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Perfect weather for a forest run
Hi Forest Runners,
We were blessed with the most lovely weather on Saturday; cool in the morning and warming up gradually during the day.
To those who ran - thank you for taking part. And if you missed Forest Run this year, I do hope to see you at Lakenvlei next year.
The date that Komatiland Forests has kindly pencilled in for me for next year is the second Saturday in March 2016, which is Saturday, 12 March 2016.
It was quite an exciting race for the first part. As I was pulling up at the first spectator point I saw the flash of a head flying across the paved road. More than five minutes later last year's first and second place runners came through. It was only at Waterpoint 1 that I discovered the identity of the runner: Naas Janse van Rensburg. He maintained his pace to win the 30km course (total distance of 33km) in 2:33:47.
Magretha Wang won the women's 30km course in 2:53:02. She finished looking so fresh I hope that she returned next year for the 60km.
At the route split (30km), Kallie Burger was only 2.5 minutes behind Naas - and Kallie still had another 28 kilometres to go! For the second consecutive year Kallie won the 60km route at Forest Run in a time of 4:37:44 - that's 10 minutes faster than last year. Kallie ran on his own from just before Waterpoint 1 to the finish.
Women's 60km winner, Lorraine Boshoff, completed the course in 5:58:30 - and was second overall! She posted steady splits throughout the course.
We've got a new award category (I didn't think of this myself ;)) and it is for 'Coffin Dodger'. Maz Moore, at 68-years young, is our first recipient. In the spirit of celebrating running and that one is never too old, Maz gets free entry to Forest Run for next year.
There's little doubt that Peter Ypenburg stole the show, running the whole way as a blue fairy - blue gloves and all!
On the 2015 Results page I've included some notable mentions and other bits. You can download the full results PDF there too.
PHOTOGRAPHS by Maggi and Marcel (Sigg Digital) will go up on the Forest Run Facebook page during this week. Please 'Like' the page and enjoy the images.
The first photo album has been posted - 'Early rise for the start'
That's it from Forest Run for now. Good health and happy running to you all until this time next year.
warm wishes,
Lisa
lisa@ar.co.za
www.forestrun.co.za
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Forest Run wouldn't be possible without...
 ... the support, permission and assistance from Komatiland Forests in the form of eco-tourism and events manager Chris de Beer. Special thanks also to Amos, who does the grass cutting for us and Mandla, from Lakenvlei Forest Lodge reception; he makes everything run smoothly on the venue and accommodation side of things.
... my amazing team of forest fairies and elves
- Liz - my mom, who keeps me together and our helpers fed; and manning WP2 (her 3rd year at Forest Run)
- Sue - sweeping from start to WP1 (her 3rd year assisting at Forest Run) and manning WP4
- Richard - helping at WP1 and sweeping from WP1 to WP3
- Penny - helping at WP1 and at the finish (runner Conrad's wife - her second year assisting at Forest Run)
- Zig & Dave - manning WP1 and WP4 and sweeping from WP4 to Finish
- Celliers - with little fairy Kyla and little elf Ruben - manning WP2 and helping with drop-offs and pick-ups
- Rob - previous Forest Run runner and this time the friendly face at the Route Split; also sweeping to the finish from the split.
- Geoff - assisting with night-before drop-offs, WP2 and sweeping from WP2 to WP3
- Denise and Brian - manning WP3; and with Brian also sweeping from WP3 to WP4
- Maggi and Marcel (Sigg Digital) - our friendly photographers
- Aderick and Goldberg (Specialised Events Medics) - our race medics, who thankfully had a very boring day indeed
- Sanet (runner Chris Wilcock's wife) jumped in at the finish to assist with recording runner times.
Where I can plan the event and get it to race day, Forest Run happens because of these wonderful people who enthusiastically jump into tutus, wigs and wings to make everything happen smoothly and with lots of smiles and laughter.
Thank you.
