RHODES MARATHON 17 JULY 2004

RHODES MARATHON
17 JULY 2004.

I entered this race as soon as I received the entry form. I had so enjoyed the race last year that I decided that it was a must for the 2004. Also if I finished, I was due to earn a permanent number. Rhodes is a 52km event that takes the runner through some of the toughest marathon running conditions including possible snow and extreme cold. Much of the running is along farm roads and about 8km is through farmlands. The route goes past the only ski resort in SA … Tiffandel. The race organisers allow a certain number of runners as seconding and evacuation could prove difficult if conditions deteriorated suddenly. So entry is by invitation only.

Running with Tim, I talked to him about the race and he asked that I look out for a number for him. Well as it turned out, both Kobus and Andy were not running and so Tim and Graham took their numbers.
Knysna Forest marathon is Grahams race that he does annually and both Tim and I had also ran Knysna last year so decided to do it again. So it was that the three of us ran both events.
I had just returned from the Fish River Canyon hike in Namibia and so was well rested from running for the Forest and managed a 4H.06 which was my fastest marathon in years. Stuart, Tim and Graham came in a few minutes later. Tim with Justin.

Rhodes
We left for Rhodes in two cars with Pat and Gerald in Tim’s car and we had Alli and Jessie. We left at 05.00 on Friday morning. We took our time with plenty of stops. Our breakfast stop was at the top of the Nico Malan pass about 40kays from Fort Beaufort. Here we had a picnic while the children played barefoot breaking ice in the parking area. Jessica was a little car sick as this was the furthest that she had ever travelled in a car and the first time away from her parents. From there we went past Queenstown, Dordrecht and Elliot. We seemed to split up on the Barclay pass where Gerald told Tim to turn. Big mistake (which we had made the previous year and had two punctures as reward)! Anyway they went through safely as did Basil and Yolande later on that evening. Barbara and I took the road to Barclay East and stopped on the way to Rhodes to visit Dennis aned Melony Giddy at Kelvin Grove. Dennis was suffering with flu and was not in the mood for visitors. We regrouped at Rhodes at about 14.00 making the trip a 9 hour drive. We settled into the Pastorie together with the rest of the runners and supporters. Doortjie from Sedgefield had driven from Bloemfontein (4 hours) and Graham from EL. They arrived a little later. Gerald, Pat and Doortjie were booked into accommodation about a Kay from the village. Peter and Barbara were in the stoep again and after Brian arranged a dressing table and chair and we set up the beds to suit ourselves we were quite content and immediately booked the room for 2005. Tim and Sue had the room next to the dining room. This turned out to be a bad choice as the occupants of this room are unable to have a good nights rest until the last of the late nighters have left the Kitchen. What we suggest for future is that those who are likely to be going to bed later than the Woosies like me should have this room and that the early to bed group should have the rooms in the passageway.

We registered and went back to the house for supper which consisted (to the envy of many in the house) of Macaroni Cheese supplied by Baubie and Bean soup made by Tim. After this we enjoyed coffee and the banana muffins which Baubie had given to Graham to bring along. We were not going to be hungry this weekend!

In the house this year were: Brian, Danielle, Briden, Craig and Sharon, Peter, Barbara, Alli and Jessica; Graham; Tim and Sue; Kay, Basil and Yolande; Duane from Despatch; Marie Louise; Andrew; Theresa and Savanna,; Casie. Martin and Kommein. 19 Adults and three children. Also as semi permanent members were Gerald, Pat, Doortjie, Lewellan and son (Jerrad?). This group of youngsters seemed to have a great time together and I am sure are already looking forward to meeting up again at the 2005 event.

