Route 4. Route44 Parkrun

I recently did the Parkrun at the Route44 market just outside Stellenbosch.  Lots of fun with quite a kick in the middle.

Distance: 4.8k m
Climb: 47m m
Water Available: None
Dangers: Apart from the odd stream of bad BO that you have run through it is all fun.
Terrain. All gravel road.

I am not really one for mass participation events and my wife would say I am not what someone would call a "joiner".  Yet I found the Parkrun quite a bit of fun. 

For those of you not in the know Parkrun aim to get as many people as possible to a timed run without paying for it. Cool concept.

Before you go and do it make sure to first register at the Parkrun website, then check your email and print out the barcode they sent you.  You will need it to get a time at the race.

Make sure you are at the Route44 market but about 0745.  No need to register or anything, all you need is your barcode on you somewhere for when you end.  The starter will call you to the startline and off you go at 8am sharpish.  Quick note.  If you are someone that do a km in the low 5m/km range you need to be close to the front of the bunch otherwise you will be passing people for the first 2km.

Back to the trail.  It runs through the vineyards at Laibach farm and is quite beautiful and serene apart from the 300 odd people running.  From the start the road goes up and down a few times along gentle inclines.  It is only at the start of the 3km that the road gets a serious kick, and with serious I mean hang on here, this is about a Cat4 climb and you gain 50 meters in elevation in 70 meters of road.  Dont be ashamed to have a walk here.

The nice thing about this is that this is that when you are at the top you will be going downhill almost the whole way.  A long meandering fall through the vineyards will get you back to the start/finish.  When you get the the finish grab the little card they gave you and take it to the register desk with your own barcode and thats it, your race is done.  The results usually get emailed to you within 24 hours.  

The route is gentle apart from that 1km of crazy uphill but the general vibe on the run is good and there is lots of chitchat and laughter.  Dont be scared to mingle.  It wont kill you.  I think the Parkrun is definetely something that I will start including into my monthly running program.

Here is the Strava segment for the parkrun.  It might differ from week to week as they change the route (this weeks was 200m short).  See you there (I am the guy with the very very old camera)