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2015 Plant theme
Our Forest Run finish-line plants are kindly organised for me by my landscaper friend, Barbara. Our theme this year was 'ground covers that grow on the edges of forests'.
Our three selected plants can be planted under the edges of trees or between other plants where they get partial sun – either morning sun or late afternoon sun.
Creeping foxglove (Asystasiagangetica) an attractive and indigenous fast-growing groundcover that gets masses of creamy-white foxglove-like flowers in spring and summer. It is excellent for a butterfly garden and the leaves can be eaten as spinach.
Fairy Crassula (Crassulamulticava) is an easy-to-grow indigenous plant. It's rooted stems can easily be transplanted elsewhere in the garden. It gets masses of tiny star-shaped pink flowers between July and September that look awesome when mass planted.
Mondo grass (Ophiopogonjaponicus) is an Asian forest ground cover that can handle a fair amount of sun. It looks good planted in between other plants in the border, mass planted under trees or as an edging plant.
I look forward to see photos of your Forest Run plants in the months to come.
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Lost & Found
We've done really well this year. The owner of a pair of black-rimmed reading glasses has been identified; we're just looking for his green Buff. If you've found it, please drop me a note.
The three runners who changed from 60km to 30km; I've got your drop bags. I'll contact you individually.
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 'Like' AdventureLisa's Forest Run on Facebook. Keep up with news related to this event and check out the photo albums for photographs from this and past events.
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Other events that I organise...
A couple of you have asked which other events I organise. Forest Run is the only trail run and I don't have plans for any more. I enjoy a bit of this and a bit of that ;)
Metrogaine
As one of my main sports is orienteering and I've been teaching navigation skills to people for more than a decade, it is little wonder that I organise a navigation event (a bunch of them within the sport).
Metrogaine is something quite special. It is a night, time-limited, street-map navigation event. You get a map (no street names) and on it a bunch of checkpoints are marked. You've got 60 minutes or 90 minutes (two courses) to score as many points as you can in this time. Checkpoints far from the start carry more points than those that are close. Highest overall point score wins. You can walk, run, crawl, sit under a tree... as long as you're back before your time is up. Next event is Wednesday, 8 April (entries will open once I start planning it - in the next few days ;) ) Please join the Metrogaine mailing list and you'll get direct notification when I get my ducks in a row. www.ar.co.za/metrogaine-joburg/
FEAT (Fascinating Expedition & Adventure Talks)
After 15 years in the sport of adventure racing, I've come across many interesting and adventurous people. From this, FEAT was born with the first theatre evening event in October 2010. This is an annual evening of seven-minute talks by adventurers about their expeditions and across a range of disciplines - expedition mountain biking and running, kayaking, paragliding, ocean rowing, riverboarding, surfski, big wave surfing, SUP... Videos of talks from past events are all online and they're free and available to watch at any time. The buzz, the energy, the inspiration... FEAT is wonderfully special. There are also annual FEAT evenings in Canada (since 2011 - most recent event was little over a week ago) and, recently, Denmark joined the FEAT family. I don't organise the events in these countries. Next FEAT South Africa event is Thursday, 8 October at the Linder Auditorium in Jo'burg. FEAT also has a newsletter and direct notification email list. www.featsa.co.za
Metrogaine and FEAT are on Facebook too.
Other
I have an idea for an event... I organise it. It's a compulsion ;)
I'm frequently involved with orienteering events - participating, organising and doing stuff.
In July/August I coordinate an annual 'Dead-of-Winter Emmies to N1' trail run on the Braamfontein Spruit (Emmies to Sunninghill - 19km) for my club, Adventure Racing Club. It's a bit of a random affair as to when I set a date... and by chance the weather is usually warm and sunny (not freezing, dead-of-winter cold). (FYI - info from last year's run)
I had a superbly brilliant idea for a run almost five years ago. I scouted the route and it has been festering in my mind ever since. I'm thinking of presenting it in early June. It will be a word-of-mouth, something-different run... ;)
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