Pass2Pass Ultra - Race Report
The minutes before a race are a curious time.
I arrived at the start of the Pass 2 Pass Ultra healthy and well-trained, but more nervous than usual. We funnelled under the arches, and I did a final mental inventory of the plan for the day.
This race was going to be tough. I knew it would be.
Psychologically there is a whole lot going on in those final moments. Everyone puts on a confident face, but you can taste the tension. We joke and banter, chirping about who’s fit or not, and just how hot certain guys would go from the gun.
We’re all friends. We’re all rivals.
I want everyone to have their best day, but I hope my day will be just a bit better.
From the start it was clear this would be a fast race. Credit: Sportograf.
About the Pass2Pass race.
Pass2Pass is a trail race in the Drakenstein Mountains, Western Province, South Africa. The Ultra distance is 62km, with 2500m+. Due to wildfire in the area, the 2024 route was changed a day before the event. The route began with a series of relentlessly rolling farm roads, before winding up into the rocky contours and peaks on the border of the Hawequa Nature Reserve. What was set to a more mountainous course, had just become a running race.
The pace was set from the gun.
Myself, Gabriel Kriel, Anele Bans and Jacques Buys formed a pack and led the field out through the vineyards. The terrain rolled and wrapped around valley and hill. We moved fast. Perhaps a bit too fast.
The first sustained climb was at 8km; a 2km long series of switch backs and loose gravel over a forested ridge. Jacques and Gabriel were ahead by about 45 seconds, with Anele and I together. I backed off the pace, and started using my poles, alternating between running and hiking. I’m a strong hiker, and could comfortably keep with the group. In situations like these, the rhythm of hiking feels more efficient.
My problems started at 11km, on the first major descent. In the dark, we threw ourselves down a winding maze of mountain bike trails. I kept thinking how much more fun this would be on my bike, in the day. Suddenly there was a twitch in my left quad…then a tingle in the other.
Let the problem-solving begin.
I was cramping. Already.
It wasn’t nutrition. We’d been moving less than an hour and I had been sipping on drink mix throughout.
This must be muscular. But why? I’ve been diligent with strength & conditioning in the gym. And I have run trails far more demanding than this in training. I am not prone to cramping, but I had the same problem early on in the George MUT 100 miler last year. Clearly there’s something not working.
Negative thoughts and self-doubt creep in quickly. In a race, you are incredibly vulnerable. Pushing yourself to your limits exposing all of your weaknesses. And at the front of the pack, this is happening with everyone watching.
With my legs in pain, the remaining 50km felt a whole lot further. I doubted I could still compete, and imagined myself steadily falling back. It could taste the disappointment. Perhaps I’d just pull the plug at the next aid station.
Long flowing descents…this is where the hurt started.
Keep moving and figure it out.
While I was doubting myself, I was still moving. And pretty well too.
In Jason Koop’s book, ‘Training Essential’s For Ultra Running’, he writes about the ADAPT System for Problem-Solving: Accept, Diagnose, Analyse, Plan, Take Action.
I accepted that this was going to be a sufferfest. Descending would be tough, but I could still climb well. The plan was to run conservatively on the flats and downs, climb steadily and hold back until the last two major climbs. Here, I’d push and build a gap for the inevitable slow pace on the final descents. If I blew up, at least I’d tried.
Making moves and trading places.
By the second aid station (approx 26km), Jacques Buys had pulled ahead and Brandon Hulley had caught up to myself, Gabriel and Anele. We ran shoulder to shoulder until the climbs started steepening at around 30km, where Brandon pulled ahead.
I alternated between hiking and running, slowly building a gap in front of Gabriel. I caught up to Brandon at the third aid station (approx 38km), and we left together. Truthfully though, I knew it wouldn’t be for long. My legs were smashed, and Brandon was having a superb day.
The section that followed was the most spectacular of the course, and a welcome morale boost. The route crossed a suspension bridge over the Dasbosrivier, and immediately ascended steep single track on the southern slops of Hugenotskop. Shoulder high fynbos flanked the trail, and golden morning cut through the peaks ahead. This was my first time on these trails, as is so often the case with new races. It is always a privilege to find myself in places like these.
Our route contoured in and around these peaks. Image taken from a window seat on a flight into Cape Town.
One more uphill.
Now there was one major climb left, the crux of the route: Geelbeksop. I zigged and zagged more times that I can count. Running, hiking, hurting, eating. As the trail broke tree line, I could see Brandon up ahead. And then there was more zigging and zagging, all the way up to the high point of the route.
It was all downhill from here. Which wasn’t a good thing. On the contour below, I could see Gabriel working hard to close the gap. I estimated about a 10-minute gap. Gabriel is a fierce competitor, and I value racing him. Holding him off would be tough. I plunged into the forests, quite rightfully running scared. These fast-flowing trails would have been a dream on fresh legs. Now, I gritted my teeth through every foot strike and winced at every changed in direction.
Down, down, and more down. The course from this point on was a mixture of forested single track and jeep track, undulating all the way through to the finish line. The revised route was plotted at 59km. But at the 59km mark the finish line was still out of sight. The last few kilometres of a race are always the furthest. You can hear the race village, but like a mirage it never seems to materialise. And suddenly it appears. Those final steps toward friends, food and a patch of shady grass. A heroes welcome after a hard days work playing on the trails.
Final Results
In the end I finished 3rd 05:55:18 (62km, 2459m +), and 00:17:59 behind the winner.
I am proud of the result, but I am more proud of the mindset I was able to maintain, despite the early hiccups. Running ultras is only part physical, and Pass2Pass gave me a thorough mental workout. Next on the calendar is Ultra Trail Drakensberg 100 Miler. Out here, a good mindset will be critical.
Pass2Pass Ultra podium. Jacques Buys took first, and Brandon Hulley second. Both ran incredible races.
Nutrition Stats:
What I consumed
2000ml plain water
3x 500ml Flasks w/ PH 1000 Electrolyte tablets (1500ml fluids, 3x tablets, 1500mg sodium)
1x 500ml flask w/ Maurten 320 Drink Mix (500ml fluids, 80g carbs, 220mg sodium)
4x Precision Hydration 250mg Salt Pills (1000mg sodium)
6x Precision Fuel 30g Gels (Total: 180g carbs)
2x Precision Fuel 30g Chews (Total: 60g carbs)
2x Maurten Caff Gel (Total: 200 mg Caffeine, 50g carbs, 44mg sodium)
1x huge handful (approx 100g) of jelly babies (78g carbs)
Event Totals
Duration: 05:55 (Rounded to 6 hours for easy maths)
Fluid: 4 litres
Carbs: 370g
Sodium: 2764mg
Totals Per Hour
Fluid: 666ml p/h
Too low: I lose about 1.4l per hour, so I should have drank more.
Carbs: 61g p/h
Too little. I should have eaten 3 more gels and increased this to 80g.
Sodium: 460mg p/h
Okay. I lose 880mg per hour, so I replaced 50% of my loses. I could have increased this
Emptied my pocket after the race. The rest of the empties I ditched at aid stations.
Thank you for reading this.
I hope you can take something from this post and apply it to your next race.
And thank you to everyone who supports me: HOKA South Africa, iKhambi Distribution, Flat Rock Endurance, Tritanium Coaching, Carbon Endurance
