sport – Notes from the Cape

Published April 28, 2015

Two Oceans Ultra Marathon

The Two Oceans Marathon is a 56km Ultra marathon raced through Cape Town. It includes about 1000m of climb, and takes in the view of both the Atlantic and Indian Ocean.

I have been training for several months for this event, and on Saturday 4 April, I and approximately 11000 other people were on the starting line, hoping to finish this amazing run. It is difficult to describe how I was feeling before the race. Excited but a little scared. Definitely lots of nerves. At that distance you don’t know what could happen, and this was my second attempt at that distance. cds-2015-04-04 06.04.53
At the start with my friend Grant

The first 26k are relatively flat, a lot of which is along our wonderful coast, but after that the race really starts. There is approx 7km during which you climb about 600m (in comparison “Heartbreak Hill” in the Boston Marathon is just 27m climb). It was tough, and the speedy downhill the other side was just about as tough. cds-Oceans 2015_2
Going strong

When you hit the marathon mark you still have a big hill ahead (usually it would be considered a short and small hill, but not after 42km), and 16km to run. To be honest I can’t really explain how I got to the end. I ran with a great bus that really helped to keep us moving forward, and I learned about what “digging deep” really means. cds-Oceans 2015_3
Near the end – feeling the pain

When I crossed the finish line (at 6h53), I feel elated and like I have overcome a massive personal challenge. I felt that I can do anything. But also a little overwhelmed and emotional. It was physically exhausting and a little like a dream. But I did it, I ran a 56km ultra-marathon!

My friend Steve summed up it up perfectly “pain and pleasure signals all mixed up”. I cannot say it better.

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Crossing the finish line

PS: Here is the route if you are interested: https://www.strava.com/activities/279019154

Cape Town

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Published March 10, 2014

Argus Cycle Tour

Yesterday was the Argus Cycle Tour, a 109k cycle through Cape Town. I have ridden about 6 or 7 of them, but since I discovered the world of running I have barely been on a bike. But I was still on the side of the road with camera in hand.

Cape Town

argus cycle tour cape town sport

Argus Cycle Tour 2013

Well I was (sort of) supposed to ride in the 109km race, but since I have put so much effort into the Two Oceans Half Marathon in 3 weeks time, I did the prudent thing and just watched the race from the sidelines.

Of course that did not stop me from taking some photos. Here are a few highlights.

A tightly packed bunch

Doing it on one wheel

Hand Cyclist

And the rest

Cape Town

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Published December 26, 2012

Tokai Forest

This is one of the things that I love about loving in Cape Town. You can goto Tokai forst, and find runners, cyclists and horse riders all sharing the same area (and genrerally getting on with each other).

Today I found all three on the same day.

Horse riders

Runners

Mountain biker

Cape Town

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Published May 27, 2012

Slave Run

Today was the Annual Slave run in Cape Town. Like many old cities, we have a sad history of many slaves that were a large part of building our city, but who are seldom remembered. To commemorate this, there is an annual run and walk through the city centre which passes many historical building remembering slavery. The route started with the firing of cannon from the castle, a run through the castle and past the old slave lodge (which is now a museum).

I ran the 10km run (there is also a 21km run, a 10km walk, and a 5km walk, so something for everyone), and I finished in a very respectable time of 1h03.

I took that shot of my medal at the finish line, with the Cape Town City Hall in the background (it really is a single shot, not multiple shots merged later).

Cape Town Running

cape town running sport

On the trail

I have now completed three trail runs over the past month. The last one was the Helderberg Mountain Challenge yesterday. Trail running is far more crazy than road running. Sometimes you run on a gravel road, sometimes on a thin mountain path, and quite often you are climbing up a river bed, looking for the next contour.

A 10km run usually takes me just over an hour, but on this trail it took 1:40; it is a much more difficult route. You have to take all your own water with you, and on the longer runs you need to carry space blankets and first aid kits. In total we went up 600m, and of course down another 600m.

