Let’s take a look at race-day strategies that help you get everything out of your months of preparation, so that you cross the finish line tired but satisfied.

The Day Before
The day before a big race, most runners find it useful to do a short run to loosen up their muscles and help calm their nerves. They choose to rest two days before the race, and then do a short run the day before the race. For most runners, a 4-6 kilometre gentle run, with a few minutes pickup within it, at close to race pace, provides just enough reminder that they’re fit and ready to race.

…for a 5.15am race start, you should eat your main meal by about 6pm the previous evening…

You should eat a relatively high carbohydrate diet and stay well-hydrated during the day. If your race starts early the next morning, avoid having your main meal late in the evening. For example, for a 5.15am race start, you should eat your main meal by about 6pm the previous evening, so there’s plenty of time to digest your meal and have a good night’s sleep.

Hydration shouldn’t be a problem, because you won’t be training much the last few days before the race, but it’s sometimes easy to forget to drink when travelling and staying in a hotel.

Race Morning
Make sure you get up early enough to eat and digest a small meal. The amount of time required varies between runners, so it’s helpful to try your pre-race meal timing in tune-up races prior to the marathon. For most runners, eating two hours in advance is enough time to get the benefits of a small meal without experiencing digestive distress out on the course.

You also need a plan for the time when you’ll be hanging around near the start. Of primary importance is staying warm during this time. If you get cold and start shivering, you’ll start to use up your glycogen stores and your muscles will start to tighten up. Wearing old running clothes that you’re happy to never see again, and if it’s raining, fashioning a big plastic garbage bag into a rain jacket, can keep you reasonably comfortable. The important thing is to stay reasonably calm, even if conditions are not ideal while you wait for the start.

Warming Up
The optimal warm-up for a race depends on the level of the athlete. For beginners, whose main goal is to finish, no warm-up is necessary. They can warm up during the first couple of kilometres of the race. For more serious marathoners, who will attempt to run the distance significantly faster than their normal training pace, the optimal warm-up consists of two runs of about 5 minutes each, with some gentle stretching in between.

RELATED: The 5-Minute Warm-Up You Should Be Doing!

You should start warming up about 30 to 40 minutes before the start of the race. Start your first warm-up run slowly, and gradually increase your pace so that you finish at about 1 minute per kilometre slower than  race pace. Next, stretch gently for about 10 minutes, including loosening up your shoulders and neck. Follow that with another 5 minutes of running, this time gradually picking up the pace until you reach race pace for the final 30 seconds or so. Then stretch a bit more, and take some sips of a sports drink to top off your carbohydrate stores, but not so much that fluid is sloshing in your stomach at the start.

That’s it. Try to time your warm-up so you finish no more than 10 minutes before the race starts. If you warm up too long before the race, you’ll lose some of the benefits.  The ability to time your warm-up like this is an advantage of running a smaller race, but at big events like Two Oceans you’re more likely to be herded to your starting position long before the race begins, so just do what you can.

Your Pacing Strategy
Assuming that you have a time goal for your race, how should you go about trying to achieve that time? Some runners go out hard and then try to hang on, as well as possible in the second half. Others try to run an even pace throughout. A few take it easy early on and then run the second half faster. Let’s consider the physiology of the ultra and the implications for your optimal pacing strategy.

Generally the best strategy is for relatively even pacing. If you run much faster than your overall race pace for part of the race, then you’ll use more glycogen than necessary and will likely start to accumulate lactate. If you run much slower than your overall race pace for part of the race, then you’ll need to make up for this lapse by running faster than the most efficient pace for another portion of the race. The optimal pacing strategy, then, is to run nearly even splits at a steady effort level (avoid spiking your heart rate too much on the climbs), taking into account the idiosyncrasies of the course you’ll be running.

…you’ll gradually fatigue your slow-twitch muscle fibres and will start to recruit more of your fast-twitch.

