About Bo

Dog lover. Runner. Although very slowly. Keeping up with the stresses of running and life...

Running Johnson Crane 10.56km

Posted on January 31, 2012 by Bo

The Johnson Crane running race holds a special place in my heart. It’s where I managed to run my first half marathon but it’s also the race where I hit my first (and my only) wall.

The race is held out in Benoni where it’s pretty flat. It’s hugely popular and this year, the marathon and half had to be delayed by 30 minutes due to traffic congestion. No wonder with 6 000 entrants!

Loads of runners had entered the 10.56km (quarter marathon) race. Young, old, kids. I managed to weasel my way to the front area so that I wasn’t starting at the back of the group. Gun went off and so did we.

The race is not too challenging but what makes it different is the fact that it is flat. Very flat. There are no undulating hills to help break the run. Sometimes a flat run can actually be quite tough because of this reason.

For the first time ever, I was able to run a full 10km race without stopping to walk (largely due to the awesome help from Craig aka @biggestbossfan). Yes, we did stop maybe twice to walk for 1 minute but compared to other races, this was a huge improvement for me. It definitely helps running with someone!

I also managed to run the race in under 8mins/km. We finished in 82 minutes. Bearing in mind this was a 10.56km and Craig did point out that it took him on approximately 2mins to pass the starting line due to the number of runners, I was thrilled!

Considering I was averaging 80 minutes for a 10km, here I ran a 10km, plus another half a km in 82 minutes. A personal best (PB)!

Rating: 8/10

Try again. If that fails, try again.

Posted on January 30, 2012 by Bo

I did not have the best of week’s last week. Having received the news from my running coach that I had not followed my training schedule correctly and had therefore not improved as he would’ve liked sent me into a depressed spiral where I questioned my running and considered quitting.

I got blasted by my coach for even having thoughts of quitting. He said to me: Get your mind right!

Ironically, this is where I am lacking in “strength”. I am disciplined enough to train every day. I have even changed my diet, cutting out wheat and red meats. I drink enough water and have ensured I wear all the running gadgets one can buy. All the boxes are ticked. But getting up when I have fallen down is so difficult.

Previously, when it came to motivating myself and getting my head space right, I would sit quietly and repeat positive statements to myself. I would envisage myself running and completing races. I would fill my time with reading motivational running books. It would always be a very private and personal journey.

But there’s something I realised a few months ago when I started my blogging. When it comes to believing in my abilities, nothing helps me do that more than realising that others believe in me. In fact, spending time with people that build me up is exactly what I spent the week doing.

Dinner with a best friend (who meticulously read back to me every sentence from my coach’s email and analysed each comment with a fine tooth comb and turned each sentence into a positive statement – Marci, you mean the world to me), to the awesome run with an inspirational friend from Cape Town (Rogeema, you are too awesome for words) and an Iron Man (Morne) who surprised me with a visit, right down to the motivational tweets and caring comments on my blog telling me that quitting is not an option and that they believed in me.

There’s nothing that touched my heart more than realising that other people are so willing to share in my running pains and get me through the bad times.

I’m back up. I’m running.

Dear coach, let’s start again. I’m ready.

Talking to a non-tweeter about tweeps

Posted on January 25, 2012 by Bo

I bumped in to an old friend at a function this afternoon. Whenever I see her, I am always reminded that there are in fact some people ‘out there’ who simply do not understand the meaning and purpose behind Twitter. As much as you try and explain it to them, unless they give it a try, they will never really ‘get it’.

You see, unless you’re familiar with it, the world of Twitter is a strange and sometimes confusing, sometimes euphoric place to be. It is filled with times of ups and downs. Times when you get bored with it, and other times when you can’t get enough. I would have to say that the best thing about it is the making of new friends and being among the first ones to know about breaking news. (If you’re not convinced, check out @mandywiener’s running commentary of the Donovan Moodley court case!)

It did occur to me the other day that as a tweep, I’ve grown up quite a lot since I started tweeting. I have come through the addiction phase without getting divorced, I have survived nasty remarks from strangers on Twitter and realised how easy it is to brush them off and I’m no longer constantly worried about what people think of my tweets or if they’ll be offended. There’s only so much you can explain in a toneless environment.

I’ve learnt to realise that my Twitter friends are really genuine and have made a real effort in the real world. I’ve become close to so many people that I’ve met on Twitter.

I have learnt that people on Twitter can be really cruel to one another and that while they tend to mock ~~Lamebook~~ Facebook, my “friends” on Facebook are a lot more patient and understanding. They also have more time for me on the rare occasion that I visit them online.

Twitter is about communities. The breakfast (now supper) gang really has fun. The Friday burgers ‘n beers crew is a great way to end my week. But it’s the running community that not only inspires me but makes me realise that I am not alone in my running trials and tribulations. The minute I have a bad running day, I am bombed with messages of support.

The biggest lesson I’ve learnt is that even if I am interacting 24/7 with so many people, those closest to me and in my life (especially those not on Twitter) have ‘lost’ a bit of me.

They don’t get to speak to me all day. They don’t get to hear my chirps and my jokes. They don’t know if I’ve had a bad day or get to share in something awesome I’ve just heard. They lose out on a running commentary of my thoughts. Complete strangers that follow me now have that privilege.

This is something I’m working on…even if it means using the phone to talk and not to tweet! Weird.

Sadness. Disappointment. Please can today be over?

Posted on January 23, 2012 by Bo

Marla passed away at 7am this morning. The question I wanted to desperately to ask her in October last year has been answered. It took 4 months for the brain tumour to take her from us. Good bye Marla. I’m heartbroken.

My running coach emailed me to say he is very disappointed in my results. After 4 weeks of intense training, I am still slow and have not improved. I am so upset. I hate my running so much right now. I’m shattered.

I just wanna crawl into a ball and cry and cry and cry.