Nissan Trailseeker Series #5 Hakahana

Prior to the Nissan Trailseeker race, I had the privilege to form part of this year’s Continental Run2Stop.

It is a charity event whereby two teams “race” each other from PE to Johannesburg over a period of 8 days. Each 21-member team consisted of 2 runners, 3 cyclists, 2 drivers and some all-rounder support personnel. 

Apart from completing the allocated distances per day, the teams also went head-to-head in a series of challenges from start to finish, in aid of identified charities namely Stop Hunger Now and The Sports Trust.

We finished on Friday afternoon at 6pm and 12 hours later I was warming up for the Nissan Trailseeker Series # 5 Hakahana. The race was held at Hakahana farm east of Hartebeespoort dam just outside of Johannesburg.

The 70km event was set of at 7am in chilly conditions, which was quite strange for this time of year. Luckily the rapid pace set up front from the start served as a good warm up.

Yolande Speedy and I were trading the lead from the early stages of the race. She would gain an advantage on the technical single track sections and I would distance her on the climbs.

After a busy week at the Continental Run2Stop I could feel my concentration waning in the latter stages of the race. This caused me to make some silly mistakes on the technical, rocky, single track section, eventually crashing properly within the final 20km.  

Yolande didn’t make any mistakes and had a strong ride to win the race.

I collected myself, mentally and physically, to finish in one piece just behind Yolande with Michelle van der Merwe rounding out the podium in 3^rd place.

Once again the Trailseeker Series delivered a good race within easy travelling distance of Johannesburg making for a very popular event.