Good morning All
MONDAY HILL RUN
Bad news again. I won’t be able to lead a hill run today. If anyone is keen on running a “hill” please let me know before 14h30 today and I will co-ordinate it. But if I hear nothing, and you hear nothing further, consider it cancelled today.
SATURDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2012 – DEPARTURE FROM THE SCHEDULE – AN EASY ANTI-CLOCKWISE RUN IN SILVERMINE EAST (GATE 2 / R5 GATE / MUIZENBERG SIDE OF OU KAAPSEWEG)
For numerous reasons, inter alia, the bodies are taking strain and there are now some more strenuous Bat Run Training Runs on Sundays with MATES etc , we are going to be doing a Trail Run Lite this weekend and it is a departure from our ‘planned runs’ schedule. Jane will be updating the Facebook page.
Start Time and Place
07h15 from the parking area inside Silvermine Gate 2 (the R5 gate / the gate on the Muizenberg – Kalk Bay side of Ou Kaapseweg). To get there, drive up Ou Kaapseweg from the Tokai side (keeping an eye out for the Gate Guard walking up from Westlake – give him a lift). At the top, the road flattens out for a short while and you PASS the turn to Gate 1 on your right. Ignore it and keep going till the road starts dropping down to your left. At this point start looking for Gate 2 on your LEFT. It comes up quite suddenly so don’t drive as fast as the lunatics trying to get over the pass. Go through the boom on your left and park in the parking area on your right. That’s where we start.
Route
We head straight down the road to the waterfall and then continue on the contour path above the valley. We then take the path up towards the top of Echo Valley / Cave Peak turnoff area. Up to the Amphitheatre and across to the top of Spes Bona valley. If it’s a cool day we will go down Spes Bona and then up to Nellie’s Pool. If it is a scorcher (as forecast by Peter Rogers) then we will head “straight across” to Nellie’s Pool for a splash. Then it is over to the foot of Muizenberg Peak, left and over to the foot of Lower Steenberg Peak, across the Higher Steenberg Peak and then right down the valley before Wolfkop and back to the cars.
Distance
Only between 12 – 15km. Closer to 12km I think.
Running Time
2 – 2 ½ hours.
Difficulty
Moderate but quite short.
Important Notes
- I think the entrance fee is still R5 but bring some extra and give the attendant a tip (as in financial gratuity, not free advice). A small price to pay for car safety these days.
- Please wear weather-appropriate clothing and carry the necessary wind-proof jacket, whistle and cell phone.
- And PLEASE carry water. Lots of it. Do not rely on mountain streams at this time of year. And bring some energy snacks.
- Sunblock and a cap. If anyone wants lessons on how to apply sunblock (and also how to remove it in a desperate emergency) speak to Sandra Murray.
- Watch out for snakes.
- Fill in the register before starting out.
- Have fun. It’s not a race.
- Bringing ICE cold rehydrating be’erages for afterwards.
- On the topic of having fun: Please be aware that trail running and related activities are inherently riskier and more dangerous than road running. You are participating in these runs voluntarily and whilst acsis VOB and the organisers of the runs take all reasonable precautions to ensure runner safety, it can never be fully guaranteed. To this end, acsis VOB and the organisers personally cannot be held liable for claims relating to injuries, disabilities and deaths, inter alia, that may occur during these events. You are participating entirely at your own risk. Please ensure that you are medically fit to be participating and make sure that you are properly kitted out for each particular run so as not to place yourself at undue risk.
TABLE MOUNTAIN TRAILERS – SATURDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2012
They will be sortie’ing from Constantia Nek at 06h30 – route to be announced.
FEEDBACK FROM THE MYBURGH’S WATERFALL RAVINE RUN (THE DISA RUN) – PHOTOS TO FOLLOW (HOPEFULLY)
I don’t what the heck was going on on Saturday but many of us were in agreement that we just felt “pap”. Personally, I blame last week’s solar flare that was supposed to knock out all of our satellites and half the world’s electricity supply but thankfully disappointed the doomsdayers. But there was definitely something sapping the energy out of people and if it wasn’t for the sheer beauty of this run, I think a lot of us would have been a lot grumpier than we were. The malaise kicked in early. As we commenced our rare downhill start, Margaret thought better of things and decided it was time to head back to bed. She did a swift “omkeer” and telephoned her apologies (thank you Margaret).
