Two runners have set their sights on the 13 peaks as they prepare for an epic Table Mountain adventure next week.
Sabine Muller, 57, a physiotherapist, athlete and mother of two from Hout Bay, alongside her running partner, Vuyo Spamla, 47, who is a domestic worker in Hout Bay and Camps Bay with one daughter, will take on the challenge to benefit abused children.
Sabine and Vuyo are looking forward to the 13 Peaks challenge, which is a 100km, 6000m ascent route tagging 13 peaks of the Cape Peninsula, which starts on Saturday October 29.
Although not a race, Sabine and Vuyo have been training long and hard to complete the challenge in under 48 hours.
“I have gained the fitness; stamina to deal with 12-hour physical work days whilst being a wife and mother; I have made friends with amazing like-minded individuals who have become close friends, including Vuyo; and I have gotten to enjoy the mountains around Cape Town and further afield as my running moved to include the trails,” Sabine said.
Her life changed and passion for running was ignited almost a decade ago, when her sister challenged her to train for the Meiringspoort Half Marathon in 2015.
Sabine has since completed several marathons, three Two Oceans, four Comrades, three PUFfeRs, three Skyruns, a multi-day 13 Peaks with her Hout Bay Trail Runners, and loads of other races over the years.
The runners have launched a crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy to raise R100 000 for a non-profit organisation, Friends of Child Protection.
The organisation relies entirely on volunteers and donations, and distributes comfort packs to children across the Western Cape who have survived a violent assault.
The packs provide comfort and dignity to children during a very traumatic time in their lives and include snacks, underwear, face cloths and soap, a fun activity, a teddy bear to cuddle and other age-appropriate items including nappies and formula for the babies.
The organisation packages and distributes an average of 1200 comfort packs every two months, which cost between R80 and R120 each to produce.
“The number of packs requested consistently exceeds the number the organisation can supply and in December more packs are needed than any other month. Vuyo and I need your help to be able to reach every child in need this December,” Sabine said.
Since the launch of their campaign, Sabine and Vuyo have raised almost R29 000 with kind contributions from 32 donors.
Support this cause on BackaBuddy https://www.backabuddy.co.za/13-peaks-for-fcp