Two Oceans Marathon

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I'm still not sure why I took up running - ambitions to do the Two Oceans marathon certainly didn't come into it!

To this day I have still only completed the Two Oceans 'Half' but as I loathed any form of athletics in my youth, I number that amongst my proudest achievements :)

Find accommodation walking distance from the start and finish! Self catering accommodation in Rondebosch Self catering accommodation in Newlands

If I did have any ambition to do an ultra marathon, the Two Oceans marathon would probably be my choice. The route is amazing (hey, it's 'the most beautiful marathon on earth' isn't it?) and it's just up the road from my home!

What am I waiting for? Some people fly halfway around the world to run this race!

Many people that I know have run it - many times! Most members of my local running club take part in Oceans every year, whether it's the Big Race or the Half Marathon.

And if I ask those stalwart race veterans what brings them out year after year to put themselves through a gruelling ordeal, they all say "It's the atmosphere"

Two Oceans Marathon running is REALLY special.

Partly that's because of the route. The rest of it is the crowds. It's a Cape Town thing...

Rough Route for the 56km race

Starting in Newlands, you follow Main Road all the way down through the Southern Suburbs. Every kilometre of the road is packed with supporters, local residents turning out in droves to spur you on.

Once you reach Muizenberg, you're running a narrow road between mountains and ocean and that's how it stays for next 24km (bar a short distance between Fishhoek and Noordhoek). The views are as breathtaking, the effort is mind blowing)!

You reach the marathon mark in Hout Bay with the highest steepest climb still to come. You slog your way up to Constantia Nek then take the undulating Rhodes Drive through the peace of Cecilia Forest's pine and gum plantations. (This bit of the route overlaps with the Half Marathon so I can say "Been there, done that"!) It's green and cool and best of all, you're nearly home!

Finally you're running the last 5km past Kirstenbosch and up the home straight to the University of Cape Town. If you have any strength left in your legs, this is a blast!

Two Oceans Half Marathon - you miss the Ocean!

The Two Oceans Half is a great race in its own right, not just as a hanger on of the Ultra Marathon.

However it's a landlocked route and it doesn't take in any stunning ocean scenery. The most scenic (and notorious!) part is the Southern Cross Drive hill up through Constantia. This is the steepest bit, just under 3kms of continuous climb.

But the race is still incredibly popular with around 9,000 runners getting up in the pre-dawn autumn damp to hit the road.

That makes it a crowded start... Don't expect to run a Personal Best here! It took me 6 minutes after the starting gun to CROSS the starting line, 9 minutes to break into a gentle jog-trot!

If you do choose to run this, do it for the scenery and the atmosphere! And hey, 21.1km is not that far... with some strategic training, if I can do it, anyone can!

Have you heard of that other Cape Town classic sporting event - the Argus Cycle Race? The route overlaps in parts with the Two Oceans Marathon route.