Most runners shouldn’t try to run dead-even splits, however, because during the race you’ll gradually fatigue your slow-twitch muscle fibres and will start to recruit more of your fast-twitch A fibres to maintain your pace. Unfortunately, these fast-twitch fibres tend to be less economical than your slow-twitch fibres in their use of oxygen. Therefore, your running economy will tend to decrease slightly during the race, meaning that your lactate threshold pace will decrease slightly as well. The result is that your optimal pace will be slightly reduced during the latter stages of the race.

An efficient pacing strategy would be to go through halfway slighter quicker, because doing so would allow you to slow by 5 to 10 percent during the second half – of the ultra in particular – and still achieve your goal finishing time. If you ran negative splits for the Oceans Ultra (i.e., the second half faster than the first half), chances are that you ran more slowly than optimal during the first half of the race and could have had a faster finishing time.

For world-class ultra runners, whose genetics and training put them on a higher plane, the optimal pacing strategy is likely a bit different. These select few are so highly trained that they have a lower tendency to recruit less-economical muscle fibres as the race progresses. In addition, they can pick up the pace over the last several kilometres and gradually accumulate lactate to the finish. This is trickier at Two Oceans where the two most challenging hills on the course happen in the second half.

The First Half
You’re finally at the starting line, warmed up and ready for the task ahead. It’s all too easy to get carried away and run the first kilometre too fast. A better approach is to run the first kilometre at, or a bit slower than, your goal pace. Because you won’t have done much of a warm-up before the start, your body won’t be prepared to go faster than race pace. Also, if you run too fast at the beginning of the race, your body will burn off extra glycogen and start to accumulate lactate that could negatively affect the rest of your race.

Once the first kilometre is out of the way, the best strategy during the next few kilometres is to settle into a good rhythm. Aim to run at your race pace and stay relaxed. Establishing a relaxed running style early in the race will go a long way toward helping you avoid tightening up, so you can maintain your goal pace to the finish.

Go through a mental checklist periodically to make sure your shoulders are relaxed, your body is upright, your breathing is steady, you are maintaining your stride rate and any other personal cues you use to help maintain good running style throughout the race.

Take a carbohydrate drink at the first aid station, or, if you’re carrying your own, within the first kilometre or two. It’s useful to take in carbs right from the start rather than waiting until you think you need them. If you wait until you feel tired and light-headed to take in carbohydrates, it will be too little too late. The longer you can postpone carbohydrate depletion, the longer you will be able to maintain your goal pace. It’s also useful to drink a few millilitres of fluid at each water point, especially during the ultra-marathon to minimise dehydration, using thirst as your guide on how much, and how frequently, to drink. A few seconds lost at each aid station can translate into several minutes gained toward the end of the race.

RELATED: 5 Hydration Mistakes You Are Probably Making

Mentally, the first half of the race is the time to cruise. Try to save your mental and emotional energy for the second half of the race. All other factors being equal, if there’s a group of runners in the lead pack at halfway, the winner will be the one who has cruised along at the back of the pack, saving his or her energy for the demands of the second half of the race. Regardless of your ultimate finishing place in the race, you should realise that the second half is much harder than the first half; just try to get the first half out of the way at the correct pace without using any more mental energy than necessary.

To Group or Not to Group
Although in most cases you should stay with your pacing plan, the weather or the tactics of other runners may merit slightly altering your strategy. If you’re running into a headwind, there’s a substantial advantage to running in a group of runners and letting others block the wind. Though you may need to do your share in leading the group, you’ll still save considerable energy compared to running by yourself into the wind. On a windy day, therefore, you may need to run faster or slower than planned to stay with a group.

Even on a calm day, the best strategy is to deviate slightly from your goal pace, rather than running most of the way by yourself. At almost any pace, you’ll be among a number of runners, and you can work with them to reach your goal time. Although drafting behind other runners will give you a small energy advantage, most of the benefit of staying with a group is psychological. You don’t have to set the pace, and you can relax and go along with the group.

