Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon 2008

Article 2008

The Kalahari is a proud temptress. Some days she’s content to let you walk all over her, but as many of the 20 athletes who have lined up to start the Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon (KAEM), will discover – she can be quite unforgiving.

Spirits were high, however, on day one of the 250km Big Daddy of trail running events in South Africa. This is the ninth edition of the event that has seen many athletes trying to challenge and tame the great expanse of rough terrain that is known as the Kalahari. They come from all over the world and many leave without the satisfaction of claiming the desert as their mistress.

Take Tim Doyle for example. He’s back for the third consecutive year; determined to woo the desert into submission. Two years ago he was forced to walk away, but succumbed once again last year without success. Perhaps as they say – third time lucky.

For others it’s all about engaging with the desert. Lena Mescherskaya of Russia describes herself as a big “fan of deserts” and says it has always been a dream of hers to hike through the desert. Helmet Teschellnig of Austria seems to have the same sort of fascination and perhaps for these two the event is more of spiritual challenge than a physical one.

Because, for the majority on the starting line, it is all about the physical challenge – the need to push oneself beyond the comfort zone; way beyond. Some may be almost flippant about the challenge that awaits them, but all will get to know the wide ambit of moods that make the Kalahari both compelling as well as frightening. 

And so as the athletes smiled and chatted on the start line in the Augrabies Falls National Park, the temptress relaxed a little and welcomed them onto their journey; hospitably offering up a light breeze to encourage them on the first leg towards Check Point 1.

All participants were through the first point by 11:30 as Australian Alex Stuart took an early lead. A diver in the Royal Australian Navy, Alex says he started running when he was 10 years old but has only really started competing in the last six months and is certainly one to watch out for on this race having won the North Face 100 event.

But the KAEM was not designed to be that easy and the ardent desert conquerors soon noticed a slight shift as they headed out from the first check point into the heat of the day. Moving through the gorge the focus was on conserving water and making it through the first day.

For  South Africans, Danie Muller and Lukas van der Merwe as well as Alex Stuart the day out in the desert was over in a good time of 03:47 as the trio headed into the Camp 1 together. The two South Africans, both considerably older than the Australian, are out here for a new challenge.

A steady succession of athletes followed with all but one runner making it into camp in less than seven hours. It seems that Russian, Lena Mescherskaya, who finished her day in a time of 09:21, is determined to take the desert on at her own pace.

On the other hand, the fastest lady home on Day 1 was Lynne Simpson who finished 10^th overall. She’s no stranger to the Kalahari Extreme marathon having been part of the group to line up on the start of the first ever event in 2000. She went on to finish the race that year, again in 2001, 2003, 2004 as well as in 2005.

The desert, however, always has the last word and today it was at the expense of 48-year-old Flora Chang from Taiwan who was forced to retire from the race. A businesswomen, Flora is no stranger to South Africa having completed the Two Oceans in Cape Town this year.

Having spent their first day wooing the desert, 19 of the initial 20 athletes competing in the 9^th Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon woke up to another day in her company. They may be smitten, but they’re willing to give the lady the respect she deserves as they head out in the attempt to lay their claim on her heart.

Slower runners got an earlier start to keep them out of the intense heat for as long as possible, but the majority of runners set off down the first 3km of 4x4 track at 8am.

All eyes were on the top three runners of day one, Alex Stuart, Danie Muller and Lukas van der Merwe as they headed off at a similar pace towards the first check point. The evenly matched pace of Danie and Alex saw them make their compulsory stop at check point one together, with Lukas heading in just two minutes behind.

However, two dry riverbeds later and with temperatures pushing upward of 40 degrees Celcius, it was Lukas who made his move to make it to the second check point ahead of the young Australian. Danie was now some ten minutes behind.

In a race where there are no marshals waving flags or spectators lining the streets along the way – it is possible to lose your way despite the entire course being marked and instructions provided. This is not a race where you just switch off and go with the flow – the desert does not like to be ignored; she demands your constant attention.

For Alex this first date with the desert may have started out well, but somewhere between the second and third check point he lost focus and ended up off course – a mistake that saw his two rivals surge well ahead.

Both Lukas and Danie seemed consistent in their pursuit with Lukas maintaining his ten minute lead right up to the finish of the day. Alex had to be content to accept that the desert had got the better of him and entered into Camp 2 about one hour down on the South Africans. This puts him in an overall third position at the end of the day with Lukas first and Danie (with a ten minute time penalty for dropping a water bottle) in second.

