The Two Oceans Ultra Marathon is a great leveler. Taking place on Easter Saturday, the arduous route and unpredictable Cape Town weather ensures a race of attrition; the top contenders often only come to the fore in the final quarter of the event.
Each year also seems to bring with it a few surprises in the elite field, and the 2015 edition certainly lived up to this notion. While Caroline Wostmann’s surprise victory was perhaps the foremost example, another great performance in the female category went largely unnoticed.
“I couldn't have asked for a better introduction ultra-distance racing,” says Tanith Maxwell of her Two Oceans debut. “The whole race went exactly as planned and I was actually able to enjoy all of the crowd support throughout the fifty-six kilometers. Everything just fell into place for me!”
With an elite marathon career including Olympic and Commonwealth Games representation, the Durban-based Maxwell has racked up an impressive palmares of international performances over the past decade. Yet despite such consistency and excellence over the standard marathon distance, these results have remained largely unnoticed. How, then, does Maxwell interpret her low-profile in a country with as rich an athletic culture as South Africa?
“I always said that I wanted to compete in my first ultra while I was still competitive,” she explains. “It is quite sad that South Africa tends to only recognize elite runners in Two Oceans or Comrades. I actually rate my seventh place finish in the Berlin Marathon (2hr32 in 2010) as my best ever result, although most people don’t even know about it. Funny enough, my third place in Two Oceans has generated more recognition than going to the Olympics. Then again, racing ‘Oceans was a natural progression for me I guess.”
With the thirty-five mile event being substantially longer traditional marathon distance, one might expect a different approach to preparation. How did this factor together with the demanding terrain affect Maxwell’s buildup to her podium finish at UCT?
“There is actually not too much difference between standard marathon and Two Oceans preparation,” she reveals. “Long runs and weekly mileage do increase though, but the key element is strength; the hills are long and the descents are steep so the legs do take a lot of pounding.”
After a victory at the Bay to Bay 30km in January and a second place finish over the marathon distance in Gran Canaria, Maxwell’s buildup was flawless. Under the tutelage of coach Andrew Bosch, she spent five weeks based in the Mother City and familiarized herself with the course. The only challenge was in February, although one more meteorological than physiological.
“I had no idea what to expect in the race even though my training went so well. Pushing the volume and intensity in Durban was tough though, the February weather being challenging for pursuing endurance sports. My ensuing withdrawal from the Durban Marathon was disappointing, but everything worked out well in the end.”
The sheer number and depth of sportsmen and women coming out of the Zulu Kingdom never ceases to amaze. Having lived most of her life in Kwa-Zulu-Natal, Maxwell agrees with this notion, citing the region’s abundance of sporting role models and generally great weather conditions as distinct contributing factors. In terms of role models, who, then, does the Boxer Athletic Club athlete see as critical to her own success?
“My mother is the greatest influence in my sporting career,” she confirms. “From my days at junior level right to the London 2012, she has supported and encouraged me throughout. Elite sport is tough and she has been there through all of the highs and lows.”
Having expended a lot of energy preparing for and competing in her maiden ultra, Maxwell is now enjoying a period of downtime in order to revitalize body, mind and spirit. Elite athletics takes its toll and each peak needs to be complemented with planned trough, something which she is only too well aware of.
“One has to really love running given all the time spent on the road. The key to athletic longevity is training smart and recovery is as important as hard training. I had five days of no running after Two Oceans 2015 – I generally wait until I feel like going for a run, which is not too long afterwards. Getting back out on the road and taking in the scenery is pretty much what I do for at least a few weeks following a major event.”
With a strong support base, pragmatic approach and now a top finish at Two Oceans to boot, what does the rest of 2015 hold for Maxwell?
“I’m looking at getting back into the shorter distances once I have fully recovered from Two Oceans. Speed is such an important factor that is often overlooked by endurance athletes; you cannot be competitive over the standard marathon distance without having good 10km and 15km times. I’m planning to compete in an overseas marathon towards the end of the year, which will set me up for a shot at ‘Oceans 2016.”
