Getting back into the swing of things

Posted on January 28, 2013 by Bo

In October last year, I made myself a promise that Johnson Crane would be my first half marathon of 2013. I started training in November and kept to a disciplined routine of weekly running, even managing to sneak in a 16km LSD. But it came as a surprise to me when I ran Johnson Crane this past weekend that I struggled so much. Even though the route is quite flat and fast-paced, I did not manage to make 3 hours (story of my life!).

Wait a minute. Why am I so critical of myself. When I sat down and thought about it, I realised that this race is my first 21.1km race since Two Oceans in 2011. That’s almost 2 years since I’ve run that kind of distance. I’ve run a couple of 10km races here and there, but the training and dedication for half marathons was put on hold last year as I rested a foot injury (and a mental block).

It was good to experience a half marathon again: The familiarity of the nerves at the starting line, the crowds, the vibe, the discussions I have in my head as I negotiate each and every one of those 3 hours and the absolute joy of crossing the finish line.

However, it did get me thinking and when I do any running analysis, I like to consult my “Lore of Running” ~~bible~~ handbook. This is what I found: there are 15 training laws listed. The very first law says this:

Law 1: Train Frequently, All Year-Round. If you want to be a good athlete, you must train all the year round, no matter what. What is really required is a little exercise constantly; this will benefit you permanently to a far greater degree than single heavy doses at long intervals.

I needed the break. But running does not come naturally to me and while a 10km race is easy, the 21km races requires me to dig a whole lot deeper, both physically and mentally.

The lesson in it for me is that to be good at something takes practice. Constant practice. Not only with running, but other areas of my life too. I can’t neglect certain aspects of my life and come back expecting everything to be the same as it always was. It’s about frequency, all the time.

For now though, it feels great to once again be able to say the words I ran 21.1kms. I’m proud of myself.

Everyone needs to start somewhere

Posted on January 13, 2013 by Bo

I’ll be honest, I don’t particularly enjoy the Dischem 21.1km running race. I find it quite challenging. In 2010, running down A.G. De Witt Drive hurt like hell and I almost ~~died~~ injured myself. So every year, I commit to at least doing the 5km Rehidrat Dash (don’t you just love that word – Dash!)

At the starting line of the race this year, I looked around and was amazed to see such an eclectic mix of so many different people. The serious runners fiddling on their running watches trying to locate satellite, the ‘fun run’ gang who kept promising each other that they’d stick together and not go too fast, the moms with prams already feeding kids with sticky snacks, and the walkers with headphones and backpacks full of …stuff (I never know what they’ve got in there).

In that huge crowd of what must have been over 2 000 runners and walkers, the ages ranged from as young as 5 years old to over 85 years. It reminded me that running is truly a sport for everyone. To say you’re a runner doesn’t necessarily mean you do the Comrades every year. Often, running means just putting on your running shoes and getting out there, enjoying yourself with other runners, regardless of the distance. Everyone can do it!

And so having completed my third Dischem Rehidrat Dash, my 2013 race year has officially kicked off…

What do you hear when you run?

Posted on November 26, 2012 by Bo

It’s great to see so many runners who run around my neighbourhood. On my runs, I will often count how many runners I pass – the number sometimes reaches 13!

The one thing I notice, however, is that some of them still run with iPods and earphones stuck in their ears. Besides the obvious traffic dangers associated with it, I wish I could stop them and point out just how much they are missing out on.

Things such as…

The birds. The beautiful sound of the doves and piet-my-vrou. The screeching of hadedas when they are forced to move out of your way.
The kids behind the high walls playing in the pool. The laughter and splashes of water.
The maids and security guards keeping watch and chatting on the grass.
The dogs that make the effort to stand at the gate and greet you. Some of them are grumpy, some are excited to see you. But it makes their day if you say hello back.
The sound of a lawnmower on a Saturday morning. Or the edge trimmer.
The sound of your running shoes hitting the tar.
The sprinkler systems.
The occasional moment you start talking out loud (we all do it!).
The buzzing of the insects as you pass the parks.
The loud engines of the 4X4 bakkies as they wind their way home.
The other runners greeting you.
But most importantly, the sound of your heart pounding in your ears when it feels like it will jump out of your chest when you’ve conquered that hill.

I know that the music gets you up those hills and takes your mind off some of the stresses of the day, but I guarantee you that if you leave the music at home for one day and appreciate your surroundings, filled with stunning sounds, it will change the way you experience your run. I promise!

Oh no! This can’t be happening already!

Posted on November 12, 2012 by Bo

I didn’t want to say anything but I feel this blog is all about my running ~~life~~ stress so I might as well share what happened. I had my first nightmare about next year’s Two Oceans Half Marathon last week. There, I said it. Insane, I know.

Entries opened and within the first two hours, KK had successfully entered me. My heart still froze when I received the email confirmation. I’m in. My name is entered. No going back now. The countdown has begun. The following day, I commented on a running ~~coach~~ buddy’s blog about the confusion around cut-off times. Was it still 3 hours? Or did they cut it down by 10 minutes? This niggled me for a while and stressed me out. I don’t have any spare minutes to waste… 8 minutes per km Bron! What to do?

So of course, with it being on my mind and stupid me stressing about it, I had such a bad dream on Thursday evening and woke up sweating. In my dream, I was running the race. It was raining. I was doing fine. I got to the top of Southern Cross but made a wrong turn. I got lost. I couldn’t find anyone. I eventually ran into some arb person’s house to ask for help. But by this time, the clock was ticking and I knew in my heart, I was never going to make it. That’s where my dream ended and I woke up feeling very stressed out and upset.

What is it about this race that stresses me out so much? I can’t explain it! I’ve run so many half marathons before, but this race just gets to me. The fear is just too great!

This is not the best start to my countdown to Oceans. If you’ve followed my blog, you’ve heard me say this over and over again: The race is in my head. It really is.

I need to get my thoughts under control and start telling myself that it will be okay. Because to suffer through another 5 months of this anxiety is not going to be fun.