Old Mutual Two Oceans Ultra Marathon
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| Date: |
03 April 2010 |
| Time: |
06h25 |
| Organisers: |
Two Oceans Marathon Association |
| Distance: |
56; ; |
| Province: |
Western Province |
| Start: |
Outside SA Breweries
Main Road
Newlands
UCT Rugby Fields |
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| Enquiries: |
Contact 1: The Entries Co-ordinator
(W) 021-6575140/1
(F) 021-6716892
(Email) entries@twooceansmarathon.org.za
Contact 2: The Entries Co-ordinator
(W) 021-6746530
(Email)entries@twooceansmarathon.org.za
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| Entry Details: |
Pre-entry is essential for this race and no late entries are accepted. The cut-off date is 3 March 2010. This means that entrants must enter early to ensure that they are received by 3 March 2010. Online entries at www.twooceansmarathon.org.za are encouraged.
Participants must complete at least a standard marathon within 05:00 to qualify for Two Oceans. This can be done from 1 September 2009. The last opportunity to qualify is Sunday 28 February 2010. All entrants who officially finished the 2009 Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon do not automatically qualify to compete in 2010. Temporary licences are available for the Ultra.
Runners who have 25 Two Oceans medals or more enjoy free entry. You will receive your race number, registration bag and timing chips (if ordered), at registration. Every accepted entrant will receive an acknowledgement, which must be brought to registration, together with an ID book, passport or driver’s license and timing chip. Registration takes place at the Good Hope Centre - corner of Sir Lowry Road and Oswald Pirow Street, Cape Town from 10h00 to 19h00 on Wednesday 31 March, 10h00 to 19h00 on Thursday 1 April and 09h00 to 19h00 on Friday 2 April 2010.
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| Route Description: |
Route Type: Point to point
Two mighty ocean currents, one from the Equator and one from the icy Antarctic collide off the southernmost tip of Africa at Agulhas. It is here at the fairest Cape of all during the autumn season of Easter, that 7 000 runners line up each year to run the world's most beautiful marathon.
The first 22 kilometres of this epic voyage are fairly flat and it is easy going from the start outside the famous brewery in Newlands, through the Cape Town suburbs of Wynberg and Plumstead. These first, early kilometres are run largely in the dark. This is a good stretch to get your pacing right, check on your pre-race plan and reflect on the task ahead. A colourful bobbing mass moves forward through darkened streets as whistles and cat-calls bounce off on-looking buildings.
As the sun rises, you catch the earliest glimpses of the first ocean, the warm Indian. The following easy six-kilometre stretch from Muizenberg, through St James, Kalk Bay, Clovelly and onwards to Fish Hoek provides ample opportunity to enjoy the beautiful view of False Bay bordered by the Cape Peninsula Mountains on one side and the Hottentots Holland Mountains on the other. On occasion you may have to do battle with the notorious Southeaster wind. But with some luck on a calm day this could be the single factor that helps the ambitious to win a silver medal, the desperate to make the cut-off. Bask in the morning light of the quaint and gaudy village atmosphere that makes up this undemanding passage. Here you pass some celebrated heritage sites, Rhodes Cottage and the Edwardian Beach Houses to name but a few.
There is always a friendly and enthusiastic reception from the residents of Fish Hoek as you approach the abrupt "bump" and right turn at the far end of the town. To do well in the Two Oceans it is wise to approach the race with disciplined caution up to this point. The run up this section should feel like nothing more than a slight pull on the legs. Between 22 and 25 kilometres lies a mentally tricky stretch with little to distract you from the slight gradient.
Soon the Indian Ocean disappears from view and the route winds its way along the Kommetjie Road. Expect an exuberant throng at Sun Valley and Louw's Corner and take care not to be sucked into the crowd’s energy here, for the real work still lies ahead. The halfway mark at 28 kilometres is some way before deceptive Little Chapman's. This stretch of slight inclines and some flat running provides good opportunity to drink and to mentally prepare for the real test ahead, Chapman's Peak. Focus on the magnificent view across Noordhoek Beach as the icy Atlantic Ocean greets you rather than on a sometimes testing gradient.
