Two Oceans Marathon 35 miles - South Africa

Arriving in Cape Town

OK, so it’s a few days before the race and I’m now in Cape Town. Whilst my original reason for coming out early was to get a cheaper flight, now I’m here and I’ve discovered it is unusually hot for this time of year (35 degrees), I am very thankful that I’m here to do some training before the race.

For those who have never been to Cape Town – it’s hilly – and currently very hot. This is a mammoth run. I’ve never attempted anything of this magnitude before – 35 miles in 35 degrees of sweltering heat. To say I’m nervous is an understatement.

With the beautiful surroundings though, I’ve been inspired (or frightened) in to doing some hill running. I attempted a 120 foot climb over about a mile dirt track, which to put it bluntly wasn’t a pretty sight. I didn’t end up running back down with a skip in my feet! I persisted though and after three difficult days, I managed a more encouraging 10 circuits in quick succession. Still, I have to be honest, I don’t think any of this is really preparing me for my first ever overseas race and my first 35 miler.

The Expo

As with all big events, I had to go to the exhibition today to enable me to collect my race number (40193), my goody bag and take part in the ritual pasta party. I was really impressed with the expo. The goodie bag had the highest quality running shirt in it I have ever seen given away for free – in fact it was so great I decided not to wear it, which was a big mistake because none of my shirts were made for such extreme running conditions and the stitching under the arms rubbed my skin raw – still I live and learn.

The goodie bag itself was really high quality and useful in size – in bright yellow it was a great advertisement for the race, as 14,000 people carried them with pride around the city. Yes, did I mention there were 14,000 other people mad enough to be participating in this event? 7,000 of these took the sensible option to attempt the ½ marathon but there were at least another 7,000 like me, who actually wanted to try and run the 35-mile course!

I was amazed how high profile the race is in Cape Town. With my bag slung over my shoulder, the locals instantly want to chat and talk to you about the race and give you advice or share their stories. Many have themselves completed or attempted the race or know someone who has and they all have a story, which they are only too happy to share. The atmosphere was really encouraging.

The night before

I’m lying awake. I know most of my other comrades I’ll be running with in the morning will already be tucked up in bed and sleeping like babies. I, however, am fortunate enough to have family in Cape Town and at this moment I am sleeping on the floor in my sleeping bag, listening to my cousin, Kyle (whose 10) snoring away in his bed. In between this I’m having a fight with a mosquito… the mosquito wins…

Race day

I woke up really early. To avoid as much of the heat as possible the race kicks off just after 6am – but I’m there with plenty of time to spare. Already impressed with the expo, the organisation of the race did not disappoint. In fact I’d go as far as to say this was the best-organised race I’ve ever had the pleasure to run in my life.

With fast runners at the front and those out to prove they can just finish (like me) at the back, within minutes everyone was not just across the start line but actually running at their desired pace. For those reading that have never run a marathon, at large events, for the first mile you pretty much are forced to walk because there are people of different running abilities all jumbled together in pens at the start line.

It didn’t take me long to work out why this race is so popular as a long distance event. The organisation was great and the water stations really impressed me. They were frequent, well manned and offered every imaginable source of fuel in bags – rather than the usual bottles – which was much safer and easier to drink.

The race itself is referred to as the “most beautiful marathon in the world” and I have to say it is worthy of such a title. The start itself takes you from a built up area along main road, which at just after 6am means it is still dark. However, as you head out towards the mountains and catch your first glimpse of the Indian Ocean at the 16km mark, the sun starts to rise – it really is the most beautiful sight (sorry I didn’t take camera with me).

The supporters throughout the course were amazing. One of the local supermarkets ‘shoprite’ were playing music and providing support at regular intervals, cheering runners on and waiving banners, even at this early hour. It was fantastic.

At the 18km marker as I entered Fishoek, I ran by the first band of the day, playing music as loud as they could out of their garage to support the run – it was fab. There were many such instances along the route all of which really added to the atmosphere around the race.

Having been running for just under three hours and beginning to feel tired with the sun getting warmer, I was confronted with my first real hill challange – Chapman’s Peak. The spectacular view over the Atlantic Ocean meant I made the climb without too much difficulty and I felt really pleased with myself as I came down the other side and was approaching the 26 mile marker at a very respectable 3 hrs 39.

It was during this part of the race that I met a veteran two oceans runner, who spent some time with me relaying his past experiences of the race – this was his ninth consecutive year – so I listened with any interest for any tips he had! Some were more practical than others – I was busy watching the path in front and looking at my feet – his advice – don’t forget to look out for falling rocks being thrown by baboons! He wasn’t joking - I hoped.

As we got to the bottom of Chapman’s Peak, he picked up the pace and headed off. It wasn’t too long afterwards that I got chatting to another international runner from Spain who had also completed the course on previous occasions. Just as I thought I’d got through one of the toughest climbs, she departed the encouraging words “you’ll be fine as long as you can make the next hill, but take it slow because this one is a real killer!” She wasn’t wrong. The climb was longer, steeper and harder than anything I’ve ever done and by this point I’d already run further than a standard marathon and the sun was beginning to get very hot.

Yet the support of other runners and the crowd got me though and I made it to the top. What I wasn’t expecting was the difficulty I experienced in running back down. My feet were very hot by this point and I found my feet slipping to the front of my shoe during my descent. My toes were permanently pushed to the front of my shoe causing me a great deal of pain – I struggled through, with a few completly black toe nails to remind me for the future.

Having descended and reached the final leg of the race, the course greatly flattens out right until the final climb to the finish line in Cape Town’s university grounds. As I approached the finish, I saw the inflatable arch in site, traditional finishing line. Spurred on by the site I picked up my pace, accelerating past 10 or more runners - despite having now run with severe cramp in both legs for several miles. As I picked up my pace I could hear the announcer on the tannoy calling out my name and egging me on. I was doing really well, I picked up my pace a little more – I was really going for – just 200 metres to go… or so I thought. It wasn’t until I got a little closer that I realised the inflatable arch I thought was the finish, was in fact just a sponsorship banner and the finish was another 200 metres away! Fortunately, at this point I had no control left over my legs and with the crowds all cheering I literally flew what actually was the last 200 metres!

Exhausted but exhilarated I completed the 35 mile course in 5 hours and 12 minutes placed 1,539th out of 6,500 finishers – I couldn’t be happier.