Chris Whales did a very fine job of leading us to the Boskykloof Road start (which I had never done before but gets a solid tick in the “to be repeated” book) and then into the correct ravine. Thank you very much Chris. A certain well known runner tells a very amusing story of what happens when you start up the wrong ravine……….. To hear this you need to attend the post-run debriefing session one week and ply the well-known runner with ICE cold beer (I think Castle is his preference). He also implicates another well-known runner but it would be unfair to name Kevin Ewers when he is not here to defend himself……..ooops.
The climb up Myburgh’s is simply spectacular. It must be noted that there are some steeper, slightly exposed sections which can make one a little dizzy if one hasn’t had a good breakfast. But as long as you take your time it is perfectly safe and these areas tend to give you stunning panoramic views which I would bet that the vast majority of Capetonians have never seen and probably never will. Breathtaking! Whilst the fields of red disas did not materialise (as Gideon put it) there were sufficient around to make the trip worthwhile for those who did it for this reason. There were already a few hikers up there who were less than pleased to see a sweaty bunch of trail runners heaving past them. As one of them remarked: “for trail runners, there is not a lot of running going on” – ouch!
I know that a number of people took photos. If you are happy to do so, please would you send them to me and I will ask Jane if she can put some of them on the Facebook page.
Karen and Grant found a few blue disas (significantly less obvious or spectacular then their red cousins) near the top of the ravine and stopped to take pictures……..and nearly got left behind by the rest of us who were thinking “well that was fun but now let’s get running already”. And so it was that Jane split the group up so that the faster runners could push on. The rest of us followed as best we could. I remember describing the route from the top of Myburgh’s to the finish as “easy easy easy”. I may, in fact, have glossed over things a bit. By the time we got to the dams we were exhausted and half of the group decided they had had enough excitement for the day and took the concrete road back to the cars. The rest of us decided to take the Ash Valley track as a slightly easier option than Nursery Valley. We got to the hut in the valley, no problem, and then the path seemed to disappear. “Here it is” cried Elvira and charged off, with all of us in tow, into an area that could only be described as “unfamiliar”. We ground to a confused halt and this was accompanied by the traditional sniggers. A little backtracking and we were soon on the right path again…………..HOWEVER……….. Elvera, because you were at the head of the misadventure……..please accept this Missing Margaret Award from the Committee. J
As we stopped for a little water break at the bailiffs cottage, who should run past us on his way down the mountain? None other than Ryan Sands. So as we started running again, Elvera and Robyn, with the speed, strength and agility of mountain lionesses (aka ……), took off in hot pursuit, leading the charge down the mountain. However, when it seemed that Ryan was determined to run down on the road, they abandoned him in disgust and took the single track. I could have sworn I heard him say “phew” but maybe he was just tired.
And so our run (and this email) drew slowly to an end. Just when it seemed that we would be without a Sailing Sandra Award, I heard a rumour that Glenn Buchinsky (very subdued for most of the run) took a fall to end all falls on the last piece of single track down from the Eagles Nest. But unlike the eagles, he “did not so much fly as plummet” (apologies to Monty Python). Now I didn’t see Glenn afterwards as he had already dashed off to his car. But Glenn, I hope you are okay and Happy Sailing Sandra to you.
Finally, although the CEO of Trail Running had been absent from the run, citing a hangover, lack of sleep, a lazy bladder and a faulty alarm clock, it was good to see him waiting in the car park to open the ritual “quaffing of ale” (his preference being Castle) to close the morning’s proceedings. Quaffing being “like drinking only you spill more” (I think that might be Blackadder).
Have a great week Everyone.
Tim
Tim Bellairs (Sir)
acsis VOB Trail Running
Cell: 082 321-0299
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