Running through quicksand

Posted on May 25, 2015 by Bo

I’ve been clocking up some awesome times at track lately. But it’s not necessarily because I’ve been working hard. It might be simply down to guilt. You see, although I’ve tried to be quite disciplined in attending track, my easy runs on weekdays and weekends have really suffered.

In the last two weeks, I skipped my easy runs on both Tuesdays and Thursdays, made excuses on Fridays, rolled over and went to bed last week Saturday. The only long distances I’ve managed to squeeze in has been the RAC 10km race and more recently, the Boskruin 10.5km Sunday run.

But in reality, it feels as if I’m running through quicksand.

I keep blaming:

The Comrades runners who are tapering. Shouldn’t the supporters also be tapering?
Load shedding and the traffic which prevents me from getting home early enough
Winter is coming. I’m not a big fan of running in the cold. My ears ache. My fingers freeze. It’s dark… I’ll save this for another blog post.

When I was young, I recall watching those cowboy movies where anyone falling in quicksand was doomed to die. That there was no way out and as much as you tried, the sand would eventually swallow you whole.

People falling into (and, unrealistically, being submerged in) quicksand or a similar substance is a trope of adventure fiction, notably in movies. According to Slate, this gimmick had its heyday in the 1960s, when almost 3% of all films showed someone sinking in mud, sand, or clay. ~ Wikipedia

I’m feeling exactly like that. I’m stuck in the sand and cannot move or make an effort.

I know what’s missing. It’s the lack of discipline and consistency on my part. I know that the less I run, the less I want to run and so the less I do run. It’s a vicious circle. It is harder to find that motivation during winter and I’m already struggling to do so.

So I guess as long as I continue to track sessions and commit to at least trying to get out there, I’ll be okay. I need to buckle down and recommit. It’ll be worth it come spring time!

(Images: Google)

Final thoughts on my Two Oceans race

Posted on April 20, 2015 by Bo

I’ve been away on holiday and haven’t yet had time to blog about my Two Oceans half marathon race yet. But after returning to track training this evening, I realized that I still wanted to capture some of my thoughts from that day before I forget them.

It was the 5^th time I ran the race – 3 medals, one DNF as well as numerous fun day runs under my belt. This year was the second time running the ‘new’ and perhaps more challenging 21.1km route.

A couple of things I have finally come to know and accept about the Two Oceans half marathon race:

It’s congested. Very congested, especially for those runners who start in E batch.
Due to the congestion, aiming for a PB is a tough job (I say that even though I ran a PB and so many others did too).
For so many people, Two Oceans is their first half marathon and often, a dream come true. It’s only fair to allow them to get caught up in the vibe, the emotions and enjoy their race. <Note to self: don’t share all your previous blog posts filled with too many negative feelings>
I need to remind myself that being one of the lucky ones to have gotten an entry and afforded the trip down to Cape Town is a blessing.
Running with friends and family make the day extra special and I loved every step of the race with my Dad at my side.
One of my biggest running goals has been achieved. The one where I don’t need to stress about making that final 3 hour cut-off gun. The tears swelled up watching runners dash onto that field, desperate to make that cut-off. The jubilation of those that made it but also the anguish of those that didn’t. It’s all in the spirit of the race.
I guess my final comment is that I’ve made peace with the race. I don’t hate it as much as I used to. I don’t fear it. We’ve become friends.

See you next year Two Oceans. XoXo.

Okay Two Oceans, clean slate, here I come!

Posted on March 22, 2015 by Bo

If you’ve been following my blog for a few years now, you may recall that the Two Oceans half marathon is not one of my favourite running races (understatement). I find the anxiety of the congested start, the hype around the race, and making the race cut-off all contributing to it being a very stressful run. I’ve even documented my feelings in various blog posts throughout the years:

How I started this blog in 2011 with Two Oceans in mind
My excitement in 2011 when I signed up to run the race after missing cut-off in 2011 which devastated me
I’ve analysed the race like a slice of pizza, slice by slice
I blogged about my feelings when I pulled out of because of injury in 2012 and then for being overwhelmed by stress
I recall blogging about nightmares I’ve had just thinking about the race
I wrote a “Dear John” type letter to the race, officially splitting up (hysterical!)
My Two Oceans fun runs have also been documented the year it rained and 2013’s 8km run
Conquering my fear of Two Oceans in 2014 was my last post.

