Forget your nightly date with the Tour de  France highlights on DSTV. The most incredible endurance event is happening on Friday night in South Africa and you’ve probably never heard of it.

The Washie 100 ultra-marathon run done in the light of the full moon on the 160km road between Port Alfred and East London is such an interesting event it even gets sports dummies like me going …. and yes, you did read it right … they run 160 km!

If you’re thinking the Washie runners are mad, then get this — there is no prize money! They do it for the challenge and get a hand-made trophy when they stagger into East London on the Saturday morning.

This year it’s going to be a real cooker as everyone will be watching last year’s winner, Vanessa Wayland, the first woman to win the race since its inception in 1977. Last year she did it in 16 hours, 19 minutes and 52 seconds — and the Dispatch reporter (and marathon runner) sent to do the last 10km with the leader for a feature, battled to keep up with Wayland. Read the feature here.

Massimo respecto for this tough cookie.  The Dispatch always does a pretty good job of covering the Washie so log on to www.dispatch.co.za  at the weekend and Monday if you want to find out what happens.

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