The remainder of the runners seemed to be keeping up a steady pace – ensuring an even flow through the check points throughout the day.

With only four ladies left racing after the withdrawal of Flora Chang yesterday, it appears that Lynne Simpson (a veteran of the Kalahari) and Kim van Kets have taken to taming the desert together and spent the day neck and neck to finish in a total time of 08:23 putting them in tenth and eleventh position overall.

The desert, however, has truly captured the attention of the Russian, Lena Mescherskaya, who was less interested in the quickness of her journey through the sweltering heat than in engaging with her new arid mistress.

A four-hour stint between Check Point 1 and 2 saw the Russian slipping way down the field and risking having to be withdrawn from the course. It seems that perhaps Lena was not fully aware of the nature of the event that she had entered into.

Finally her intimacy with the desert caught up with her and, running out of time to finish the required 36 kilometres, Lena had to be withdrawn from the race after going through Check Point 3, on recommendation by the medical doctor.

The other lady out here testing herself against this event is 53-year old Malene Tolfts. Although no stranger to the race, this is her first time out here as a runner. She’s been here before to support her husband who finished the race in 2004 and 2006. This year they’re running it together as he introduces his wife to the runners’ version of the Kalahari.

For some this date in the desert went off better than for others. Paul Stanfied of the UK, who has been running for the last two years, does not mince his words; “It was evil,” he says of the day’s encounter. Philip Waudby knows “you just got to keep on going” if you want to get anywhere with this petulant desert dame.

But for Kerry Chen, a businessman from China, the relationship was just not going to work. Not used to the heat, he was forced to resign himself to the fact that, this year, the Kalahari was just not going to let him win her over and stopped after Check Point 2.

The runners awoke to a breezy Kalahari – a charming desert that lifted her sandy skirts and playfully curtsied to the 17 runners readying themselves to tackle the next 32km leg of the Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon.

They responded in kind. Ronan Gallagher, an Australian with one KAEM under his belt, cheekily took to the riverbed sans shoes while Lynne donned a pair of crocs and fleetingly challenged the desert carrying her running shoes.  

Now the race seems to have turned into a tri-nations of sorts with only South Africans, Aussies and Pommies left in the running – oh and one Austrian. With eight South Africans (that’s including Tim Doyle the SA-born Canadian, but excluding Gareth Parker the SA born Australian) still out there, one can only be hopeful about the overall strength of our “team”. 

But it’s not a team sport – as one competitor noted on day one – “it gets lonesome out there”.

It was a relatively quick jaunt for the runners as they headed out of camp and to check point 1. With many of them arriving there in under an hour or not much longer – it seems that the desert is ready to be tamed.

For Paul Stanfield of the UK, however, the trek out to the first station must have been pure hell. With agonizing blisters, he could not keep up the desert dance and was forced to retire after just over two hours on the route today. Attracted to what he believes to be the “hardest race in the world” he will have to be satisfied to call the Kalahari an unrequited love.

It was no surprise to see the trio of Danie Muller, Lukas van der Merwe and Alex Stuart leading the chase out to the first check point, but this time they were neatly hounded by Gareth Parker, an Australian, who says he came “home to run in the bush”. And run he did today as he gave the leaders a run for their money.  

By check point three, and after a tough section through thick sand and undulating terrain it was Danie, Gareth and Alex that made up the leading trio. The pace seems to have taken its toll on Lukas who found himself slipping behind as the earlier light desert mood transformed itself with each kilometer into a tough and sandy slog for some.  

By the end of the day it is still Danie in the lead, but Alex has made up the time he lost to Lukas when he went off course yesterday. This means that Alex and Lukas now share second place behind Danie. After an impressive day over tough conditions, Gareth has moved himself up from an overall eighth position and is now lying fourth.  

With the long day looming; the racers’ strategy over the last three days will be tested further. It’s a night out in the desert and she’s not going to care how sore their legs are; how raw their feet are or how much they wish they could just lie down and rest.  

Amongst the ladies the twosome of Lynne Simpson and Kim van Kets who had run together the day before did not stick together as Lynne opened up a bit of a lead heading out of the camp.  

