping 4 hours x 4 days = 16 hours
Eating / Misc = 2 hours x 4 days = 8 hours
Buffer = 4 hours
Total = 100 hours
So, how slow can you go? In this scenario, accounting for the elevation gain, you will need to move at an average pace of 4.5km / hr for 18 hours a day.
3. No Ordinary Hiker…
Let’s look at one last scenario. As a DGT Run participant you are most probably a trail runner, adventure racer or an experienced Drakensberg hiker, which does count in your favour. So maybe you can get away with adding only an extra 30 min per 300m ascent as opposed to 1 hour. That will bring your required average pace down to roughly 3.5km/hr, with the same time to move, sleep and eat as the previous example. You can do the calculation for 45 minutes per 300m of ascent, if you don’t feel that confident about your climbing, and that would put your average speed at more or less 4 km/hr.
Of course, this is all just theory being applied to hypothetical scenarios. But it does prove that to successfully complete the DGT Run you do not need to be fast or elite. Honestly, you just need to be a strong and consistent hiker. Any athlete who has spent many hours moving in the Drakensberg will tell you that the difference between a fast hiking pace and a slow running pace is really negligible; the latter just tires you out more quickly. It’s all about relentless forward motion for most of the day, a break every so often to take in the view while having a bite to eat, and a good power nap each day for recovery of mind, body and feet! to allow energy levels to recover and some very important time off the feet.
Now that you’re happy and reassured that you can achieve the “athletic” challenge of a DGT without needing to perform any miracles, the next step will be to look at all the other variables that will play a role in your attempt. In upcoming blogs, we will discuss topics such as the best gear for mountainous environments, managing your pack weight and comfortability, efficient hydration and fueling, competent navigation, managing sleep deprivation and, probably most important of all, developing your “ultra mindset” - undoubtedly the biggest roleplayer in getting you to that Bushman’s Nek border post!
