After a couple of hard weeks of training I'm ready to race again...
I haven't raced on the road for over a month and this weekends 15km is flat and I've run a couple of good times on that route over the years. I'm not going to put my body on the line I'm aiming at a time I think I can run 52:00, no make that 51:59!!! last year I ran 52:00 and I think I'm in the same sort of shape.
The first aim is 52:15 club full colour standard, then anything faster. Since turning 40 I've aimed at club honours, That is getting the full colour standard in 3 events...
15km 52:15 I got that last year and I'll have a crack at it this weekend.
10km 34:00 it's been a long time, but whenever the good 10's come around I'm injured or busy...
21.1km 1h15:45 That is going to be hard work.
42.2km 2h40:00 I just don't know if I can pull that out of the bag...
But as they say: One race at a time...
The training has gone well and if the log book doesn't lie it's one down. There is a 10km in a couple of weeks and I might find myself on the start line if the trails aren't calling...
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Friday, June 15, 2012
IN THE WET
Leading up to last weeks race we had taken it easy so our legs could recover... But with that behind us it was time to put in the hard work once again!!!
OK we took Monday easy and headed into the forest which was going to be easy till it stated to get dark and we pick the pace up to get out of the forest before a total blackout!
With the program carefully worked out for a couple of big races in July, on Tuesday we headed down to the common for a little session 2 x 3km (at 5km pace) with 90sec rest. Yes it's an easy session, but this is week 1 and we will be building up over the next couple of weeks. That said the 1st of 2 cold fronts had started rolling in and with rain and wind to contend with it wasn't going to be easy!!! (and it wasn't...)
Wednesday saw us running an easy loop to Kirstenbosch and back on the road, the weather was perfect and if I wasn't pushed for time I would have kept running...
Thursday, yes Thursday... the weather had changed... cold front number 2 was here, and had been all day. The program called for fast slow 200m. That wasn't going to happen, no don't get me wrong I love running in the rain, it's the grass track I don't want to destroy it, and in any case the mountain calls me in weather like this...
We headed for the forest, I had called for an easy loop putting us on gravel roads for the 2nd half of the run (for the dark) but Will, I do love Will, said: How about the contour path!!! we can turn at the bench. Great idea... As we turned into the forest the 1st river was knee deep and also running down the path. The little bridge was under water. This was going to be epic!!! We didn't turn up the river next to the bridge, but turned earlier and joined that path a little higher, good thing to as I bet half of that path would have been a river.(That said everything was a river). When we had to cross the river...
I wish I had a camera with me I can't explain to you how we crossed that river, not jumping bolder to bolder, but, as the boulders were under water, wading though the deep pools so you can't slip!!! Man it was great.
On the other side and the path took us up to the contour path and the 'almost' dark... I was amazing up there, the rain had taken a break and the contour path was awash with Alpine style rivers gushing down the mountain. Around every corner we could see the white water rushing down the mountain in the dark of the night. It was a slow run as we navigated the dark till Rhodes Mem and the tar road... Oh god then all hell broke loos as the boy bolted for the club at sub 4's...
OK we took Monday easy and headed into the forest which was going to be easy till it stated to get dark and we pick the pace up to get out of the forest before a total blackout!
With the program carefully worked out for a couple of big races in July, on Tuesday we headed down to the common for a little session 2 x 3km (at 5km pace) with 90sec rest. Yes it's an easy session, but this is week 1 and we will be building up over the next couple of weeks. That said the 1st of 2 cold fronts had started rolling in and with rain and wind to contend with it wasn't going to be easy!!! (and it wasn't...)
Wednesday saw us running an easy loop to Kirstenbosch and back on the road, the weather was perfect and if I wasn't pushed for time I would have kept running...
Thursday, yes Thursday... the weather had changed... cold front number 2 was here, and had been all day. The program called for fast slow 200m. That wasn't going to happen, no don't get me wrong I love running in the rain, it's the grass track I don't want to destroy it, and in any case the mountain calls me in weather like this...
We headed for the forest, I had called for an easy loop putting us on gravel roads for the 2nd half of the run (for the dark) but Will, I do love Will, said: How about the contour path!!! we can turn at the bench. Great idea... As we turned into the forest the 1st river was knee deep and also running down the path. The little bridge was under water. This was going to be epic!!! We didn't turn up the river next to the bridge, but turned earlier and joined that path a little higher, good thing to as I bet half of that path would have been a river.(That said everything was a river). When we had to cross the river...
I wish I had a camera with me I can't explain to you how we crossed that river, not jumping bolder to bolder, but, as the boulders were under water, wading though the deep pools so you can't slip!!! Man it was great.
