Braving the cold for a cause: the three vlei race

17/09/13

When it was remarked that defenders of Princess Vlei were crazy to stand in the rain with their posters, on Sunday 15 September at 7 am, while hundreds of runners thundered past, the rejoinder was, “The athletes and marshals are getting wet, so there is no reason why we can’t.”
Only a handful of Princess Vlei Forum Members braved the torrential rain and low temperatures to stand along the M5 on Prince George Drive and cheer the Three Vlei Race participants, waving posters calling for the protection of Princess Vlei from a proposed mall development, but the occasion was one of laughter and camaraderie; and the serious message was once again reinforced: the people do not want a mall on the shores of their Vlei.
Passing motorists hooted, runners gave the thumbs up, and poster-holders stamped to keep warm. Despite the rain, the posters, covered in cling film, survived to be used another day.
Then, suddenly it was over and hot coffee and doughnuts next to the Vlei were just rewards for an icy start, near-frozen hands and wet clothes.