LONG HOURS

With VOB hosting the weekends race on Saturday and the Cycle Tour on Sunday I had to find time to fit in a long run. Now as you all know the long run is the bread and butter of any training program, so what was I going to do... I could have ditched the idea of running the 15km race on my doorstep and headed for the mountains, or with a little warm up and a little warm down I might end up with enough miles for the day.

I was up early on Saturday, but since I didn't have to drive anywhere I ran out the front door and headed for the start line... In the dark of the morning I did what anyone would have done, I turned left and headed away from the Club, I didn't need to be there for almost an hour. Like for must races I needed to make sure I was as lite as can be and a trip past the garage took care of that... With time now running out I turned to the club and the start of the race. 53min and 11km later I was on the start line with over 3 000 other people there!!!

Don't worry I had already worked out a race plan and it wasn't too run for money and chace the fast boy's... I just wanted to run hard and controlled and leave enough so I could run on if I had too...

In those 1st 5km I past a lot of guys who had gone out to fast even with 11km in the legs it felt OK at I took the split in 18:27. It wasn't long after that I caught and past the 3rd placed lady, she was nice and I nearly stayed behind her... No Coach you are a married man, so I ran straight past and took the split for the next 5km 18:31.

At 11.5km there is a little hill and I now could see one of the UCT boys, after overtaking another guy who runs for Celtic's and trains with us I had the sights set... Hills, Yes Hills, I didn't slow I did how ever have to work harder, but with the pace good I closed the gap. I saw Richard slowing as he took a corner I shouted at him that if he didn't up his game I would catch him... With just over a km I passed him and told him to stay with me. (Coaches are along to to that.) He came, but was a bit like a Yo-Yo as his mind played with him: No I can't make it, Yes I can, No I can't make it, Yes I can, Yes I can, we were now on the grass with only 200 meters when he passed me and left me for dead. With the effort on the hills I had run 18:26 for the last 5km to finish with 55:25...

I wasn't in a rush to get home, and after a couple of beers and chatting to my friends I ran straight home, 2km to give me 28km for the day.

I know I could write another long story about Sunday and the Argus Cycle tour, but I'm not going too... I'm going to keep it short: I was on the start-line for the 17th time and my 14th with Dawn on the OLD Tandom.. We started at 08h28 and headed out of town with the 35 000 other guys!!! Well the pro's had started at 06h15 and with a couple of minutes between groups the last group would leave town at 10h30!

Dawn and I don't take this to seriously as it is after all a tour... I had taken the bike out on Saturday Afternoon for the first time since last years tour and after pumping the tires and dusting of the cobwebs it was good to go:

Not built for speed...

Out trip around out to Cape Point was easy and with our first stop at Simon's Town coming at just the right time. My drink was finished, and Dawn's knee needed a break. We were lucky and met 2 friends and got to ride with then for a bit, unbelievable with so many bikes out there.. I think the weather had played ball and the wind wasn't to bad, but it was getting hot and with 109km to ride we had to keep moving. We had a couple more stops to refule and other than seeing a couple of bikes and rides on the ground!!! we had a quiet ride stopping the clock in 5h09h15. Dawn had the auto pase on Mr Garmin, and that called it 4h59;20 of riding.

After all that sitting I popped out for a 6km run while Dawn went down to the gym to swim 1km... I don't know who is more mad!!!