Running, like life, comes with many up hills

Posted on May 10, 2012 by Bo

A friend asked me the other day what race I would recommend she should attempt to run as her first road race. She made the comment, “I want a nice easy race. No hills, nothing too tough. It must be as flat as possible.”

The ironic thing is that with running, the flat races are sometimes the most boring. They might appear easy but in the long run, they don’t provide much of a challenge. All you’ve got is the road ahead of you where your pace is unlikely to change much and your body is kept at a consistent level of exertion.

You see, the races that come with rolling hills are tough, but when you push yourself up the hills, the joy of reaching the top and the feeling of speeding up and letting yourself go on the downhills is fantastic. The mental negotiation you have between your mind and your body as you fight the urge to stop running and the freedom you feel when you reach the top and cruise downhill is victorius. You learn so much about yourself when you force your body to go beyond its limits and to succeed.

I guess most of us wish for those flat races, those times when everything runs smoothly, calmly and there are no bumps in the road to upset our plans. However, life is never that easy. It’s only by dealing with the up hills and overcoming the stresses of those difficult times in our lives that we learn to appreciate things more and learn more about ourselves.

Today’s rat race, with all its stresses and problems, is not easy, no matter what type of runner (or walker) you are. But often, it’s worth welcoming the up hills in our lives because once we push through, the rewards are worth it.

Analyzing a race, slice by slice

Posted on April 17, 2012 by Bo

It was the Saturday evening after the Two Oceans race and KK and I were enjoying a celebratory supper at Col’cacchio’s overlooking Camps Bay. All around us sat other runners, glaringly obvious by the fact that they were wearing their running shoes adorned with race chip, warm K-Way running tops over their Two Oceans t-shirts, but mostly by their conversation. The restaurant was a buzz of nattering about the race. Both the half as well as the ultra marathon.

As they devoured their pizza’s, runners were recalling the start where E-seeded runners managed to slip into C-seeded pens; they were giving their in-depth analysis of the new route and whether or not it was easier than the old route; some were recalling the drummers up Southern Cross Drive, while others were gasping at how the 56km runners had survived 6 hours in the rain.

It was a minute by minute, km by km, pizza slice by pizza slice analysis of each step of the race, where they had gone wrong and what they would’ve done differently. And trust me, they talked for hours, sometimes going over the same topic repeatedly as if they couldn’t talk about it enough.

If only life was like that. If only we had more time to stop and analyze what was going on in our lives, the up hills, the down hills, the times we got things right but also the times when things seemed too tough to carry on. What pulled us through? What were the highlights? The lowlights? How did we tackle issues in our lives? I don’t think we do that often enough (or even at all?)

If only we were able to analyze our lives more regularly, the way runners do after each and every race, maybe we’d be able to stop ourselves from making mistakes, from getting hurt, we could make the necessary changes. But we’d also stop more often to enjoy the good times while we were able to and celebrate our victories. We don’t do that often enough. Runners do.

Two days, Two Oceans, two races, this is how I experienced it…

Posted on April 17, 2012 by Bo

So even though I decided not to run the Two Oceans Half Marathon, it was a spur of the moment decision to partake in the 5km race, held on the Friday before the big races. The weather in Cape Town had started to turn and so, instead of heading down to the beach, we went through to UCT.

At 14:30 in the afternoon, the race started and approximately 3 000 runners / joggers / walkers / prams (and a Bokkie) ran out of the beautiful UCT grounds and down University Drive on what was aptly named the Two Oceans Fun Run. The weather couldn’t have been more perfect! The vibe electrifying. The laughter contagious. What a fantastic afternoon and run! I had so much fun! My time: 39 minutes. I’m thrilled.

Turn the clocks a mere 19 hours forward and as majority of the field were approaching the half way mark of the 21.1km race, sheets of rain, mixed with nasty winds, started to pour down!

I sat on the grandstand, waiting with clean, dry towels for KK and the rest of the running gang to come in. But as the rain came down harder, and the spectators scurried for shelter, I somehow missed KK’s finish and spent the next 45 minutes trying to find him. Drenched and freezing, when we did find one another, he proudly announced that he had managed to run a PB! 1:49 … Awesome babes!

I guess this year’s Two Oceans was one of those that runners will never forget. One that is so gruelling and tough for some (who really feel that they earned that medal) and yet refreshing and invigorating for others who sailed through and achieved fantastic results.

But between you and me, as we drove home in the rain, passing the unlucky few that had missed the 3 hour cut-off, in my heart I was somehow relieved that I did not run. My heart broke for those who did not make it as I’ve experienced that disappointment before. But I knew, with all that congestion in the E-batch, the rain and the lack of mental mojo, I would not have gotten over that finish line in time.

I was thankful for the fact that I ran my 5kms, I enjoyed it. And I’m learning that with my runs, that’s what matters most.

But I will be back. I know I will…

Maybe a bike ride will do me good

Posted on April 3, 2012 by Bo

KK comes home the other day and announces that him and his bestie, DSM, are thinking about doing the 94.7 Momentum Cycle Challenge at the end of the year. He is surprised when I excitedly proclaim, “Awesome, me too!!”

You see, my history with cycling is not a good one…

Since I’ve met KK, he’s been an avid sportsman (I’m boasting now). Other than all the running races he’s done, he has completed x5 Two Ocean half marathons, x1 Argus race, x7 94.7 Cycle Challenges and a couple of mini triathlons thrown in as well. So naturally, on weekends, we’ll engage in some sort of sporty activity.

About 12 years ago, KK and I used to ride our bikes quite often. I lived in Bedfordview at the time, and it was always a really fun occasion to go for a long ride on a Sunday afternoon. We took the bikes to KK’s place one day. He lived in Northcliff (emphasis on the cliff). Riding bikes was tougher as Northcliff is all ups and downs!

We decided one day to ride down (!) to Emmerentia Dam and back home. It was divine. The wind in my hair, the rising sun on my back… we got to the dam in no time and watched the dogs playing in the water and people feeding the ducks. It was a great morning.

It then started to get hot and so we ventured home. However, this time, it was all uphill! And lots of them. My legs ached. My back broke. I was getting sunburnt. With so many hills, I landed up pushing my bike. KK, who was fitter than me, kept moaning that I need to get back on the bike and ride.

Eventually, I exploded! I was so tired, hot, bothered, I threw my bike on the floor, kicked it and walked home without it. I vowed never to ride my bike again. KK pushed his bike and mine all the way home. Since that day, if people ask me if I have a bike, I say no.

Looking back today, I know I acted really childishly but I had been pushed too far and had had enough!

Well, I’m ready to give it another go and so the idea of 94.7 really appeals to me. I’ve got some time to think about it but while my foot has me out of running action, this might be an alternative option?

Wait, wait, wait!

Like I said, I’m thinking about it. A part of me still gets put off at the thought of punctures and at just how long the route is – 100km!

But for now, I need to dig my bike out of the garage, dust it off and make friends with it…That’s a start.