By Kouthar Sambo

The 12th annual Slave Route Challenge is set to take place on 26 May, wherein runners will not only be engaging in physical activities while being cognizant of the rich history of the Mother City. 

Speaking on VOC’s Sunday Live show on Sunday, a distance runner and pacesetter, Youssef Kanouni, said the well-renowned race is deeply rooted in the Cape’s historical events of slavery established by the Dutch. 

“The most popular run is the half marathon (21 km) race because it covers all the landmarks of the Slave Route challenge, such as the Castle of Good Hope and the Bo-Kaap area, which is also rich in history,” explained Kanouni. 

He further highlighted the iconic “Koeksister Hill” is deemed as the toughest part of the race. 

“Whether you are an elite runner, you will walk and struggle up the hill in Bo-Kaap, but you are rewarded for your efforts because residents of Bo-Kaap are waiting for you with a bucket of koeksisters. This, too, is a reflection of our tradition of having koeksisters on a Sunday,” detailed Kanouni.

At the beginning of the half marathon, you go through District Six, then towards Table Mountain, explained Kanouni. 

“This is a very historical race, and people residing out of Cape Town also join in on this race for its lovely route as the race allows you to explore the beauty of Cape Town more up close than when you are driving,” added Kanouni. 

Photo: Slave Route Challenge/Facebook