You are in!!!

Congratulations on securing an entry to The Southern Storm Trail Duathlon 2010 presented by Hi Tec. While the Magnetic South scouts finalise the final routing one thing is for certain – you will have the exciting challenge of getting the Otter in the bag first before setting out on your bike and trail shoes for the final 4 days of competition. So let’s start with what you have let yourself in for in the first 2 days of the Southern Storm, before we move onto what the rest of the event will bring. These will be dealt with in more detail with follow up newsletters.

Southern Storm Day 1 & 2

The Otter is one of the best true trail runs on the planet and we are thrilled that we are going to be sharing this amazing run with you. During the course of the time leading up to the event we will be sending a series of newsletters with; updates on the event, news from the Tsitsikamma section of the Garden Route National Park, information about upgrade accommodation options and training tips etc. For now though, we would just like to confirm that your entry has been accepted and also to make sure that you comprehend what you have let yourself in for!!

So what have you let yourself in for?

Athletes who took part in the inaugural Southern Storm last year will know exactly what this event is about but many of you doing it for the first time may be in for a surprise. Be warned; The Otter has a bite which is becoming legendary. According to our post race feedback last year, 85% of our entrants found the run harder than expected. In fact eight out of the top ten finishers admitted that it was far tougher than they’d anticipated. Conditions for running were perfect yet only 75% of the field made it in, in under nine hours. So, for those of you who are new to trail running, you have chosen a particularly challenging event to begin with and you are going to need to be prepared.

We started a Facebook Group for the SOUTHERN STORM – join and ask last year’s participants what they have to say. click here to join: http://www.facebook.com/photo_search.php?oid=114483015244909&view=user#!/group.php?gid=114483015244909

What gives The Otter its bite?

At just over 42 km The Otter is, by fluke, a classic marathon distance run and although this adds to the Otters intrigue, it also leads many people to underestimate its severity. Going the distance is not where the challenge of this event lies. The Otter is far more demanding than a regular road marathon and participants should use the time they expect to be participating as a guide to their preparations rather than the distance of the run. Undertaken as a five day hike the Otter Trail has broken many a hiker. Attempting this trail, plus a bit extra, in less than nine hours is no mean feat at all.

The Otter involves a total vertical ascent of more than 2200 meters. In that regard The Otter is comparable with some of the more severe mountain runs. Although all of the climbs are relatively short, so much so that even people who have done the run are sometimes surprised to realize the extent of their accumulated ascent, the accrued vertical meters are inescapably there and the climbs are steep. It is a mathematical certainty that your limbs will need to power your body up those 2.2 vertical kilometres and that it is going to take its toll on your reserves.

Another challenge is that the Otter is a technical run with a lot of boulder hopping, slippery root – woven paths and jagged rock sections that need to be negotiated. A fall on any of these sections could very easily lead to injury. Whilst some runners make light work of the rock hoping, many other athletes’ technical ability is limited resulting in them losing a lot of time and expending unnecessary energy over these stretches. Although almost the entire course is runnable, it is very seldom during the run than you can put one foot down in front of the other, and this invariably also takes its toll on muscles not accustomed to the wide variation in action.

You will also need to be aware that this is not a conventional event and appreciate that it takes place in a rugged wilderness area. You will have to swim across at least one river and you will have to use your hands to stabilize you whilst traversing many of the rocks and cragged sections. Withdrawing from the event on the day is not simply a matter of being loaded into a sweep vehicle or phoning a family member to pick you up. Much of the course is difficult to access and exceptionally exposed to changes in weather. Our very experienced event management team will do everything we can to ensure your safety but by taking part in an event of this nature you are assuming far more of a risk than a participant in a conventional event does.

Is the Otter Achievable?

