Merrell Hobbit Entries Now Open


 

“Intriguing mountains, enchanted forests, running streams and cascading waterfalls – The Hobbit Trail Run in the Amatola Mountains. It is a mystical and magical place that will awaken your imagination and heighten your love for the trails”. These are the words used to describe the Merrell Hobbit Trail Runs presented by Nikwax. The event, which includes the two-day 100km and one-day 38km, 16km and 5km distances, is like no other. Scheduled for the 28/29th November 2014, entries for these magical races open today.

The 100km event takes runners on a magical journey along the Amatola Hiking trail, with over 5000m of ascent, making this is one of the toughest multi-day trail running events on the calendar. The “rustic” overnight at Cata Hut makes this truly a unique experience. The two days are long, with average finishing times of 8-12 hours each day, giving the runners plenty of time to reflect on life’s subtleties, as they experience the physical, mental and emotional highs and lows that come with covering the extreme route. Entries for this unique trail run are limited to 45 runners.

While the 100km runners make their journey from the overnight hut on Saturday, 29th November, three shorter one-day events are offered around the mystical town of Hogsback in the Eastern Cape. A 38km event takes runners on a loop out and over the famous “Hogsback Mountain”, while the 16km runners do a loop in the forests surrounding Hogsback, both enjoying magical views of Hogsback. A far tamer 5km loop gives families and kids a taste of single-track trail running at its best.

Arminel Hotel provides the perfect venue for the event, with discounted accommodation on offer.

Entries for all events open at 12h00, 14th April 2014. There are limited entries available for the two-day Merrell Hobbit 100km.

Check out the www.mountainrunner.co.za for full details.

Ironman and Comrades Double?

It has been just over a week since Ironman South Africa and as the body recovers, the mind starts looking for the next challenge. A handful of people complete Ironman South Africa every year and then go on to run the Comrades Marathon. Is it physically possible? The short answer is yes. Is it wise? Well, that is a whole different debate.

Comrades Marathon substitutions close at the end of April and if you’re considering doing the double then you need to listen to today’s episode of the Ask Coach Parry Podcast

Columbia Triple Challenge

Ironman South Africa Wrap

The professional field at Sunday’s Ironman South Africa in Port Elizabeth put on an impressive showing in the warm and blustery conditions on the Sunshine Coast.

In the Men’s race, from the start there were only four real contenders for the title on race day. 2005 Ironman World Champion Faris Al-Sultan, Germany’s Nils Frommhold, Bas Diederen and South Africa’s rising star Kyle Buckingham were out of the water first and the rest of the field never came close to challenging them for the rest of the day. In the end it was Nils Frommhold who led from start to finish with the best swim, bike and run splits on the day that crossed the finish line first. Kyle Buckingham, who dropped down to third on his final lap of the run put in an impressive surge in the final stages to reclaim second place while the veteran Faris Al-Sultan was relegated to third with Bas Diederen claiming fourth.

The ladies race was equally spectacular with Britain’s Jodie Swallow exiting the water with the leading pack of men and once again, just like she did in 2013, put in an impressive performance on the bike. With more than an eight minute advantage heading onto the run it was fascinating to watch as the chasing pair of Lucy Gossage and Simone Brandli slowly reeled the former Ironman 70.3 World Champion in. The last lap of the run once again proved crucial as the two chasers made their move. It was Switzerland’s Simone Brandli who broke the tape first, followed by the two Brits Lucy Gossage and Jodie Swallow. You can access the full race report here but on Tri Talk SA this week Brad Brown caught up with most of the stars from Sunday’s race.

 

Brownlee’s Gunning for Africa Glory

Alistair and Jonathan Brownlee would like to avoid a showdown with Javier Gomez at the Discovery World Triathlon Cape Town on Sunday, 27 April.

Alistair (25) is the current Olympic Champion and Jonathan (23) is a former World Champion and winner of the bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics where the British Brownlees became the first brothers to be together on the podium in an individual sport at the Olympic Games since 1908.

