A Two Oceans Blue Number is quite literally a badge of honour. In terms of street credibility for the recreational South Africa distance runner, it is second only to Comrades’ Green Number. Many a Two Oceans ultra marathon novice lines up at the start in Newlands for a maiden voyage, hoping to one day be standing there in a Blue Number. I certainly did when I stood at the start of my first Oceans in 2002.
One of the privileges of owning a Blue Number was being automatically granted a C seeding regardless of qualification time. Although I’d qualified with a faster B seeding for my first run in 2002, I moved back to C block so that I could run with Blue Number 704 (my father ‘The Old Mann’). We ran the first of what would turn out to be three Two Oceans ultras together and finished in a comfortable for him / not so comfortable for me 5:53:45.
Another Blue Number Club (BNC) benefit was being able to access the special BNC hospitality area both at the registration (which was at the Good Hope Centre in those days) and after crossing the finish line. BNC members could bring a guest and I was the proud plus one of #704 both before and after the race.
Ten consecutive finishes later and I became a Blue Number Club member myself. The Old Mann’s ultra marathon running days were over by then and it was a great honour to be able to inherit Blue Number #704 and have it personally handed over by its former owner.
Another highlight was walking into the BNC tent, being stopped at the entrance by the ‘doorman’ – who then proceeded to whip out and enthusiastically ring a bell – whereafter my fellow BNC members in the tent gave a loud round of applause before returning to their conversations and refreshments.
For some, blood and tears are involved in earning a Blue Number, but for all it takes buckets of sweat. Running an ultra marathon is a significant life achievement, completing the same ultra marathon ten times is on another level. Not to mention the costs involved just to get to the start line, especially for upcountry runners who make up the majority of the field.
Sadly, as I approach my 20th voyage around the Cape Peninsula, the brilliant Blue Number of old has become diluted and faded. I doubt that there is a Blue Number holder out there who feels that Two Oceans is a better organised race than it was 10, 15 or 20 years ago – and you’ll certainly get consensus that a Blue Number isn’t what it used to be.
The surreptitious changes over the years have included losing the right to bring a guest into the hospitality area and having a Blue Number is in itself no longer good enough to enjoy expo or race day privileges – you can only use the Blue Number facilities if you’ve entered that specific race for that specific year. The bell welcoming new BNC members also stopped ringing several years ago. And now it looks like preferential seeding has also been removed from the benefits list.
After entry and seeding confirmations were emailed to participants, I started getting messages about the lack of seeding privilege for Blue Numbers. The most notable was from Louis Massyn, record holder for most finishes with 47 medals, “Good morning – what is your feeling regarding the Blue Number members’ seeding being moved to G without any notification to any of us. Blue Number runners have always been in C from the early days, then we moved to E, this year we’re in G – really sad.”
Louis mentioned that he’d received complaints from many BNC members and had forwarded them on to the Two Oceans administration. My observation was that there does not appear to be a dedicated Blue Number wave at all, as I am starting behind Louis in wave H and another BNC member, Yvette Jonker, had sent me a message complaining, “I received an email with my seeding and after my group of friends shared our seeding batches, I realised that I am in a different seeding batch from any of them.”
READ MORE: The Admirals of Two Oceans: Tony Abrahamson & Louis Massyn
Whilst the Two Oceans administration continue to impose a code of silence on any questions I send them*, Jonker was dedicated enough to brave the phone line, “I phoned the Two Oceans call centre this morning on 0871332285 and was informed that there is no longer a special seeding batch for permanent number athletes.”
* Questions for this article were sent to the Chair, Vice Chair and Race Manager on Monday 24 March but no reply has been received at the time of publishing.
Jonker further expressed her frustration, “If only they communicated this in advance, to give us an opportunity to improve our seedings, instead I helped friends to qualify knowing that I have a decent seeding with my permanent number, which is actually not the case now! I am sure I am not the only loyal runner that feels betrayed!”
Communication from Two Oceans has been truly awful in recent years, culminating in the 2024 Digimag debacle. After pulling dozens of runners who would otherwise have likely earned a medal off the road in highly controversial circumstances, the Two Oceans Board tried to deflect accountability by blaming runners for ‘not reading the Digimag.’ However, it was later uncovered that the cutoff information was added to the online version of the Digimag after the race had taken place.
