THE FINAL SCENES OFBEHIND

INCLUDES EXCLUSIVE

RYAN SANDESVIDEO INTERVIEW

THECHALLENGES OF

OCTOBER 2011 ISSUE

Trail Running

To gain endless inspiration through your individual connection with the earth.

Tr {ale} Ruhn-ning (Adj.):

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ADVERTISE WITH GO TRAIL.

I was recently given the opportunity to be a

guest speaker at a trail seminar and asked

by the organisers to shed some light on the

growing trail running community here in

South Africa. To have been able to speak

to an audience that consisted of both up-

and-coming trail runners as well as people

who were starting out for the first time and

various other stakeholders in the market

was a real privilege and something that I

was completely humbled by.

However the greatest privilege of all was

having some of the worlds top trail runners

also present in the audience, including

3-time Ultra-Trail Du Mont-Blanc winner

Kilian Jornet, recent Trans-Rockies winner

in the mixed category Anna Frost and the

2011 Leadville Trail 100 winner Ryan Sandes.

The simple fact is, we as South African

Editor ’s note >

Also in this issue >On the cover > Ryan Sandes enjoying some time out while preparing for the Leadvil le Trail 100 in Colorado, USA in August. Image by Dean Leslie/The African Attachment

Editorial/Advertising Enquiries >james@gotrail.co.za / James Hallet

Design Enquiries >design@gotrail.co.za / Simphiwe Mathunjwa

Dynamite comes in small packages.Catching up with Cape Town based trail runner Kataya Soggot and how perseverance has helped her achieve her running goals.

08

October 2011 | 4

trail runners are literally scratching the tip of the

iceberg that is our exposure to the international trail

running fraternity, and listening to the experiences

of these top athletes offers great insight into

other trail running communities around the world.

It made me stop and think about how the South

African trail running community is well and truly

poised to embark on a fantastic journey of growth

and development, a sport that will hopefully one

day offer the country increased opportunities to

host more of the worlds top athletes.

In the main feature of this months issue of Go

Trail magazine, we once again catch up with the

guys at The African Attachment, the Cape Town

based independent film company that have been

following trail sensation Ryan Sandes around the

world for the past 3 and half years. As the filming

for the documentary Wandering Fever comes to

an end at the Leadville Trail 100, partners Dean

Leslie and Greg Fell share with us some of the

behind-the-scenes . Find out more about what

it was like to have been with Ryan Sandes as

he won his debut 100-miler and be sure to click

on the exclusive video interview with Ryan

himself. It’s then off to New York (well via a

recorded telephone call) to catch up with Zandy

Mangold, one of the official Racing The Planet

photographers. I chat to him about some of the

challenges he faces when shooting in some of

the most extreme landscapes in the world and

also ask him about some of the harsh lessons

he’s learnt over the years. And then we get you

“down and dirty” in our filthiest shoe review

ever as we check out two new trail shoes to hit

the market. This and much more so grab a cup

of coffee and enjoy the read.

James | Editor

insiDe trail Matt Copeland and Tim Long shed some light and some new theories on the future of the American Ultra Runner of the Year Award.

running ancient lanDsCheck out the trail running scene in the island archipelago of Greece with renowned climber and trail runner Nikos Magitsis

22 50

October 2011 | 5

I t ’s 5am in the atacama Desert and competitors ready

themselves for the day of racing that lies ahead.

searing temperatures, harsh terrain and marathon distances

await all the runners taking part in the atacama crossing each and every day, but for one man, this isn’t a race. as runners relax before the start in the comfort of the shaded tent, this man’s out on the course in search of a great location, readying himself to capture that “perfect image” as the runners embark on their epic journey.

alexander “Zandy” mangold is that man, his work mainly that of shooting musicians and models in air-conditioned studios. But with a passion and an energy that exceeds the comforts of everyday life, Zandy has become better known in the trail and ultra-running world for the exceptional images he has taken at some of racing the planets 4 Deserts series races around the world.

October 2011 | 6

Go Trail Exclusive

click on the sound icon and listen to this exclusive interview where you’ll get to hear more about the challenges Zandy faces when shooting in some of the most inhospitable places on earth. learn about where it all began for him and what were some of the more memorable experiences and lessons he’s been able to take from each and every shoot.

October 2011 | 7

atya Soggot was born in 1975 in Joh annesburg South

Africa. At the age of 3, her family moved to London and having been schooled at an all-girls school in the centre of London, Katya jokes “it was unfortunate for a tomboy like me, who loves living close to nature, to have been stuck in a city school.” Later she went on to study a masters degree in Italian and History of art, qualifying through Edinburgh University.

One of her fondest childhood memories, and perhaps her KOctober 2011 | 8

Athlete Profile

Image by: Neil Hermann

initial connection with trail running, came whilst on one of the many holidays spent in the South of France. “I often found myself whizzing with great pleasure down the Baou de St Jeannet, a mountain in many ways similar to that of Lions Head in Cape Town” she recalls.

