Pocket size story, my tales will probably have a touch of brevity about them. My recall isn't on the magnum opus scale of good friend Sweder.
Race report - 7th April 2007 - Dday
A 6:20am start on Main road in Capetown. Got there in plenty of time, the accomodation only about 20mins gentle jog away. Runners milling about for the start of the half-marathon.
Extended toilet queues for last minute ablutions and the usual nervous excitement clearout. Good natured, friendly atmosphere pervaded everywhere - the 4 amigos meeting up at the back of the Ultra throng.
The announcer gets the half underway, 20 minutes later we get going with a horn not sounding too dissimilar to the one used on the Hornburg (LOTR - Two towers). Announcer also jovially stating that any half runners had missed the start by some way.
We start slowly, 55 to 60 mins 10ks for the first 2, great support out this early, chivvied along by one woman wanting a vocal response to her getting up early and us running by in a quiet, trepidatious melee wanting to conserve energy for the later heat and climbs.
Had one pitstop (peestop) with Dave, and promptly lost the other 2. Later espying Roger at the side of the road - changing his socks!! waved us on. We chugged along at a nice pace, taking in the sights and smells of some of the provincial towns on the outskirts of Capetown - Kalk bay and Fishhoek which are on the Indian Ocean part of the run, lovely places revisited later during the holiday. Right by the ocean, the sea bowling in, a fantastic lift to the spirits as we completed the first third. A train to my surprise came thundering by alongside the route at the top of the beach, quite surreal.
At this point, Dave elected for another pitstop, I carried on and caught Ash - who seemed to be struggling. I couldn't hang on, felt too good.
I reached halfway about 2:45, a good start and felt strong - starting the long steady climb towards Chapmans Peak, an arduous 6k climb. Dave came back to me on the climb and zoomed ahead, I stuck to my steady shuffling pace admiring the vista. Thought I saw whale blow hole air coming to the surface, what a place!
Got to the summit and started the long descent into Hoek bay, then the wheels came off - the quads tightened and wouldn't play ball. I dug in and focussed on a small section at a time. Got to the marathon point in 4hrs 20min. Strange thing was I felt strong breathing, but lactic in my bloody quads wouldn't shift.
Walked up Constantia Nek - think Ditchling Beacon - another arduous 4-5K climb. Got to a physio station at the top and got my legs treated. No amount of energy gels, fluids was shifting the deadness - top guy got me going again, at a walk-run pace.
The last 10k were a bit of a blur - a fantastic descent through a forest down to the gorgeous Kirstenbosch gardens. Support was fantastic, Coke, Powerade, water sachets all brilliantly organised throughout.
I caught Rog with 2K to go, he found the Lord last year and God certainly does work in mysterious ways - I never saw him pass me. We ambled and cajoled each other, with cries of 'Go on Chris and Roger coming from the pavement into the last 200m', we were lifted and sped down onto the grass of the University Rugby pitch, crossing the line around 6:14, collecting our lovely blue medals for a 6-7 hr finish.
Wow, it was hot, what a relief to get over the line well before the 7hr cutoff time. Heard some unfortunates had missed the gun and got nothing, harsh, really harsh. Dave had finished in about 5:45 - collecting a bronze, Ash came in around 6:30 - we were worried he would miss the cutoff. My steadfast training partner throughout the long wet winter months had survived his troubles and got a deserved blue medal.
Off to get a massage on my quads, which spasmed when I tried to stretch - sore for another 2 days - still managed to climb Skeleton Gorge route to the top of Table mountain on the Monday.
What a race, place, wonderful people, fantastic cuisine - so much to experience.