From the base of the Peak to its final dramatic drop into Hout Bay some ten kilometres away, what follows must surely be the most attractive miles in the entire running world. With a rugged wall of rock on the one side and the icy blue ocean far below, this is a rare treat. It is here that the race surely earns its reputation as the world’s most beautiful marathon. Chapman’s is a steep and hard slog, make no error. It will force your pace to be slower. Perhaps it is just as well, because the majestic view of both mountain above and moody Atlantic below is something that will remain with you long after the pain and discomfort of the charge down the badly cambered road into Hout Bay, is forgotten.
Don't be fooled by the rocky outcrop masquerading as the top of Chapman's Peak - the real one is around the corner about a kilometre further on. Beware of the enthusiasm that may overtake you here for each horizon appears to be a summit, each summit a mirage. Restraint now will be rewarded on the other side of the Peak. Sooner than expected, you reach that illusive top where an exuberant and welcome refreshment point awaits you at a height of 180 metres above sea level.
As you descend Chapman's Peak into Hout Bay, your legs will take a hammering. Across the bay, the charming fishing harbour watched on silently by the rocky outcrop of the Sentinel once again underscores this race’s reputation. With an unpretentious flamboyance the town welcomes you with a generosity that can only be found in a place of such abundant beauty and culture. This is more than enough to lift flagging spirits and provide a pleasant distraction from the discomfort experienced while re-adjusting to the flat surface. Look around and you will see the gun batteries built by the British during the Napoleonic wars to protect the bay. The bronze statue on a rock overlooking the bay honours a leopard who sat there for hours in days gone by.
The monstrous scramble up Constantia Nek begins almost imperceptibly at the 40-kilometre mark, outside Kronendal. This is a landmark which boasts the oldest homestead in Hout Bay. The climb, with its many twists and turns becomes harder and steeper as the hill progresses. It is not the scenery, but the hill that now occupies your mind. Resolve to keep on running, even if it's reduced to only a shuffle. It is perfectly respectable to walk up this section. On reaching the summit, there is great reward. You will be greeted by thousands of enthusiastic spectators and television cameras. Pause and look back, you have climbed 215 metres in just over six kilometres.
Mercifully the 46-kilometre marker heralds the summit of Constantia Nek. This is a good time to raise your arms and steady yourself for the final assault. The Two Oceans Ultra Marathon is known as a formidable challenge, and there are still a few more demanding surprises in store. As you run through Cecilia Forest there are two unpleasant little climbs both with unmentionable names, between 48 and 50 kilometres. On the cool wooded slopes of the mountain it is the sheer beauty of the area and the enthusiasm of the warm Cape Town crowd that will pull you, now tired but heroic along this shaded road.
From the Kirstenbosch top gate, the route continues down the beautiful tree-lined Rhodes Drive past Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. Imposing mountains tower on your left. At the 53rd marker board you take a sharp upward turn to the left into Union Avenue. Here lies a challenging little rise now known as "The Powerade Push".
The end is finally in sight, Union Avenue is the double carriageway that takes you to the university’s rugby fields and the finish. Remain in the left-hand lane, the majestic slopes of Devil's Peak tower alongside as you enter the Upper Campus of the University of Cape Town. The hard work is done; all that is left is the length of the two rugby fields before a cheering and colourful crowd. This is a moment you will treasure forever. At last the world’s most beautiful marathon has drawn to a close and at Drake’s ‘fairest cape of all’ you fondly cherish one of life’s most challenging and awe-inspiring "voyages of discovery".
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| Prizes and Give-Aways: |
| Positions one to 10 in the men's and women's open category win cash prizes and gold medals. Men and women in the 40 to 49, 50 to 59 and 60-plus age groups also win cash prizes. The first male and female runner from Western Province each receive R5 000.
All finishers from 11th position to the 04:00 cut-off win silver medals. The Sainsbury medal is awarded to those who finish between 04:00 and the 05:00 cut-off. Thereafter all others who finish in less than 06:00 get bronze. A blue medal goes to all those who finish between 06:00 and 07:00.
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| Course Records: |
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Name |
Time |
Year |
| Men |
T. Magawana |
03:03:44 |
1988 |
| Women |
F. vd Merwe |
03:30:36 |
1989 |
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| Editor's Notes: |
The Old Mutual Two Oceans Ultra Marathon has been consistently ranked by the Runner’s World race judges as a well organised and well presented event. Over the last four years it achieved distinction as South Africa’s third best race overall. It was also voted the third best ultra marathon. More than simply a marathon, this ranks a one of South Africa’s national treasures.