READ MORE: Two Oceans caught out in their own digimag lie
Another runner who can provide a unique perspective on this topic is Nigel Asprey who holds Blue Number 4079 and light Blue Number 1542 in the Two Oceans ultra and half marathon respectively. The Aspreys are also a proud ‘double generation’ Blue Number family – Nigel’s son Richard earned Blue Number 5010 in 2015.
Unlike Comrades, Two Oceans have traditionally allowed ‘Yellow Numbers’ (runners going for their tenth finish) to start in the Blue Number batch. Nigel, who caught the running bug late in life, goes so far as to credit the preferential C seeding for his Blue Number, “In 2009, at the age of 56, I went for my 10th for the first time. As I got older my pace had reduced somewhat. I decided not to take the preferential seeding and ran with the ‘Vlam Pieterse’ bus*. Things didn’t go according to plan and I missed the cut-off (7:14:38).”
* Nigel wanted me to make it clear that Vlam was a great bus driver and he and many of his bus did earn a medal that year but that “a large contributor to my failure that year was an inappropriate cut-off at the top of Constantia Nek. It had us sprinting the last several hundred metres to make the cut-off, only, in my case, to have ‘shot my bolt’ and being unable to take advantage of the many downhills that came thereafter.”
“In 2010, Richard and my younger son Stuart both ran with me. I started in the preferential C seeding, whilst they started behind me in E. They caught up with me just before Muizenberg. We ran the rest of the way together finishing in 6:56:13. Frankly, but for the preferential seeding, I doubt that I would have made it! (Incidentally, I also completed my 10th Comrades with my two boys in 2005 – both events are very special to me).”
Nigel copied a Two Oceans Board member (whom he knows personally) and myself on an email he sent enquiring about the apparent lack of Blue Number preferential seeding in the half marathon, “Three questions. Why were not informed of this change (I have tried to search your website for a press release but have been unable to find anything)? Secondly, have you actually done away with the preferential batch start for Blue and Yellow Number Runners? Thirdly, do you really want to annoy your most loyal supporters?”
In a follow-on email to me, Nigel expressed the sentiments common to the average BNC member, “What really gets to me is the arrogance that they can simply change a major element of the race and not even tell anyone about it, let alone at least try to justify the change.”
Surprisingly, Nigel was able to get an elusive response from the Two Ocean desk (I assume copying a Board member into your emails helps) with a somewhat vague, “All BNC Members are given a designated seeding batch, which is located in the middle. If BNC members updated their profiles with a qualifier, the seeding may change for the better. You may contact our race manager at hilton@twooceansmarathon.org.za for a better understanding.”
The chances of Race Manager Hilton Kearns (who was on my ‘unanswered questions’ distribution list) replying to the average runner are very slim. Only 11 runners have completed 40 or more Two Oceans ultras, this year Ian Benson is planning to become the 12th. Yet even he cannot elicit the attention or get a response from Kearns or the Two Oceans team. I’ve included an unanswered email from 2024 below but I’ve also seen a series of emails from 2025 that seem to have disappeared into the Two Oceans black hole.
One factor to consider is that post-Covid, City of Cape Town health and safety officials have insisted on wave starts for undisclosed ‘safety reasons.’ Whilst this does appear to be an overzealous application of health and safety rules that only applies in the Republic of Cape Town (I ran Blouberg Marathon last year which also had wave starts despite having fewer starters than the average Joburg parkrun), it is once again something that has never been communicated by Two Oceans to their customers. Regardless, this still does not prevent Two Oceans from granting preferential seeding to those in their highest loyalty tier.
Whilst there are only a handful of new members earning an ultra marathon Blue Number each year, there are a plethora of half marathoners completing their 10th for a light Blue Number. The half marathon was launched in 1998 and steadily grew in popularity, overtaking the ultra marathon in finisher numbers for the first time in 2006. By 2009 there were almost twice as many half than ultra marathon finishers. At the most recent event in 2024 there were about 50% more half than ultra finishers (14,646 half vs 10,180 ultra).