Alistair, Jonathan and Javier Gomez (ESP) will be the favourites along Cape Town local Richard Murray to stand on the winner’s podium. The Cape Town event in the ITU World Triathlon Series will be held at the V&A Waterfront. The women’s race is on the Saturday (26 April) and the men on the Sunday.

For both the Brownlees it will be their first visit to Cape Town. “I'm really looking forward to racing in Cape Town. I’ve been to South Africa before, but never to Cape Town,” said Alistair. Jonathan has never been to SA before. “I’ve only been to Africa once when I climbed Kilimanjaro. I am very excited to see what the country has to offer.”

Both Alistair and Jonathan are looking forward to race on the route that was announced recently. Action will start in front of the Table Bay Hotel and finish at The Lookout. The Elite swim over 1500m will have a dry start at Quay 6 in front of the Table Bay Hotel. Athletes will swim two laps of 750m each. The course will be confined to the Victoria basin, providing spectators the chance to view the action for the entire duration of the swim. The first transition area is located at Quay 6, in front of the Table Bay Hotel. The cycling leg over 40km will leave T1 in front of the Table Bay Hotel. Upon exiting T2 at The Lookout, the 10km run course will lead athletes onto Beach Road where the first Water Station will be located within 100 meters. Circling Cape Town Stadium, the course will turn left at Fritz Sonnenberg Road. The second Water Station will be located at the turn into Fritz Sonnenberg, 600 meters from the first. Athletes will turn left once more into Granger Bay Boulevard. The third Water Station will be placed at this turn. The distance between the second and third Water Stations will be 900 meters. To complete a lap, athletes will turn left from Granger Bay Boulevard onto The Lookout and pass through the grandstands again. After four laps of 2.5 kilometers each, athletes will reach the Finish Line at The Lookout.

“It looks very scenic, especially with Table Mountain close by. I think it's great that they're using the City landmarks like the Cape Town Stadium and V&A Waterfront,” said Alistair. Jonathan added: “I am looking forward to running down the sea front. Sea swims are always good fun as well.”

Alistair has been setting the standard over 10km for the past few seasons. Running sub 30 minutes over 10km has become a regularity at ITU World Triathlon Series events. Along with Alistair and Jonathan the other speedsters on the circuit include Gomez, Murray and Mario Mola. “Gomez is a big threat after winning in Auckland and if Mola is up there when the run starts, I think he could also be a challenge,” said Jonathan who finished second behind Gomez in Auckland. Alistair did not race in Auckland, but he also agreed that Gomez now has the confidence along with the form and that will make him very dangerous come Cape Town.

Neither of the Brownlee brothers have ever stood back for a challenge and both have their eyes on the top of the winner’s podium. And both agree that the final 10km will be decisive in who is eventually going to win the first ever ITU World Series Triathlon race on the African continent. “I want to win. I’m hoping to turn up in good shape and try to win the race. It's a pretty neutral bike course so I think it'll come together for the run,” said Alistair. Younger Jonathan is hoping to get the better of his brother, Gomez and, he jokingly adds, the V&A Waterfront seals apparently. “I’m going to try and win too. Hopefully beat Alistair. The most challenging leg on the day will be the run!”

Triple Challenge Victory

The 12th Columbia Triple Challenge, which took place on Sunday, 6 April, saw SA’s top athletes Lance Kime, Jane Swarbreck, John Ntuli and Jeannie Bomford-Dreyer all finish in top positions.

The Multisport Challenge – considered to be one of South Africa’s toughest endurance races – saw competitors first take on a 20km trail run from Pietermaritzburg to Camperdown, followed by a 53km mountain bike race from Camperdown through the Valley of a 1000 Hills to Inanda Dam, and finally a 18km canoe race around Inanda Dam (which included two portages).

