About Bo

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

Dear 14-year-old me

Posted on November 20, 2016 by Bo

Dear 14-year-old me…

Today I bron-high-school felt it necessary to write you this letter. It’s a combination of a message from my BFF about her dying mom as well as regular updates of another friend’s cancer that I felt it necessary to “talk” to you.

At the age of 41, you will have realized that you have potentially missed your calling of being a wonderful teacher. Yes, Librarian was close but after spending weekends helping your niece study for her exams, you will feel that the goals you aim for at work pale in comparison to the joy and happiness you experience when helping her out. It’s your happy place and you’re actually quite good at it. You unfortunately will allow your Matric grades to hold you back. Don’t let them!

Ironically, people will assume you ~~dislike~~ hate children because you choose to not have any of your own. We’re living in times of self-driving cars, robots and women who run for president, but you will still feel judged and be told you’ve made the biggest mistake of your life. The biggest blessing is that mom has never ever questioned your choices and is your biggest fan.

Bron, by this time, you’ve landed up building a career in the corporate world. If I could alert you of one thing it’s this: the corporate world is a tough and cruel place. It will break you if you allow it to. It is only by becoming strong that you will survive. And you do become strong. You’re afraid of pretty much everything right now, but wait, you will surprise yourself with what you’re capable of achieving! Be patient and believe in yourself.

You will meet some of the most amazing people at work, possibly the best thing to come from being a working adult. You will meet people like Conrad. These angels will teach you to love people who are different to you, to accept that people have different opinions and the courage to stand up for yourself.

Nobody ever notices your knocked knees. In fact, this imaginary issue will not stop you from running and you will go on to run many half marathons. It’s true! Screw being reserve goal keeper for the B team! What PE teachers neglect to tell you now at the age of 14 is that running is one of the best metaphors of life: What you put in, you get out.

Oh and you know that beautiful blonde hair? You eventually tint it dark chocolate brown! You even go as far as tinting your eyebrows. It’s called growing old but I’ll leave that for another letter.

For now, please give Karen a hug each and every day!

Love Me

XXX

Feeding an Otter athlete

Posted on November 6, 2016 by Bo

With so many running goals in his sights, KK has upped his training. Having successfully completed his first ever Otter trail run, his running calendar includes events such as Kaapsehoop (ticked off his list), 94.7 cycle challenge and Ultra Trail Cape Town (UTCT) with a couple of Westcliff stairs and Kingskloof training sessions thrown in.

He loved Otter! Compared to road running, Otter gave him a challenge he’s never encountered before. With Comrades, you just run and if you’re mentally strong enough, shut out the rest of the world and make sure you jog along to the end. But with Retto (Otter run backwards) this year, the course did not allow for any sections where your mind clutches out. In fact, trail running is a whole other beast!

14 000 steps awaited KK, including water slides into the Bloukrans River, river crossings, runs on beaches, crossing boulders, making his way through forests, balancing off edges of cliffs…

But with the increase in training has come an increase in appetite. He eats. He eats a lot!

Each evening when I pack his lunchbox for work, I try match it to his training schedule. I know for example that a 4am session running the Westcliff stairs means he’ll be starving for the rest of the day. KK has been complaining that he doesn’t have enough food in the day. So in my search for new and exciting ideas, I found this recipe:

Sweet potato bacon cakes! A great lunchbox filler perfect for KK!

Sweet potato

Full recipe at: http://paleoleap.com/sweet-potato-bacon-cakes/

It’s a hectic downhill rush to the end of the year. Not too many races ahead but still a lot of training. Hope this fills KK’s belly and gives him the energy he needs.

As for me, just knowing there’s a mandatory rest period pencilled in his training schedule is enough to look forward to!

Happy training runners!

Ps: Oh and Otter 2017. Already entered. KK wastes no time!

Make me a rooster

Posted on October 23, 2016 by Bo

Driving to work one morning, I noticed that the street hawkers who sell wire artwork down William Nicol were selling the most beautiful hoopoes. I wanted one!

The traffic light changed to green and as I was about to drive off, promising myself I’d be back the very next day, the seller handed me the beautiful bird through the car window saying, “It’s yours! Just come back whenever you can with payment!” and waved me goodbye. hoopoe wire art

I did go back. I bought two hoopoes but I also asked him if he’d make me a rooster. Of course I will, exclaimed Etu with a big smile!

The glow in his eyes as I commissioned him to make me this artwork was magnetic. He suddenly went from pesky street hawker to artist. He quizzed me about size, colour, bead work and time frames. I described my kitchen and what I had in mind. He took this brief so seriously!

A few days later I drove up to his spot on the side of street, there it stood! It stared at me from the front seat of the car all the way to the office and I had the giggles the entire day!

the rooster from the front seat of the car

What Etu didn’t realize is that he had won my trust the day he willingly gave me the first hoopoe. In fact, I didn’t hesitate going back. The fact that I could ask him to make me something unique appealed to me. Most people don’t even acknowledge hawkers but I’ve changed the way I see them. They’re marketers, just like myself. They’re salesmen. But most of all, they’re artists. They just needed to be given a chance.

I love my rooster!

Be prepared for surprises

Posted on September 22, 2016 by Bo

My running shoes do more mileage in the boot of my car packed in my togbag than on my feet lately. It’s always something… A crisis at work. Not in the mood. Too busy.

So when I left home this morning, I promised myself that I would make a real effort to get a run in at Randburg Harriers time trial. I hadn’t mentally prepared myself for what I would run. 5km? 8km? Run? Run/walk?

But sometime during the morning, fellow Running Junkie Michelle messaged me and asked if she would see me at TT. Yes. I had committed. No going back. But I’m so glad I did.

Not only did she run with me, but Brenda and Shaun did too! They were fine to do a run/walk session but asked me to pick one kilometer on the route which I would run at 7mins per km. 7!!

I chose km 3. It was the sandy bit at the top which I hate but turned into the lekker downhill section. And they pushed me. Hard!