This was a first for me...
Not my first half marathon,
but my first in Soweto.
Having read the pre publicity, I was very keen to see if it lived up to the hype.
Usually I "carbo-load" before a race,
but I decided to try sushi instead.
Did it work?
I am uncertain as to the energy content,
but it did make be burp a lot...
back to pasta I think.
I did NOT have dessert as I remembered that I sometimes had
issues with milk products "repeating" on me during races.
Having heard about the traffic congestion at previous events,
I decided to rather be early...I got to the stadium at 04h10!
And the race only started at 06h30...
I was able to find out where the start was going to be,
then I went back to my car to listen to the radio and relax.
All around me, the traffic was increasing...
The awesome FNB Stadium...
slowly revealed in the dawn light.
The traffic build up...
And the runners arrive in DROVES.
I have no pictures from the race as I do not run with my phone.
This was my final time...gun to mat.
My mat to mat time was 2: 23.
I took this picture of our pace-setter and his wife just before we set off.
His wife was running the 10km and I am hoping that she achieved her goal time.
I ran the entire route with a sub 2:30 "bus", driven by Khalid Fadal...
and his co-driver Mdlilo, whose whistle skills kept us altogether.
Running with them was motivational as their flag
was a constant help in finding them after water tables or "pee" stops.
Not to mention all the new songs I learned along the way...
Like the fact that Jay-Z has done a mix of "Hard knock life"
from the musical "Annie".
Now that I know that Soweto is CERTAINLY not flat,
I am keen to return in 2017 to see if I can better my time
and my position in my age group.
I finished 25th out of 68 Grand Masters.
A great medal and an awesome t-shirt.
It certainly was the "People's Race".
My post race breakfast...
French toast with crispy bacon.
Well deserved, I thought.
Freshly showered and shaved post race...
The moustache is in honour of MOVEMBER,
and it WILL be coming off at the end of the month!
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