Sport	Race
Event	Om die Dam
Date	17 March 2012
Where	Hartbeespoort Dam, South Africa
Distance	21 Km
Finishing Time	01:41:59
Race Number	7124
Result	243/2769
Top %	9%
Pace	4:51 m/km
Speed	12.35 km/h
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My experience at the event:

The Om die Dam is 50km race around the Hartbeespoort Dam in the North West province. I wanted to take part in the full ultramarathon, but since it was happening on a saturday (when I usually play football), I decided to settle for the 21km. 

We left home around 3am to be there in time to find a decent parking and avoid leaving our car 3/4km from the start line (after running the worst thing is to keep walking back to your car!)

Unlike the main race, the half marathon start maybe 200 meters from the waters of the dam, but develops in the eastern part of the village, far awat from the dam. So it's not as turistic friendly like the 50km, but it's also almost as difficult! After a long downhill at the start, the course was full of unexpected hills that could kill someone's time or legs.
I felt good starting the race and I pushed to finish the first half in around 51 minutes (which would be a great time for a 10km  at around 4.30 per km). I kept my tempo for most of the race, trying to push on the killing hills. So when I was about to smash my previous best on the distance, I hit the last 3 km, a long uphill that seriously slowed me down.
Luckily thanks to my efforts in the previous 18km I managed to finish just below 1.42 and make my new personal best!

The whole race started and finished in the fog, and I could see little of the beautiful surroundings. Only after I finished and finally the fog lifted I enjoyed the mountain and the lake. Jill finished in a good 2.24 and then we both left promising to run the full 50km next year!

Some pictures:

At the starts line

Just after finishing

Driving back, those runners still had 15km to go under a sudden sun

The medal!

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