Most runners find it quite difficult mentally to run by themselves for long stretches of an ultra. So what’s the trade-off between having company and having to compromise your strategy? A rule of thumb is to deviate from your goal pace by no more than 8 to 10 seconds per kilometre if you would otherwise be running by yourself during the first 32 kilometres of the race. Running 8 to 10 seconds per kilometre faster than planned may not sound like much over 1 kilometre, but this difference in effort can put you over the edge after a couple of kilometres.

The best way to judge whether to pick it up to latch on to a group is by how you feel at the time. If you feel as though you can handle it – you aren’t accumulating fatigue, or working noticeably harder and less efficiently than at the slower pace – then go for it. If your breathing is uncomfortable and you can sense that you’re working at a higher intensity than you can maintain until the finish, then relax and let the others go. The group won’t carry you the whole way beyond your level of conditioning. You may find that the group will soon break up and that you’ll once again have others to run with.

During the final 10 kilometres of the 56K, you can afford to be more independent. If no one else is running at the correct pace for you after you’ve passed the 45 kilometre mark, you need to muster the courage to go it alone. Chances are that forging on will work well psychologically, because if you’ve prepared well and run a fairly even pace, you’ll be passing other runners throughout the final kilometres. Nothing lifts the spirits quite like passing another runner late in the marathon.

30 To 45 Kilometres
From 30k to about 45K is the no man’s land of the 56K. You’re already fairly tired and still have a long way to go. This is where the mental discipline of training will help you maintain a strong effort and a positive attitude. It’s easy to let your pace slip during this stretch – 5 seconds per km, then 10 seconds per km, or more. By using all the available feedback on your pace – whether in the form of kilometre splits or a pace watch – you’ll know exactly how you’re progressing, and you should be able to concentrate and maintain your goal pace during these kilometres.

RELATED: What You Need To Know About Running A Marathon!

Slowing during this portion of the ultra is often more a matter of not concentrating, than of not being able to physically maintain the pace. Focusing on your splits gives you an immediate goal to concentrate on. The ability to do a bit of adding in your head while running is a helpful skill and gives you a mental task to keep your mind sharp. If you’re 5 seconds too slow when you calculate your split, don’t try to make up the lost 5 seconds during the next kilometre; aim to run your goal km pace again as your target to get yourself back on track. By focusing on these incremental goals along the way, you’ll prevent a large drift in your pace and should be able to stay very close to your goal.

It’s not unusual to have a few kilometres when you just don’t feel good. These bad patches are a test of mental resolve. Often these stretches will last a while and then mysteriously go away. For example, you might feel tight and uncomfortable from 24-27 kilometres, but then get back in the groove again and feel good to the finish. The key is to have the confidence that you’ll eventually overcome this bad patch.

Taking in carbohydrates every 5K during the second half of the race can help you maintain your mental focus. The only fuel for your brain is glucose (carbohydrate), and when you become carbohydrate-depleted, the amount of glucose reaching the brain starts to decrease. If you’ve carbo-loaded, this shouldn’t start to affect you until well past the 32 kilometre mark. Taking in carbohydrates during the race, and particularly at this stage, will help ensure that you stay alert and think clearly throughout the race.

The Final 10 Kilometres
This is the part that you’ve prepared for during your long months of training. This is when your long runs, during which you worked hard over the last stages, will really pay off. Until now, everything required the patience to hold back. Now, you’re free to see what you’ve got. During this final 10K, you get to dig deep and use up any energy that you have left. This is the stretch that poorly prepared athletes fear and well-prepared athletes relish.

The key is to push as hard as you can without having disaster strike in the form of a cramp or muscles so tight you lose your stride effectiveness. You will have prepared yourself for this during your long runs, your race-pace runs, and, to a lesser extent, your tempo runs. You need to use your body’s feedback to determine just how hard you can push. Chances are, by now your calf muscles, hamstrings, quads or some combination of these are on edge and will limit how fast you can go.