Fast forward to 2004 and Katya decided to move to Cape Town, the city where she still resides today and enjoys working as a freelance researcher in sustainability. A regular trail racer on the South African trail running calendar, as well as having been selected earlier this year to represent South Africa at the World Trail Championships in Ireland, Katya is a true trail runner and a woman with an affinity for the outdoors. We caught up with Katya recently and chatted to her about where it all began and what trail running means to her in her daily life.

October 2011 | 9

Go Trail (GT): You’ve only been living in Cape Town now since 2004. When did your affinity with the outdoors begin and more importantly, how did you get into trail running?

Childhood summer holidays in the South of France were magical times outdoors, playing in a valley by a river at the foot of a mountain called the Baou de St Jeannet. Trail running only became a regular part of my life in early 2009. A running buddy encouraged me to race, which I resisted, because running for me was always just for spirit. I was drawn to the Old Fisherman’s Trail Challenge because the route was so inviting, so I entered. I raced, and to my total surprise, came first in the women’s category; a fairytale start to competitive trail running.

GT: We believe you suffered with knee problems early on in your running career. What were some of the major factors you had to overcome in those early days and how did it all come together?

From the age of 18 I struggled with knee pain whenever I did anything involving knee impact for much more than a half hour. When I came to live in Cape Town, I mountain biked, hiked, and managed runs up Lion’s Head. It was frustrating being so restricted and knee experts told me there was nothing structurally wrong. Then late 2008, at 33, my life changed when I went to see the legendary sports injury/posture therapist Jenni Rorrison. She took one look at me and said it was obvious what was wrong with me: my ‘scaffolding’ was skew. She rubbed here and there and sent me running. It was magic. Suddenly I could run without a knee limit.

With

Katya Soggot

October 2011 | 10

Image by: Kathy Johnston

GT: What advice do you have for other women out there looking at getting into trail running?

My advice to anyone trail running is to watch out particularly for rolling an ankle, which is easy to do without realising it. An ankle off centre is a common cause of pain elsewhere. Trail running is all about sensory pleasure, so I’d invest in getting rid of any niggling pain, by going to see a kinesiologist/physio/chiro, and from time to time having a sports massage. Stretching after run and other basic recommendations are to not run alone, and carry a cellphone and emergency money. I believe that people can give you advice on

all fronts – shoes, nutrition, training etc – but ultimately it’s good to listen to your body and follow your instinct.

GT: Describe the best 21km trail run.

The Old Fisherman’s Trail Challenge from Hout Bay beach to Fish Hoek beach is hard to beat. Barring short sections of tar and jeep track, the route is exciting and varied single track with magnificent views. After a steep ascent up Blackburn ravine to the top of Silvermine North, it is more or less a gentle downward sweep. Another favourite spot I like to run for single track with stunning views is in the Cape Point nature reserve.

I try to remind myself

that I run best when

I run for pleasure

rather than for results.

Continued >>

October 2011 | 11

HoutBay2010Image by:Actionography

GT: You regularly compete in events around South Africa. What are some of the preparation techniques you adopt before a race both mentally and physically?

I try to remind myself that I run best when I run for pleasure rather than for results, but it is often a fine line at races. When I race, I really push myself if I have a chance of winning. It’s good, and I love the feeling, both during and after the race. I tend to enter races close to the time, if I am feeling strong and keen, rather than to set my sights on something and work towards it. The only time I have done the latter was in preparing for AfricanX this year, the three-day stage race in Kleinmond. When renowned triathlete Raoul de Jongh contacted me saying he was looking for a partner for a mixed team to hit podium, I gladly accepted the new challenge. At the time my running had fallen by the wayside as I pursued the wind for kitesurfing, so I had just six weeks to get my legs running and racing fit for a stage race, which I had never done before. For the first time, I put my mind to how often and how much I needed to run. I enjoyed the focus, did my homework well, and got very hyped up in the days before the race, struggling to manage the adrenalin and sleep at night. Clutching at crystals wasn’t strong enough...

GT: What would be your greatest achievement in competitive trail running in South Africa thus far and why?

Hout Bay Trail Challenge in 2010 was a blissful run and my best win. I entered just a week before the race, inspired by spectacular weather, my legs feeling particularly eager, and the promise of that best of trail routes (35km). There was something supernatural about race day and I felt like I was floating. The competition was fierce so it was all the more sweet to win comfortably and break the ladies record by 11 mins. Since then I’ve had some very challenging race experiences, where I’ve amazed myself how hard I can push my mind and body, in stark contrast to that HBTC.

GT: You were recently chosen to represent South Africa at the World Trail Championships in Ireland. What was that experience like and what can trail running in South Africa learn from the team that went there to compete?

Being selected for the SA team for the World Trail Champs was another dream page in my trail running story, an incredible honour. The team was chosen at short notice, with only a month to prepare for a tough 71km course. I had to work hard at making myself believe I could run that distance, far greater than I had ever run before. But the day had bigger challenges for me. After 30km, I had a knee ‘blow-out’. Determined to make the most of the occasion, i hobbled the remaining 40km. I was very pleased to finish the course, and did not realise I was doing myself harm.