Taking nothing away from the achievement of successfully completing the Two Oceans half marathon ten times, it is an order of magnitude easier than earning an ultra marathon Blue Number. Nigel Asprey highlights the significance of the ultra Blue Number, “I was never really built to be a runner. I started out in 1988 as a +/-6mins/km runner, which has meant that, as I have got older, my pace has made cut-offs more difficult. So I would definitely rank the importance to me of my permanent numbers by the length of the race. And the Ultra at Two Oceans has always been a special one.”
He then continues to explain the difference in significance between earning an ultra and half marathon Blue Number, “A 56 kilometre race is hard. Coupled with the nature of the course and the cut-off, the Two Oceans 56 km is doubly hard. To complete ten, especially for a mediocre runner, is a heck of an achievement. Half Marathons are frankly ‘10 a penny’, even for mediocre runners. Finishing ten Two Oceans Half Marathons, whilst being over one of the more attractive courses, can’t be placed in the same league as the Ultra.”
The rapidly growing number of light Blue Numbers will provide the excuse of ‘costs and budgets.’ However, a lot of the Blue Number benefits that have disappeared are ‘free’ – like ringing the bell for new members and preferential seeding. With the ultra and half being split onto two different days, this also makes it easier to provide a more exclusive experience for the ultra Blues as well as other perks like guest access and allowing ultra Blues to access to the Blue Number Club tent even if they have not run that year’s race.
One of the big problems I see is that for several years the Two Oceans Chair and Vice Chair positions have been filled by weekend warriors who’ve completed a handful of half marathons between them (and have never come close to running the ultra). Whilst they may be well-meaning, they simply lack the ability and aptitude to understand and rise to the responsibility that the prestige, tradition and history of organising the planet’s second largest ultra marathon demands. It is like appointing someone with a high school diploma to be the chancellor of a prestigious university.
One telling moment was after presenting a pre-published version of this article documenting the statistical analysis and impact of their incompetent cutoff decisions and bungled communication before and after the 2024 event. I explicitly provided the Chair, Vice Chair and Race Manager the opportunity to dispute or challenge any of my facts. However, their only response was to request that I remove the Chair and Vice.Chair @twooceansmarathon.org.za email addresses from the article as it ‘violates the POPI act’. Some servants of the sport they were (not to mention failing to understand the POPI act itself).
READ MORE: Two Oceans 2024: Copycat cutoff chaos
Heritage, history and traditions are what sets South Africa’s great ultras apart from all other races on the local and international calendar. Sadly, the current and recent Two Oceans Boards either don’t realise this or have wilfully chosen to ignore it.
I was encouraged to see what appeared to be positive changes to the Board following the September 2024 AGM, there are several new Board members that I hold in high regard. However, they need to make their impact felt and we’ve yet to see any improvements to communication or runner centric decisions being made. Feedback I have received from previous Board members is that they threw everything they could into the role but were blocked by a moat of mediocrity from senior, established Board members and staff – which eventually led to them resigning in frustration.
Perhaps it’s appropriate to give Nigel Asprey the last word on the Blue Number Club downgrades, “For years now, the Blue Number experience has been deteriorating, whether it is Blue Number kit, the Blue Number hospitality area at the Expo, or the experience at the finish (where new members were greeted with a ringing of the bell). Additionally, now you can only enter the Blue Number Area if you are running that race – in my case, I can’t be with Richard, my son, when he finishes the ultra and likewise, he cannot be with me when I finish the half – now that the race is run over two days.”
The great thing about South African ultra running is that the elite can rub shoulders with the average and the mediocre. Nigel Asprey is the epitome of the average runner. A self-confessed plodder of mediocre abilities who only started running in his late-30s and got slower and slower as time progressed.
Nigel Asprey had to work incredibly hard for his Blue Number – just three minutes separated him from joining the Blue Number Club or trying for a ‘third time lucky’ attempt the following year. Photos from the Two Ocean ultra take pride of place in the Asprey family home. The Blue Number gear he has purchased over the years have a special place in Nigel’s wardrobe and are only taken out on special occasions like Oceans weekend. It’s a travesty that a father and son can no longer enjoy a beer together in the Blue Number tent after the race (even if they’ve both earned a Blue Number).
