Saturday 14th January 2023
Hohenort 15km road race
Hosted by Pinelands Athletic Club
Wow what a way to start off the new year. How better than running the ever popular Hohenort 15km road race in Constantia!
A few of us gals, and a mean a few (Sonja, Paula and I) decided that this race would be a good idea. It always seems to be a good idea a couple of weeks before the actual race when chatting over a cup of tea after a morning run. Hey let’s run the Hohenort 15km, ‘cos that’s all it is – 15km. We can do this! So of course we entered the race feeling quite satisfied that we had done so.
Saturday morning alarm goes off at 03h45. Oh yes indeed 03h45. Up and into my running gear to meet Sonja and Paula at the Total garage for 04h30. Drove through in my car whilst Paula was the handiest GPS ever. Some people just know where to go and how to get there. Sadly I’m not one of them. In fact I could quite easily get lost in my back garden.
Once in Constantia, we parked at the shopping centre where parking bays were two a penny. We walked over to the Alphen Centre, collected our running numbers, mingling between the crowds chatting to peeps that we hadn’t seen in ages. Just like the good ol’ times. Spotted quite a few West Coasters which I hadn’t seen for a while either.
Before we knew it, it was 06h00 – race time! And on the dot the gun went off and so did we. I must say the weather was on our side with hardly a breath of wind and not too warm either. Now anyone that has previously run the infamous Hohenort 15km knows that this is one hilly route. And today wasn’t any different. Oh my goodness, with elevations from 32m to 134 m the total climb was 226m! Not to be sneezed at for sure. But forewarned is fore prepared. Monday hill training came in handy. Suprisingly enough there were only two watering holes – the first one offering water whilst the second one offered water and coke. I honestly expected a couple more – perhaps at every 3kms? Plenty of friendly marshalls along the way however indicating a left or right turn. On this run there was absolutely no ways one could get lost!
So many clubs participated coming from far and wide. Stellenbosch. Strand. Durbanville. West Coast and many more. So after running the 15km it was time to cross the finish line and accept a pair of red Solid Rock socks. Much prefer something this handy – even if they are for the grandsons – to a medal which would also end up going to them?
Sonja and Paula were already in and just waiting for me to cross the line. After a chat with other participants we headed over to the shopping centre, grabbed a coffee and coke and headed back to our neck of the woods.
Yes it was a good race. Equally glad that I actually ran it. But as relieved to be back home to a very hot shower and ice cold coke!
Thank you Pinelands Athletic Club – nice one!