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| DOWNLOADS | 2009 Entry form (380kb Word Doc) | |
| Altitude Profile 2009 (100kb .doc) | Route Map 2009 (90Kb) | Results summary (1982-2009) |
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2009 The 100 Miler Race starts on Friday evening 4th September at 18h00 for individuals and 20h00 for teams. The race will start and finish at the SilverSands Casino on the West Rand 1km west (up the Krugersdorp Hill!) of the R28/N14 junction. Be warned that the traffic along the 9km stretch of Hendrik Potgieter (M47) from the N1 turnoff at 14th Avenue is a nightmare after 15:30 on Friday afternoon so don't leave your arrival plans to the last minute (or hour). Quellerina Emergency Services will be patrolling the route from start to finish, a task they have been performing for the Race for the last 25 years. All vehicles are in continuous contact with the control room which can be contacted by cellphone. At night, their vehicles are easily identified by the green beacon lights.
About 500m further, you then branch off left towards Ventersdorp. The altitude doesn't change by much more than 100m up or down over the first 80km i.e it's pretty flat with an occasional dip and climb. When you reach the roadworks, you turn right where the road is mostly flat. Shortly after the camel farm on the right, there is the first serious dip in the road followed by a climb of approx 4km up to the railway line crossing and the T-junction. Although apparently flattish to drive on, it's actually slow poison at 2:00am especially with a slight headwind (Although it's a bit too early in the race to be hallucinating, there really are live camels.) There is no signboard at the T-junction (maybe it's been stolen) but turn right for a long gentle downhill to enter Magaliesburg on the northern side. This is approximately the halfway point. The return half includes the challenging climb out of Magaliesburg and follows the previous route past Maropeng. From there it's back on the R563 through the Cradle of Mankind, past the Caves to the T-Junction where the Krugersdorp 42 used to start from. The next 22km is a winding scenic (if you have time to look) climb. Don't be the one to bail on the next uphill at approx 131km - you will curse for the next 12 months There are what appear to be some seriously steep inclines over the next 10km but when you get back to the second traffic circle, you are within striking distance if the sun is still up. Climb back up to the N14, turn left and reach single figures back towards the Silverstar Casino. Remember, no 100 Miler is easy.
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The following introduction appeared in the pre-race booklet issued in 1991- The idea of a hundred mile road race - Transvaal's response to the Washie 100 miler - was largely as a result of the interest and participation of Golden Reef athletes in the Eastern Cape event and the Johannesburg Harriers track race. The inaugural Golden 160 was run in 1982 from Ventersdorp to Roodepoort and as expected, was won by one of South Africa's most prolific mega-marathoners, Manie Saayman in an incredible time of 13:20. The 1983 race which started at Roodepoort, provided the most exciting tussle and narrowest margins of victory to date (1991) when a mere 1one minute and 39 seconds separated winner Saayman and his Vaal team mate, Graham Smith, at the finish in Pretoria. Saaymans domination of the event came to a halt in 1984 when, over a route run in reverse to the previous year, he was beaten by Durban's Poobie Naidoo. Having followed three different routes, it was eventually decided that a standard course should be arrived at whereby comparable statistics could be drawn. The result was the present (1991) out-and-back course which started and finished at the Cecil Payne Stadium in Maraisburg. It included 28 energy-sapping kilometers through Winsome Valley and Renosterkop and two six-kilometer sections of gravel through Honeydew Holdings. It is a true test of the runner's endurance and judgement of pace in relation to the undulating and unrelenting terrain over which the one hundred miles are run. Besides the intrigue, sense of adventure and emotion that are unique to this very special race, a notable feature of the Golden 160 is the spirit and social atmosphere that prevails at the finish and the various checkpoints, manned by timekeepers, radio operators and ambulance men and patronised by race enthuisiasts and roving marshalls. It is thanks to this spirit that the tradition of the Golden 160.9 kilometer Enduro Marathon is so proudly carried into its tenth year. May the flame of that tradition burn forever… |
