Trail tales from The Running Mann
CN&CO founder Carel Nolte met Stuart Mann, aka The Running Mann, for coffee after the November 2024 Comrades AGM. Carel had recently been appointed to the Comrades Marathon Association board and was keen to explore his and Stuart’s shared interests in running, communication and agile delivery.
Stuart subsequently delivered two talks for EasyEquities, where Carel works as head of marketing, which raised about R20,000 for the Alexandra Education Committee. Impressed by his energy and humour, Carel invited Stuart to join the Otter African Trail Run, sponsored by EasyEquities, marking the start of a partnership built on shared values, endurance and community spirit.
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Stuart recently shared a gripping two-part account of his journey to the race, South Africa’s “grail of trail”. The first instalment covers the build-up to the race, while the second dives deep into the experience itself, a mix of beauty, brutality and pure endurance. Together, they tell a story that captures the essence of what it means to push beyond limits on one of the country’s most iconic trails.
In Part 1: The Otter Trail Challenge – Prologue, he takes readers behind the scenes of months of preparation. From navigating the logistics of travel and permits to confronting self-doubt and injury niggles, the post sets the stage for a daunting 42-kilometre mountain route. His wit and honesty shine through as he reflects on balancing training with everyday life and on why, despite knowing what’s ahead, he keeps signing up for challenges that test every fibre of his being.
He also offers fascinating insight into the culture of trail running: the camaraderie among participants, the mix of elite athletes and everyday adventurers, and the shared respect for the natural world they run through. The prologue builds anticipation, ending with the start line on the Storms River mouth, where excitement meets a twinge of fear… the calm before a very long storm.
Part 2: The Otter Trail Challenge (Bringing a knife to a gunfight) recounts the race itself in vivid detail. From slippery river crossings and punishing climbs to breathtaking coastal views, it’s a roller-coaster of emotion and endurance. The blog captures both the physical grind and the mental battle, where every step forward is a small victory against exhaustion and doubt.
There are moments of humour, pain and triumph, the kind that every runner will recognise. (Also, pretty fynbos!) Stuart describes the final kilometres with deep appreciation for the human spirit. “It’s not just about finishing,” he says. “It’s about embracing the struggle and finding joy in the process.”
Both blogs showcase why The Running Mann remains one of South Africa’s most entertaining and insightful voices in running. They’re celebrations of resilience, community and the wild beauty of the Otter Trail.
Read the full stories here:
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