KZN Trail Running

Dear KZNTR Community,

We want to speak frankly about where KZN Trail Running currently finds itself.
The past year has been a rebuilding period for KZNTR. We have been rebuilding the organisation while continuing to deliver a full calendar of events, while navigating multiple venue changes and cancellations, and with less administrative capacity than the calendar requires.

Some of our communication has been late or unclear. Information has not always been consistent across RaceConnect and the KZNTR website. Some emails and queries have taken too long to answer. Signage and arrival information have not always been good enough, and certain event services and details have fallen short of what people have come to expect from KZNTR.

These are not concerns we want to dismiss or explain away. They are fair, and we know that some of you have been let down. We are also aware that there has been uncertainty around podium vouchers. As part of making KZNTR financially sustainable, we are no longer issuing complimentary race-entry vouchers as podium or lucky-draw prizes. We pay venue and other event costs for every runner, including complimentary entrants, and routinely giving away race entries is no longer financially sustainable for KZNTR.
Complimentary entries will continue to be used to make trail running accessible to someone who might otherwise not be able to participate.

We will continue to recognise the first three men and women in each distance with our podium trophies. We will also work with sponsors to provide worthwhile prizes where possible. KZNTR remains recreation- and community-focused: competition matters, but it sits within the broader purpose of creating accessible opportunities for people to experience trails, connect with the trail community and explore KZN.

While we acknowledge these shortcomings, there is one area in which we will not compromise: safety.
Whatever administrative pressures we face, our first responsibility is to host safe events. Mace Safety oversees our event safety in compliance with the Events Act, while Medics for Life provides our medical support. Both teams remain central to every event we deliver.
Route planning, emergency preparation, medical support and the safety of runners, staff and volunteers are non-negotiable. Whatever else is under pressure behind the scenes, those safety standards remain the baseline for every event we put on.

That does not mean the rest is unimportant. Good communication, accurate information, clear signage, reliable administration and a welcoming event atmosphere all matter. They form part of the experience people pay for and deserve to receive.

As you know, we are now implementing a new administrative system together with RaceConnect and rebuilding the capacity behind KZNTR. This will help us manage entries, event information, communication and participant support more consistently. The work with RaceConnect is designed to prevent contradictory information appearing across RaceConnect and the KZNTR website, and to make the processing and publishing of results faster and more consistent. Together with improvements to the race village and community experience, the aim is a more consistent, well-run experience from entry through to race day and results.

KZN Trail Running has been around for 17 years, and while we do not get everything right all the time, we are listening, learning and rebuilding KZNTR so it can continue to deliver safe, memorable trail experiences that it has been built around.

We are also doing work to strengthen the competitive side of KZNTR, and we're on the verge of formalizing our KZNTR Club and hosting Champs. At the same time, we remain committed to the recreational runners, families and trail communities that have always formed the heart of our events.

It will take some time to settle, and while there may still be some bumps along the way, the work is underway and some of these changes are already making a meaningful difference to the behind-the-scenes operations.

We appreciate your patience and know that ultimately the way to rebuild confidence is not by asking for more patience, but by letting you see the improvements.

Thank you to everyone who continues to enter, volunteer, offer constructive feedback and stand behind KZNTR. Your support matters, and we intend to repay it by steadily delivering the standard of events and service that this community deserves.

See you on the trails,
Andrew, Lauren, Colin & the KZNTR Team

KZN Trail Running will no longer be giving away free-entry vouchers as lucky draw or podium prizes.

This is primarily a financial decision, but it also reflects how we want to run KZNTR.

Every runner who takes part in one of our events carries a real cost. In most cases, we pay the venue or landowner a fee for every person who runs. There are also the many other costs involved in putting an event together. When we give away entries, those costs don't disappear; KZNTR simply carries them.

We believe that those who are able to pay for their entry should do so. Going forward, complimentary entries will therefore be reserved for runners who genuinely need the assistance to participate. While we understand that many people are motivated by competition, we would much rather use the entries we can afford to give away to help make trail running accessible to people who otherwise wouldn't be able to be there.

KZNTR has always been recreation-focused. We love the racing at the front, and we'll continue recognising our first three men and women in each distance with our mini podium trophies. But competition isn't the only reason we gather on a Sunday morning. For most of us, it's about getting outside, exploring KZN, challenging ourselves and sharing the trails with other people.

Rather than using entry vouchers as prizes, we'll be working with our sponsors and partners to bring worthwhile product prizes and other added value to our podiums and lucky draws wherever possible.

It's one of a number of decisions we're making to keep KZNTR financially sustainable while protecting what matters most: putting on good trail runs and making sure we're still doing it for many years to come.

Thanks for continuing to run and explore KZN with us.

Umngeni River Run 2026

𝗨𝗠𝗡𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗜 𝗥𝗜𝗩𝗘𝗥 𝗥𝗨𝗡 𝗧𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗖𝗘 𝗔𝗧 𝗪𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗔 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗦𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗔𝗬

A venue update for the 2026 uMngeni River Run:

Although this year’s event was originally launched at Faulklands Farm, we’re very happy to confirm that URR is taking place at WESSA uMngeni Valley Nature Reserve in Howick this weekend.

It’s a venue many KZN trail runners already know and love. Easily accessible, spectacularly beautiful, and packed with some of the best trails in the province, the reserve gives us everything that suits the spirit of URR: raw trail running, proper time on your feet and a whole lot of good singletrack.

This year’s longest distance will be capped at 50km, with shorter distances also on offer.

URR will also serve as a training run for the WESSA Ultra Trail Festival later in the year, giving ultra runners a chance to get some solid distance into the legs while experiencing much of the terrain they’ll return to for the Festival.

If you saw our earlier information listing Faulklands Farm as the venue, please take note of the change & tell your friends!

𝗤𝗨𝗜𝗖𝗞 𝗜𝗡𝗙𝗢
WESSA uMngeni Valley Nature Reserve, Howick
Sunday, 16 August 2026
50km | 5am | R460
36km | 6am | 400
18km | 7am | R255
12km | 7:30am | R195
6km | 8am | R135

Discounts: U18s pay half price and pensioners save 25%!

Registration & late entries from 4:30am (R50 late entry fee applies to adults)
Online entries close Friday, 14 August 2026.

No-frills trail running on one of KZN’s most-loved trail networks

Route details & entries here: https://kzntrailrunning.co.za/races/umngeni-river-run/

See you at WESSA!

https://raceconnect.co.za/events/umdoni100-miler-3quQug/results?race=umdoni-135km-kgWoDr

Umdoni100 miler Results | RaceConnect View race results for Umdoni100 miler. See finish times, positions, and more.