Lance Kime, the 2013 Dusi Canoe Marathon Singles winner, claimed his first victory in the gruelling 93.6km Multisport Ultra in a time of 5h42m36 but faced his toughest competition in the form of Nhlanhla Cele, winner of the 2011 and 2012 Multisport Challenge. In the end though it was Lance Kime first in 5h42m36s with his friend and training partner Andrew Houston, second in 5h47m16s, and Nhlanhla Cele in third in 6hr11m56s.

In the women’s Multisport race, Gauteng athlete, Jane Swarbreck, who narrowly missed podium in 2011, raced to victory this year in a time of 7h29m50s. In second place was Jessica Dicks (8h56m2s), with Jane’s sister, Kate Swarbreck in third.

The 80.6km Multicross Challenge, following the same format of the Multisport but replaced the paddle with a 7km trail run through the Msinsi Inanda Dam Reserve and valley-bottom. This event saw the most heated action of the day, when John Ntuli (the 2011 Multicross winner) finished just over a minute ahead of Brand du Plessis (Multiple South African Duathlon champion) in a time of 4h15m07s. In third position was Sizwe Mkhasibe in 4h24m28s. A cracking pace!

In the women’s Multicross, Jeannie Bomford-Dreyer raced to her 5th victory, equalling that of Columbia Triple Challenge legend, Dan Hugo. Dreyer won well ahead in a time of 4hr50m41s with Sarah Gray in second place in 6hr05m24s and Terry Pellow-Jarman in 7hr07m34s. Dreyer has now won three Triple Challenge Multisport and two Multicross races making her the most successful Triple Challenge female of all time.

The 53km MTB race route from Camperdown to Inanda Dam was equally spectacular as it was challenging with breath-taking views through the heart of the Valley of a 1000 Hills as rider’s dropped down into the majestic valley.

The first half of the route was relatively easy but the second half came with a couple of tough portage sections, some tricky single-track and many lung-busting hills, which, combined with some heat and humidity on the day, made for an energy draining but exhilarating mountain biking race.

Two-time MTB Challenge winner, Andrew Hill, claimed his third title in a blistering time of 1h58m35s setting a new record of completing the race in less than 2 hours. He was closely followed by Dusi-legend, Martin Dreyer’s, ‘Change a Life’ Programme athlete, Mboneni Ngcobo, who crossed the line in 2h05m24s, with Sithembiso Masango in third in a time of 2h06m30s.

Alexandra Mapstone who is in matric and only 17 years old, was the first women to cross the finish line in an extraordinary fast time of 2hr40m16s, followed by Amanda Hawke (2h45m19s) and Karen Thomson (2h51m40s).

In the 20km Challenge Trail Run from Polly Shortts Shopping Centre in Pietermaritzburg to Camperdown, Jason Lammers finished first in 1h35m41s, followed by Matthew Collins (1h36m30s) and Gary Green (1h48m03s). In the women’s race, Lauren Uys claimed victory in 1h59m17s, followed closely by Marta Jekot (2h00m59s) and Daniela Marshall (2h01m57s).

Seeps Evans (0h57m45s) raced to a podium finish in the shorter 10km Challenge Trail Run, while Heather O’Neill won the women’s race in 58m55s.

The 12th Columbia Triple Challenge saw a new event added to the line-up – the SUP Challenge. Stand up Paddle, which originates from Hawaii, is an offshoot of surfing where paddlers stand on their board and paddle.

At the 2014 Triple Challenge there were two SUP options – a 4km and an 8 km race – that saw competitors race round Inanda Dam.
Stephen Lawson won the inaugural event in a time of 33m12s.

