8th February, 2009 - VOB Running Club (14kms)

Starting at 7:00am, we run from the VOB Club House this week.

We head up Constantia road and then turn into Doordrift which we follow to the bottom. We turn left into Gabriel road and head back towards the club. This leads us back into Constantia Road which we follow until the intersection with Brommersvlei Road when we turn to the right. This will lead us into Southern Cross Rd which we take to the top. From here we go through Cecilia Forest and follow the old Oceans route before heading back to the club. This is quite a challenging route, but as always there are lots of possible short cuts :)

1st February, 2009 - Hout Bay (20kms)

Meeting at 7:00 at the base of Chapman's Peak

This is one of our longest runs but a scenic one and thankfully there are a number of short cut opportunities :) We start by running up to the top of Chapman's Peak. The first coke stop is at the Lookout point. From here we head back down and the second coke stop is at the car park where we started.

The route now goes right through to the circle next to Imizamo Yethu, here we turn right up Victoria Avenue and the third coke stop at the intersection with Empire (for a shorter route you can go down Empire). The route follows Victoria Avenue down though past the Spar and towards the beach and right to the end of the harbour before doubling back inside the harbour for the 4th coke stop outside Mariners Wharf. We now follow the road back along Princess Street until the circle where we turn back into main street. For those doing the full route, you turn into Promenade just after the Caltex garage, heading down to the beach and then back along beach road to the parking lot.

25th January, 2009 - Zoo Parking (13kms)

This week it is from the Zoo Parking at 7:00, and it's the conventional Zoo Parking run up Boshoff Ave to Top Tap, then along the ridge past Chiavelli's old place, over the M3 footbridge, and down to Wynberg School before coming back along Tennant, past Paradise Motors, and back to the Zoo Parking.

It's about 13 kms, but is a "quality run" with plenty of hills, and its magically scenic.

18th January, 2009 - Muizenberg (17kms)

7:00am start from Muizenberg Pavillon. The run takes us through to Glencairn, with coke stops in St James, Fish Hoek Beach and then Glencairn.

For a shorter run, some people turn back at Fish Hoek giving you a very respectable 12km. The run follows the path along the coast from Muizenberg through to St James, where we join the road for the final trek into Fish Hoek. Again from Fish Hoek beach we follow the scenic path along the beach front and then over the bridge where we meet the main road that leads us into Glencairn.

There is often the chance of seeing whales and dolphins along the route, particularly at this time of year.

11th January, 2009 - VOB Running Club (14kms)

Starting at 7:00am, we run from the VOB Club House this week.

We head up Constantia road and then turn into Doordrift which we follow to the bottom. We turn left into Gabriel road and head back towards the club. This leads us back into Constantia Road which we follow until the intersection with Brommersvlei Road when we turn to the right. This will lead us into Southern Cross Rd which we take to the top. From here we go through Cecilia Forest and follow the old Oceans route before heading back to the club. This is quite a challenging route, but as always there are lots of possible short cuts :)

Thanks to Nicola Jordan for doing the Coke Truck.

4th January, 2009 - Zoo Parking (15kms)

We will meet at Zoo Parking for the traditional Chairman's Run at 7am.

Don't forget to organise someone to meet you at the top of Signal Hill, as you are unlikely to want to run back. This can be a friend, husband, wife, partner, we encourage you to bring the family if you can persuade them to come :) Don't forget to bring a picnic along for after the run. The boy racers leave from VOB running club at 6:45am and will no doubt catch us on Signal Hill. The run is likely to take at least 2 hours, so it would be best to arrange to meet your other half at around 9am. There are no short cuts, but you could always get a lift in the coke truck although space would be limited.

This is quite a tough run, as we go straight up to Rhodes Memorial (first coke stop) and then up again to the contour path, lots of walking is encouraged. It is easy to get lost, so if you not sure of the route then stick with the main bunch, this is also a good idea for security reasons. Our next coke stop is when we join up with Tafelberg Rd. The run along here is fairly flat and very scenic. There will be another coke stop about 3kms down this route. We run all the way down to the circle at the top of Kloof Neck Rd and then on up Signal Hill.

Look out for the coke stops, every 3kms along the route.

28th December, 2008 - Tokai (16kms)

Originally this run was scheduled for Zoo Parking but it now has been changed to Tokai.

We meet at the Spar in Tokai at 7:00am. The run takes us up towards the to Arboretum turning right at the Manor House and then through the Chrysalis Academy to
the Stone Church for the 1st coke stop.

Left onto Spaanschemat turning left again after the grape store and following the road all the way around to Paddavlei (2nd coke stop) leading to Constantia
Road and turning right at Parish into Ladie Mile Extention. The short cut is straight up Spaanschemat joining the Stars on Ladies Mile.

All the way to the circle in Ladies Mile turning right into Firgrove
and the 3rd coke stop. The route then goes back onto Spaanschemat, right at the Stone Church and back tracks to the Manor House where we turn left and back
down to the start.

Thanks to Deborah & Rudi Horn-Botha for doing the Coke Truck.

And so we come to end of another running year. I am really sorry that I never made the deadline for Imbaleki this year but just ran out of time I am afraid. Have a wonderful Christmas all of you and may 2009 be kind to us all.

Happy running

Pete and Ali