South Africa's Baviaanskloof Trail Run Scheduled For Sept. 18

One of South Africa's top endurance trail running events, the Baviaanskloof Trail Run, is scheduled to take place on Sept. 18th in the Baviaanskloof Nature Reserve along the Eastern Cape. Last year, in its inaugural run, the race earned a reputation for being an incredibly tough test for adventure athletes, who not only have to contend with a trail that is already legendary for its challenging terrain, but also a wide variety of weather conditions as well. Race organizers warn the runners that "temperatures could be in excess of 40°C (104ºF) or it could snow"

The course is 40km (24.8 miles) in length and covers some of the most challenging backcountry in all of South Africa. There is one feeding station along the route, but otherwise the runners are expected to be completely self sufficient while on the trail, where they'll have to contend with plenty of rocky terrain, elevation changes, and tough trail conditions.

As if dealing with a rugged and remote trail, and the elements, wasn't enough, the reserve, which happens to be a World Heritage Site, is also home to some very formidable animals. Cape Buffalo are in abundance, and Black Rhinos roam the region too, and the race website warns that Cape Cobras are amongst the dangers as well. Last year, the runners had to take a slight detour around a baby rhino that decided to camp out right on the trail, and while he wasn't much of a threat, his overprotective mother could have been.

A recent race update sent out to the more than 100 competitors informed them that this year they have a whole new creature to keep their eyes peeled. Apparently a rather large male leopard has been spotted in the area, and like all cats, he doesn't mind chasing his prey before he has dinner. Live traps have been set up to capture him before the day of the race, but at this point it is just one more obstacle to keep the runners moving. (I'll take this opportunity to once again remind the competitors that they don't have to out run the leopard, they just need to out run their closest competition on the trail!)

Now in its second year, the Baviaanskloof Trail Run is already looking like quite the yearly event. The setting, with its remoteness and rough trails, is perfect, and the element of the the amazing animals just adds to the adventure. I'd love to attend a future edition and cover it first hand, as it looks like quite the event.

And yes, the below photo is an actual image of the leopard that has been spotted on the course.

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Trans-Kalahari Adventure Run Update: The Run is Done!

Long distance endurance runners Jukka Viljanen, Kirsi Montonen, and Greg Maud have completed their 1000km (620 mile) run across the Kalahari Desert, reaching the finish line last Friday after three weeks on the trail. The adventurous trio had been making the run to raise funds and awareness for the Cheetah Conservation Botswana project.

When we last checked in with the team, they were about halfway done, and starting to encounter wildlife of the worst kind. At that point, they were running into puff adders, one of the more dangerous snakes in Africa, but hoping to see lions or other big cats. Their blog doesn't mention if they did ever see any of the big predators, but one night while sleeping, a young leopard came and surveyed their camp, which gives you an indication of how close they were to the animals while making the run.

The blog hasn't been updated since the announcement of Jukka, Kirsi, and Greg reaching their 1000km goal, although it does say that they were looking for a few days rest. Hopefully they now have a chance to really enjoy the landscapes and take in the culture of Botswana before they head home. I'm told it is an amazing place, and it is definitely on my short list to visit in the very near future.

Congrats to the entire team. What a great way to explore a new country and do something good for a worthy charity at the same time.

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Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc Canceled Due To Bad Weather!

One of the toughest endurance events in the world got underway earlier today, and then was promptly canceled part way in. The North Face Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc was stopped 31 miles in due to severe weather on the trail, particularly at higher altitude. Detail are still a bit sketchy at this time, but a press conference is expected to take place shortly with the race director explaining the situation. As of this writing, the athletes are all being shuttled back to Chamonix.

The UTMB is an ultramarathon that takes place annually crossing through the Alps and covering more than 100 miles, and passing through France, Italy, and Switzerland. It routine attracts some of the best long distance endurance athletes in the world, and is considered one of the crown jewels in the ultramaraton schedule each year. The trail is a loop around Mont Blanc that typically requires about 20 hours to complete, with the bulk of the racers finishing in the 30-40 hour range

From reports from the race, it seems that many of the racers are quite upset with this turn of events. I'm sure that the race management team only has their best interest in mind, but after training for months to prepare for the run, it can be quite disappointing to have it end like this.

I'm sure we'll know more on this story soon.

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Trans-Kalahari Adventure Run Update: 2/3 Done!

The Trans-Kalahari Adventure Run began back on August 14th, with Jukka Viljanen, Kirsi Montonen, and Greg Maud all hitting the trail to raise funds for Cheetah Conservation Botswana. The plan is to run 1000km (620 miles) across the Kalahari Desert, which they estimated would take about 20 days to complete. Now, two weeks into their adventure, it seems that they are on pace to finish as expected.

