Sunday saw the running of the Bay to Bay 30km and I lined up for the 17th time! So this race and I go back a good number of years, so here is a brief history:
Lined up for the 1st time back in 1992, can only guess I was on the start line with my best friend Richard. The only thing my Diary from back then says is: easy run 1hr 57:32, 69th. Oh to be young again.
Didn't run is '93 and in '94 and '95 I ran slowly with members on my running group. Then in '96 I was thinking marathon and SA champs, so I went for it in the 30 as it was part of team selection. I had a great run finishing 4th in 1h44:34!
Over the next couple of years I only missed the race once in 1999 due to an injury. Most years we line up with the aim of just breaking 2hours, and this year would have been no different if it wasn't for the 7 weeks easy due to my calf.
1998 was the last time Dawn (Mrs Coach) ran this race, and with me going to be running slowly I planned to run with her for the first 5km.
With 2000+ people fighting to be on the front line I ended up a few places behind her as the gun went off. I saw her speed off and I started to bob and weave through the slower runners in order to catch her. I passed the 1km board in 4:32 and hadn't managed to catch her!!! Another 4:32 4:27 4:32 4:33 5km in 22:38 Then I caught her, she was flying. I stayed with her for almost 2km, but as the first hill got steeper she chased me away, tell me I can't ran that slowly!!! So I did what any man would do... I left her for another woman!!! Linda was just ahead and running faster than us, so I set about closing the gap. I passed her before the top of the hill and then stopped for a drink (Coke, would have taken beer is there was any), so it was only as we crested the top that I joined her.
We work well together and reached 15km in 70:29 before the big hills in Hout Bay started. On the 1st hill we caught Aubrey and Karl and together we made good time to Suikerbossie!!! Suikerbossie is a 2km hill that takes you out of Hout Bay. Again I got dropped as I stopped for Coke, but the hill was mine and I could see them ahead of me, so I set about chasing them down, and the next running and the next runner... By the top I had almost caught my 'squad' (they had pulled ahead while I was running with Dawn). It took me just one quick km to catch them, but instead of staying with them I blow past and joined Jenna!!! (Yes I'm one for the ladies, in my defence she use to run for our club and was now down on holiday running in the colours of RAC)
All to soon the 5km of down hill was over and I was ready to stop, I kept telling Jenna to go ahead, but she answered, if I can do this so can you... To be honest we had both slowed and my boys rolled past like a steam train almost flattening the old Coach... (note to myself: get into shape and run them all into the ground).
I was more than happy to see the finish line 2h19:09. I didn't have to wait long before I heard Dawn announced as the winner in her category 2h27:59.
My calf was fine and I'm running again, but this week is going to be an easy week with only really a TT on Wednesday, I'm going to need the days off to get ready for what lies ahead this year.
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