South Africa hosts a world-class sporting event of a different kind in October. The 11th Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon, our country's ‘Big Daddy’ of ultra distance running, is currently underway. The event finishes on Monday 25 October.

This gruelling 250km, 7-day, self-sufficient staged race is held annually in October in the Augrabies region of the Kalahari Desert. It is one of the oldest desert races of its kind, following a marked route that takes runners through granite gorges and dry, sandy, river beds; over rocky 4x4 terrain and along rugged paths on the banks of the Orange River.

Runners also share the trail with a varied wildlife, including eland, springbok giraffe and, yes, leopard, running through private game farms and the Augrabies Falls National Park.

Entries are limited to just 100 participants.

For more information on this and similar events, visit http://www.extrememarathons.com/

A similar event to look forward to in 2011 is the 7th South African Addo Elephant Trail Runs, runs of 85km an 50km, scheduled for 12 March 2011.

Picture courtesy of John & Terry Sadle