October 2011 | 12

The week in Ireland was great fun, and for all of us it was a tremendous

experience, representing SA and competing against the

cream of ultra-marathon trail runners. Although we had not

been sufficiently prepared, reflected in our performance,

we proudly put South Africa on the map of the world trail

champs. Next time South Africa’s performance will be right up there with the best.

Continued >>

October 2011 | 13

Devil’s Peak summitImage by: Neil Hermann

I am still recovering from the ITBS/knee problem induced by my marathon hobble in Ireland. I’ve always taken my happy legs for granted and this period of being injured and unable to run has acutely reminded me how much I love trail running and need to look after that love. To run freely in the mountains without pain is my only focus right now.

GT: In one sentence, describe what trail running means to you.

I think of trail running as dancing through the mountains.

GT: If you were given the opportunity to help people through trail running, how would you do that?

Over the last two years I’ve enjoyed my role as a volunteer helping with the co-ordination of a popular series of monthly wine farm runs on the peninsula, to raise funds for TSiBA (Tertiary School in Business Administration). These fun runs are an excellent introduction to the joy and friendliness of trail running, and the number of supporters constantly increases, generating significant funds for TSiBA Eden student entrepreneurial business initiatives.

GT: What’s on the cards for your trail running in the next year ahead, or haven’t you even thought that far?

it’s good to listen to your body and

follow your instinct.

““

October 2011 | 14

Devil’s PeakImage by: Jonathon Hanks

October 2011 | 15

Hi-TEC Trail Tips with Martin Dreyer

Part One

October 2011 | 16

Gear Review

Make no mistake about it,

trail running can be a dirty

business, especially when

the trail is exceedingly wet

and muddy. In our dirtiest

review ever

(trust us, it was very

dirty) we check out two pairs of

trail shoes to have recently

hit the trail running market

and talk about the intrinsic

elements of each one.

These are just some of

the characteristics that

you may need to consider

when next choosing the

right footwear for your

next dirty job.

Our filthiest shoe review yet.

Images by Kelvin Trautman

October 2011 | 17

ust when you th ink that INOV-8 couldn’ t design a pai r of t rail running shoes any lighter; they go and produce these! Designed

and tested on the muddy Fells of Britain, the X-Talon 190 brings together a variety of elements that make these shoes a definite for running in wet and muddy conditions.

First up is the overall design of the shoe. Make no mistake, this is minimalist footwear at it’s best and the designers have stripped away all the extras to create a very sleek and somewhat feather-light construction. This is a positive factor if any heavy mud from the trail begins to coat the shoes upper, adding temporarily to their overall weight. The rubberised plastic coating around the toe of the shoe does a good job of shedding mud quickly around the forefoot, and with the rest of the upper being constructed from a very porous fabric, they dry very efficiently if wet. Unfortunately however, the X-Talon 190’s very low profile and lack of a one piece tongue does allow grit and lumps of mud to find

J

INOV-8 X-Talon 190

October 2011 | 18

their way into the shoe, something to consider if you know you’re going for longer runs, or prolonged periods in muddy conditions.

Next comes the superior grip of the X-Talon 190’s. This is simply because of the big rubber lugs on the out-sole. Small squares of rubber protrude from the base of the shoe like the teeth of crocodile providing that much necessary “bite” into any soft and sticky under footing. Kind of like traction control on a sports car, this offers you the increased confidence when navigating through excessively slippery conditions. Lastly, the contortionist-like flexibility of the entire shoe, coupled with those rubber lugs we spoke of earlier allows mud to seemingly vanish from the out-sole, meaning that the bottom of your footwear wont be caked in mud, adding unnecessary weight and loss of that much needed traction.

i th the re lease of the new brother in the a l ready very popular Speedcross fami ly , the Speedcross I I I combines

a balanced overal l design that you would expect f rom a t rue t ra i l racer , coupled wi th that of a support ive and robust p iece of equipment you would requi re to go the ext ra d istance.

Al though the Speedcross I I I ’s are a s l ight ly heavier shoe, thei r s ignif icant comfort is apparent which is provided by the wel l (but not over ) cushioned mid-sole, designed f rom a new l ightweight foam Salomon refers to as LT Muscle . The designers over at Salomon have also dropped the different ia l f rom forefoot to heel by over 50% compared wi th that of the Speedcross I I ’s , making the r ide a lot more natura l then before .

Speedcross I I ISALOMON

W

October 2011 | 19

The snug f i t t ing upper has been manufactured wi th a t ight ly woven water- resistant fabr ic that , a long wi th the much higher prof i le , and the PVC coat ing around the toe cap, arch and outs ide of the forefoot , sheds chunks of mud wi th ease, rest r ic t ing the bui ld-up of unnecessary ext ra weight . Unfor tunately , the col lar around the ankle, as wel l as the top port ion of the tongue, has qui te a b i t of padding in i t and we found that i t soaked up excess water l ike a sponge resul t ing in th is par t of the shoe remaining considerably wetter for longer .