Columbia Sportswear, the new title sponsor for the Triple Challenge, has added enormous appeal and value to the event this year. As an industry leader in outdoor apparel, the clothing brand is passionate about trying stuff outdoors and therefore makes an ideal partner to the thousands of would-be and professional multisport, multi-cross, MTB, trail, and road runners, and paddlers in South Africa.
________________________________________
2014 Columbia Triple Challenge Results:

Multisport Challenge. Men overall: Lance Kime (5h42.36), Andrew Houston (5h47.16), Nhlanhla Cele (Change a Life) (6h11.56). Women overall: Jane
Swarbreck (7h29.50), Jessica Dicks 8h56.02.
Multicross Challenge. Men overall: John Ntuli (4h15.07), Brand du Plessis (4h16.32), Sizwe Mkhasibe (4h24.28). Women overall: Jeannie Bomford (4h50.41), Sarah Gray (6h05.24), Terry Pellow-Jarman (7h07.34).
53km Challenge Mountain Bike. Men overall: Andrew Hill (1h58.35), Mboneni Ngcobo (2h05.24), Sithembiso Masango (2h06.30). Women overall: Alexandra Mapstone (2h40.07), Amanda Hawke (2h45.19), Karen Thomson (2h51.40).
20km Challenge Trail Run. Men overall: Jason Lammers (1h35.41), Matthew Collins (1h36.30), Gary Green (1h48.03). Women: Lauren Uys (1h59.17), Marta Jekot (2h00.59) Daniela Marshall (2h1.57).
10km Challenge Trail Run. Men overall: Seeps Evans (0h57.45). Women overall: Heather O’Neill (0h58.55).
SUP (Stand up Paddle) Challenge overall: Stephen Lawson (0h33.12), Steve Honeyset (0h35.55), Brendon Germaine (0h40.16).

Columbia Triple Challenge

Delight for Frommhold and Braendli at IMSA

The 10th anniversary of IRONMAN South Africa threw up some exciting contests as Nils Frommhold (GER) took on the pre-race favourites and triumphed while the ladies’ race mirrored that of 2013 with Jodie Swallow (GBR) dominating proceedings only to be trounced at the death with Simone Braendli taking the spoils.

Frommhold holds the competition at bay

The day started out with ideal weather conditions. The sea was flat with only a light north-westerly wind as the athletes began their swim.

German triathlete Nils Frommhold left the water first after 00:48:16 and was closely followed by Faris Al-Sultan (GER) and Dutch pair Edo van der Meer and Bas Diederen.

Exiting the water with the lead group, Al-Sultan managed to get an early lead on the trailed closely by Frommhold and Diederen. The early leaders kept a distance of 60 metres between the three of them. When the leading group passed the 30km mark, a small chase pack was starting to form behind them. It was from this chase pack that Georg Potrebitsch (GER) moved up the positions to steal the lead from Al-Sultan who had been looking comfortable.

Shortly before the 60km, Potrebitsch started to lose ground until eventually stopping for medical attention after a third of the bike leg. With Potrebitsch slowing, Frommhold and Al-Sultan made their move to overtake their compatriot. Frommhold was now out in front with Al-Sultan in second. At this point South African PRO debutant, Kyle Buckingham and Diederen moved ahead to join the early leaders.

Once Frommhold gained the lead, he looked determined to hold onto it. The leading pack, which consisted of Frommhold, Buckingham, Diederen and Al-Sultan respectively, had a space of 50 metres between each of them. After 135km, Frommhold put down the hammer in an attempt to widen the gap between himself and the chasers. Further back, Bertrand Billard (FRA), Matt Trautman (RSA), Potrebitsch and defending champion, Ronnie Schildknecht (SUI) stuck behind the lead group.

Frommhold’s tactic to push for a lead looked a good one as he entered transition over five minutes ahead of Buckingham. Diederen and Al-Sultan came into T2 a minute after Buckingham, with 4 seconds separating them. It remained to be seen whether Frommhold would be able to hold on or would Buckingham, Al-Sultan or Diederen have the legs to run him down.

Though Frommhold was securely in first position, Buckingham and Al-Sultan pushed hard to get to the top and there was a constant battle for second position between the pair. While Frommhold impressed many by managing to hold on to his lead, a real tussle developed between Al-Sultan and Buckingham heading into the last 10km. Buckingham slowed and eventually started walking. This was when Al-Sultan passed and moved into second. No one expected Buckingham to get a second wind but with less than 5km to the finish, the South African managed to regain second spot.

