27 for FREEDOM RACE 2011

Back on the 11th of February 1990 Nelson Mandela was released from Prison, so today to remember the 27 years he served in prison, and his long walk to Freedom, Correctional Services put on a number of events to remind us, one of them a 27km race.

27km seemed like a nice distance and the Franchhoek / Paarl Valley is one of the most beautiful in our land, so I was there. OK the prise money was good and I though I would have a chance of a 40+ pace. A top 4 wasn't going to be easy, because right at the start of the race 2 guys (40+) sped off. I found myself running a lot faster than I had hoped to be, and I was only hanging in a group of 4, 40+ guys. By 5 km 2 of them had pulled ahead and I was feeling the pace (19:02). I know that's early in the race, but I was ready to settle for 6th old man...

Then at about 10km (37:49) we left the tar and hit the gravel I was now in my element and didn't slow... So without trying I was in 5th. Looking ahead I could see 3 of the other 40+'s ahead and I was now closing the gap on one of the guys, while the other 2 had stopped pulling ahead. I past 15km (57:23) feeling great and even as we returned to the tar I was running smoothly.

The next split I took was at 19.5km as we turned onto a dusty gravel road only about 60sec ahead, and closing. Now why have I called this a dusty gravel road, well a couple of cars were taking this road as a short cut and been a hot (30)dry day, the dust was bad. So bad I could hardly see Mike ahead of me but as i saw him "fight" with the cars at a turn I took another split. I reach the turn 30 sec later (I had him beat) and squeezed through the turn. Yes squeezed though, why, well a bus had tried to make the turn and had gotten stuck. About 250m-300m down that road I was told by a prison guard that the race took the other entrains to get back in the grounds... I had to run back losing 2min40 (+_600m) and my 5th place. I now had no chance of catching 4th. I did push till 26km trying to catch 5th, but I didn't have it in me. I think I was 11th overall and 6th 40+. I don't normally take a medal, but I thought this was a good one to have.

THIS IS WHAT MR. GARMIN TOLD ME:

Time Distance Split time Split distance Split pace Elev. chg. Start time

0:04:06 1.00 4:06 1.00 4:06 +9 06:33 AM

0:07:51 2.00 3:45 1.00 3:45 +5 06:38 AM

0:11:42 3.00 3:50 1.00 3:51 +6 06:41 AM

0:15:22 4.00 3:39 1.00 3:40 -4 06:45 AM

0:19:02 5.00 3:40 1.00 3:41 -4 06:49 AM

0:22:42 6.00 3:40 1.00 3:40 -4 06:52 AM

0:26:34 7.00 3:51 1.00 3:52 -3 06:56 AM

0:30:11 8.00 3:36 1.00 3:37 0 07:00 AM

0:33:56 9.00 3:44 1.00 3:44 -3 07:04 AM

0:37:49 10.00 3:53 1.00 3:54 -1 07:07 AM

0:41:47 11.00 3:57 1.00 3:58 -4 07:11 AM

0:45:45 12.00 3:58 1.00 3:58 -5 07:15 AM

0:49:36 13.00 3:50 1.00 3:51 -9 07:19 AM

0:53:27 14.00 3:51 1.00 3:51 -11 07:23 AM

0:57:23 15.00 3:56 1.00 3:56 +9 07:27 AM

1:01:21 16.00 3:57 1.00 3:58 +14 07:31 AM

1:05:19 17.00 3:57 1.00 3:58 +1 07:35 AM

1:09:07 18.00 3:47 1.00 3:48 -4 07:39 AM

1:12:50 19.00 3:43 1.00 3:43 -8 07:43 AM

1:16:34 20.00 3:43 1.00 3:44 -3 07:46 AM

1:20:38 21.00 4:04 1.00 4:04 +1 07:50 AM

1:24:24 22.00 3:45 1.00 3:46 -4 07:54 AM

1:28:17 23.00 3:53 1.00 3:53 -10 07:58 AM

1:32:04 24.00 3:46 1.00 3:47 +6 08:02 AM

1:35:56 25.00 3:52 1.00 3:52 +6 08:05 AM

1:39:44 26.00 3:47 1.00 3:48 -6 08:09 AM

1:43:54 27.00 4:09 1.00 4:10 +6 08:13 AM

1:46:20 27.55 2:25 0.55 4:24 +10 08:17 AM

After the race Dawn took my picture...