Trail Running as a Spiritual Pursuit.

by Debra Robins: Mindful Media and #Rhodes Cares

Mindful Media, covered the Rhodes Run this year actually ‘Moi’ … in minus plenty at the start and I wondered if I had lost my mind! After chatting to these runners at the start I experienced a whole new level of respect for these incredible humans and athletes.

I came to the realisation that Trail Running for many is a spiritual pursuit as it transforms the physical act of running into a moving meditation. By stepping away from paved surfaces and into nature, runners engage in a practice that blends mindfulness, physical endurance, and deep communion with the natural world. One participant shared, “I find that I am so conscious of the present moment when running through the mountains, in ice and often snow. Trail running is not only my passion and a great physical workout but for me; more than that it is my meditation in motion that feeds my mind and my soul too.”

The Rhodes Run, South Africa’s iconic, breathtaking trail run, is staged in the tranquil beauty of the Eastern Cape Highlands, where the Southern Drakensberg mountains framethe Victorian-era village of Rhodes.

It is 06:40 on 11 July 2026, and I have just walked up to the start of the Rhodes Trail Run, camera in hand. The runners’ briefing is already underway and my phone registers a freezing -6°C. I am completely unrecognisable. A cap resembling some sort of skullcap meets balaclava covers my entire head, neck and, thankfully, my ears. I have also managed to source touchscreen gloves that enable me to operate both my mobile phone and my camera without my fingers turning to ice.

While I am wearing about four layers of clothing, the runners at the briefing are standing there in running shorts, their only concession to the weather: a buff or beanie on their heads and just a semblance of a warm sweatshirt. At exactly 07:00, the race commences and these brave souls start their run.

I had to ask myself why people participate in long mountain trail runs in such icy conditions. After chatting with a few participants, I learned it is all about mental grit, well-developed physical conditioning and the unique thrill of extreme environmental challenges. While it may be considered sheer lunacy from the outside looking in, these trail runners actively seek out freezing alpine environments to test their absolute physical and psychological limits.

The Rhodes Trail Run is a single-stage 52-kilometre ultra-endurance trail race held everyJuly. Founded in 1986 to boost local tourism, the event starts and ends in the historic village. It is widely celebrated for its extreme winter conditions, brutal elevation profiles and tight-knit community traditions

It is common for the temperature at the start to be below zero (usually around -10 degrees Celsius!). Runners regularly face intense winds, freezing rain, thick ice patches, and heavy snowfalls, which, for reasons of safety, occasionally force last-minute route changes. Mandatory gear rules (including whistles, hydration systems and thermal windbreakers) are strictly enforced to handle the remote wilderness safely. Yet the atmosphere before and after the race is extremely festive.

The idea of the race came during a discussion between Rhodes property owners over a couple of drinks one night in 1986. The intention was to put Rhodes back on the map before it followed the same fate as other small highland villages which faded into obscurity. This vision led to the foundation of a unique event on the South African sports calendar. The first race, staged in July 1989, almost did not happen owing to very heavy snowfalls during the previous night.

Since then, the event was held each year until Covid-19 interrupted everything for two years. The Raubenheimer family were involved in the race from the second event in 1990.  They assumed the mantle of race organisers from 1998 to 2023, before handing over the reins to Rudi Hiestermann and Heather Ralph, allowing the Rhodes community to continue hosting the event. 

Race Specifications

Results Top 7

1st Tonic Masilo

2nd Velaphi Mduna

3rd Kwekwe Qalaqa

4th Zandisile Matswata

5th Thato Kabeli

6th Maxwell Baard

7th Janneke Heunis (And the First Lady)

All Results
https://www.rhodesrun.co.za/results-2026/
https://www.rhodesrun.co.za

Polar Bears ‘The Polar Bear Club’
After the initial run in 1989 the idea of starting a ‘Polar Bear’ Club was suggested and The Rhodes Polar Bear Club™ was launched the following year. Those who have completed the run – and their brave supporters – have the option of taking a late-night dip in the Bell River, wearing nothing but a brave smile. The traditional race bevvy of choice: a tot of Captain Morgan Rum and a tot of Sherry or Port (oftentimes more than one, for warmth of course!).  This year boasted50 entrants and proceeds from the polar fleeces went to The Rhodes Animal institute.

The 37th Rhodes Run is on 10 July 2027 – Entries https://www.rhodesrun.co.za/entries/