October 23, 2019.
We put our worlds on hold for a week, and took off on foot into a world of sand and rocks and rivers, canvas and fire, dirt, Weather Gods, stars and scorching sun. As the days ticked by a new reality was weaved; one of footprints, friendships, wildlife, tales, tears and laughter.
What the Kalahari Desert delivered, we accepted. Because there was no hiding from a 250km pilgrimage across this arid land, the Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon. And while the desert played king, the human spirited soul supplied the answers. The true heroes were not those who ran or marched the fastest. The true heroes were those who, every morning, were the first to depart camp for yet another day of hardship on their sore and tender feet and aching bodies, and would most probably be the last ones to ring the finish line bell each evening at the next rest camp. Their faces still smiled and twinkled as they received a loud applause from their fellow runners and walkers, camp crew and ever attentive medical team as the sun was dipping. And there was not a dry eye in the house when the final KAEMer slackened the finish line tape on the seventh day.
The KAEM experience can now be filed away as a memory, and forever reflected on as a week where the desert ruled, and that coke bottle never did fall from the sky.
Hermein Burger Webb thanks so much for capturing the moments with your lens work and smiling face.
And a special word and thanks to sponsors ADVNCE Hi Performance XTR Body Fuel for Sport – our bodies really do lap up Vitamin C like its going out of fashion when you’re running through a desert. #goodbetterbest #nevarest
