Two Oceans Ultra Marathon, South Africa, 7 April 2007

[El Gordo]

http://www.twooceansmarathon.org.za

"The most beautiful marathon in the world".

Sweder and I are planning on doing this 35 mile race near Cape Town in 2007.

Anyone else interested?

[marathondan]

So talk of bringing down the curtain on your career was just Mile 20 madness?

[Sweder]

Just exchanged e-mails with the good people of Cape Town.
Here's the scoop so far:

[INDENT]From: sweder@msn.com [mailtoweder@msn.com]
Sent: 21 April 2006 12:53 AM
To: feedback@twooceansmarathon.org.za
Subject: 2007 Race Entry

Greetings and congratulations on a successful 2006 event.
The dust has barely settled on Chapman's Peake and already there's weirdos
out there who would like to sign up for the 2007 race.

Please send me an entry form via e-mail (or let me know when the 2007 online
entries are open). I just completed the Paris marathon which I'm hoping will
count as a qualifier (I finished in 3:52). I've wanted to run the most
beautiful race on Earth ever since I first saw Cape Town last year and can't
wait to secure a place.

Thanks, and sorry for bugging you so early.
Ash[/INDENT]

Received today:

[INDENT]From: Entries Co-ordinator (TOM)
To: sweder@msn.com
Cc: 'Stefanie Schultzen' ; 'Sal Clements'
Sent: 24 April 2006 14:30
Subject: RE: 2007 Race Entry

Thank you, we had a good laugh! Yes, some people are obviously planning
ahead and we are planning to open entries for 2007 in September this year.
Unfortunately we do not have anything bar the date (and all the info about
the 2006 race) to help in your planning so far. Please do not hesitate to
stay in contact - we will ad you to our newsletter so you can stay informed.

Yours in running,

Christa Maling
Entries Co-ordinator
Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon presented by Nike[/INDENT]

I can't believe how excited I'm getting about a race that's almost a year away

[El Gordo]

So talk of bringing down the curtain on your career was just Mile 20 madness?

I had to rush to finish it on Saturday morning, and er, yes, I evidently did leave out one or two crucial details. Will explain more when I write a new entry.

[El Gordo]

Still planning to do the TOM, Sweder?

Anyone else?

[Sweder]

It never left my radar old boy.
I'm off dowen there at the end of this month for a couple of days (business). Hope to meet some of the folks involved/ pick up some inside info on places to stay, training routes . . . hostelries . . . (oops, did I say that out loud?).

I may well make this a JDRF thing, too.
I won't run London in '07 so that'll be two years without personally raising a bean for them . . . high time I rattled the tin. It's a biggie too so I might be able to attract a major sponsor or two.

Come on peeps, you only live once . . .

[stillwaddler]

Can't do it, am five minutes outside the qualification - (phew - breathes quick sigh of relief)

[Seafront Plodder]

To all those daft enough to attempt this ultra, just thought you ought to know that those bastard race organisers have seen fit to throw in the steepest part of the course..................right on 42.2k where a normal marathon would finish.

Click Here if you dare.

I bet they worked back from that hill at 42k to arrive at a race start point.

[Sweder]

Mmmm . . . very appetising
I'm down that way in December and may pluck up courage to drive the route.
Then again, perhaps its best not to see it . . .

Thinking about it I do know that part of the circuit.
I ran Chapman's Peake (well, half of it) last year. The climb to Constantia Nek isn't all that bad . . .
it just goes on for 4.5 kilometres. That's like two-and-a-half times the Yellow Brick Road. After a marathon.
Lovely.

So, are you coming with us Big Fella?
There'll be a huge call for re-hydration after this one.
We need a specialist.

[El Gordo]

Can't do it, am five minutes outside the qualification - (phew - breathes quick sigh of relief)

Excellent news for you SW -- non-South Africans don't have to qualify now.

Hurrah!

[El Gordo]

Mmmm . . . very appetising
So, are you coming with us Big Fella?
There'll be a huge call for re-hydration after this one.
We need a specialist.

Indeed. The apres will be a major project. We need the heavy guns this time. A man who can keep a bar open long after closing time. It calls for a beefy virtuoso, a seasoned campaigner, a heavyweight.

A big hitter like SP would be just the man for this substantial task.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Indeed. The apres will be a major project. We need the heavy guns this time. A man who can keep a bar open long after closing time. It calls for a beefy virtuoso, a seasoned campaigner, a heavyweight.

A big hitter like SP would be just the man for this substantial task.

Just don't ask him to [SIZE="5"]make a video[/SIZE] of the occasion