L ike a l l successful mud shedding footwear , the out-sole is cr i t ica l and on the Speedcross I I I ’s , row upon row of chevron-shaped rubber lugs, together wi th a smooth and f lex ib le rubber construct ion, offer a combinat ion of super ior mud bust ing and t ract ion character ist ics .

October 2011 | 20

Ti m : What a year of racing so far.

American ultrarunning has experienced

globalization in its biggest events and

narrow perceptions have been peeled

wide open. It all seemingly began with

Salomon surging to a convincing men’s

and women’s sweep at last year’s North

Face Endurance Challenge Championship

in San Francisco, thus earning the $20,000

prize and introducing a significant

change in the landscape of US ultras. That

spark set off the firestorm of not only

“foreigners” winning the big American

events, but one team dominating the big

M a t t : I t h i n k t h i s i s a

p r o b l e m : I c o u l d s a y t h a t t h e

U R O Y a w a r d g o e s t o t h a t y e a r ’s

“ w o r l d ’s b e s t u l t r a r u n n e r, ” a n d

u p t h r o u g h 2 0 1 0 t h e r e m i g h t

n o t b e m u c h o p p o s i t i o n t o t h a t .

M y a u d i e n c e w o u l d h a l f - n o d i n

a g r e e m e n t , n o t r e a l l y k n o w i n g

w h a t t h e y ’ r e a g r e e i n g t o . B u t

r e a l l y t h e a w a r d i s f o r t h e b e s t

A m e r i c a n r u n n e r ( w h i c h e c h o e s

y o u r e a r l i e r r e f e r e n c e t o “ n a r r o w

p e r c e p t i o n s . ” ) . F r o m t h e U R

w e b s i t e , t h e a n n o u n c e m e n t o f

t h e a w a r d r e a d s l i k e t h i s : “ 2 0 1 0

U l t r a R u n n i n g M a g a z i n e N o r t h

A m e r i c a n u l t r a m a r a t h o n e r s o f

t h e y e a r . ” T h a t i s f a i r l y c l e a r a s

t o w h o m t h e a w a r d g o e s ; i t ’s

r e s e r v e d f o r a n A m e r i c a n ( a n d

r a r e C a n a d i a n ) . T h e p o i n t i s t h i s :

c l a r i f y t h e i n t e n t o f t h e a w a r d ,

w h i c h i s t o r e c o g n i z e u l t r a

r u n n e r s f r o m N o r t h A m e r i c a

o n l y . I b e t a l o t o f p e o p l e t h i n k

i t c a r r i e s m o r e w e i g h t t h a n t h a t .

A n o t h e r p r o b l e m c o m e s f r o m

j u s t a f l e e t i n g g l a n c e a t t h e

p a s t w i n n e r s . T h e U R O Y p r i z e

h a s p r e t t y m u c h g o n e t o t r a i l

races. Salomon seems to have single-

handedly retooled American ultrarunning

to the international colors and to the

meaning of the word “team”.

What does this storm of white and red

compression clothing do to the sport

here in the US? It reestablishes the

concept of “elite” and “best”. The coveted

annual award of Ultra Runner Of the

Year (UROY), presented by UltraRunning

Magazine has been awarded to North

Americans (Canadians and Americans,

mostly) who’ve won the big US events,

with acute focus on the big 100

milers, specifically Western States. The

organizers of this award will have to either

clarify, which they don’t do currently,

whom is eligible for this award or

specifically rename it the “UROY award for

North American residing runners placing

highest in primarily western US trail

100 mile races with arbitrarily weighted

importance to which only the selection

board is privy.” Personally, I say open

it up to the world. What do you think,

Matt?

r u n n e r s w h o h a v e e x c e l l e d a t

t h e 1 0 0 m i l e d i s t a n c e ( a s p e c i f i c

k i n d o f u l t r a m a r a t h o n ) . M o r e

s p e c i f i c a l l y , a s y o u h a v e a l r e a d y

p o i n t e d - o u t , t h e w i n n e r s h a v e

e x c e l l e d a t 1 0 0 m i l e r s i n t h e

w e s t e r n h a l f o f t h e U . S . , a n d

e v e n m o r e s p e c i f i c a l l y a t o n e

p a r t i c u l a r r a c e . S o , j u s t c a l l

i t t h e W e s t e r n S t a t e s 1 0 0 M i l e

C h a m p a w a r d o r t h e C h a m p i o n

o f t h e 1 0 0 M i l e r s i n t h e W e s t e r n

H a l f o f t h e S t a t e s a w a r d . A l l

k i d d i n g a s i d e , m a n y i n t e r e s t e d

p e o p l e h a v e s h a r e d t h e s e

c o m p l a i n t s .

