Running the Mad MeerKAT Dash and the Losberg Loop

© Rob Millenaar

At ASTRON there is ample opportunity for lunch-time walks and runs in the Dwingelerveld National Park. There is even a "Sterrenwachtloop" (Observatory Run), connecting the Westerbork and Dwingeloo telescopes. On the last edition, your humble servant struggled through this picturesque 24 km run.

Now that I find myself in South Africa the running continues, also at the site of the MeerKAT and (future) SKA1-Mid arrays in the Karoo. The other day I established two routes and lightly ran them to set a target for others to improve upon (which can be easily done). I have named these runs:

The Mad MeerKAT Dash (red and yellow). A 19 km jaunt from the Losberg facility to the core of MeerKAT, circling it and then retracing one's steps back to where one started.

The Losberg Loop (red and magenta). At just over 12 km in length this is a scenic stroll around the Losberg hill, over tracks that see more aardvarks than humans. Loose soil makes the going tough in places.

I invite all ASTRON athletes to engineer an opportunity to come over to smash my times(*). Until then, I proudly hold the records.

(*) But remember the admiring colonial homily: "Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the noon-day sun".