TTOM LEGEND
I remember meeting one of my club mates as I was running up Southern Cross Drive during the Half – he had also done the Long Trail the day before – and he asked me outright,“ Are you crazy?”
Afzal on Chappies during this 10th voyage in the Ultra in 2009
thing about Two Oceans is that you enter in October and you’ ve put a peg in the ground, and that keeps me motivated and focused in November, December, January, knowing that there’ s a big race in April. I find that setting goals is important, as it gives me a reason to get out of bed when I don’ t feel like it, and continue working towards that goal. I don’ t like running aimlessly, I always set myself goals.
Q: In terms of your long career at Two Oceans, are there any memories or highlights that really stand out for you?
AD: Yes, it would probably be the years that I did the Comrades Marathon as well, which would be 1998 and 1999. Quite incredibly, my times at Two Oceans were 4:55 in both those years, with a 4:55:47 in 1998 and then my PB 4:55:45 in 1999, going two seconds faster than in 1998. I was actually on track to go even better in the year 2000, but that was the year that the race was redirected over Ou Kaapseweg – I think it was because of rock falls and the rebuilding on Chappies – and I picked up a runner’ s knee injury within that race, while coming down Ou Kaapseweg. I went through the halfway point at least six or seven minutes faster than the previous two years, and I was on track to beat 4:55, but then I hurt my knee and had to hop to the finish. I still made it in 5:19, which I think was a very good time, but in terms of the absolute highlight, it would be 1998 and 1999.
Then, of course, achieving my Blue Number in 2009. Getting to 10 takes some doing – the preparation, the focus, the effort that goes into it – and you literally have to dedicate so much time and energy towards that goal. I eventually achieved it, having opted to do the Half Marathon from 2001 to 2003 because of a change of career, but then I got back into the Ultra and completed my 10.
Q: In 2014 you began doing both the Half Marathon and Trail Run at Two Oceans. What motivated you to start doing that?
AD: I started getting into trail running prior to that 2014 Two Oceans, and then decided to do both at Two Oceans. It was tough to race both the Friday and the Saturday, and that was just doing the Short Trail Run, but there was one year, 2015, where I did the Long Trail Run, followed by the Half the next day. That was particularly brutal, because the uphill and the downhill of the Long Trail Run really takes its toll, and I was out there for over four hours.
There were many sections of that race where we had to follow a single track, and I lost about 20 minutes in the queue at the section where we virtually had to absail down a steep section, with people there to assist us down the mountain! That was really intense, and gruelling, but I thought this is just an adventure up the mountain today, and I’ ve got the Two Oceans Half 21 tomorrow, so I wasn’ t too worried about my running time. The next day, I remember meeting one of my club mates, Adrian Jessop, as I was running up Southern Cross Drive during the Half – he had also done the Long Trail the day before, and came out to support the runners in the Half – and he asked me outright,“ Are you crazy?” I just smiled and said,“ Yes!”
I won’ t do the Long Trail with the Half Marathon again, but I am going to be doing both the Short Trail and Half Marathon for at least the next two editions, to get to 10 Trail Runs, and then I’ m going to continue with the Half to get to 20. I won’ t stop there, though … I want to see how far I can get with the Half Marathon. Like I said, it’ s an important goal for me to put that peg in the ground, and then I know what I’ m training for during the Festive Season, so I will carry on with the Two Oceans Half as long as the body is able to.
Q: In terms of training for Two Oceans, is there anything specific you do to prepare for two races in two days? Do you change anything in your training, and do you incorporate both trail and road training?
AD: I do throw in one or two short trail runs, in my trail shoes, but the focus is still mainly on road, because that represents what I do for most of the year.
Q: You’ re more than just a Blue Number Club member, you’ re a‘ double member’ on the way to becoming a‘ triple member.’ What does being part of the BNC mean to you?
AD: For me, it’ s not just about getting preferential entry into the next year’ s race. Two Oceans is one of our flagship events in this country, and it’ s right on my doorstep – on Two Oceans race morning, it takes me just 10 minutes from home to get to UCT Middle Campus. I sometimes travel long distances for races, and I’ ve done a couple of overseas races as well, but Two Oceans is an incredible, global event right on my doorstep. For me, it’ s a must-do race, and over the years, it’ s always been brilliantly organised and just a pleasure to part of. I always enjoy the atmosphere and the energy, and it’ s wonderful to participate in the event.
So, I will be there again this year, working towards my goal of 10 Trail Runs, and after that 20 Half Marathons, and then I’ ll take it from there. I don’ t try and look too far into the future, I take it one year at a time, and just keep adding to what I’ ve already achieved. I hope my achievements inspire other runners to set goals and create their own legacy in this world-class event.
First Blue Number in the bag in 2009
A second Blue Number in 2016, presented to Afzal by Grace De Oliveira
Afzal is proud of his two Blues, and aiming to add a third in 2027
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