Ryan Sandes looking for a medal at the Mont-Blanc series.
Image: Kelvin Trautman / Red Bull Content Pool.
A MERE mention of the RMB Ultra-trail Drakensberg (RMB UTD) conjures up images of elite athletes such as Ryan Sandes and Chris Ngaka scaling heights and distances many runners would not dare to take on.
And perhaps rightly so. For in just about every sphere, the focus is almost always on the professionals. That will once again be the case at the end of the month when this year's edition of the popular event takes place in the peaks and valleys of the majestic Maloti-Drakensberg World Heritage Site from April 24 to 26.
Yet while the likes of Sandes and his peers take centre stage tackling the daunting ultra-distance races, spare a thought for the novices who will be taking their tentative steps into the sport.
To ensure the event is not just for the elites and the experienced, the organisers are this year introducing a new 14km route to make the sport even more accessible so that beginner runners can test their grit and mettle.
Among those who will be in action are runners from the life-changing LIV2Run Athletics Club, founded by Lindi Meyer back in 2018. A runner herself, Meyer will be participating in the 25km race, but her delight lies in the fact that a few of her runners will be in action in the new distance.
"We try to provide our runners with access to opportunities and life skills training,” Meyer says, explaining why LIV2Run AC is more than just an athletics club.
“We expose these athletes to travelling to races – really just opening their eyes, minds, and hearts to bigger things, and causing hope to rise up so they can dream big.”
Among those dreaming big and hoping to be the next Ryan Sandes is the 19-year-old duo of Ses'phelele Ntanzi and Mhlengi Chilli.
No doubt inspired by the likes of Sinovuyo Ngcobo and Tsielo Tsanyane — both of whom are coach-athletes competing in previous RMB UTDs as well as the RMB Ultra-trail Cape Town — the teenagers have plucked up the courage to go for it this year.
And how could they not, when they are aware of the inspiring tales of their coaches who, like them, came to the LIV Village from the rural town of Ndwedwe, in the iLembe district north of Durban? Having arrived with their futures looking bleak, they have had their lives transformed through running.
After completing his Matric, Ngcobo moved to the LIV Village where the loving support and training he received from LIV2Run saw him blossom into an accomplished trail runner and later a coach boasting impressive finishes.
It is not surprising, then, that he never stops pushing himself to reach high levels of excellence as he pursues his dreams of competing on the world stage against the best.
The same applies to Tsanyane, whose résumé is teeming with podium finishes. From being runner-up at the RMB UTCT men’s Explorer 23km race in 2023, he went on to win the Drakensberg Rock Jumper 25km race at the 2024 RMB UTD.
Last year, he finished sixth overall in the Cape Town Trail 22km. It is logical, then, that he should have his sights set on participating in global trail running events.
While he awaits those opportunities, Tsanyane will continue to not only be competitive domestically but also inspire and coach a new generation of trail runners at LIV2Run AC.
Among those looking to follow in his footsteps is Chilli, who has been with the LIV2Run Athletics Club for four years now and is delighted to have found a community that continues to nurture his talent and personal growth.
Meyer speaks of him as someone whose maturity belies his young age, given the way he "approaches his goals with focus and determination".
Chilli dreams of becoming one of the country's top runners and building a successful future through the sport he loves — a dream he should realise, judging by the fact he was victorious in his maiden trail race, the RMB UTCT 16km.
His "twin", Ntanzi, finds his inspiration in the great Eliud Kipchoge, and for him, running has been a tool to rise above challenges. He hopes the sport will help him in his personal growth as he pursues a better future.
Along with a few more of their teammates at LIV2Run, these four rural athletes represent a new wave of pioneering trail runners who are steadily climbing the ranks with the support, coaching, and guidance of their LIV2Run community.
They are living proof of the saying, “If you can see it, you can dream it.” Backed by passionate people who believe in them, they are embracing the chance to run towards their dreams, giving hope and inspiration to a new generation of promising South African athletes.
And at the end of the month, they will be out to show that trail running is not only for the elites during the RMB Ultra-trail Drakensberg.