Only once in the 23-year history of the Caltex Sole Destroyer has the race had to be re-routed and that was caused by heavy rains and the flooding of the first causeway in Horseshoe Valley.
That scenario is unlikely to be repeated despite recent rains and although we have been enjoying largely spring weather, another cold front is predicted for the weekend with a long range forecast of rain for tomorrow and a clear but chilly race day on Sunday.
The only sure prediction, however, is that seasoned runners will not be recording personal best half-marathon times on this course.
Even great runners in their prime have battled to break 70 minutes in the men’s race and 90 minutes in the women’s.
Mluleki Nobanda, a past winner of the Two Oceans and many local races, inclusive of Sole Destroyer, has been one of the fastest through the valley, up to King of the Mountain, down into Dorchester Heights and up the infamous Willasdale Drive to the finish.
Nobanda, who now runs for SAPS out of Mthatha, was impressive at the tough Mdantsane 10km a few weeks ago. Now well into the veteran ranks of 40+ he finished in fourth place, so he cannot be written off on Sunday.
The inaugural winner of Sole Destroyer, the then 28-year-old Makaya Masumpa, is now in the 50+ age category, which he won in Mdantsane while finishing 12th overall.
Masumpa placed second in his category at the SA half-marathon championships recently and the Born 2 Run man will be taking them on yet again this year. He was also the first King of The Mountain winner for cresting the highest point of the race, at about 7km into the race.
Other great runners who stamped their mark on Sole Destroyer in the early years were Mpumezi Bomvana and Monde Tutani, the latter also running in Mdantsane in the colours of his Cape Town club Gugulethu AC.
Diane Sandford fulfilled the same role as Masumpa in that first groundbreaking event, using her cross-country background to great effect. Sandford won national colours prior to her arrival in East London from Port Elizabeth.
In the aftermath of the Sandford era Lizanne Holmes became dominant on the notorious hills of Sole Destroyer and since then it will come as no surprise that Hanlie Botha has the fastest time to her credit, with numerous wins to her name.
Looking forward to Sunday it is likely to be a mix of some youth interspersed with the veterans.
Among the men we can expect to see Bulelani Mgubo of All Stars chasing, while Born 2 Run’s Luthando Hejana, this year’s Border cross-country champion, who limped into the Mdantsane finish, should be back challenging upfront, along with at least three of his clubmates, inclusive of which should be Diesel Depot winner Lukanyo Ngxoko and Ntobeko Xiniwe.
Two good youngsters to watch are Lithobe Manzeleleli of Real Gijimas and Malixole Kalideni from Old Selbornians.
Hanlie Botha remains the top female runner in the province and one of the best in South Africa so all things being equal she will again take both Queen of the Mountain and the race.
Andrea Ranger of Old Selbornians will fancy taking second place, while Botha’s clubmates, Caryn Lategan and Lauren Ranger, are in with a sure chance of making the podium.
Host club Oxford Striders have a number of age group runners who could feature in both men’s and women’s results.
The race starts from a point approximately 1km from the Highgate Hotel at 6.30am.
Great test ahead in Destroyer
That scenario is unlikely to be repeated despite recent rains and although we have been enjoying largely spring weather, another cold front is predicted for the weekend with a long range forecast of rain for tomorrow and a clear but chilly race day on Sunday.
The only sure prediction, however, is that seasoned runners will not be recording personal best half-marathon times on this course.
Even great runners in their prime have battled to break 70 minutes in the men’s race and 90 minutes in the women’s.
Mluleki Nobanda, a past winner of the Two Oceans and many local races, inclusive of Sole Destroyer, has been one of the fastest through the valley, up to King of the Mountain, down into Dorchester Heights and up the infamous Willasdale Drive to the finish.
Nobanda, who now runs for SAPS out of Mthatha, was impressive at the tough Mdantsane 10km a few weeks ago. Now well into the veteran ranks of 40+ he finished in fourth place, so he cannot be written off on Sunday.
The inaugural winner of Sole Destroyer, the then 28-year-old Makaya Masumpa, is now in the 50+ age category, which he won in Mdantsane while finishing 12th overall.
Masumpa placed second in his category at the SA half-marathon championships recently and the Born 2 Run man will be taking them on yet again this year. He was also the first King of The Mountain winner for cresting the highest point of the race, at about 7km into the race.
Other great runners who stamped their mark on Sole Destroyer in the early years were Mpumezi Bomvana and Monde Tutani, the latter also running in Mdantsane in the colours of his Cape Town club Gugulethu AC.
Diane Sandford fulfilled the same role as Masumpa in that first groundbreaking event, using her cross-country background to great effect. Sandford won national colours prior to her arrival in East London from Port Elizabeth.
In the aftermath of the Sandford era Lizanne Holmes became dominant on the notorious hills of Sole Destroyer and since then it will come as no surprise that Hanlie Botha has the fastest time to her credit, with numerous wins to her name.
Looking forward to Sunday it is likely to be a mix of some youth interspersed with the veterans.
Among the men we can expect to see Bulelani Mgubo of All Stars chasing, while Born 2 Run’s Luthando Hejana, this year’s Border cross-country champion, who limped into the Mdantsane finish, should be back challenging upfront, along with at least three of his clubmates, inclusive of which should be Diesel Depot winner Lukanyo Ngxoko and Ntobeko Xiniwe.
Two good youngsters to watch are Lithobe Manzeleleli of Real Gijimas and Malixole Kalideni from Old Selbornians.
Hanlie Botha remains the top female runner in the province and one of the best in South Africa so all things being equal she will again take both Queen of the Mountain and the race.
Andrea Ranger of Old Selbornians will fancy taking second place, while Botha’s clubmates, Caryn Lategan and Lauren Ranger, are in with a sure chance of making the podium.
Host club Oxford Striders have a number of age group runners who could feature in both men’s and women’s results.
The race starts from a point approximately 1km from the Highgate Hotel at 6.30am.
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