Table Mountain Trailers

Saturday, 24 October 2015

FEEDBACK SATURDAY 24TH OCTOBER 2015 - GLENCAIRN - KLEINPLAAS DAM CIRCUIT

29 turned up at in the parking area at the top of Black Hill to catch a magnificent view of the rising sun over a placid False Bay. The morning promised to be warm and so the three groups promptly set off at 0630. The route through the fynbos revealed many flowers in full

bloom and in the clear morning air the view into distant Hout Bay, Table Mountain in the far distance and Cape Hangklip peeping above the horizon beyond False Bay was spectacular.

The Main Group soon pulled away from the rest and by all accounts had a good but uneventful run despite the heavy going through the soft sand. The Recovery group followed them being uncertain as to where to turn off for their shorter route. A lesson learnt there being to ensure that

Leaders do know the route that they should follow. End result was some of the RG were a little tired by the end having run more than they anticipated combined with slogging through the soft sand.

Kate Le Roux notched up her 50th Sortie so can now wear the Green tee and Bonnie Floyd and Sam Smith both competed 10 sorties so can now take advantage of the speed check-in.

Main Group did 14kms in just under two hours the Recovery Group 14km in 2hrs30 and the Slow Group 10.5kms in 2hrs10.

--- Pete Rogers

Saturday, 17 October 2015

FEEDBACK: Saturday 17th October - Silvermine SE "Hole in the Wall"

After route changes, time changes and google behaving like a spoilt child, it was encouraging to see an enthusiastic group of runners arrive at Hole in the Wall for a first foray into Silvermine East from the Boyes Drive side since the fire.

The weather gods smiled on us and it was warm despite the early start. The small main group was ably led by Richard, Gaeleen and Theo coped well with a large recovery group while Peter led Randolph and myself as the walking wounded.

Although the routes on the map were not strictly adhered to, all groups enjoyed scenic, if hilly, runs. The mountain is recovering really fast after the fire and the winter rain. The ground is covered with flowers and even the burnt bushes are sprouting green hairdos. The streams were running down to the sea, very visible without the normal undergrowth.

Peter's group arrived home first in just over 2 hours to find 2 girls, who had turned around from the recovery group due to vertigo problems, waiting at the cars. Not long afterwards the intermingled main and recovery groups made their way down the mountain. Everyone impressed with their hill climbing skills!

A hard run but so good to be able to run in Silvermine again!

---Liz Brash

Pictures by Faye Elliott. (Sadly Laura's camera has been sweat-damaged and is in the IRU - Intensive Rice Unit. Please send more photos if you have any.)

Sunday, 11 October 2015

FEEDBACK - MACCLEARS BEACON VIA SKELETON GORGE - AND THE CONTOUR PATH FOR THE RECOVERY GROUP

Alex reports:

Our distance for the Maclear's run was about 12.5km, and the time for the group was 3:15 (15 minutes ahead of the anticipated schedule).

We had very variable conditions on the way up. It was a sun-dappled wonderland at the ladders in Skeleton gorge. Ten minutes later we had some rain. Once on top it was very misty and cold. Before the start Geoff said that the temperature would drop one degree for every 100 metres up. We thought he was joking!

We made two decision stops, one at the top of Skellies, and one at the Aquaduct, to vote on whether to continue. Both times it was unanimous to go on to the Beacon. The Beacon did eventually appear out of the mist. Conditions were not conducive to hanging around, and the views were for another day I'm afraid. We did however stop for long enough for frozen fingers to try and operate cameras. Kevin wowed us by taking pictures with his wrist-watch. We also took a few pics with Tamsyn's phone, just in case. The cold did not deter Lesley, who was still in shorts and a t-shirt. He turned down various offers for a spare jacket, despite the fact that his speech was beginning to slur from the cold. "English stiff upper lip" he said.

Things warmed up quickly on the way down, and we all made it back safely.

There were 7 runners in the main group this week.

***

As for the recovery group, by general consensus, we took the slow road - even slower than planned. Eschewing Rooikat Ravine, eight of us jogged along the contour path from Cecilia car park to Constantia Nek and back as far as the first big waterfall (before Skellies) before heading down to the cars. We finished in 1h40 mins all in and managed to avoid all but a few droplets of rain.

Pete was the sole walker this week, completing 8,5kms on his lonesome.

No major milestones for the trailers today in terms of numbers of runs, but it was Leslie Street's birthday: so Happy Birthday Leslie!

