I write about this race just about every year. I think it has something to do with the fact that it takes place on Easter Saturday and therefore I have some time when I get home to write. But maybe it is because it is one hell of a race, whichever way you look at it. Anyway, here are some impressions on this year's edition.
We knew fairly early on that the route for the half was going to change. I was under the misapprehension right up to a few days before the race that we would be starting on the M3, just below UCT, and I told anybody who would listen that I thought it was a great idea because it would solve some of the congestion issues which have long been associated with the start - getting 16 000 runners down a double lane highway is not as difficult as getting them down Main Road Claremont / Kenilworth, Wynberg. As it turns out I was wrong - the start was still on Main Road, and the only difference was that they would be taking us straight up Protea Road to the M3, instead of through Wynberg, and then up and over Wynberg Hill on Edinburgh Drive. So we got an additional hill, and we didn't gain anything at the start. In fact it was worse. But more of that anon.
I was reasonably well prepared this year. Or at least my baseline fitness was probably OK - I didn't do much preparation specifically for the race. Two nights before I sat up late listening to and reading some excellent blogs by Dr. Ross Tucker from UCT's Sports Science Institute, about the race and specifically the new route. He figured that the new route would add 2-5 minutes to runners' times. He also gave some excellent advice on how to tackle the various parts of the route - Edinburgh Drive, Southern Cross Drive, the "mine shaft" past Kirstenbosch, and the final 3km up to UCT. Also some useful general tips which I had not heard before - "don't look down when you run uphill", "don't lean back when you run downhill, rather bend your legs and avoid heel-strike" and so on.Tried them all and they all WORK. Most welcome - thanks Ross. You can find them at e.g. http://www.twooceansmarathon.org.za/blog/ross-tucker/edinburgh-drive-lowdown
As in previous years, Shingard's Wake and I left Fish Hoek at 4.30 a.m. and picked up the Handsome Masha in Plumstead on our way through. We were slightly later arriving at UCT this year and it was clear that upper campus was parked up so we went down to Middle Campus and parked near the College of Music and the Baxter Theatre. That gave us just enough time to get to the start line by around 5.50 for a 6.00 start. The weather forecast had been "13 minimum, 17 maximum, 60% chance of rain with a moderate westerly wind". The pleasant surprise was that at the start it was neither windy nor rainy. This was all to change, but for the moment we were happy. I had on a black plastic garbage bag over my running gear and the Masha was wearing a rather fetching green one. I shared an energy bar with the Masha. We joined the masses milling around in the Group E area. Just about everyone is in Group E. There are no lower groups. The Deputy Mayor of Cape Town was given the microphone and said something suitably innocuous and un-memorable. Then they played the National Anthem in full four part harmony, very loudly, which I found strangely stirring. And then we were off. Or rather the guys at the front were. The rest of us waited and finally shuffled and then walked. It was nearly 5 minutes before we got over the starting mat. The first km took nearly 12 minutes; the second took nearly 10. We walked more than we ran. Mutter, mutter ...!
The run up Edinburgh Drive was actually not that bad, apart from the congestion. I did a 7.26 split which is kind of what I expected. It is certainly steep but it is actually not that long and soon we had crested and were channeling through past the Trovato Link exit, and on down Wynberg Hill. The congestion eased up a little and I was managing splits of 5.33, 5.18, and 5.46, and beginning to enjoy the race.
We came off the M3 at Kendal Road and then did a short loop on the Old Constantia Road, before turning left into Lady's Mile and heading up to Parish Road, Constantia, and the base of the infamous Southern Cross Drive. You pass the 10km mark around here. My legs felt fresh, I felt fresh, I felt I could run faster, although my pulse was up in the 160's most of the time - it maxed at 172 on Southern Cross. I took a "Goo" out of my moon-bag - I had two for the run - and alternated sucking out its nectar with sips of water. Apart from one half cup of Pepsi at around 17km, that was all I had on the run.
So onto the long uphill. An old friend in a way. This was my 5th Two Oceans so I knew what was coming. I was determined to listen to Dr Ross and keep my head up. Round about here it started raining - just the odd drop at first but soon it was steady and not long after it was heavy. I was amazed to see that reasonable numbers of spectators held their ground and stayed. They managed to get an entire brass band under one 6 by 4 foot gazebo and they were actually putting out a respectable sound when I ran past. Likewise a school band near Kirstenbosch, the dancers, the go go girls, the marimba and bongo outfit, and many others. What an amazing spirit! I said to more than a few of them: "Thank you for staying, guys" as I went past, and one replied "Well, thank you for running!". It is an amazing race from that perspective. One always hears of the incredible crowd support at Comrades, which I have not run, but the Two Oceans support is pretty amazing too. I did a 6.28 up the first part of Southern Cross and a 7.07 up the second part, which I though was reasonable.