You need to test the waters a bit and push to what you perceive to be the limit that your muscles will tolerate. Try to pick it up a bit and see how your muscles react. There’s a risk that in trying to increase your pace you’ll end up with a cramp, so the safe option is to just try to maintain to the finish.  The more marathons and ultras you run, the more you’ll know your body’s reaction to these stresses and how hard you can push your muscles. You can take progressively greater risks as the finish line nears.

Although figuring out “how many km’s to go” can be daunting early on in the race, in this final stage it can be comforting and help keep you focused. As the finish approaches, telling yourself, “Less than 3 kilometres to go,” or “Just 15 minutes more,” can be motivating. If you’re struggling a bit toward the end, picture yourself finishing a run on your favourite training loop so the remaining distance seems more manageable.

If you’ve been drinking according to your thirst and taking in carbohydrates throughout the race, your muscles should be able to maintain the pace to the finish line. Continue drinking until the last few kilometres. Keeping up your blood sugar level will help you stay alert so you can concentrate well to the end. When you see the finish line approaching, give a little more effort so that you run strongly over the line – but not so much that you cramp and have to stop within sight of the line and limp across. Show yourself that you have mastered the race and are able to kick it in a bit to the finish. Then enjoy the fruits of your labour.

The post How To Run The Perfect Race appeared first on Runner's World.

The 12km point to point route is fast and flat and highlights iconic landmarks. It also boasts magnificent views while featuring lively performances from some of Cape Town’s leading performing arts groups.

The morning starts with a convenient bus trip from Cape Town’s CBD to the start in Milnerton.  The route follows the coastline running in the direction of the majestic table mountain before finishing in front of the iconic Portside Building in the heart of Cape Town.

All entrants, irrespective of their running pedigree, are invited to experience the alluring ambiance of the Mother City!

The post Cape Town 12K CITYRUN appeared first on Runner's World.

The BEST reaction to her coming to South Africa ?

— Brent Lindeque (@BrentLindeque) January 24, 2018

These sardonic cries for help turned out to be for naught. The singer won’t be Swish Swish-ing her way to drought-stricken Cape Town – usually a standard stop for touring artists. But while the promoters have declined to acknowledge if Cape Town’s water crisis is to blame (they cited only “production logistics”), the rest of the world has been watching as South Africa’s oldest city edges closer to its “Day Zero.”

That ominous term signifies the date predicted by officials when the city’s dam levels will drop to below 13.5 percent, too low to deliver a drinkable supply to residents. It was originally said to be April 22; then it was alarmingly brought forward to April 16 (confirmed on Tuesday, 30 January). Regardless of which mid-to-late-April day it lands on, Cape Town – home to 4 million and holiday spot to 2 million more per year – will become the first major city in the world to run out of water. It’s a crisis brought on by three years of constant drought conditions, coupled with a population boom in a city beloved for its sandy beaches, picturesque wine-lands and vibrant tourism industry.

RELATED: 5 Ways To Stay Hydrated During Long Runs

That this day was coming wasn’t exactly a surprise, but what was once spoken of only in whispers has now become a panicked shout. Angry residents blame the government for only exploring and building alternative water supplies now, but politicians point fingers right back at their constituents, saying residents haven’t adequately heeded calls to conserve water. It’s a problem that picks at the country’s history of segregation: Its poorest areas have never had running water, but only now that the issue has reached the more affluent parts of the province, affecting everyone across the socio-economic board, it’s become a priority for policymakers.

And it’s an issue that the city’s runners, who consume and use more water than the average non-active citizen, are now forced to reckon with: Is it worth continuing to run under such conditions, and if so, how do you do it?

