The Ju/’hoan community is small, and those who are still committed to living in the traditional manner is even smaller.

Our purpose here is to share with them, learn from them, and support them - not to overwhelm them with a deluge of prying outsiders.

After many lengthy discussions around the campfire we’ve settled on 10 as the maximum number of people that can participate in a meaningful and mutually beneficial experience for the first year.

Future editions may see this number rise up to 50.

Inspired by the traditional manner of persistence hunting, we will run in small groups or “cohorts” in which all members will responsible for taking care of each other throughout the race.

This is the best way to keep things simple and safe.

Each cohort will have at least one member with a GPS unit provided by the organization, and all members will have the tracks loaded in their watch or other device.

There will be a debriefing at the end of each day to resolve any issues that arise.

It will be remote and challenging, but yes, you will be safe. Keep reading below or check out our full description on the RACE page.

We’ll spend some time acclimatizing, learning basic safety and survival skills, and spending time with the locals. The race itself is 5 days long, and we’ll be running aprox. 30km each day. Then we have 1 day for celebration and recovery. You can find a full description on the RACE page.

We will eat simple, hearty food sourced as locally as possible. Much will depend on our luck at hunting.

If you are a vegetarian, vegan, or have dietary restrictions for any other reason just let us know and we’ll do our best to provide you with plentiful and nutritious alternatives.

We will be camped out in tents and grass huts alongside our hosts. As a general rule accommodations will be shared, unless you have a good reason for needing to sleep alone.

We have been working closely with many local communities for a number of years in order to make this event happen in an ethical and sustainable manner; we are collaborating with the local Conservancy and Traditional Authority to ensure that everything is done according to the highest standards possible. People are extremely excited that the event is finally happening, and are working hard on-site to get everything ready.

Our principles, which we expect all participants to follow, are simple: Humility, Respect, & Reciprocity. Experience has shown us, again and again, that this is the only way to do things right in the Kalahari.

English is the official language of Namibia, and many locals have received some amount of formal schooling, so basic communication is definitely possible. We will also have a team of translators to help us throughout the event.

Dehydration, sunstroke, and cramping are probably the biggest threats for runners in the Kalahari. These, of course, are mostly preventable with proper training and sensible nutrition.

Lions do live in the area, but they’ll be sleeping all day and won’t bother us in camp at night. Not an issue.

Elephants can be ornery sometimes, and we’ll do our best to steer clear; locals will teach us best practices when we arrive.

Venomous snakes do live in the area, but they are rare and will leave you alone unless you step on them. Anti-venom kits can be purchased for those looking to be extra-safe, though they are not cheap and it’s worth noting that locals never use them.

Best policy is to stay alert, be sensible, and stick with your cohort. You can always use your GPS emergency service function if the shit hits the fan.

An experienced team of sweepers will make sure that all runners arrive back to camp safe and sound before the critters come out at night.

There will be First Aid support available at kilometer 25 on each leg of the race, and there is a public health clinic less than 1 hour drive from our base camp. The doctors here are extremely experienced and competent, but lack the infrastructure necessary to perform some complex medical procedures. In the unlikely event that it becomes necessary, both private and public options for comprehensive care are available in Windhoek.

Anyone experiencing difficulties will be helped to the closest possible source of medical assistance by our dedicated team of sweepers.

Maybe. You’ll have to work at this, even if you’re already in good shape for roads and trails. Running in hot and dry environments without trails or supplies has its own unique set of challenges, which most of us are not well prepared to meet.

We will be running a maximum of 30km per day, which might not seem like much. In these conditions, however, 30km can take its toll.

We’ve developed comprehensive material to help you build the strength you’ll need, which is available to all participants free of charge.

Train for running on uneven terrain in hot and dry conditions with minimal food and water. Train your muscles, but also your thermoregulatory, respiratory, and metabolic systems. Nasal breathing is definitely your friend. Mental fortitude is key.

We’re in the process of developing material to help you out, and all registered participants will get free access, as well as membership to an online forum where we can discuss all things race-related.

We expect you to be a competent athlete and responsible adult; we do not expect you to be an elite professional or a seasoned expert in desert survival.

We have a short list of required material, which you can find on the SPECS page. The rest is up to you.

Depends on your country of residence, though the answer is most likely no. Namibia is a safe and friendly country, and very accommodating to international tourists.

Best to speak with your doctor about this, and of course check the regulations specific to your country of residence. We can say, however, that in September there are 0 mosquitos in the Kalahari, so malaria is not an issue. Rabies is extremely rare, on par with Europe or the US. TB, Hep A, and Hep B are fairly common, and transmissible, but can be treated if contracted. You’ll have to make your own judgment call here.

Probably a very good idea. Medical care in Namibia is very affordable by international standards, but in the unlikely event that you need a medevac or complex emergency procedure, it’s definitely better to be covered by insurance.

Everything except airfare. Pack your gear, get yourself to Windhoek, and we’ll take care of the rest.

Race fees go to cover the costs of the event, and all money beyond that is donated to community endeavors designed to help the Ju/’hoan keep their traditions alive.

The main projects at present are geared toward passing on ancestral knowledge to the younger generations in three main areas: (1) running, hunting and tracking, (2) gathering edible and medicinal plants, and (3) shamanic healing traditions.

How kind of you to ask. Yes, of course. Contribution, collaboration, and donations of many kinds are gratefully accepted. Send us an email and we’ll talk over the details.

Feel free to come with friends or whoever else you’d like, but all runners must be registered as participants and start each leg from the beginning.

Due to the complex nature of planning this event and the extremely limited number of participants, we can’t offer full refunds for any cancellations made after February 2024. If you cancel March-May we can refund 50%, or you can choose to rollover your registration for 2025. From June onwards rollover will be your only option…unless you can also find someone to replace you. This option will be open any time up to August 1, 2024.

We’ll be flying in and out of Windhoek, Namibia. Look for something that lands September 9 before 930am and leaves September 15 after 730pm.

As soon as you sign up you should receive a detailed email outlining everything. If you haven’t received it, please check your SPAM folder; if it’s not there send us a message with your full name and date of registration so we can sort it out for you.

No, this is a community event focused on cultural immersion and long-distance running. We will learn the skills of tracking, hunting, and survival, but that is not the main focus of this experience. If you’d like to set up a hunting expedition we recommend you get in touch with our friends at www.sapientfuture.org