I didn’t take my camera with me, but I did have my trusty phone, this shot is a panorama shot of the Somerset West vineyards, heading towards the Strand on the right.

Cape Town Running

cape town running scenery sport trail

Trail running

Until I started trail running, I thought I was pretty fit (I can run a 21km half marathon without too much difficulty), but after going on two trail runs, I have realised that I am going to need a whole different level of fitness to keep this up.

The group that I have joined start running every Saturday morning around 7am. It means getting up really early on the weekends, but the views on the mountain make it so worth the early start.

On my weekend run, I even tried to fly, but alas did not manage to miss the ground, so a couple of bruised knees and sore left ankle later I completed the 15km route. Note that this was 15km up and down a mountain, not 15km on the level.

I took my happy snappy camera on the last run, so here is just a taste of the experience.

Lion’s Head (left) and Signal Hill (right). Notice how it looks like a lion lying on the ground, hence the name.

Running along Table Mountain, yes those little dots are us

Running towards the Cable Car. The building on the bottom is the lower cable station, and you can see the cable car in the middle. Lion’s head is in the distance.

Cable Cars. Although it was a lovely day, it was still quite misty, here you can see the cables going up into the mist on the top of the mountain. If you come to Cape Town, you must take a trip to the top of the mountain, it is truly magnificent.

So am I hooked on Trail Running? Absolutely, see you on the mountain.

Cape Town Running Travel

cable car cape town running scenery sport table mountain trail

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Published May 4, 2012

Going surfing

Well, not me, but one day I will. I think you need to be brave, and perhaps a little crazy to go surfing at 8am in the middle of winter.

Cape Town

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Published April 23, 2012

Playing Rugby

Let me get this out the way first. I have very little knowledge, and even less interest in Rugby. But what I do know about rugby is that:

Along with cricket, it is the national past time of South Africa
It involves a lot of stopping and crashing into each other
If you have the ball in your hand, there is a distinct possibility that you won’t have it in your hand in a few seconds
Everybody (except for me) is an expert
A game or rugby (thankfully) takes a lot shorter than even the shortest game of cricket, and is only marginally more interesting
It is very important in a social environment to have an opinion on rugby
It does make for a good photoshoot

I took these shots at one of the club fields just down the road from us. I can’t tell you much except that everybody was supporting the players in blue, but the players in black seemed to be winning the game. So I guess the home team were not doing too well.

Here are the rest of the shots.

Cape Town

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Published March 14, 2012

A day at the races

An early group

Be careful what you wish for, because you might get it. On Sunday I wished for a wind-free day, and that is exactly what I got. However I didn’t wish for the temperature to go over 40 deg C, but it did!

By now you probably know that I cycled in the Pick n Pay Cape Argus Cycle Tour on Sunday. This was my 6th tour, and I clearly have an ability to pick interesting weather. Oh, how I would love to have a race in cool and wind-free weather. But not this year! Just to give you an example of some of the recent tours that I have completed:

2012: temperature peaked at 42 deg C
2010: howling wind (but not as bad as 2009)
2009: howling wind (over 120km/h – higher that what I experienced in hurricane Irene in USA 2011)
2006: rained (and crashed but still finished)

Maybe, just maybe next year will be great weather.

Relaxing before the start

While I didn’t take any pictures on the road, here are a couple (mostly) from the start line, and all on my phone (no my SLR does not go on the race with me). I hope this gives you a small taste of the feeling of being part of the 31324 cyclists that finished. There are so many people that while the first cyclists leave at 6:15am, the last leave after 10:30am which is after the first cyclists have already finished!

My group starting to assemble at the start line

The race leaves in groups of about 500, spread out every few minutes. My group left at 9:16am, and it was already sweltering. I drank over 9l water on the route, which is about what I usually drink in an entire week.

At the start line, about 5 minutes before my group started on the 110km route

The end, now I can relax for the next year, or at least until the 2 Oceans half marathon next month.

Cape Town Travel

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