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First day of Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon 2007 sets tone for the entire event...

Colleen Jacka / 07.11.2007

The very first day of this year’s Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon (KAEM) set the tone for the entire event – proving to athletes why they really should prepare properly for the grueling seven-day trek across 232 kilometres of desert.

The KAEM is designed to test the true endurance mettle of athletes who have to carry all of their provisions for the entire event from the start right through to the finish. This means that they should be training with backpacks prior to the event and be aware of the specific challenges that include battling the heat and other elements as well as trying to prevent blistering of the feet.

This year’s race once again attracted not only a handful of regular names, but also the very first African lady to attempt to tackle the distance. Malebo Kolobe, age 34, made history when she lined up with 33 other participants at the Augrabies Falls to start this daunting task. Having gained a firm following internationally, athletes on the start line represented nine countries.

Now affectionately known as the “Big Daddy” of trail running events, the KAEM dished up a cruel initiation on the very first day of the marathon, causing no less than four athletes to withdraw and some to wander from the marked course. The race, however, was on amongst the front-runners where South African, Sarel Adams was the first to prove his prowess in the desert.

Day two was not much easier for the runners who continued to face high temperatures, but it was the American, Chuck Walker who started putting pressure on the race leaders with a strong comeback after losing his path on day one to move from eighth position to third by the end of the day.