October 2011 | 22

Tim: As you point out, there are

a lot of tangential conversations that

emerge from this topic. Back to my

original point, the merging of nationalities

is common at races like UTMB, but

we’ve never really seen it here in the US

(especially in the bigger 100 milers). I

think the organizers of UROY have to

face the task of either revamping the

award and the process in which runners

M a t t : Y e s , t h e p r o c e s s

h a s o n l y b e e n c o m p l i c a t e d b y

t h e n o n - A m e r i c a n w i n s a t b i g

A m e r i c a n 1 0 0 s ( a n d y e s t h e

T N F 5 0 i n D e c e m b e r w i l l b e

e p i c ! ) . T h e a w a r d ’s v a l u e w i l l

c e r t a i n l y b e d i l u t e d i f t h e m u c h

l a r g e r ( i n t e r n a t i o n a l l y e n h a n c e d )

a u d i e n c e d o e s n ’ t c o n c u r w i t h

t h e j u d g e ’s d e c i s i o n , e s p e c i a l l y

i n t h e m e n ’s “ r a c e ” t o U R O Y .

B y r e a d i n g w h a t o t h e r s h a v e

a l r e a d y s a i d a b o u t t h e U R O Y a n d

U S A T r a c k a n d F i e l d ’s a w a r d s ,

o n e h a s t o w o n d e r w h y t h e r e

h a s n ’ t b e e n m o r e e f f o r t t o f i n d a

t r u e g o v e r n i n g b o d y t o o v e r s e e

t h e s e i m p o r t a n t r e c o g n i t i o n s .

I s t h a t w h a t t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l

A s s o c i a t i o n o f U l t r a r u n n e r s i s

a l l a b o u t ? W h y d o e s t h e U R O Y

are chosen or the committee must face

the diluted value of the award. In many

people’s minds, including mine, Kilian

Jornet is the UROY, worldwide. The UROY

voters in the US have had a somewhat

easy task when voting in the past; “Who

won Western States? Okay, that’s our

UROY winner.” What do they do now

that a Spaniard, a Frenchman, and a

South African have won the big 100s in

h a v e m o r e c r e d i b i l i t y t h a n t h e

w i n n e r o f t h e I AU 1 0 0 k W o r l d

C h a m p i o n s h i p ? B e c a u s e U R O Y

i s a b o u t t r a i l / m o u n t a i n 1 0 0

m i l e r s , n o t s o m e s u b o r d i n a t e

r o a d u l t r a ? E s s e n t i a l l y , w h a t

h a p p e n s i n m o u n t a i n 1 0 0 m i l e r s

i n t h e w e s t e r n p o r t i o n o f t h e

U . S . s a y s a l o t m o r e a b o u t w h o

i s “ t h e b e s t ” u l t r a r u n n e r ( o r i t

u s e d t o s a y t h a t ) . A c c o r d i n g t o

t h e U R O Y w e b p a g e , r e g a r d i n g

t h e 2 0 1 0 v o t i n g , “ A p a n e l o f

1 8 r a c e o r g a n i z e r s f r o m a l l

r e g i o n s o f N o r t h A m e r i c a

s u b m i t t e d b a l l o t s t h i s y e a r .

A n u l t r a m a r a t h o n i s g e n e r a l l y

d e f i n e d a s a n y r a c e l o n g e r t h a n

a 2 6 . 2 - m i l e m a r a t h o n . T h e r e

w e r e 5 5 4 u l t r a m a r a t h o n r a c e s

h e l d i n N o r t h A m e r i c a i n 2 0 1 0 . ”

I w o u l d g u e s s t h a t t h e 5 5 4 r a c e s

p r o b a b l y i n c l u d e r o a d u l t r a s .

A n d b a s e d o n t h e v o t i n g , t h e

r a c e s t h a t r e a l l y c o u n t a r e , i n

f a c t , 1 0 0 m i l e r s r u n o n t r a i l s .

I n t h e e n d , c l a r i f y w h a t t h e

U R O Y a w a r d m e a n s ( a s i t

a p p a r e n t l y m e a n s a l o t – a t l e a s t

i n t h e U . S . ) . B e c a u s e o f t h e

c o n f u s i o n a b o u t t h e t r u e c r i t e r i a

o f t h e a w a r d , a n d b e c a u s e o f t h e

h u g e d i s p l a c e m e n t o f A m e r i c a n

r u n n e r s i n t h e s e “ b i g ” r a c e s

t h i s y e a r , t h e a w a r d c o m m i t t e e

p r o b a b l y o u g h t t o r e a s s e s s

( q u i c k l y ) w h a t i t ’s l o o k i n g f o r .

A f t e r a l l , w h a t e x a c t l y i s a n U l t r a

R u n n e r o f t h e Y e a r ?

October 2011 | 23

the American Wild West? The “old boys”

network has its work cut out. Regardless,

Salomon has smashed the rosy, narrow-

view lens through which we’ve enjoyed

looking, believing that America had the

best ultra runners in the world. The North

Face Championship will be the climax

event of 2011. I’m excited that we at

Inside Trail will be there.

Inside Trail is made up of two avid fans of trail, mountain, and ultra competitive running, providing in-depth exploration into the world of

the competitors, the events, and the international cultures that form our sport. www.insidetrail.com

Through the lens

Images & Text By: Nick Muzik

Staying

aliveSurviving extreme weather trail running.

