The sight of weary runners crossing the finish line of the RMB Ultra Trail Drakensberg (RMBUTD) 100 miler is not just a testament to physical endurance, but to the power of vision, planning and community.
For Stuart McConnachie, Managing Director & Co-founder of Summit Events, the success of this year’s flagship race is measured less by times on the clock and more by the stories etched on the faces of those who dared to take on the mountain.
“It’s not over until the last runner comes in,” McConnachie reflects, watching the closing stages of the races unfold. “But already, you can feel that something special has happened.”
The 100miler, widely regarded as one of the toughest trail races the world over, delivered exactly what it promised: punishing terrain, unpredictable conditions and, ultimately, deeply personal victories. According to McConnachie, that is precisely the point.
Stuart McConnachie, Managing Director & Co-founder of Summit Events. Picture supplied.
RMB Ultra Trail Drakensberg: Redefining Trail Running Success and Inclusivity
“Every distance is somebody’s ultra,” he says speaking during the weekend of the RMBUTD which featured the 100miler, the 100km, the 62km, the 35km, the 25k and the new 14km. “Whether it’s the miler or a shorter route, people are pushing themselves, overcoming something. That’s what defines success for us.”
Behind the scenes, however, the seamless execution of such an event is anything but simple. McConnachie is quick to emphasise that UTD is the product of a collective effort.
“There are a lot of moving parts. It’s a team effort, from logistics to planning, and a lot of care goes into every detail,” he explains.
Central to this is race director Spurgeon Flemington, whom McConnachie describes as a “custodian of the Drakensberg” and the driving force behind the event’s ethos.
Equally critical has been the role of partnerships. The backing of RMB, now in its second year with the event, has been “fundamental” to both the race’s growth and the sustainability of Summit Events as an organisation.
“It’s allowed us to build a dedicated team and align around a shared vision,” McConnachie says. “That vision is about more than just the race – it’s about opening up the sport and making it accessible.”
Trail running, once seen as a niche pursuit, is steadily gaining traction in South Africa. Yet McConnachie acknowledges that growth must be intentional.
“We don’t want to just tick boxes. We want people to genuinely feel part of something,” he says. “When runners finish and you see that emotion – you can’t manufacture that. It’s real.”
That sense of belonging is key to UTD’s mission of expanding the sport beyond its traditional base. By creating opportunities and fostering inclusivity, the event aims to attract newcomers who might otherwise never have considered trail running.
“It’s about giving people access but also creating a community they want to be part of,” McConnachie adds.
As the final runners’ trickle in – to the sounds of cow bells supplied to everyone by the RMB team – the atmosphere at the finish line is electric – a mix of relief, triumph and shared experience. For McConnachie and his team, that moment encapsulates months of preparation and years of ambition.
“The goal,” he says, “is for people to leave here feeling like they’ve achieved something meaningful, and then to share that with others.”
If this year’s 100 miler and the rest of the other distances are anything to go by, the RMB Ultra Trail Drakensberg is not only succeeding in staging a world-class event – it is helping redefine who the sport of trail running belongs to.
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