We made the top of Southern Cross and turned into Rhodes Drive. This is a tricky section, mainly because it undulates and the camber of the road is challenging, but I was in a good rhythm and was quite enjoying myself. It was now raining pretty heavily and on some sections there was quite a strong, cold headwind. I was grateful I was wearing a cap, because it kept the rain out of my eyes, if not my face. The rest of my body was drenched but I was not cold. Gradually my socks and shoes became soaked and heavy but so did everyone else's and it didn't seem to worry anyone. My splits for this section were 5.59, 6.23 and 6.03. We passed Kirstenbosch Top Gate is good spirits. I made sure I concentrated on my footing going down the "mine shaft" past Lower Gate - it is a steep downhill and it was slippery with rain, road paint and the odd water sachet. All I needed was a slip and fall at 16km! Having said that I did a 5.10 here so must have been moving reasonably quickly. In retrospect, I realise that this is where my Blackberry died. I had it in my moon-bag, which I thought was reasonably watertight, if not waterproof. I was wrong.
The rest of Rhodes Drive through Fernwood was very wet but otherwise fine. The road is heavily bordered with ancient pines and so one had the impression of running through this very wet tunnel. I chatted to a few comrades and was feeling great. Then we made the run onto the M3. I had listened to Ross Tucker's analysis - he had reminded us that this final stretch is the sting in the tail of the Two Oceans - just when you are within striking distance of UCT you are handed a rather nasty little uphill. But he also reminded us that it is in fact just two short hills with a fairly long flat section in between. I found this very helpful. I attacked the first hill, concentrating on keep my rhythm, and knowing that it would end at the first bend - which it did. Then it was just a case of holding course, keeping it steady, and reserving enough oomph for the final half kilometer. So thanks again, Dr Ross. I don't know what my splits were because by now my phone had drowned.
Before we knew it we were in the south gate of UCT, running across the muddy green grass of the rugby fields, and we could see the distant stop watch. I looked at mine: 2.19:45. OK - so I just needed to get there before 2.21. A short spurt of that last bit of energy and I was over the mat. I took my Blackberry out of the moon-bag to switch off the Endomondo and discovered that it had died. Damn! I did remember to switch my watch off. It informed me that I had burned over 2000 kCal and that my maximum heart rate had been 172. It actually didn't feel like it. Tired as I was I didn't feel like collapsing. Maybe it was the cool and the wet. I collected my medal, my coke and then wandered across to the beer tent. Not that I wanted beer, but it was the only place out of the rain. I thought that I might be able to dry and resurrect the phone. I found a discarded tissue and did my best but with no luck. OK - plan B. Find Shinguard. We had arranged to meet up below the statue of Cecil Rhodes, which overlooks the fields. To get there I had to go over the pedestrian bridge which spans the final 100m track. It was murder walking up and down those stairs - quite apart from the fact that they were wet and slippery but I made it, and then up the concrete steps to Uncle Cecil. He was there but I couldn't see Shinguard. I was now starting to get seriously cold - it was raining continuously and there was a cold wind from the north west. I started to shiver. Just when I thought I would have to make another plan I spotted her - looking somewhat wet, cold and bedraggled herself, standing on the landing. She handed me my Bafana Bafana tracksuit top, and I said something to the effect of "You cannot believe how glad I am to see you".
We hung around for another half hour or so, until the Masha arrived - he had run a 2.56 - so got in just before the cut. That was purgatory. We congratulated each other and then made the 15 minute walk down to where we had parked the car. The weather continued to deteriorate and soon it was blowing a gale and really cold. We collapsed gratefully into the Merc's interior, put on some dry clothes, and prepared to leave. Easier said than done, but we finally conquered the traffic and headed south down the M5.
Back home, having dropped the Masha in Plumstead, we consoled ourselves with fried egg on toast, avocado, large cups of hot coffee and the gas fire. Shinguard then left for norther pastures and I took a short nap on my bed which turned into a siesta which lasted most of the afternoon. It is now 7 pm and I am sitting in the lounge while herself watches TV, eating homemade soup and Panini, warming my feet by the fire, listening to the rain still falling outside. Not sure what we did to p off the Mother City, but she really let us have it today. And yet, that is somehow what running is about, what makes it special - one cannot control these things and one has to contend with whatever is dished up. I phoned the Kink to find out how he had fared his first Ultra (56km) - he clocked just over 6:30 and sounded very chuffed with himself. He said that some way into the race he had stopped worrying about his time, and had just focused on running right and following his strategy to finish. Maybe that is the way to tackle these challenges.
And so ... till next year. And so ... to bed.
