Thoughts on a run

Posted on August 31, 2014 by Bo

There are some really great 10km races in Jo’burg at the end of every year. Starting with Pirates, Old Ed’s and this morning’s Wanderers 10km road race. Well-supported and filled with awesome vibe, the races wind through some of the most beautiful tree-lined suburbs Jo’burg has to offer. I was really pleased when my running coach agreed to me running the Wanderers 10km race because it’s one of my favourites. It’s also quite apt that a race called ‘Wanderers’ is also what my mind did as I meandered through the beautiful streets.

Here’s what went through my mind:

I forgot to drink water before the race. Crap. I was so happy to get to that first water stop.
Even though I was freezing at 6am, 10 minutes into my race, I warmed up. Next time, remember to ditch the gloves.
Run your own race. Yeah yeah… I repeat this to myself every time but keep watching how older, larger, taller, shorter, younger runners run past me with no effort. It’s my race that I need to focus on. Not theirs.
Stop comparing yourself to others. Just stop it!
I ran today. A lot. Most races, I walk quite a bit but what I tried to do today was run more than walk. No more street pole strategy. If this is running, I need to do just that.
I’ve only been to x4 training sessions with my coach and as desperate as I am to see results, I need to be patient. It’ll happen. It will. But not now. The focus for now is consistency and stability.
I need to run more. Confession: I haven’t been very consistent on my Tuesdays and Thursday.
10km at 8 mins per km is still 10km. Well done! And three out of the 10kms were run at 7:28mins per km.
Watching other runners finish their races after me is a good way to prove to myself that I am not in fact the slowest runner in the field. KK taught me this. There are loads of people behind me. And they come in smiling.
A good cheese griller sausage after the race goes down really well! 🙂

Here’s to a great week, full of tough challenges and awesome running days!

The right treatment

Posted on August 20, 2014 by Bo

As I walked out of the physiotherapist’s office, it felt as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. Having suffered (I know I sound like a drama queen) for almost three weeks solid, I finally found relief for the pain that was killing my side. One of my intercostal muscles (the ones near the ribs) was bruised, locked in a tight spasm causing me pain. With a fair amount of pressure and what felt like ‘magic hands’ the pain started to release.

I’m one of those that thinks they’re doing the right thing, but isn’t. In order to heal, I thought resting my body from all forms of gym and running was the way to go. I figured it would eventually heal itself. But it didn’t and required the help of a trained specialist who knew exactly what to do.

After four years, I’ve realized I’ve made the same mistake with my running. I’ve bought all the best selling books for runners, I’ve followed all the great running blogs, I follow a bunch of really cool runners on Twitter and every so often, I’ll try do some speed work when I go to gym. But none of this is actually making me run faster now is it? No, I need help. Professional help. I kinda need the physiotherapist but for running. I need a proper coach.

So I’ve found one. After emailing him my sob story of ‘I’m a slow runner blah blah‘, he told me to come along to one of his training sessions to meet him and give it a try. So I did … and I won’t look back.

My side is finally healing because I’ve received the proper treatment. It’s about time I gave my running that chance as well. Here’s to a new challenge and new goals!

The reward around the corner

Posted on June 22, 2014 by Bo

I’ve mapped out a couple of running routes around my neighbourhood, some are 5km routes for quick runs after work, others are for the longer Sunday LSD’s. I ran one of my favourite routes this morning; I call it the Elgin route.

To get there means I have to meander through parts of Bryanston first and conquer one of the longest uphills – Cumberland & Homestead Roads. It’s not so much steep as it is long. I’m usually already walking by the time it starts its big pull. I don’t mind the walk. Walking during my runs usually gives me time to think and re-energise for the week ahead. But the road is relentless and takes me a good few minutes to get to the top.

The best part is as I turn into Elgin. It’s more of a mental turn on my run because my head tells me the hard work has been done and it’s pretty much downhill home from there. But there’s more to it…

Elgin Road is filled with the most beautiful massive trees, buzzing with bird life. You can hear the occasional Grey Lourie if you’re patient and there are always doves coo’ing in the lush gardens. You’re bound to run into other runners, even ones with dogs on leads.

It’s the part of my run where I let go and allow myself to be surrounded by nature and the fact that it feels like I’ve blocked out everything else. All I hear are my feet pounding the tar as the sun hits my face.

There are three takeouts from running this route:

1. It’s okay to walk the uphills. I still reach the top.

2. The reward is around the corner, be patient.

3. Take time to appreciate and enjoy my surroundings. There’s so much beauty around us!

One of the best running routes there is!

Trying again. On my own terms.

Posted on April 17, 2014 by Bo

I was giving a good friend of mine some advice the other day. I told her, “Pal, you’ve done everything you can do. You’ve given it all you’ve got. There’s nothing more you can do now. It is what it is…” Days later, as I contemplate whether or not to run the Two Oceans half marathon, I started to give myself some of my own advice.

Family and friends know that I hate this race. It overwhelms me. It’s congested, it’s over-hyped, it’s rated by so many runners as “The ultimate race”. But I hate it. It could be largely due to the baggage I carry of not making the 3 hour cut-off a couple of years ago. Even though I came back and ran a PB on this course the next year. But the pressure is intense and I allow it to control me.

But when I think of the advice I gave my friend, the words seem quite appropriate for me too especially when I look at the facts.

I’ve trained hard this year.
I’ve run five half marathons since January with ease.
In between regular interval training at gym, I’ve run on weekends too.
I’m 10kgs lighter having changed to a Banting way of eating.
I’m more comfortable with my running than I’ve ever been.

Am I still slow? Yeah, but it’s not important to me anymore. That’s my pace, deal with it. I have.

The main thing is that I’ve done all I can do in preparation for the race. There’s nothing more I can do. “It is what it is.”

If the congestion with 16k runners causes me to lose precious time, nothing I can do. If this means missing cut-off, so be it. I have to accept that if it takes me longer to run the first km and I lose time, it is what it is.
If it’s windy or it rains, nothing I can do. That’s just Cape Town weather.
A lot of factors are out of my hands but at least I’ve done everything I could possibly do in the build-up to this race. The rest I can’t control.

So ya, let’s see how it goes. Right now my nerves are killing me!