ROAD RUNNING
The Coca-Cola ‘ Tunnel of Love ’ at halfway
More Opportunities to RUN YOUR CITY
The Cape Town leg was the first of three races in the 2022 Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series . The remaining two races take place on the following days :
Sunday 10 July 2022 Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K
Saturday 24 September 2022 Absa RUN YOUR CITY JOBURG 10K
For more information on the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series and to enter online , visit : https :// runyourcityseries . com . mark , just before we hit the highway , so instead of walking , I picked up my pace and ran through the Coke ‘ tunnel of love ’ with smoke bubbles ( no , really ) and into the arms of said commentator for a quick hug and kiss before heading into the city for the second half of the race .
Sean just happens to be my partner in crime … I mean , life , but I know I ’ m not the only runner who feels uplifted and energised by his ability to encourage , lift spirits and even crack a smile or laugh out of us when we ’ re going through one of those “ why am I doing this to myself ” moments in a race . So , on behalf of many runners out there , I ’ d like to thank him for providing so much energy and encouragement ( and inspirational stories through this mag ) to all of us runners , especially when we need it most .
With my energy boosted , I made my way onto the N1 . In another unique ‘ first ,’ the RUN YOUR CITY organisers obtained permission from the City of Cape Town for us to run on the highway , from the Marine Drive intersection to where the elevated freeway starts , and that made the race all the more special . About 300m before the 6km mark we went through another vibe point this time sponsored by Heineken , and I heard the upbeat song by Pink , Raise Your Glass , as the DJ encouraged us to “ keep those legs moving .” At this point , I will admit that Pink had me thinking about raising a glass at the finish line !
Into the Home Stretch
Next up was the second water table , at approximately the 7km mark , under the elevated freeway , and although I was supporting the # ICarryMyOwn initiative by wearing my hydration pack , I will admit that the boost from a cup of Powerade was just what I needed . ( After all , I knew the PUMA Beat Bolt Sprint was still ahead somewhere .) After the water point , we turned left into Adderley Street and we were greeted by a wave of yellow as we hit the DHL vibe point . They had loads of smiling faces and some bongo players , giving me a boost for the last few kays to the finish . And there was still more to come in terms of entertainment !
Less than 500 metres later , the Macassar Drummies made sure that I wasn ’ t going to focus on my tired legs , but instead , be carried by their energy and vibe . A further 300 metres down the road and Absa ’ s cheerleaders and dancers carried on the job of giving us runners their all , making sure that we kept moving , and more importantly , that we kept smiling ( and dancing ). I even managed to jump to high-five one of the Absa hanging hands as I made my way through the cheering , music and dancing .
Next , we were met with the vibrant , cultural celebration of a Kaapse Klopse band , further encapsulating the unique vibe of the Mother City , and then we were serenaded by the Mayibuye Cultural
Ensemble . And with each new vibe point we ran through , I was reminded of the fact that this event felt more like a street party than a race , and I was having a blast !
Then came the 9.5km mark and the Beat Bolt Sprint , with spectators cheering us on , and I felt like an Olympic athlete , albeit an out of shape one … but that ’ s how I felt , being cheered on like that . It ’ s impossible not to ! I looked to my left and made eye contact with a fellow runner , and in that moment there was that mutual understanding between two back-of-the-pack runners , the smile and nod that says , “ Well done , almost at the finish line , you ’ ve got this !” And with that we both picked up the pace and ran our hearts out for 100m to Beat Bolt , then made our way to the finish line . The spirit of ubuntu at its best !
Much-deserved Thanks
One thing that I ’ ve noticed since becoming a runner and participating in races on a fairly regular basis is that runners tend to be quick to complain about things they don ’ t like , be it high entry fees or the choice of the event organisers to go sachet-free , etc ., and they often take to social media to have a ‘ vent ’ about these things . Unfortunately , runners are less inclined to post about positive experiences , because it ’ s human nature that negatively-perceived experiences motivate people to speak up , more so than positive ones do .
Stunning backdrop for a race start !
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