Photo and Words by: Elize van Staden

Elize van Staden is the first South African to attempt the 111-kilometre distance at ‘La Ultra – The High’. At over 5 395 metres, deep in the Indian Himalayas, it’s one of the world’s highest ultra-marathons. This is her story.

When the day of the event arrived, the race village had an atmosphere, like any other: some participants offered advice on speed and tactics, others talked about races they’d run in the past. It buzzed with a mixture of excitement and nerves.

At 10pm, we were off. During the first 21 kays I felt comfortable, and ran without my headlight, allowing my legs to guide me; and seeing nine shooting stars made every moment worthwhile. I was confident I’d reach the seven-hour cut-off. At the 31-kilometre marker, the medic who checked my pulse and oxygen levels even commented, “You must be the fittest person in the race”.

It was only later on, when I reached North Pulu, that I realized I hadn’t quite made that first cut-off,  having missed it by a matter of minutes.

None of the other 111-kilometre or 222-kilometre athletes had made the cut-off either – only participants in the 333-kilometre race had managed it. Alan, who also competed in the 333-kilometre race, was first to be pulled off the course with pulmonary oedema. But I wasn’t ready to quit, so I carried on running to the cut-off, because I hoped that race organisers would allow me to continue ‘unofficially’. Luckily for me, they did.

Unofficially, I was the first person to cross the finish line of the 111-kilometre distance, in approximately 20 hours and 30 minutes. Five of us had started; only two of us finished. And the only participant in the 222-kilometre race had to pull out at South Pulu.

Tough was exactly what I wanted this ultra marathon to be. Failure isn’t a crime; but lack of effort is.

For the full story go to http://www.runnersworld.co.za/events-races/race-news-reports/race-report-la-ultra-high/