Stuart Brown (2:09)
Craig Brown 2:30)
Nicky Steenkamp (2;02)
Kelly (2:14)and Brett Holmes
Andrea Dyer (2:12)
Kelsey ... Dopulous? (2;09)
Candice Barber (2:00) and Mandy (2:15)
Christie Rennie (Achilles) (2:09)
Sharon Wilson (Achilles) (2;30)
Roger and Leslie Maggot (Achilles) (2:30)
Benita Barton 42k (3:50)
Ronel 42k (4:50)and Pat Scheepers. (2;40)
Suzanne Gendall 4;35)
Catherine Biggs (2:30)
Neil Calder ?
Steve Mc Donald (2:00)
All times approximate
The last time I ran this event was three years ago. 2012 was washed out and we could not run. 2013 was the year of many upsets in the family so we never entered. And this year Nicky entered me so I was committed.
Friday 11th afternoon I dropped Corrie Neven off at the airport, picked up my stuff from home and then fetched Stuart from his home. Stuart drove while I continued to work in the the car. Clearing some mails.
The previous Sat and Sun I had run a 15k. Saturday was cold and there was a strong West blowing. Neil, Stuart, Graham and Margie were the brave few. We ran to airport, Strandfontein, dropped Graham off and continued on to Gommery before heading home.
Sunday we met at Andrea Dyer home: with Andrea, Kelly, Candice and Mandy. We ran from Walmer, airport, 2nd ave, beachfront and back to Walmer. Two solid runs. I was traveling during the week and did not run again.
Craig collected Nicky and the arrived from CT before us. Stuart and I stopped in Plett and met Cathy Pearse and Bev and Margie Nel. They were not running and had picked up our numbers for us.
We arrived in Knysna just as it was getting dark and immediately found Nicky and Craig who were sitting with Suzanne,
Pat and Ronel.
Stuart, Nicky and I stayed for a beer and then drove back to Plett where Julia and Ena had prepared us a Butternut soup, Pasta and pudding of cake with Ice cream. By 9 we were stuffed and tired.
We woke around 5;30 and had coffee and Rusks, left for Knysna and found easy parking at about 7am. The 42 started at 7 and our event at 8. Our taxi took us to the start. There is a nice forest walk to where the start is where there are fires and coffee if you want some. Runners were huddled under blankets even though it was not at all cold.
I had brought my tog bag with some warm clothes for after the run. We took off our excess clothing and wound our way to where we found Andrea and Kelly.
The gun goes off and we walk to the start banner amoungst a sea of people. Around 5000 taking part in the 21k. We jog on the tar road at an easy pace until the right turn onto dirt.
Now you must be careful as it is very easy to miss your footing or to trip. The first 5k is undulating and mainly uphill. Not tough but you are working all the time. We find the bag piper and I dance a little jig.
I wait to take pics of our group running, then lose Nicky. I find Christie Rennie who was at school with Nicky and who is now an Achillean.
I run for a bit with Candice and Mandy. But I am looking for Nicky who went ahead. I dont run with a watch and did not realise that they km markers were up on flags. the road is uneven so i am head down for most of the run. i am just loving being out in the forest. It starts to rain quite heavily for a while. I still love it. From up here in the forest you can look down the valleys to the town of Knysna and there are places where you can see the heads. quite spectacular.
I find Nicky on one of the uphills. We run together up to where the paved road starts. Then I see Steve and run forward to take a pic. And again lose Nicky. I think she is behind me but she passed me as I waited for Steve. Svenje's friend, Samantha Tory greets me.
I run down the nasty, steep down hill. If you run this hard you can hurt yourself but you also don't want to be braking too much either. I kind of run at angles. Some people run on the grassy verge.
At the bottom of the hill I think of how many times I have run this section, both at the end of 42 and now recently at the end of the 21k. I think that the last time I ran the 42 Stuart had also been with me and I had worked hard to catch him and Graham as we ran to Loerie Park. Barbara phones me and I again wait for Nicky, not knowing for sure that she was in front or behind me.
We run under the N2 and then the final few kays along the N2 to the finish. At this time I meet up with Kelsey and Stuart and we finish together in 2:09. Nicky is waiting for us and she had finished in 2:02.
Trevor Hawkins and Lynne (Clarendon teacher) greets us.
We collect the tog bag and put on our warm clothing. We then find the VOB tent where we wait for Craig and watch the runners coming in. We see Roger Trader, Benita Barton, Pat Scheepers, Catherine Biggs, Sharon Wilson as they finish..
Finally we pack up, catch a taxi back to Loerie park and drive back to Plett. We make a brief stop at the farmers market to buy a shared Lasagne and a Ciabatta. At Plett we have a coffee with some bread and jam. Nicky stays on with Julia and they will go to the party. Stuart and I have an easy drive home.
Ally has been in Israel for three weeks and I am so happy to see her. She took LENE's children out for lunch and then She and Jessica go to Gym. I am happy to spend a relaxed evening. I make some Butternut soup and there are leftovers for supper.
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| STUART AND I FINISHED TOGETHER IN 2.09 |
I MET STEVE MC DONALD AS WE REACHED THE PAVED AREA OF SIMOLA
NICKY -- CHIRPY AFTER THE FIRST 7KAYS
RONEL AND SUZANNE DID THE 42K AND PAT RAN A SUCCESSFUL 21K
MOTHER AND DAUGHTER
NICKY IN THE CROWDS OF RUNNERS
NICKY AND DAD LOOKING FORWARD TO RUNNING IN THE MORNING
KELSEY; ANDREA; KELSEY AND NICKY AT THE START OF THE RUN
I MET UP WITH KELSEY FOR THE FINAL FEW KAYS OF THIS EVENT.
KELLY AND ANDREA ARE DRESSED FOR THE COOOOLDEST OF MORNINGS
I HEAR THAT THIS WAS ABOUT 6 000 RUNNERS LINING UP TO RUN THE KNYSNA 21K
CANDICE BARBER IN PINK SHOES.
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| CRAIG HAD GIVEN NICKY A LIFT FROM CAPE TOWN TO KNYSNA. STUART HAD SOME WITH ME. SO WE HAD A MEETING OF THE BROWN BROTHERS IN KNYSNA. |
NICKY IN THE TAXI ON THE WAY TO THE START. BLACK BAG IS FOR THE COLD MORNING. IT REALLY WAS NOT THAT COLD THIS MORNING.
NICKY MET UP WITH HER FRIEND, CHRISTIE WHO IS ALSO AN ACHILLES MEMBER.
NICKY WITH HER RUNNING SHOES AND THE TIMING TAG THAT WE FITTED ONTO OUR SHOES.
WHEN STUART AND I LEFT FOR KNYSNA ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON, ALLY WAS FLYING IN FROM ISRAEL ON A DELAYED FLIGHT AND HAD TO DO SOME TAP DANCING TO BE ABLE TO CATCH HER CONNECTING FLIGHT FROM JHB TO PE.
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