Benoni Northerns Athletic Club

THE MAGNIFICENT 10 (OR 9 PLUS 2 TO BE EXACT)

Remember these names well for, as the history of Benoni Northerns is passed on from one generation to the next, these men (and one woman) will be mentioned with awe and reverence, they will be held up as role models, a true inspiration to future members of BNAC and to athletes in general:

Eric “Grysbaard” Ladbrooke

David “Ladies Man” Jacobs

Rob “One more Hill Repeat” McLean

Richard “Downhill Demon” Pretorius

Harry “Happy Snaps” Tucker

Stormin Norman

Eric “Fleet of Foot” Piveteau

Ossy “I believe I can Fly” Botha

Mike “Mountaineer” Kellet

Bill “Last Man Standing” Mason  

For, on the 8^th October 2011 these heroes, these legends, these men amongst men (and women) took on and conquered (well, a few of them) the Harrismith Mountain Race.

The group rendezvoused at Benoni Northerns to undertake the +/- 3 hour journey. It soon became apparent that these were no ordinary men and that they were going to break several records that day – the first being the ability to fit 10 strapping men, 10 kitbags, 1 skottelbraai, lunch and 14 cooler boxes into a Toyota Quantum.   Not an easy fit, but this 1^st challenge was overcome with some ingenuity and a great deal of desperation not to leave a cooler box behind, by using Bill and Mike as ballast.

And so, just after 07h00, a Toyota Quantum, leaning perilously to one side set out on the road to Harrismith. The first part of the journey, until the Ultra City at Villiers, was spent listening to the Rugby World Cup quarter final game between Wales and Ireland. It is amazing how some people can claim heritage based on the most scant and tenuous links – Mike Kellet supported Wales because he said he once nearly caught one ( a “whale”, but we didn’t want to disillusion him) ) and the rest of us supported Ireland just to be contrary.

Our first stop was Villiers for petrol and the first of our warm up exercises, the straining bladder release. Tank full and other parts empty it was back on the road just as Wales sealed victory and the urge to drop someone at the side of the road became almost overpowering. However sanity prevailed and the Quantum rolled into Harrismith around 10h00.  

The joy of being part of any Benoni Northerns AC expedition is the unanimous consensus when it comes to priorities. Anyone could find the stadium where the race started but it took a true bunch of athletes to hunt down a bottle store and bakery hidden in a remote part of town, a gift that very few running clubs possess.

Suitably provisioned we made our way to the stadium and entered the race. For those who have not done the race before it starts at 11h00 in the morning, the reason for this being to minimise the risk of fog or mist on the mountain. However in minimising one risk they often severely exacerbate another – the heat, and this Saturday was no exception – it was a scorcher. As we were milling around waiting for the start we noticed one of our walkers, Sue Holden, had also accepted the challenge of getting up and down the mountain.

The race can be divided into 6 parts:

• The undulating section to the foot of the mountain +/- 6 km
• The ascent of the mountain up “een man pas” (one man pass) +/- 2 km
• The flattish section on top of the mountain +/- 1,5 km
• The descent of the mountain +/- 4 km
• The tar route back to the finish +/- 1,5 km
• The collapse at the finish convinced you are dying +/- 30 minutes

My plan was to find a shapely female runner towards the end of the undulating section so that she was immediately in front of me as we climbed up the pass, the theory being that I would have something to inspire me every time I looked up to see if we had reached the top of the mountain yet.

My luck was in – I found not one, but two young women who were very easy on the eye. However in order for my plan to succeed it meant I at least had to keep up with them and there I failed dismally. While they bounded up the pass like gazelles I did my best to imitate the big bad wolf. I huffed and puffed all the way to the top and believe me, I was in no condition to blow an empty matchbox over, never mind a house down.

After reaching the top and determining my lungs were still functioning (I had one in each hand) I managed to wobble across the flat section and get my legs into some semblance of working order ready for the descent.

There is no real path so each runner selects his own way and you can build up some serious momentum, particularly of you are “weight enhanced”. At least that’s how I consoled myself as I watched Richard Pretorius disappearing down the mountain at a rapid rate. I don’t know why I was worried about my legs since I spent most of the descent sliding on my backside, sometimes voluntary but mostly involuntary. The vast amount of runners who overtook me thought I was out practicing for the luge event in the next winter Olympics but had lost my sled. (For the uninformed the luge is where the competitor lies flat on his back on a tiny sled and hurtles down a track at speed.)

I would estimate the first part of the descent to be at around a 50º eventually flattening off to about 30º. What this means is that by the time you reach the bottom the tops of your legs have a similar consistency to a large, wobbly, not quite set, green jelly and have a life of their own over which you have absolutely no control. Your only hope is that both legs decide to go in the same direction. Fortunately our resident photographer Harry caught up with me and managed to guide me to the finish, mostly draped over his shoulder.             

The one truly enjoyable part of completing the Harrismith Mountain Race is being able to watch the faces and hear the language of the BNAC runners who finish behind you. You know the Mastercard moment – petrol for trip to Harrismith R 756.30, bread rolls, wors and beer for after the race R 226.50, the look on Eric Piveteau’s face as he crosses the finish line – priceless!

To give you some indication of the difficulty of the race the cut off is a much needed 3 hours. When the gun went off there were 9 BNAC athletes safely home busy replacing fluids and braaing, and 2 lonely sheep still not back in the fold.  

It was touch and go as to whether the beers and wine would run out before Bill arrived and we were down to our last reserves when we recognised the familiar shuffling gait of this finely honed athlete coming around the stadium. It was going to be a close finish but, shouting out words of encouragement and motivation and receiving V for victory signs in return, we managed to coax him over the finish line in a dead heat with the ambulance.

Sue was only a few minutes behind, a wonderful achievement considering she walked the whole way.

Although we all agreed that the race was one of the hardest we had ever done we also had to admit that it was an experience that will be remembered for a long time to come.

A special word of thanks to Harry who drove us masterfully back to Benoni. This allowed the rest of us to become a bit more inebriated and a whole lot louder. I even hear mention of “You know what we should do next year………”

Stormin Norman