The Big Five Marathon and Half Marathon -
June 20th 2009
The Big Five Marathon® among the wildlife of
the South African savannah is for more
than one reason the world’s wildest marathon.
Entabeni game reserve, one of the most spectacular Big Five
game reserves in Africa, is the location of the race. The animals populate
an environment alternating between savannah with dispersed eroded cliffs and forested,
mountainous areas with small streams and waterfalls. In these magnificent surroundings,
you can combine exciting game drives on Land Cruisers with one
of the most challenging marathon routes on the Adventure Marathon® circuit.
The
route goes right through the habitat of the most famous African game: elephant,
rhino, buffalo, lion and leopard. No fences, rivers or any other sissy stuff separate
the African wildlife from the courageous runners. Antelopes and wildebeest will probably accompany runners through the game reserve, while the
more fierce animals are kept at safe distance by park rangers.
In these fascinating
settings, we have selected a route that will prove challenging to even the most
experienced long distance runner. Covering a wide variety of surfaces, ranging from
deep sand to slippery rocks, the course will divide the weak sheep from
the tough goats. The biggest challenge on race day is the extremely steep track
going up the gorge, which separates the lower and the upper plateaus of the game
reserve. Over a distance of three kilometres, the runners will experience a 500
metre incline and sloped sections over 40 degrees. Luckily, the scenery is spectacular
enough to divert the attention from the level of exhaustiveness.
Everthing you need to know on the full marathon, 1/2 marathon and registration is found at
Big Five Marathon, the
official website.
Watch the interviews below with some of the runners in the 2007 marathon and our partner The Red Cross in South Africa.
The Big Five Marahton 2008 Results