In the latest updates to their blog, the team says that they should complete the first two-thirds of their journey today. They also remark that the past few days have been spent in a very sandy section of the route, and with the winds picking up, it has made for a challenging slog. Most of the route has been along dirt jeep roads and a game trails thus far, so these conditions were expected, although that doesn't make them any easier to deal with.

They've also been encountering their fair share of wildlife as well, although thus far no big cats. In today's update the note that they have been seeing a lot of lion tracks on the route, but they have remained elusive to date. The team holds out hope that they'll spot a few along the way, but it remains to be seen if that is a good idea or not. If they're anything like my big house cat, they'll pounce on just about anything that is moving.

Despite the absence of lions thus far however, they've still had to keep their eyes peeled for other nasty critters. A few days back they ran into no less than eight puff adders in a 3km stretch of road, which kept them on their toes to say the least. The venomous snake is one of the most aggressive in Africa and it kills more people there than any other. Being in a remote area of Botswana, and getting bitten, would not be a good thing to say the least.

With their current pace, it appears that the team should be on track to wrap up their run sometime late next week. I would anticipate them finishing on Friday or Saturday, depending on conditions. It appears that they are enjoying their African excursion thus far and the challenge of crossing the Kalahari on foot.

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Endurance Athlete Sets Speed Records on Canada's East and West Coast Trails

When it comes to hiking and backpacking in Canada, two of the more popular, and scenic, routes are along the East and West Coast Trails. The East Coast Trail stretches for 340 miles along the Atlantic coast of Newfoundland, while the West Coast Trail runs for 47 miles along Vancouver's southwestern shoreline. While the trails are separated by thousands of miles, they do both offer unique challenges to anyone who takes them on from end to end.

Recently, endurance athlete Gary Robbins set the daunting goal for himself to attain speed records on both of these trails, starting in Vancouver and the WCT on August 4th. Running North to South, Gary completed the entire 47 miles in just 10 hours and 8 minutes, which does indeed establish a new record for that route. Of course, that was just a warm-up for the much longer, and more challenging ECT, which he began on August 20th and completed on the 22nd, finishing the entire route in a blistering 35 hours and 17 minutes. Pretty impressive runs on both accounts considering the distance involved and terrain crossed. Even more so when you consider that a large portion of the East Coast Trail remains mostly unmarked and hasn't been fully developed yet.

Check out the video below of Gary arriving at the finish line on the ECT. I don't know about you but just thinking about these runs makes my legs hurt! I guess this is the summer for adventure racers and endurance athletes to challenge some of these spectacular trails in North America. Congrats to Gary on a job well done!

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Leadville 100 Ultramarathon is Tomorrow

The fun and games continue in Leadville tomorrow, as the dust has barely settled on the Leadville 100 Mountain Bike Race, which was run last weekend, and tomorrow top endurance athletes taking the line for the Leadville Trail 100-mile Run, an ultramarathon that uses a similar route, and shares the 50-miles out and back format.

Much like its mountain biking counterpart, this trail run features all kinds of challenges, including plenty of climbs and thin air. The foot race begins at 9200 feet and climbs as high as 12,600 feet at Hope Pass, with most of the route taking place over forest trails and along mountain roads.

The ultra-run will get underway tomorrow morning at 4AM local time. Those that finish within 25-hours will be awarded a massive belt buckle that proudly proclaims their feat. There is a 30-hour overall cut-off that all runners must meet, which ends at 10AM Sunday morning. If they haven't reached the finish line by then, they'll be picked-up from the course.

Good luck to all the runners. Have an amazing time, and don't forget to enjoy the view!

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Run Kenya Update: Halfway Done

The Trans-Kalahari Adventure Run across Botswana got underway last weekend, but they're not the only ones making an epic run across parts of Africa. The Run Kenya expedition, which I told you about back in July, is well underway as well, with endurance athlete Chris Rhys Howarth now about halfway through his planned course.

Chris, who is running to raise awareness of the plight of street children not only in Kenya, but the world over, got underway on the the 15th of July, and according to the most recent update to his blog, he has now passed through Embu, in the heart of the African country. He began the 1100 mile run, which is expected to take approximately seven weeks to complete, in Busia on the border of Uganda, and has since run through a number of smaller cities, while looping around Mt. Meru, and is currently en route to Nairobi. Once through that city, he'll turn southeast towards Mombasa, the final destination, along a very desolate and challenging leg that will be an even bigger challenge than Chris has faced thus far.