Yowzer! I’ve realized I’m clearly obsessed with the race and focus on pretty much all the negative things about it. So I decided to look at the positive side this year. Instead of analyzing all the negative things that stress me out about the race, I’m going down to Cape Town focusing on the positives.

I am one of the lucky ones who managed to get an entry.
An Easter holiday down in the fairest, most beautiful Cape. I can’t wait.
I am blessed to report that I am fit and healthy while there are others, such as KK, injured and having had to pull out of the race. Sorry KK.
My Dad will be running the race too! This might be the most special thing about that day and I’m going to try and run at least some of the way with him.
There are so many of my friends and Running Junkie training friends who will be competing. It’s been an honor training with them and I can’t wait to see them reach their goals.
I have trained hard. I have covered the distances and done the work I need to do.
My Championchip times show that I am able to run a 21.1km race in under ~~3:00~~ 2:50 minutes. I no longer need to stress about that 3 hour axe cut-off over my head.
I am able to run a distance that majority of people have never even tried to run. I am a runner. I can run 21.1kms! Me!

The Two Oceans countdowns posted on social media still take my breath away and give me serious *goosies*! It’s going to be fab! It’s going to be epic! Two Oceans, here I come!

Are you also running? How are you feeling about the race?

I can’t run without my…

Posted on January 20, 2015 by Bo

Before I headed out to run on Sunday, I threw my sunglasses in the drawer, choosing to run without them for a change. Lately, I find that I hardly wear them and run the entire way with them perched on my cap, so why bother? But there are definitely items which I can’t run without? Here’s my list:

My towelling cap

There are three ‘generations’ of running caps in my drawer. The first blue Nike one I happened to find at Meltz (of all places!). It set the standard for the next two caps because of the towelling headband. I sweat on my head big time and the towelling soaks it all up. The next two caps have both come with towelling and I simply cannot run without it! I haven’t been able to find another Nike cap but stumbled upon this blue Sailfish cap at Tribe on Main Street last week. It’s as if it was made especially for my head. Super light and fits like a glove. It’s a winner!

My sports bra

I’ve been a loyal Anita sports bra wearer for many years and never bothered looking for alternatives. Until I happened to see a survey of running bras which showed the CW-X from Contour Sports as the top sports bra and decided to try it out. I’m not a fan of buying clothes online but trust me, the sizes are a perfect match! The best thing about this bra is that it feels as if it’s holding me and all my jiggly bits tightly together. I’ve also had no chaffing during any track sessions or the recent half marathons I’ve run. It even looks attractive enough to be worn just on its own (if it was that confident). The biggest bonus: I throw it in the washing machine!

My thick socks

KK and I never really confuse whose socks are whose because while he loves all things Nike, I’m a huge Falke fan. I cannot run in thin socks and find the thicker the sock, the better. Combined with the cushioning of my asics running shoes, it’s as if I’m running on clouds. I just wish they couldn’t get all bobbly after a few washes.

My Garmin/Jawbone combo

Wearable devices has become the rage lately so when KK gave me a Jawbone UP24 for Christmas, I was thrilled! I’ve become slightly obsessed with it too. It tracks my steps as well as my sleeping patterns and suggests corrective measures and tips to help me monitor my health. It sync’s with all the apps such as My Fitness Pal and Strava (find me!) which makes it the perfect match with my Garmin. I even get a weekly newsletter showing how well/unwell I’m doing.

Are you the same? What are some of your favourite running items?

(ps: this post is unsponsored and all my own views and opinions. Basically, no one paid me to say these things…)