This letter has reference to the President Hyper Berg en Dal night race which took place earlier in January.
I’ve run the 5km before. Wednesday night, 16 January was my first attempt at the 15km.
As a later-in-life starter, although quite challenging, participating in the race was pleasant. There were ample hydration points and marshals at every turn in the road. Crossings were staffed by both marshals and traffic officials, ensuring the safe passage of runners.
In jest, consideration should be given to changing the name to ‘Berge en Dale’ (plural), because there are plenty of uphills to overcome along the route.
Braaivleis smells filled the air at many places along the way. Only two things detracted from the trying yet satisfying experience, namely dead street lights and hasty local drivers. Some spots along the way were quite dark, due to several street lights that were off. Local drivers then accelerate past the runners and I can’t help but fear for their safety because it is so dark.
Numerous athletic clubs were represented, some from quite far away. It would be interesting to see a graphic representation of the age profile. Several participants are getting on in years, but still running very strongly.