By Check Point 2 there was a 20-minute gap between the two ladies, but by Check Point 3 Kim was a full hour and 20 minutes behind her previous day’s running mate. Things were not going her way and the harsh reality of desert running was taking its toll. Although still feeling strong, Kim was unable to keep anything down and was vomiting constantly as she fought to stay in the race.  

But her romance with the sand, the stones and the bush that is the Kalahari was over and Lynne’s strongest competition amongst the ladies was forced to retire from the race.  

The only other lady left now is Malene Tolft – still tackling the desert as a couple with her husband. They are matching each other step for step. For Roy this year’s race is not about competing against the other men on the course; it’s about experiencing the sand, the stone and the bush with his wife – now that’s real romance in the desert.

Day 4 & 5 ~ COMMITTING TO THE RELATIONSHIP

There comes a point in any relationship where you have to decide where you stand. Are you in it for the long haul – or are you just there biding time? Is this the route you want to take – or are you still looking for your true direction?

Day 4 and 5 of the Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon – a continuous leg of 75km – are designed to test the commitment of all the runners still in the race. It’s hard, it’s long and, make no mistake, if you are not in it for the long haul, this is where you will break off your relationship with the desert.

With 15 runners still in the race, a staggered start saw many of the slower competitors kicking off their grueling test earlier on in the day. Husband and wife team, Roy and Malene Tolfts set off at 7 am to begin their evenly paced trek towards the camp 75km away. For them it was a 19-hour test of endurance where Roy says of his wife “Everything was cramping except her mouth”.

Leaving an hour later, Philip Waudby who is out here with “unfinished business”, is running to raise money for the Starfish Greathearts Foundation (www.backabuddy.co.za). In 2007 Philip’s relationship with the desert came to an end early on in the race. He withdrew on day two. With a belief in the necessity to push himself when raising funds for charity, Philip 17 hour 34 minute time for the 75 km long day will certainly have him more confident about his hopes of leaving the desert a more fulfilled racer.

The next group out of camp at 9 am consisted of the leading lady, Lynne Simpson along with Ronan Gallagher and Patrick Hobbs. One hour later it was Helmut Tschellnig and Richard Weremiuk, with John Nelson and Edward Chapman following at 11 am.

Midday saw one of the top men of the race, Lukas van der Merwe leave the camp along with Tim Doyle. They were followed into the desert by the Kalahari’s top suitors at 13:00.  Setting off on the first 11km leg to check point one, Danie Muller, Alex Stuart and Gareth Parker pitted themselves against each other and the cliff that separated them from the first station.

Alex played his hand and pushed ahead to go through the first check point five minutes ahead of the other two runners. But with 75km of desert to woo an early move on the part of the Australian may not have been prudent. By the second check point Danie had reigned in the much younger runner and both passed through at the same time with Gareth only three minutes behind.

But it was game on in the desert as it became a test to see who get the furthest in the desert the quickest. Like high school boys chasing the affections of the most popular girl, Alex and Danie raised the level of their courtship.

Check point three and the early evening saw Alex make the initial claim for the desert’s affection as he clocked in some ten minutes ahead of his biggest rival – taking less than an hour to run from the previous check point. Although maintaining his lead into the fourth station, Danie was not giving up and seemed to be sharpening his pace from behind.

For the two of them the duel in the desert was far from over. School boy antics behind them, they had become those two honourable gentleman dueling for the sweet maiden’s hand. As the sun set, the Australian and the South African put their heads down and paced out their strategy for victory.

Extending his lead slightly at Check Point 6, Alex looked set to take the day from the South African, but incredibly by Check Point 7 the two runners were once again on par. Not content to give his rival an inch, Alex once again took the lead and found his way to the next Check Point two minutes ahead.

But in one of the most exciting chases through the desert in many years of the KAEM, Danie Muller and Alex Stuart reached the night camp at exactly the same time – leaving the desert no clear choice. Danie, however, still maintains his overall lead over the Australian, but Lukas van der Merwe has moved into third position overall after sharing second with the Australian at the end of yesterday’s leg.

Lukas, who left camp one hour ahead of his two rivals, finished his mammoth day in 12 hours – giving him an overall time in the race of 26:15:00.

But for most of the field, the day was much longer and the commitment much more intense.  While all got a taste of the desert in her evening wear - splendidly attired in her golden moon – many of the back-markers only crawled into bed in the wee hours of the morning.

