Hohenort 15km Road Race

Less than a week after Bay to Bay 30km is the Hohenort 15km, hosted by Pinelands Athletic Club. Pinelands is not known for its hills, in fact it as flat as you can get; so it is understandable that they host a race in the Constantia Valley.

The race covers most of the hill climbs in the area; some more than once! The route is quite up and down in the first half. Those who have participated in the Two Oceans Half Marathon would be familiar with Southern Cross Drive which is about 3km of the longest stretch of up will in the race. After 11km if you still have a bit of energy left you can really push it on the steep downhill towards the finish to make up some time. I enjoy courses that have a loop back, I find it helps speed me up seeing other people I know both ahead and behind also stops me from walking. For me this race is great as helps with my hill climbing fitness mixed with a fast course.

Hohenort Route Profile (click to enlarge)

This is a popular race so get there early and help by driving there in a full car to help with parking. The start can be bit messy with all the people but it opens up quite quickly, well in time for the first hill. Last year was a bit of a shocker for the organisers when way more people rocked up than the previous year, it all worked out in the end. For the last few years finishers have recieved a pair of socks. Click here for the race flyer.

View Hohenhort 15km Race in a larger map

Vital Lourensford Half Marathon

UPDATE: The traffic congestion was a bit of nightmare, people who left Cape Town by 5AM could not get to the start on time, some even an hour after the race had started. I feel sorry for the club and organisers no one goes out to cause problems like this, but expecting people to leave their house at 4AM or earlier for a 6:30 race is a bit of an ask just because of traffic and not distance.

The route elevation this year will be different as the entire half marathon route happens on the Lourensford Wine Estate (not on the sports field as in previous years). The flyer description says the first 3km are tough and the route is all off road/jeep track I assume. 

I am happy see the dam still features as well as Champagne Corner. I am bit concerned about the hill climb between the 8-9km mark, but I am still thinking of the old route. 245 meters was the highest we climbed last year. 

2009 Elevation Profile

I think it is great that the organisers are trying a new route and hope the parking situation is not a nightmare. Quite a heavily advertised race and entry on the day, so I bet there will be lots of people.

Flyer Route Description:

The 21km and 10km are off-road all on Lourensford Wine Estate. The two routes follows the same initial course with the first 3km challenging followed by most scenic views. The 10km meanders back mainly downhill and level running to the finish while the 21km continues contouring along jeep track and farm road along the foot of the Helderberg, passing Brinksburg dam including Champagne Corner. Another hill climb between 8 – 9km marks – the second half mainly downhill on easy forest and farm road. Please note that the surface of this route is not safe for wheelchairs and strollers. The 10km Walk follows a different course, relatively flat and easy, through the beautiful Wine Estate with an initial 2km tar section, the balance on good farm road.

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

Red Hill Marathon

One mistake I am glad I made was to do the Red Hill Marathon as my first marathon last year. I remember running up the Scarborough side of Red Hill and people asked me how many marathons I had done and they said I was crazy doing it as a first one, my reply was only to say “Hey pal I am still running it”. It was a pity by the time I got past 30km I was running less and less. Why running it first was a mistake is that people who know me know I have slight OCD tendencies. So now I am stuck having to run it every year that I am able from now on.
33%The percentage increase in the number of runners doing the marathon in 2010 compared with 2009. Fish Hoek Athletic Club must be doing something right.

I also like the idea of having an escape route option of the 6km shorter 36.3km Red Hill Classic and not taking it. This year I noticed a guy at the t-junction asking one of the marshals if he could down grade from the 42.2km to the 36.3km but never got to see what the outcome was.


The Red Hill route is amazing. A bit of a slow start from the Fish Hoek sports complex, then onto the Kommetjie Rd, up Slangkop hill looking down at the Slangkop lighthouse.

I try to run in the middle of the road on this stretch as the camber it quite pronounced.



At the top of Slangkop is the start of a long speedy downhill, through Misty Cliffs to Scarborough, famous for the Camel Rock. Passing though Scarborough is a sneaky uphill up until the t-junction where the race splits between the Red Hill Classic and Marathon.

The out and back section towards Cape Point is mostly 3km of downhill. At the turnaround you are at the lowest point and the uphill does not stop until just before the 30km mark. The top of Red Hill was one of the best water stops ever, sponsored by a coffee shop.

It was too bad that I really was not up to eating muffins only had a slice or two of oranges. I could see that I was faster this year by the options available, last year by the time that.

Running down Red Hill gets to work some different parts of the body. I managed to get to the 30km point faster than Bay to Bay which was a good suprise.


At that bottom of Red Hill it is mostly flat until the Fish Hoek circle. At this point it becomes a mostly mental race.


There are 19 avenues that you need to run past, I like add 1 in my head and count them up one by one as percentages, counting 5%, 10% … 95% each time of cross an avenue. Before you get to 20th avenue you go off the main road and join up with the field. Getting onto the field is not the end there is quite a bit of running until you get to the finish. This year was well organised, plenty of everything: cold water, marshals, scenery and good weather. The only annoyance was the congested start. There definitely were much more people running this year.

Red Hill Marathon route elevation profile and Google Earth route KMZ.

Bay to Bay 30km Race

A scenic race from Maidens Cove to Hout Bay and back

With the excesses of the Festive Season a not too distant memory and Two Oceans less than 3 months away. A 30km race it just what the doctor ordered to get the year started right. The route consists of a considerable amount of hill work.

