WHEN? Tuesdays & Thursdays 6pm | Saturdays 6am (Winter 6.30am)
DISTANCES? Tuesdays and Thursdays: 5km, 7km, or 10km.
Saturdays – longer, slower runs ranging from 10km, 15km, to 20km+
Members gather in front of the clubhouse for a brief welcome and club notices, just before we hit the road. Please pay attention to the announcements.
WHERE? Prescribed routes are published in our weekly newsletter (on Mondays). Please familiarize yourself with the routes provided. Print them out and keep on hand for the week ahead. For your convenience, there is a large street-map in the clubhouse, if you need to check your bearings. Whilst every effort is made to regroup along the way, you still need to know where you’re going, so we strongly advise that you print the routes, or take a screenshot if you run/walk with your phone.
In the interest of members’ safety and security, our routes are not posted on social media. Please adhere to the club-sanctioned routes only, and REGROUP often to ensure that no one is left behind.
SAFETY & COMFORT: It’s important to wear the correct clothing: Light, bright, reflective gear (+ headlamps in winter) will ensure you are visible to other road-users. The use of earphones is discouraged. Regardless of make, model or functionality, wearing earphones when participating in official events will result in disqualification. Avoid becoming dependent on these accessories.
MARATHON TRAINING: We do facilitate training programs for bigger events such as Two Oceans, and the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon etc. Keep an eye on the weekly newsletter for more information.
WHEN? Tuesdays and Thursdays 6pm (Winter 5:30pm)
Saturdays 6am (Winter 7am)
WHERE? Meet at the clubhouse. Routes are published in the weekly newsletter.
A Walkers main focus is to compete in walking races, League races, Grand Prix’s, Track and Field etc. but we are certainly not excluded from doing road races such as the Two Oceans, Peninsula, Knysna and any other running race that takes your fancy. When participating in these races, you may walk, run, or do a combination of both.
WALKING LEAGUE RACES: These are held in conjunction with normal road races but only walking is allowed. These races are judged in accordance with race walking rules and it is compulsory to have your knees exposed and wear walkers’ tags that are clearly visible to the judges.
The walking section of Spartan Harriers is a very competitive section with most walkers competing in the League walks. If the bug bites and you aspire to get colours you will need to be shown how to master walking techniques and learn the intricate details of the sport of race walking. As you start to master this rather unique walk it will benefit you to join Western Province Masters as well as South African Masters Association which are organizations for athletes over the age of 35. Once you are a member of these organizations you can aim to achieve Provincial and National colours. Walkers compete in age categories of 5-year age groups e.g., 35 – 39 years, 40 – 44 years etc.
WALKING LEAGUE INCENTIVE: Every year from January to December there are walking league incentive races. The club in turn gives an incentive to its walkers for competing in these races. The number of races varies from year to year but is never normally more than 12. To earn the incentive, you would need to complete about 75% of the races. The races are mostly 10km races with a few 15km races.
TROPHY WALKS: These are internal Spartans events which gives any walker (whether fast or slow) an opportunity to win a trophy because the event is done differently to normal race walks. We have a sealed handicap walk. If you decide to do this walk then the walking captain will study your race times and according to those results, he/she will calculate the time which you should do over the distance. You will not know the time which has been calculated for you and the walker who does the distance in the closest time to his or her “sealed handicap” will win the race.
We also do a “Guestimate” race. You then walk without your watch and prior to starting out you tell your timekeeper how long it will take you to walk the route. The person closest to their predicted time will win this race. The third trophy walk is a “staggered start”. The slowest walkers go off first, followed by intermediate and the fastest ones go off last and the times are calculated so that it should be a race to the finish line. You should give these walks a try as you will stand a chance of winning even if you are a newbie.
What is it? … This is when we run on a set 5km course, and our efforts are timed.
When? … TT takes place on the first Thursday of every month
Why? … Time trials are often used in training as a ‘fitness test’. When a runner/walker wants to know how their training is progressing, they will run a time trial. This provides an opportunity to compare the result of their max effort to a previous race or time trial of the same distance. Time Trials therefore enable us to gauge our progress and fitness levels on a monthly basis.
The season generally runs from September – April (summer months).
Athletes compete on a certified 400m track with Running events ranging in distance from 60m – 10,000m (10km) and include hurdles and steeplechase.
Field events include long and triple jump, shotput, javelin, discus, hammer throw to name a few. Events are either combined (all ages ranging from 16year and up) or specific to Masters Only (35year and up).
Athletes participating in these events can consider obtaining Provincial or National Colours.
Cross Country season is from May to August, and events are held at various venues. You can choose between the following distances: 4km, 6km, 8km or 10km. The club gazebo is there, and we provide refreshments: coffee, tea, water and coke. Feel free to bring snacks of your choice to share.
Cross Country incentives: To achieve the WPA incentive you must have participated in a certain number of events, including the Championship event at the end of the season, which is commonly referred to as “Champs”.
To identify, coach and produce young athletes who will be ambassadors for Spartan Harriers, the Academy and their communities. The Academy is not only about creating a squad of elite athletes, but also providing a community upliftment platform whereby young athletes can find opportunities throughout the athletics industry.
We would like to see young athletes going back into the community, able to identify potential talents and draw these prospects into the program. Nobody knows the community, the local talent and the ‘word on the street’ like those who live there. We need to use these young men and women to be active, positive role models within their areas of influence.
OLYMPIC SPARTANS ACADEMY Offers a wonderful Run to Inspire Programme with qualified coaches, taking runners to their next level!
The Cost is R500 per month. This fee for face to face coaching is very favourable, especially when compared with online coaching programmes which cost significantly more. Click here for more: Run To Inspire
This fee will also assist with the running of the Academy and with running clothes, shoes and race fees for our young Academy athletes.
Click here to meet the: Coaching Team
There is also a personalised one on one coaching option which can be discussed with Coach Michael and his Coaching Team.
Click here for more: Personalised Coaching
The Programme is NOT only for Club Members so please share with anyone you know who may be interested.
Click here to Sign up!
Our renowned annual 12-week programme caters for all aspiring runners and walkers. It is designed to take you from 0 to 10km in a safe environment, guided by experienced Runners and Walkers, many of who have come through the programme themselves.
The Programme includes:
