Adrian's Table Mountain trail running chronicles

In eager anticipation of the new section being created, I'll start this thread off and post some pics on some of my runs from my backyard. I'm sure the mods will move it when the time comes

Today, up India Venster, down to Echo Valley and along and up Smuts Track to Maclears, along the front face, down Platteklip (which was very slippery) and along the contour back to the cable station. It was misty and chilly. Starting at 13 degrees but felt decent heading up. The top was windy, with some slight rain at stages and cold. All in all, a fast climb up after which I slowed right down around Fountain Ledge to keep the heart rate lower and just idle along.

13.2 km
981 m of ascent


Halfway up India Venster.

Looking back down India V.

There is some scrambling. Take care. A few people have been killed further up where the stainless staples are now. Although they have made it far safer, someone was paralysed about 2 years ago. Go slow.

Kloof Corner on the right, looking down to Camps Bay.

Looking south towards the Twelve Apostles that are enveloped in the mist.

Down into Echo Valley the path is stable but beware the wooden sections in the wet...

Who can resist a selfie with the beautiful king proteas? I love these guys!

Up Smuts Track looking back. Also an old path that is seeing sign of wear and tear but quality stuff. Great technical running going down.
Looking down from halfway down Platteklip. An area I avoid unless it is raining or night time - too many people.

WATER! Understand that Cape Town is super dry at the moment. This is pure joy

Looking back (east) to Devils Peak on the left from the contour path about 100m above Tafelberg road.


And looking forward (west). This path is actually fairly technical. This section happens to be the flattest part shown in the pic.


Love the water

EDIT, map added:

Yesterday my wife had to attend to a horse in Hout Bay so I said drop me off at Cecilia Forest and I'll go for a run. I needed to go for a short run to end an upside down week, ok, so 4 or 5 upside down weeks. So, from Cecilia Forest up into Rooikat Kloof and out to the south to the Nek, then returned back into Rooikat, across the valley and out the other side which is above the large reservoir in Kirstenbosch. Down to the contour and ran back to Constantia Nek parking lot to finish off. Felt good, not pushing too hard and just enjoying it, stopping to take photos and enjoy the WATER

6.5 km
441 m of ascent
351 m of descent


Map.

Zig zag seen on the other side of Rooikat Kloof looking north.





Looking south once through the valley.

And north towards town, this is the exit as it drops back down to the contour.

is running alone in that area not a safety risk?

Coeta wrote: is running alone in that area not a safety risk?

Nope. I find driving on our roads far more dangerous.

Areas I don't like are:

- The Blockhouse near Devil's Peak. I went on a long run past there the day after someone was mugged. A chap was walking on a path below me wearing the exact same clothes as the mugger from the previous day. When he spotted me he upped his pace as our paths were to intersect ahead. I put down the hammer and heard shouting from up at Woodstock Cave presumably from his mates but no chance to get me. If I start in the dark I take pepper spray. I avoid the Block House area but had to train there in anticipation for Ultra-Trail Cape Town. This year is no different and I will return. I have never liked the area.

- I don't run near Hout Bay. And I would be wary of the Sandy Bay area too from what I've read.

- Silvermine has had issues at stages, I'm not certain which areas.

- Areas above Kalk Bay can be dodgy at times.

Many areas have had "issues" and incidents but I run in the same areas typically time and again, and have had no issues. To me, lower slopes are more dodgy in certain areas, ie. Hout Bay. Whereas hiking or running even at night on top is rather safe in my opinion. Muggers are lazy and they won't climb up high to attack you, typically. Generally I find trail running in Cape Town to be very safe. Yesterday at Constantia Nek it was buzzing with people, I think you'd be surprised as to the amount of hikers, dog walkers and runners on the slopes above the southern suburbs.

A chilling read about a mugger:
www.groundup.org.za/article/table-mountains-easy-targets-trail-hout-bay-mugger/

For interest, I just spotted this. Like I said, I don't like the Block House area:


Saturday a short run with my wife. Started at Kloof Corner then up along the contour to Platteklip Gorge and back.

5.9 km
273 m of ascent



Heading up Kloof Corner. A brisk wind was blowing and it was around 14 degrees (without wind)

On Sunday I went running alone for a longer run. It was surprisingly not that cold even though it was overcast. Generally it wasn't windy, not by Cape Town standards anyway

Up from Kloof Corner, along the contour, up India Venster, down into Echo Valley, up and then down into Valley of the Red Gods, down via Kasteelspoort and then back along the pipe track and then the small nail in the coffin is the short but steep climb back to the car. Did not feel good heading up India Venster but felt stronger later. Not my best performance but good to get out a bit. Had planned to do a 20 or 25 km but lost motivation quickly.

11.3 km
945 m of ascent


At the car I heard this weird scratching sound. A few second later I spotted this fella on a branch. They always amuse me.

Looking down to Camps Bay from Kloof Corner.

I had a late start (red wine I suspect!)


Light drizzle towards the end of the steep section of India Venster. It became quite cold once around 800 m ASL.

Behind me is the end of Platteklip. If you travel south you see this view as it drops into Echo Valley.

I love king proteas and always talk to them. People must think I'm mad. Maybe.

Echo Valley. People think Table Mountain is flat on top. It is not

Along the pipe track looking up randomly.

AdrianT wrote: Had planned to do a 20 or 25 km but lost motivation quickly.

I can relate on that one

AdrianT wrote: People must think I'm mad. Maybe.

Sanity is overrated

I missed my tempo run yesterday and today was supposed to be an easy road run so I headed to the mountain at midday for stair training up and down Kloof Corner, but with a 35 litre bag and some weights inside to make it harder. 16.3 kg total. Much harder to go up than normal trail running Stairs are boring but effective in making myself stronger for running the Otter in October and the 65 km Ultra-Trail Cape Town in December. They are also "natural" stairs of course, not concrete. 12 degrees when I got there, the same when I left at 13:30 and almost no wind. Lovely day to train!

4.4 km
488 m ascent (16.3 kg pack and stairs only)


2 x 5 kg weights wrapped in a towel. Then another towel tossed in and a few other goodies to bring up the weight.



Final section before the contour. Then it's turn around and go back down.

My weekend had been planned out nicely - windsurf Saturday and kayak the Molenaars River Sunday. Friday night my sailing buddy dropped me. I then decided not to drive to Brandvlei as I was going the next day again on my own anyway to paddle. Saturday I woke up on the wrong side of bed, so I knew that the other way to cure my mood was to head out into the cold and pouring rain and go for a run. Brilliant decision. Parking at Cecilia Forest I cruised up into Rooikat kloof, down to the contour then along the contour and up those 400 stairs above the aloes at Kirstenbosch then back, then back up into Rooitkat to do another loop of stairs. So basically it was stair training with some running thrown in. Felt relatively decent and could have run much more. I encountered several other runners, even a woman on her own. Great to see people out on the trails even in the "bad" weather. Breakfast was two soft boil eggs and two small landjägers which was a bit minimalist but it did the job! No, I don't bant.

10.1 km
726 m ascent
Cold, driving rain and wind



In the profile you can see Rooikat Kloof one way then the reverse route at the end. In the middle are those dreaded stairs. A real killer on UTCT.