We can and should celebrate mediocre ultra marathoners like Nigel Asprey who manage to overcome the limitations of their innate athletic ability and God-given DNA to conquer 56 kilometres around the Cape Peninsula ten times or more. On the other hand, we should scorn being dished up a continual diet of mediocrity from our race organisers. It’s time for the Two Oceans Board to step up or step off.
READ MORE: Two Oceans (A Love Letter To My Favourite Ultra)
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Just another page in the chapter of erosion of proud race heritage of what was a national treasure and is now just an erratic business venture. Chet Sainsbury must be turning in his grave based on what this incompetent, ignorant and uncaring bunch are doing to his pride and joy. #disgusting
A very well written and well reasoned article.
I agree, communication from TOM organisers regarding blue number perks, has been quite abysmal, and it is clear that the organisers, non of whom seem to have a 2 oceans finish between them, would have no idea what this race entails in terms of training and endurance, not to mention the expense.
It would be a great step forward if they could appoint a communications officer, to deal with questions which seem to be going unanswered. It would seem that the ROM is somewhat overwhelmed probably because of a combination of inexperience and incompetence. Rather depressing if we are about to witness the slow death of a great event.
On another note, I did email them, suggesting that they should consider their actions carefully, and what Chet Sainsbury would have done in a similar situation, and if he would have disapproved, then don’t do it. Enough said.
Ian Mann 18 voyages.
Memories and traditions fade with time when they are not handed down properly.
In the 1980’s there was a drive to raise funds for the purchase of Comrades House and a “buy a brick campaign” was started. I bought 3 of these wooden bricks which were erected along with all the other contributors bricks under the staircase in Comrades House. I also received a letter of thanks from Mick Winn who was the then Chairman.
On every visit I would enjoy seeing my name there, knowing that I had made a small contribution towards the purchase of the home of Comrades. I completed my 20th Comrades in 2003 and stopped participating but was still involved though my daughters and sons-in-law running. I went back to Comrades house after the museum had been established and the wall of bricks was gone! Enquiries at the house provided no answer as to what had happened to the bricks. One old geezer in the Green Number Club said he thought they were in a box somewhere.
I contacted Cheryl Winn who was the Chairman at that stage and despite all her efforts, no one knew what had happened to the bricks. An absolute slap in the face for all of us who had contributed. The 2 Oceans Blue Number situation is just as bad. An insult to all of us who really earned those numbers.
I have Blue Number 770, having done 15 ultras and am returning to Two Oceans after a 25 year absence to do the 1/2 with my daughter. I was looking forward to have her accompany her ‘old man’ (72) with a certain sense of occasion to the whole event.
Well, it looks as though it is going to be a damp squib.
Like the CMA, a fresh board is needed!
Whilst I hear your comments on what it takes to earn a Blue Number for the Ultra, not being the same as a Light Blue Number, I am enormously proud of my Light Blue Number. As someone who also is not a natural runner, it took a lot for me to get it, and it incentivises me to keep running, and working on improving my running as I get older.
This year will be number 16 and although I was looking at getting my 20th in a few years, I seriously think I am done. I thought the change in Board at the last AGM – voted in by the BNC club members by the way – the one thing we may still be eligible to do – is ironic. That they have not bothered to communicate. It’s a slap in the face – loyalty seems to not matter, numbers do.
I am the proud owner of BN 1274 and am saddened to hear the demise of arguably the greatest Ultra in the world. Too many despots do it for their own pockets with the runners coming a distant second. It will most probably lift it’s head after it is run into the ground first
I am running my 21 st 2 Oceans Ultra this year and was disappointed to see I got an F seeding . I e mailed and left a voice note querying this – I am still waiting for a reply or explanation. I was going to start with my son and daughter in law who are in C batch . That is now not going to happen . No receiving a response is just bad manners – we the runners are obviously not important enough to dignify a response !
Two Oceans board be carefull what you do, next year CT marathon is in May so why should we after 15 years of running this race still support this. CT marathon is on the bucket list and if it is so close to each other, many runner might jump ship to start a new tradition
Your managment style will kill this race faster than you blink. People are already talking and you guys are not seing the red light.
