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Cape Town – Bury the winter blues and put spring in your step – literally – with the fast-approaching JanBraai Marathon in the picturesque Breedekloof Valley.
Here is all you need to know about the event, taking place between October 18-20 and involving a three-day trail and vineyard run.
Day one involves a limb-loosening 8km, day two stretches to 21km and the concluding day is held over 13km.
The food:
The hint is in the name. All in, you’ll have almost 10 braais on the weekend of the JanBraai Marathon - your first being the post-run braai after the Friday night run. This year, Jan Braai himself will be preparing your race village meals too, a special treat for all entrants. Out on the course, local farmers, wine makers and landowners will serve you freshly braaied roosterkoek, chicken sosaties, lamb chops, braaibroodjies, braai pizzas, wors rolls and more.
The wine tables:
Water tables are hard to come by at the JanBraai Marathon - but what you will find is fully stocked wine tables. After all, why have a run in wine country if you can’t drink the wine? From chilled chenin to sparkling MCC, the wine farms of the JanBraai Marathon share their very best bottles with runners - a particular highlight being Saturday morning’s champagne breakfast before the run starts. Wineries visited over the three days include: Badsberg, Deetlefs, Meander, Dutoitskloof, Jason’s Hill and Slanghoek Cellar.
The setting:
The Breedekloof Wine Valley and Slanghoek Valley play hosts to the JanBraai Marathon. The three days each start and finish at Goudini Spa, with runners tackling three distinct routes. Gorgeous sunsets, breathtaking mornings and mountain views provide the JanBraai Marathon with a picture perfect setting. If you choose to stay at Goudini Spa for the weekend, you can also enjoy all the amenities of the resort, including the famous hot springs.
The trails:
The hardest part of the JanBraai Marathon is leaving the wine tables. The trails, while adding up to 42km over the three days of running, are very manageable for all level of runner. The Friday night 8km is a flat loop through vineyards. Saturday’s 21km is also through vineyards, but does include some singeltrack that takes you to a viewpoint of the entire valley below. The final day of running includes just one climb, with the reward being an incredible 5km singletrack trail all the way to the finish.
The atmosphere:
With no race numbers, no timing and no cut-off time, the JanBraai Marathon is the most-relaxed multi-day trail run you can find. All level of runner is welcome, as are walkers. The Friday night run ends with a party in the race bedouin tent, while on Saturday night you can expect live music in the evening and braai fires burning long into the night. Local suppliers, wine makers and farmers also provide warm hospitality for the entire weekend.
Enter at: Janbraaimarathon.com
