Niel Joubert Plaaswedloop

November in the Western Cape has some fantastic runs one of my favourite races of the year is the Niel Joubert Plaaswedloop a 13km race.

A person can approach this a race in several ways. Too seriously and as a jol. Having just completed the Winelands Marathon a few days before I am leaning towards the later. What this race has going for it is that is at that time of year when summer has set in properly, a unique route, the wine tasting during the race and the party afterwards.

 

For the last few years the finish medals were glued to a full bottle of wine, looking at the race flyer this still is the case. The first year I ran the race never got a medal because they were limited to the first 1000. I guess that is what you get when you run injured against medical advise.

There are two hills that you really need to experience for yourself.  In previous years they had signs on the route, I missed them last year.The first is a Bultjie and the second is a Moerse Bult, with signs posted saying "Real runners walk here".

Get there early as arriving late means you will not be able to park until everyone has run past after the race has started.

Last 3km - high Tripping Potential

Bring picnic or buy food there but staying afterwards is what is is all about.

Route:Distance: +-13.0km Grade: Extremely steep Climb: +437.5 / -454.9 Surface: Jeep Track: 100% Technical: 2/5 Organized by: Sanlam Running Club Flyer: Neil Joubert flyer - PDF

Route Elevation Profile

KML: Google Map of the Route.


View Neil Joubert Plaaswedloop in a larger map

To find out more about Neil Joubert wines go to Neil Joubert Wines

Top of Price Drive

I have decided to have a stab at learning to draw after following Jill's Today I Saw blog I really have been inspired. I doubt I will be as frequent (everyday) but I will see how it goes.

What I am going to draw is what I saw on my runs. Cape Town is an amazing place to run and the Constantia Valley has lots of variety and there should be plenty of things to draw.

Last Tuesday we ran to the Top of Price Drive (Extension) in High Constantia. While catching my breath at the top I tried to take in as much as I could and this is how I remember it.

Sketch #1Top of Price Drive

Route:Distance: 9.0km
Grade: Extremely steep hill
Climb: +239.2 / -246.4
Surface: Tar 50%, Jeep Track: 25%, Single Track 25%
Technical: 2/5
Dogs: Groot Constantia farm workers houses, mostly locked away.
KML: Google Map of the Route.

Commentary:
The view at the top is great for a view of the most the the Southern Peninsula but the long single track trail section makes the climb up price drive worth it. The single track is unspoilt Yellow Wood forest. The path is well maintained with erosion prevention implemented.

Roberson Wacky Wine Weekend

Last weekend went to Robertson for the Wacky Wine weekend. There was also a road running race called Miles for Smiles Half Marathon, 10km and 5km fun run/walk. Despite much teasing I stuck with my original decision to only run the 10km race. Comments such as you drive so far only to run a 10km ... Don't be 'woes' etc. amongst others, all coming from women I might add. This serves me right for not enlisting male support for the weekend away.

We woke up on Saturday and it was cold, then it started to drizzle. The 21km started at 8 am (a rather civilised time) and the 10km 10 minutes later. That was great for me because it gave me time to go back to where we were staying and fetch my watch, still couldn't find my Heart Rate monitor in time. I know it would have bugged me the whole race if I didn't have my watch. I had to run the start (making a habit of this) after parking the car. The sprint to the start was good thing gave a bit of warm-up. It was really cold at this point. The gun shot off just after I got to start.

The route for the 10km was rural with not many tall buildings (unless you count the Klipdrift factory). There were some stretches with gravel and a little mud. We passed cows and farmers with their skottle braais out having a damp breakfast with “Chariots of fire” blaring some a small sound system. Rather flat especially in the 2nd 5km. It drizzled the whole way this made it a great temperature for running.

As I finished and went to the car it began raining. While I was in the hot shower I thought of all those nasty girls getting wet and cold. I ran the race I wanted to run and it was great even did a PB for my 10km distance.

Here is the kmz of the 10km route:Miles for Smiles 10km

The route it basically flat highest point to the lowest is 44 meters.

Miles for Smiles in a great a non-profit organization that raises funds for corrective surgery for children born with cleft lips or palates.

From the wine tasting point of view the weekend was also great. The tasting glasses proper size wine glasses, [that gets a two thumbs up]. The weekend only saw one broken wine glass (1 of 6) which it really good considering the transport to each wine farm. Each winery that we went to had a different feel. For me Zandvliet was the best. It is a wine farm that actually feels and looks like a farm as commercial as some others. All the wineries had one thing in common that was to get people to have great time.

Table Mountain 16km race

On Saturday I managed to run the route for the Table Mountain 16km race that is going to be run on the 1 June 2008, with a group of friends. Entries/invites are closed so running to route to see if it was safe for next week was a bonus.

The route is mainly dirt road and cement with a short stretch of very rocky path.

