PETER GIDDY.: TWO OCEANS 21K; APRIL 2014 IN CAPE TOWN; WITH NICKY; STEFAN; GARRETH AND ANNEKE.

TWO OCEANS 21K 19TH APRIL 2014

NICKY STEENKAMP OVER THE START IN 1.15. AT 16K 1.40.53 -- FINISHED 2.13.41 (2) 33MIN for the last 5k.
STEFAN STEENKAMP OVER THE START IN 1.19. AT 16K 1.28.42 -- FINISHED 1.59.37 (6) 31MIN
ANNEKE de JAGER OVER THE START IN 1.19. AT 16K 1.42.54 -- FINISHED 2.19.31 (1) 36MIN
GARRETH SHAW OVER THE START IN 1.17. AT 16K 1.27.26 -- FINISHED 1.58.05 (2) 31MIN
PETER GIDDY OVER THE START IN 1.13. AT 16K 1.40.53 -- FINISHED 2.13.37 (6) 33MIN
PAT SCHEEPERS OVER THE START IN ..... AT 16K 1.54.18 -- FINISHED 2.37.29. PAT Completed her 11th Two Oceans 21k today.
ELMARIE BOTHA OVER THE START IN 0.55 AT 16K 1.29.23 -- FINISHED 1.58.25 (3) 29MIN
SASHA BOTHA OVER THE START IN 2.30 AT 16K 2.03.16 -- FINISHED 2.46.29 (2) 43MIN
ADRIAN SMITH OVER THE START IN 0.51 AT 16K 1.35.39 -- FINISHED 2.11.15 (12) 36MIN
MICHAEL SMITH OVER THE START IN 0.22 AT 16K 1.27.28 -- FINISHED 2.01.34 (5) 34MIN
MICHAEL, MOF,BOTHA OVER THE START .. AT 16K 1.52.13 -- FINISHED 2.38.14 Completed 10X 56 and 3 X halves. 46MIN
ROS WILSON OVER THE START IN 3.45 AT 16K 2.03.10 -- FINISHED 2.45.57 (3) 42MIN
MARIA JACOBS OVER THE START IN 1.39 AT 16K 2.08.50 -- FINISHED 2.53.36 (3) 45MIN.
DEAN GOW OVER THE START IN 1.48 AT 16K 1.25.49 -- FINISHED 2.04.55 (4) 29MIN.

Each year we make the trip from PE to Cape Town to take part in the Two Oceans events
Looking back on Results -- I started in 1987 and completed 19 X 56k; Skipped 1999 due to injury; Did not finish in 2006; Did not start in 2008 and started running the 21k in 2009. That makes 28 years of running.
For the past 6 years Stefan and I have started together for the 21k event. He will charge off ahead and is able to do a Sub 2hour. I am not as strong and so am quite happy to complete another run.

Nicky has, on a couple of occasions, joined us. At one time she ran in Barbara's number as a last minute decision. She has run with Cathy and finished after the 21k cut off and also behind the first of the 56k runners.

I HAD TO PHOTOGRAPH THIS TO SHOW AT THE REGISTRATION

NICKY IN HER YELLOW WHICH DOES NOT MATCH HER BLUE CAP BUT LOOKS GOOD WITH HER TIGHTS; PETER IN HIS NEW ACHILLES VEST; STEFAN HAS A TRUSTY BLUE SHIRT WHICH MATCHES HIS BLUE CAP.

NICKY; ANNEKE AND STEFAN LINING UP AT THE START

GARRETH; STEFAN; ANNEKE; NICKY AND PETER -- ANTICIPATION OF THIS ANNUAL EVENT. GARRETH IS RUNNING HIS SECOND; STEFAN AND I ARE HOPING TO COMPLETE OUR 6TH; NICKY IS COMPLETING HER SECOND OFFICIAL EVENT AND IT IS A FIRST TIME FOR ANNEKE

Two years ago Nicky completed her first "official" run just before the cut off. She had not trained and was in AGONY at the finish. Also Stefan and I could not find her so that made the end of the event even worse.

2014 -- A NEW AND TRAINED NICKY STEENKAMP
Nicky has been training -- Mainly Hills. She completed the Peninsula and the Tygervalley (with me earlier this year) 21k events and was confident for the event. Unfortunately the Hype is big before this event so the preparation can be a stressful affair.

Barbara, Ally and I left on Thursday afternoon after school. We stayed in Plett for the night. Had a good night's rest and left for Cape Town at 7.30am. We took the road to Swellendam and then across to Ashton. Leaving PE had been in a continuous line of cars. Friday morning we left Plett before any serious traffic had built up and it was only in sections that we encountered lines of cars.

From Ashton we went through Worster and then onto the N1 highway; and though the Hugenot's tunnel. We arrived at Nicky's home at about 1.30.
Nicky and I drove to Cape Town for registration and after a short mix up -- thinking that registration was at the Civic Center we found the ITCC where it took us less than 30 minutes to register for ourselves and for Neville and Cathy who were not able to take part.

