Hey KLIPSPRINGERS!
10 days to go! The bulk of your training is now (hopefully) mostly done but this final stretch can still be hugely valuable. Just be sure to watch where you’re going and don’t injure yourselves! Reports from the Park indicate that the river is flowing nice and full for this time of year, and we expect the Falls over Race Weekend to put on their usual spectacular show but without the flood drama of Klipspringers past.
The downside of higher than normal water levels, even though way below the last couple of actual floods, is that together with upstream dams being at over 100% capacity and more rain forecast for the Orange River catchment area this week, Khamkirri will unfortunately be unable to operate their awesome Ferry service. This means that on Day One runners staying in the Park on the Southern side of the river, or in the vicinity, will have to drive themselves to the Start on the Northern side. Similarly on Day Two, for runners staying at Khamkirri or on the Northern Bank getting to the Start at the Rest Camp in the Park on the Southern side.
Remember that the Start / Finish on Day One is NOT actually AT Khamkirri, but approximately 5km beyond Khamkirri on the same road. The Start / Finish arch will be set up across the actual road, where you won’t be able to go any further, so you can’t miss it.
DIRECTIONS: From the Park head back towards Kakamas (approx. 39km). About 1km after the traffic light and petrol stations in Kakamas you will cross the bridge over the Orange River. Shortly after crossing the bridge you will take the turn off to the left following N10 / Riemvasmaak / Namibia. (This is where you will turn off to the right if you are coming from Upington, just before the big bridge over the river). The turn off here is pretty much impossible to miss AND there is a very prominent Khamkirri marker. From here follow the Khamkirri and Riemvasmaak signs at every junction. There is 3km of tar road, then 4km of good dirt road to the Riemvasmaak / Lutzputs split (follow Riemvasmaak to the left). After 20.5km of good dirt road you will come to the small community of Vaaldrift, and about 1km further on is the Khamkirri Resort on your left, and the actual Race Start & Finish is approximately 5km further on the same road. The roads are in good condition, but please avoid the temptation to speed up – there are a couple of corrugated sections that you don’t want to be driving too fast on, and after Khamikirri a couple of deceptively low dry river bed crossings. There is ample parking at the Start / Finish area but please park considerately and well to the side of the road to allow for vehicles turning around.
Entries
Please note that online entries are closed! However we have been receiving quite a few enquiries from runners who missed the chance to get their online entries in in time but are desperate to run, so we have decided to accommodate them with late entries at Registration in the Park on Friday afternoon. If you have any of your running friends who fall into this category you can let them know that they will be able to enter in person. They will be able to pay in cash, with or by EFT only (no credit cards), and their entry will NOT include a race shirt.
Registration & Pre-Race Briefing
Registration will take place at the Augrabies Falls National Park Conference Centre (just before Reception) on Friday afternoon 1 May from 15h00 – 18h00, where you will register and receive your race pack and race number. There will be a small Registration facility at the Start on both Saturday and Sunday mornings for those people who absolutely cannot make it on Friday – for those planning on making use of this it is recommended that you are at the Start to register by no later than 06h00.
There will be no physical Race Briefing at the venue, but rather we will distribute a Virtual Race Briefing video in the week before the Race. This means that runners do not have to hang around the Park until 19h00 on Friday evening after they have registered, and they can watch and re-watch at their own convenience.
DIETARY REQUIREMENTS
It gets harder every year to cater for the increasingly wide range of dietary preferences we all have, but we sure try! If you have any restrictions or strong preferences (vegetarian / vegan / gluten free) please indicate them by return email before midnight Monday 22 April so we can prepare as best we can to ensure no one starves. If you eat anything and everything you can ignore this.
Race Tip #2 – Following the trail and Orientation
Following the trail and NOT GETTING LOST is one of the most important aspects of trail running. Many a race, including some of the world’s biggest, have been won or lost because of a wrong turn at a critical time! Don’t let it be you! The Klipspringer trails will be comprehensively marked and nobody should get lost, but pay attention! Day One will be marked with specific highly-visible Klipspringer orange ribbon markings, and Day Two will be marked with ribbon AND with traditional SANParks Hiking Trail markings (remember that Day Two IS the legendary Klipspringer Hiking Trail). Please always be aware that this is a remote and inaccessible trail in extremely tough terrain. It is unlike the Otter Trail, for example, where the trail is kept clear and visible by the feet of thousands of hikers and tourists every year, and where if the ocean is not to your left, you know you’ve gone wrong somewhere. In addition, it is not just marketing when we say that the remote Northern Section of the Park has the course running through parts that have literally not seen human feet! So although you shouldn’t, there is always the possibility of finding yourself off the trail. Please note that the race maps are NOT navigation standard and the best advice here is that each and every runner take responsibility for their own run – do NOT just follow other runners, always be looking for the next trail marker, and pay attention to the actual DIRECTION of the arrows and trail markers (and Race Organiser instructions in Race Briefings). Also try and just be generally aware – if you’ve run for more than 100m – 200m without seeing a marker, the chances are that you are off the trail and should double back to the last one you saw. We will repeat this advice many times before the Race!
Race Tip #3 – Race Nutrition
Now is the time to start planning your Race eating. Yes there will be a LOT of DELICIOUS (and NUTRITIOUS) stuff at the Water Tables so you will definitely NOT go hungry. However it always pays to think of anything in particular that you might like to glug or gobble with you on a long hard day out on the trails and have it with you – when you need it that energy bar or banana is worth its weight in gold!. It also pays to have an emergency stash of something that can hit that spot if you do hit an energy wall in between Tables.
Enjoy this last week. Take it easy and stay injury-free, and keep your eyes on your inbox. Looking forward to special experience next weekend out out the Augrabies Falls National Park.