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Simon and I on top of Devil’s Peak

One of the fundaentals of running the “3 Peaks Challenge” is know how to get to the peaks 🙂

I am grateful that running club mate and trail running expert Simon agreed to guide me up Devil’s Peak on a training run. This is the only one of the 3 peaks I haven’t been up yet. When I asked him a few days back, how long it might take us, he replied “40/45 min up, 20/25 min” and I knew I was up for a challenging run.

But Simon was great as a running guide and he waited for me many times, since I really had to fight my way up. You can tell immediately if someone is a regular trail runner or more a ultra distance tar road eater – by just watching the breathing 🙂

After 2 or 3 minutes of running uphill I was breathing as if I would never ever exercise. It’s such a different load on the body – from the very consistent running on tar to constantly changing steps, speed of running and use of muscles.

Eventually we got up on Devil’s Peak and even made it in 46 minutes.

The reward was one of the most beautiful views you can have in Cape Town.

Just look:

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View from Devil’s Peak, Oct 11th 2014

And the view towards the city center with Lions Head/Signal Hill and Robben Island in the distance:

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View towards Cape Town, from Devil’s Peak, with Robben Island in the back

The way down was easier and thanks to Simon I have a clue where I need to go on race day. If weather permits I’ll do it again and also follow his advice to have one training run covering two of the three peaks. Just for the mind.

We returned after 1h 27 min, running time 1h 20min (we took a 7 min break on top). We covered some 680 m in elevation, starting at about 320 m and going up to 1000 m.

And I felt it.

After Simon got into his car I added another loop, along Tafelberg Road (which was insanely busy with tourists), turned left after Lower Cable Car Station and went onto the quiet trails again, along upper contour path to the intersection with Platteklip Gorge (the very popular hiking trail up to Table Mountain) which is also part of the Three Peaks Challenge. But I did not go further up and returned back to where I started.

This added another some 7 km in 55 min and 360 m elevation.

I now know even better, that the 1st of November is going to be interesting 🙂

Simon, thanks again for taking me up Devil’s Peak. I trust I’ll only see you on race day when you are on your way back from the first peak while I’m still stumbling to the top…

And thanks to the Three Peaks Challenge I made it up to Devil’s Peak eventually, and it won’t be the last time – the views are simply oustanding!

What a beautiful world we live in!

Distance 6.4 + 6.9 km / 8.3 mi
Time 1h 27 min + 55 min
Monthly distance (October) 111.6 km / 69.3 mi
Annual distance 2,132.7 km / 1,325.2 mi