Saturday Morning;
This morning we set alarms for 06.00am. Some even showered before the race. Brian checked the temp. Minus 6 and declared this to be a warm morning as last year it had registered minus 10. He cautioned us that the temp tended to drop even further around dawn. We enjoyed various forms of breakfast including Baubie’s bran muffins and coffee. At 5 to 7 were gathered outside for the compulsory Photo shoots. Then to the start we went in various levels of attire. Gerald was weighed down with the following: Thermal underpants and vest, Moffie pants, Two pairs of socks, I thinks about three more layers of tops, two pairs of gloves and a Beanie. Then came Graham with an array of hi-tech running gear that weighed an ounce but was destined to keep him warm. Tim and I went for shorts, a short sleeve & long sleeve T-shirt, Gloves and Beanie. The race started off to what seemed to be a false start with the gun going off after we left, No one was about to turn round and go back to restart.

The first impression of this race is that I would never survive. It was simply too cold. My nose ached from the cold. Today my nose did not stop running at all. My feet felt as though I had forgotten to include my toes when I put on my running shoes. I was cold cold cold. And if the comments that I was hearing from others around me was anything to go by; so was everyone else. Tim in particular complained of aching hands and fingertips. But as we all know we warm up pretty soon after the start especially when the sun came up. The first 14kays saw the team stick together. We even made sure that we were photographed together as proof. This section of gravel farm roads took us 90 mins. Then we went into the farmlands. Across the streams and along the valley that leads to the Mavis Bank hill. It was about here we met Rowland van der Merwe from Irene club in Pretoia and who invited Graham to contact him when he moved there. This section of the run is 7 to 8 kays of tough tracks, rocks, grass tufts. Up hills and along the contours of the hillside along the river that flows in icy patches below us. It was here that I lost my footing (as did many others) and would have landed down in the river if Tim had not grabbed me. I had a grazed thigh and banged shin bone as evidence. The delay of me catching my breath was too much for Graham and Doortjie who used the opportunity to race on ahead. (at least that is my version of the events). That left Peter, Tim and Gerald to slog on to Mavis. Here a group of Priory schoolers had camped overnight and provided excellent seconding to the runners. They have to hike there the previous evening, carrying all the seconding foods, their tents and own food and equipment, feed the runners and then hike back to the farm road for a lift back to Rhodes. As runners we have to salute this group of youngsters and their hardy teachers. We reached the bottom of Mavis in Three hours and took a further 30 mins to reach the 21kay at the top of Mavis Bank.

By now Tim and I were a little ahead of Gerald who was taking an morning stroll with his hands behind his back up the hill. The Mavis Bank climb of about 800metres had completely drained all strength out of Peter and Tim. Graham had waited for us at the top. Doortjie had (heartlessly) gone on. Graham then pushed on as he was getting cold. Tim and Peter had a good breakfast of tea, Hot choc and sandwiches. By 10.40 Gerald reached the top and we pressed on together. But only a kay further on Gerald announced that he had a hamstring problem. By now Peter and Tim were tired of his winging so we decided to press on and leave him to die on his own.

The next 8 or 9 kays is mainly uphill to where Mr. Sephton waits for the runners at the highest point (26kays) to show the runners the Lesotho border and where pancakes with cinnamon were on offer. And then down to where the road forks off to Tiffandel. This section of 8kays had taken us a further 90 mins. So with about 22kays to go we had been running (with lots of walking) for about 5H.10.

By now we had picked up a chick from Pretoria (Rita). And between the three of us we decided that an 8hour run would be respectable. Rita was in a hurry to see if she could catch her wandering husband who had left her for dead. So we picked up the pace and continuously worked out how many minutes a kay we required to finish under 8 hours. We soon realised that our maths was not that good and that we could now aim for a sub 7H30. The amazing thing about this run is how you begin to recover as you descend.