Two Oceans, Not a Drop to Drink

Just two weeks before the anticipated Day Zero, 27,000 people are set to take part in the 49th edition of the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon, in either its half or ultra marathon distances. With its gorgeous mountain-to-beach route, it’s not hard to see why organisers have proclaimed it the world’s most beautiful race. Management accountant Letlamathebe Amos Baepi is one of those runners who fell in love with the scenic route after he ran the race last year, and had signed up to run it again this year. ‘I’m gutted about not participating this year,’ he says. ‘Cape Town is really the most beautiful marathon in the world, and running it gives me goosebumps.’

A runner since 2009, Baepi made the decision to voluntarily give-up his entry because of the water crisis. “I cannot run comfortably if I’m not hydrated,” he says. He’s used to drinking water every 6km-8km during a marathon, and is worried there won’t be enough available to him.

The organisers have said the Two Oceans Marathon, and all the activities slated to take place around it, will still go head. They’re working with the City of Cape Town and its disaster management team to figure it all out. So far, no municipal water will be used for any of the events; there will be no showers and the number of aid stations will be reduced. They say they understand Capetonians are worried, especially because half of the entry field is from outside of the metropolitan area, but the economic benefit these visiting runners bring must be noted too – projected to be over 675 million rand spent, together with thousands of jobs created, plus over 3 million rand raised for charity.

Still, there have been calls for Two Oceans to be cancelled or moved to a later date, as some residents question where the water for visitors from outside the city will come from.

RELATED:  Hydration Cups For The Win!

How Much Water Does One Runner Need?

When the crisis first became too pressing to ignore, the City of Cape Town suggested residents use only 50 litres of water per person per day. On February 1 that becomes mandated, and enforced by financial penalties. But on Day Zero that figure will be reduced to 25 litres. Some runners have gotten used to bringing and carrying their own water to races, allocating it from their daily ration – like Beverly Houston, a publicist living in Observatory, who regularly takes part in the Two Oceans half marathon and trail race.

‘I use a hydration pack – for road races and for trail ones,’ Houston says. ‘I did a race last Sunday and they didn’t provide water stations. They let people know beforehand, and no-one seemed to have a problem with this.’

Her go-to approach has been to use purified water, and any leftover goes straight onto her plants or into the grey-water system she’s had installed in her house. ‘Everyone needs to be playing their part,’ she says. Like Houston, pro trail runner Brendan Lombard, who runs six days a week, sometimes twice a day, makes use of a hydration pack. Lombard, who’ll be running the South African Ultra Trail Championships in March at the ADDO Elephant Park, says the water crisis hasn’t really affected his running because he is able to afford to buy five-litre spring water canisters from local supermarkets.

RELATED: Hydration Packs vs Vests for Trail Runners

‘I don’t feel guilty drinking water while running as I am not depleting our main feeding dam. My water is purchased from spring water companies from up-country. I do, however, feel terrible for those which cannot afford to be purchasing water every day,’ he says. ‘South Africa’s poor are going to be hit hardest by this crisis’

Lombard also drinks from natural springs found on runs he does up in the mountains. Philippa Jephson, who runs Run Cape Town tour company says they’ve been getting their water from mountain springs, too. But she’s not sure how much longer that will viable with even those sources drying up. ‘I tend to try not to overreact and try to take things a day at a time,’ she says. ‘But it is dire. If we hit Day Zero with no water, we won’t be able to host all those visitors without running water.’

Jephson says she’s surprised that visitors only seem to become aware of the water crisis once they arrive in Cape Town. ‘I have had no queries with regards to our water concerns prior to our running guests arriving, which I know seems bizarre!’ she adds. ‘It has affected our tours in that on a few of the routes where we used to stop for potable water the taps have actually been removed so they no longer provide water for the public.’

A spring near Newlands Forest has become an increasingly busier spot. Sue Ullyett, a long-time runner and race event manager, runs near there twice a week. ‘We used to go there just after 5 a.m. and fill up a few containers that would last us for a few weeks. Now it’s so busy from 4 a.m. that it’s a challenge to get water from there. There are people everywhere, and I’ve heard it’s become quite nasty and heated among people who are exercising their right to get water.’

