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This is one of the simplest routes we have ever ran, but it is the most historic route you will want to have on your Strava profile. We will run through the Three historic Johannesburg Passes.
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When: 11 January 2020
Distance: -30km
Cost: Free online (R60 for morning registration)
Start and Finish: Old Eds VA,
No.11 9th Avenue, Old Eds, Houghton Estate, Johannesburg, 2198
Start time: 06:00am (Check-In opens at 04:30am)
The background story:
The topography of Johannesburg is distinctive with the rocky mountainous ridges and the line of koppies that runs from east to west. These are the quartzite ridges of the famous Witwatersrand. The geology is unique. This is one of the few localities where the evolution of the granitic crust of Southern Africa has been preserved and can be viewed. There are several places in Johannesburg where approximately 500 million years of the Earth’s history is exposed and displayed.
Some of the best spots to see geological time exposed are on either side of the rock lined quartzite roads of the cuttings and passes of Johannesburg. The ridges of Johannesburg are part of the natural heritage and are features that make this a unique city on the Highveld. Johannesburg street names often recall the local terrain (Stone Street, Rockridge Road, Kloof Street etc.).
We who live in Johannesburg sometimes take for granted how very special the older suburbs on those ridges actually are – Brixton, Westcliff, Yeoville, Bellevue, Upper Houghton, Observatory, Linksfield Ridge etc. The best homes have views that stretch as far as the Magaliesberg to the north. The hard Orange Grove Quartzite proved to be an excellent building material and one has only to look at many of the heritage mansions of Westcliff, Parktown, Mountain View and Houghton to see how effectively this stone could be hewn, cut, chiselled, shaped and dressed creating those building units so beloved by Herbert Baker.
There is another dimension and that is that suburbs and residential areas needed roads, streets, avenues and lanes to impose order on the hills of Johannesburg. Secondly the same rocky landscape needed traversing to take people and vehicular traffic from lower to high level areas and back again. The same quartz rocks created an obstacle for the road builders of the early 20th century, as the challenge was to connect those suburbs of the north to those that lay to the south. A remarkable achievement was the construction of three Johannesburg Passes and our city has the distinction of being the place where you will find the three shortest passes in South Africa. These are Stewart Drive, Munro Drive and Sylvia Pass. These special roads close to the city centre and essentially separating northern suburbs from southern suburbs and whatever lay in between are worth a tour. It is a tour with a difference as one engages with geology, botany and the built environment!
We often think a trip to the Cape, KwaZulu Natal or Mpumalanga is needed to view spectacular scenic panoramas but right here, if you give an hour to your city, you can see it all in miniature. Read more...
Special instructions:
The run starts and finishes at the Old Ads Virgin Active. The parking opens around 04:30. Kindly note that you will be parking entirely at your own risk, neither Epic Runs ZA or Old Eds is responsible for your vehicle.
The 30km and the 21km run will both strictly start 06:00AM, after a 15-minute’s warm-up and a short run briefing.
We have mobile water points every 5km. Some sections of this route have inadequate/ limited running space, so please wear something reflective or bright colours, something that would be clearly visible to motorist. Please respect the rules of the road at all time and be prepared to run on the dirt on the side of the road to give way to cars.
This will be an easy LSD run possible from 5'00"/km to +8'00"/km. Take it easy, don't push yourself too hard.
This is not a race or an ASA affiliated event. It's just a training run. There are NO prizes to be won.
"We start together, we finish together."
Note: Do forget to use #EpicRunsZA when sharing the poster on social media, and tag @EpicRunsZA.
Route map for The LookOut Epic Run 2019
Route map for The LookOut Epic Run 2019
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