11 March 2023
Rainy Race Day
Race day dawned cloudy and rainy, unusual weather for late summer, early autumn in Cape Town.
Honestly, I was tempted to bail. My warm bed seemed a lot more attractive than a wet and chilly road race.
But Bashe would be meeting Chucky and I at the start, so I was reluctant to let her down.
Pro-tip: Always drag your friends into your activities. It’s a great motivator to keep up your training commitments.
Chucky and I scoffed our coffee and peanut butter sandwiches before reluctantly getting into the car, all the while marvelling about the wet weather, as if we had never seen rain before.
Albeit unseasonable rain. As if weather, even in the age of climate change, is predictable or cares a fig about our plans for the day.
The K-Way/VOB 15 KM Challenge
The K-Way/VOB 15km Constantia Village Road Race is an annual road race held in Constantia, Cape Town. South Africa.
The organising club is K-Way/ VOB (Varsity Old Boys) Athletic Club, one of Cape Town’s oldest and most respected running clubs with their distinctive ‘running man’ logo and bright royal blue striped shirts.
VOB is also responsible for the Grape Run, which happens later in the year.
This race has a famously challenging course with plenty of long hills and beautiful scenery, which makes it a popular event with recreational and competitive runners.
The race is sponsored by K-Way (Cape Union Mart), a local outdoor clothing retailer.
The 15km challenge starts and finishes at the Alphen Village Shopping Centre and meanders through the popular Constantia Greenbelt as well as suburban streets, lined with beautiful homes and gardens.
The course is peppered with hills and sharp turns, but the stunning scenery and gees makes the race a favourite amongst local runners, especially those training for the 21.1km Two Oceans Marathon, with its infamous Southern Cross.
The race typically takes place in late February or early March and attracts hundreds of participants from all over Cape Town and beyond.
The K-Way/VOB 15km Constantia Village Road Race is a fun and challenging event that showcases the beauty of Cape Town’s southern suburbs.
Constantia
I seem to find myself in the upmarket suburbs of Constantia a lot these days for races. See The Firgrove Challenge.
Constantia is located in the southern suburbs of Cape Town. It is synonymous with wine estates, historic landmarks and amazing natural scenery.
Historically, the first vineyards in South Africa were established in the Constantia area under the auspices of the Dutch Governer, Simon van der Stel in the 1600s.
Soon the quality of the wines became sought after by European royals and the aristocracy.
Today, Constantia is still home to some of the country’s most prestigious wine estates, including Groot Constantia, Klein Constantia, Buitenverwachting, and Constantia Uitsig.
But aside from its wine estates, Constantia is also home to several other historic landmarks and cultural attractions.
These include the Constantia Valley Green Belt, a hidden gem for hikers, cyclists that winds through the lush green suburb.
It’s also home to the Alphen Estate, which dates back to the 17th century and is a popular venue for weddings and other functions.
Besides being a cultural and historical hub, Constantia is a shoppers’ paradise, known for its upscale dining and shopping experiences, boasting high-end boutique shops and restaurants, luxury hotels and guest houses.
Uniquely beautiful, it remains a historically significant suburb that offers a unique blend of natural beauty, cultural attractions, and high-end amenities.
And a runners’ paradise.
Registration
We got there early, got our numbers inside The Alphen Centre, and thanked the VOB club volunteers for coming out at stupid o’clock to meet us.
The Alphen Village Shopping Centre is a small, upscale shopping centre in the heart of Constantia, and the venue where we congregated to collect our race numbers at registration.
It is situated at the entrance to the Alphen Estate.
The shopping centre is a marvel of charming architectural design, and nothing like the usual strip malls which cause me to break out in hives. I swear I am allergic to malls.
The centre features a mix of boutique shops, restaurants, and cafes, grocery stores and a pharmacy.
Notably, one of the stores is Cape Union Mart, the VOB club sponsors, where I personally spend a small fortune on hiking and outdoor kit and equipment.
The Alphen Hotel, which is a luxury hotel that offers 5-star accommodations, fine dining, and a range of amenities such as a spa, pool, and fitness centre is close to the mall, making it a convenient location for visitors to the area to get in some retail therapy.
The hotel is housed in a historic building that dates to the 18th century and has been beautifully restored to preserve its original charm and character.