“I had been watching the weather. It wasn’t looking good a week prior and wasn’t about to clear either. I woke up the morning of the race to horrendous weather, packed the car anyway and headed out to Stellenbosch. There was no text messages saying ‘race cancelled!’

I got out onto the route prior to the start at 7 am to get set up for the front runners. It was 9 degrees, windy and very wet, but I love the elements. After the first half of the field came past, I clambered down the hillside and started the long ascent up to the 18 km mark on the opposite side of the Jonkerhoek Valley to meet the runners

once more. With all my gear packed safely in my bag, I reached the first two competitors just after the half way mark. With a huge lead on the rest of the field, they disappeared into the grayness and left me to wait in the rain for the rest of the competitors. As the pack started coming past, I moved with them headed for home, crossing rivers and navigating ledges. At this stage I was stuck using my zoom lens as the large lens hood was doing a great job of keeping off the rain. Thanks to my camera being weatherproof, it soldiered on despite being totally wet. By the time I reached the finish, I was wet and cold but had some great images to show for it.”

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Surviving extreme weather trail running.

The weather moves in as the extreme 30km race begins.

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Sideways rain was the order of the day!

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Runner in the mist.

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Greg Goodall splashes his way through the waterlogged single track.

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With low visibility, the orange route markers were vital to staying on course.

Runners making use of the safety rope and gushing waterfalls became treacherous to cross.

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THE FINAL SCENES OF

The Leadville Conclusion.

BEHIND

Images by The African Attachment

Go Trail Exclusive

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Dubbed as “The Race Across The Sky”, the Leadville Trail 100 (or the LT100 for short) is one of America’s oldest and most prestigious trail running events. Having first begun in 1983, this race has become legendary amongst not only the local American running community but also that of the world.

To understand the nature of this event, all one has to do is look at the vital statistics of the course. 160km in length, a vertical gain of almost 16000 feet (5000m), a cut off time of 30 hours and the centrepiece of the entire route, Hope Pass, towering up at a staggering 12620 feet (3850m). It is not hard to understand why less than half of the field of starters each year fails to complete the race.

Earlier this year, Go Trail magazine caught up with the guys at The African Attachment, an independent film company based in Cape Town, South Africa. From a very humble beginning, and with the desire to achieve great things in the local South African film industry, partners Greg Fell and Dean Leslie set about doing what they do best. Having grabbed the opportunity to begin production on a documentary that would follow the path of one of South Africa’s trail running sensations, Ryan Sandes, filming began in

2008 in the desert of Namibia. Almost 3 and half years on, and with a journey that has taken Greg and Dean to places around the world that includes South America, Australia, Namibia and the Antarctic Peninsula, Wandering Fever enters its final stages.

In mid-August 2011, The African Attachment travelled to the Leadville, Colorado to film what may well have been the last footage of Ryan Sandes to be added to Wandering Fever. In an exclusive interview with The African Attachment, find out more about this final shoot in Leadville and how Ryan Sandes’s victory at his debut 100-miler was the perfect cherry on the proverbial cake.

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Go Trail (GT): We chatted to you guys earlier in the year about the incredible journey you’ve been on since starting with Wandering Fever. Were there some serious emotions before going to Leadville, knowing that it was possibly your last shoot?

Dean Leslie: It has been a crazy year for us with a lot of travelling and deadlines for other work so it has been tough at times to get in to the right headspace. The few days before I left and on the flight over there, I was in quite a reflective mood. I was nervous, for what was going to play out, and for Ryan. It definitely won’t be the last shoot as there are going to be interviews and a few scenes still filmed in South Africa but it was probably the last big trip for the project and that certainly hit home. It has been a long journey with lots of ups and downs but it has been a privilege to witness Ryan’s story unfold.

GT: You couldn’t have scripted it any better, what with Ryan winning the Leadville Trail 100 on his debut effort. How do you think this now affects the outcome of the film and more importantly, the overall message to the person who watches Wandering Fever?

Dean Leslie: There was a lot of friendly banter before the race between myself and Ryan about making sure he either wins or passes out for a DNF.. We had a laugh about it but I think he knew I needed something to happen for us to end the film. We just needed an ending, winning wasn’t the be all and end all, if that makes sense? Ryan is a good friend, I have known him for a long time; and to see him dig deep, like he did, to win that race, in that time, was very emotional. There are some many strong themes and messages within the film that I don’t think the outcome really mattered, we just would have had to film for another a year! Ryan’s story is hugely inspiring and the film will use this to delve into the world of running, or more specifically, running in the wild. We have interviewed an array of personalities from all around the world to try understand this beautiful fascination with running and what it can teach us about our past, and our future.

Greg Fell: I wasn’t in Leadville, we had sent Dean and a very talented Cinematographer Grant Appleton from Cape Town to make sure we got the best visuals we could for what would ultimately be the climax of the film. Following it on Twitter through the night was awesome, I mean what Ryan achieved blew us all away. We obviously wanted him to win for himself but also for the film but I don’t think it changes what the message of the film will be. Ryan’s story is the vehicle for what the documentary is about - you can never determine where his life is going to go as it happens but we do know what we want our audience to get out of the movie at the end of the day.

