A legendary runner passes

I’ve just had word that a runner who I met in 2001, has passed away after a long illness. I met Karl-Heinz Jost at a seven-day, 250km staged ultra foot race in 2001 – he was 67 at the time and we were both participants. In 2004, I wrote this feature article for Good Taste magazine and Karl-Heinz was the centre of the theme. I dug out this old article to share with the community of runners who knew him too.

Book: Trail Runner’s Guide

Jacques Marais really does an excellent job with books like this. I was delighted to write some of the Gauteng content for his book. My contributions included the write ups on Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve, Braamfontein Spruit, Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens and Klipriviersberg Nature Reserve.

Calitz scores lucky legs eleven at Platteklip Charity Challenge

K-Way athlete AJ Calitz is again the champion of the annual Platteklip Charity Challenge after he summited Table Mountain’s Platteklip Gorge 11 times between sunrise and sunset on Saturday. For Calitz, a professional trail runner, this Challenge is more than just “a day at the office”. He is wholeheartedly behind the event’s fundraising initiatives for South African Education Project (SAEP). 

Reigning champ, Lucky Miya returns to Lesotho Ultra on Saturday

He stands only 1.65-metres high, weighs in at 50 kilograms and is gently quiet. Yet inside a fierce competitor roars. He can sustain a 3:30 pace on road over marathon distance and he finished fourth at the technically challenging OTTER Trail Run last month. He covered the gnarly 42-kilometre trail route in 04:49:11. On Saturday, K-Way athlete Lucky Miya races again – this time across a section of the Maluti Mountains in Lesotho.

Calitz in for wicked weather at Skyrun

The annual Salomon Skyrun has become a must-do bucket-list race for trail runners. It boasts 100 kilometres of mountain running across ridges of the Witteberg mountains of the Eastern Cape with conditions as changeable as dietary advice.

Kleynhans credits route choice to his Three Peaks win

Cool temperatures and solid performances throughout the field marked the 19th running of the  Three Peaks Challenge in Association with K-Way. Cape Town runner Martin Kleynhans won convincingly – for the second consecutive year. It took him five-hours and 20 minutes to complete the 50-kilometre route between three of Table Mountain’s peaks – Devil’s Peak, Maclear’s Beacon and Lion’s Head. 

ONCE, TWICE, THREE TIMES A CHALLENGE

At sunrise every summer, a crowd of runners assemble on Long Street in Cape Town for  for the start of a 50-kilometre race that will see them huffing-and-puffing up (and down) the three peaks surrounding the Cape Town City Bowl. Devil’s Peak, Maclear’s Beacon on Table Mountain and Lion’s Head are their targets as they take on the 19th Three Peaks Challenge in Association with K-Way. 

Solid results from Team South Africa at Zermatt Marathon

Five South African trail runners, including K-Way runner Lucky Miya, competed in Switzerland’s Zermatt Marathon on Saturday. Host to the 2015 WMRA Long Distance Mountain Running Championships, our runners were up against the best runners from 11 other countries.

Calitz misses record by 8 minutes

 

After running 100 kilometres, it is heartbreaking to miss setting a new record by little over a kilometre in distance. For this year’s running of the Fish River Canyon Ultra, his only goal was to break the hiking trail route record. Missing it by only eight minutes was heartbreaking for K-Way athlete AJ Calitz.

Lucky Miya takes on Zermatt in Switzerland

K-Way athlete Lucky Miya is in Switzerland for the 2015 WMRA Long Distance Mountain Running Championships, which is hosted this year by the Zermatt Marathon in Switzerland. Miya is one of five accomplished trail runners making up the South African contingent.