On the other side and the path took us up to the contour path and the 'almost' dark... I was amazing up there, the rain had taken a break and the contour path was awash with Alpine style rivers gushing down the mountain. Around every corner we could see the white water rushing down the mountain in the dark of the night. It was a slow run as we navigated the dark till Rhodes Mem and the tar road... Oh god then all hell broke loos as the boy bolted for the club at sub 4's...
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
TABLE MOUNTAIN
Sunday saw me lining up at the start line of the Table Mountain 16km for the 23rd time... I first ran this race back in 1989 and after missing the it in 1990 I was back in 1991 and since then haven't missed one...
From the gun you start to climb 71m in the first km and like many of the years before this old man was fighting for the lead...
I was feeling a lot better than 2 weeks ago and set a good pace as the climb steepened... 105m in 2km and 116m in the 3rd! There were only 2 of us still in the running, if I wanted a win or even to take the king of the mountain he would have to break, The tempo was high, and I hate to admit it, but I was having fun!!! This was a real race lung burning stuff and yes he would pull ahead by a couple of meters and I would fight back and hit the lead. Tour De France stuff as we blow the competition away turn after turn...
We turned the last hairpin and headed up the steepest section to the bridge. In the old days I would walk half of this... but today I couldn't show any weakness. Then it happened, he broke... I took the lead and kept running 130m climb in that km. The top was just over 1km away, but the worst of the climb was over only another 63m to climb and plenty of flat running... He was running again and caught and past me even opening a gap. I tried to close it on the last kick to the top, but he took the King with me 5sec back. 5.3km 26:40 (my best times to this spot is 25:48 10 years ago, and 25:52 19 years ago!!!)
From the top we run a 5km loop around one of the dams and head back down. As you all know; no contour path is flat and neither is Table Mountain isn't flat, so I felt I was pushing hard, but in hindsight I could have given it more... I was now 10sec of the pace as we turned to cross the dam wall. 100m of single track took us there and I closed the gap to 5sec, but SANPARKS is looking after all the paths far to well and he had made it though over on dam and was away.
With 2km of the top left to get back to the King and our descent we had the oncoming traffic of the slower runners and my race was over. I had no chance of catching some-one 4+min faster than me other a flat 10km. 19:19 for the split round the top, a far cry from the 17:55 of 16 years ago.
I didn't race down, I just watch behind me to keep the 2nd place mine... Then with 2km to go I saw a man in black chasing hard!!! but not hard enough, I just put in a sub 3km!!! and picked up my 11th 2nd!
My finishing time of 63:58 was 5min of my best, I had lost another 3min on the down. Yes I'll be back next year and my aim, another sub 26min to the top, and for the rest of the race, what happens happens.
From the gun you start to climb 71m in the first km and like many of the years before this old man was fighting for the lead...
I was feeling a lot better than 2 weeks ago and set a good pace as the climb steepened... 105m in 2km and 116m in the 3rd! There were only 2 of us still in the running, if I wanted a win or even to take the king of the mountain he would have to break, The tempo was high, and I hate to admit it, but I was having fun!!! This was a real race lung burning stuff and yes he would pull ahead by a couple of meters and I would fight back and hit the lead. Tour De France stuff as we blow the competition away turn after turn...
We turned the last hairpin and headed up the steepest section to the bridge. In the old days I would walk half of this... but today I couldn't show any weakness. Then it happened, he broke... I took the lead and kept running 130m climb in that km. The top was just over 1km away, but the worst of the climb was over only another 63m to climb and plenty of flat running... He was running again and caught and past me even opening a gap. I tried to close it on the last kick to the top, but he took the King with me 5sec back. 5.3km 26:40 (my best times to this spot is 25:48 10 years ago, and 25:52 19 years ago!!!)
From the top we run a 5km loop around one of the dams and head back down. As you all know; no contour path is flat and neither is Table Mountain isn't flat, so I felt I was pushing hard, but in hindsight I could have given it more... I was now 10sec of the pace as we turned to cross the dam wall. 100m of single track took us there and I closed the gap to 5sec, but SANPARKS is looking after all the paths far to well and he had made it though over on dam and was away.
With 2km of the top left to get back to the King and our descent we had the oncoming traffic of the slower runners and my race was over. I had no chance of catching some-one 4+min faster than me other a flat 10km. 19:19 for the split round the top, a far cry from the 17:55 of 16 years ago.
I didn't race down, I just watch behind me to keep the 2nd place mine... Then with 2km to go I saw a man in black chasing hard!!! but not hard enough, I just put in a sub 3km!!! and picked up my 11th 2nd!
My finishing time of 63:58 was 5min of my best, I had lost another 3min on the down. Yes I'll be back next year and my aim, another sub 26min to the top, and for the rest of the race, what happens happens.
 | |
| Profile |
 |
| Detail from Endomondo |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)