PIRATES ROAD RUNNING
ROAD RACES IN THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER
Information about the races has been obtained from the Runnersguide website and is up to date at the time of publication of the newsletter. The racing calendar definitely sees a slow down as we approach the end of the calendar. The month starts with a big bang of marathons before petering out with gaps on some weekends.
7 November 2018
CENTRAL GAUTENG
ALL RACES
Races Missed: Soweto marathon
[su_heading size=”16″]Sunday 11th November [/su_heading]
Alberton Half Marathon & 10km
The Alberton half is probably the flattest 21km in Joburg as the town is off the hilly rand. The race starts at 6am in the morning from the Alberton Rugby Club, which is where the athletics club also based. The route can be exposed but with the early start one would be done very early.
[su_heading size=”16″]Sunday 25th November[/su_heading]
RAC City Lodge Tough One 32km
The RAC Tough One is a traditional race on the Pirates calendar and as such it will have a gazebo and a breakfast. The route is a testing one with a long slog up gradual gradients (read slow poison) from the right turn off Witkoppen around 14km. This is one of the 21 bucket list races to do in the 2nd half of the year.
GAUTENG NORTH
ALL RACES
Races Missed: Tshwane Oppie Bol Disability Awareness
[su_heading size=”16″]Saturday 17th November[/su_heading]
Tom Jenkins Challenge Run/Walk
There is a half marathon and a 10km at this race. The race is run through the historic suburbs of Pretoria and starts and finishes on the lawns of the Union Buildings. Make no mistake this is a very difficult race with a brutal climb up the dreaded Tom Jenkins Drive above the Union Buildings. This is one of the 21 bucket list races to do in the 2nd half of the year.
[su_heading size=”16″]Saturday 24th November [/su_heading]
Voortrekker Monument Half and 10km
This is a brand new race on the calendar so route information is a little scarce. What is guaranteed is that the route will be very tough. Those that are familiar with the Vasbyt race know that the Voortrekker monument sits on top of a hill and no matter how they craft the route there will be a brutal climb in it somewhere.
REST OF SOUTH AFRICA
ONLY BIG RACES
Races Missed: Kaapsehoop Marathon
[su_heading size=”16″]Saturday 10th November [/su_heading]
Spar Bela-Bela Marathon
The Bela-Bela marathon is the biggest race in Limpopo in the entire year. Definitely a race of two halves with a pan flat first 21km followed by a very hilly 2nd half.
[su_heading size=”16″]Saturday 10th November[/su_heading]
The Winelands Marathon
The Winelands Marathon is a race between Stellenbosch and Somerset West and back again. For those that are familiar with the winelands you will know that the area is not flat with the R44 between the two towns including a lot of little valleys. Look out for the turn up the gravel Stellenrust road to really deliver a cheap shot.
[su_heading size=”16″]Saturday 17th November[/su_heading]
Medihelp Cherry Race
The Cherry race is part of the Ficksburg Cherry Festival. It can definitely be defined as a mountain race with the high point on the Imperani Mountain being roughly halfway along the course. It has been called Free State’s biggest race with all the visitors at the cherry festival. This is one of the 21 bucket list races to do in the 2nd half of the year.
[su_heading size=”16″]Saturday 24th November [/su_heading]
Sani Stagger
There is quite a contingent of Pirates runners who are going to do this race. One of those events where if you blink you would have missed the entry window (even marathon entries closed within a day). The Sani Stagger is a brutal marathon with 21km up the Sani Pass to the summit before turning around and running back down again. Well over 1000m of elevation within 10km. This is one of the 21 bucket list races to do in the 2nd half of the year.