Mnweni Marathon
01 Oct 2020 12:46 #76147
by Hanno
Replied by Hanno on topic Mnweni Marathon
The gripe is usually shared very quickly and widely but not the apology and what was done about it.
The message from KZNTR (via their FB page):
Today we visited Mnweni Cultural Centre to discuss the past race and ensure that all the markers have now been removed from the course we ran just over 3 weeks go as Mnweni Mountain Marathon 2020. We were welcomed and left with a sense that the marathons are an important part of the Centre, and we need to ensure that all mountain users can do so in harmony.
We first received a report that some of our markers were out there on 20 September from a group who had been out there. They had removed most of them and expressed their displeasure. We apologized and made inquiries with the guides we had hired to remove them, but struggled to get any solid answers. So today we headed out to see and find out for ourselves what the situation on the ground now is.
We let ourselves and KZNTR runners down by not ensuring that we had cleaned up after ourselves and taken all our markers down, after the event. While we had a plan in place and leaving markers out there was not our intention, we fully acknowledge the buck stops with us and that our procedures need to guarantee we leave no trace.
We humbly apologize to all those who love the mountains and the outdoors. We are embarrassed by what we left out there and our discussion and actions today and moving forward will strive to ensure we leave our trails cleaner than we find them.
Litter in our natural environments and on our trails, put there by a variety of people, including recreationists, is a huge issue that needs addressing on a number of levels. Our actions of leaving markers out there condones littering, which as leaders in the sport of trail running is a massive error on our part.
Mnweni markers are now down, but that doesn't just make the problem go away. It's time to look even more carefully at litter and waste around events, on the trails and in the mountains. We are going to have to work on this together and will require level-headed feedback and input from everyone to make this a reality.
Andrew, Lauren and the KZNTR Team
The message from KZNTR (via their FB page):
Today we visited Mnweni Cultural Centre to discuss the past race and ensure that all the markers have now been removed from the course we ran just over 3 weeks go as Mnweni Mountain Marathon 2020. We were welcomed and left with a sense that the marathons are an important part of the Centre, and we need to ensure that all mountain users can do so in harmony.
We first received a report that some of our markers were out there on 20 September from a group who had been out there. They had removed most of them and expressed their displeasure. We apologized and made inquiries with the guides we had hired to remove them, but struggled to get any solid answers. So today we headed out to see and find out for ourselves what the situation on the ground now is.
We let ourselves and KZNTR runners down by not ensuring that we had cleaned up after ourselves and taken all our markers down, after the event. While we had a plan in place and leaving markers out there was not our intention, we fully acknowledge the buck stops with us and that our procedures need to guarantee we leave no trace.
We humbly apologize to all those who love the mountains and the outdoors. We are embarrassed by what we left out there and our discussion and actions today and moving forward will strive to ensure we leave our trails cleaner than we find them.
Litter in our natural environments and on our trails, put there by a variety of people, including recreationists, is a huge issue that needs addressing on a number of levels. Our actions of leaving markers out there condones littering, which as leaders in the sport of trail running is a massive error on our part.
Mnweni markers are now down, but that doesn't just make the problem go away. It's time to look even more carefully at litter and waste around events, on the trails and in the mountains. We are going to have to work on this together and will require level-headed feedback and input from everyone to make this a reality.
Andrew, Lauren and the KZNTR Team
The following user(s) said Thank You: Serious tribe, diverian, elinda, JonWells, tiska, firephish, ghaznavid, Smurfatefrog, Andreas, GriffBaker, matt_w, Carl Gebhard, Iano2
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01 Oct 2020 16:37 - 01 Oct 2020 16:37 #76149
by tiska
Replied by tiska on topic Mnweni Marathon
At the end of the day it is reassuring to see KZNTR take responsibility and show a will to sort things out.
Hats off to those who rang the alarm and for all the helpful and informative posts.
Hats off to those who rang the alarm and for all the helpful and informative posts.
Last edit: 01 Oct 2020 16:37 by tiska.
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