Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 127, February 2020 | Page 18

THE RUNNING MANN
always lose track once I run out of fingers. That said,
one landmark I always keep a look out for is the local
brickworks which marks 8km to go and is where the
half marathoners rejoin the marathon route.
From the brickworks you know it’s not long before
Bredasdorp comes into sight and you can look forward to
a long downhill all the way to the edge of town. There is
one last sharp hill to negotiate as you reach Bredasdorp
proper, but conveniently the last support table is at the
foot of this hill, providing a good excuse for a walk before
attacking the final 2km through the town.
I’ve also noted a tendency that some events seem
to be getting too big for their boots. Therefore, it’s
a pleasure to return to the Boland and experience
this down-to-earth race at the bottom of Africa that
puts its participants first and provides a unique and
authentic running experience.
One Tough Challenge
If the mountain hasn’t killed your legs, the drop down
into Napier is by far the easiest section of the race.
However, after 25km along farmland, gravel road,
jeep tracks and mountain paths, being dumped onto
the tar at Napier is a real shock to the system. The
succinct and best route summary is, “The first half
screws up your legs, and the second half screws up
your mind.”
With the most scenic part of the route complete and
long-distance fatigue starting to set into the legs,
the final section can pose too much of a challenge
for the faint-hearted: In the past, I’ve seen several
runners do a “planned bail” in Napier. Come to think
of it, just before you hit the high street of Napier, you
pass the local retirement village, so perhaps this
subconsciously influences the weak-willed?
Although I didn’t spot anyone succumbing to an early
breakfast in one of the quaint Napier eateries this year,
I did witness one strange case of altitude sickness.
The bright yellow and blue strip of Strand Athletic
Club runners was prominent during the race. Strand
is the flattest place on the planet – it makes the Vaal
Triangle look hilly – so Strand AC runners should be
applauded for even attempting Voet. However, after
a slow ascent followed by a rapid descent, I saw one
Strand runner channelling his inner Michael Flatley for
a quick Irish jig-jog.
This is a real community event and the support tables
are organised by everyone, from local businesses
to the local police station. With the end in sight, it’s
natural for the mind to start thinking ahead to post-
race relaxation, which for a large chunk of the field
would be a braai and a few beers. The Spar table
was well-positioned to take advantage of this line of
thinking, and whilst I sampled their wares, I overheard
runners asking for butchery recommendations for the
post-marathon braai.
One of the big tourist draw-cards in the area is a
visit to Cape Agulhas, the southernmost point of
Africa and the official meeting place of the Atlantic
and Indian Oceans. This is a particularly rugged and
treacherous section of coastline and several ships
have been wrecked along these perilous shores.
Likewise, the terrain a little inland is no less torturous
– and the Voet has wrecked many a fine pair of legs.
Ship happens, but those who manage to successfully
charter their way around this rocky route and navigate
safe passage to harbour at the Bredasdorp Sports
Grounds might want to pay respects to the less
fortunate at the Shipwreck Museum one passes just a
kilometre from the finish.
Unwavering Commitment
Whilst some races rebrand their catchphrase annually,
the Voet has stuck with “The toughest race with the
warmest heart” for as long as I can remember. Whilst
marketing slogans are easy to dream up, actually
living up to them is much more challenging, but the
Voet actually pulls it off. This is a race where the
whole community gets involved, and I’ve certainly felt
the warmth of the local hospitality every time I’ve run.
Counting the Climbs
The road to Bredasdorp lived up to my recollections
of being a relentless slog. Those who’ve counted
the undulations to the finish at the Bredasdorp
Sport Grounds claim there are 17 hills over the last
16 kilometres... I’ve tried counting them myself, but
18
Ship happens on the
rugged, rocky terrain at the
southernmost tip of Africa
As an example of how they live up to their motto, in
2018 the one-legged amputee athlete, Xolani Luvuno,
completed the route but missed the six-hour cut-off
by just five minutes. Although he was not given an
official finish, he was still awarded a medal and the
organisers invited him back again in 2019 as the
official race ambassador. Sadly the cut-off once again
eluded Xolani, this time by just a couple of minutes,
but I am sure he’ll be back for another attempt at
becoming the first person with one foot to conquer
the Voet!
As for me, having scratched my seven-year itch, I’m
pleased to report that the Voet is still one of the best
marathons in South Africa (and the world). I’m often
asked about my top 10 marathons, but am fairly non-
committal with my responses, as I want to run every
marathon in South Africa before making things official.
However, I can confirm that the provisional list does
have at least one entry written in ink... the Voet van
Afrika Marathon.
Signing out
from the Voet
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Stuart’s blogs usually focus on his adventures (and sometimes misadventures)
while running marathons and ultra-marathons all over South Africa, and occasionally in other countries. He
recently fulfilled a lifetime goal of securing a shoe sponsorship from The Sweatshop Broadacres and Asics
South Africa (and a running kit sponsorship from Runderwear), thus allowing him to run more races and
share their stories. You can read his original blogs at http://runningmann.co.za, and follow him on social
media @runningmann100.
ISSUE 127 FEBRUARY 2020 / www.modernathlete.co.za
I had previously observed Angelo and Esmund
spending plenty of quality time together as they
slowly trudged up the mountain. They run for KENFAC
– a running club combining the names of the two
neighbouring Cape Town communities of KENsington
and FACtreton. Fortuitously, the club’s founders
decided on this conjunction order, although I definitely
heard Angelo and Esmund use the word FACKEN
several times on the uphills!