Chris and Melissa on the run for MND by Melissa_Cowley

We have just come back from a three week holiday in Cape Town, South Africa where we have had not only an amazing time but also some incredible running experiences, the highlight being our 20 mile run along the False Bay coastline.

One of our favourite runs was along the whole beach, through the harbour and round to the end of the pier.  Another amazing run involved running all the way to the top of Chapman's Peak Drive - the most amazingly scenic drive you can imagine - along the side of a mountain and overlooking Hout Bay and the Sentinel mountain.  We both managed a mountain run with my cousin, drinking water straight from waterfalls and getting fantastic views over the whole of the Cape Town peninsula.  Chris's mountain run involved running along the top of the mountain ridge for several kilometres.

During our running we would regularly pass seals sunbathing on the pier or swimming in the water and lots of bird life including guinea fowl, not to mention many hundreds of South Afircans for whom running seems to be a way of life.

For our twenty miler, my cousin had engineered for us to run all the way from the end of the peninsula at the Cape Point nature reserve, up the coast to Muizenberg - following the coast road the whole way.  We started at 9.00am after he had driven us there and bravely taken control of our four children (who had a blast with him!).  The first 6 miles or so were across the top of the Cape Point nature reserve so were inland and therefore pretty warm, but as soon as we hit the coast we had a lovely sea mist to help keep us cool.  We ran through Simonstown, Fishhoek and Kalk Bay with the whole of the False Bay coastline visible to us.  The mist lifted at about 11am so by this time it was getting really warm but there was a lovely light sea breeze which helped us.  We finished at about 12.20pm in 26 degrees, both of us feeling fine and with energy reserves, which has really helped to bolster our confidence for the big day. 

It really was a run to remember and an amazing way to experience the beauty of the Cape Town peninsula.  On a trip to Seal Island by boat some days later it was quite something to look back down the coast and see just how far we had run!  We owe dear Richard, my cousin, a huge debt for enabling us to have such a 'lekker' run!