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A criticism that is often leveled at road running is that it is too much of the “same thing.” The road is the road, the tar is hard and it either goes up or down or stays flat!

That’s one of the reasons that trail running is undergoing something of a renaissance and has become so popular. It doesn’t have that “sameness” element to it.

The Surfers Challenge deserves to be lauded as one of the original runs with a difference because it predicted so much of what would follow. As such the event continues to be a leader in the calendar of South African endurance events.

For obvious reasons I remain a purist, a road running fan, but even I accept that the Surfers deserves its roIe as a challenge with a difference. To me road running is classical music; the Surfers challenge rock and roll. It’s fun, it attracts a different crowd, and it even has an eccentric bunch paddling their way to the finish.

Let me emphasise that the Surfers Challenge is not fun because it is easy. In fact I think it is extremely tough and should not be taken lightly. As I struggle on the rocks and pebbles or waddle my way through thick sand I remind myself that this race is not for sissies. There are uplifting moments, such as the first sight of the distant finish area at Nahoon or the cheering crowds in Gonubie (its bliss to run those 5kim or so on Gonubie’s Ocean Way, but much of the Surfers Challenge is just that; a challenge. For a start no one seems to be certain how far it is. Estimates vary from Tom Cottrell’s Runner’s Guide’s 16.5kms to Bob Norris’s 18kms. It doesn’t really matter. All I know is that the next day I always have a pronounced limp and my legs tell me I ran a marathon effort.

But we all keep coming back: Perhaps it’s Neville and his organizing committee backed by invaluable sponsorship from Discovery that makes it so special; perhaps it’s those exhilarating swims across the two rivers. Most likely it’s the party afterwards. In my case I will be running my sixth Surfers Challenge because I am granted the singular honour of being the only runner allowed to wear the Discovery Surfer’s Challenge finishers T shirt at the start!

For all the people out there who strive to make every opportunity a challenge… the Discovery Surfer’s Challenge is definitely an invitation for you!

I certainly love a challenge!

Thinking back, I remember the 2011 Discovery Surfers Challenge, as clear as yesterday. Not only the spectacular summer’s day, but also to the warm, homely welcome from every local spectator, the holiday makers and the awesome sponsors.

For a Gauteng couple on weekend break, it was yet another adventure… only to find out that the ‘discovery’ is not over until the last runner or surfer crosses the finish-line at Nahoon beach!

The morning of the 12^th of February 2011 started with a typical 8 km daily training run followed by a delightful breakfast where we noticed the street to be crowded by traffic cones and people in preparation for… Suspicion grew but had yet to be resolved.

My inquisitiveness was killing me and it was the owner of a coffee shop in Gonubie who informed us about an annual event about to take place in the early afternoon.  We briefly discussed the possibilities of taking part in this event and I spontaneously decided to give it a shot. Thinking back the decision might have been a little impulsive, but wow, (after a slight detour to the other side of the gentle Kwelera river), arriving at the start we found a sizable crowd of people stretching, jogging, and preparing ‘surfing‘, running and walking gear in anticipation of the challenge… kits to be collected, laces to be tightened, sunblock to be applied to so many people. This is a BIG event… Readmore…