So Sunday saw Chantelle and I take on the annual Peninsula School Feeding Association fund-raiser charity walk for the first time ever, choosing to partake in the 10km walk (probably the most popular out of the three choices just in terms of the number of participants). Now last year the event was unfortunately rained out, forcing the organisers to cancel and apologise (but at least still feed the hungry kids thanks to the entry fees already gathered), but this year there were no such shenanigans, thanks to the promise of a rain-free day in our beautiful Mother City.
The event itself was anchored at the old Greenpoint Track facility, right next to the new Greenpoint Stadium, which of course meant that parking (or rather the lack thereof) proved to be quite a nuisance. C and I were pretty lucky to find a spot up in one of the side-streets branching into Seapoint proper, kind of a straight line up from the entrance to the track, meaning that our trek through to the grounds both before and after the event wasn’t particularly taxing as what it might have been for some of the other participants parked much further along Seapoint main road.
Blisters for Bread is one heck of a well organised charity event it must be said.
The event grounds were well marked, there were more than enough porter potties to go around, concessionary stands, seating and corporate tents, not to mention the giant centre stage complete with big screen display were all present and ready for action. Live music, guest appearances and a lively MC were all on hand to keep the 13 000+ strong crowd happy, and in general, everything just seemed to be organised and flowing smoothly.
We were there a little early and so had to wait a while for our division to eventually start the 10km trek, but when the time finally arrived and the gates officially opened, everyone was off with a bang and on their way along the fairly serene and VERY flat route, eager to jostle all the slow-pokes in front of them out of the way!
Chantelle and I took the stroll fairly easy, finishing the 10km walk in 2 hours but still feeling relatively fit as fiddles, quite possibly thanks to the fact that the previous weekend’s walk had included Gordon’s Bay rather more mountainous roads, far more strenuous than these piddly, straight as an ironing-board streets.
Actually, the organisers were quite clever in this regard though, choosing to utilize the popular Seapoint promenade for most of the actual walk, meaning that for the majority of the trip, everyone was safe and sound, far away from any busy road and thoroughly enjoying the spectacular views that this walk along the sea always provides. There were one or two parts where the walkers had to share the road with some rather bored-looking people sitting in their idling cars, but for the most part you were out in the open, free to run along, trip people or just laugh at the various costumes and body types out on display.
Back at the finish line and Chantelle and I made a conscious decision to make short dashes over the last couple of stretches, partly to beat those people we deemed to scruffy or unfit to walk in ahead of us and partly to get the Coke Cola and medals awaiting us at the end and so with jubilant arms raised high above our heads, we crossed the finish line, eagerly on the lookout for someone with a watch so that we could know how long we took to complete it.
Of course, the day’s stroll was not without its toll as it decided to bite into Chantelle’s back and squeeze my right little toe, but disappointingly enough, not leave any blisters on either of our feet. Guess we were walking just a tad to slow for that! :P
And that was that. Chantelle enjoyed a quick cup of coffee, we grabbed some boerewors rolls and cooldrink, polished them off and then trekked back to our car (which thankfully still had all of its windows in tact and didn’t have a parking fine attached to the window. Nice).
So all in all, hat’s off to this year’s Blisters for Bread organisers. It was fantastically well organised and great fun to partake in, meaning that we’ll definitely be back come 2010!
