24 - 26 NOVEMBER, 2023 | RACE REPORT UTCT | ULTRA TRAIL CAPE TOWN

The Miler ...

Revenge on Table Mountain ...

Where does one begin? Let’s start with what one might think about when you put the words Ultra Trail and Cape Town together…

It's likely to be a challenging and scenic race. You would expect to be traversing a diverse range of landscapes, including mountains, forests, beaches and many other environments. You think big changes in elevation, technical trail sections, and unpredictable weather conditions, adding to the difficulty and adventure.

If this sounds anything like what might have been on your mind, you would be 100% correct. So now, let me share my journey with you…

My goal to complete my first 100miler has been on the cards for quite some time, and for a long time, I had always said that Addo 100 Miler would be my first. This was because based on the statistics one could argue that Addo is / was probably the toughest of the 100 milers in the country at the time.

Come 2022, and UTCT announces the introduction of their 100miler event, a journey that would take you from the heart of Cape Town, all the way down to Simon’s Town, and then looping back on the other side of the mountain… An inaugural 100 Miler with close to 8,000m of elevation gain… could this be the new “toughest” 100 miler in South Africa? How could I resist the temptation to enter…

I did just that in 2022, but sadly my journey was cut short when I tore ligaments a mere 35km into the race. I had managed to push through to Simon’s Town, before, on advice of the medic, reluctantly handed in my GPS tracker.

2023 would be the year that I go back, to take revenge on the mountain… As has become the tradition, the UTCT Race Festival kicks off with the Tuesday Trails, a nice opportunity to rub shoulders with some fellow runners, and to get a small taste of what trails will be waiting for you in the days to come and of course we all do it for the Jack Black Beer afterwards 😊

Thursday 23 November 2023, was registration day… Walking into the race village, you see Table Mountain in the background, and become overrun with emotions of excitement and nervousness. That is going to be our playground for the next few days. Compulsory kit check done, race pack in hand, it is time to head on home, for the final preparations and to put our feet up for a bit of rest before the big day.

Race Day ...

Race day is here, and it is a 17:00 start… the setup cannot be any better, perfect weather, and one of the best, if not the best backdrop the world has to offer. We arrived at the race village at around 14:00 to welcome home some of the 55km runners, it’s been a grueling hot day out there.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

― Lao Tzu

16:30 and the 100 milers are called to the starting pen. It’s a great atmosphere, with many friends and families watching and cheering us on. I cannot begin to describe the emotions that one experiences at this time, excitement, anticipation, nervousness, it’s like a milkshake in a tumble dryer.

17:00, UTCT 100 Miler starts… as we make our way out of Gardens Rugby Club, into the suburbs for an easy start on about 4km of road, before starting our ascent along the trails to Signal Hill. The sun slowly setting around us, and offering some of the most amazing ocean views. The first 12km to Signal Hill are not too demanding, offering a variety of some technical and rocky sections, but also a lot of open trails, to get your legs loosened up before making the approach towards Kloof Nek.

Expecting to collect some additional nutrition for the night that lies ahead, does not quite go to plan, as I pass through the first aid station before my support arrives. I decide to take on the night with the nutrition I have on hand and making use of the aid stations through the night, a decision that would later come back and haunt me for the duration of my journey.

Looping around Lions head, as the sun starts setting, I make my way to our next aid station at Kloof Nek. It is a very quick stop here as I would like to try and get to the ridge before it gets dark. The climb up Kloof nek, is steep and a small taste of what it is going to be like passing through Platteklip Gorge. As you make your way up Kloof Nek, the support along the way is amazing… Cattle bells, and cheers of motivation, make you feel like a Marvel Super Hero.

23km done, and there a bit of relief from climbing, as we run along the ridge of the majestic Table Mountain. It quickly starts getting dark and headlamps become necessary. As the city below starts lighting up, the climb up Platteklip begins. It is noted to be the most challenging climb, and forms part of all of the events run over the duration of the Trail weekend. The almost 2km long climb with over 500m of elevation is done entirely in the dark. As I make the climb, there is a somewhat haunting melody of 'Flower of Scotland' echoing through the air, these soul-stirring lone bagpipe notes, seem to somehow carry me to the top of the gorge and onto the mountain plateau.

Along the mountain plateau the only thing keeping me company now is moonlit meandering trails, followed by some solitary headlamps. Taking caution has now become second nature as I remember that this is where things were cut short last year… I continue to navigate the twists and turns of the mountain trail, respecting the challenge posed by the rugged, and wet landscape. This nocturnal adventure becomes a dance between the moonlit beauty of Table Mountain and the beam from my headlamp, ensuring a safe yet exhilarating experience.

Descending into Lladudno presents a technical challenge, the trail is transformed into a rocky labyrinth, with boulders and lose rocks strewn across the path, I am grateful for the metal handles and a rope aiding in the decent.

