TIME TO REST...

OK it's not often that I think it's time to rest... but a few days before a planned rest week I am ready, in fact I've been ready since the weekend and the half marathon.

After the 30km of Saturday I only need an easy 16 on Sunday to round off the week, and while it was a lot slower than I would have penciled in the program (programs are always in pencil so I can change them.) it was easy and that was all that was needed. It fact it felt great and I didn't feel tired or board and if the program had called for another 10km I wouldn't have had a problem...

After Monday's easy 10km it was time for track, and Tuesday called for... 10 x 600m now I guess I should be running these in under 2:00 but the legs weren't up to that... I started with a 2:05 and then after 4 at 2:02 I called it a day. 5 was more than enough I did after all have a race to run on the Wednesday evening... Trail Series number 3 Tygerberg hill, and unlike the other races it's down and up and down and up, and down and up.. or something like that..

I got to the start early straight from work and with the wind blowing I took a couple of moments to rest before the race...

Hiding from the wind!

It wasn't friendly out there, so I didn't do much of a warm up and when the gun went off I took off like a bullet, but not one been shot from a gun, one on the back of a donkey card pulling scrap metal through the townships!!!

The Start

 We started with a short up and then, I wish I was 20 years younger when my running had a freefall gear... Today my body doesn't let me run fast, so I was lossing time and I took a split to Johnny, 45s I don't know my early place, but I was only racing Johnny and therefore I had a bit of work to do. I overshot the turn at the bottom but only lost a few sec and 1 guy passed me. This was a good thing, as the next km or so was flattish and I let him set the pace. Then on a rocky down hill bit of the flat single track he slowed, so I went past, my timing was good as shortly after that we hit the big hill...

I think you need to see the profile now:

Yes it was that steep

I saw Johnny ahead as he started the climb and took a split 40sec, but he was walking now... I made the turn and started the climb, (I wish I had rested a bit more before the race) it was slow going, but I passed Johnny and 2 or 3 other guys! Now to build a lead before the down... Love this down it was rocky with lots of turns and if you wanted to do a bit of bush diving just run to fast!!!
Near the bottom I caught a guy, but couldn't get away from him and maybe my legs were now feeling the first big climb, but I was the guy slowing and he got away.

I finished in 47:30 a couple of seconds slower than last year. I think I was 7th across the line, but it wasn't about that it was about the 40+ guys, and I bagged myself another win...

The legs are shattered and with a 34km trail race this weekend and a marathon the weekend after I need to find a couple of days to rest...

Let me try and leave you with a video of how windy it was at the start...