RACING BERNARD

After a long run the other week, the one I ran with Eddie and Bernard, Eddie asked me if I could give Bernard a lift to the race this last weekend. It was a 20km trail race out at Botriver and the last in a series that Bernard was leading and he needed to run in order to win. No problem!!!

I had a week of training to get through first, and as much as I wanted to race hard I had to still train as I had bigger races to focus on!!!

After a recovery run on Monday the program had a set of 1km reps on, but.... It was windy and raining and I could still feel the 50km I had clocked up on the weekend so I sent the boys off to train for their 10km race, if the coach talks they listen!!! And I headed into the forest for a little bit of trail, my big race is after all a trail race and I always need a bit more trail. My run wasn't all trail, I came back on the road and put in a couple of tempo km's to keep the speed up.

Tuesday was the start of the winter!!! OK winter started months ago, but on Tuesday the clod fronts started to roll in... It was wet on Wednesday and only Mark was out, he was hoping I wouldn't turn up so he could head home to find his warm bed! I said NO, can you hear that? The forest is calling...

OK the first river was a little full

This river is normally only half a meter wide! Mark didn't want to hold me up, so while he went flattish I headed up to get some real single track running in... or should that be river track running in?

The forest was quite and after leaving Mark I didn't see another sole as I headed up to Woodcutters:

Rivers were wild and crossing them was FUN

Woodcutters is heavily covered with trees so it was dark and taking pictures didn't really work. from there I headed up again onto the contour path, I though I should pop up there and check out the path, it does after all form part of my race in a couple of weeks!

I couldn't hang around as the night was closing in... and the water was still all around! me as I tacked the next level of the mountain!

Yes I had just crossed that!!!

The run had taken me a little longer than normal, and it was dark as I head the road for the last km to the club, but it had been well worth it.

After a couple of 400's on the road (track still water logged) Thursday evening, I was up in the rain at 05h00 for a Friday morning run, and yes it was cold, in fact the coldest morning for some time.

Now, while I was off to work, those trail runners who are luckier than me headed for the mountain!!!

Up Platterklip

Wish I was there!

That my friends is was the top of Table Mountain, and I was stuck at the office with a race to run the following day...

I was up early on Saturday to pick Bernard up and drive the 100+km to the start. We had to drive over the pass in rain so heavy that I had my wiper on double fast!!!

We were lucky to catch a break as we started the race!

I took the early lead

Blue sky, hadn't see that for days! Bernard soon joined me up front, and the 2 of us set about taking the field to pieces. The truth be told there were a couple of other races on the go that weekend and with the weather so bad the field wasn't to strong or big.

After a couple of flattish km on the farm lands we crossed the road and headed for the mountain!!!

That is would we crossed the road!

Once on the single tracks of the mountain Bernard turn up the pace and I fell back, we had a lead over 3rd, but I kept the effort up as it was magic up there! Even when the rain and wind returned from the snow covered peaks that we couldn't see because of the clouds.

I wish I had photos of the waterfall and some of the other views we had, but all I can show you is one of the river crossings...

Told you it was fun!

Bernard was about a minute ahead of me and with 3rd place now over 10 minutes back I didn't kill myself of the way in.

Now if I can find it I will include the picture of Bernard and I that appeared in the Sunday paper...