So far, Chris is actually running a bit ahead of schedule, and he is managing to run as much as 100km (62 miles) in a single day. That is his high mark however, with 60-70km days being more common. Those are very impressive numbers all around considering most of us don't even drive 62 miles in any given day.

Chris' blog posts from the road have been infrequent, but interesting to read when he does send them. It is likely that they will be even more infrequent once he begins the leg to Mombasa, but that should be an interesting story to read. I hope when he's done he posts a detailed account of this amazing journey.

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Trans-Kalahari Adventure Run Begins Tomorrow!

Way back in June I told you about the plans of three friends to run across the Kalahari Desert. They planned to cover 1000km (620 miles) through some of the most remote, and challenging, wilderness in all of Africa in hopes of raising funds and awareness for Cheetah Conservation Botswana. This endurance expedition has been dubbed the Trans-Kalahari Adventure Run, and it set to get underway tomorrow.

The three runners include Jukka Viljanen, Kirsi Montonen, and Greg Maud, who intend to run approximately 50km (31 miles) per day on back roads, jeep paths, and game trails. The route will take them through some very rugged areas where wild animals still wander free and rule the landscape. For that reason, they'll have a support staff and vehicles close at hand as they go.

The team should already be in Botswana, and they intend to post blog updates every day, keeping us up to date on their progress. If everything goes as planned, they'll complete the journey in roughly 20 days. To get a closer look at the intended route, click here.

I want to wish Jukka, Kirsi and Greg good luck on their adventure. Running more than a marathon every day for three weeks would be tough enough under ideal conditions. Doing it in the Kalahari will certainly test their stamina and will power.

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Travel Country Blog Reviews New Vibram FiveFingers Treksports

From my recent forays into barefoot/minimalist running, I know that there is a lot of interest out there amongst readers on the Vibram FiveFinger "shoes" and the barefoot running craze in general. I've had my pair of Bikila's for a couple of months now, and already Vibram is shipping new designs, most notably the new Treksports, which are designed for use on trails. The Travel Country Blog recently got their hands on a pair of these new shoes, and have posted their review.

In the review we learn that the new Treksports combine some of the best elements of previous FiveFingers shoes, namely the KSO’s, KSO Treks, and same Bikilas that I've been running in. The results, we're told, are a more versatile shoe that can be used for trail running, trekking, water sports, and more. And in even better news, the Treksports also combine 4mm of EVA foam in the midsole with another 4mm Vibram Performance Rubber Outsole to make this the most well padded FiveFinger shoe ever. Good news for those who are still a bit tentative about jumping into the minimalist running arena.

I'll let you read the rest of the review, but I can tell you that it is a positive one. These new shoes seem to be evolving the design in a new and logical way, that is offering a more comfortable and protective shoe for those who are looking to dump the standard running shoes, and style, that we've all become accustomed to.

As for my own progress in running with the FiveFingers, I can say that I am continuing to enjoy it more and more each time. My milage has continued to increase at a slow, but steady, pace. I'm up to 3-3.5 miles on the days that I run "barefoot", and for the most part it feels really good. I have, however, developed a bit of sore ankle, but I'm unsure if it is related to these shoes or some other activity. Most days I'm still running 5-6+ miles in regular running shoes, and I'm mixing in road and mountain biking a couple of times a week as well, so I've been staying plenty busy. It is tough to say where I caused the minor injury, but it seems to be exasperated someone by barefoot running. For now, I'm taking it fairly easy on the ankle when I can, but as a testament to how much I enjoy this style of running, I haven't stopped and I'm always looking forward to the next day that I run in my FiveFingers.

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Gear Junkie Checks Out Vibram's 2011 FiveFinger Line-Up

Over the past few weeks I've made a couple of posts regarding my foray into the world of barefoot running, and so far I have nothing but success to report. I find that it is becoming far more natural the more I go out with my Vibram FiveFingers Bikila on. My mileage has slowly begun to increase, the last run I did was two miles in length (following a 15 mile bike ride), and I'm already itching to go further.

The couple of times that I've posted on barefoot running has spawned some comments and e-mails with readers asking questions about the non-shoes that I wear. Vibram has done a great job of designing very lightweight shoes that are comfortable to wear, and yes, even kind of fun. They look a little strange, but it definitely gets the attention of others when you're out for a jog. They also must be doing something right, as the local REI store told me they can't keep them in stock, and my Backwoods store said that they were the best selling item that they had right now.

