Wanri laces up for 100 Miler challenge

THE 100 Miler is considered the ultimate challenge in trail running around the world and to achieve a finish in this distance is a feat that only a few trail runners can claim. Thomas More College’s high school HOD for sport, Wanri Venter, hopes to claim that accomplishment this weekend.

In South Africa, the 100 mile distance is relatively new and the Karkloof 100 aims to produce a world class event that will cement itself as one of the ultimate endurance challenges in the country.

“I am fortunate enough to belong to Dan Willment Fitness in Hillcrest and a group of seven is taking on this enormous challenge. Our programme is called AthleteX and training started in January,” said Wanri.

Dan designed the training schedule for the group that included some high mileage weeks, that consisted of 100km alongside three strength training sessions.

Each week would consist of three strength sessions, time on the watt bike, hill sprints or tempo running followed by longer runs on the weekend. The group’s main training blocks were the Three Cranes Challenge (90km in three days) in February, a 50km training run in March, which Wanri substituted with the 80km Thomas More Long Walk, a 75 km training run in May and a 100km training run in June.

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“I missed out on the last two runs, so included an 80km training run over three days in July and did the Umgeni 75km trail run in August. We have also done some night time training by waking up at 2am and running laps at the 1 000 Hills Park Run. Nothing can really prepare you for this challenge” said Wanri.

The race kicks off at 8pm on Friday, 20 September and competitors have 36 hours to complete the event that will end on Sunday, 22 September at 8am. “It is only doing a double Thomas More Long Walk through two nights and a full day in one of the most beautiful areas in the world! I am lucky that I will have a great support crew during my run with three current TMC staff members and one past TMC staff member,” said Wanri.

“The 100 miler is about commitment, teamwork, perseverance, being fearless and never giving up. Nobody knows if they can complete a 100 miler and that is what is so attractive about it. It is all about pushing yourself past what you think you are capable of,” said Wanri.

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