Announcement: Home IronMan Attempt

Link for live streaming from 6:45am GMT+2 (dive off @ 7am): https://www.facebook.com/runningmann100/live/

Despite not owning a bike or having swum lengths in 15 years I will be attempting a full Home IronMan on Saturday 4 April. At least I’ve got the marathon running thing covered!

The event will be live streamed (link to follow) and I plan to include some general Running Mann wackiness into the days proceedings (as stamina allows).

Full Details

Basic concept: Guy who runs a marathon every weekend attempts to do a ‘Home Ironman’ during coronavirus lockdown

Logistics: 3.86km swim (351 lengths of an 11m pool); 180.25km ride on an exercise bike; 42.2km run (325 laps of a 65m x 2 driveway)

Date: Saturday, 4 April, 7am to Late

Contact info: Stuart Mann / therunningmann@gmail.com Continue reading “Announcement: Home IronMan Attempt”

30th March 2020

Diamond Marathon (Roughing it amongst the diamonds)

[MARATHON #240 / Unique Marathon #140 / 7 March 2020]

The chance to run a golden jubilee marathon happens once every 50 years. The chance to run the golden jubilee of the Diamond Marathon is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Therefore, when it came to planning my 2020 race schedule, the first race that went down in ink was the Northern Cape’s oldest marathon.

Congratulations to Kimberley Harriers Running Club on your golden jubilee (and thanks for the wonderful hospitality). (Photo from Kimberley Harriers’ Facebook page)

Continue reading “Diamond Marathon (Roughing it amongst the diamonds)”

27th March 202027th March 2020

Hemel & Aarde Marathon (Leap year running)

[MARATHON #239 / Unique Marathon #139 / 29 February 2020]

For the last few years, my daughters’ mid-term break had provided the opportunity for the family to have a short holiday (and for dad to run a new marathon). This year it was down to the Fairest Cape for the inaugural Hemel and Aarde Marathon, run between Caledon and Hermanus.

For those unfamiliar with Afrikaans, ‘Hemel’ means Heaven and ‘Aarde’ means Earth. Despite what Belinda Carlisle sang in the 80s, Heaven is not a place on Earth, but the Hemel and Aarde is a marathon in the Western Cape.

Heaven might not be a place on earth but Hemel and Aarde is a marathon (and a valley) in the Western Cape.

Continue reading “Hemel & Aarde Marathon (Leap year running)”

21st March 2020

Bielie Mielie Marathon (Valentine’s Day in the Free State)

[MARATHON #238 / Unique Marathon #138 / 15 February 2020]

This year I spent Valentine’s Day in Frankfort. By choice I might add. That is a scenario that needs some explanation so here is the backstory…

I’ve been told that the most romantic thing you can do in the Free State is take your lover to an agricultural festival. As agricultural festivals go, they don’t get much bigger than the VKB Bielie Mielie Festival in Reitz and, as luck would have it for Free State romantics, this year the festival fell over Valentine’s weekend. Continue reading “Bielie Mielie Marathon (Valentine’s Day in the Free State)”

13th March 202016th March 2020

Hillcrest Marathon (Code Brown on the Comrades route)

[MARATHON #237 / Unique Marathon #137 / 9 February 2020]

I was viewing the Hillcrest Marathon as something of a grudge purpose. Big field, big city, double-lap routes are my least favourite marathon type. Once a year is more than enough to ingratiate my legs on the Comrades route – and my muscle memory still hadn’t forgotten their last visit in June. Needless to say, my legs were happy to wait another few months before setting foot in Hillcrest again. What is more, during the Red Hill Marathon in Cape Town, barefoot runner Peter Taylor told me that Hillcrest has the roughest roads on the Comrades route. Continue reading “Hillcrest Marathon (Code Brown on the Comrades route)”

10th March 2020

Julian Draai turns heads at the Hillcrest Marathon

If you’ve run the Hillcrest Marathon over the last decade, no doubt you would have seen the curious site of a distinguished gentleman sitting down to a fully-laden romantic breakfast for one. He paints a refined picture as one heads back into Hillcrest at the end of the first lap, leisurely working his way through an elaborate banquet whilst watching the runners steadily traipse past.

Continue reading “Julian Draai turns heads at the Hillcrest Marathon”

6th March 202013th March 2020

The Running Mann’s Guide to April/May Marathons & Ultras

This article provides detailed information on all South Africa’s April and May marathons including race descriptions, recommendations and travel information.

April is ultra month, with seven ultras dominating pairing nicely with the seven standard marathons on offer. There are just six road ultras in the world with over 1,000 finishers – five are run in South Africa and three of them are held in April (my own personal favourite ultra is the Two Oceans Ultra Marathon over the Easter weekend).

It’s also the busiest May I’ve ever seen with five options including the new Midvaal Marathon and the reintroduction of the False Bay 50. The Cross Province Marathon is the only new race in April. Continue reading “The Running Mann’s Guide to April/May Marathons & Ultras”