Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon

250 km Worth of Food and Gear Packed - We’re Ready to Go!

Jackie Windh / 24.10.2015

Yup, it’s going to be hot. Temperatures are around 40°C here at base camp at Augrabies Falls - somewhat warmer than usual for the Kalahari Desert at this time of the year. But we are told that it will be much hotter, more like 45°C, once we are away from the river, with all of that sand radiating the heat back up on us.

It looks like I will be able to send reports in daily after each stage - organizers will take my reports and photos and fire them off to SleepMonsters - so I will do my best to make that happen. This one is just a very quick update - race starts in little over 12 hours.

But what I really want to tell you about right now is the amazing atmosphere of this race! It is the 16th running of it - and it is amazing how many of the racers are repeat participants. There are at least two here running who are back here for the ninth time! The atmosphere is more like a family reunion, but with new members such as Dave and myself quickly embraced and brought into the fold.

Unlike a family reunion, though... the main topic of conversation is FEET. Numerous warnings, about blisters, swelling, shoes, socks, sand gaiters, etc. And tied for second topic are pack weight and food... which are of course inversely correlated.

There are the lightweight packers, some with incredibly tiny packs, and then there are the “I’d rather carry too much than go hungry” campers. I belong to the latter. Although, at gear check, when my pack weighed in at 12 kg (dry!) I did reluctantly decide to take a little bit of my food out. (I am carrying a good camera, too, which adds to the weight - but I am doing that just for you, dear reader!).

There are monkeys in camp, and we went out on a two-hour game drive this afternoon (I feel I should be resting - but I cannot resist seeing more of Africa and its wildlife). On the drive, we saw eland, springbok and a giraffe!

Must sign off now - heading off to the Last Supper, race starts tomorrow 9am. We start with 25k, then 30, then 40 - all as a lead-up to the 80 km night stage that everyone is fearing. More soon!

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