After arrival at Cape Town International Airport, we'll take you to your hotel. The days is free for you to settle in after your flight.
In the late afternoon you can opt to head out to join the world famous local running crew, Tuesday Trails. The UTCT vibe will be strong at TT this week, and there'll be lots of experienced locals to chat about the race with. Tuesday Trails is 'a bunch of mates, out enjoying the single track', with crews named Snakes, Old School, Ideas and Packers...you pick what speed you want to run. And always a cold beer at the trail head once done. This is trail running done Cape Town style.
Our hotel is based on the seaboard promenade, with the many Sea Point restaurants in easy walking distance.
With only a few days to go to race day, we've set up a recce run that allows everyone to get a feel for the route, but without being too taxing. We’ll make use of the cable car to help us get this right, providing the flexibility for you to decide how much climbing and descending you want to do. The running up top of the table is something special, and well worth experiencing when not racing. Your guide will be able to point out the flow of the route for you, with invaluable insight and advice.
We will head to the wharf at Hout Bay harbour where you can grab yourself fish and chips or calamari. The harbour is an aid station on the 100km route, so it will give runners a feel for what is in store.
A few of the finest Cape wine farms will set up a tasting for us at the hotel in the afternoon.
In the evening wander some more in Sea Point, or you can head out to the trendy Bree, Kloof or Long streets. The Victoria and Alfred Waterfront offers a meal with a bit of shopping thrown in.
After a hearty breakfast, we’ll head out on a tour of the Cape Peninsula. We’ll begin our day with a stop in at Llandudno, and walk to Sandy Bay so we can check out Suther Peak far above. It is a truly spectacular setting, even if on Saturday it will be the meaty middle of the 100km route. From there we will drive one of the most beautiful and dramatic mountain side roads in the world, Chapman’s Peak Drive. A privilege and a rite of passage for participants in the Two Oceans Ultra, and the Cape Cycle Tour, the largest timed cycling event in the world.
Then it is on to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, where there are over 7000 types of indigenous flora and fauna. We’ll head up to the Cape Point lighthouse, where we can look out over some of the highest sea cliffs in the country.
We'll be back at the hotel in time for some quiet time, before we head up to the race village via the shuttle to register. There will be a priority queue to ease us through the process.
There are pop up food stalls at the Race Village, and Q&A with elites and Trails In Motion for entertainment.
Today is left for you to decide how active you'd like to be. Robben Island and the District Six Museum offer experiential insight into South Africa's dark past. Clifton and Camps Bay beaches await, the cold water will refresh as December is hot in Cape Town.
A walking tour of the city, or checking out the thriving craft beer and gin scene are other options.
If you are running the 100, 65 or 35 - put your race faces on, but make sure you take a little time out every now and again to enjoy the beauty.
It is a crazy early start, and no one likes to stress so we'll get the shuttles going early, and they'll run until you're all safely there. They'll be ready and waiting again for the 35 start, which is 3 hours later.
Then it’s up to you, get out there and enjoy it. We'll be waiting at the finish to get you back to your room when you are ready.
If you're running the 21 then you can sleep in. but we suggest you get to the start and use the race shuttle to get you out and about supporting the race. The aid stations are the pride and joy of UTCT, and well worth visiting to see the front runners, support friends and family running, or just enjoy the aid station energy and race atmosphere.
21km runners, it’s your chance to shine. You won't need to get up quite as early as the ultra runners, but the same rules apply. Get down to the shuttles early to avoid stress. The race village is a pretty cool place to be before the start anyway.
Yesterday's heroes, the addition of the 21km this years has added some spice to prize giving day. The action at the front will be fast and furious, and there will be loads of new trail runners coming in behind them...full of excitement after their huge personal achievement. It is inspirational entertainment, and a great opportunity after yesterday to reflect on your own personal running journey.
Then it is time for prize giving for all the races, and the after party. Not to be missed.
The shuttles are there to get you back to your hotel when you are done.
There is a South African braai experience on offer for UTCT at the hotel, mingle with new friends from the trails and the elites also relaxing after their races. Otherwise Clifton beach, or the city await, depending on how much energy you have.
Choice time. Do you want to spend a few more days in awesome Cape Town? Do you want to head to the bushveld for a safari, the epitome of an African experience? Let us know and we'll build your dream post run Vacation.
If it is home time, we'll run the airport shuttles from pretty early, so again, you just need to check out and get to the courtyard. We do the admin for you.
