Race Review : Old Eds 21.1, 10 and 5km

Old Eds Road Race with Discovery Vitality hosted by Old Eds Sports Club took place Sunday 6th August. This was the first race in the #vitalityrunseries also a first for the series as it’s the inaugural year.

An unusual late start, 8 am. Usually, the Joburg races start at 7 am if I’m not mistaken. It wasn’t dark by 7 am. It was great to hear that the race was sold out! I’m sure soothing music to any organisers ears and even better for the sponsors.

Distance: 21.1km, 10km, 5km Fun Run

Weather: Although not Spring just yet, it was a beautiful Winter morning. I regret having worn the long sleeve t-shirt under my club running vest. 

Parking: Plenty of parking within the gym parking area, and on the street outside the Old Eds VA gym. 

Organisation: Entry and number collection was smooth sailing, it’s nothing new as the race organisers have this mastered. We had planned to arrive earlier than we did, although still an hour before the start of the race when we arrived at the venue the street parking was already quite full of parked cars. The start of the race was reasonably easy to locate.

Marshalling: The marshals were helpful along the route.

Water Tables: Two water tables at the 3.5km and 6.5km that looked well supplied. I’ve started running with my own bottle, so tend to use these water tables as a walking opportunity to breathe. #runclean

Do you run/walk with your own bottle at the races?

Medals: An awesome concept as part of the #vitalityrunseries, there are four races and at each race, if you finish you get a medal that’s a piece of a four piece puzzle. Today’s medal was the first piece of the puzzle. Original for our running community as I’ve not seen similar before. 

Overall: A great route. If you were running Old Eds for the first time one could forgive you for thinking that the route would be kind from the easy first 3kms. Alas, it was just during this initial period that the route was “easy” the rest of the 7kms to the end of the 10km you were climbing, the 21.1km was a double loop of the 10km route. The climb wasn’t unreasonable though. Another awesome race to wake up the legs and muscles after their winter hibernation.

A gripe for me, normally at the end of the races here in Gauteng it’s easy for runners to locate the water table with water and coke at the finish. Not today, it was awkwardly located.  I only found it just before I left the venue, and I wasn’t the only one! As a result, many runners finished and began to queue in front of the Team Vitality running club tent. The confusion was further fueled as hosts from the Team Vitality tent were handing out water bottles to those in the queue, the majority very obviously not from the Team Vitality Running Club. At one point I heard the announcer letting everyone know that the Team Vitality tent drinks were for its club runners … I’m hoping that he (the announcer) also informed the runners finishing off their race where to go for drinks. I also didn’t quite understand the reason for the split between 5, 10 and 21km runners as you can into the finishers field only for everyone to rejoin at about 100m from the finish. This caused some confusion for the announcer as not everyone that entered the 21km actually ran it. Some would have opted to end their race at the 10km for a variety of reasons, so although their number was red for 21 .. they actually finished the 10km race. Again announcer had to request runners finishing to keep left for 1okm and right for 21km.

Due to the late start, it was a late and rather warm finish for those running the 21.1km. Besides that, overall an amazing race. Excited for race 2 in the series.

For race results, and if like me you need them for Vitality points this is where you should begin your search. 

Will you be at the Wanderers race for a chance to collect the second piece of the #vitalityrunseries puzzle medal?

Entries are selling fast, the 5km Fun Run is already sold out! You can enter here.