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Happy New Year and all the best for a great 2010. Now that all the festivities are over, it's time to get down to some serious training for Two Oceans and any other running goals you may have. With 10 weeks to go until the big day, you’ve got plenty of running to do between now and the 3rd of April.
Now is when the hard work begins, and you should be making good use of newfound motivation brought on by the New Year and all those resolutions and good intentions. But please make sure you don't get carried away and overdo it. If you didn’t get to run much over the festive season, it’s not a good idea to try to play catch up. Rather ease into your running programme to avoid injury.
Good luck with your training and remember to visit www.twooceansmarathon.org.za for all the latest training tips and race information.
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| The Two Oceans Marathon Team was devastated to learn of the sudden death of Dave Spence, who passed away on 7 January. He was the Old Mutual Virtual Coach since 1999 and during this time built strong relationships and friendships with runners from all over the world.
Dave started coaching in 1978 and was a top coach in the Western Cape, coaching various track, field and road athletes over the years. He was instrumental in setting up our Superstars Programme, which saw him coach, mentor and encourage runners to fulfil their dream of running the Two Oceans ultra and half marathons.
He was also no stranger to running Two Oceans himself, having completed the ultra in 1980. He also ran close to 50 marathons during his running career and boasts a marathon PB of 3:19. His last half marathon was in 1998 and it took him just over 3 hours, while his last marathon was in 1987.
Dave, we will miss you, particularly at this year’s race and the running world has lost someone very special. We will miss you at the Expo, where you were an institution and familiar sight, with people flocking to get last minute tips and advice or just to say hi. The Two Oceans Marathon Team sends their sincere condolences to Dave’s family. May you rest in peace dear friend, finally reunited with Hillary.
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| The Two Oceans Marathon Team is currently putting together two trail runs – an 8km and a 16km – that will take place on Good Friday, before the fun runs. Trail running has seen phenomenal growth over the past year and has become extremely popular amongst runners countrywide.
Both routes start from the UCT grounds and will take runners along around the lower slopes of Devils Peak and adjacent forests. Beginner trail runners should enter the 8km event, as trail running times are often double that of road running. This is due to the variable terrain and the steep ascents and descents. Trail runners should wear trail shoes for better grip and carry their own hydration – a bladder pack or hip belt.
The race will be held under the auspices of the Two Oceans Marathon and will finish just in time for the start of the fun runs on Friday afternoon, the day before the ultra and the half marathons. The trail runs will start at 7am, with expected finishing times from 9 to 10.30am. Entries for the trail runs will open after entries for the ultra and half marathon close on 3 March. Entries will be limited so keep an eye on your inbox and our website for more information.
All trail related questions can be directed to info@trailrunning.co.za. There is a wealth of information on the SA trail running scene at www.trailrunning.co.za. |
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| Don’t forget to book your place for the “Power, Strength & Beauty in Women’s Running” workshop and let us help you prepare for the half or ultra marathon. Runner’s World presents a Women’s Running Workshop in conjunction with the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon and the Sports Science Institute of South Africa (SSISA).
The workshop takes place at the Sports Science Institute in Newlands on Saturday 13 February from 09h00 to 14h30. It costs R195 per person and this includes a goodie bag, handouts, refreshments and a light finger lunch. To book your place please email Nthabaleng Meso on workshop@ssisa.com or call her on 021-659 5649.
Speakers include Frith van der Merwe, who still holds the woman’s record for the Two Oceans ultra marathon. Topics will all be related to women and will include training tips, running kit, healthy eating for an active lifestyle, making life changes, beauty routines on the run and inspirational presentations including insights into Frith van der Merwe’s most amazing running experiences and performances.
There are loads of great lucky draw and spot prizes up for grabs, including PUMA running shoes, state of the art foot scans, Moyo foot and hand massages, plus a R3 000 gift card from Cavendish Square.
