RIGOROUS TRAIL RUN: Runners from all over the country are getting ready to navigate the challenging mountain terrain in Harrismith.
Picture: Baagedi Setlhora
This Saturday, the tranquil town of Harrismith is set to transform into a testing ground of grit, endurance, and sheer willpower for the 103rd staging of its legendary annual Mountain Race. Far from a standard weekend jog, this trail race competition has earned the audacious - yet, by all accounts, accurate - title of the ‘toughest race in the world’ by its organisers.
It is an assertion that speaks volumes about the punishing terrain awaiting the hundreds of athletes ready to tackle the infamous slopes of the Platberg mountain. The event, steeped in over a century of history, offers three distinct categories this year, catering to various levels of masochistic enthusiasm.
The bedrock of the competition is the 15km Mountain Race, a storied event that has been an annual fixture for an astonishing 102 years, tracing its origins all the way back to 1922. For those seeking an even more profound challenge, the 30km Trail Run pushes the limits of ultra-endurance athletes, a category that is now entering its seventh year. But the 2025 event marks a significant evolution, as a new 1 km trail is incorporated for the first time. Vusi Mazibuko, the race’s Marketing Manager, and a Harrismith native who works as an engineer for Es kom in Cape Town, highlights the lineage of the competition and the excitement around its expansion.
“The main race, the Mountain Race, which is 15km, has been run for 102 years since 1922, and the 30km Trail Run has been run for 7 years, while the mini mountain trail run, which is 10 km, will be run for the first time this year,” Mazibuko explains. The incorporation of the 10km distance, though new, is expected to draw a significant number of participants, adding to the electrifying atmosphere.
“We are hoping to have around 500 runners for the mini race. For the Trail Race, which is much tougher, we are expecting around 200 entrants and for the main race, we are expecting 600 to 800 runners,” added Mazibuko.
But the true legend of the Harrismith Mountain Race lies in the challenge itself. This is a raw, unforgiving encounter with the natural world. The Platberg’s ascent is characterised by a brutal combination of altitude gain and treacherous footing - making it a true test of physical and mental fortitude. Mazibuko pulls no punches when describing the obstacles facing the runners, giving context to the race’s self-declared title.
“There is no (actual) road; there are big rocks, and there is also a one-man pass where runners can’t run past each other. You literally must run behind another runner with no opportunity to go past them,” he adds. This notorious “one-man pass” forces runners into a single-file procession, eliminating any possibility of strategic overtaking. The organisers’ confidence in calling it the ‘toughest in the world’ is not merely promotional hyperbole, but a testament to the decades of sweat, tears, and triumph etched into the mountain’s slopes.
As the sun rises over Harrismith this Saturday, the thousands of entrants won’t just be racing against a clock or against each other; they will be taking on a living, breathing challenge - a mountain that demands respect, resilience, and an unwavering spirit.
This year’s edition of the Mountain Race promises to be a spectacular display of human endurance, reminding both competitors and spectators alike that true glory is often found on the most difficult path. All races will commence from the Harrismith Primary School sports grounds, with the first race starting at 08:00. A prize-giving ceremony will take place after all races are completed, with cash prizes also on offer to cap off another successful Mountain Race in the Eastern Free State.
