The 2107 Hollard DARE Devil Run.

I have read about this event for several years now.

But until this year I did not have the "balls" to tackle it.

The thought of being in a Speedo, in a public space actually made me want to vomit.

For most of my adult life I have had body image issues,

most all of them imagined rather than actual.

But THIS year I figured it was time to venture forth...

Some of the participants got into the swing of things,

with accessories and body paint.

I, on the other hand, only had my tattoos for "protection"...

This image was my watershed moment, 

when I figured "what-the-heck"...

there are 3000 other guys who are in a similar situation.

Just in case the participants did not know the way to the start...

But all that was required,

was to follow the rest of the guys in purple Speedos

Or, as in this case, purple hard hats as well.

I had thought that it might rain,

as it had done so the afternoon before the race.

But, as it turned out, the weather played along

and sunscreen was being applied liberally.

Even the wind that had been present in the morning, 

died down literally as the gun went off.

Father and son...

What a great way to bond!

This event was not billed as a race, rather a run...

but even then it could be walked if one wished to do so.

Neither was it was not about fitness levels,

it was a "vehicle" to make men more aware of the cancers that are specific us.

3000+ men and boys took to the streets of Parktown.

At the start,

watch the video clip:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LOTn_IVO88

Good advice!

If you have not had a prostate exam, please do so sooner than later.

If caught in the early stages it is curable...so get checked on a regular basis.

From the course:

Watch the video clip:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eauiizQeNjw&spfreload=10

Literally any Tom, Dick and Harry can run...

Even Batman was there!

Without his Batsuit and cape, but he was wearing a mask.

This is a sobering reminder.

It is more common than you think.

A "rainbow nation" of men that were out on a balmy Johannesburg afternoon.

Was there traffic interference?

There certainly was seeing that the run was taking place on a Friday afternoon.

But most of the "stuck" motorists seemed to take it in good spirits.

I did notice a lot of then were taking pictures etc.

No doubt to send home or to the office

to show why they were going to be late.

Oxford road at a standstill...

A big "Thank You" to the JMPD officers as well as all the other marshals.

A thankless task when faced with upset drivers.

One our way back down Jan Smuts Ave on our way to the finish

A bit of "trail running" to get us across the finish line,

which was in a different place to the start.

Bringing it home...

Well done!

My thoughts post race

Watch the video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2FHYlGOHX0&spfreload=10

It was thanks to this on-line community

that I have been able to return to road running.

www.sleekgeek.co.za

To find out more about the club,

visit their website:

http://www.randburgharriers.co.za

Yes I can!

And YOU can too.

The age old question

"How do you eat an elephant"..."one piece at a time"...

applies to the tasks set in this challenge as well.

I used to run the races by breaking them into 5km segments,

then one of the guys I was running with suggested that 3x7m,

sounds shorter than 4x5+1...

This is my commitment to myself,

and by extension to my family as well.

There will  be days that I don't feel like training

but I will persevere!

On the road again...Jaguars Athletic Club half marathon.

I think that it is time to bring back "old fashioned" alarm clocks.

Twice in the past three weeks the alarm on my mobile phone

 has not sounded at the appointed hour.

The first time almost caused me to miss a connecting flight

while in the Seychelles

And the latter caused me to miss a road race!

I should have run this 21.1km on Saturday the 18th,

but due to an alarm malfunction,

I did not!

Usually my internal clock should have woken me in time,

but for some reason I only awoke at 4h45...

not enough time to get from Randburg to Haarties for a 06h00 start.

To say that I was pissed off would be putting it mildly,

but there was nothing I could do about it.

I could have gone for a club run,

but I was too angry with myself...

It was to have been my début run in my new club colours.

The first time in 22 years that I was a member of a running club.

But it was not to be

I then discovered that there was going to be a race on the public holiday,

so I set my alarm once again.

I also woke at 12h30, 02h30, 03h15 and then finally got dressed at 04h00

After a couple of text messages to the race organizers,

I found out that I would be able to enter "on the day"

as the deadline for the on-line entries had closed.

Finally my vest gets its maiden voyage!

I was great being "recognized" by the spectators lining the route through Ennerdale.

"Looking good Randburg"..."You are running well" even though I was walking at the time.

But this event reminded me of the races to I used to run, back in the "80's & '90's. 

Not a large field, due in part to the Om Die Dam two days earlier.

Aside from the 21.1km, there was also a 5 & 10km.

The guy that I finished the race with had set out to do the 10,

he got the start time mixed up and ended up running the 21.

The watering tables were well stocked,

and because of the "reduced" numbers,

they were not crowded making it easy to keep hydrated.

I was under the impression that the course would be fast and flat...

but that was not to be.

Lots of "slow poison" hills to test the runners.

The course wound its way through Ennerdale 

and it included a 1km climb to the water tower.

I realized early on that I had not done enough training mileage

since my return from Seychelles.

  I decided taht discretion is the better part of valour and decided not to race the event,

but rather to see it as a training run with a medal.

At least the weather was kinder than during the 21 that I ran in Seychells...

it rained at the beginning of that event and the humidity hit 85% 

for the duration of the race.

