British ultrarunning star Tom Evans has candidly shared the profound impact that a terrifying mugging at knifepoint in South Africa has had on his life and career. Evans, one of the top contenders for the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) next weekend, revealed that the harrowing experience during a training run on Cape Town’s Table Mountain last November has significantly shaped his preparation and mindset leading up to the race.
Evans, known for his remarkable achievements in the world of ultrarunning, including his stunning victory at the Western States Endurance Run in 2023, has documented his journey in a newly released film titled "No Stone Left Unturned." While the film focuses on his quest for UTMB glory, it also delves deeply into the traumatic event that has left an indelible mark on his life.
The incident occurred during one of Evans’ final training runs in Cape Town, where he was preparing for the Ultra Trail Cape Town race. As he recounted in the film, what started as a routine run quickly turned into a nightmare when two men approached him on the trail.
Evans had been on a high following his Western States victory, where he clocked the fourth-fastest time in history with a remarkable 14:40:22 finish. Buoyed by this success, he set his sights on emulating the legendary Kilian Jornet by winning both Western States and UTMB in the same year. However, his attempt ended in disappointment, as he was forced to withdraw from UTMB due to exhaustion, leaving the race on a stretcher.
In an effort to regain his form and overcome the mental and physical toll of UTMB, Evans turned to the Ultra Trail Cape Town as a way to reset. But the trails of Cape Town held a different challenge, one that nearly cost him his life.
Evans described the shocking moment when the mugging unfolded. "On one of my final proper runs, running in what is sort of deemed to be a fairly safe space out on the trails, two guys were walking towards me. I didn’t think anything of it," he recalled. However, as he stepped aside to let them pass, the situation escalated rapidly.
"I got rugby tackled, clothes-lined by these guys," Evans recounted. He initially tried to fight back, shouting for help and struggling against his attackers. But the situation became even more dire when they brandished knives, including a nine-inch sharp kitchen knife that was pressed against his neck.
"The situation then massively changes when out of one of the bags, two knives come out and you’ve got a nine-inch sharp kitchen knife held on your neck and you can feel it pressing on your Adam’s apple," he said. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Evans chose to stop resisting. "Had I chosen to fight for a second longer, the end game could have quite literally been the end game."
The traumatic experience left Evans deeply shaken, leading him to withdraw from the Ultra Trail Cape Town race. He admitted that the ordeal made him question his future in trail running and his connection to South Africa. "I wanted nothing to do with trail running. I wanted nothing to do with South Africa. I needed to get out of that environment as quickly as I could," Evans said, reflecting on the psychological toll of the attack.
For Evans, who had dedicated his life to ultrarunning, the incident was a stark reminder of the fragility of life. "I gave up everything so I could run, and for that to be taken away by two people and you think you’re going to be killed is pretty tough," he concluded.
As Evans prepares for UTMB, the shadow of his Cape Town ordeal looms large. However, his resilience and determination to continue pursuing his passion for ultrarunning have remained unshaken. "No Stone Left Unturned" not only documents his physical recovery and preparation for the race but also highlights his mental journey to overcome the trauma and continue doing what he loves.
Tom Evans’ story is a powerful reminder of the unpredictability of life and the strength required to face and overcome its most daunting challenges. As he lines up at the start of UTMB, he does so not just as a competitor but as a survivor, ready to prove that even the darkest moments can be turned into a source of strength and inspiration.
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