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Michael Finch ROADRUNNING
A Two Oceans Marathon without Chapman’s Peak? That’s a bit like having a one-day cricket international without a ball.
The famous 10km stretch, regarded as one of the most scenic roads in the world, is as much a part of the Two Oceans as the fish horn that signals the start.
But after the death of a motorist as a result of a rockfall and the subsequent closure of the road for repairs, both the Argus Cycle Tour and now the Two Oceans have been robbed of one of their biggest attractions.
In theory, entries and interest in this year’s Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon should have waned.
It’s done everything but. Despite the calamity, the 31st running of this 56km ultra-marathon on Saturday has tapped into a new road running boom and the hype of a new millennium, with record entries and a star-studded cast. Just over 9E000 entries have been received for the 56km with another 4E000 entered for the shorter half-marathon also run on the day.
Pundits are divided over whether the new route is easier or harder than the traditional loop around the southern peninsula. This year the race runs along the usual Two Oceans route until the 25,5km mark before cutting back at Louw’s Corner up the murderous 7km haul of Ou Kaapse Weg, which takes runners up an elevation of 312m.
The view at the top over False Bay may be good, but the drop down towards Westlake and Pollsmoor will be punishing before the gradual climb up Southern Cross Drive, the final long ascent.
In short, the hills may come earlier in the race when the athletes are fresher, but combined with the steep descents, the runners’ legs are likely to take more punishment.
The proof will be in the pudding. If anyone gets close to Thomson Magawana’s 1988 record of 3:03.44 or Frith van der Merwe’s women’s mark of 3:30.36, the course will have proven quicker than the old route.
Despite the changes, race organisers will reward record breakers with promised incentives, although any “new” records will only stand for one year if the race resumes its normal route in 2001.
The new route has also done little to affect the quality of the race contenders. Among the men, defending champion Isaac Tshabalala looks more like a dark horse than a favourite.
Perhaps the biggest name is Pole Jaroslaw Janicki, last year’s Comrades Marathon winner and already a Two Oceans runner-up (behind Simon Malindi in 1995). Janicki’s performance in last year’s Comrades placed him among the greats of world ultra- distance running and as a powerful downhill runner, with muscular strong quads, the new route may suit his style perfectly.
Among other international contenders are Namibian Lucketz Swartbooi, the silver medallist over the marathon at the 1993 World Championships, and evergreen Zimbabwean Morgan Sithole.
But it’s among the South Africans that there is depth. Although two-time winner Zithulele Sinqe is running, he’s not racing flat out and will be using the race as preparation for this year’s Comrades.
That leaves Tshabalala to carry the local flag. Having won the race once previously (in 1993), Tshabalala held off a game Desmod Zibi in a titanic battle over the final 5km to win last year and is perhaps the gutsiest runner in the field.
But what Tshabalala has in guts, Zibi, Nixon Nkodima and two-time Soweto Marathon winner Joshua Peterson have in pure talent. Peterson, who also won last year’s All Africa Games Marathon and finished second at the national marathon championships, is the biggest unknown quantity. He is superbly gifted, but one suspects the Gautenger may be over-raced.
Also watch out for surprise 1998 winner Fusi Nhlapo, who battled in training last year, but is back to full fitness in 2000, and the Liberty Life contingent of Linda Nana (fourth last year), Moses Rachaka, Cornelius Poya and Lucas Matlala.
In absence of defending champion Angelina Sephooa, the women’s race signifies the return of disgraced former Comrades champion Maria Bak, after she was suspended for drug abuse two years ago.
The 41-year-old from Germany may be past her prime, but her guts and determination are legendary. She and husband Kaziemierz Bak look certainties for the husband-and-wife prize.
Defending Comrades champion Birgit Lennartz will start as favourite, having run Two Oceans on three occasions with a best finish of second behind Sephooa in 1998, while South African hopes will be with national marathon champion Gwen van Lingen (ne Griffiths).
Van Lingen, second to Sephooa last year, is as gutsy as they come. Superbly prepared, Van Lingen may well have learned from the lessons of 1999 and steal the thunder from the rest of the established ultra-runners.
Michael Finch is editor of Runner’s World Magazine