GT: Dean, you were there in Leadville prior to the event and obviously out filming while Ryan was running the race. What were some of the difficulties you faced as you filmed Ryan, both in his preparation and while competing in this massive race…or was it just another day at the office for the crew (and cast) of the film?

Q+Awith

Continued >>

Dean Leslie: You get so invested in everything that it does get emotional and it sometimes hard to maintain an objective view on the story; I think that is the most difficult part, or it was on this shoot. The first day I was there, I went up Hope Pass with Ryan to film some setups. I had just landed the night before and only had about 4 hours of sleep and I really struggled with the altitude. On the way down I actually fell apart, headaches, nausea etc We laughed about it later cause it was the first time in 3 years that I actually couldn’t have cared less about filming. Ryan was suggesting things and I would half grunt that I was over it (in more explicit language). That definitely gave me a new found respect for running at altitude. We didn’t have many other difficulties filming besides getting eaten alive by Mozzies.

W e want our audience to be blown away and I believe it will be worth the wait.

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The Leadville course is actually very accessible to film and I think we got the most coverage on this one than any other race which was pretty cool.

GT: We would assume Dean that Wandering Fever, and Ryan’s progress as a runner, has become quite a part of your life. Was it hard not to be able to celebrate with Ryan after the race was complete at Leadville as we understand that you basically hopped straight onto a plane bound for France a few hours later?

Dean Leslie: Ja definitely. Race day was so emotional. He ran past me at about the 40 Mile mark, just before heading up Hope Pass, and he was not having the greatest day. He said his quads were sore and that he was going to have to dig deep mentally. When he came over the other side of Hope Pass in the lead, you could sense his determination. Watching someone run a 100 Mile race is a humbling experience. Filming him crossing the finish line, It was tough not to celebrate and to keep the camera rolling and then we had to pretty much start packing gear immediately the next morning and fly out and all of a sudden you are sitting at the foot of Mont Blanc and this crazy, intense experience of the last 10 days feels like it didn’t even happen. It was very surreal.

GT: Greg, your vision with Wandering Fever ultimately now culminates with the post production work on the documentary. Tell us a little bit more about the process you guys will adopt in bringing these last few years of filming together?

Continued >>

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Greg Fell: We’re planning on getting into the edit towards the end of the year. Our idea is to spend 6 months on post-production; after 3 years of filming you really don’t need to be rushing what is ultimately the construction of your story. Dean has a very good idea of what he wants the film to look like and where it is going - it is his vision we are ultimately aiming for. We currently have about a quarter of our interviews transcribed so first and foremost it is getting the rest typed out. We will then read through all of them and start to channel out the meat of the story. In documentary filmmaking the key direction comes out during the post-production process so Dean will steer the film in the direction we want it to go throughout our time in post. Once the visuals and story have combined we then go in to adding the soundtrack/score which we are planning to have written especially for ‘Wandering Fever’ and then the high-end post-production and colouring complete the process.

In between all of this we’ll be dealing with a range of parties that have expressed interest in buying/distributing/broadcasting the film and tying up how we’re actually going to get a lot of people to watch it!

GT: With Ryan’s busy schedule, will you still get ample time to work with him on a few other elements of the documentary, or is his input not needed anymore?

Greg Fell: We really have to see where the story is sitting and if there are any holes we need to fill with Ryan. For now he is off the hook. Dean Leslie: Ryan is as invested as we are in the film, so he will always have input.

GT: Probably the biggest question on everyone’s lips, when can we expect to see the finished product released?

Greg Fell: Our idea is for a release in late 2012, time is key to create the right film and we definitely don’t feel under any kind of pressure to rush out a mediocre end product. We want our audience to be blown away and I believe it will be worth the wait.

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PLAY VIDEO

Go Trail magazine was able to send some questions to Dean Leslie from The African Attachment before he left to film Ryan Sandes preparing for and competing in the Leadville Trail 100. In this one on one exclusive video interview, Ryan Sandes shares his thoughts of what it’s been like filming for the documentary. He gives some incredible insight into what some of his more memorable moments have been and also what it was like to have finished the last shoot for the documentary on a high after winning his debut 100-miler at the Leadville Trail 100.

PLAY VIDEO

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Go explore

TrailRunning with

the

gods

with a multitude of trail running events beginning to dot the annual trail running calendar. And why wouldn’t it! With a myriad of trail networks that criss-cross the mountains of Greece, most of which occur between 1000 – 2000m altitude, you’ll be hard pressed not to find yourself staying that little while longer to explore what Greece has to offer.

One such region that is perfect for the sport is the beautiful Pelion peninsula situated in

the prefecture of Magnesia in Thessaly, Central Greece. Well known amongst trail runners for the Centaurs Ultra-trail of Pelion, a 63km ultra-trail held annually on the second weekend of May, this area is great for technical and mountainous trail running.

