Matroosberg Trail Challenge 2014Matroosberg Trail Challenge 2014
Matroosberg Trail Challenge 2012
Credit ~ Running Photograph

matroosberg-trail-challenge-logo1. There is something for everyone

Whether you’re looking at entering and finishing your very first SkyMarathon®, or simply wanting to enter a trail run that will take you through the beautiful surroundings of the Matroosberg Private Nature Reserve, the Matroosberg Trail Challenge (MTC) has an option for you. The MTC has three events; the South African Skyrunning Association (SASA) sanctioned 36km SkyMarathon®, a challenging 24km and an equally challenging but shorter 14km course. So pick your category and enter now!

2. It’s a gentle transition into sky running

So you’ve never done a sky run before and are not sure if you’re actually built for it. That’s where the Matroosberg SkyMarathon® is perfect, as while it still obviously abides to the SASA rules of exceeding an altitude of 2000m during the 36km, where the incline exceeds 30% at points and where the climbing difficulty is not more than 11 degrees, it is still a manageable distance for your first ever sky running experience. This is the perfect event to try your legs and lungs out at sky running without committing to an ultra distance. This doesn’t mean you can train less though!

3. It’s just 2.5 hours out of Cape Town

Because of the nature and requirements of sky running – think big mountains – you’d think that the venue would be so far away that a few days leave would be required to get there. That’s where the MTC is convenient as it is just 2.5 hours out of Cape Town, a mere 180km from the Mother City. While this might not excite avid trail runners from the rest of SA, this small fact really does make it tough for Cape Tonians not to enter.

4. A ticket into Matroosberg Private Nature Reserve

One of the draw cards to trail running is that when you enter events you are genuinely getting a ticket to see South Africa, on foot, in a way that so few fellow South Africans do. This event is no different. The Matroosberg Private Nature Reserve is situated on a farm about 35km out of Ceres. The farm and reserve play home to the Matroosberg Peak, which is the highest peak in the Boland, and incidentally the highest checkpoint on the sky marathon route at a barmy 2249m altitude. To get an idea of the terrain you’ll be running on and the scenery around you, have a look at some of the images on the Matroosberg website.

5. It’s perfect training for the Lesotho Ultra Trail, SA’s only Ultra SkyMarathon®

You may have entered the Lesotho Ultra Trail on 30 November already. If you have, then the MTC 36km SkyMarathon® is the perfect way to kick-start your training for the longer event, and to give your lungs and legs a taste of what is to come.

6. You might get to build a snowman

If you’re a trail runner you’re already like four parts adventurer, and if you live in CT, I’m sure you’ve already seen or heard about those crazy people who went and found snow on top of Table Mountain or in Jonkershoek recently – maybe you were one of them. So that means that you’ll be thrilled to hear that the odds of a late, October cold front aren’t entirely non-existent. Should a front arrive in time for the weekend, you might very well find yourself running through snow to get to the Matroosberg Peak. Now seriously, what could be more exciting than that!

A little more interested to enter now? Have a look at the MTC website for more info and of course, to enter. Looking forward to seeing you at the event!

vivobarefoot adventureinc-logo matroosberg-peak-of-life sasa-header

By David

Outdoor adventure enthusiast living on the Garden Route.

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