By BOB NORRIS
Winter running in East London is not the challenge that it is in the hinterland, but the launch of the all new Winter Wonderland 12km road race, as part of a broader festival of wintery events this Saturday gives a good feel to the generally mild winters on offer.
The theme of the race entails the collection of “Winter Woollies” for the needy and there will be collection boxes at the start and on the route for the collection thereof, giving participants a good warm fuzzy feeling.
A 2.30pm start at a predicted temperature of 16ºC is ideal for racing on the roads and in the farmlands that the race navigates.
Starting at Beacon Bay Crossing and sponsored by Audi East London, the race heads towards the N6 in the direction of Stutterheim. At the 4km mark, and a kilometre past Ducats, runners head onto gravel roads through farming areas and some quite spectacular valley views.
The running will be exhilarating from there all the way down to the old Gonubie Road at Pine Creek and the 10km mark.
Running this 6km stretch will have been exceptionally fast, but will take a different guise as runners turn and head back to Beacon Bay and a finish at the start venue.
The race is by no means a cross-country event as it is run only on made up roads of tar and gravel, but it will at least give that country feeling associated with winter.
Respectable cash prizes will ensure that many of the top runners in the province are likely to compete.
The men’s race should be determined by a clash between two in-form runners from the host club, Born 2 Run, Luthando Hejana and Lukanyo Ngxoko, along with Bulelani Mgubo of All Stars who thrashed the Kidds Beach parkrun record last week.
An appearance by Olympic marathoner Lusapho April could change all that, but his training programme will determine that.
The South African half-marathon championships take place a week later and the 12km race distance is an ideal final dress-rehearsal for that event, which takes place on a fast course in Port Elizabeth.
Because the course offers so much variety and the need to manage both fast downhill and tough uphill running, it is not inconceivable that surprise results could emerge among the men.
In the women’s race Born 2 Run’s Hanlie Botha has been in sublime form over the past few weeks, both down in the Western Cape and in East London.
Three course records broken over 5km parkruns in Bellville, Durbanville and Sunrise-on-Sea, along with a win at the Trevor Klose 10km, mean she should cruise to a win on Saturday.
Fellow Border team members, Andrea Ranger and Caryn Lategan of Old Selbornians and Born 2 Run respectively will certainly be in the mix, while the presence of three other Born 2 Run members, Lauren Ranger, Jaime Griffiths and Rachel Petersen, along with Chantelle Adonis of United AC and Ingrid Webber, also of Old Selbornians, would create interest in the dash for the top five positions.
Age group runners, inclusive of promising juniors, could also force their way into the mix, using their experience, youthful exuberance or racing strengths.
Shannon Nel of SKG Marketing, who are the movers behind the entire festival, is upbeat about the race and all the activities adding to the attraction of the day.
There is wine-tasting, a fashion show, beer garden, great culinary options and plenty of kids entertainment to suit every pallet.
Entries are available at the Thule store in the Crossing and will be taken all week. Race T-shirts are available to the first 500 who enter.
There is also a 4km fun dash for those who prefer either a short fast race or something a little more gentle, which starts at 2.45pm.
The road race to blow the winter chills away
Winter running in East London is not the challenge that it is in the hinterland, but the launch of the all new Winter Wonderland 12km road race, as part of a broader festival of wintery events this Saturday gives a good feel to the generally mild winters on offer.
The theme of the race entails the collection of “Winter Woollies” for the needy and there will be collection boxes at the start and on the route for the collection thereof, giving participants a good warm fuzzy feeling.
A 2.30pm start at a predicted temperature of 16ºC is ideal for racing on the roads and in the farmlands that the race navigates.
Starting at Beacon Bay Crossing and sponsored by Audi East London, the race heads towards the N6 in the direction of Stutterheim. At the 4km mark, and a kilometre past Ducats, runners head onto gravel roads through farming areas and some quite spectacular valley views.
The running will be exhilarating from there all the way down to the old Gonubie Road at Pine Creek and the 10km mark.
Running this 6km stretch will have been exceptionally fast, but will take a different guise as runners turn and head back to Beacon Bay and a finish at the start venue.
The race is by no means a cross-country event as it is run only on made up roads of tar and gravel, but it will at least give that country feeling associated with winter.
Respectable cash prizes will ensure that many of the top runners in the province are likely to compete.
The men’s race should be determined by a clash between two in-form runners from the host club, Born 2 Run, Luthando Hejana and Lukanyo Ngxoko, along with Bulelani Mgubo of All Stars who thrashed the Kidds Beach parkrun record last week.
An appearance by Olympic marathoner Lusapho April could change all that, but his training programme will determine that.
The South African half-marathon championships take place a week later and the 12km race distance is an ideal final dress-rehearsal for that event, which takes place on a fast course in Port Elizabeth.
Because the course offers so much variety and the need to manage both fast downhill and tough uphill running, it is not inconceivable that surprise results could emerge among the men.
In the women’s race Born 2 Run’s Hanlie Botha has been in sublime form over the past few weeks, both down in the Western Cape and in East London.
Three course records broken over 5km parkruns in Bellville, Durbanville and Sunrise-on-Sea, along with a win at the Trevor Klose 10km, mean she should cruise to a win on Saturday.
Fellow Border team members, Andrea Ranger and Caryn Lategan of Old Selbornians and Born 2 Run respectively will certainly be in the mix, while the presence of three other Born 2 Run members, Lauren Ranger, Jaime Griffiths and Rachel Petersen, along with Chantelle Adonis of United AC and Ingrid Webber, also of Old Selbornians, would create interest in the dash for the top five positions.
Age group runners, inclusive of promising juniors, could also force their way into the mix, using their experience, youthful exuberance or racing strengths.
Shannon Nel of SKG Marketing, who are the movers behind the entire festival, is upbeat about the race and all the activities adding to the attraction of the day.
There is wine-tasting, a fashion show, beer garden, great culinary options and plenty of kids entertainment to suit every pallet.
Entries are available at the Thule store in the Crossing and will be taken all week. Race T-shirts are available to the first 500 who enter.
There is also a 4km fun dash for those who prefer either a short fast race or something a little more gentle, which starts at 2.45pm.
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