Frommhold maintained his lead and crossed the finish line in 08:26:06 to become the 2014 IRONMAN South Africa champion. To the delight of the local crowd, Kyle Buckingham managed to claim second place in his debut IRONMAN as a professional in his home town finishing in a time of 08:32:38. Buckingham proved that he is an athlete to be taken seriously on the PRO circuit. Al-Sultan came in shortly after with a time of 08:33:18 – his first podium in South Africa in three attempts.

Braendli shines in Nelson Mandela Bay

As expected, it was Jodie Swallow who dominated the swim exiting first for the ladies with a blistering pace that placed her second overall. Lucie Reed (CZE) and Simone Braendli were second and third out of the water to begin the chase. Rounding up the top five were Denmark’s Michelle Vesterby and Katja Konschak (GER) four minutes later.

Swallow took off on her bike, making light work of the bike in the early morning’s favourable conditions. Reed trailed by only two minutes with Braendli close by.

Up until 42km the leading pack remained unchanged. Swallow had a substantial lead over Reed, Braendli, Vesterby and Lucy Gossage (GBR) respectively. At the halfway mark, Reed seemed to be losing strength and relinquished her second position to Vesterby. With Swallow in such dominant form, falling behind this early would make it difficult for the Czech to get close again. Swallow maintained her lead while Reed eventually slipped from the top 10, leaving Vesterby, Braendli and Vesterby vying for second, third and fourth position on the bike.

Entering T2 with a lead of over 8 minutes, Swallow was looking to extend the lead on the run course but Lucy Gossage and Simone Braendli were the danger contenders as they started running down the leading lady. Into the second loop of the run Swallow was desperately holding on to the lead by two minutes as the flying Swiss, Simone Braendli overtook Gossage for second place. Not long after, at the 37km mark, Braendli finally claimed the lead over a tiring Swallow.
Braendli kept the lead all the way to the finish with a smooth and comfortable run to cross in 09:31:53, while Swallow held off Gossage for her second consecutive second place finish at IRONMAN South Africa in a time of 09:33:58.

Men’s Provisional Top 5
1. Nils Frommhold (GER) – 08:26:06
2. Kyle Buckingham (RSA) – 08:32:38
3. Faris Al-Sultan (GER) – 08:33:18
4. Bas Diederen (NED) – 08:37:24
5. Matt Trautman (RSA) – 08:48:24

Ladies’ Provisional Top 5
1. Simone Braendli (SUI) – 09:31:53
2. Lucy Gossage (GBR) – 09:33:06
3. Jodie Swallow (GBR) – 09:33:58
4. Jessie Donavan (USA) – 09:49:43
5. Astrid Ganzow (GER) – 10:00:54

Nedbank unveil new Nike kit

Nike South Africa and the Nedbank Running Club today revealed the new competition race kits and footwear that will be worn by the Nedbank ‘Green Dream Team’ athletes in their first road races starting this weekend.

The modern Nike race kit collection, showcased by specialist distance runners including Charne Bosman, Myrette Filmalter, Ludwick Mamabolo, Rutendo Nyahora and Juan van Deventer; features high performance innovation with environmentally sustainable design.

The men’s and women’s race singlets are made from recycled fabric, and the design includes a two-tone green colourway with a subtle yet bold print design. The singlets are paired with green race shorts or capri tights.

The singlets also feature Nike Dri-FIT technology that helps to regulate athletes’ temperatures while running by drawing sweat away from the body and through the fabric to help keep athletes dry and cool. Lightweight mesh is featured on back or on the sides for more ventilation, while bonded seams on the singlet provide a seamless fit to minimize distractions.

The kit is exclusively available to the club, while the new Nike Free 2014 footwear collection including the Nike Free 3.0 Flyknit, Nike Free 4.0 Flyknit and Nike Free 5.0 will be available in stores from April 8.
The three-year partnership, which commenced from January 2014, will see Nike as the official technical team kit partner to the Nedbank Running Club, providing apparel and footwear for the club’s elite ‘Green Dream Team’ athletes.

