Solo on Table Mountain, Solo Anywhere: The Art of Less

The Art of Less

It is with some reticence that I admit a few old photographs of me have recently been unearthed. Moreover they have been appropriated for commercial display! But on closer inspection I was not distressed. In fact I was quite proud to find that my interest in minimal footwear was indeed something that coincided with an intellectual theme that had revealed itself many years earlier in my somewhat aberrant activities.

As I have grown older I have become more sensitive to the excess of modem consumptive living and I have become especially distressed at the fact that as a society we compulsively tie our happiness to acquisition. This is what we're taught from a young age. The lessons are not overt. But they are nevertheless explicitly implicit and very compelling! We learn that "things make us happy" and a good life is one in which we pursue and accumulate stuff. Material things. Within this philosophy there is no doubt in my mind that minimalist running is about more than simply getting thin shoes. It is an intellectual and emotional pursuit. It's a questioning of the status quo. My earlier climbing activities also, I am pleased, amply demonstrate my rejection of stuff and my embrace of "LESS".


There is a fallacy in the pursuit of material gain and I'm pleased to claim that at a personal level I have managed, maybe only subconsciously at first, to beat down a different path looking for alternatives.


As a society we are increasingly and tragically ME focused. This obsession with self is so perfectly manifested in the ACQUIRE mentality. Everything that we gather around us serves to reinforce a ME culture. STUFF is about ME and nothing more. The supremacy of SELF! But indeed in the midst of this stuff-fest there are real lessons that we fail to recognise, and this is the tragedy of our condition. I will give an example. A parable.

"Look at the night sky. Look at the stars. There is a wonder of light travelling an incomprehensible distance to reach our vision and radiate in the night sky. We look at the stars and wonder where they are and what they are like. But many of the stars that we see are no longer stars. They have long since burnt out. And still, even after the death of the star, its light travels outward through space for a time that we cannot grasp.We see shining lights in the sky while the stars have long since gone. And this is much like the claimed radiance of our modern society. It has emerged through time as a "pinnacle of civilization" and we see the brilliance of our own talents reflected all around us. But like the light from ancient stars, we stand on the shoulders of countless generations that went before us. We are the sum of all our forebears. This is why our self-actualising, self-focused mode of living is so sad, because at a societal level we underplay and even ignore the effort, resource, talent and greatness of those that walked before us. Our drive for material excess says very clearly that it's all about ME and worse still it rewards the ME focus. We need to recover our genetic memory. We need to learn to communicate from the heart. We need to see ourselves in the context of ancient wisdom. The little splash of "colour" we think we are adding to the big canvas may indeed be very dull. While our technological prowess and self-absorption runs ahead relentlessly, we forego real talent and wisdom.

We need to display compassion for nature. We need to build families. We need to build societies. We need to embrace real friendship. We need to uncover real challenges. We need to test our resolve. We need to to rediscover humour and health. We need to learn to dream. We need to value space ..and we need to grow in wisdom."


The London based company, Watershed Entrepreneurs has as it's mission, the identification and nurturing of independent, creative and entrepreneurial thought. They want to do it in a way that benefits not only us but also those that are yet to walk this way. They want to do it in a way that is measured beyond mere balance sheet gains. And this is why I am deeply pleased to be sharing in their advocacy.

Minimalism doesn't stop at your feet. It needs to overwhelm your soul. It is more than being tough and strong. It is about art and the wisdom of subtraction. Happiness, if you haven't discovered yet, is a subtractive condition.

More at some future point!

Below is the article from Simon Middleton, director at Watershed Entrepreneurs:

Defining Entrepreneurial Success

A recurring litany when referring to entrepreneurs is the high failure rate. Try to define ‘what it takes’ to make a success of an innovative idea and you will find an array of hypothetical models of attributes, psychological profiles and traits, as well as ‘motherhood and apple-pie comments’ about what makes for a successful entrepreneur.

Yet how often is a rigorous de-risking process emphasised? Successful investors will tell you that they invest in the people (rather than the product or service) so we assume that they invest well in the process of assessment. There remains a high failure rate nevertheless, and this a question mark  around the topic of ‘rigour’. Is there a solution? Yes, we know there is.

Watershed uses as an analogy one of our colleagues who, 32 years ago, did a solo ‘fingers and toes’ traverse of the front face of Table Mountain, Cape Town. At the time, Andrew was 18 years old. He currently runs a successful business in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Prior to making this traverse Andrew had thoroughly researched, practiced and managed all the elements that might destabilize him. He had gone through the most rigorous de-risking process before he ventured. He worked it out for himself.

