A tweak to the Rules for our 31st event in 2019.
Those who have been with us for a decade or two, or even a year or three, will know that our route and our Rules are always up for change. Both to keep us interested and to avoid our runners being bogged down in humdrum monotony.
Changes have included the Hooggenoeg Ridge section, those 'Tufts of Terror' so named by two-time winner Iain Morshead, the Mavis Top 'Cut-off' blanket, the complimentary glass or three or four of Old Brown at registration (yes, we saw you! NNNPD*), a re-jig of the route through the kloof to incorporate an original section, the Gold and Mauve Snowflake numbers and the Mauve Snowflake presentation to mention a few.
The 2019 'tweak' is the introduction of another time cut-off. This one at the Mavis Farm Check Point.
The Mavis Farm Check Point is only approx 13km from the Start and over unquestionably the easiest section of the route and taken on fresh if somewhat cold legs.
A 'Soft Cut-off' of 2 hours will be introduced. The rationale is to assist runners to make the Mavis Top Cut-off of 4½ hours.
Extract from the 2019 Rules below
The 'Soft Cut-off' will mean that runners arriving at the Check Point after 2 hours will not have to abandon the race, but the Check Point Chief will have the discretion to withdraw a runner if, for example, the runner has picked up an injury early in the day and it is clear they will struggle through the kloof and potentially put their health at risk and endanger crew in the Sweep team or at Mavis Top who would need to evacuate runners and themselves from 'up high'.
The intention is not to stop a participant's race prematurely but to consider objectively the runner's situation given the potentially tough section ahead.
We know that no-one aims to collect the Cut-off blanket and hopefully one day it will not have to be presented.
* No Names No Pack Drill
Translated for our younger runners: Pack-drill is/was a punishment given to soldiers in most military forces, certainly in the South African Army, requiring them to undertake drill (exercise) in full uniform and carrying a heavy pack. 'No names, no pack-drill' is used to indicate that the names of those who have committed a misdemeanour will not be mentioned in order to spare them punishment.
