ROAD RUNNING
A bit of ‘ gees ’ on the bus to the start
people .” Yes , we run for health and fitness reasons , but we can do that on a treadmill , or on a solo training run around our neighbourhood . We enter races for the vibe and the connectedness with fellow runners , otherwise known as ubuntu , the Zulu word for “ I am , because we are .” And that ’ s what I took out of my RUN YOUR CITY experience .
Let ’ s Get the Party Started
It was a bit of a chilly start to the day at the Grand Parade in the City Centre at around 5:45am , where we would catch a bus out to the start at Woodbridge Island in Milnerton . We had Modern Athlete Editor and race commentator , Sean Falconer warming us up with his sunny disposition , and I hung around the Grand Parade for a while , enjoying my coffee while soaking up the pre-race vibes before heading out on one of the busses .
Arriving at the start was like stepping into a carnival . It was colourful and vibrant , with upbeat music , glitzy performers on stilts , a marching band , as well as a pair of kwaito dancers on stage warming up the runners with a dance routine , and of course , the excited chatter of fellow runners . It all added to the unique atmosphere that makes this event so different to most other races on the calendar , and the energy was palpable . After soaking up some sun , chatting to fellow runners and dancing off any pre-race jitters , I made my way into the starting pens , and around 9:30am , my batch was set off . We were on our way to paint the town red , all the way to the finish line in Lower Long Street , opposite the Absa building .
We ’ d only been running for 2km when we reached the first vibe point , which felt like a continuation of the carnival vibe at the start line . This was the Marimba Cape Whalers Outreach Group , made up of marimba and percussion players from the Macassar and
Firgrove communities , and this group included some really talented children as young as 10 years old . Their enthusiasm was also wonderful to experience . A few minutes later , at the 3km mark , we were greeted by the catchy groove of Lindelani Performing Arts , along with a fully stocked refreshment station .
Another wonderful aspect of this race is that it is plastic-free , resulting in a much cleaner route , free from plastic sachets that all too often blow into the ocean and affect our wildlife . I can attest to the fact that the decision to use paper cups – from an environmental perspective – made the world of difference ! Each water station was fully stocked with cold water , Powerade and Coke , and lined with bins for runners to dispose of the paper cups . The result … the runners were nudged to # RunClean , and it showed in the cleanliness of the streets , especially at the water tables themselves .
Just the Right Support
We didn ’ t have far to go for the next instalment of route entertainment , because within 500m of that first water table , we were blessed with the beats of AfroBeat Drumming . I couldn ’ t help but adjust my stride to match the rhythmical beating of the djembe drums , as I smiled my way through the 4km mark . A short while later , approaching the 5km mark , I was feeling the urge to have a walk break , when I heard the familiar voice of Sean Falconer again . He was on the mic at the Coca-Cola vibe point at the halfway
Images : Chris Hitchcock , Mark Sampson , & Sean Falconer
The dancing warm-up 29 got the runners going