Going Over the
Mountain
Safely
ADVERTORIAL
Anyone who has ever done the Pirates 21K race that takes you over Northcliff Hill will tell you that this run has earned its nickname of being Joburg ’ s Toughest 21 . Now in its 43rd year , this famous race is a highlight on the running calendar , and definitely one to tick off the bucket list … even in the time of COVID .
Determined to avoid disappointing their loyal following as a result of lockdown regulations , Pirates Road Running approached regular sponsor of the race , Medshield Medical Scheme , with the idea to host a virtual event in 2021 , but with a difference . Participants would be encouraged to run the infamous ‘ Over The Mountain ’ route on any day during the month of February , with a particular focus on weekends , when athletes could run together , provided numbers were kept within COVID-19 protocols .
And so the Pirates 21K Special Edition Powered by Medshield was born , and the concept hit the right mark with the running community . “ We were overwhelmed by the response and had to close off entries to limit numbers ,” says Pirates Road Running Chair , Natalie Mills . “ I think road runners have been desperate to get out and run in a safe environment with their friends , without encountering hordes of people . The route obviously made a difference , as it ’ s always a major talking point and an achievement to say that ‘ I ’ ve run over the mountain ’.”
Personalised race numbers were emailed to all entrants , and registration and collection of an awesome goodie bag and T-shirt were spread out over four weeks . Add in a few Comrades winners and other elite athletes participating , and Pirates Club ’ s great vibe , and you had a winning formula .
Raring to Race Again
With around 1600 entries , it is estimated that over 3000 runners ran the Pirates race route in February . This included some entrants who ran it twice , as well as some athletes who couldn ’ t get an entry but wanted to run it anyway . Runners were encouraged to submit their own times on an online leaderboard , and the winners were asked to provide proof of their submissions .
Natalie continues , “ To add to the excitement , we had Medshield ambassador and Comrades Marathon winner Bongmusa Mthembu run the race on one of the days . He was joined by our Pirates elite squad , and our own Patrick Machakela gave him a good run for his money , but in the end , Bongmusa won the race overall in a time of 1:14:49 . The overall female winner was Debbie O ’ Mahony , who finished in 1:40:18 .”
Images : Courtesy Pirates Road Running
The run includes famous hills such as K1 ( short for k * khuis 1 ), K2 ( short for k * khuis 2 ) and the King of the Mountain section . Mapped out on Strava , the winners of these section were also acknowledged and rewarded with prizes from our sponsors , part of nearly R40,000 that was given to winning runners and clubs , sponsored by Medshield . Other prizes and goodie bags were generously donated by Energade and Squirt Barrier Balm .
Working closely with CGA to ensure that people would be able to run safely and responsibly , the goal of the Pirates 21K Special Edition Powered by Medshield was ultimately to get people back on the road . With athletes from over 110 clubs taking part , it seems to have succeeded in doing just that .
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