The life-giving differentiator on this occasion was how to provide his mind with the emotional ecology that ensured he was focused on the process and not on the absence of supporting equipment. To focus on the negative in this challenge creates fear which, in pure physiological terms, would be disastrous. The risk of failure was always there, but the percentage had been profoundly lowered by his rigorous attention to detail; skill, external climbing conditions, physical and mental preparedness.

This level of de-risking is based on orthodox competency insight that has been around in both theory and application since the 1940s.

The saying ‘Past behaviour is a good predictor of future behaviour’ means using insights into human behaviour that work off this simple psychological truth. Take the case of Andrew. We know for a fact that in terms of a successful climber behaviour, he demonstrated capability more than the ordinary. Failure would have ended his life. He is not average. Rather he is exceptional, and it is this level of performance that holds our interest.

We know that if we interviewed Andrew and a sample of climbers who achieved similar levels of excellence, we would be able to derive a statistically validated behavioural profile. This would show us the levels of coping behaviour (or competence) needed by someone to replicate his success.

Using experience taken from the commercial world of competency profiling, we could predict a high level of performance success where we recruited a mountaineer with a similar behavioural profile.

In fact, the level of predictability is sufficiently compelling to suggest that a savvy business leader would insist that all the strategic roles (the ones that ensure the sustainable execution of the strategy at all levels within the system) are subjected to this discipline. It is precisely this insight that can identify and de-risk the successful entrepreneur.

It would be fair to say that most consultants will talk a good game when it comes to this technology. The result, generally, is a usual “mish-mash” of approaches which are next to useless in predicting and ensuring high performance. However, there are a few who really understand the power and criticality of this discipline.

Creating an Entrepreneurial Competency Profile means identifying, in detail, the coping behaviour used by successful entrepreneurs. Deconstructing this into levels of granularity can take days to evaluate and codify, but results in a robust profile of an entrepreneur.

The value of the resulting insight is that within very high levels of predictability - upwards of  70% - one can predict whether a person is likely to succeed as an entrepreneur.

Intriguingly, it is possible to gather sufficient insight at an early age – before 20 years old – whether there is an “entrepreneurial predisposition”. Being in a position to make a comprehensive comment on the competency levels an individual is, for executing the required tasks expected of an entrepreneur, of enormous significance to an investor.

We know there are three distinct phases that arc over the commercialization process. Each one requires a distinctive set of necessary behaviours. The value of this insight is the capacity to identify which phases will challenge the entrepreneur the most and where an investor needs to potentially find additional people to augment the competency set of the entrepreneur.

Creating an ecosystem in which an entrepreneurial idea thrives starts with de-risking the people involved and ensuring that a sustainable team of people is brought together. The innovative idea or invention itself is secondary to the human capacity to execute it.

Simon Middleton
3 Oct 2013

PUFfeR: 80km Ultra Trail Run in Cape Town

Puffer is an acronym of sorts for Peninsula Ultra Fun Run - PUFfeR. This is my experience.

We were sitting on buses and trundling in the darkness towards Cape Point, the rocky promenade that extends south from Cape Town ending in a sharp and precipitous knife-edge that drops into the ocean.. This was where, they say, the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet. I wasn't sure if it was true, but it makes for a good story and  it certainly made me feel like a pioneer as we headed south away from Cape Town.

It was pitch dark and the bus was obviously travelling very slowly. The trip took forever and they kept the lights on the bus so that all the runners could see each other as they babbled and bantered about previous running adventures. I sat quietly on the seat and looked around. Everyone seemed to have lights mounted on their foreheads. I didn't have any surplus kit and I wondered if it would be the first decision I'd regret.

Eventually the bus slowed down and made a u-turn coming to a standstill facing the direction from where we had come. Silence descended as everyone clambered off, and like lost spacemen, people wondered off into the foliage to relieve themselves. Yet more runners were gathering around the public toilets, eerily lit in the weak florescent glow of an old light bulb.

How it happened is unclear, but something prompted the dispersed group of about 120 runners to move northwards in the large parking area to a point where there were two warmly clad men, one of whom produced a gun. I couldn't hear what they were saying and with the first attempt at firing the starters gun .... nothing happened. The group burst into agitated chatter and then the mans arm went up again, the gun fired, and we started to move, running along the tar stretch back to the entrance of the Cape Point Nature Reserve from where we had come.

Quickly the runners spread out and I saw that my lack of headlight was no hindrance. The road was in very good nick and the light from others made an additional headlight redundant. I also hate unnecessary baggage. And so I jogged along in the darkness wondering what pace I should be aiming for. Academic stuff really. I couldn't see my watch. I had no idea of distance. The pace was whatever it was. But it didn't take long for the group to spread and I was soon running on my own in perfect blackness with a faint glow appearing to our left ahead of the rising sun.

