Industry news

Trail running to get organized?

“Trail running is about constantly changing terrain and intensity. It’s peaceful and exhilarating all at the same time. It’s gentler on the mind and on the body, taking the relentless stress out of running while building strength and engaging muscles for a dynamic work out,” explains Claire Ashworth of Sports4U, one of the prime movers in popularising the sport.

According to her, trail running events are unique with regard to the terrain covered, time of day the race is run and duration of the race. It is not merely a different category of road running, governed by Athletics South Africa (ASA).

The key factors making trail running fundamentally different to road running include:

Trail Running has taken off with a vengeance and many, many runners, formerly seen pounding the roads in running events, have now switched to the more easy going style of trail running, unfettered by the interference of sports bureaucracy.

Interest in the sport is such that restrictions have to be put on the number of entries for any one event. When the Old Fisherman’s Trail Challenge opened their entries last year at midnight, the race was full by 11am that morning.

Internationally, the sport is massive and reports have it that more than 10-m runners take part in events globally through the year.

Presently, there are 30 annual events in South Africa and more are on the way.

In general, all trail events require athletes to be self-sufficient — carrying all their own water and food for the duration of the race, although The Cape Odyssey — a five-day trail run — does supply water and food for all participants.

Basically, trail runners need to be able to look after themselves on mountains in the case of an emergency. Conditions can change fast on a mountain and athletes need to be prepared for that, and be aware that things can suddenly change.

Ashworth says there is a move to form an association for organizers of all trail events, but there is a rider to that. “We are very keen to do so as long as we have no affiliation to ASA. We want to remain a separate entity, because we organise our events differently to ASA — and trail runners see that and enjoy it.

“More and more runners are leaving the road to become trail runners. Many runners tend to do their Two Oceans and Comrades in the first half of the year and then concentrate on trail running in the second half,” she says.

There are several benefits in forming a trail running association, for example:

Many suppliers of trail running footwear and clothing are also sponsors of trail running events.

Hi-Tec sponsors the Quantum Adventures Hi-Tec Spur Adventure Races 2009, a series of events held in Grabouw, Port Elizabeth, Lourensford (near Cape Town) and Shongweni Dam (near Durban) throughout the year. “We have good brand exposure and Ion Mask demonstrations at each of these events,” says Hi-Tec SA general manager Mickey Mallett. Their agent and well-known runner, Jan van Rooyen, also gives a short talk on Hi-Tec trail footwear and the Ion Mask technology at the events.

They also recently signed a sponsorship agreement with SA’s Mr Adventure, Martin Dreyer, and his “Change a Life” academy (read more about the academy below).

“A trail organization would be great, as one calendar for all events will certainly make it simpler for athletes to plan and book races!” says Mallett. “At the moment you need to search the web pages to find races.”

New Balance SA is a sponsor of several trail events — the Xterra National Series, AfricanX Trail Run, Men’s Health Trail Challenge, Fisherman’s Trail Challenge, VOB weekly Trail Runs, Jeep Msinsi Series, Triple Challenge and the Totalsports Challenge. Several New Balance staff members are also keen participants — national sales manager Grattan Rippon is even attempting the gruelling 6-day Marathon des Sables endurance race across the Sahara Desert in March-April. He and general manager Gary van Rooyen were runners-up in the masters division of the 2007 Cape Odyssey multi-day adventure race.

Van Rooyen is a bit sceptical about the feasibility of a trail running organization: “There is such rivalry amongst the event coordinators that my guess is that you would battle to get them in the same room. They keep their cards very close! Maybe a listing could work though,” he says.

Capestorm is a sponsor (with the Crazy Store) of the Table Mountain Challenge held in Cape Town in September, which attracts 1 000 runners. Marketing manager, Ian Little, a keen trail runner and joint winner of the Cape Odyssey, is not 100% convinced of the benefits of a trail running association: “Are there any! Regulation generally brings less flexibility and isn’t always in the interests of the sport.

“Granted, it can ensure that fixture clashes are less likely and can have some cost benefits when looking at venues, logistic costs, and so on. However, one of the benefits of trail running is the freedom and the lack of regulation involved.

“It appeals to all runners, doesn’t require you to wear an often ugly kit, and you can take advantage of the latest in running clothes, footwear and accessories.”

Local outdoor clothing and adventure sport brand First Ascent is also involved with sponsorship of several trail and adventure events, including the resurrected First Ascent MAST Challenge, a combined mountainbike and trail running event, the three-event Quantum Adventures Trail Series at the end of the year and the Greyton Trail Run.

Morne Strydom is also sceptical whether a controlling body for the sport will soon become a reality. “In my opnion trail running is basically in the same boat as adventure racing as far as a controlling body is concerned… it is not going to happen soon!” he says. “Due to the diverse personalities involved in organizing events, I believe it will probably not be easy for everybody to sit around a table and reach consensus. The question is, however, whether this hampers the growth and development of this niche sport?

“At this stage the answer is… probably not. When one draws comparisons to mountainbiking, one will see that a successful governing body for this sport was only recently formed, and mountainbiking has come a far longer way than trail running.

“One also wonders whether such a controlling body would truly add value, and if so, in which form. At this stage the organizers leave the ‘decisions’ to the participants… if they organize a good event, people will come to participate!

“There are of course also negative examples of controlling bodies or organizations that smother sport… one such an example is road running. The fact that club colours are not allowed at events etc. to a large extent gives momentum to trail running, which is considered to be a kind of rebel sports category where there are fewer rules and regulations.

“In the future, I believe, there will be merit in such an organization to set safety standards and also, possibly, to introduce a form of accreditation with training — but I do not see that happening in the near future.”