Clock’s ticking as road warriors eye big race

THERE are but two weeks to go and the countdown to the 39th Discovery Surfers Challenge has begun.

Other than a bit of sharpening, followed by a taper in training, there is not a lot more that can be done to prepare for one of the country’s more diverse events.

All indications are that attendance records are going to be smashed in the run, the walk, the paddle and especially in the Junior Surfers for runners under the age of 14. The junior event will start some 17km south of the main race, but at the same 2.30pm start time.

The inaugural junior race in 2012 was run close to high tide and that meant there was much soft sand to contend with. However the youngsters will be pleased to know the tides are more favourable this year with low tide little more than an hour before the start.

Thus both the surface and the Nahoon River crossing will be much kinder.

In the longer race the back markers will, however, have to contend with a pushing tide, about an hour before high tide.

The juniors start on the beach, just north of the Nahoon River mouth and head towards Bonza Bay where they will be turned on the Gonubie side of Quinera Lagoon and head back to the Nahoon River crossing and finish in front of the Lifesavers’ Shack on

Nahoon Beach. If for no other reason, the more than 3 000 competitors take to the beach, rivers and Indian Ocean to be awarded a race T-shirt. As with any special memento, there has often been some emotion in respect of issues around the shirt.

For the first time the organising team have decided to go with a pink shirt and they will in turn make a donation towards the fight against cancer.

All who finish within the cut-off time of 6pm for runners and paddlers and 6.30pm for walkers will receive the coveted shirt. There have already been a couple of races to test oneself on and there are two more along with the weekly parkruns at Nahoon Point and Sunrise-on-Sea.

The Tomato Trot on Saturday offers a stiff test on some tough and hilly farm roads, while the masters half-marathon, a week later, is a fairly fast route for those over 30.

The latter race does include three meaningful hills to test stamina in addition to speed. By now all should be comfortable with which shoes to run in, if you wear shoes at all.

Every year someone decides to buy new shoes this close to race day and often lands up in serious discomfort. There are always exceptions to the rule, but it is not worth pushing this particular boundary.

The same applies to other running kit, in particular the shorts. Chafing and then swimming the rivers and running again coated in salt can be an agonising experience – so stick to your favourite pair of well used shorts.