Trail inspiration and the trials of Transgrancanaria: An Interview with Zukie Tandathu
When I first met Zukie Tandathu at Kendal Mountain Festival in 2023 it was immediately obvious why he’s an inspirational presence in ultrarunning. As anyone who’s chatted to him on or off the trail will know, Zukie has an energy and enthusiasm that make you want to get up and run 50k right now (or at least sit in a café talking about it). A member of the North Face Explorer Team, with an impressive roster of races under his belt, he’s genuinely invested in sharing day-to-day adventures with fellow runners.
Since a friend in the miliary introduced him to trail running in 2017, Zukie has completed the Coast to Coast, the Dragon’s Back Race and the Marathon de Sables. He’s built a social media following posting about his journey into ultras, is an ambassador for Black Trail Runners (BTR) and a mentor at TrailFam, a charity that gets kids onto the trails. When we arrange to meet again in 2025, just after he’s completed the Transgrancanaria Classic race (126km), I’m keen to find out what drives him, how he fits in his training around five kids, three horses, two dogs and twenty-five chickens, and how we can all be a bit more Zukie by making positive changes in the sport.
Growing up in South Africa, Zukie ran and played football from the age of five. His father was a runner and it was simply something to be enjoyed. Zukie combines a love of the freedom running brings with being a strategic thinker – he is retiring from frontline military service this summer after 22 years. This combination of enjoyment and discipline has proven to be his strength both in competition and in encouraging the participation of Black and minority ethnic runners in the sport.
Photo courtesy of Transgrancanaria
Coached by Paul Tierney at Missing Link, Zukie invests time and thought into both race preparation and reflection afterwards. The Dragon’s Back Race (2023) was a lesson in self-management – the logistics of race admin in a multiday race meant ‘I learnt to regroup and readjust’. In advising runners stepping up to ultra he emphasises the importance of getting comfortable with the required volume for longer races and the need for structure in a busy life. He finds the best times to run are in his lunchbreak at work or in the early morning or evening. He tells me he hasn’t missed a session in 2 years, except due to travel (I’m thinking of the sessions I’ve tweaked, moved or dropped since January this year!).
Transgrancanaria, a race sponsored by The North Face with an iconic reputation as an early season honey pot for top runners, was a must for Zukie. Training included a heat protocol – the current ‘hot’ topic in the running world – with extra layers and regular sauna sessions. With 6800m of elevation, the race is also perfect preparation for the Ultra Trail Snowdonia 100 miler, which he’s taking on in May.
As is so often the case in a sport with so many variables, Zukie’s race at Transgrancanaria didn’t unfold as he’d hoped. With a midnight start the plan had been to bank some miles before the sun came up. But a stomach issue that began early on (a bug had been going around) meant his target time was soon out of reach. He held onto a positive outlook; ‘I switched my focus to finishing, and enjoying the sunrise and the dramatic scenery’ – the race is famous for panoramic views across the island’s incredible rock formations. Despite the unexpected challenges, the race was a strong start to the season and a chance for Zukie to test his resilience and coping strategies. It was also an opportunity to rub shoulders with some the elites that inspire him, with The North Face athletes Jonathan Albon and Josh Wade taking podium places behind US runner Caleb Olson.
Photo courtesy Gilly Photography
In a sport with much more to do in working towards racial diversity and inclusion, it’s unsurprising to see that all the podium winners (and probably the top 10s, though I haven’t checked) at Transgrancanaria are white and this is fairly typical of European races. In the UK, while around 4.5% of the population identifies as Black (and approximately 18% as black, Asian or other ethnic group), only 1% of trail race entries are from Black people (1 in 167). Persistent barriers to participation include a history of exclusion from rural spaces, transportation and economic deprivation. Black Trail Runners emphasise that there is a need for more data collection – race organisers in the UK only began collecting ethnicity data in 2023, so any conclusions on progress so far are anecdotal.
What does raise eyebrows is the slow pace of change within organisations that dominate the sport. Not wanting to single out particular organisations or groups, Zukie’s view is that until the people putting together these events are more diverse, real change is hard to deliver. Efforts are being made – for instance, The North Face is committed to telling diverse stories via its athletes and the Explorer team. However, it’s also true that, as Zukie tells me, ‘it’s not just about ads and messaging’. Images of diversity on websites and social media are insignificant unless change on the ground is real.
As in all sectors, including in universities where I work, there’s a welcome cultural shift but actions need to be taken to support the narrative of inclusion (and that includes hiring a more diverse workforce and financial commitments). BTR are at the forefront with a growing range of partnerships and founded their own race, Black to the Trails, in 2023.
Photo courtesy of Transgrancanaria
At this event, the majority of runners (70%) identify as Black and the proportion of women is higher than average, testifying to the power of deliberately appealing to underrepresented groups. It’s all part of what Zukie describes as a ‘journey’ towards a more inclusive sport in which white people can be allies. As a mentor at Trail Fam, in the sterling company of Robbie Brittain, George Foster, Ben Mounsey and Beth Pascale, Zukie is also busy inspiring a new generation of trail runners. Via monthly online sessions, mentor-led runs and training tips he hopes to be a role model for kids of all backgrounds getting into trail running.
I ask about Zukie’s training for Ultra Trail Snowdonia 100 miler, another high profile race with formidable elevation. ‘It’ll be more and more hills’ he says with a grin, and locking in fuelling and hydration while also learning horse-riding with his kids. Unfazed by the Welsh weather, he’ll be ready for whatever the day delivers – ‘all conditions are good conditions if you pay attention’, he tells me. For more tips (and pony pics), head to his instagram.