If you're considering a pair for yourself, you may want to take a look at the Gear Junkie's sneak peek into what Vibram has planned for their 2011 version of the shoes. He has some images posted of the redesigned Bikila LS, which now uses a speed lacing system to tighten up as opposed to the velcro straps on my pair. There is also a new pair designed for "fitness" what ever that means, called the Komodo, and another pair for "fashion" for those that just want to kick around town in you FiveFingers. (Which begs the question. Are these the next Crocs? Let's hope not!) The Gear Junkie even says that there are kids versions in the works too, but offers little other information at this time.

It's hard to tell yet if the barefoot running craze is here to stay or if it just a fad. I can say that I'm very much enjoying it so far, and can't wait until I can do further distances in my shoes. I got my pair from TravelCountry.com, who features them on their front page and has good prices on the entire line of FiveFingers.

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Barefoot Running Update: So Far, So Good!

A few weeks back mentioned that I had joined the barefoot running craze by trying out a pair of FiveFinger Bikilas from Vibram. At the time, I had only made one run with them, but I was already anxious to try them out further, and I heard from a number of you that you were interested in barefoot running as well, and that you wanted to hear an occasional update on my progress.
So, after two weeks and a number of other runs, I can honestly say that I'm really enjoying the experience so far. In fact, it is going better than I had expected, although I have to admit that it is difficult to keep my milage down while I get use to running with the FiveFingers. My typical workouts are 5-6 miles in length, with longer runs coming on the weekend when I have more time, and I was advised to take it slow with the barefoot approach, building up distance over some time.

For now, I've been continuing to run in the 1-1.5 mile range while I slowly adjust. In order to run with these types of "shoes" you need to adjust your running style a bit, shifting your pacing so that you take shorter strides and landing more on the front of your foot than the heel. Until that becomes fully natural, I'm making sure I don't run too far, too quickly.

One of the few issues I have had with running barefoot is that, for now anyways, I'm thinking too much about my stride when I run. That has caused those runs to not feel quite as natural. But usually, about halfway through the run, I stop worrying about it and fall into rhythm just fine. I'm sure this will become less of an issue over time as well.

Surprisingly enough, aside from having a couple of tight hamstrings after the first run, I've also had no injuries from barefoot running. In fact, when I get home from a run, my feet and legs don't feel any worse for wear than when I'm wearing my regular running shoes. That has encouraged me to up my milage just a bit, and I think I'll be covering 1.5-2 miles per run this week.

I did have a particularly sublime experience barefoot running this past week however, and it was one of those points where you really start to see why people enjoy this so much. In my previous post, I noted that even after one run, I felt more connected to the road, and that has continued to be the case since then. It's one of those things that is difficult to put into words and best experienced for yourself, but this past week I went for a run in the rain, and it was an amazing experience to say the least. Splashing through puddles while the warm summer rain fell all around me was fantastic, and definitely something I recommend you try should you pick up your own pair of FiveFingers.

Speaking of which, I've had two friends also join me in trying barefoot experience, and while they're still getting up to speed as well, they are reporting good things so far too. I'll continue to post periodic updates as I progress, but if you have any questions, be sure to drop me a note. I'm happy to answer them and share my thoughts. :)

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Gear Box: Tech4o Accelerator Watch

One of my favorite training tools for running is the Nike+. (See review here) It is a nice piece of kit that interfaces nicely with your iPod and helps to keep track of your distance, time, and calories burned. The system uses a sensor in, or on, your shoe and a receiver on your iPod to collect the data. Now, Tech4o brings similar technology to their Accelerator watch, delivering a great training tool for runners who like to keep tabs on their distances and progress.

The watch has a built in accelerometer and puts it to good use measuring your pace, whether walking or running. Much like the Nike+, to get the most out of your Accelerator watch you'll want to calibrate it before using it. That means you'll want to make a trial run over a known distance, allowing the watch to measure your strides and automatically customize itself for your running (or walking) style. Once calibrated, the watch is quite accurate, and does an excellent job of keeping track of your distance, even if you vary your pace and stride.

The built in accelerometer offers similar performance to the Nike+ without the need of the external sensor. But it did take me several calibration runs to get it tuned just right. Once it was calibrated however, it was pinpoint accurate from that time on. Tech4o says that the watch is 95% accurate, but from my testing I'd say it might be even more accurate than that.

The Accelerator has a nice, quick start mode, that guides you through the initial set-up process, including customizing it to your own body time, with such variables as height, weight, and age. This mode makes it very easy to set the date and time from the moment you take it out of the box, but the user interface does take a bit of getting use to when you start using it on a day-to-day basis. While it isn't exactly rocket science to use the Accelerator, the UI is less than intuitive until you train yourself to the system.

