portelizabethtours
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TWO OCEANS HALF MARATHON APRIL 2015
PHONE NOT WORKING --- SO NO PICTURES
PHONE NOT WORKING --- SO NO PICTURES
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| AFTER THE RACE WE HAVE TEA AT STODELS |
Entering the half marathon is a dicey business. You have to be on line on the day that registration opens and ready to register immediately. I was fortunate on the day and managed to secure an entry for this year.
I have not done any special training except for regular 8k morning runs and occasional weekend runs of around 15kay when I was able. I recently ran two events at home: a 15k flat course where I ran about 1:23 and a 10k of around 51mins. I don’t think that I have ever run the 2 Oceans 21 in under 2 hours so I thought that this year I will try my hardest to get there.
We left Port Elizabeth early on Thursday 2nd and with just 4 stops and taking the Langkloof road and R62 we arrived at Nicky’s farm on the N1 near to Paarl at around 2pm. We then drove to Cathy’s house and I went into the city to register. This year registration went well. Registering on the Thursday makes a huge difference. I wandered around a bit and met up with Anthony Wilson who used to live in PE. We would run together in those days. He was registered for the 56.
I drove back to Cathy who had made Pizza for supper and then Barbara and I went on to Patrick and Marianne where we slept. Friday morning we left with Thomas back to Cathy where we had Pizza for supper. Then to Nicky’s house where we had the Easter Egg hunt. Today we had 9 children (Jessica; Christian; Aaron; Joshua; Daniel; Zara; Mia; Blake and Thomas) and the same number of adults (Nicky; Werner; John; Cathy; Saul; Lene; Barbara; Ally and myself) for lunch. I took Ally for a bit of a driving lesson on the dirt road.
Werner and John set up the Braai and we had boerrie rolls for lunch. Later we were back at Cathy before going back to Patrick. Marianne made us Pizza for supper. I put all my stuff out. My phone’s battery had died; I had tried to buy a new battery but even that did not work; so I have had no phone for about a week. This in itself does not bother me but I love the phone for taking pictures of the events.
Patrick and Marianne took me for a reconnoitre of the area to suss out the route I should take for parking the next morning. In the end we decided that walking to the start would be the best bet. I was up at 4.20 and ready within minutes. So climbed back under the covers for a quick snooze. This could be dangerous but fortunately I woke again at 5am and made my way to the start. Shorty after leaving Patrick I joined with a group of people who were also walking and I followed them.
At the start I found the C Pen where I saw the only person who I knew: Michael Botha – an Achillean. Shortly after I got there the gun went off and we started at 5.50am. I ran a steady pace at the start. In fact it may have been a bit more than a steady pace – It was about as fast as I could run. The route takes the runners along Main Road for a short while and then turns right and within 3kays we climb the first hill up to the M5. This is a long hill and deceptive as you are NOT at the top where the traffic lights are but there is still more climbing to be done before summiting this hill at around 5k. What follows is around 2kay of down and flat along the M5 before turning off at the 7k mark.
We make a right turn and then right again along a switchback section where you are able first to see who is ahead of you and then after the turn you can see who is behind you. Up till now we had been mainly in the dark but even in the light I see no one who I know. No familiar faces. At the end of this section we are at about 9k and then just after the 10k is where Southern Cross drive starts. I have determined that I will not walk so I press on as hard as I can (Which is not very fast at all) – all the way to the top of the hill. This hill is around 3k. Due to fires earlier in March, the 56k route was changed to the Ou Kaapse Weg road in place of Chapmans Peak and they will be running Southern Cross a bit later.
Once on top of this long hill we have 8k to go. A couple of up and downs and we soon are at 5kto go and on a down hill to where we will turn left with 3k to go At this time it is drizzling and the wind is mainly behind us. It has been Overcast the whole morning. Good running conditions for the 21k. There is a lot of chatter amoungst the runners just before this final hill but this dries up and we trundle up and over this short hill. Once at the top we have around 2k to go. I am running as hard as I can trying to get close to the 2hour mark. I do not have a watch nor do I ask anyone how we are doing.
Finally we approach the last up before entering the University gates. I push to keep up the same pace but am really not good on hills. And as we enter the field we hear the announcer counting down 5;4;32;1 and we know for sure that we have missed the two hour. I cross the line in just under 2.02. This has been one of my faster 2 Oceans 21’s.
The weather is not that good for when you are not running. The wind is cold and it continues to Drizzle. So I immediately start the walk back to Patricks house. It is much longer than I had anticipated. First I must get down to Main Road; Then turn right along Main rd for a long stretch before getting back to the start area. Turn left and make my way past the Brewery; The Rugby grounds; Under the railway bridge and past Newlands Cricket grounds and then finally walk to Patrick.
They left early this morning for Plett. Barbara is waiting for me. I have a quick shower and we then drive to Cathy where I have some breakfast while the rest of the group goes out shopping.
This weekend is all about family time. This afternoon Nicky takes her group to watch a ballet while the rest of us remain at home relaxing.
Sunday Morning; Barbara and I are alone at Patricks house as they are in Plett. We have a lazy morning before all going to a nursery in Belville called Stodels. Here we have a snack while the children are at play in the sand pit; trampolines and climbathons.
Sunday evening Lene brings her family to Patrick where we all stay the night. Monday morning we leave for home. Take a wrong turn and end up going along the N1 and through the tunnel. We have 5 stops including an hour at Ena who is not there as they are all at Alice for lunch.
Overall a good weekend and a good two oceans for me and the rest of the PE running group. Stuart; Kobus; Andy; Elmarie; Benita; Duncan -- we hear all did well and completed the run. At the 21: Nicky is under 2 hours; Kelly and Brett Finished as did Chris.
This weekend is all about family time. This afternoon Nicky takes her group to watch a ballet while the rest of us remain at home relaxing.
Sunday Morning; Barbara and I are alone at Patricks house as they are in Plett. We have a lazy morning before all going to a nursery in Belville called Stodels. Here we have a snack while the children are at play in the sand pit; trampolines and climbathons.
Sunday evening Lene brings her family to Patrick where we all stay the night. Monday morning we leave for home. Take a wrong turn and end up going along the N1 and through the tunnel. We have 5 stops including an hour at Ena who is not there as they are all at Alice for lunch.
Overall a good weekend and a good two oceans for me and the rest of the PE running group. Stuart; Kobus; Andy; Elmarie; Benita; Duncan -- we hear all did well and completed the run. At the 21: Nicky is under 2 hours; Kelly and Brett Finished as did Chris.
DAD AND NICKY AT STODELS WHERE WE HAD TOASTED SANDWICHES AND TEA.
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