About Bo

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

Pirates – difficulty rating of 5 but accomplishment level of 10/10!

Posted on February 15, 2015 by Bo

The Pirates half marathon road race pretty much mirrored the kind of week I had last week. A Runner’s Guide difficulty rating of 5 (the worst you get!) it’s an extremely hard route that features a run over Northcliff Hill. It is tough going up and jarring coming down. The race is characterized by three epic hills with names such as ‘Kakhuis Een’ and ‘Kakhuis Twee’, and the road is spray painted with the words ‘Oh Sh1t!’ to make you humorously acknowledge that perhaps crawling on your knees would be faster than trying to run.

Ironically, the race did not scare me as much as I thought it would. With my two running buddies (Running Junkies) alongside me, there was never a doubt that I wouldn’t finish the race. My week had been challenging in a similar way with lots of moments where I was thrown out of my comfort zone, forced to take on challenges that my mind immediately conned me into thinking I wouldn’t succeed. But I did. I really did.

Pirates 21.1km. Just saying…

Race review – Pick ‘n Pay Half Marathon

Posted on February 8, 2015 by Bo

Pick ‘n Pay Half Marathon – 2:46:16 NEW PB!

Feb 2015 – Saheti School

My Rating: 4/5. I struggled out there on my own, fighting all the way. Weather was incredibly hot too.

Previous attempts: 3:05:31 (2013); 3:05:10 (2014) Managed to take almost 20 minutes off my time which shows my training with Coach Dave is working.

Overall: This is one of my favorite races and this year, the organizers did not disappoint. Cold water and Coke the entire way. Well organised. Great vibe. I was planning on running in a bus with some other girls but landed up running on my own. It was hard! I had many mental battles with myself along the way. But I was determined to beat my previous PB of 2:47, which I did!

What I’ll remember most: Getting to the water station just before Bedfordview and stopping to get my head back in the race. One sachet of 32GI down, x2 waters and hearing Deacon Blue was a sign for me. It’s where I managed to get my second wind.

It’s (mostly) all in your head #quote

Posted on February 4, 2015 by Bo

My Coach has managed to teach me that yes, running is all about consistency and discipline. On the days I get home from work and crash on the bed, I know that heading out that door for a 30 minute easy run will do my body and mind a whole lot more than a half an hour snooze.

I’ve come to realise that it’s my mind that needs the extra training some days, not so much my body. Running, home-life, at work. Believing in myself. Pushing myself out of comfort zones and stretching myself. I know I can do it. I need to train my mind to believe it!

9 to 5 emails

Posted on February 1, 2015 by Bo

When I returned to work at the beginning of January, I made the decision not to receive work emails on my phone anymore. The switch off during December had been wonderful and I decided it’s exactly what I need going into 2015.

I’ll admit it was hard in the beginning. I would randomly click on the envelope, more out of habit, and remember that my mailbox was not connected. But I stuck it out.

The first realization has been how much time I was ‘stealing’ from home-life by reading my mails. I sit on average 45 – 60 minutes when I get into the office in the morning, catching up on reading emails (that I could’ve read at home). Yes, so it may have saved me time at work, but it ultimately stole time from family and other things around the house.

The second thing I realized is that I needed to start re-prioritizing the important emails. I don’t know about you, but as that email pops into my mailbox, I tend to respond immediately and action it. Almost 90% are not even urgent. So then which are?

Having the support of my boss and team has helped and also encouraged a culture of true work-life balance. They know that if they need to get hold of me (and no, I’m not a Doctor on call so not even necessary) they can Whatsapp me. I also don’t expect of them to be online once they’ve left the office and prefer that they rather spend time doing non-work related activities.

But again, it is their choice, not mine. I know it’s not for everyone. Some people like to be connected and have the flexibility. But it was something I needed to do.

Does not reading my emails after hours make me forget about work? Surprisingly no. I never switch off. I’m constantly thinking about projects, ideas, goals, my team. Do I feel like I’m missing out on some major announcement or important information? Yes, all the time. But I am enjoying switching off more.

It’s been a good decision and time will tell if I’m able to stick to it. Ironically, I’m not alone. It’s becoming legislation in some countries, such as Germany as early as next year. What are your thoughts? What works for you?