In addition to these great fitness features, the watch has all the usual watch features, such as a chronograph, countdown timer, duel timezone, alarms, and so on. This makes the Accelerator not only the perfect workout companion, but a great travel companion too. It's even useful on the trail for keeping track of your distance hiked too.

I've been using this watch for the past couple of weeks, and already find that it has become part of my workout gear. It is lightweight, comfortable to wear, and looks good too. It also happens to be kind of fun to glance down at  your wrist and see your progress for your daily run as well. For now, the Nike+ is staying at home. (MSRP: $69.99 - A bargain for a good workout watch!)

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Barefoot Running: I've Joined The Pack!

I've mentioned here before that I am an avid runner. I run nearly every day of the week, and when I force myself to take a "rest day", I generally feel like an underachieving slug. But my personal mental instabilities aside, I find going for a run helps to reduce stress, keeps me fit, and is good training for other activities.

Over the past year or so, I've been reading a lot about barefoot running, and the benefits that it delivers. I've seen converts to the style raving about how much they enjoy it, and that it is a more natural approach to the sport. I generally looked at these endorsements with a healthy dose of skepticism, wondering how someone could actually run for any distance like that. Heck, I can barely walk to the mailbox and back on bare feet. I've even checked out the odd looking shoes with toes that Vibram makes, but they did nothing to lessen that hesitancy.

A few days back though, I received a pair of Vibram Bikala FiveFinger shoes courtesy of the fine folks over at TravelCountry.com, and after taking them out of the box and trying them on, I was eager to give this barefoot running thing a go.

It had been explained to me that in order to run barefoot, or in the Vibram FiveFingers, you need to adjust your running style. Modern running shoes are designed to allow us to take longer strides and to land on our heels when we run, but a more natural gait is to take shorter strides and to land on the front of your foot. This allows the body to use its own natural cushioning to protect your feet and legs from the impact of running, and this is the way the human body has been designed to work. I knew for that to happen, I would have to adjust mine on stride, something I was advised to do over time, and to not rush the process.

Last night, I slid into my new non-shoes and prepared to hit the road for my first run. Just getting into the FiveFingers is a bit of a challenge at first, as the toe slots are a bit awkward to negotiate. I imagine this will get easier the more I use them, but for now, I seem to have a penchant for trying to cram two toes into one slot. Once they're on however, the Bikila's are quite comfortable and actually kind of fun to wear. But being fun to wear doesn't mean they are fun to run it.

Heeding the advice that was given to me, I planned a short run for my maiden voyage in this new running style, but it honestly didn't take me long to start to let my preconceived notions start to drop away. After a bit of a slow start, I was soon picking up the pace, and feeling quite good. I had to concentrate a bit too much on my stride, which kind of unnatural at the moment, but other than, I found that I was moving at a good pace, and best of all, not feeling the kind of pain that I thought I might. In fact, it was just the opposite, I was feeling quite good.

In the end, I only ran about 1.25 miles, which is way under my normal mileage which average around five per day. But, that 1.25 miles went well for my first go, and it was over way to quickly. I had to resist the urge to go further just to put the barefoot running style more to the test, as I knew that it was best that I just take it slow and save the longer runs for another day. Near the end though, I did start to get a slight cramp in my right calf, which I suspect is a result of not quite having the natural stride down just yet.

One thing I did notice while running is that you do indeed seem to feel more connected, for lack of a better word, with the ground. Yes, you feel the loose gravel and other items along your route a bit more, but there is also a nice feeling of touching the path, feeling it beneath your feet. It is odd to convey the feeling, but it certainly was a positive change from running in typical shoes.

Today I'm going to revert back to those other shoes however, as I'm scheduled to run 8 miles tonight. But I'll be mixing in regular runs with this barefoot approach, and hopefully slowly building up my time and distances. I'll post updates on my progress here, as I continue down this path. I can tell you that this may not be the style for everyone, but it definitely has me intrigued and excited at the moment.

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Steps To The Summit - Step 14: Test Yourself

The message of today's Step to the Summit is a simple one. Test yourself before you go for your goals, what ever they may be, so you're aware of your own strengths and weaknesses ahead of time.

In the case of the Hanesbrand Team's recent climb of Everest, that early test came on the Himalayan peak of Pumori, where they tested their gear, team chemistry, and skills months before they attempted Everest. By doing so, they were able to make corrections as needed and the process helped to result in a successful summit of Everest this past spring.

Team leader Jamie Clarke gives another example of how to apply this lesson, using the goal of running a 10k instead. He says that before you run that distance, you'll train over shorter distances, but might test yourself on a 3k time trial, in which you'll run at a faster pace than you expect, you'll test your food strategies, and determine if your shoes will work for you. The lessons you learn from that process will help you prepare for the real event later on.