She’s worried about the days to come. ‘How the hell are we going to go queue for our 25 litres when there are going to be thousands more trying to do so, too?’ she wonders. It’s a question also troubling Alexis van Reenen, who runs with the amateur club Carbineers Western Province. ‘I am concerned about finding time to have to stand in a line to collect water where tens of thousands of people will be lining up – this after having to work a full day,’ she says. ‘The possibility of violence is incredible as we have heard of one stabbing this week at one of the natural springs.’

The New Normal

Beyond getting water to hydrate, post-run showers have now become a luxury, with runners getting adept at using wet wipes and timing their showers to be under a minute. ‘I jump in a cold shower – luckily, it’s summer for us – get wet, switch off, soak quickly, wash my hair, and then rinse. I’ll use that water for the toilet cistern afterwards,’ says Ullyett. ‘I miss having a nice bath after a long run; I haven’t had a bath in over two years, it just becomes something you don’t do anymore.’ Van Reenen says she knows women runners who’ve cut their hair as short as possible so that it’s easier to maintain and doesn’t require so much water when washing it.

‘As runners, we go through plenty clothing,’ says Lombard. ‘And washing our clothes once a week is unfortunately going to have to become a reality. No use of washing machines will be allowed and we will need to hand wash our clothes with very limited water.’

Despite the anger and fear, most runners remain optimistic and are learning to adjust. ‘This is not going to put me off running,’ says van Reenen. ‘I love it. I love being with nature. I love the atmosphere at the races – and the euphoria you feel when finishing a race. It also helps with stress release.’

Ullyett sees it as a cautionary tale for others – runners or not – in the rest of the world to heed. ‘We take it for granted that you turn the tap on and water comes out. So we use it, willy-nilly, thinking there is an endless supply.’ In the meantime, she’ll keep on running. ‘I never will not want to go run. Even if I have to jump into the [freezing Atlantic] sea to wash afterwards. I can’t not run. It’s how I cope. It’s not all doom and gloom. South Africans are resilient; we’ll get through this. We may end up being a little smellier,’ she chuckles. ‘But we’ll keep on at it.’

RELATED: 5 Body Odours You Should Never Ignore!

Even if the taps don’t run, it seems, Capetonians still will.

The post How Do You Run When Your City’s Almost Out Of Water? appeared first on Runner's World.

Photographs & words by…
Ryan Scott

Runner…
Nick Muzik

GPS LOCATION
33°57’8.497”S 18°27’32.692”E

DURATION
Provided you take strategic rest breaks before you start feeling tired on the initial climb, if you’re a middle-of-the-pack trail runner you should reach the highest part of the Ridge in two and a half hours. The descent may be quicker, but your quads will take a pounding.

BEST TIME TO RUN
Early mornings are great, but early evenings are even better. Time it right – i.e. arrive at the Ridge 45 minutes before sunset – and the interaction between the sun, Table Mountain and Lion’s Head is spectacular.

TERRAIN
Well-travelled jeep tracks, solid singletracks, and steep (but not dangerous) rock faces and boulders are typical on the face of Table Mountain. But when you reach Knife Edge, singletrack gives way to boulders, and the Ridge becomes steep and sheer. The terrain isn’t technical, but it does present a challenge for those with a fear of heights.

THE RUN
Straight up to Knife Edge, and back down again. A good portion of this 6.5km loop involves an intense gradient – not even advanced runners should expect to run all the way up this steep climb.

Pace yourself by combining power walking, scrambling and running. Don’t push yourself into the red zone voluntarily, because the arduous ascent will take care of that. Try to bank some power in your reserve.

Follow the trail straight up from Rhodes Memorial, via the King’s Blockhouse. Continue upwards past the small hut above the Blockhouse, until you reach a path to the right that is 100 metres below Knife Edge.

