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.
To find out more about the club,
visit their website:
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!
No comments:
Post a Comment