Registration: The registration venue is at the Good Hope Centre in Cape Town (corner of Sir Lowry Road and Oswald Pirow Street). The Expo includes a special area for the Blue Number Club members. Participants must collect their race numbers and registration bags here. Chip scanning also takes place at registration. More detailed instructions will be posted out with the race acknowledgement during February 2010.
Seeding: Runners who post a 03:00 marathon qualifier time and silver medallists from 2009 are entitled to preferential seeding. The rest of the field is seeded according to their qualifying race time.
General: This dramatic race has had its fair share of surprises. In 1976, Vincent Rakabaele beat the Comrades king Alan Robb by a mere 6 seconds in a winning time of 03:18:05. This excitement was to be repeated in 1983 when Siphiwe Gqele beat Warwick Ewers by a margin of only four seconds. A young runner who had been stamping his authority on the famous Comrades Marathon since 1981, Bruce Fordyce, finished fourth in that race in a time of 03:14:02. An outstanding run in 1988 by Thompson Magawana lowered the record to 03:03:44. This must surely go down as one of the greatest ultra-distance runs of all time, given the severity of the course. In the millennium year, Joshua Peterson narrowly beat Vladimir Kotov, a veteran from Belarus, by a mere eight seconds. Frith van der Merwe’s run in 1989 was an equally outstanding run when she set a new course record (3:30:36). To date, the men’s and women’s course records have stood the test of time.
The race is run from gun to gun. Runners who have not reached the following marks in the time specified will not be allowed to continue:
25 kilometres at 09h33 – corner of Corvette Ave and Corsair Drive, Sun Valley
38 kilometres at 11h10 – outside No. 1 Chapman’s Peak flats
42,2 kilometres at 11h42 – outside Four Season’s Farm entrance
46,1 kilometres at 12h11 – Top of Constantia Nek
26% of runners finish between 11h50 and 12h20 and 39% finish in the last hour (12h20 – 13h20). The averages indicate an 85% chance of finishing, with 3% of the field achieving silver glory - by far the most difficult ultra silver earned in South Africa. The following percentages indicate which medal is earned on the day: 16% Sainsbury, 41% Bronze and 40% Blue.
This certainly is a race popular with out-of-towners, with 68% of the field coming from outside the Western Province. Runners from Gauteng make up 43% of the field, and KwaZulu-Natal 17%. In this race, the up-country runners appreciate the support of the thousands of locals who give enthusiastic encouragement along the entire route. In 2009, some 27% of the field ran the Two Oceans for the first time. Women are running this race in ever-increasing numbers. In 1986, only 6% of the field were women; in 2009 this number had increased to 24%.
The Two Oceans Committee has taken the opportunity to promote the race overseas with the intention of attracting top-class runners to South Africa. It is their commitment to grow the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon to be the premier ultra-marathon in South Africa. In 2009, there were 925 international runners from 44 countries. Many have indicated that they will be back to run this classic race again. The race will be run for the 41st time in 2010.
2007 saw the introduction of the Two Oceans International Friendship Run. All international entrants are invited to meet at the Good Hope Centre on Good Friday morning, 2 April 2010 at 09h30 for a scenic run/walk through the city centre, taking in historical landmarks and key points of interest. Participants jog with the flag of their respective country. After the run, participants are treated to a light breakfast at the Waterfront. Friends and family of international entrants may enter for a fee of R50.
All runners are required to wear a timing chip during the race: no chip, no results. A Ship's Log is kept and permanent numbers will be awarded to all runners who have completed 10, 20 and 30 races within the cut-off time. The Two Oceans Marathon is televised live for seven hours on SABC 2 with a 30-minute highlight package aired at a later stage. Two Oceans is a runner's race and the experience of a lifetime. It is a definite personal favourite.
Visit the Two Oceans website at www.twooceansmarathon.org.za. There is plenty of useful information on this site, happy surfing. The organiser’s e-mail address is entries@TwoOceansMarathon.org.za.
Finishers: 5825 Time Limit: 07:00 |
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