For Patrick Hobbs, however, the race was over. A finisher in 2006, the long day took its toll on the 57-year-old UK athlete. By Check Point 4 he knew it was over and he retired from the event.

After a tough leg in the company of both sun and moon, 14 runners have ultimately proved their commitment to finishing South Africa’s toughest trail race. With the longest leg now behind them, most will think more than twice before reneging on the commitment they have made today. 

Divided into two groups, the runners were early into the desert on the penultimate day of the Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon. With the 75km leg now behind them, they may all feel confident in their ability to reach the finish line. But this race is not over until then and no one sneaks through the desert without sweet-talking the lady. 

Amongst the first group to head out, it was Tim Doyle and Philip Waudby who initially set the pace. After Tim’s two previous aborted attempts at this race, he can only be pleased that he has got this far and seems to be maintaining an even-paced progression towards Day 7.

But after the long day out, all eyes are on the South African, Danie Muller and Alex Stuart, the Australian. Will the long day have had an effect on these two runners or is it going to be another day of close encounters in the desert?

Up until Check Point 2 it looked as if this 39km day could mirror the previous leg where the two were running within ten minutes of each other, but finished at the same time. Not so, however.

The Australian, it seems, is the desert sweetheart today. By Check Point three Alex had built up a 20 minute lead – but even more remarkably, crossed the finish of today’s leg almost an hour ahead of Danie.

This means that Alex has moved into the overall lead and, if he can maintain his pace for the last day of the race, may be able to claim this year’s title tomorrow.  

Lukas van der Merwe was not far behind Danie for the entire day and finished within six minutes of his countryman. He is still in a seemingly secure third place ahead of Gareth Parker.

It was a long day out there for the Tolfts and Lynne Simpson. All three of them were out there for over nine hours battling the long stretches of red sand and the pesky miggies.  Despite these challenges, it is said that the Austrian Helmut Tschellnig is never without a smile on his face. Whether this is due to his self-confessed fascination with the desert, or his own sense of humour (he is a comedian) one can only wonder.

With the ultimate finish now so close at hand, the desert sweethearts are all content to sleep one more night their sandy beds in the hope that tomorrow they can finally claim her as their own.

They’ve put in the mileage; they’ve stuck to the path (for the most part) and today the runners setting out for the last 33 kilometres of the Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon will finally be able to say “That Girl is Mine”!

It’s been one of those tumultuous love affairs that has given the 14 runners still left in the race both the highs and lows of courtship. It’s been about staying the distance; making the right turns and ultimately proving that you are worthy of claiming a union with the desert.

Malene and Roy Tolfts have been in utter unison throughout their desert journey. For six days they have shared each step and today they were the first of the runners to head out of camp towards the finish line. Leaving at 5am the couple once again matched each stride homeward. Roy, a two-time finisher of the marathon stuck with his wife to finish his third marathon and no doubt cement both the relationship with his life-partner as well as with the Desert. Malene, determined from the outset to finish said after her successful first KAEM; “Been there, done it, got the t-shirt and I’ll be back as crew next time!”

The leading lady, Lynne Simpson, took to the route just a half hour behind the Tofts, but had overtaken them going through check point two. Having spent one day running with Kim van Kets who had to pull out on early on the challenge, Lynne once again showed that the Desert needs to show respect when she is on the course. Finishing the last day in just under five hours Lynne set a phenomenal record by successfully completing the full distance. This year’s finish represents a unique record in the history of the race as Lynne becomes the only person to have finished the Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon six times! She finished her epic sixth KAEM in an overall time of 54:49:00 and placed in a good 12^th spot in the overall field.  

Kim reportedly went on to complete the Amatola trail run after leaving the desert to finish as the sixth lady overall in that race.  

Next out of camp and determined not to let the Kalahari get the better of him on his second attempt to complete the Big Daddy of trail running in South Africa, Philip Waudby spent just four and a half hours out on the diverse terrain today to conquer this tough mistress. It took him just over 50 hours in total to be able to claim this honour and he finished in tenth position.

Next to hit the trails at 7am were Edward Chapman, Tim Doyle and Helmut Tschellnig. Initially pulling ahead, Helmut was caught and overtaken by Tim by the second check point. But Helmut finished his chase for the finish line in a respectable 04:46 to clock up an overall time of 44:27:00 to put him in ninth overall position. Like a sailor of old keen to keep make sure his love’s name is part of his body armour, the Austrian says he aims to get a KAEM tattoo as soon as he gets home and admits that the Marathon de Sables is “for children”.

