Determined to make a difference, trail runner Karoline Hanks is taking on a massive 192 km mountain trek to raise funds for Sage, a rescued turtle found entangled in a 30 kg net and currently on the road to recovery.
Cape Town, South Africa (27 July 2026) – No stranger to Good Things Guy, Karoline Hanks, whose heart beats for the environment, is pulling out her trail running shoes for yet another adventure.
Always eager to tackle a challenge for a great environmental cause, Karoline’s latest ‘fRUNdraiser challenge’ takes her back to her trail running roots (and route!) as she takes on the Peninsula Ultra Fun Run (PUFfer) not once, not twice, but three times!
“I have dubbed this one PUFf3r,” Karoline tells us.
“The route totals 192 km with an elevation gain of 7,410 metres. I will be setting off at 4:00 am on 21 August from the Cape Point Nature Reserve entrance gate, heading to Hamiltons Rugby Club in Green Point via the Table Mountain chain PUFfer route.”
Upon reaching the CBD, Karoline will turn around and head back to the gate, before turning around one final time to race back to the Rugby Club over the mountain.
“When I reach the CBD the first time, and assuming the run goes well for me, I will be joined by about 30 runners setting off on what is called TUFFER (which is Puffer twice). This is when I join the official event. The run should take me around 30 hours, but you never know what can happen out there!”
Karoline’s bold physical feats are never just about testing her personal limits; they are always about championing something meaningful.
In the past, she has raised R80,000 across several charity initiatives. She tackled back-to-back 13 Peaks challenges to help the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation purchase a tracking device for Bob, a turtle undergoing rehabilitation after ingesting plastic. She has also run 100 miles to raise funds to get William and Edger home, raised funds for Project Noordhoeked, and completed a Backyard Everesting challenge to clear invasive Rooikrans off the slopes of Chapman’s Peak.
“Somehow the figure of R80k has stuck as an achievable target.”
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Angel Project Transforms 240 Animal Lives in Just 3 DaysThis year, that target is set once again for a rescued turtle named Sage. Currently undergoing rehabilitation at the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation’s Turtle Conservation Centre, Sage was found entangled in a 30 kg fishing net on a beach in De Hoop Nature Reserve.
“I wanted my 2026 fRUNdraiser to be for turtles again!” Karoline shares.
Having spoken to the Foundation’s Conservation Manager, Talitha Noble, Karoline learned that R80,000 would cover much of Sage’s rehabilitation – from admission through to release. This includes her nutrition, medical care, enrichment, life support as well as an acoustic tag, enabling scientists to track Sage after her release as part of a national research programme, contributing to our understanding of the movements and survival of rehabilitated sea turtles along South Africa’s coastline.
“An acoustic tag is just R15k, so if I only reach that amount, I will feel I have added value to her rehab and release journey,” says Karoline, who notes that data collected from these tags informs conservation strategies and management plans aimed at protecting these vulnerable animals.
Karoline admits that taking on long endurance runs comes with its share of dark moments, but having a fundraising element helps keep her focused and motivates her out of the pain cave.
“Somehow, when you have about 40 donors who have already backed you in the weeks preceding the event, you just CANNOT let them down! At the 140km mark of my 212km back-to-back, I was suffering chronic blisters and intense pain, but I realised that I could not let my donors down… as at that point, they had pledged up to R70k! How terrible would it be to not complete the challenge and have to go back to them all with your tail between your legs!?,” she reflects.
As the date nears for her PUFf3r, Karoline is excited to be raising awareness around the risks of entanglement and other risks faced by these magnificent creatures while taking in the spectacular route of the magnificent Table Mountain Chain.
And if her challenge isn’t inspiring enough, Karoline plans to run the final 1 km of her 192 km race wrapped up in Sage’s net!
“I love the idea of a big challenge where there is an element of fear and CAN I DO IT?!”
She has also been inspired to look into behaviours people can adopt on land to reduce the risks of entanglement in ghost fishing gear and share these in her networks.
“Turtles have become my spirit animal. I have been blessed to have had some incredible encounters with large leatherback females nesting up in northern KZN. After my very first encounter with one of these females (on a very polluted, yet remote beach), I remember feeling very impacted and motivated to make big changes to my behaviour at home and to also try and influence others to alter their dependence on things like plastic.”
Karoline has already raised R31,270 so far. To help her give Sage a fighting chance and a beautiful future, consider leaving a donation here.
Sources: Karoline Hanks
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