Here is the kmz to open in Google Earth: Table Mountain 16km


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Route Profile:

Safari Half Marathon 1 May 2008

This is my nemesis race. In 2006 it was my first half marathon. The weather was really bad. Everyone I know that ran it in 2006 also mentions the bad weather. Trees had blown over because of really strong wind there was also a bit of drizzle. I remember how my running vest was being blown around and my race number almost tearing off. I really was not a happy running. So after 2 hours and 45 minutes I finished it in total pain. Later I discovered I was wearing the totally wrong shoes and this was turning point that made things better because it helped me get the right advice.

2007 was a far better race I was fitter than the previous year but just did not manage to do a sub 2 hour race. I had to settle with 2:05. The weather was much better and I enjoyed the race.

This year the weather was amazing a bit of wind but nothing too intense. From the start I knew it was not going to be my day my legs felt empty (just too much racing for me lately). So I adjusted my goals for the race and ploughed through it. I eventually finished in 2:20.

Last Saturday I ate the tail, today I was the tail; a bit of a humbling experience.

Case of the missing tent

When I got to the finish it was a bit stressful I was responsible for the club tent and when I got the where I left it on the field it was gone. I was a horrible feeling. Why would someone want to steal a branded tent? My wife got the announcer to ask if anyone knew anything about it but, as usual the announcers echoing request did not carry to the whole of the field. Thoughts of having to go to the police station to report it and the shame of being the guy that lost the tent.

Then out of sheer luck my Colleen went to throw something away the saw two club tents in their bags; a black tent bag and a blue VOB one underneath it. Someone in their wisdom decided to move it to this location – really annoying and stupid. At least it was stupidity (a world wide phenomenon) and not crime (that South Africa is supposedly notorious for).

The black tent bag with the black handle was not collected or stolen the whole time we were there and we stayed there a long time. We did try to notify the owners of the black tent but I doubt it was heard everywhere on the field.

Here is the route kmz file: Safari Half Marathon (Click to open in Google Earth)

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and the route profile:


Photo at the finish:

Outeniqua Half Marathon

Last weekend we managed to go with other VOB members to George for the 2008 Outeniqua Half Marathon. The route was great lots with lots of indigenous forest and vines. We arrived quite late at the dam only to discover that the start was not where we parked but a little over a kilometer away across the dam wall. So we raced off to run to the start line. I was about 400 meters from the start line when I heard the race start count down and pressed start on my watch. Normally this would have totally stressed me out but I managed to focus on getting to the start line. When we got the start line no one was there, it was strange I kept running and met the back markers. It was great in a way passing people in a way that I have not ever done before. I was running way faster than I normally do at the start but the interesting thing was that my heart rate was way lower than it normal. My wife had a buck cross her path on the route; great seeing wildlife on the route and the unique sounds of Loeries in the trees above.

Eventually I managed to catch up to the 2 hour crowd, fortunately before the first down hill. The route goes through the forestry campus; it reminded me of a place I ran in The Netherlands with small roads and people riding bicycles. Then the route started to get fantastic with high trees and vines. The down hills were really steep with two tough up hills, I walked a bit on the first hill but found the second hill not as bad even though it was longer. I remember saying that is a pretty looking bridge and then realized that bridges cross rivers and have a valley on the other side. Then a few bumps and then a down hill of over 7 km. On the way downhill you don’t see much until you get to a point where you see an amazing view of the lakes, river and coastline. The last 3 km was tough I really pushed going down the hill and the last few bumps on the route seemed really hard.

Here is the Outeniqua Half Marathon 2008 kmz file for the route that can be viewed in Google for those who are interested (The real official route is 400m shorter).

And this is the route profile.

Crazy Store Table Mountain Challenge – Relay

I ran the 2nd leg of the relay last weekend. I really enjoyed it. I ran the same leg and ran a bit slower this year than last year. The race is a 3 leg relay, 8.6, 10 and 17km. The guy that did the first leg was really quick, so this meant I started with some really fast people. This turned out to be a bit frustrating having to stop to let faster people pass me.

The temperature was perfect with now wind and only a slight drizzle towards the end.

I remembered it being flatter last year, the was a section where we went up what must be 100 m only to come straight down again moving only a few meters as the crow flies. I am not ashamed to say I sat on a rock to catch my breath. I was glad that I did not go though with running the whole thing, especially when I handed over to the 3rd guy doing the 17km and much more technical stretch. He was wet and bleeding when I met him at the finish (after I had a shower and breakfast).

The organization was good, and I am happy with the cap and t-shirt. Apparently it was the largest field of runners on a trail race in Africa.

My Garmin 305 struggled to get signal in a few places, so I had to fill in the blanks with SportsTracks software, strange how the Garmin software lacks that functionality.

The KMZ/KML file if you want to see the 2nd leg in Google Earth: Crazy Store Table Mountain Challenge Relay 2nd Leg