Says Nick Bester, Nedbank Running Club National Manager: “We are thrilled to be associated with the top sports brand in the world, and very pleased to have secured an important partner for our Nedbank Green Dream Team athletes.”

“With our athletes competing in as many distance road races this season, including the Two Oceans Marathon and Comrades Marathon, our athletes need a kit that is lightweight and high in performance, and the new kit delivers on that.”

Columbia Triple Challenge Athletes are Ready to Roar

Headline sponsor, Columbia Sportswear, is excited to announce that some of South Africa’s greatest multisport athletes – including Eric Zondi, Lance Kime, John Ntuli and Brand du Plessis – will be competing in the Columbia Triple Challenge on Sunday, 6 April 2014.

Now in its twelfth year, the Columbia Triple Challenge engages athletes across three sports disciplines – trail running, mountain biking and canoeing – and takes them on a gruelling off-road adventure through the heart of KwaZulu-Natal.

The annual Columbia Triple Challenge is unique in the fact that most of the route, from Pietermaritzburg to Inanda Dam, takes athletes through privately-owned land, including 6 private game reserves.

A top contender in the Elite Men’s category for this year’s featured event – the Individual Multisport Challenge – is Eric Zondi, back-to-back winner of both the 2014 Dusi Canoe Marathon (with partner Andrew Birkett) and the Non-stop Dusi Canoe Marathon (with partner Hank McGregor).

The 93.6km Multisport Challenge includes a 20.6km Trail Run from Maritzburg to Camperdown, a 53km mountain bike race from Camperdown to Inanda Dam, and an 18km canoe paddle on the Inanda Dam with two portages of 130m and 1.7km respectively. Only the toughest will survive this.

Zondi will be competing against 2013 Dusi Canoe Marathon Singles winner, Lance Kime, who will be taking part in his first Columbia Triple Challenge, as well as Nhlanhla Cele, who’s hungry for a third victory after winning both the 2011 and 2012 Multisport Triple Challenge.

Add into the mix Comrades Marathon winner Nick Bester, who is back for more after winning the event in 2003, and the race to the podium, promises to be excruciating but exciting.

Competing in the 80.6km (20.6kms Trail Run / 53km MTB /7km Trail Run) Multicross event is John Ntuli (the 2011 Multicross winner), Brand du Plessis (Multiple South African Duathlon champion), Daniel Carleton (Xterra age group World Champion), Justin Porteous (2010 Multicross winner ) and another Change a Life athlete, Sizwe Mkhasibe.

Individual Multisport winners can look forward to an impressive prize package this year, including R15 000, a 5-star getaway courtesy of Dream Hotels and Resorts, and the opportunity to compete in Speight’s Coast to Coast multisport event in New Zealand, with all expenses paid.

The Multicross winner will receive R 10 000 plus a 5-star holiday, courtesy of Dream Hotels and Resorts.

About the Columbia Triple Challenge

The race takes place on Sunday, 6 April 2014.
The Columbia Triple Challenge is designed to appeal to both entry-level athletes and professionals, which means there are race options to choose from to suit everyone.

? The main feature of the Triple Challenge is the 93.6km Individual Multisport Challenge that sees athletes take on a 20km trail run from Pietermaritzburg to Durban, a 53km mountain bike race from Camperdown through the valley of a 1000 Hills towards Inanda Dam, and finally a 20km canoe race around Inanda Dam (which includes two portages).

? For those athletes not wanting to canoe there is also the 80.6km Individual Multicross Challenge that follows the same format of the Multisport, but instead of the paddle around Inanda Dam, participants must tackle a final 7km trail run in and around the Msinsi Inanda Dam Reserve.

Teams are also able to enter both these events.

? MTB lovers can take on the Challenge Mountain Bike – a 53km race starting in Camperdown and ending at Inanda Dam.