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The Western States 100 is Saturday

The Western States 100, one of the oldest and most challenging ultra-trail runs in the world, is scheduled to take place on Saturday, when competitors will depart from the Squaw Valley ski resort and run 100 miles along the Western States Trail, before ending in Auburn, California. 


Each year the event attracts some of the best ultra-runners from around the globe, who come to run one of the toughest trails around. The race begins on the Squaw Valley floor, which is located at 6200 feet, with the first leg running up more than 2550 feet of vertical gain to Emigrant Pass, which is at 8750 feet. That all takes place in just the first 4.5 miles, from there it's just another 95.5 miles to the finish line. 


The route runs through remote backcountry with plenty of elevation gains, both up and down. In total, the racers will gain more than 18,000 feet while descending more than 23,000. It is a brutal run through some stunning scenery, but despite the distance and demanding trails, the trop male runners will finish in about 16 hours, while the ladies will begin coming across the finish line in about 18 hours. 


These runners are simply amazing. This is one grueling event, but they manage to cover the 100 miles of trail none-the-less. And what do they get for finishing the event? A belt buckle! But it just might be the most coveted belt buckle in the entire endurance sports world. 

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Looking to try out adventure racing? Live in Wisconsin?

Adventure racing is one of those sports that you really have to try for yourself to totally understand what it's all about. But, unfortunately, it can also be a bit intimidating, since you need plenty of gear, and the various disciplines can be tough to balance in your training. Of course, the best way to give it AR a try for the first time is to jump into a beginner's race, but those can be few and far between, as race organizers seem to want to find new and unusual ways to punish their regular teams.

For beginner adventure racers living in or around southern Wisconsin, I have good news for you. Fat Otter Adventure Sports is preparing to launch their first ever SPOLKA race near Prairie du Sac, WI. The race will have teams of two (men, women, coed) or three (coed only), running, paddling, and mountain biking through the lovely Wisconsin backcountry. The legs of the race are expected to be roughly a 4-mile paddle, a 10-30 mile ride, and a 3-10 mile run, with the promise of plenty of beer and brats at the finish line of this sprint class race.

The SPOLKA will take place on July 31st and is expected to run 3-6 hours in length. The race is designed for competitors of all skill levels, but is geared towards beginners hoping to get a feel for what adventure racing is all about. For instance, the race will allow beginners to find all checkpoints while staying on a trail, keeping the confusing and challenging orienteering out of the equation, at least for now.

This looks like a really fun event, and if I were headed home to Iowa for the summer, I might plan on trying to attend. Instead, it looks like I might be in the Florida Everglades that weekend, but this certainly looks like a great opportunity for budding adventure racers in the Midwest.

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Trans-Kalahari Adventure Run Begins in August

In August of this year, a trio of friends, two from Finland and one from South Africa, will be setting out on an amazing adventure through the Kalahari Desert that will see them covering more than 1000 km (620 miles) on foot through some of Botswana's most remote and rugged wilderness.

Dubbed the Trans-Kalahari Adventure Run, the plan is for Jukka Viljanen, Kirsi Montonen, and Greg Maud to make the journey in approximately 20 days, averaging 50km (31 miles) per day. The equivalent of running a marathon+, through African backcountry, every day for nearly three weeks. The route will be mostly be run on little known remote trails or gravel roads, with long sections on loose sand, through regions that are the home to a large number of animals, including big cats and other predators, as well as poisonous snakes.

The Trans-Kalahari Team is of course looking forward to their adventure, but they are also hoping to raise funds and awareness for Cheetah Conservation Botswana. The organization hopes to protect the country's cheetah population while educating its citizens on how to live harmoniously with the big cats. The cheetah conservation group seems like a fitting charity to partner with, considering the creatures are the fastest runners on the planet, and Jukka, Kirsi, and Greg will be running through their territory.

The Kalahari Desert is a rugged region, approximately 350,000 square miles in size, that falls in southern Africa, extending through Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. While it is dry, and arid, it does receive enough annual rainfall to support quite a bit of life, and the Okavango River empties out onto its delta in the region, creating marshlands that support large herds of animals and their predators. Amongst the common wildlife in the Kalahari are meerkats, giraffes, hyenas, lions, a number of species of antelopes, and much more. The desert is also home to the famous Kalahari Bushmen, an indigenous tribe that has lived there for more than 20,000 years.

I can't wait to follow along with this adventure. It combines a number of elements that I really enjoy, including a physical challenge, and a visit to a remote place in Africa. It doesn't hurt that Botswana is VERY high on my list of places to visit next either.