ROUTE

Type: Out and back
Distance: 30km, 15kmx2 relay and 5km fun run option
Google Earth: KMZ
Start Time: 11 January 2010 06h00
Time Limit: 4h00
Surface: 99% tar
Entries: Pre entry and on race day

PROFILE

Click to Enlarge

View Larger Map

Antipolis Wreck with Lions Head and 12 Apostles Hotel Enlarge

Driving the route will never be the same, the route is spectacular but running it allows you to experience it with all your senses.

30km races are hard to come by in the Cape Town area so when one is available you have to do it.

After the 15km there is a little bit of cruelty; instead of running straight up Suikerbossie, you do a short hilly tour of the houses in Hout Bay. The route drops straight down to the bottom of Suikerbossie hill (just in case you were worried that are somehow going to meet up with Suikerbossie half way up).

FACT

The route passes at least 5 shipwrecks
São José - 1794
Het Huis te Kraaienstein - 1670 (South Africa’s oldest known shipwreck)
Blythe - 1966
Antipolis - 1977
BOS 400 - 1994 visible on the approach to Llandudno.

LIST

2009 Winners
Male - Zolile Bhitane 1:44:42
Female - Joanna Thomas 2:06:39

Sponsors
2009 Webber Wentzel Bay to Bay
2010 Ocean Basket Bay to Bay

LAST STRETCH

I have run Bay to Bay twice before it is a good race. I have to admit I prefer Big Mama 30km round Durbanville hill and the John Korasie 30. I think one reason is because the other two compared with Bay to Bay have not psychological half way point and also have all their hard work in the earlier part of the race.

Bay to Bay was my first long run and race over half marathon distance.When I got over to the top of Suikerbossie and saw the 21km marker, I was disappointed at how no one else seemed to notice.

Great views, good hill work and it dovetails into most programs gearing up for Two Oceans.

Two Vineyard Races

Grape Run versus Run Walk For Life New Balance 21

On the 6th of December 2008 I run the RWLFNB21 (The really need to something about the name of the race). The route ran though Lourensford Wine Estate most of it was off tar. It got me thinking about comparing The Constantia Valley Grape Run Half Marathon my time was 1 minute less for the RWLFNB21 but there is no way I ran as hard for it as I did on the Grape Run. I also was far less tired. When I overlaid the elevation profiles of both the races I think I discovered why the Lourensford half felt easier than the Grape Run Half Marathon.



The first thing to notice is that they both start at roughly the same altitude and the Grape Run is about 20 meters less climbing. I believe the Grape run is harder because the up and down hills are far more steep and the gravel roads and the running is more uneven. I was quite impressed by the well kept dirt roads of Lourensford. On big thing that I have to commend the RWLFNB21 organisers for was the entry process. What a pleasure being able to arrive at 6:10 to enter and pay while still having enough time wait at the start line before the starting pistol. The day was hot really hot. The route did seem to provide quite a bit of shade even though it meant doing a repetitive loop. Next time I will not take this race so seriously and actually swim in the dam.

Here is the kmz file Run Walk For Life 21.kmz

The Crazy Store Table Mountain Challenge 2008

Easily the hardest most painful thing I have ever done for 9 hours and 13 minutes but, I will do it again next year.

It was a really hot day last year it drizzled and was far easier. Also last year I only did the Leg 2. I did Leg 1 really slow and steady and was quite happy with my restraint then. Leg 2 felt so much easier that last year.

Towards the end of leg 2 I started to get tired, I think it was because all I had was few sips from stream. At the Leg 3 check point I took a long break which was maybe a little too long. It was because the seconding was so great. Apple muffins, coke and marshmallows all went down well.

Then Debs suggested that we get going again, before we cool down. So I passed through the checkpoint in into Orange Kloof. To be honest the whole going though Orange Kloof was not such a big deal. The restricted part consisted of a bit of tar and gravel road and the route kept very close to the houses. It was there that I could see that there is not much left of undisturbed nature on the mountain. Then the challenge really started.

Slowly but in increasing numbers we started to see people walking back deciding to withdraw from the race. Most of the bailers seemed to be closer to the start of leg 3, then a couple more people coming down from Hout bay corner hoping to be fetched by their sympathetic someone. One guy looked quite banged up with bloody legs. I spoke to Smurf a guy I have met at a few races though the Runners World forum. He was also turning back running a marathon the flowing weekend being his reasoning. At that point I also wondered why I was still in the race. We picked up a lady at Hout bay corner who had never run on the mountain before. Our breaks increased in frequency and length at one point we only covered 50 meters before stopping. Only after checking in at the last check point did I decide that I was not going to turn back.

On the top of the mountain I got a burst of strength I think it was my body saying “Let’s just get this over with”. We got over Grootkop with out hassle and had longish lunch in the clump of boulders further along the route. I managed to phone my wife and the people that where waiting for us at the finish. I was surprised that I could get cell phone reception in spite of the boulders. Then it was straight to Kasteelspoort which really seemed to take for ages. The wind was blowing really strong, fortunately it was blowing up not down. I slipped and fell once but managed to catch myself before I hurt myself. Then we tried to run along pipe track. The pipe track is not that great or even safe for running. We even had our own a water crew meet us on pipe track.

As we turned the corner past the water filtration works it was all over. Well the race was over for Debs and I but when we got there it looked as if it had been over for a long time. All the signs were down and the time keeper had gone home already. Even though I never finished officially it still counts for me. I enjoyed the route, the goodie bag especially the Cape Storm t-shirt, preparing for race was also great fun and running the last leg with great friend.



The Crazy Store Table Mountain Challenge 2008 Route: open the KMZ in Google Earth or Google Maps link