I’ D LIKE TO GIVE THAT MAN A HUG! |
dolphin-motivational-poster slogans. He was shouting
something like,“ Guys, I have to be honest with you. You
have to start running now if you want to make it. You
have to run now if you want to make the cut-off!”
I was walking – no, trudging – up the Nek at that stage,
so I had sufficient time to hear him recite it over and
over. And that was my game changer, my wake-up call.
That single guy – whom I dearly want to thank – was my
make-or-break moment. Imagine someone halfway up
Constantia Nek suddenly deciding,“ Ok, this is the part
where I start to run!” That’ s what I decided, because
there was a single brutally honest supporter.
It turned out to be run 100m, walk 100m, over and over,
but it got me to the top much sooner than I would’ ve
otherwise. As I went over the crest, I could see the 7-hour
bus in the distance, making the first turn on the downhill.
My inner“ now-or-never” became louder, and I picked
up the agonising pace to catch up to the bus, which
I never thought was possible, given how I had been
feeling around 40km.
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THANKS FOR THE 2026 MEMORIES This is an appreciation post for the Two Oceans Half
Marathon and our little training group in Cape Town.
Around 900 runners joined our group to online train for
the 2026 TOM 21km. This group met weekly or trained
remotely, some in other cities, and there were runners
of all levels and backgrounds, from Batch A to Batch Y,
each on their own mission and path.
People joined from a wide variety of clubs, collectives,
and those starting out on their own. Many were firsttimers
. Some were race pacers, some were juniors,
some differently-abled. Some did the double, some their
Yellow Number run going for their Blue Number, some
closing in on their 20th TOM 21. Some navigated injury,
some navigated Ramadan, some navigated travelling
with international flight delays. It was a privilege to meet
you, support you, and witness you.
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Image: Two Oceans Marathon, Action Photo SA |
Two Oceans 2026 is long gone, but I’ ve been keeping this
one in my pocket until the craziness of it, as well as other
big races, had subsided. I wish I could find that one guy
and thank him. Let me explain...
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I had a bad Two Oceans Ultra. No surprises there,
because I was undertrained and had a cold leading up
to it, but I’ m one of those typical South African runners
who does marathons for training and then tries to
wing an ultra. Noordhoek is where it started. Going up
Chappies was tough – to quote Bruce Fordyce on TV
commentary:“ Some runners are forced to employ a
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run / walk strategy.” No biggie – that happens a lot to
me. But a first for me was being hit with nausea and
dizziness on the way down, where I’ d hoped to make up
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some lost time.
Hitting Hout Bay I was already in a lot of despair. A
clubmate handed me a Red Bull( a new thing on race
day) and another one said it’ s time to down some
Rehidrat. So, at the hydration station in Hout Bay, that’ s
what I did. Downed a Red Bull and chased it down with a
Coke / Rehidrat combo.
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It was at this stage that the 7-hour bus( yes, the very last
cut-off bus!) passed me at an astonishingly brisk pace.
I started moving, but I couldn’ t run. Red Bull doesn’ t give
you wings, it gives you gas! Or maybe it was the chaser.
But I could manage only a power walk and I saw the
7-hour bus( my last hope) disappear in the distance.
That’ s demoralising.
The vibe in Hout Bay is at least encouraging and the
supporters are great, and I honestly believe that’ s
what kept me going. From a power walk to a light jog
as the bloat escaped. I managed to make the 42km
cut-off with a few minutes to spare, but then the mighty
Constantia Nek started. I’ d lost hope by now. The 7-hour
bus, which was my benchmark, was nowhere to be seen.
Supporters are great, but I don’ t particularly enjoy the
ironic shouts of“ You’ re almost there,” but at least it
made me grimace. Up Constantia Nek, there was loads
of support, mostly in line with“ You can do it! I honestly
did appreciate it, but I was feeling so down. Then about
30 % up the Nek, there was this guy. He didn’ t shout
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You know the drill now. It was“ kyk-noord-en-byt-vas” to
come in for a perfectly timed 6h57. But the turning point,
the precipice, was that guy who was relentlessly honest
on Constantia Nek. Thank you, sir!( And if you know
whom I’ m talking about, give him a hug on my behalf.)
Francois Botha
Race Nr 23019
While we can’ t tell you who that incredible supporter
was, we can also thank him here for his inspirational
support on race day. The TTOM event is privileged to
have such wonderful supporters on the route each year,
and we thank all of them for what they do for the runners.
BEST ORGANISED IN RECENT MEMORY I just wanted to say that this year’ s event, in general, was
the best-organised Oceans I can remember for many,
many years. From a runner’ s perspective, it ran without a
hitch. Congratulations and a huge“ Well done” to you all!
Barry Ponsford
Blue Number 2020
( 32 Ultra medals)
Thank you. We’ re glad to hear we hit the mark and will
keep trying to improve.
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To all those who ran the trail, 56km or 21km, well done.
It’ s easy in a country of so many runners to overlook
the personal accomplishment of training for and
completing something out of your comfort zone. To
those for whom this was your first, especially well done.
We see you and hope you have many more good miles
ahead of you.
To those for whom the weekend didn’ t quite go as
expected, or as you hope, it’ s okay. A lot has to come
together to have a great race, and sometimes it
happens that the day doesn’ t quite go as you hoped.
You will learn from this, and you will have another
opportunity.
To the race organisers, marshals and thousands of
support staff, it was one of the best organised races
I have taken part in, if not the best. And to those who
support, hold banners, call out our names, you have no
idea how much it means to a runner, even if you don’ t
know them and they don’ t know you. Thank you.
Till next time, when we do this again, run far, run well.
Mark Vella
Race Nr 62924
Congrats to all in your training group, Mark, and we
hope to see all of you back in 2027 for another voyage.
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