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Google Earth Gets An Upgrade For The Outdoor Crowd

One of my favorite computer programs is Google Earth, the free software from the wizards at Google that lets you explore the planet from your easy chair. It has always been a fantastic program for travelers and outdoor adventurers alike, and Google keeps updating it, adding new features, and giving us more reason to love the it.

Yesterday, Google Earth 5.2 became available, and brought some excellent new features for hikers, runners, and cyclists alike. The software has been able to connect to your GPS for some time, but now it gives you more enhanced ways to look at the track from your latest hike, run, or ride, showing you a graph, directly in the program, of the profile of your last workout. It also shows your maximum slope, total elevation, average speed, and so on.

Better yet, you can now follow your track, as it's displayed in Google Earth, simply by pushing the time animation button. Those animations can be saved and shared as tours as well, so if you're hiking through Yosemite for instance, you can now send your personal hike to friends and family so they can follow along with the adventure. Pretty cool stuff.

They've also added a new web browser built directly into the software that allows you to view websites and other information without ever leaving Google Earth. That's pretty handy when you're searching for information about a business for instance or some other local point of interest.

Check out the new tracking feature in the video below, then download the latest version by clicking here. Oh! And I almost forgot, Google Earth is now available for the iPad too. You can grab it here.

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Teva Mountain Games Final Results

Last weekend the 9th Annual Teva Mountain Games were held in Vail Colorado, with more than 2200 outdoor athletes taking part in the event. Activities included trail running, mountain biking, road cycling, kayaking, rock climbing, and much more.

There were a few surprises at the event, such as 16-year old Noa Ginella taking home the top honors in the Stand Up Paddling event, beating competitors much older than himself. The games also marked the return of the Ultimate Mountain Challenge, with Vail residents Josiah Middaugh and Gretchen Reeves won the mens and womens division respectively.

The complete list of winners is listed below. Congrats to everyone. It seems like there was an amazing turnout this year, with a great time had by all.

2010 TEVA MOUNTAIN GAMES RESULTS

CLIMBING

IFSC BOULDERING WORLD CUP

Men

1. Daniel Woods (USA)

2. Tsukuru Hori (JPN)

3. Kilian Fischhuber (AUT)

Women

1. Chloe Graftiaux (BEL)

2. Anna Stohr (AUT)

3. Juliane Wurm (GER)

STAND UP PADDLING

FIRST ASCENT SUP SURF SPRINT

PRESENTED BY C4 WATERMAN

Men

1. Noa Ginella – 18:15.53 (Kahuku, HI)

2. Dan Gavere – 18:32:23 (Hood River, OR)

3. Dave Collins – 18:38.95 (Lamanzilla, MX)

Women

1. Jenny Macarthur – 21:00.49 (Aspen, CO)

2. Nicole Duke – 21:37.29 (Boulder, CO)

3. Jennifer Koki – 21:39.57 (Honolulu, HI)

ULTIMATE MOUNTAIN CHALLENGE

GNC ULTIMATE MOUNTAIN CHALLENGE

Men (Pro)

1. Josiah Middaugh – 3:14:47.89 (Vail, CO)

2. Travis Macy – 3:21:41.53 (Evergreen, CO)

3. Mike Kloser – 3:29:01.50 (Vail, CO)

Women (Pro)

1. Gretchen Reeves – 4:02:09.15 (Edwards, CO)

2. Jari Kirkland – 4:49:37.60 (Crested Butte, CO)

3. Brandyn Roark Gray – 5:20:25.29 (Aztec, NM)

KAYAKING

BUD LIGHT LIME STEEP CREEK CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS

WOMEN (Combined time after two runs)

1. Tanya Faux – 4:05.75 (Alexandra, VI)

2. Martina Wegman – 4:19.70 (Almere, NH)

3. Nikki Kelly – 4:25.69 (Rotorua, NZ)

MEN (Combined time after two runs)

