Two Oceans, the world's most beautiful marathon


Cape Town weather struts its stuff every Easter Saturday for the Two Oceans Marathon, usually with sunshine and wind. Yesterday it showed its mischievous sense of humour - the skies pee'd down good and proper, drenching all Half and Ultra runners to saturation.
(The race could've been more appropriately named Four Oceans - one on each side of the peninsula, and one in each shoe.) Then, not long after the gun marked the Ultra's 7-hr cut-off and hence the end of the race, the rain stopped and the sun came out across Chapman's Peak Drive (only for a couple of hours, admittedly, but long enough for Hout Bay to show off its beauty).

the finish after 6 hours of rain + more than 22 000 pairs of feet!
This blog post isn't about yesterday's race - the Two Oceans is a road race after all, which makes it a Rockhoppin' No-Go. Instead this is a heartfelt appreciation to the organisers of the event that's affectionately known as "the world's most beautiful marathon". The Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon (which, for those few readers out there who're not in the know, is not actually a marathon but an ultra - it's 56km) makes every South African road runner proud - not only does it showcase the best of Cape Town, no matter the weather, but logistically the race rates up there amongst the megaliths of international road racing around the globe.

Yesterday's soggy and cold conditions really showed the race's organisation at its best. Those adverse conditions must be any event organiser's nightmare! The +3 000 volunteers who manned the +40 refreshment tables for hours and hours in that pouring rain were incredible, full of energy and enthusiasm - they WERE our sunshine!
A huge thank-you to the organiser and sponsors, and all the volunteers, marshals, referrees, officials, medical crews, minstrel bands, DJ's, bands, pom-pom girls, cheerleaders and spectators who make this fantastic race so great. You do South Africa proud!

And to all the runners who took part in the Ultra and the Half: a big congrats! Here's to the best way there is to spend Easter Saturday!
(images from http://www.twooceansmarathon.co.za )

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