Yes on paper these events could be considered by many as expensive. But here is the crux of why any race in big mountain environments shouldn't be inexpensive. While it’s your responsibility to carry the compulsory kit, so that you can self help when you need to; our responsibility to you is to provide you with the safest platform to race as is practically possible. Practically possible? Well every mountain environment is different, requiring a customised unique approach to managing risk. For example, areas like Marloth are far more challenging than Helderberg. Variables like the ability to access the route, proximity to medi-vac services etc. Wildrunner has over the last 16 years of operational experience pioneering races in some of the remotest parts of Southern Africa. With the help and guidance of experts in the field of mountain rescue, we have designed a wilderness race support fabric that aims to ensure two critical aspects: That we have fully independent and reliable VHF communications control over the whole race route, and can get critical help to you within an hour anywhere on course. Support teams are carefully positioned at various locations on the route to give us the optimal coverage of higher risk areas. The support teams on the ground are made up of a suitably qualified and specialist field medic - with experience and knowledge of working in the mountains - paired with a small team of mountain savvy individuals that ensure the integrity of the race continues whilst managing any rescue scenario. Complex safety plans are designed, tweaked and shared months before the race, with scenarios discussed and plans integrated with local resources in the event a rescue scenario requires escalation and support. Any rescue or support scenario that takes place has to happen without jeopardising the integrity of the race itself. Multiple rescue scenarios can and do happen, and it’s the planning, partnerships and expertise behind the scenes that makes the difference between life and death. To give you a live example: In 2011 the weather was wild at JMC, with a howling NW wind driving rain and sleet up in the higher reaches of the Panorama trail. A runner who left her compulsory kit behind became critically hypothermic, eventually falling into a coma. She was at over 1200m up and 2.5hrs hike from the nearest access road. We had one of our response team members with her within 30 min of it being reported at the nearest radio check point. That rescue took 8hrs and involved 46 rescue personnel, a helicopter and countless other support resources. The escalation process was seamless because we had done our homework, and ensured that all the local wilderness search and rescue resources were aware of the event's details. But critically, had we not had a team in place high on the mountain, she would most certainly have died. This safety support network is just one aspect to the complex logistical and operational detail that goes into managing a mountain wilderness race, and the risks that lie therein. But this level of support should be what you expect. It’s this safety platform that we invest a large chunk of your entry fee.