Sunday, 1st June 2008

VOB's Table Mountain Race is being held this Sunday, and because I'm helping as a marshal, I won't be able to organise a run on Sunday.

However, Jo Samsonowicz is planning a run of about 1hour 40min from Sea Point to Camps Bay and back, and would love you to join her. The arrangements for her run are to:

Meet at: The Virgin Active Gym, Green Point;
Start at: 7h30;
Distance: 18 - 19 km, although those who want to run shorter or longer are welcome to do so;
Route: From Virgin Active along the Sea Point Promenade, up to and south along Kloof and Lower Kloof Rds to Camps Bay, then south along Victoria Rd for a running time of about 50 minutes. Thereafter it's back on Victoria and Beach Rds all alongside the sea. It's a really beautiful run.

Jo has promised that she'll have drinks and a supply of her low-fat, low GI, high fibre and exquisitely scrumptious muffins at the end of the run.

P.S. You have a choice on Sunday. Apart from Jo's run in the Sea Point area, Karen Little and JoJo Thomas have organised a run in and around Constantia. The details are as follows:

Start from: The Constantia (Alphen) Kwikspar

Start at: 07h30

Distance: Approximately 20 km

Route: Karen did not give details, but said it would be at an easy pace.

I hope your exercising is going well.

Gerry

Sunday, 25th May 2008

At this time of the year and with all the rain we've had, going off-road is fraught with the probability of running in mud. Moreover, young Geoffrey Dickson is a keen participant in his road machine, so we'll stick on Sunday to running on tar.

We'll start at the Constantia (Alphen) Kwikspar at 7h30. The distance will be 18 - 20 km, but there will be opportunities to run shorter for those who want to do less.

The route in brief is via Wynberg and Kenilworth to Kirstenbosch top gate, then via Rhodes and Montague Drives to Southern Cross Drive, along Gemini Rd and Pear Lane to Constantia Main Rd, along Pagasvlei, Klein Constantia and Nova Constantia Roads to Spaanschemat River Road, then back along Firgrove and Ladies Mile.

Jo Samsonowicz has promised to treat us with muffins at the finish.

I hope you're all in good health,

Gerry

Sunday, 18th May 2008

At the suggestion of some of you, as part of this Sunday's run, we're adding the attraction of a breakfast at La Cuccina in Hout Bay after the run. If you've never had breakfast at La Cuccina, your life is incomplete.

We'll meet at Victoria Mall (the building in which La Cuccina is located). If you are coming from Constantia Nek, at the first traffic circle in Hout Bay go 3/4 of the way around it and head west (in Victoria Rd) as if going to Suikerbossie. Victoria Mall is the white building on the left after Valley Rd.

We'll start at 07h30 and the distance will be about 21 km. The route takes us up to Suikerbossie, then down past Llandudno, Oudekraal and Bakoven to the Pick 'n Pay in Camps Bay, where we'll turn to retrace our steps. The views of the Atlantic and the Twelve Apostles are beautiful in any weather.

Jo Samsonowicz is planning to start with the rest of us, but run a shorter distance. She will turn more or less at Oudekraal, making the distance about 15 - 16 km, so if you want to do the lesser distance, she will welcome your company.

May you remain in good health and fleet of foot,

Gerry

Sunday, 11th May 2008

As a number of us would have done the Fish Hoek Comrades training run of 56 km on Saturday, this Sunday's run will be an easy one of 18 to 20 km, mostly on the asphalt roads of the Constantia Valley. We will start from the Constantia (Alphen) Kwikspar at 7h30.

I hope you are all in good health and enjoying your exercising.

Gerry

Sunday, 4th May 2008

The week leading up to this Sunday must have been one of the shortest working weeks on record. Many runners have taken advantage of the long weekend by taking a break out of town, so there won't be an organised run on Sunday. Instead, a number of us are intending to run the Volunteer Wildfire Services trail challenge being held on Sunday. There are, in fact two trail runs: a 10 km and a 25 km version. One can register for either at the Table Mountain National Park Visitors' Centre, Kloof Nek parking area, on Saturday, 3^rd May from 14h00 to 17h00 or on the day of the races from 5h30 onwards. The entry fee for the 25 km run is R70, and R40 for the 10 km run. I understand that proceeds of the races go to Volunteer Wildfire Services.

The 25 km run: Starts at 07h15 from the Kloof Nek parking area
The 10 km run: Starts at 07h30 similarly

For more info, look up the website:

http://www.capefire.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=73

where you'll find two Google Earth maps of the routes.

All the best,

Gerry