While the race itself has a rich history that dates to the early 1980s. It was originally a 10km race but was later extended to its current distance of 15km.
VOB Running Club
The race falls under the auspices of the VOB (Varsity Old Boys) Athletic club.
The VOB Athletic Club has a long and illustrious history going back to the 1977.
The club was originally founded as the University of Cape Town Athletic Club and was primarily composed of former UCT (University of Cape Town) students who wanted to continue competing in athletics post-graduation.
Over the years, K-Way/VOB has grown to one of the largest and most respected running clubs in Cape Town. They are known for their strong sense of community and camaraderie, fostering a passion for a healthy lifestyle.
The VOB Athletic Club has a proud history and continues to be a leading force in athletics in Cape Town. It has helped to inspire countless athletes over the years, and its members continue to be an important part of the running community.
The Course
I had never done this race before. All I knew was that the course went through part of the Constantia green belt.
The Constantia Green Belt is a network of green spaces and natural areas located in the suburbs of Constantia and Tokai in Cape Town, South Africa.
It stretches for approximately 9 kilometres (5.6 miles) along the banks of the Diep River, and consists of several interconnected parks and nature reserves.
It is home to a diverse range of flora, including the local fynbos which is found nowhere else on the planet, and is a paradise for birdwatchers.
One of the most popular sections of the Constantia Green Belt is the Tokai Forest, which is a large natural area that includes several hiking and mountain biking trails, and picnic spots where locals like to braai (BBQ). Please be on the look-out for troops of marauding baboons, who have been known to steal a chop or two, if left unattended.
Tokai forest is home to a number of historic sites and landmarks, such as the Tokai Arboretum and the historic remains of the Tokai Convict Station. It is also where the infamous Pollsmoor Prison is located. This is the prison where Nelson Mandela was moved by the Apartheid government, after his imprisonment on Robben Island.
There is a weekly parkrun event called the Constantia Greenbelt parkrun. The event takes place every Saturday morning at 8am and is open to runners and walkers of all ages and abilities.
The course starts and finishes at the Alphen Trail and takes participants through the beautiful surroundings.
The Start
The race started outside, in the rain, and what a sight it was to behold so many runners sheltering under cover at the nearby Engen garage as they slowly, reluctantly ventured into the cold drizzle to the race start.
We met Bashe and Banoe inside the mall, and together we made our way into the rain, in the post-dawn gloom.
To our pleasant surprise, Blommie showed up as well. Now we were 5.
Of course, he would be speeding ahead of us, so we knew we would only see him again at the finish.
As is always the case with runners, despite the weather, everyone was in a good mood.
The chirping was next level as we laughed at ourselves and each other for lining up to run in the rain, while smarter people would be snuggled up in their warm beds at home.
When the gun went off, so did we.
The Route
The route is challenging, consisting of long, gradual climbs, some steeper than others, but it is quite scenic.
Besides the beautiful homes we passed, we ran through several sections of beautiful green areas that almost made you forget you were in the middle of a built-up area. We saw horse dung along some of the pathways, and crossed several wooden bridges over streams.
To have lived in Cape Town my entire life and passed through Constantia several times, it was a revelation to realise we had so many green spaces in the middle of our metropolis. It is a constant reminder of how blessed we are to call Cape Town home.
Less than one kilometre into the race, the rain stopped. Typical Cape Town weather. By the time we finished the sun was wrestling with fat cumulus-nimbus clouds for dominance of the skies.
The finish was a bit jarring, having run through so much unspoiled, albeit built-up areas, to suddenly be confronted with traffic and a commercial hub, brought me back to reality. I was still in one of the biggest cities in South Africa.
I ran an OK-ish time of 1h36m.
Luckily Blommie was there to take pics at the finish. Our speedy finished in 1h13m and was freezing his bum off waiting for us to come in.
It was still nippy and Constantia shimmered in the rain’s afterglow.
Finish Triumphant!
We met up and chatted with several runners at the finish, including Renee and Adnan, our intrepid sports journalist.
Man, I love the vibe at races.
I love the culture of running in South Africa. I love the camaraderie of the running community, whether you are an elite athlete or the last person to make cut-off (or not) … it feels like family.
It’s one of my very happy places.
Thank you VOB for hosting such a great event and for making us come out in the rain to experience it.
The After Party