Arriving in Lladudno means that I have completed around 44km of my adventure, and it is time for some refuelling. There is a variety of nutritional snacks, including a mix of electrolytes, fruits, sweets, and of course that warm soup that one has been longing for, over the last 2-3 hours. After a short break, and having taken a few extra snacks for the trail ahead, I set out of the aid station and onto the beach. The waves crashing, and the moon glimmering off the waves, makes another perfect opportunity for a photo or two.

The next +/- 5km, is along the edge of the ocean, crossing some boulders and tackling the beach sand, before continuing back up the mountain passes. These trails are a lot easier to run on without posing too much risk to injury in the dark, so I am able to pick up the pace a little, brushing through long grasses the moon lights up the landscape, leaving one in awe.

Suddenly my headlamp beam reveals two unexpected visitors on the path… two baboon spiders, their hairy legs and distinct shapes emerging from the shadows. Using a small stick, I carefully encourage these two little guys to get off the trail, as the following footsteps may miss them in this dark.

The night feels to be growing long and by now there is a sense of anxiety just waiting for the sun to rise. It’s like some kind of magic trick, performed by Houdini himself as the Hout Bay Harbor seems to effortlessly appear in front of me, surely the sun will start rising soon? The silhouette of the mountain emerges from the shadows, but the sun is playing hide and go seek.

I make my way down the sand dunes, and into the harbor, it is about 2km through the harbor and along the beach before reaching the Hout Bay aid station. I make it into the aid station before sunrise, which surprisingly puts me more than an hour ahead of where I was at the same time last year.

With the sun now up I head out of Hout Bay to my next stop, Kalk Bay. Here I plan to take a short nap and catch up on some well-deserved sleep, but first it’s a long zig-zag climb through the mountain pass, ultimately rewarding you with some really amazing views. It’s an inland trek that takes you over the mountain, and through Silver Mines Reserve, just another one of the amazing gems there is to offer.

By now things are starting to warm up quickly, but fortunately the trails are again a lot easier to transverse and I am able to steadily push through, kilometer by kilometer. The final 3km into Kalk Bay is a pretty steep descent, dropping down over 300m and into town. Cheers and cattle bells, as has become the norm along the entirety of the route lead you into the church… It is the first time seeing my support crew since having left them at the start, definitely a welcoming sight as I plan to spend the next hour here, refueling, before taking a 30minute nap.

Navigating out of Kalk Bay and heading back inland, the sun has become relentless, the landscape is tapestry of gentle climbs and winding single-track meanders. The heat, just adding that extra layer of challenge to the journey.

Making the last approach towards Simon’s Town a stretch of 4km of monotony unfolds in front of me. The tar road extends into the distance, bordered by uniform scenery on either side. Even though I am still feeling strong and motivated, this strip seems to drain the last bit of personality from deep within your soul. Despite a rather steep decent into town, the last bit of trail is very runnable and I am able to pick up a little bit of pace again, after all I have some Fish & Chips waiting for me in town.

Simon’s Town is another longish stop on my journey, and I spend more than an hour in town, enjoying the first proper meal I have had since leaving Cape Town 17:00 the day before. As mentioned earlier, my nutrition had failed me very early on in the race, and it had been a real struggle to consume anything other than water and Slowmag. After a change of clothes, it’s time to head off once again… I succumb to sense of accomplishment, taking these steps out of Simon’s Town, this is the very place where, last year I sat for more than an hour, before having made the very tough decision of turning in my GPS tracker.

That first km out of town however is not a very nice one, and you make the 200m+ ascent out and up along the stone-built staircase. Reflecting back, I think that sometimes the only things that actually keeps one going at this point is the fear of failure, mixing in some amazing views.

Upon ascending the staircase, the commencement of now looping back to Cape Town is underway. Over the next 15 kilometers, the trails mimic the characteristics commonly found in well-trodden paths. Some easy single tracks, with sufficient technical elements to keep you on your toes. Despite this, I find it a little more difficult to keep up and maintain a comfortable pace, as the lack of sufficient nutrition and likely a bit of fatigue starting to take it’s toll.

Just short of 120km now completed, I head down a nice fast stretch into the Kommetjie aid station. Again it is just a quick bit of refueling before heading out. The air around me starts getting cooler, and my goal is to now get to Noordhoek before sunset. It is a bit of a race against time, as the brilliant colours start teasing the sky.

It’s a short “escape” through the suburb and a few cheers and offers of beers from the locals, before hitting the beach. The Noordhoek beach is one to be experienced, stretching as far as the eye can see. The next 5km are run completely on the beach, and staying close to the waterline is important to make the run that bit easier. The horizon stretches out in front of me the sun and moon take their chance to tease this canvas, painting the sky with an image that words can not describe. As I look around, there is not another person to be seen, and am only reminded that others have passed this way, by the various trail shoe treads left behind on the sand. I seem to have a bit of a renewed sense of energy, and able to regain some of my pace.