Sad to see.
I’ve always admired the way this prestigious event had been organised and run. I’ve completed 23 Voyages with race number 2777 (ultra only) and planned to continue for ad long as I could. However, with the BNC privileges including the seeding been revoked, I will not be making by yearly pilgrimage for the downgraded Two Oceans Marathon
My gripe with 2 oceans is, why must we submit a qualifying time to run an ultra marathon.
We are expected to pay the full amount before one had qualified. My problem is when one fails to qualify you forfeit your full amount plus your goodie bag 🎒 which to me this is just unfair. I would suggest that you pay a booking fee first e.g. R300 and then once you submit time then you pay outstanding amount. Or those who failed to qualify must get their goods.
Two oceans board must look into this because I feel athletes are being robbed here 😤
This is the problem when you appoint people who are clueless when it comes to road running. A few years ago we had to bulldoze our way into the hospitality tent after they decided to cater only for only 250 first time blue number club recipients and long time blue number members were not allowed in. I’m doing my 20th and possibly my last and to my surprise my seeding is G. I think a new board that understands road running is needed before the current one runs this one to the ground because they are so arrogant.
Thank you for the well written article. The race circumstances are definately not the same anymore. I am running my 19th half marathon this year and was amazed to see that I have been seeded to start in the L group?? Even the finish area is a total mess. My wife is my biggest supported and joins me every year, waiting for me at the finish line. There used to be stands for them to sit on, which also disappeared. Why? And then for the blue number tent where you should feel that you appreciated, the staff and security is very unfriendly and not very helpful. The two of us used to go sit there after the race and watch the runners come in and even celebrate the new Blue number runners. I rather go sit in my car now to avoid the unfriendly staff. Two Oceans, please return to former glory!
As a runner who persevered through serious injury and personal circumstances, I made it my mission to earn a blue number albeit in the half marathon. I got mine last year and I felt that the perks that came with the achievement were an acknowledgement of all that it took to get my number. And it took a lot!.
Starting in L batch feels a little bit like it doesn’t matter to the race that became my passion and drive , and I achieved nothing after all. Bringing me down was done without one word of explanation.
Maybe I should find a new passion.
All the above emails are a replica of my feelings. I have an ultra blue and half blue and have been seeded J !! Also now the half do not supply T- shirts which was always the case.
As someone mentioned, Chet Sainsbury must get turning in his grave.
I think these new organisers have no clue and, speaking for myself, this is the last time I will be running Oceans sadly. Besides the cost which is astronomical.
I too sent an email of complaint with no reply
Very well written article, covered all the facts, it’s so sad that the present Board cannot see that they are destroying the race for the runners who have supported it for years.
I have 21 Ultra and 10 Half medals, but this means absolutely nothing, I have been pushed done to “L” seeding.
I used to wear my Blue Number Golf Tops with my name and number embroidered on them, now they just sit in my cupboard
The “gees” that used to surround meeting other members in the Blue Number Club area has long vanished, you are expected to go in, grab a quick drink, and something to eat, if you are lucky to be there at the right time, and get out, the mementoes for the years of hard work earning your Blue Number are pathetic.
I’m going to run the “Half” this year in my permanent number, and say goodbye to Oceans.
Chet, I’m sorry to see what has become of the race that you worked so hard at in making it was it was.
I’m a light blue number it’s a shame something so good is so messed up now
It’s just a business now
Ched is sorry to see what this race had become
Enough is enough make it better in 2026 hoping hoping your goodie bag you can donate to charity do you think they will except such a bad bad donation
Communication is important to all runners and seeding please two oceans get your house in order or this beautiful race will be no more in coming to years step up and do what you must do it cost lot blue num 665
Great read! How true is it that board members need to volunteer their services to be on the committee of this magnitude? I believe this is where the problem is at as not getting paid for your services leads to nonchalant behaviour. How can you expect great service when they don’t pay for it. In the same vein you don’t want weekend warriors on the committee, the criteria needs to be set down to have qualified, well paid persons to manage this high grossing race that runners train and run at every year.