30km starts 05h30 at Camps Bay High School, on the school’s fields.
Start Venue 15Km starts at 06h30 Outside Hout Bay Harbour (walkers welcome)
Finish Venue: Fields below Glen Country Club.
Prize giving:10h00 on the fields below Glen Country Club.
Cut off time:30km and 15km :10h00.

You’ve been to Camps Bay right?  If you have, you’ll know that parking is premium.  And that goes for any time – day or night.  With Bay to Bay in mind anybody participating in this epic race would definitely have had to get there just after midnight or in our case – have Carl take us through and drop us to the entrance of the Camps Bay High School!  This of course meant rising super early to meet Sonja and Paula at the Total Garage for 04h00.  Once through to Cape Town it really was a case of hanging about until 05h30.  No queue for the loo though – bonus!   It did however give one the opportunity to chat with like minded runners all there for the very same reason – The Bay to Bay.  Such a good turn out from West Coasters, some i’ll admit i haven’t yet met.  Note to self – attend new member evening!  The pace setters gathered their fold and just like that it was time to go.  The gun went off but it really took a while to get out of the school grounds and onto the route chosen for our run.

I have to mention the weather.  Because the weather was just absolutely awesome.  Cloudy and overcast with a very slight drizzle accompanied us for the first 10km’s.  Runners delight.  Bit of a rude awakening having to leg it up the winding Victoria Road which went on and on and on.  Talk about relentless.  Past the 12 Apostles Hotel & Spa, the Oudekraal Beach, Lladudno Lookout Point, Pietro Ferrero Viewpoint, left into Valley Road running next to the river and past World of Birds where one doubled back on oneself to head for my favourite of all favourites.  I’m not being serious of course.  It was indeed the infamous Suikerbossie.  Yup a whole 2km odd or thereabout distance of sheer and utter hill.  No flats in sight – just one big long leg breaking hill.  Once at the top of Suikerbossie it was a delightful down run all the way through to Maiden’s Cove.  Our end destination.

I’d used up so much energy on the hills though that my legs were feeling rather fragile and even though it was a down run I got to walk more than intended.  Right up until the last 4kms, it was shady and cool (for me)  but once that cloud lifted and we entered Bakoven the sun came out and oh my goodness it was hotter than hedes.  Nothing gave me greater pleasure than tackling the very slight incline towards the finish knowing that yes indeed, this was the end.  The end of (for me) a pretty gruelling 30kms.  I had completed this a couple of years back and have to admit that this time round was so much more – more difficult – more trying – more tiring.  And sadly once I reach that – I’m done mark – my mind starts to wander and I lose my concentration of putting one foot in front of another.  All I imagine is copious amounts of ice cold Pepsi.  A sun lounger.  A shower.  And ice cream.

Well be that as it may our club has the most amazing runners.  Hard to believe that our Xoli ran the entire 30km’s at a pace of 5 minutes per km?  That is just phenominal.  David Yuill running at 05:11 – amazeballs!  Bruce Wood 06:19 per km and Eugene Cilliers 05:32 per km.  How I ask do these peeps manage this?  I admire their training, tenacity and take my hat off to everyone who completed not only the 30km but the 15km too.  I would like to go out on a limb here and congratulate Susan Rheeder who not only ran her very first Bay to Bay but the longest distance ever undertaken too.  What a superstar!

And last but not least, our wonderful crew who managed and manned the West Coast gazebo.  Mary, Tamster, Jeanetter and Phillip.  It just wouldn’t have been the same without the cheering and encouragement from those at the side line.  Ice cold cokes and flavoured milk were available plus plates of delicous water melon.  So thank you very much indeed for being there for us.  All of us.  It was also a welcome relief to see Carl and Basil waiting for us with the car parked just up the road . . . well, sort of just up the road.

As i finish this blog it is usual for me to add that this is my opinion and never set out to purposely ruffle any feathers or offend anyone.  Thanks peeps to an interesting day out on the road.