After taking a bit of a detour through sand dunes, I arrive at the Noordhoek aid station, just as it is about to get dark, realising that I will not be able to start my ascent up the mountain before dark, decide on trying to take a nap. Unfortunately, my attempt to sleep is interrupted by the ongoing noise, and after having laid my head down for only a few minutes I decide it’s better to just proceed up the mountain.

I will never know if this was the right decision to have made at this as I left the aid station a little agitated, but at the same time knowing that lingering around would not really have done me any good. As I start the climb up Chapman’s Peak the winds from the year before decide to come back an haut me. So close to the finish, and determined to keep going, I am thrown back into caution mode… The wind is relentless, and I can hear myself cursing as the gusts just seem to be getting stronger and stronger… maybe having left Noordhoek earlier was the right thing to do.

Over the next 20km, I find myself locked in a ceaseless duel with the relentless wind, engaging in an even more formidable mental contest against the sight of distant route reflectors. These reflective markers, once guides, now feel like merciless taunts as I navigate the narrow trail. Every step is taken with meticulous care, as I dread the consequences of a misstep, just one wrong move, could mean facing a certain and abrupt end. The journey unfolds as I battle against both the elements and the unforgiving terrain, making each step a calculated effort in the face of potential peril. There are times I feel myself dozing off, and at the site of an emergency water point, decide to stop and rather try get some sleep.

A 15minute nap, although not very long, seems just enough to spare me from the brink of nodding off while trying to navigate the trails. Sensing an overwhelming cold hints at the possibility of my body slipping into a mild state of shock, I quickly start putting on some warmer layers. It’s a slow and cold descent, and the distance to Alphen aid station appears to be receding at a frustratingly slow pace, never drawing nearer.

I’ve made it through the second sunrise, and the second last of the aid stations on route. This incredible journey is now drawing so close to an end. My mind has made a switch from counting the kilometers up to counting them down.

Entering Newlands Forest, I have a mere 20km remaining to the finish, a surge of newfound energy allows me to briefly increase my pace. However, Newlands Forest appears larger than expected, and the seemingly manageable 10km to the final aid station at UCT begins to stretch into what feels like an 50km. There is a sense of betrayal as passing hikers casually suggest it's only another 5km to UCT, 5km which feels to be the longest stretch of my life. Added to this mental battle, someone has decided to purposely drop 400 stairs into the mix. At this point, my sense of humour has dissipated.

Coming into UCT, I put on a brave face, battle the concrete stair cases and into the aid station. We are almost there now… I pass through UCT rather quickly, as I now just want to get to the end, it’s starting to get hot again, and running is becoming both uncomfortable and difficult with all the aches and pains creeping in.

Naturally, departing UCT would be anything but smooth sailing. A seemingly arbitrary decision dictated that we must first conquer the final 300 meters of the mountain left in Cape Town before descending back into the suburbs. Midway through the ascent to Dead Man's Tree, I found myself gravitating toward the shelter provided by the statues' shadows, desperate to escape the relentless heat. The climb at this point in such a race is just gruelling.

Finally at the top, the final bit of trail contours around the edge of the mountain range. With my body, now aching at almost every joint, I decide to apply a run in the sun, walk in the shade strategy. I make full use of the fresh water seeping through the mountain facing, pouring it over myself to try cool down and also refilling my water bottles.

I'm now on the final stretch towards Gardens Rugby Club, the commentary echoing from the loudspeaker, I'm summoning the last of my energy reserves, and give one final push, up the ramp, to cross over the UTCT 100Miler finish.

It has taken me sometime to complete writing this ”race report”, so that I could share my experience, and in this time I have reflected back numerous times as to why it has taken me so long. Truth is, I think one can be the best story teller there is, but you can never truly tell someone what it means to complete such a feat. There are times when your emotions are running extremely high, and times when you are fighting very, very dark battles questioning your life choices. I cannot begin to imagine how much more difficult this journey would have been had I not had the support of friends and family along the way.

UTCT 2023 has definitely has a special place in my life now, it has been one hell of an experience, one that I will be talking about for year to come. THANK YOU to everyone for their support.

Special mentions must go to:

My Dad, who was there fore me last year and this year, knowing that I could be extremely grumpy at times through this experience, yet still standing by to support me.
Louise, who with out any questions, offered her support along the route. Your words of encouragement kept me on my toes, and ensured that I never stopped for too long.
Denny, who unfortunately was not able to continue on his adventure after Kommetjie, yet stayed with Louise through my final aid points, to offer additional words of encouragement, when he could of quite easily have gone back and caught up on many hours of lost sleep.
Last but not leasst, to my Brother and Nephew who were also there to welcome me home at the finish.