Cold weather and magic trail runs by Lettuce and Netski

Cold and wet but still out there!!!!

Last week must have been the coldest conditions that we have trained in ever. The mercury was not above 5 degrees on any of the early morning or evening training sessions and with heavey rain and snow on the mountains around the Garden Route most people retreated indoors to a glass of red wine and a fire. Youth day saw Chris,Netski and I head into the Harkerville Forest for a run in our newest Helle Hansen kit. Chris wore his new HH Warm ,I was in a HH Hybrid and Jeannette in a HH Longsleeved Cool with a windbreaker on top. Despite the horific cold and wet we all finished the run feeling that we had got our temperatures right with out having to don layer apon layer of gear a tribute to the Helle Hansen gear.The picture above was taken after a two and half hour run through the forest.

On Sunday Chris ,Jeannette and Jeff joined the Plett section of the Mountain Rescue unit to run the first two days of the Titsitikamma Trail with a bit tagged on the end to help with transport logistics. This what Jeannette had to say:

What a stunning way to spend a winter morning a 38km trail run thru the most beautiful wilderness area and right on our door step. Some of the Pennypinchers Team members where lucky and privileged enough to get invited by Drew to do this run. Special permits where need and due to Drew and me being involved in the Mountain Rescue we where allowed to go and scout a certain trail which one finds winding it's way thru our mountains, natural forest, fern covered streams, snow capped peaks and stunning valley's. We started nice and early Me and 5 Fathers ( Drew, Lee, Andrew, Jeff and Chris) who said this must be one of the best ways to spend fathers day!!! Let me just say that theses dad's made me suffer, it took us 5hrs with quite a few exclaiming wow, amazing, stunning picture taking stops thank god for those!!. But wait it did not stop there, Melanie ,Andrews wife so kindly drove to meet us at the finish to drop of our bikes so we could cycle back to the start thru the old Bloukraans pass a nice and easy 23km cycle back. I don't think to many dad's could compare their fathers day morning to this one. Thank you guys for dragging me with you to Drew for organizing it and to Nature for providing us with such stunning places. Netski