Running for 04:16 on this last day and clocking an overall time of 44:19:00 – Tim can finally head back to Canada secure in the knowledge that his pursuit of the Kalahari has been met with success. It’s a case of third time lucky as the South African-born runner claims overall eighth position in the 2008 Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon.  

Edward Chapman had a somewhat longer last day in the desert.  Thanking the trees for showing him his path with their “candy striped tape” Edward made it to the finish line at Camp Khamkirri in 05:22! His total time for the full 240 km race sits at just one minute over the 46 hour mark as he rounds out the top ten positions.

Two of the stronger runners left the last camp in the desert at 07:20 am and both went on to post good last day performances – running within range of each other for the entire 33 kilometres. Richard Weremiuk of the United Kingdom had a particularly strong day as he finished this leg of the race in 03:44 posting a total time of 42:08:00 to be the first UK athlete and the sixth runner overall to finish the race. But then one should expect nothing less of this experienced desert runner.  

Leaving at the same time, Australian, John Nelson (always quick with a chirp) also went out to make short work of his seventh day in the desert. In just over four hours he was home and across the finish line to be able claim an overall seventh position in a total time tally of 42:45:00.

Another two Australians were next out of the starting blocks and proceeded to run within sight of each other and to finish within two minutes of each other. Running with a constant smile, Ronan Gallagher finished his second KAEM to proclaim “only 364 days left to train until KAEM 2009”. Clearly up for a challenge (and perhaps in pursuit of Lynne’s current record number of completed KAEM’s), Ronan finished his day in 03:23 and his overall marathon in 38:52:00 to take fifth overall position.

The other Australian to leave with Ronan was Gareth Parker who, despite being two minutes behind Ronan over the ultimate finish line, is still able to lay claim to beating his countryman in the overall race standings. Finishing in fourth position, Gareth’s total devotion to the desert clocks in at 37:35:00.    

Leaving alone just a short while after the two Australians, Lukas van der Merwe, headed out to defend his position in the overall race standings. One can only hope that his eventual third position in the race has inspired him to tackle further similar adventures, as this South African won the draw for an entry to the Moose Marathon in Canada. Finishing in an overall time of 35:01:00 – we look forward to hearing how Lukas fares up north in his new challenge.  

With a nine minute lead over his nearest rival, Australian Alex Stuart headed off at the same time as Danie Muller. Nothing stopped him steaming ahead to tackle the sand, the thorn trees and the rocky “koppies” that separated him from his ultimate victory. Tackling the day in just over three hours, the youngest ever participant in the race proved to be the toughest competitor this year and certainly stole the desert’s heart. Yip – he can sing “That girl is mine” with the confidence of a man who came, who strategised and who conquered the Kalahari in an overall time of 31:26:00.

A valiant effort from Danie Muller, however, did give the youngster a few tense days early on in the race. The South African finished second overall after holding the lead at the outset of the race. “He looks like a rugby player, but he runs like lightning,” some said and this man came home in a total time of 32:28:00 to prove them right.  

For those that this year could not claim the girl as theirs it was a bitter sweet day to see the finishers across the line. Patrick Hobbs, here for his second time says he will be back to take care of this unfinished business. Paul Stanfield has the same mission and perhaps Kerry Cheng will be also take up the challenge again one day.  Flora Chang who stopped on the first day was taken by the atmosphere and aims to be back as part of the crew in the future.

Once again the Kalahari has dished up a spectacular story; for there’s hardly a dull moment in a desert race that takes its competitors through a broad range of emotions and an ambit of pain.

Certainly the event would not be possible without the support of sponsors and crew – another special breed that reveres in what this particular event has to offer. It takes a special wine (Namaqua), a serious medical team (Medi-Clinic), some super-duper water (Aquelle), faultless footwear (Falke socks), tenacious accessories (Buff), strong hands (Sports Massage Therapist), natural hosts (Khamkirri, Augrabies National Parks and the Augrabies Falls Lodge & Camp), an extreme magazine (MSM: Multi-Sport Magazine) and mad as hatter race organisers (Nadia and Estienne Arndt and Simon Kelly) to pull a thing like this off.