After leaving the Nature Reserve the PUFfeR stays on tar for about another 20 kays which means that many serious trail runners are somewhat disparaging about this event. But I knew what was coming later. I knew the terrain over Constantiaberg and Table Mountain because I had run a lot on these mountains many years earlier when I lived in Cape Town. And so the tar didn't bother me. I was satisfied that we were really doing a mountain run. The tar portion was a warm up and quite a hard one too, climbing for a few kilometers over Redhill near Simonstown. By this stage I was starting to get a little worried because so many runners were moving faster than I was and I had no idea how to calculate a pacing plan. Being so far behind where I thought I should be left me feeling despondent.

At about 25 kays the route suddenly veered off to the left onto a single track pathway on soft sand through the famous Cape fynbos (indigenous Cape flora). This was it! Here it was! I was very excited. The thick smell of the fynbos hanging in the damp air, and the crunchy sand underfoot was so reminiscent of what I had loved years earlier. It was like entering an earthbound tangible "heaven". I was so comfortable. My soul, in out-of-body levitation, I felt light and strong. While overhead the clouds hung low and the sunlight failed to break through. The temperature was low enough to wear a long-sleeved top but I stuck to a t-shirt.

After some more path-finding through the fynbos we eventually headed around the back of Fish Hoek on some large tar roads and some busy Saturday junctions. This was another reason that some trail junkies turned their noses up at the PUFfeR but for me it just added to the texture and ambience of the run. Exiting Fish Hoek I found my mate Trevor, standing starkly upright alongside the road. I looked forward to him joining me for the remainder of the run as a second. Who knows what the distance was, but I think it was close to 40 kays which meant about 40 kays to go. So we still had quite a lot ahead of us, in fact, quite a lot of hard stuff.

Soon we reached a large refreshment station and I tanked up on Rehydrate, a big chelsea bun and some water from the welcoming helpers. Leaving this water point we slowly worked our way through the Silvermine Reserve and I managed to unleash such a constant torrent of verbosity that I missed most of the surrounds. Trevor generally is a very taciturn fellow, but on this day he was beyond loquacious as was I. We chatted incessantly like a pair of old ladies (is that politically incorrect?).

I do recall some very steep rocky inclines and some sandy sections and I recall that we lost our way at one point. Eventually seeing a few runners in the thick fynbos away to our left, we were able to head in the direction required. My earlier euphoria at entering the fynbos was not enduring. The Cape had had so much rain that most of the local vegetation now stood at anywhere from 6 foot to 10 foot tall, which meant that it was often impossible to get one's bearings. You just couldn't see beyond the path!

After leaving the Cape Point Nature Reserve a lot of runners had  passed me. I hadn't panicked but I had entered a mild state of dejection and fear of being left behind especially on some of the long uphills. But now in Silvermine, about 50 kays from the start, things were starting to change. I wasn't getting "dropped", and on some of the ascents I was actually gaining ground. This dear reader, is very motivating.

It wasn't long, after ascending quite a way up Canstantiaberg that the route made a steep and long descent to connect with a contour path which would eventually lead to another mountain (Vlakkenberg) and yet further on, to Constantia Neck at the back of Table Mountain. There was still so much to do! But I was getting inspired. I knew that I could get "downhill" fairly quickly and by this I mean down mountain paths. And the steeper, rockier, the better. With the tar behind us and the terrain becoming a little more technical I had a better chance! So I decided to start moving with a bit more conviction and managed to catch up with a few runners up ahead. I didn't want to push too much but felt good knowing that I could still cover ground fairly quickly, if needed.

Constantiaberg with the cave on the right known as Elephants Eye

On our way to the Vlakkenberg Trevor starting dropping behind and I knew I couldn't wait for him. I felt certain that something had happened to cause his loss of pace. It turned out later he had been sick since the previous day but did not want to let me down on "race" day. He should have been in bed! So, a fine guy all round!

Looking back up Vlakkenberg - Dutch for flat mountain

After Vlakkenberg came the Constantia Neck refreshment station. Again I took in more Rehydrate and chelsea buns. I dilly-dallied for a while, chatting and messing around, giving up about 15 minutes, and then headed up the very steep path that leads to the back of Table Mountain, otherwise known as the Back Table.

The pictures are from 2 years that I ran the PUFfeR. The second time in sandals. Here, approaching the Constantia Neck waterpoint.

This was it. This was my territory. I kept talking to myself. I stopped worrying about cramps and any other inconvenience. I wanted to move. Where were the other runners? I searched ahead but could only make out one shape in front. Dammit! Keep moving I said. Just MOVE. I wanted that person. I wanted to catch up? Move, move, move! We were about 20 kays from the finish and the best bits lay ahead. We had moved higher and the fynbos was shorter. Nothing more than 2 feet. It was all short grassy scrub and a lot of course, crystalline sandstone. I loved it.

