Nic Rupanga
The long run covers a 22km course with 800m + of elevation gain, which is less climbing than in previous years, and will cover a longer stretch along the contour path around the face of Table Mountain to provide a significant test of athletes’ abilities over technical routes.
Starting at the UCT Tennis Courts, runners head up towards the King’ s Blockhouse, before continuing along the contour path past Woodstock Cave, Oppelskop, Silverstream Waterfall and Platteklip Gorge to India Venster under the Table Mountain Cableway. Here runners will turn down to Tafelberg Road and head to Kloof Nek along the tarmac. The route then turns onto a jeep track to Deer Park before runners hit the final section of trails that takes them back to the Blockhouse and via Newlands Dam to the finish at UCT.
The short run covers a 12km course with 400m + of elevation gain and sees runners follow the initial part
of the 22km course towards the King’ s Blockhouse, before turning south along the contour path. They’ ll pass Newlands Ravine and Window Gorge before turning down Smuts Track towards Kirstenbosch. Here a connecting path past the Kirstenbosch upper parking area will take them into Newlands Forest, where they’ ll run past Newlands Dam to the finish at the UCT Tennis Courts.
Doing the double
With the MiWayLife Two Oceans Marathon Trail Run taking place on Friday, 4 April, there’ s the opportunity for athletes to compete in both the mountains and on the road at either the Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon Ultra and Half events over the weekend.
One athlete who has risen to this double challenge is the ageless Nic Rupanga, who will celebrate his 50th birthday by racing both the long run on Friday and the half marathon on Sunday.
Rupanga ran the very first Two Oceans Marathon Trail Run in 2010, where Van Aardenne stole his thunder, with the latter’ s mountaineering skills enabling him to break clear of Rupanga down the rope-assisted descent to King’ s Blockhouse and hold on to win by a close margin.
The trail race became an annual fixture for Rupanga who went on to bag six Top 10 positions, including three in the Top 5, as well as win the veterans age group category( 40 + years) in successive years between 2015 and 2018.
“ The Two Oceans Marathon Trail Run has been so special to me,” says the man with the biggest smile in trail running.“ I’ ve always felt my strength lies in trail rather than road racing, and trail running just makes me feel great!”
“ I also enjoy inspiring younger runners to run trail. I have been coaching at some schools, including Claremont High and Springfield Convent, and I’ m excited at seeing the increasing numbers of younger runners on the trails.”
Rupanga has also enjoyed success as a coach at elite level. He currently coaches six athletes, including work colleague, Brandon Keeling, who credits Rupanga with his significant improvement as a leading trail runner in recent years.
While Rupanga has had his fair share of injuries and niggles, which
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