{{RACE REVIEW}} CCKIDDIES & GAJIGA RUN PRETORIA ZOO

RACE – KIDDIES CYCLE CHALLENGE

This past weekend was the busiest in terms of being outdoors and active. I am totally enjoying that our son loves being active riding his bike, swimming and as of this past Saturday he is finally enjoying running as well. 

Our morning started with us making our way to Riversands for our son’s first Kiddies Cycle Challenge. I honestly think the dads were more excited than our son. The vibe inside the briefing tent was amazing, again it felt like the parents were more excited about the race compared to the kids who were all so calm and just eager to start riding. 

J’s age group got to experience what it will be like riding the main race in years to come. Pushing their bikes to the starting arch.

The excitement at this point was almost palpable.

It was impossible to deny the pride from the parents (those that had listened during the race briefing at least). 

In a flash, they were all gathered at the starting on their bikes and ready to ride off under the scorching morning sun. As quickly as the race begun it was over. 

VERDICT

The medal was different from many of the other kiddies races we’ve attended, and similar to the one dad gets when he cycles at a race. 

Race Route was awesome because as a parent you want to be able to see where your child is at this stage of their cycling world. The route allowed this, so was disappointed when I saw parents running or walking next to their kids. We all worry about the safety of our kids and am quite sure the organizers are well aware of this, hence why they secured the route and made it so that parents had a view of all the kids at all times. Frustrating. 

The distance was a little short, 1.5km. As mentioned above it was all over way too quickly. Felt like we had just arrived at the venue and we were leaving again. I’m sure a double loop, 3km, would have been better and gotten rid of the helicopter parents on the route. 

Goodie Bags were perfect in my opinion. A t-shirt, frisbee, water bottle all branded with the sponsors and race name. There were clear instructions that the kids were to wear the t-shirts during the race, yet again you could spot those kids not wearing theirs. Why? 

Definitely one to repeat next year.

“ADULTS call it ‘working out’ … KIDS call it ‘playing’ “

RACE – GAJIGA FUN RUN

With a 4 hour break after the #CCKIDDIES Race, we were off to Pretoria for our first #GAJIGARUN. Taking place at the Pretoria Zoo, it was a treat for our son who loves wildlife. We had been to the zoo earlier in the year, unfortunately, at the time we did not get to see any of the Lions or Tigers. The minute we arrived we received clear instructions that he wanted to go find the Lions. 

After a brief tour of the zoo as we tried to locate the start of the run, we found the Lionesses. We heard the lion, I still believe it was sound effects, but we didn’t see the mighty “Mufasa – Lion King”.

VERDICT

The medal was cute, the run’s name. 

Race Route was loads of fun as it made you explore the zoo and many of the wildlife who call it home. You didn’t have to run it all if you opted to walk it, no problem!

The inflatables along the route were the best part of the afternoon. Running, sliding, crawling, falling was all part of the game. When your son turns around and lets you know how much fun he is having, you know it’s cool. We were done within an hour, but if you’re super competitive I am sure you could complete it sooner. 

What we found AWESOME is that it’s a great outing for the family. Get’s everyone to work together and support each other through the inflatables. Signing up for the race online, straightforward. Registration on the day, quick. The visual identity was good. Location was great, both for old and young, who doesn’t love the zoo! Post race #Boss drinks welcoming, although it was a sunset run, it was still pretty warm at 5 pm.

What we found needing some ATTENTION once past the registration, there was no clear signage directing all the newbies to the start. During the race, the signage improved. Suggest having someone just after the registration table to direct entrants to the starting area and along the route of the race to direct the runners/walkers. Just before the second to last inflatable, we, along with a group would have taken a shortcut had we not asked those returning from the inflatable if there were more ahead. Times are tough, so found the current entrance cost a little pricey. 

Can’t wait for the 2018 series to start next February.  It’s so much fun for the whole family or a group of friends to participate. There’s no time cut-off per group, as long as you complete the course within the allocated 3 hours. Bonus you can repeat the course if you are so inclined. Click here to signup for Gajiga’s first event in 2018 and don’t miss out!

Disclaimer: I received tickets to Gajiga Fun Run. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 

Both events are great to get the whole family spending time outdoors.