At every point possible, I would break into a quick jog. And then more clambering. Rocks, gullies, ditches, water, steps.

Run, sidestep, lunge, clamber, run. Move, move, move. Great! And the human shape ahead drew closer and as he came into focus I saw it was Paul who had been running with Trevor and I on Constantiaberg. Darn! I should never have spent so much time at the Neck. I greeted him and moved on. The top of Table Mountain was still about 250 meters higher and possibly about 1 or 2 kilometers ahead. Now I could see many other runners. Little groups of 3 or 4. Go go go.

On the way to Maclears Beacon at the summit of Table Mountain I managed to pass 26 runners. I counted. I loved it. At the summit there was another checkpoint and refreshment station. I hardly stopped. I gulped down a bit of water and kept moving. The top of Table Mountain is indeed a beautiful place. Very flat and quite eerie in it's own way. It's big too. Getting from one side to the other can take a long time. Someone once told me it's 4 kilometers wide. Who cares. I was moving and feeling good despite the occasional cramping twinges in my legs.

Looking down Platteklip Gorge from the top of Table Mountain

The day was still sublime, with low clouds, no wind and a soft light casting a surreal glow. It felt as though I was living in a movie scene. But the ethereal peace and abeyance of pain is over when you get to the start of Platteklip Gorge, the perilous knee pounding, rock strewn route down the front of Table Mountain. Platteklip Gorge is ridiculous. They call them steps but the rocks, re-positioned on the handmade pathway, are a jagged, contorted mess of careless geography.

Platteklip Gorge descends diagonally down the front of Table Mountain starting about 2 thirds of the distance from the summit on the far left to the Cable Station on the far right

In 2015 during my second running of this event I happened to be around when a runner had had an accident and needed to be airlifted out of Platteklip Gorge. We had to wait for the evacuation.

A runner rescue after an accident in Platteklip Gorge 2015

The view to the finish near the harbour from Table Mountain

To get down Platteklip Gorge you have to employ, in random succession, a series of lunges, plunges, leaps, bounces and hurdles. At every point you feel you are a hairs breadth from diving head first into a pile of capriciously strewn boulders. And some do. But I loved it. This was downhill. I rushed ahead with relentless abandon.

Coming after the Platteklip descent are a few busy roads and a dismal pathway down the side of Signal Hill which again ensured a route finding mishap. I just couldn't run on ahead because I didn't know the way and when others caught up with me, they too either didn't know the way or were so stricken with cramps that we had keep stopping for a thigh or calf massage. But I got to the finish, at the oceans edge next to the Cape Town harbour, quite delirious and fortunately, quite bouncy.

My parents had visited to support on both times I ran this event

The PUFfeR is a splendid run. Quite exceptional in fact. As youngsters Trevor and I had made a "sport" of running up and down Table Mountain. We did it for fun when none had even thought of running on a mountain and trail running, as a concept, had yet to be invented. (At the time there were indeed a few runners in Scotland and Wales who had started "fell" running.)

So, getting back to Table Mountain after years of absence was superb and finishing second in the masters group simply felt good. But then ... it's not a race.

You can make contact with the organisers (Fish Hoek Athletic Club) here: www.facebook.com/PufferTrailRun/
or  www.fishhoekac.com/services/the-puffer

Measure your feet for t-rockets

To start get sufficient unmarked white paper and a pen and ruler. Draw the outline of your foot keeping the pen upright. If you tilt the pen it will change the shape of your foot which is unhelpful.

Now get the pen between the big and second toe and draw a nice mark at the deepest point. Do not push in too hard but record the spot firmly.

The next step is to mark the Medial and Lateral Malleolus. These are the bumps that form the inside and outside of your ankle. I am pointing at the lateral malleolus in the pic below. Carefully trace an arc that shows where your malleoli are when you are standing with legs (or lower legs) upright. You must mark the malleolus on either side of your ankle. The position of the malleoli is very important.

Once you have marked them get a ruler and mark a series of 1 centimeter intervals. Scan this diagram and send it to me. When we print it we need to check that the calibration is right. This is why you need to put in the centimeter intervals. (If you only have inches mark as such). Finally write down your normal running shoe size  UK SIZE or US SIZE.

Your final pic will look like this above.

Send your diagram to me at orders@t-rockets.co.za. Send the right foot diagram only. If you feet are significantly different sizes, then send a diagram for both your right and left foot.

Should you have any other questions mail me and I'll be happy to assist.