#DrylandEventManagement

[therovingrunner]

Dryland Trail Lab - Reimagined & Innovating

In 2016 Dryland Event Management held the first ever Tankwa Trail Run, straight off the back of their successful Tankwa Trek mountain bike race, thus adding another trail event to their trail calendar which only had the very popular Dryland Traverse Trail Run.

Lets fast forward to 2021, and the reimagined, reinvented Tankwa Trail!

I was invited to the inaugural Dryland Trail Lab hosted by the  Dryland crew, and as with any Dryland event, it was an opportunity not to be missed. True to form, it did not disappoint.

The team is in full swing organising the 2021 edition, and invited a few trail troopers for a test event. 

The directive from the Dryland team was clear, “Do what you have to, and gives us your honest feedback on what we can do to make it even better.”  So basically, run the trails, make fully use of the water points on route, test the gear, drink the beer & wine,  and eat as much as you can, give them feedback and enjoy the experience! Then go to bed in your luxury tent, and do it all over again the next day!

Why so serious? I promise this was the last time I didn’t have a smile on my face the whole weekend! Image Giraffe Creative

20+ runners consisting of mainly Koue Bokkeveld locals, selected media, a camera crew from Bigshot Media, set off the Saturday am for what will be stage 1, roughly 20km (300m+ elevation gain) of undulating trails through beautiful vast open plains scattered with incredible rock formations.

The chosen ones! Image by Giraffe Creative

The “race” briefing given by race director Bernard le Roux clearly stated that no Strava segments was to be chased, and that the entire group will regroup at the water point, roughly 11km into the day’s stage. Oh yes, and if the camera crew stops you and asks you to run back & forth for footage, interviews etc, do it! 

This was all fun and games till they asked you to run back down the hill/valley you just climbed because they missed the shot. It wasn’t all doom & gloom though, and we all gladly did it (while swearing softly in our heads)

Now if you have ever run or rode a Dryland event, you would know their water points/aid stations are better stocked than a Woolies isle. From banana bread, baby potatoes, droëwors, electrolyte drinks and non-alcoholic beer, to sunblock/sunscreen, a comfy chair & views for days to digest. 

Waterpoint vibes! Image by Giraffe Creative

On completion of our day’s run it was time for some beer tasting (the alcoholic type this time around), recovery drinks, a few interviews that had a few feeling like Eminem. “He's nervous, but on the surface he looks calm and ready,

To drop bombs, but he keeps on forgettin'

What he wrote down, the whole crowd goes so loud

He opens his mouth, but the words won't come out”

A delicious lunch was followed by recovery massages led by EPT next to a natural pool hidden between the rocky outcrops. Cheese and wine anyone? Lunch has barely settled, and out came a platter with a range of snacks, from Sauvignon Blanc to brie and grapes, Shiraz to blue cheese, nuts & cold meats.

Recovery time! Image by Giraffe Creative

Barely back at the race village, braai vleis fires were lit, and it was time to eat again. I swear I weighed more after the weekend than before! Catering at Dryland events are next level, and you’ll have to search far and wide for a more hospitable organising crew out there. 

Day 2 had a slightly later start as we were only running about 16km of the route. Breakfast done, everyone wearing spanking new socks (as requested by the organisers as part of gear testing) we were shipped/bakkie’d off to the start. A mixture of fun undulating singletrack,  one “longish” sandy accent followed by a quick decent to the waterpoint.

The waterpoint as expected from a Dryland event, was a highlight! Stocked to the brim, music in the background, and dance moves demonstrated in the dirt road. 

Flying high! Image by Giraffe Creative

The last few km’s flew by, and all to soon, after another delicious lunch, it was time to say our goodbyes. 

So to cap it all off, what do you get from attending a Dryland Trail Lab or one of their races like the Tankwa Trail? You’ll get a great time, run awesome trails, meet amazing people, make new friends & get spoiled rotten by the Dryland team.

Enter now at www.tankwatrail.co.za