On our way down the steep concrete section of road we came across a combi that had ambitiously thought that they could drive this road. Ha Ha! They were in the process of backing down to try to turn. We never found out if they made it. Foreigners! We reached the 42kay mark where David Goldberg was with his mother-in-law (Jessie Gush). David had run about a 5 hour race for a 24th position overall. Here we had a hasty reunion and pressed on. We also met a few of the Edgemead runners who graciously acknowledged Patrick Fear as a founder member. I had also met Rod Kent at Knysna the previous weekend. He asked me to pass on greetings to you Patrick. At about the 45 kay marker we saw a yellow and black apparition ahead of us which turned out to be a Graham. Red flag to a bull! Tim made a charge. Peter pressed on valiantly. And soon we caught him. We felt a little guilty for leaving comrade Rita. But the guilt was dissipated by the triumph of catching Graham. Graham announced that he was finished. We pretended to feel some compassion but were delighted! And off we went with a 7.15 now in sight. The last ten kays of this run is a vasbyt section. It is boring, undulating, dusty from the passing traffic and, as always at the end of a run, the kay markers seem to be spread further and further apart.

But when we got to the 3 kay to go seconding table we were completely surprised (and secretly delighted) to find Doortjie sitting looking very sorry for herself. We made a few feeble attempts to encourage her to keep up with us and pressed on to the intersection of what we called Govan Mbeki Avenue. And now with a little over a Kay to go and with spouses and children there to encourage us we pretended that we had been running all along, ran past them with heads held high and big smiles for the camera’s. Lewellan had also walked down the road to meet the arriving finishers. We finally finished in just under 7H20. Later on I had to explain to Justin that this was an entirely respectable time for this event.

After the run we walked down to the house to find a showered and relaxed Craig (who had already been for a horse ride after his wonderful race of about 4H35 and a 9th position overall) and Theresa who (it turned out later) was third vet. Duane had also come in by this time but was not there at the time. Tim and I were able to shower and use up as much of the Hot water as we could so that none of the others would be able to have hot showers.

Barbara had arranged for Alli and Jessica to go horse riding but I had no energy for anything and just sat. Tim did his good deed for the weekend and went for a walk with Sue. If any of you drive Target Kloof in the mornings you will know that walking with Sue is enough to tire that fittest of runners. They later met up at the Hotel. Lewellan told me that they were waiting for me but I had no energy for anything.

One by one the rest of the housemates came in. Doorthie, Graham, then the big Brian James bus of Basil, Casie, Kay & Andrew. Marie Louise had tired but finished her first Rhodes with about 15 mins to spare. Gerald had done about 8H06 and he was first G/Master and gold medallist. Peter, Kay and Martin received permanent number status.

At this stage a number of the group went off to watch WP get beaten but some other weak team. What a let down after the high of the race.

Then it was supper time. Peter had prepared a Lasagne supper. A bit of a difference from the traditional Curry and Rice but seemed to be enjoyed by those present. Others who went out to party had a good helping when they staggered in later. Again this evening we enjoyed the muffins that Baubie had made with our evening coffee.

Sunday morning.
We had decided to be on our way by 07.00 and so alarms were set for 06.00 and we were soon making a big noise as we pretended to be packing etc but were actually getting our revenge on those who had come in late and woken us up at midnight. He He He… Revenge is sweet!

Ice on the cars did not seem to bother the cars and we were packed and ready to go by 07.00. We had an easy drive back home with a long stop in Queenstown for breakfast. While we were there Graham phoned to say that he was already home. The drive home took us 8.30 to 9.00 hours.

It was a great weekend. And we are committed for 2005. Justin will also bee looking for a number so if you know of one please let him know. He will also ask to be included in the house. Tim intends to Ask Kobus for his number again. Graham is moving to Pretoria and so may not be able to make it again. Gerald has asked if he and Pat could be included in the Achilles house for 2005. Brian is moving to Durban as Danielle has accepted a transfer so he tells us that Craig will be taking over the management of the house for the next period.

Finally:
Well done to all who completed the 2004 Rhodes marathon. And a very special thank you to the organisers of the event. Especially to Evie who is the backbone of the whole event. See you next year.

Peter Giddy
18 July 2004.
pgiddy@hinet.co.za
082 550 3174