At 10 minutes and one second past 9am on a perfect spring Sunday, Asefa Negewo slowed to a walk, crossed himself, strolled another 100m, crossed himself a couple more times, stopped, turned around to face where he came from, took off his shoes and waited for the second man home in the Cape Town Marathon.
The Ethiopian had earned the right to take things easy by winning the race for the second year running.
He did not have long to wait.
A minute and five seconds later he welcomed his compatriot, Ketema Negasa.
Kenya's Duncan Maiyo was third, a further 20 seconds back.
The winner hit the front after 35km and never looked back.
"Nobody challenged me and I was able to run at my own pace," Negewo said.
He won in a record time of 2:08:41 last year. What slowed him down this time?
"Last year the weather was perfect and the pacemaker was doing a good job and going the right pace," Negewo said with an interpreter's help.
"I think this year the pacemakers wanted to win themselves.
"The weather also held me back - after 15km or 21km there was a wind."
Problems with the pacesetters - Henry Kiplagat and Desmond Mokgobu - were not the only organisational challenges the event faced.
Reports from the road said the lead bike in the 10km race took a wrong turn and guided the field astray, resulting in the route being shortened by about 200m.
Another Ethiopian, Betelhem Cherenet, fought off the attentions of Namibia's Helalia Johannes to win the women's marathon by a scant eight seconds.
Johannes led at halfway and, wouldn't you know it, she was a pacesetter.
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