The second edition of the Seychelles Nature Trail took place last Saturday, and what an experience it was. I arrived in Seychelles on the Tuesday before the race as part of a 12-person media team, which was looked after by Seychelles Tourism.

I loved the variety in terrain from gravel, to beach, to technical forest trails and even boulder hopping.

The Seychelles Islands: Temperatures ranged from 24 to 28 degrees Celsius with a high humidity of up to 80%.  It’s their coolest time of the year, with the south-east trade winds providing a much-welcomed breeze. I did a few short runs during the week, hoping to get accustomed to the heat and humidity, and it definitely helped me on race day. The Seychelles is a collection of 115 islands, and we stayed on the main island of Mahe, where the race took place. In the days leading up to the race, we lounged at the pool, visited local markets, went rum tasting at Takamaka and snorkelled in the warm, crystal clear waters of the St Anne Marine Park. 

Race Day: There were 169 participants from 16 different countries, including 10 South Africans.  I knew that the 22km trail run with 1210m of elevation was always going to be challenging, but the rain the night before and on the route made it even tougher, as it was muddy and slippery underfoot. Even though I was grateful for the rain to help keep us cool, I took many tumbles!  

With the aim of showcasing the rich biodiversity of the Seychelles, the running terrain varied from gravel to beach to technical forest, and even some boulder hopping. And of course, the beautiful scenery and white sandy beaches that helped carry me along when things got tough. There were seven aid stations along the route offering much-needed sustenance, which included fruit, bars, water, electrolytes and Coke, all manned by happy, helpful crews.  Even though I felt like I was drinking plenty during the race,  I do think I finished slightly dehydrated and will need to work on that in future.

Most of the climbing was in the first half, with the biggest climb starting at around the 9km mark. With 400m of vertical ascent in less than 2km, the first 12km were really tough.  We then hit the undulating, technical single track in the forest, which had become very slippery from the heavy downpours and finally the steep but runnable downhill to the finish.

I am proud to have finished fourth lady overall in a time of 3:33, behind fellow South African Shaundre Jacobs and first in the 40-49 age group. It definitely hurt, but what an incredible opportunity and experience. For those who are just there to take in the stunning scenery, the cut-off time for the event is 8:30. It was a well-organised event in a friendly country with so much to offer. Definitely one to consider and add to your bucket list!

Click here for more information on the event.

Kim Woolrich is Runner’s World South Africa’s Digital Manager who is aiming to run the 55km at RMB UTCT this year and the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon.

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