My First Otter Trail Run | 5 Good Lessons I Learned

by | Oct 12, 2023 | Run, Event Experience, Events & Racing, Featured

In South Africa, the Otter Trail Run is at the top of many trail runners’ bucket lists. This trail is normally completed over 5 days as a spectacular multi-day hiking trail, but once a year a few lucky trail runners get to run the entire route of 42 km and 2400 m elevation gain in one day.

Most people know that getting a spot on this trail is nearly impossible, and let me tell you, it is not much different for the trail run. So, when you are one of the few lucky ones to have nabbed an entry to one of the most prestigious trail runs in the world, you have to make the most of it. 

Training for the Otter Trail Run started four months ago, but in reality, training started when I was six years old running the FunRun at the Comrades Marathon where both my parents spent an entire day running once a year for years and years. 

I come from a family of runners, you know the types of families who run on holidays, weekdays, weekends, any day of the week. That is us. For me, however, running only became a big part of my life in recent years after discovering trail running and learning how good it can feel to justify not running uphill, but running a trail marathon was only something I could ever dream of doing. That was until now. 

In the months leading up to the Otter Trail Run, I ran a lot, hiked a lot, did a lot of stair repeats, and read a lot. I read about nutrition, what to eat when, and how to avoid cramping on the run. I did everything I could to be well-prepared for the race, and still, my nerves got the better of me as I lined up on the 5th of October to run the Otter Challenge, my first trail marathon and the furthest I’ve ever run. Smiling on the outside, but a nervous wreck on the inside. 

This is where my mother’s years of Comrades Marathon experience came in handy as she calmed my mind. ‘My hip hurts;’ ‘It’s fine;’ ‘I’m feeling nauseous;’ ‘It’s okay.’ 

The race itself was brutal, beautiful, wet, and an adventure! What goes up, must come back down… again and again and again. I ran past runners stretching what appeared to be a calve cramp after 15 km in and I took another sip of my electrolyte drink thinking ‘not today. 

Dolphins kept us company for at least half of the route and although no human spectators were allowed on the course, the big baboons of the Garden Route made sure we felt supported. To cross the Bloukrans River, we had to swim across and for someone who enjoys extreme adventure as much as I do, I may have used too much energy crossing this river as my adrenaline spiked! 

Otter Trail Run 1
Crossing Bloukrans River (c) Otter Trail Run

Here Are My 5 Lessons From Running The Otter Trail Run: 

Just Keep Going Forward

It’s a rollercoaster. You may have sections where you don’t feel as good as others, but more often than not you will push through them and feel better again. 

Make Yourself Completely Waterproof

When you get to Bloukrans, you should just be able to jump in and head across the water without first needing to check that everything is secure and waterproof. This was a rookie mistake from my side as it took a few extra minutes to ensure I wouldn’t lose a phone or a gel crossing Bloukrans.

Remember That There Are More Than Just Oranges At The Munchie Point

I got so excited at how delicious the oranges tasted after running in a humid forest for almost 20 km, that I only realised 1 km after leaving the Munchie Point that it was the only thing I ate there. Either you should have a plan before arriving at this point on what your re-fuelling strategy will be or take a moment to really look at the table and consider what you need.

Electrolytes Will Save You From Cramping

Have a designated water bottle for electrolytes and make sure you sip on that throughout the day. I shifted between Rehydrate and Electrolyte C+ and tried to finish a bottle between the huts. I had no cramping during the day and my post-race recovery went very well. 

Have FUN!

Very few people get to run these trails and if you’ve put in the hours and you’ve made it to the start line, you deserve to go out there and have the best time ever. Take a selfie, take a video, make a friend, and take it all in. If you’re not racing for a podium position, you should allow yourself to enjoy the incredible scenery however you want. 

My First Otter Trail Run | 5 Good Lessons I Learned
Otter Trail Run 2023

Massive congratulations to everyone who ran the Otter Trail Run and especially to the winners. It’s a tough race where you shouldn’t expect to race a PB (personal best), but if you’re an adventure-loving trail runner then I highly recommend you add this race to your calendar. It is SO worth it.

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