Pretty much a year ago I completed my first Ultra-marathon – the Two Oceans Marathon, the world’s most beautiful marathon. A gruelling 56km run through Cape Town, including over 1000m of climb. It was a brutal yet exhilarating experience. It is difficult to explain the conflicting emotions between joy and pain that I experienced during the last 15k or so.

At around 40k – I was in a lot more pain than I was showing

Well, I am running it again this year. Tomorrow to be exact. 10999 people will be joining me on my run, and another 13000 will be running the half-marathon.

But the route is amazing. You start outside the brewery in Newlands, run down to Muizenberg (almost past my house), down the coast to Fish Hoek, across to Noordhoek, then over Chapman’s Peak. This is the first big hill and where some say the race really starts. Then into Hout Bay where you hit the marathon mark, up Constantia Nek (the big scary hill), and then down about 10k past Kirstenbosch Gardens to the finish on the UCT rugby fields.

Crossing the finish line last year

Last year there was a course diversion over Ou Kaapse Weg – a brutal 7km climb, so in theory this year’s route is a little easier. I hope I am ready; I have certainly done the training. So here’s hoping for a great run.