Friday evening we had a quiet night with a drink and a braai before settling down to sleep at about 9pm.

The neighbours had a Party. Their house is right next to Stefan and Nicky's bedroom and as a result Nicky and Stefan had just a few hours of sleep. Stefan had to bang on the roof with a hockey stick to finally make them shut the noise off at 1pm.

We were all up at 3.30; Anneke arrived just before 4 and we fetched Garreth before leaving at just after 4.15am. I closed my eyes for a final 15minutes of sleep in the back seat. Stefan took us to our "normal" parking spot in the University grounds. (REMINDER FOR 2015; LEAVE HOME AT 4AM TO BE SURE OF THIS PARKING SPACE). We were just in time to find a spot before the parking filled up completely. (later in the morning as we left the University we saw a whole lot of cars had been ticketed for parking on the verge).

We walked down to the start. We all started together in the D Seeding Section. Stefan had panicked earlier as he thought that he was in the E section which starts 10 minutes after the rest of us. I walked to the C seeding and said my "hello's" to Pat Scheepers; Michael Botha and Adrian Smith.

We are in the Pens around an hour before the start but the time goes quickly and soon we are all lined up to go. The National Anthem is played and the gun goes off at 6am.

We walk for a short while, past the start banner and then we are able to jog at a reasonable pace. I carry on knowing that Stefan and Garreth will soon be ahead of me. The first kay takes us 8minutes and the next two kays take us 7minutes each.

After 500m the route takes a left turn and then at 2k we start the climb up to the top of the M5. (REMINDER FOR NEXT YEAR -- THERE IS A CIRCLE -- STAY RIGHT FOR A SHORTER ROUTE) It is still dark and we pass the 4k mark at the top of the hill. Down on the other side of the M5 and only at the 7k mark do we turn off.

From the 4k it is down or flat, Cross over the M5 and make a sharp right turn to a switchback. This is a good time to find anyone who you have missed as you can see people ahead of you as you go out and then people behind you as you return. I see Rob Button, Nicky and Pat Scheepers. Now at least I have an idea where Nicky is and so press on to the 10k Mat which I pass in 1;05. Right up Southern Cross drive until I find a spot to wait for Nicky and Anneke. Stefan went through 10k in 59minutes and Nicky in 1.08.

ANNEKE AND NICKY START THE SOUTHERN CROSS HILL CLIMB. THIS IS AROUND 2.5K FROM THE 10.5K MARK TO THE 13 KAY AT THE TOP OF THE HILL.

NICKY APPEARS TO BE QUITE STRONG AND CHEERFUL AS SHE HEADS UP THE FINAL FEW KAYS TO FINISH HER TWO OCEANS 21K

PICKING KNEES UP. LATER ON AS WE WALKED BACK TO THE CAR WE PASSED THIS SECTION OF THE RUN AND SAW LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF RUNNERS WHO WOULD NOT MAKE OR ONLY JUST MAKE THE CUT OFF.

Finally I spot Nicky and Anneke. I have to shout as they both have music and head phones -- of which I disapprove. We jog on up together. I run ahead to take a pic of them and as we near the top of this 2.5k hill I am ahead again. I try to take a short movie of them but my skills are not that good and I botch my attempt.

I find Nicky again and wait (and wait) for Anneke. Finally I realise that I had better jog on or else I will not be able to catch Nicky. It takes me around 2kays to catch her and we run together for a while until we reach the top of the hills. I want some water to wash down the GU. So I again lose Nicky. And again I have to work hard to catch her as she runs strongly downhills. Before the turn up the final hills to the University we are running together again.

Both Nicky and I are running strongly. We turn up the last hill. It is a sharp, steep little incline and we work our way up togehter. I see the man with the Sub2.15H flag. I ask him how we are doing and he says we will make it with a minute to spare. Nicky and I jog on ahead. Into the Stadium and around the field to the finish. We see 2.13 as we come to the finish.

We receive our medals and a Coke. And then as we make our way through the crowds we see Stefan. He completed the event in just under 2hours. Garreth was a few seconds ahead of him. I see Michael Smith and his three boys. Michael has been injured recently but still ran well with just over 2hours.

NICKY AND HER DAD FINISHED TOGETHER IN 2.13 WHICH WAS ABOUT 45 MINUTES IMPROVEMENT FOR NICKY AND 30 MINUTES BETTER THAN MY LAST YEAR'S EVENT WHEN I HAD TERRIBLE CALF PAINS

ANNEKE IS DELIGHTED TO BE ON THE UNIVERSITY FIELDS AFTER A 2.18 TWO OCEANS 21K EVENT.

For Nicky this run was about 45minutes faster than her previous finish. For me, who had such a bad run last year with sore legs, I cut 30minutes off last year's time.

Anneke finished just a few minutes after us. We took a couple of pics and walked back to the car. Nicky was exhausted and a bit nauseous.
Back home we had a shower; a couple of Egg and Bacon Rolls and a relaxed afternoon. Stefan has a wedding; Reinard comes to fetch him and they drive off to Hermanus.