1. Sam Sutton – 3:41.98 (Rotorua, NZ)

2. Andrew Holcombe – 3:43.82 (Asheville, NC)

3. Tao Berman – 3:46.20 (White Salmon, WA)

BUD LIGHT LIME KAYAK FREESTYLE

PRESENTED BY FIRST ASCENT

Men

1. Dustin Urban – 590 (Buena Vista, CO)

2. Jason Craig – 500 (Reno, NV)

3. Casper Van Kalmthout – 355 (Den Haag, NTL)

Women

1. Emily Jackson – 260 (Rock Island, TN)

2. Tanya Faux – 180 (Alexandra, NZ)

3. Haley Mills – 140 (Salida, CO)

BUD LIGHT LIME DOWN RIVER SPRINT

PRESENTED BY JACKSON KAYAK

Men

1. Mike Dawson – 15:38.34 (Tauranga, BOP)

2. Sam Sutton – 15:46.70 (Rotorua, NZ)

3. Tao Berman – 15:53.26 (White Salmon, WA)

Women

1. Tanya Faux – 16:23.21 (Alexandra, VIC)

2. Adriene Levknecht – 16:29.87 (Flat Rock, NC)

3. Nikki Kelly – 16:34.07 (Rotorua, NZ)

BIKING

SLOPESTYLE

PRESENTED BY NATIVE EYEWEAR

1. Eric Lawrenuk – (North Vancouver, BC)

2. Paul Basagoitia – (Minden, NV)

3. Casey Groves – (Kelowna, BC)

XING TEA FREERIDE DUAL

PRESENTED BY NATIVE EYEWEAR

1. Paul Basagoitia (Reno, NV)

2. Petr Hanak (Winter Park, CO)

3. Aaron Chase (Glenwood, NJ)

VOLVO X-COUNTRY MOUNTAIN BIKE

PRESENTED BY FETZER VINEYARDS

Men (Expert)

1. Brad Cole – 1:41:50 (Fort Collins, CO)

2. Peter Kalmes – 1:47:36 (Steamboat Springs, CO)

3. Ross Holbrook – 1:48:15 (Breckinridge, CO)

Women (Expert)

1. Anne Gonzales – 1:21:19 (Aspen, CO)

2. Melissa Trainer – 1:24:50 (Boulder, CO)

3. Katie Lindquist – 1:27:14 (Steamboat Springs, CO)

FETZER VINEYARDS ROAD BIKE TIME TRIAL

PRESENTED BY THULE

Men’s Overall

1. Benjamin Day – 26:43.61 (Boulder, CO)

2. T. Burke Swindlehurst – 27:27.33 (Salt Lake City, UT)

3. Greg Krause – 27:34.68 (Littleton, CO)

Women’s Overall

1. Katie Compton – 31:35.31 (Colorado Springs, CO)

2. Kelli Emmett – 32:31.32 (Colorado Springs, CO)

3. Erin Huck – 33:36.62 (Boulder, CO)

RUNNING

VAIL PASS HALF MARATHON

Men (fastest time overall)

1. Mario Macias – 1:22:12 (Alamosa, CO)

2. Jason Delaney – 1:25:37 (Golden, CO)

3. Rickey Gates – 1:26:30 (Boulder, CO)

Women (fastest time overall)

1. Megan Lund – 1:39:37 (Basalt, CO)

2. Melody Fairchild – 1:45:25 (Boulder, CO)

3. Megan Kimmel – 1:46:01 (Silverton, CO)

VOLVO 10K SPRING RUNOFF

PRESENTED BY EDDIE BAUER

Men’s Overall

1. Mario Macias – 45:48 (Alamosa, CO)

2. Rickey Gates – 46:48 (Boulder, CO)

3. Martin Cox – 47:19 (Boulder, CO)

Women’s Overall

1. Brandy Erholtz – 53:58 (Bailey, CO)

2. Megan Kimmel – 56:00 (Silverton, CO)

3. Melody Fairchild – 56:25 (Boulder, CO)

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Scotsman Sets Out To Row Atlantic, Run The U.S.

It's good to have goals. They give you something to strive for in life. Just ask Scotsman Don Lennox, who has set a couple of lofty ones for himself. Don had decided that he not only wants to row across the Atlantic Ocean, a distance of 3300 miles, but he also is planning on running across the United States, an additional 3100 miles. Oh, and he hopes to accomplish both in record time.

This past Sunday, Lennox joined three other rowers in launching their attempt to cross the Atlantic starting from Battery Park in New York City. The crew will now row non-stop, 24-hours a day, in two man shifts in an attempt to break the world's speed record. They hope to reach the shores of England in 45 days or less.

That, in and of itself, is a daunting task and an impressive goal for any athlete. But in Don's case, it is just the beginning. Upon completing his Atlantic crossing, he'll board a plane and fly to San Francisco, California where he'll begin the second stage of his adventure - running coast-to-coast across the United States, something he hopes to accomplish in just 50 days.

Lennox, who is a Somnio sponsored athlete, is making this row and run for a great cause. He hopes to raise fund and awareness for the Wounded Warrior Project and Help For Heroes, two organizations dedicated to helping severely injured soldiers, on both sides of the pond, to get back on the road to recovery.

You can read Don's blog by clicking here and you can follow his progress across the Atlantic by clicking here. So far, he is two days in, and making steady progress.

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