Escaped the danger at the Cape

stats of the week: run 10km, cycled 52km

Our last week in SA was more of walking than running, the knee was not excited. However, we are safely back home. Astonishingly the most dangerous situation was the face to face encounter with an almost 2-meter-long snake in Cape Point National Park. It turned out to be a Cape Cobra, one of the moist poisonous snakes of Africa. The dose rate of one of its bites is enough to kill 6 humans. The snake was less than 2 meters in front of me on the footpath. Anyway, C insists the traffic was more dangerous. Nevertheless we already booked for next year.

Bay to Bay - way too beautiful

stats of the week: run 16km, cycled 148km

I am still reduced to be a spectator what hurts especially watching such a grand race as the Bay to Bay is. This race goes from Camps Bay to Hout Bay and back which makes a 30K. The shorter option is 15K from Hout Bay to Camps Bay.

I was happy to be able to accompany C on her last 4 km to the finish. We have already decided to come again next year and do this run a third time. It's such a gorgeous route along the Cape Peninsula sea side.

Daily SA Agony

stats of the week: run 10km, cycled 168km

Another week survived on the roads of South Africa. Drivers are not aggressive like in Germany, SA drivers are just careless. They seem to be dreaming while driving. And I got the impression that they disobey cyclists. Even when there is enough space and no oncoming traffic they pass the cyclist with a distance of a hand. It's sometimes really scaring especially when it is very windy.

South Africa has about a tenth of German traffic but has a rate of more than 12,000 road deaths per year what is four times the German rate. We never cycle here without agony and already had to witness a deadly accident.

As you see I already started sort of jogging this week. It's a lap of 2.5km which I more or less hobble around every other day. I still have doubts that I'll ever be able to run properly again.

Kommetjie Strand

Spectator still at New Year's Eve 8K run at Green Point, Cape Town

The lady winner at New Year's Eve race. Last year German Sabrina Mockenhaupt was first home before all men!

Bush fires are a common sight in the Western Cape. Cycling below ash clouds at Franschhoek Pass.

Christmas in Franschhoek

stats of the week: cycled 157km

At least my knee allows some hiking already and let me see how my regular beverage grows.

I follow a tight diet to feed my cartilage. Including red wine for dinner. Besides of hot spices for breakfast.

The view from Klapmutskop at the full moon christmas hike.

Franschhoek Pass. Our exercise cycle route right from the doorstep,
440 meters of altitude difference on 8 km of distance.

Cycling the Cape

stats of the week: cycled 70km

Road biking is increasingly popular in South Africa. Cape Town and Joburg not only host the world's biggest cycling events, now SA has its first pro team managed by German Rolf Aldag.

Biking on country roads feels dangerous. Car drivers are going fast and tend to overtake at little distance. If there is no hard shoulder it's no fun. However, the landscape makes up for the agony.

Hard times as a spectator

stats of the week: second week of forced rest

You might imagine that it is hard to be a spectator but otherwise it was good fun to support C. at the Sundowner 10Km in Cape Town. It was a fairly big event with approx. more than 2,000 runners, about nearly half of them women.

They're off! No chip time. For a European soul it was strange to see how many runners were late at the start. Even 15 minutes after the crowd was gone there were runners still setting off on their own. Luckily roads were still closed for them.

System is simple and easy. When registering you get a card on which you write down your name. This card you have to carry during the race and to the finish line.

After crossing the finish line you get another card showing your place in the field. Here were separate finishs for men and women!

Putting both of your cards together you place them on a board. Ready is the result list!

Female winner at km 9.

Runners are required to carry their age group on front and back (here "J") if they aim for age group prizes.

And how about my knee? Everything goes to schedule. Meanwhile I have started cycling already :-)

Fast cut, long recovery

stats of the week: rest. ice. compression. elevation.

It was a different opportunity to feel like a pro. Monday morning at 11am I felt I should consult a doc to examin my knee. Less than 24 hours later I found myself lieing on the operating table.

Surgery of the torn meniscus went smooth but now patience is my biggest challenge. Biking should be possible after 2 weeks, running after 2 months! Winter holidays are going to be very recreative.