~ musings and meanderings

  about all things trail ~

Rockhoppin’ Trail

about Linda Doke

Three decades (plus) of ultra-distance running began with a chunk of years on tar (incl 10 Comrades, 16 Two Oceans) and followed with more than 25 years of trail, racing through canyons, on beaches, deserts, islands, glaciers, salt flats, over mountains, escarpments and peaks. Nine years ago I began coaching, passing on the ultra-running lessons I’ve learned to help others seeking to reach beyond their comfort zones discover their full potential.

wild and wet Western Cape

wild and wet Western Cape

Winter in southern Africa is the dry season – several months of cloudless blue-grey hazy skies stretched over vast expanses of veldt, all shades of textured browns and golds, dusty roads winding into forever and thick, burnt-orange sunsets seeing dusk turn to night....

footie fever!

footie fever!

World Cup 2010 is finally upon us - today's the day! There're so much excitement here in South Africa, there's exuberance on every street corner and the place is rocking! If ever there was a day when I'd become more excited about soccer than trail running, then...

What’s not possible?

What’s not possible?

I read a quotation today that grabbed me. That’s what great quotations are meant to do, sure, but some just don’t crack it. For me, this one did: “Unless a man undertakes more than he possibly can do, he will never do all that he can.” It got me thinking about the...

Trans-Alps: 99 days and counting

Trans-Alps: 99 days and counting

Today is the start of my 99-day countdown to the biggest challenge I’ve ever taken on. From Sept 4 – 11 I’ll be competing in the Trans-Alpine Run, a 296km 8-day stage race through the German, Austrian and Italian Alps. The race will be extreme – not so much because of...

Tribute to Tenzing

Tribute to Tenzing

Meet my informal running partner, Tenzing. And yes, he takes after his sherpa namesake – not that he carries anything, of course, but he hungers for heights. When I got him as a six-week pup in 2004, I promised him a lifetime of adventure, and he snatched up the...

Catch Ryan Sandes on Carte Blanche this Sunday

Catch Ryan Sandes on Carte Blanche this Sunday

Ever dreamed of being able to catch speedster Ryan Sandes, South Africa's very own world champ ultra-distance off-road endurance runner? Now's your chance - and from the comfort of your couch! Tune in to Carte Blanche on Sunday night - Ryan will be speaking about his...

Running the World – east to west, north to south

Running the World – east to west, north to south

Published in Runner's World, May issue On March 15th I had the privilege of running 58km with a Nutter. And a world famous Nutter, to boot. Definition of a Nutter: Someone who is completely and utterly beyond any chance of return to normality, and who is this way...

African not-so Xtreme

African not-so Xtreme

It’s taken a lot of convincing on the part of Trail&Techno James, architect of GoTrail., to get me blogging. I’ve resisted for ages – after all, who ever reads these things, I asked him, who has time to read someone’s waffles about their day, their traffic moans,...

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