If you attempt the run fully prepared for and appreciating the challenge you face, then The Otter is actually a very achievable event. Athletes accustomed to only one style of running- such that may be optimal for a run of the mill road race – may need to adapt to realise their potential on the Otter. An adjustment in training will be necessary. For runners not accustomed to “technical” trail running we would strongly recommend spending a lot of time training on just such technical terrain. Your proficiency and resulting speed over these sections should improve markedly with regular training. More importantly, muscles conditioned for the varied actions demanded by such terrain tend to fatigue at a slower rate, recover more rapidly and demand less fuelling. You may also find these “technical” runs the most enjoyable training sessions of all. More on training tips in the following newsletters.

What makes the Otter so special?

It is obviously impossible to define exactly why The Otter has so captured the imagination of the trail running world but it obviously lies somewhere in a combination of the many factors that make up the event. A classic marathon distance run, on a world renowned hiking trail, that is normally forbidden to trail runners and that traverses some of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in the world, may have something to do with it.

Is it possible to train on the Otter Trail?

The route of the Otter Run follows the route of the internationally renowned Otter Trail. As an operating five day hiking trail a maximum of 12 hikers are permitted on the trail per day and it is strictly forbidden to be on the trail without a permit. Many of the hikers book years in advance for this exceptional hiking experience and their seclusion is to be respected. Magnetic South together with SANParks has structured the management of the Otter Run in such a way, that the actual trail benefits, by the hosting of this event. SANParks have identified illegal trespassing on the trail by trail runners as the biggest threat to the continuation of The Otter Run. Persons engaging in such a selfish deed face a lifetime ban from the event and the Tsitsikamma National Park in addition to legal action.

There are a number of trails that are accessible to trail runners that offer ideal preparation. Examples include the various Harkerville Trails and those found in and around Natures Valley.

What Impact does running the Otter have on the rest of the Southern Storm ?

Last year the Southern Storm athletes or “ Storm Chasers ” as they have become known – had the very technical 8 km Robberg Peninsula Trail Run followed up with a 48 km MTB ride through the Harkerville Forests to Diepwalle on Day 3 of their Challenge. For many this leg had them on all fours and it took considerable mental and physical courage to dig deep and keep the show on the road for themselves. This year it is going to be no different and although there may be some major changes to the route, how you manage your recovery after the Otter will become a very important factor in both your overall performance and enjoyment of the 2010 Southern Storm Trail Duathlon.

As we mentioned earlier – Training Tips will be given to you on how best to prepare for this event and it is important that you get out and run on as much technical ground as possible plus put in as much hill work as you can. For some of you who live in the flatter urban centres take on a high rise building stairwell – it may not replicate what is going to challenge you come race day but climbing stairs will definitely prepare you for the climbs. Dry river beds with rocky boulders will also make for a good conditioning terrain if technical running has not been part of your running so far.

Southern Storm Event Handbook

Each Southern Storm athlete will be given an Event Handbook on registration and this will cover every leg and what distance and elevation profile you will be taking on. The Event handbook is designed to assist you plan your strategy on how best to tackle the Southern Storm. Comfortable overnight camp stops with wholesome food are all designed to assist with your recovery however from the feedback we got from the 2009 participants it is advisable for you to look at the various additional options available to assist with your recovery and these include the use of Compression Garments, Recovery Based Supplements and having the right equipment/kit in the first place.

The 2009 Southern Storm even saw a participant or two riding mountain bikes that were not correctly sized for them and this made their MTB legs thoroughly challenging. Bike setups are important and if this something you have not done before make contact with your local bike shop to check your are optimising this aspect. These checks may seem common sense however being the only Trail Duathlon event we are aware of on the SA Multi Sport calendar it is very easy to come into an event like this with not all your bases covered.

This is exactly my cup of tea !

If you are sure this event is for you and are undaunted by the challenges you face then you are a kindred spirit and we look forward to welcoming you to The Tsitsikamma. You have one incredible trail running and mountain biking experience waiting for you.

Happy training and may it take you on an adventure like no other. We look forward to sharing the various exciting stages with you in our next series of event newsletters.

And while the OTTER is fully booked, we still have a limited number of entries available for the SOUTHERN STORM!

Best Wishes

The Magnetic South Team
www.southernstorm.co.za
www.magneticsouth.net
info@magneticsouth.net
+27 – (0)44 – 328 2932