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| Entries for the half marathon are filling up quickly with close to 6 500 entries received to date. If you want to make sure you secure your place then enter today! We have received close to 1 400 entries for the ultra and with all the qualifying marathons taking place in the next few weeks, we urge you to enter as soon as you qualify to make sure you are a part of the world’s most beautiful marathon.
Remember that upgrades, downgrades, substitutions and seeding upgrades can be done between 4 March and 10 March 2010. See www.twooceansmarathon.org.za for details.
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| Bookings for your club’s gazebo sites open on Tuesday 16 February 2010. Sites will be allocated on a first come first serve basis. Clubs can book their sites online at www.twooceansmarathon.org.za from 16 February onwards at R300 per site, which will go to NOAH. For all queries regarding club site bookings please contact Carol on 021-657 5155 between 09h00 and 13h00 (Tuesdays and Thursdays only) or email raceadmin@twooceansmarathon.org.za.
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| Have you booked your accommodation yet? Why not extend your stay and create a pampering or indulgent itinerary after running the world’s most beautiful race. Cape Town Tourism is happy to assist you with all your travel plans. As Cape Town’s official visitor, industry and destination marketing association for Cape Town, their comprehensive website www.capetown.travel has user-friendly touch-points that allow you to explore Cape Town through the social media landscape. Contact them for information or for assistance (at no extra charge) with reservations for accommodation, car hire, South African National Parks and more.
Call them anytime between 08h00 and 21h00, 7 days a week on 021-487 6800 or e-mail info@capetown.travel.
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| Old Mutual has created a festival of events leading up to the main event on 3 April. Every Sunday through to 4 April there is a concert at Kirstenbosch. These Old Mutual Summer Sunset Concerts provide an exciting lineup of top local musicians. Visit the website at www.oldmutual.co.za/music for a full list of who will be performing over the coming months.
The Old Mutual Comedy Encounters will also be taking place at the Baxter Theatre from 25 March to 1 April. This year’s performances showcase some of the best South African stand up talent available. Fronted by local funny man John Vlismas, the line up includes Zinzi Mangweni, Brendon Murray, Trevor Noah, Men in Coats, Eugene Xhosa and Brent Palmer. Tickets are available at Computicket. Visit www.oldmutual.co.za for more information.
Remember you can also download your training programme and find out all the latest race information, plus loads more, at www.oldmutual.co.za/twooceansmarathon.
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| PUMA has unveiled the Spring/Summer 2010, which will be available in stores and online the beginning of March and provide all runners with a great excuse to hit the roads. Each piece has been created to ensure quality, comfort, support and speed. The shoes feature moisture-wicking fabrics, designs to enhance breathability, and strategic pockets for convenience.
Complete Ventis – this model combines stability with cushioning, this top performance shoe is ready to rumble whenever you are. Some technical highlights include Everfoam technology that is a slow recovery foam heel construction for a heel fit what is perfectly adjusted to the heel contour. The OrthoLite sock liner allows for maximum fit and comfort as well as optimized air circulation. The KMS-Lite is an innovative PUMA midsole material that is 30% lighter than the standard PUMA EVA and reduces the overall shoe weight by up to 10%.
Complete Ventis W – these shoes make use of the latest technology to provide more breathability, perfect heel fit, maximum stability, improved shock absorption, and arch protection. Both lightweight and durable, these shoes will lighten your stride and carry you through any obstacles on the road ahead. For more information, please visit www.pumarunning.com.
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| Thanks to all of you who sent in your stories – we are busy going through them all and selecting the ones that will appear in our race brochure. We are still looking for more stories about your Oceans experience. It can be about you or a friend or family member that has an amazing race story to tell us. Have you or anyone you know overcome great obstacles to get to the start line…and ultimately the finish line? We would love to hear from you and if your story is a good one, we will publish it in our race brochure in 2010 and will make sure we tell everyone about it. Please email your story to stefanie@twooceansmarathon.org.za.
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| All the best with your training and we look forward to seeing you on 3 April 2010!
Running regards,
The Two Oceans Marathon Team |
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