Day two of the Run2Stop challenge was brutal, in all respects.

The day dawned with the news that Pierre, Jimmy and I would be building a jungle gym at a fantastic but under-resourced creche in Ikageng, just outside of Potch. Team Edge (our opponents) would be completing the same task across town. The fastest erection (stop it) would mark the winning team.

At this point I would like to apologise to anyone in the construction industry for ever maligning you as brick-tossing cement monkeys. What you guys do is really hard, construction polls are very heavy, and my hands are quite soft.

After something of a false start (never be hasty when digging holes), we set to task erecting platform poles and determining the layout of the recreational wonderland with help from a handful of North West University students. From there on in it was a slow march towards victory, and just over five hours and multiple patches of sunburn later, the jungle gym at New Foundations creche was fully assembled and settling in to its concrete shoes. We won that challenge, for three reasons:

1) Pierre Spies studied construction management. That is not a lie.

2) North West University students are surprisingly adept at mixing cement.

3) Gcobani Bobo dug holes in the wrong place for Team Edge. Called it.

Additionally, Team Edge had to dig the foundations of their jungle gym in ground so hard that they actually broke a pick axe. So if any of you are missing a rock, we found it in Potchefstroom.

Digging holes, assembling a jungle gym (without a diagram) and mixing concrete in 35 degree heat is physically taxing, to say the least. But the kids were super stoked, and I don’t care who you are, seeing genuine delight in children thanks to something you’ve done is an affirming experience.

The dusty roads also took their toll on the cyclists today as our (Team Force) pro cyclist, Yolandi du Toit suffered a knee injury. After a thorough examination by the coaches, she continued on through the pain and completed the 140km route in 32 degree heat.

The grueling temperatures didn’t slow down the runners – as they finished a few seconds apart en route to Royal Bafokeng.

Sadly, the our athletes were edged (see what I did there?) at the finish, which means that Edge grabbed the overall victory for the second day running.

UPDATE: At the end of day two it was decided that the best option for Yolandi’s health would be for her to withdraw from the race.  The endurance of the #Run2Stop race can be truly testing, however she is confident in her replacement – Mr Wikus Weber.

All pics by Tyson Jopson, except for the last one. (That was me.)