Then you have two options: either ignore the path and continue straight upwards, scrambling safely across; or, if you’re scared of heights and dramatic drop-offs, taking the contour path to the right will prove a far less jarring experience. The contour path leads towards the City Bowl, so you can make your way down via a variety of singletrack trails – either back to Rhodes Mem, or you can go in search of further adventures on the slopes of Table Mountain.

GETTING THERE
Take the M3, and look out for the signage to Rhodes Memorial, between UCT and Kirstenbosch. Park at Rhodes Mem, and begin your run on the singletrack that starts from the steepest part of the parking lot. Then, power your way up the singletrack, towards the King’s Blockhouse.

INSIDER TIP
Give yourself a window of a few days, and keep an eye on the wind (for an accurate prediction, visit windguru.com). It’s not worth the trip if the wind’s pumping – which it often is, in this part of Cape Town.

Take in the view. In a full 360 degrees you can admire the City Bowl, Devil’s Peak, and Muizenberg over the top of the lush Southern Suburbs; Lion’s Head, the harbour, and the Hottentots Holland Mountains; and the flora and fauna of Table Mountain.

The post RAVE RUN: Mowbray Ridge, Cape Town appeared first on Runner's World.

Photographs by…
Nick Muzik

Runner & words by…
Ryan Scott

GPS LOCATION
Starting in Hout Bay:
34° 2’ 56.267” S; 18° 21’ 44.362” E

Starting in Noordhoek:
34° 5’ 49.895” S; 18° 22’ 38.618” E

TERRAIN

The tar road is in good condition, and rises from either side to a peak at the halfway point of the pass. There are lots of opportunities to join the trails for an off-road adventure.

BEST TIME TO RUN

In winter, water runs off the mountain, and there’s deep, green vegetation, and colourful, flowering fynbos. Start from the Hout Bay side early in the morning, when the sun is looking over your shoulder from behind. Sunsets in the evenings are equally fantastic.

INTERESTING FACTS

Chappies forms part of the 56-kilometre Two Oceans ultra. But by the time you hit it, you’re already 27 kilometres into your race, with 29 still left to go. At this stage, you may not be in the best state to fully appreciate your beautiful surroundings. That’s why running Chappies at leisure is more of a treat – stopping regularly to take in the views is a must.

LOCAL’S TIP

There are public bathrooms just after the tollgate; and close to the ablution block is a mini waterfall, which is signposted from the mountain side of the road, and runs with refreshing, cold water between May and January.

Café Roux, at the Noordhoek Farm Village, serves delicious post-run breakfasts – and even has a well-equipped children’s playground.

THE RUN

Since this majestic section of road became a privatised stretch – you have to pay a toll, if you want to travel by car – there is far less traffic for runners to contend with. This is one of the most scenic (and downright incredible) running routes South Africa has to offer.

The route is 10 kilometres long. Running on the sea side of the pass is best; for the most part, there’s a hard shoulder that’s ample for you to run on safely – even two abreast, with a buddy. There are a few short segments on the Noordhoek side where you’ll have to stop and wait for cars travelling towards Hout Bay to pass; but there’s enough space to do so in safety. Traffic doesn’t tend to be an issue unless it’s a particularly busy summer day, or during tourist season.

Five kilometres into the pass, from either side, you’ll reach the main viewpoint – the vistas of the Atlantic Ocean from this spot are as spectacular as it gets! From here, either keep going and do the full 20-kilometre out-and-back; or for a shorter 10-kilometre option, simply turn and run back the way you came (or carry on, and arrange for someone to pick you up on the other side).

PARKING

There is safe – and free – parking outside the Velocity Gym and Vida e Caffè in Hout Bay, which is situated at the foot of Chapman’s Peak Drive. Starting from the Noordhoek side? Your best bet is to park at the Noordhoek Farm Village. If you’re pressed for time, or simply want to run a shorter distance, there is parking at East Fort, which is situated two kilometres into the pass from the Hout Bay side.

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