LISTEN TO YOUR COACH

IF AT FIRST YOU DON'T SUCCEED, LISTEN TO YOUR COACH 

 I read that once and it's so true, That said I'm pleased I'm my own Coach because... well it's more a case of do what I say and not what I do... Why I'm a telling you this? Well next weekend I run a marathon, and I hope to be running with a friend and the 2 of us should both sneak under 3 hours... So as you all know and the "marathon" gets closer and closer, you cut back the miles and watch what you race!

So lets just have a look at the last 10 days or so: On the 2nd I ran that hard half followed by the 10.7km trail race on the Wednesday, then come Thursday I could feel my legs and sat out the hill session (I listened to the Coach). But and this is the big one, there was this new trail race on the weekend...

Silvermine XXL (extra extra long) Owen call it 34km, but Ms 310 measured it as 32.5km with 1000+m climb. Was I really going to stay in bed when I could be on the mountains...

So it was an early morning and I found myself on the start line with about 500 other guys (and girls). Now I wasn't really watching the clock and I was helping a friend with her number when the race started... Naughty boy Dion... I wasn't going to be right at the back, so I darted with the bush and passed half the field, but then the trail got to narrow and i just had to follow...

I was nice to be back there and it seemed like fun, maybe I should just take it easy and yes pass a couple of people, but don't stress about it, after all I have a marathon to run next week... So I took it easy passing a couple of guys, but the flattish start was about the start climb, so I decided to move up a couple more places and settle in for an easy run behind some-one.

The 2 guys were moving well and it was OK back there, but on the climb the guy stepped a side and let me pass, I passed them both and caught up to the next guys, who also let me pass on a rocky bit. Then just before the top on than first climb (+_3km) I pull up to Allan who asked if I wanted to pass as we hit the flat bit at the top. I told him I was happy for now, Ms 310 was telling me I was running more than fast enough. For about 500m he took me round the mountain, but with another climb I sighed and told him I think I had better pass... I also caught 2 more guys and took them. Now ahead I could see another group, maybe 7 guys strong, and wait, that was the lead group...

Eddie was the first guy I passed, then I decided that if the guys weren't gunning it, it would be me in charge of the race, so I left the rocky single track and passed the lot of them and went to the front. We were still climbing and it was the perfect place to make the move...

Now with this being a 30+km race with over 1000m climb and a lot of the race on technical single track it was going to be a long day at the office, and to be honest my legs weren't really up for a race. Listen to me, here I am at the front of the field saying I'm not racing... Well I took the lead at about 4km and for the next 6km I set the tempo, it felt a little like a Sunday long run! But it was on Saturday and around 10km the single track turned into a jeep track for the 2nd time... The first time was a short stretch and I had upped the pace to keep the lead, this time 4 guys passed me and for a bit I went with them... before coming to my senses and settling back into my pace.

With me slowing up Rohan joined me and the 2 of just hit the next climb together. I thought we had really dropped the other guys who had been in the early pack, but on the steep down hill Dom joined us and the 3 of us went through CP 1 together. 13.5km down, a long way to go...

We crossed Ou Kaapse Weg and after a short gravel road we hit the tar, 2 full km of tar, and all of it up hill... Dom was blown off the back and Rohan kept fall back a bit, I slowed a bit to let him catch up and then near the top I opened up another lead, which I kept, so I caught walk a rocky single track climb! We were back together shortly after that... The leaders were far ahead and as I looked back I could see a couple of guys chasing us. We ran together till about 19km when I pulled ahead, this time I stayed ahead and kept going, it was time... and at 20km the down hills started. I turned at the top and headed down, as I turn I saw a guy catch Rohan 100m back, I ran hard for a bit on the gravel and then it was back onto the single track with over 2hours in the legs I thought i was going OK, but I was caught!

This Guy just bounced over the rocks and through the Vynbos, it was OK he was running the relay!!! On the next long straight stretch I looked back, but didn't see anyone coming, so I just kept my pace to CP 2. From there it was about 5km to the finish.

I was still running nicely as I rounded the last turn and run up to the finish 3h02:48, 6th over the line, less the 2 teams to put me 4th and 1st 40+...

It was a great ran and although I didn't run a step in anger I didn't really take it easy, 3 hour over that route isn't bad... The winner had finished in 2h47:?? with 2nd 1min back, while 3rd was 2h55.

The best I can do as a picture is the route from Ms 310:

Ms Garmin 310

So why Listen to your Coach, well you shouldn't be racing 32.5km around the mountain the week before a marathon, you taper should have started... maybe I'll take this week easy, after all I don't have any races on this week, only 42.2 come Sunday.

Are you racing / running this weekend?