There is nothing ordinary about this race
So, you’ve always loved the Drakensberg… You’ve been trail running for a while but now real mountain running is calling your name. Or you’ve been hiking since you were a child and a full GT has been a bucket list item for years. Or you’re an avid adventure racer and a 210 kilometre trek at altitude with a fair amount of elevation sounds exactly like your cup of tea! Well, look no further. Fear no more. DGT Run is here!
In November 2022 the inaugural Drakensberg Grand Traverse (DGT) Run event will see a blurring of the lines between hiking, trail running and adventure racing, as teams of two take on the full Grand Traverse route in a non-stop and self-navigated effort. Experienced race organisers Spurgeon Flemington and Graham Bird (also an international adventure racer and extremely competent navigator) have been hard at work for the past year liaising with Basotho chiefs and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife to arrange the necessary permissions for a limited number of 50 teams to complete this extraordinary race.
In 1999 the first official DGT time was set at 4 days, 9 hours and 39 minutes (105 hours, 39 min) by the Raubenheimer brothers. Gavin - renowned hiker, climber and owner of Peak High Mountaineering- and his older brother Lawrie hiked and bivvied their way along the escarpment in the stormy month of February. Despite carrying no tents or sleeping bags, their packs still weighed upwards of 11kg and they struggled to jog any of the route as originally planned. But strong hikers move well in the mountains and with a fair amount of sleep each night they accomplished their mission - to set a standard of checkpoints and an official time on the traverse from Sentinel Car Park in the northern Berg to Bushman’s Nek in the southern Berg.
It may be 23 years later but not much has changed up on the high peaks of Lesotho and along its mountainous border with SA… The terrain remains inhospitable and remote. The weather continues to be unpredictable and extreme, with little regard for the season. And a surprisingly small number of people have completed what Gavin and Lawrie did, let alone in a faster time. And so it is that many of the original “rules” will remain in effect at the inaugural DGT Run event.
Over the years most successful DGTs have been completed in groups, with only a handful of individuals even contemplating a solo endeavour. For safety reasons, 2022 DGT Run athletes will only be permitted to race in pairs. Although it can be challenging to find someone who is of similar strength, pace and mindset to oneself, the upside of having the support and companionship of a partner on such a long but incredible journey is invaluable.
The official start point of the race will be Sentinel Car Park in the northern Drakensberg and the end point at Bushman's Nek border post in the south. The route will be unmarked but teams will be able to follow a GPX track as a guideline, or navigate themselves by map and compass. Six compulsory peaks must be tagged along the way, with the only other route specification being the descent of Thamathu Pass to Bushman’s Nek. Participants will be required to carry sufficient gear and food in order to survive for at least 100 hours in this unique mountain wilderness.
Fortunately for DGT Run participants, however, there will be a lot more support before, during and after their event than the Raubenheimers received in 1999… This is a race after all! Athletes can look forward to a day time start, enabling them to reach the escarpment safely before nightfall. An accurate GPX file of a fairly direct route will be provided to all runners, meaning that prior knowledge of the course is not essential (although it will go a long way towards more comfortable navigation!) Teams of medics and safety crews will be on standby for the duration of the event, and there will be at least two medical checks up on the mountain, meaning quicker access in case of an incident. Race photographers will no doubt be a welcome sight on random ridgelines deep into traverse, as will the mini aid stations and their marshals who’ll prepare you a hot drink and meal! When you finally reach Bushman’s Nek you will be the proud collector of your hard-earned medal, gift and garment. You’ll then be able to relax in relative luxury in the tented race village until Sunday’s delicious feast and final awards ceremony…
If you’re still sitting on the fence about entering the 2022 edition of DGT Run, we want to encourage you to be a pioneer. Be a pioneer of this epic foot race across the wild Drakensberg escarpment and Lesotho highlands! Experience the ways of a true Berg mountaineer, almost unchanged for over two decades. For 100 hours abandon your comforts and test your limits… Abandon your fears and embrace the mountains.
Images from: Terence Vrugtman @ Adventure Life