? The Challenge Trail Run offers athletes two options: 20km from the Polly Shortts Shopping Centre in Pietermaritzburg to Camperdown, or a shorter 10km race.

? The Challenge SUP is a 4km or 8km stand up paddle race that takes athletes in and around the Inanda Dam on flat water, with one portage.

Web: www.triplechallenge.co.za
Facebook: www.facebook.com/triplechallenge
Twitter: @triplechallenge
Race #:- #RaceYourself

Ironman Weather Forecast

It is Ironman South Africa time again and the tenth edition of the race takes place this Sunday, 6 April in Port Elizabeth. As always in the week leading up to race day there is much speculation as to what Mother Nature is going to have in store for theses incredible athletes.

Tri Talk SA this week caught up with weatherman Simon Gear to get a forecast for the weekend and in particular for Sunday.

Hear from Peter Hawthorne & look out for North Beach’s event!

Join the friendly, free 8am Saturday morning 5km in your area!

parkrunner Q&A
Peter Hawthorne
Ebotse parkrun, Benoni

How did you get into parkruns?
“Ebotse was the third SA event started back in 2012. I saw a note in the local newspaper and thought it would be interesting. I was running essentially the same course already, but doing it alone. I must be the luckiest parkrunner in SA, as the start is only 500m from my house.”

Have you run any other parkruns besides Ebotse?
“Yes, I’ve run two in the UK and 22 in South Africa so far, and to date I’ve done 77 in total. I’ve been running regularly since 1985, but I can’t remember the other things I used to do on Saturday mornings that were so important before I started parkrun! The reason I have done so many of the parkruns in SA is that we have a motor home, bought originally to spend days overlooking waterholes in Kruger and other parks, but one winter we ran away to the coast to avoid the Highveld cold. Then along came parkrun, which gave us another reason to spend time at the coast, and I started to ‘collect’ runs.”

What do you think of the sense of community at parkruns?
“It’s fun to meet different people at different events – they’re all there for the same purpose, to enjoy the running, the surroundings and each other’s company.”

parkrun in your area

North Beach, Durban
Twitter: @NBparkrun
Facebook: NorthBeachparkrun

Every Saturday morning, hundreds of enthusiastic parkrunners gather outside the Suncoast Casino for their weekly 5km alongside the pristine Durban coast. The course takes you down the promenade alongside the ocean, past the smiling faces of our resident sand artists with their beautiful works of beach art, then on past bustling restaurants and paddling pools until you reach a familiar face waiting at halfway with a smile and word of encouragement. The last kay greets you with some welcomed shade provided by rows of exotic bush and palm trees until cheering volunteers bring you into the finish.

Durban humidity is not for the faint-hearted, but the views and friendly faces on the promenade make up for it! Durban’s warm winters also make it easy to get up and put your running shoes on. There are ample drinking taps along the route, and plenty of restaurants and cafés for a post-parkrun coffee and breakfast.

With free parking offered to parkrunners in the Suncoast Casino parking lot, finding a safe place for your car is a breeze. The course is flat and unchallenging, serving as the perfect time trial for the more competitive runner, or an enjoyable stroll for those out to enjoy some sun and a chat with friends. So join us! – Rox Lewis

Parkrun SA Stats

Number of parkruns: 26
Number of events: 1146
Number of active runners: 38 124
Number of individual runs: 172 683
Total distance covered: 863 415km
Total run time: 12 years, 342 days, 14 hours, 9 minutes, 55 seconds
*Last updated 18 March

SIGN UP!
Go to www.parkrun.co.za to find your nearest parkrun and to register for free. Just a simple contact form and voila, you’re good to go! OR follow parkrun on Facebook: parkrunSouthAfrica or Twitter: @parkrunSA

parkrun PARTNER!
Modern Athlete is proud to be an official partner of parkrun SA. Each month in the magazine, you’ll get all the parkrun news, info and updates, plus all registered parkrun members will receive a FREE Modern Athlete digi-mag each month!