Photos on our facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/TableMountainTrailers?ref=ts&fref=ts

Sunday, 27 September 2015

Feedback Saturday 26th September - Sunbird Centre circuit

By Gae Tompkins
27 runners arrived at the meeting point at the cross roads – no-one hurrying to exit the cars and stand in the rain. Nice to see some runners back after a short break (Richard, Dawn and Tamsyn to mention a few), and even two runners whom I think have been removed from the speed check in – welcome back to Kerry and Lanesse. We even had at least one ‘newbie’ joining us – the designer of our Table Mountain T-shirts – my son Brian – who like his dad, seems to be a natural trail runner.

The Norwegians were wrong again – no rain expected – well, luckily as good trail runners, we were prepared with our rain jackets.

We had lovely run from the Sunbird Centre (definitely a favourite) – bit of light rain during the run, but it added to the beauty of the run. Nice to see how the mountainside has recovered and was lovely and green, but still plenty of evidence of the fires with the burnt trees visible.

We split into 2 groups – the main group led by Julian and Richard, with Hein offering to be sweep. I took the recovery group, with Dawn and Randolph taking care of the back runners, and keeping an eye on poor Marg who wasn’t well at all.

After our first regroup, the main group took off and we only met them again on our way down.

When we got to the top of the rocky climb, I mentioned to everyone to please take note of the rock and sign on the contour path because that was the point where we would turn on our way back to go down - more than one of us have missed this in the past (including Kerry).

We all made our way in an anti-clockwise direction to the amphitheatre and then down the Crassula path. We did meet a few runners coming in the opposite direction – it was the Fisherman’s trail run.

From the gravel path, the main group did an extra loop, and the recovery group went down and we all met at our next turning point. I mentioned again to everyone – “don’t forget the ‘rock’ to turn down”, but unfortunately for Kerry, she missed it again, and was ‘split’ from the group and landed up doing an extra km or two. We realised what had happened, when she didn’t arrive back at the cars, but we were able to contact her on her cell and all ended well. The rock with now be renamed as ‘Kerry’s rock’ for future reference.

The main group did 14.58 km in 2h04 and the recovery group did 11.82 km in about 2h10.

Gae

Sunday, 13 September 2015

FEEDBACK- Saturday 19th Septebmer - Olifantsbos

Saturday was the last day of SANPARKS WEEK so we took up their offer of free entry to their parks and did the popular Cape Point Ofifantsbos/Sirkelsvlei route.

A nice turnout of 26 considering the distance to the start with 10 of us meeting at the Tokai Total garage and sharing cars. Thanks to Claude and Neil for being the volunteer drivers for the day.

We all did the same 10.4km route with plenty of regrouping - finishing between 1h25 or so for the fastest and about 1h45 for the last with Neil and Felicity sweeping.

The Norwegian weather report was right as we had quite a lot of wind. A few people had minor falls but only Paula was blooded.

We passed several Bontebok and ostriches, but no zebra or baboons this time.

Special congratulations to Natalie Marcus who completed her 50th Sortie.

Gae

Saturday, 12 September 2015

FEEDBACK SEPTEMBER 12: NOORDHOEK BEACH

A brisk and chilly wind welcomed us to Noordhoek this morning. We quickly signed in and separated into our groups before setting off across the sand and, within minutes, we were toasty warm, if a little 'sandblasted'.


Nanu nanu Moira!

The sky and sea were grey and wintery this morning in stark contrast to our last run, when the soft pink and yellow hues of the winter sun had painted the sky in a pastel delight. Today, the breakers were a cool green-white and quite ferocious. The sun hung higher in the pale sky. There seemed to be a veil over it, keeping it at bay.

All three groups together at the water crossing on the return

The little water crossing was also more challenging than last time. It cut deeply into the sand but was no real obstacle to such brave Trailers. The kelp forest of June was gone, leaving only a few strands of dried up seaweed to remind us of the previous run. Even the birds were fewer.

The main group, composed of 5 strapping menfolk led by Hein, faded into the distance. Adrian's watch reported that they were running along the hard sand at a 5min/km pace. The recovery group ran at a good pace behind them, stopping at the shipwreck for a regroup and a chat, and the slow group followed briskly.

The Recovery group turned around at the Kommetjie ablution block. The run back towards the start was less pleasant than the outward trip as the wind was now blowing towards us. However, we had the sun ahead of us which gave us some pretty views over the dunes.

All three groups met up at the water crossing and we took the opportunity to take a photo of all three groups together before the 5 spartans dashed off into the distance again.