When CMSA first said sub 4:50 to qualify I basically said that's Comrades done for me.. I entered Kypie as he asked me to .. Liz said she would only do it if I did.. 4 days after entries opened I relented. Yes we could get substitutions but how would that really help - rather come up with a plan to qualify..
Over the years my cramping has prevented me from running but the more I thought about it the more I realised it was the uphill that was causing it. If I just run the downs what will happen, have the dog runs helped..
Liz injured herself at Eersterus 21 on the 12 Jan.. a calf strain / soleus issue, the day before we left on holiday I did a all fall down front brake stop on my bike - golf was out so why do we go to 2 golf resorts??? Cycling was not great as my thumb had been hurt when going over the handle bars... So on the 20th we went to the Fairways in the berg. I had hoped to do some good strength / hill work, which turned in to cycling as Liz could cycle so Liz cycled while I walked.. As we got closer to my planned attempt at Qualifying I realised some fast (for me) running was needed and we found a nice 5km route in Cathkin Park where we had moved to for our second mid week break. I enjoyed these sessions .
Liz and Kypie had agreed to support me at Sasolburg 42.. I dreamed of the route- this is after all the marathon route I have done the most often! I knew the hills, I knew the times I had to achieve. I normally go through halfway at about 2:27 but knew that to satisfy Rowan James I would need to go through halfway in 2:15 or less, essentially making up the 10 minutes in the first half the race. Which sort of meant I needed to run about 10km so I needed to run at the start as there are not 10 down hill kms on the route.. I said I would run the first 2km but felt good so went to 3km as there was a slight decline from 2km onwards which I wanted to utilise. My pacers were not too happy.... Liz fell back but she was nursing her calf.. Kypie hung and encouraged me.. 2:15 was achieved now to finish the second lap in 2:32... After running my walking does get slower but I persevered.. Tobie came past and said I looked comfortable and should make it.. Kypie fell back, I was still ahead of Buks and his bus so that was good. At 34 km we get the worst hill on the race.. and I was contemplating trying for a sub 4:40 but then remembered 2018 when I cramped near the end as there is a good bit of uphill to end with. I knew I was pretty safe so decided to just keep moving when suddenly Kypie reappeared and we finished together in 4:47:08, as we turned around wondering where Liz was .. low and behold she finished 30 seconds behind us.. She had not seen us. Buks finished about 30 ms ahead of Kypie and I having caught me with about 300 m to go..
Qualification done , now I could do a race I always wanted to do.. Delloites 42 ... My first walking road race was Delloittes 10km in I think 2007.. Liz was keen so wen entered.. I was scared of it, knowing its tough is one thing, experiencing it was another. I was hoping for about a 5:08 and wanted a 2:30 ish first half which worked out. going up klapperkop the second time was quite daunting as can be seen below.
Over the years my cramping has prevented me from running but the more I thought about it the more I realised it was the uphill that was causing it. If I just run the downs what will happen, have the dog runs helped..
Liz injured herself at Eersterus 21 on the 12 Jan.. a calf strain / soleus issue, the day before we left on holiday I did a all fall down front brake stop on my bike - golf was out so why do we go to 2 golf resorts??? Cycling was not great as my thumb had been hurt when going over the handle bars... So on the 20th we went to the Fairways in the berg. I had hoped to do some good strength / hill work, which turned in to cycling as Liz could cycle so Liz cycled while I walked.. As we got closer to my planned attempt at Qualifying I realised some fast (for me) running was needed and we found a nice 5km route in Cathkin Park where we had moved to for our second mid week break. I enjoyed these sessions .
Liz and Kypie had agreed to support me at Sasolburg 42.. I dreamed of the route- this is after all the marathon route I have done the most often! I knew the hills, I knew the times I had to achieve. I normally go through halfway at about 2:27 but knew that to satisfy Rowan James I would need to go through halfway in 2:15 or less, essentially making up the 10 minutes in the first half the race. Which sort of meant I needed to run about 10km so I needed to run at the start as there are not 10 down hill kms on the route.. I said I would run the first 2km but felt good so went to 3km as there was a slight decline from 2km onwards which I wanted to utilise. My pacers were not too happy.... Liz fell back but she was nursing her calf.. Kypie hung and encouraged me.. 2:15 was achieved now to finish the second lap in 2:32... After running my walking does get slower but I persevered.. Tobie came past and said I looked comfortable and should make it.. Kypie fell back, I was still ahead of Buks and his bus so that was good. At 34 km we get the worst hill on the race.. and I was contemplating trying for a sub 4:40 but then remembered 2018 when I cramped near the end as there is a good bit of uphill to end with. I knew I was pretty safe so decided to just keep moving when suddenly Kypie reappeared and we finished together in 4:47:08, as we turned around wondering where Liz was .. low and behold she finished 30 seconds behind us.. She had not seen us. Buks finished about 30 ms ahead of Kypie and I having caught me with about 300 m to go..
Qualification done , now I could do a race I always wanted to do.. Delloites 42 ... My first walking road race was Delloittes 10km in I think 2007.. Liz was keen so wen entered.. I was scared of it, knowing its tough is one thing, experiencing it was another. I was hoping for about a 5:08 and wanted a 2:30 ish first half which worked out. going up klapperkop the second time was quite daunting as can be seen below.
I mostly do not worry about drinking and eating on races as I mostly find there is enough available. I try also not to drink too much so as not to need to pee as that is a waste of time... at about 28km I thought would rather drink at the next water table...except no water there or the next. I thought Pretoria High School will have... no so going up the road I wet my cap on a sprinkler just too cool down a bit.. at 39km we were told 1 water sachet and as much coke/ creme soda as you want. I really wish water tables would do this when they are running short of something. The rule is a max of 2 but I regularly see people taking 4 or more.. We are a selfish bunch. I finished in 5:13 which I was very happy with.
Next up was my favourite event.. Kosmos 3 in 1 This is serious mind therapy and besides it was to be my 5th and as hard as this event is it is great. I may even continue doing it after my Comrades days are past..
So far I have 3 permanent numbers
AC18 for African Centurion
2497 for Tough One
and now
981 for Kosmos 3in1
How awesome it was to cross line of the 10km wit Liz and Kypie..
Jackie Gibson 42 is coming next weekend
Orange below is the gentle Kosmos elevation gain is 178m
Red is Sasolburg elevation gain is 177m
Green is Deloittes elevation gain is 587m
Blue is Jackie Gibson.. elevation gain is 676m...
