Robbie Rorich does what he wants to do, not what others expect of him to do. We’re super stoked to have him run trail for team ASICS in 2021 and beyond.
Over the past few years, this dynamic artist, athlete and engineering graduate has cycled from Cairo to South Africa, finished the Absa Cape Epic multiple times and made big statements in all manner of trail races, from Red Bull Lionheart to Ultra Trail Cape Town and The Otter among various others. In between he found the time to give back by mentoring less privileged runners.
When it comes to racing, Rorich is always super competitive (although watching him flow on his feet with a smile on his face, you’d never say so). Running for him however, is all about joy and exploring metaphysical connection with the mountains.
"Mountains offer so much,” says the 25-year-old. “They really are grand and unfathomably big and old entities that we can move through and connect with… Running alone in the mountains that is definitely a favourite thing.”
“Some of the most fabulous runs I’ve ever done have definitely been in Namibia,” he explains. “Just running out into the desert mountains next to the Sperrgebied, heading inland into some really phenomenal marble mountains… All alone, just a few mountain zebras around, no water. I really enjoy doing that - getting out into the wilderness, far away from a sense of a building that might be ‘home’ but still realising that we are home,” he says.
For all his past success, Rorich has only recently started training scientifically and with a coach (trail ace Meg Mackenzie). In his sights are a few adventure races as well as big races such as the the Otter, as well as (global situation depending) competing in the Skyrunning Series.
“Running is for joy,” he says. “But then also sometimes there is beauty in pushing ourselves hard. That’s when it’s not a physical or mental joy and we kind of go into a space where we’re running not for a 'reason’ that our mind understands. We’re running for something that is bigger than ourselves and that is quite a fabulous understanding to have. This happens particularly during racing because that is when you would be pushing that hard.”
Off the mountain, Rorich connects and communicates through his art. “I am in love with physical movement and the positive energy that comes from the natural world,” he says. “I have a deep love for all that is alive.” His spectacular sculptures and artworks are on display in private collections across the country, the sales from some of which he’s used to help buy textbooks and calculators for some of the outreach initiatives in which he is involved.
“I feel surges of intense energy that last for days while making sculptures. Through being present and allowing myself to open up to the subject of what I am sculpting I feel that I am guided from start to end by a spiritual connection to my subject matter - be it a Crocodile or a Goliath Heron. I am quite sure that it's not just me who makes the sculptures.”
We look forward to flowing with Robbie’s energy through 2021 and beyond. Stay in touch with him, here.