We chat to the organiser of the Centaurs Ultra-trail, Nikos Magitsis, to find out more about this growing trail community, and what it’s like to travel to Greece to trail run.

WWhen one usually stops for a minute to think about

Greece, you begin to imagine the gods of Greek Mythology, ancient architecture such as the Parthenon and the turquoise Mediterranean Sea that surrounds this island archipelago. But begin to think about Greece from a trail runner’s perspective and immediately the towering peak of Mount Olympus springs to mind.

Trail running in Greece has seen a tremendous growth since 2007

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Go Trail (GT): Tell us a little bit more about how you got involved with trail running in Greece?

Nikos Magitsis (NM): I’m on the mountains since 1984, 16 years old, hiking, rock climbing, biking. My favorite hoby was rock climbing and after 1994 climbing high mountais above 5000 meters. In March 2008 I finished the “7 summits” climbing the highest mountain in every continent, inclunding Everest in 2004. Many times on the mountains had to walk fast and also many times liked to run at the paths. This was very interesting for me and I enjoyed more and more. Also trail running was the main part of my training for climbing high mountains. I’m running on the mountains since 1990. As an organizator I organize the Centaurus ultra trail since 2007 in pelion mount , at region of Magnesia near to Volos city in the middle of Greece. We strat to

organize this races as a company of friends and now is a big and very important event. You can see more at www.kutp.gr

GT: As the sport grows in Greece, what do you think are some of the exciting new prospects in terms of events and top trail runners?

NM: It is reallity that in Greece trail running is growing very fast and there are events with very good runners. We have more than 40 races every year arount Greece, and totally we calculate about 5000 participations. What we need we have, beautiful nature, chalanging paths, long routes, nice clima and a lot of fun. That’s why more and more trail runners appears on Greek mountains. At the end it is an interesting exiting and cheap sport. We have many half marathons, about 15 marathons and 3 ultras.

Q+Awith

Nikos Magitsis

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GT: As a traveller, how easy would it be to find places to run at and people to meet up with that would be able to show you around?

NM: Greece is a small country, 800 kms from north to south and 400 kms from east to west. There are a lot of mountains till 2400 meters altitude, full of forest also mount Olympus with 2918 meters. In Greece there are 2 international air ports (Athens and Thesaloniki) and also many international airports for charter flighs in summer time from April to October. To find a nice place to run you must drive less than one hour and you are there. Also last 4-5 years there many sport clubs with a lot of runners. I can tell you Parnitha(near to Athens), also mount Pelion near to Volos air port and Skiathos air port, Pageon near to Kavala airport and for sure mount Olympus near to Thesaloniki

GT: What does the annual Greek trail race calendar look like, are there some well known events that attract top runners from Europe?

NM: Yes this is true. There are many trail running events in the Greek calendar. Most of them they are very well organized with many and good runners. Also there 3-4 events that attract top runnres from Europe. It is good thet many europian runners are coming to Greece and also that many Greek runners are running all over the world.

GT: With Greece being a member of the International Skyrunning Federation, how has that helped grow the sport in the country?

NM: Greece is a member of the international Skyrunning Federation, and this helps a lot the

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sport. We try to be better, to follow the international roules (when and if it possible, like electronical timming). Never the less I think that every country and every area must have the own character and this is the magestic of the adventure.

GT: If someone was travelling to Greece for a week to trail run, where would you suggest they go for the best Greek trail running experience?

NM: You can stay in Greece not only one week for trail running but much more. Personaly the best place in Greece is mount Pelion, near Volos

international air port. Volos is in the midle of Greece, 2 h driving from Thesaloniki and 3 h driving from Athens. You can run on the mountain, you can run near beautiful beaches by the sea, and there is a long net of paths more than 200kms. Also there are very nice places to swim and at winter time there is a small but very good ski center. At the mount Pelion you can can at the paths from village to village, so there are many local stadart support points to have fresh water and delicius food. For more infos www.kutp.gr and to me at info@magitsis.gr . The most important is the very good wether we have at the area arount the year.

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GT: Does the Greek government embrace trail running as an element of positive tourism, and if so what do they do to help out with the promotion of the sport?

NM: The Greek government has many problems to find solutions. Trail running is organized by local municipalities, and local sport clubs. Actually every body interesting for this kind of turism and this is important. At the end I think that every event must find sponsors and supporters by it’s shelf. I’ very happy that local municipality in Volos and Agria is positive for Centaurus ultra

trail, and we can see many volenteers coming to oue races to support. For us the race is an event, is a big festival. I think that Greece will be a super Paradise for trail running at the feuture.

GT: Finally, what do you think trail running means to the people in Greece that do it?

NM: Many people running for fun and this is very important. Also there are many good athletes that they run fast and they compete hard. So for the moment Greek mentality is following the European and this is not bad. We are waiting and we try to do the best because we love running on the mountains.

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Contact:

072 368 0094nick@nickmuzik.com

www.nickmuzik.com

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