Done and dusted...time unimportant,

but I did get a medal.

And I am still on track to run my one half marathon a month during 2017!

I am very proud to say that I was the first member of Randburg Harriers

 to cross the finish line.

That being said, there were only two of us entered!

Homeward bound...

Tired, stiff and some what sore, but at least I completed the distance!

Luckily I do not need an alarm clock for my next event...

That is because it will be run in the afternoon...

And I will be running in a Speedo,(together with about 3500 other men)

 but it is for a good cause.

And here I am currently...

In a better space that I was a year ago, 

and more importantly,

both feet firmly placed on the ladder to continued health

It was thanks to this on-line community

that I have been able to return to road running.

www.sleekgeek.co.za

To find out more about the club,

visit their website:

http://www.randburgharriers.co.za

Yes I can!

And YOU can too.

The age old question

"How do you eat an elephant"..."one piece at a time"...

applies to the tasks set in this challenge as well.

I used to run the races by breaking them into 5km segments,

then one of the guys I was running with suggested that 3x7m,

sounds shorter than 4x5+1...

This is my commitment to myself,

and by extension to my family as well.

There will  be days that I don't feel like training

but I will persevere!

Good, better, best...

It has been a while since I have written a "fitness" posting.

I suppose that the reason being that I have been focussed on travel stories

as well as the fact that the new teaching year has started,

and I an faced with a class filled with fresh faces eager to learn...I hope.

This quote was used on a regular basis by my primary school principal,

and I felt that is was most apt for SG and its cause.

We all want to be better, healthier and fitter.

I though that I would share with the group a recent trip that I did to the Seychelles.

Why?

To show that perseverance and dedication DO pay off...

The question on Facebook was;

"I am looking for a Blogger that can run a half marathon"...

A year ago, I would have fulfilled the first part of that brief but certainly not the latter.

But thanks to encouragement from my daughter, my wife

and the SG community as a whole, I had started running again in the latter part of 2016.

A couple of emails were exchanged, tickets and an itinerary were supplied,

and it was goodbye to the rain in Johannesburg as I jetted of to represent South African journalists

in my 6th half marathon since my return to running in October.

This is what I was hoping for...

NO RAIN, clear skies and a flat course that wound along the beach that surround Mahe.

I took this picture on Saturday morning, the race was being run on Sunday.

I was driven around the course, but from the passenger seat it did not seem so tough.

I was to be proved so wrong the next day...

This is what we ACTUALLY got to run in...

Torrential rain at the start and for the first 1-2km of the race.

And then the rain stopped, and the humidity kicked in!

80-85% and the temperature was only 25 degrees C.

But I had a plan, which almost worked.

Thanks to SG, I have been trying to eat clean,

and more often than not I can accomplish that.

But pre-race night dinner, for me anyway, is ALWAYS pasta and carbs.

I was offered sushi, but I was uncertain what that would do to my stomach during the run.

If in doubt...

ALWAYS BE BATMAN!

A few months ago, I was not able to fit into this shirt comfortably,

let alone wear it out in public!

But here I am in my hotel room.

All kitted up and ready face the rain...and the course.

Done and dusted!

And more importantly, being Batman...

When I first started running, back in the mid '80's,

Don Oliver who was a mentor at the club I used to run at

always told us to foget about our watches and focus on looking good for the photographers.

I wish I had taken his advice! 

And after the fact!

It turned out that the course was NOT flat at all.

In fact there were probably more hills packed into those 21,1km that I have ever run before.

But did I give up?

NEVER...

As you can see from the stats, the course only climbed 465m,

but it did so VERY quickly.

And this was what is was all about.

A t-shirt, a medal and a certificate.

But these represented more that just this race.

They affirmed that I have reclaimed my health 

as well as my passion for running.

Was it tough? HELL YES!

Would I do it again? HELL YES!

In fact I am already in discussions with the Seychelles Tourism Board

 to go back next year to better my time.

A post race change meeting at a local restaurant...

On my left is the man responsible for instituting the race 10 years ago,
Mr Dong Chang Jeong.
The Honorary Consul General of the Republic of Seychelles.
On my right is Julie Kim,
who is the regional manager for the Seychelles tourism office, Japan & Korea

Each participant in the 42 and 21,1km event was given one of these at the finish.

A welcome, and healthier option than the usual fizzy drink.

(This picture was taken at dinner the night before the run)

On my return from the Seychelles,

look what awaited me...

Many thanks to SG (Elan, Eric and Meg) for sending me these.

I have a suspicion that they will be finding their way into my running bag

here in SA so that I can enjoy them at the end of my local races.

And here I am...

in a better space that I was a year ago, 

and more importantly,

both feet firmly placed on the ladder to continued health

Yes I can!

And YOU can too.

The age old question

"How do you eat an elephant"..."one piece at a time"...

applies to the tasks set in this challenge as well.

Need to do 50 push-ups?

5 sets of 10 sounds easier to achieve.

And a tip...

In the final set count backwards, 10 down to 1,

psychologically it makes it seem that there are less to do. 

This is my commitment to myself,

and by extension to my family as well.

There will be Burpees and there will be days that I don't feel like training

or eating clean...

but I will persevere!