THE SILENT ASSASSIN

I have so much to tell you, but still I don't think this will be a long post...

So where did we end last? OH Red Hill 36km about 10 days ago. So what has the coach been up too? Well after the 2 easy days of Sunday and Monday it was back to the track. Now the program has built over the last couple of weeks from 200's to 300's and now it was the chance of the one lapper..

With 15 on the program it was never going to be easy, but as I always say: One at a time till you finish or are finished!!! I was finished at 10... I also known I had Wednesday to get through ... Yes doing a session of 400s the day before a race isn't always the right thing to do, but (OK all I can say is but...)

I don't have a coach (OK I'm the coach), or the truth be told I really just follow the program of the students so as to keep them running hard. My needs aren't always big, I only really run for fun!!! So fun it is...

So Wednesday I had a race to run on tired legs, and it was to be a night trail race in Constantia, my home ground... It is so much my home ground that after a ran from home I still needed to warm up a little more! Owen set us off at about 19h05 and with the first couple of 100m flat and easy running, I had to go hard...(or get left behind) Yes I took off hard, like hurt hard... A couple of the kids were gone, but I found myself chasing as the other 2 top 40+ guys were still with me and I wanted a win. I felt I had a chance as Johnny had a marathon in his legs! On the twisty single tracks you can't look back, so you fight, race the guy ahead of you and try your damdest to drop those footsteps following you...I pushed through the bush to pass someone and ran down a skinny black guy!!! We were climbing and this is my strength. At the end of that single track I was 3rd!! But as the road widened and the running became easy I last my 3rd place. And I wasn't going to risk life and limb on the down... I'm too old for that and fun, remember fun...

On the way down I met 3rd and 4th in the short race and we ran together before they turned leaving me to run the last 2km on my own. The 1st 40+ was nice, but I did enjoy the 4th overall more...

Now after a couple of weeks on the road I needed the mountain and the trail, so I sent out a couple of messages and planned to run at 06h30 on Saturday morning, only Will joined me... Before the run I hadn't decided which way we should run... The choices were Blackburn or Valley of the Red Gods, we went for Blackburn and the Manganese Mines (sounds like something out a pirate story!).

meters not feet...

After the first climb, Vlakenburg, I started realising that my friends had left me alone on the mountain with Will, AKA "The Silent Assassin"! Come now you all know someone like this: The guy (or girl) who slowly ups the pace without saying a word and kills the rest of the running group!!!

Identity Unknown

With most of the climbing behind us at the top of Blackburn I took a split and watched our pace increase from the 8+min/km to 5min/km and faster, it was nice to get a bit of running in and for the next 15km we had it easy on gravel road with only mountain biker to dodge! With just Vlakenburg left to climb our 3hours had past and I was ready to head home...

I'm still thinking about running Oceans 56km race (the day after Oceans Trail) so after a morning cycle with the lovely wife I planned an afternoon run. Now don't you hate it when this happens, you add up the km in your logbook and, 79.4km... Any guesses as too how far I ran, 1km, 6km, 11km 16km, NO I went for the 21.1km on mine own in the wind at marathon pace! Mad I tell you, just don't let it out...

JUST A TRAINING RUN

Saturday was the 16th time that I've lined up for Red Hill... Red Hill Race offers both a Classic 36.2km race and the standard Marathon. Over the last 17 years (missed 1999 due to an injury) I have only ever run the classic, 36.2km always seems far enough this soon after the Christmas fattening period!

In the old days it was easy to take it really easy and to stop at water tables and have fun. You never feel you need to run for a time because no-one will every ask what your 36.2km time is...

A couple of years ago...

Again I lined up with no plans of running hard... With the start of the race I settled into a nice group with a couple of friends and as we ran and chatted I found out 2 of them were planning of aiming at breaking 3hours, so a little faster than planned, but not to fast...
With the wind still behind us and the route still flat the running was easy and we past 5km in around 20:30 and started the first of 2 climbs at 8km. Dawn was following the race on her bike and had set off at tackle the hill before us. Then, as we were reaching the top, I could see her... Yes I had to pick up the pace and crest the hill before she did!!! She was kind and slowed to say Hi before heading down the hill on the other side...

It's not really that scary...

By 10km our group was back together and about 10 strong, Myself and Will set the pace with Gareth and Duncan in for the sub 3 in the marathon, while Greg, Damian, Bruce and a couple of guys I didn't know.

Now the profile doesn't really tell the true story... it's really flattish between 12 and 20 (the turn off for the marathon) A little down then a little up, but easy running, unless the wind is blowing!!! Wind, what wind? The Cape Doctor! Yes she was out to blow like the BIG BAD WOLF... So we needed a house of brick to be safe from the wind, or a man of TITANIUM, or just a sucker to take the wind... I was in front with Will as we went over the hill, so as we started down the others fell in behind us using a little gravity to make up lost ground.(I was the sucker)

We ran together till about 18km, the wind was bad now and Dawn was heading back she didn't like the wind on the bike and wasn't looking forward to the big hill, Red Hill!!! around this time Will had dropped back to talk to some-one else, I think I had said to much, or hadn't said enough! With the slight climb we had lost guys off the back and once out of the group they quickily fell back as fighting the wind and hill on your own wasn't fun!!! Duncan then joined me up front to check on the sub 3 pace and to say thank you before they turned off for a little 3km out and back...

Over the last couple of km we have past a number of 40+ guys and with John and Johnny running the marathon I was suddenly in 2nd (age-group). We turned to climb the hill, Red Hill (yes it's a real enough hill to have the whole race called after it!), and there were only Will and Greg left with me (Bruce fell of as we started to climb).

Marathon on the left...

We past 21km in 88:15 so if the marathon boys could hold it together a sub 3 was on the cards... The climb was as easy as that hill can get, we had the wind behind us pushing us all the way, like a gental hand just egging us on.

Once over the top it was easy... OK we could have hammered the down hill, but THIS WAS JUST A TRAINING RUN, so it was easy down and what a pleasure running the 8km back to the start. The wind behind us the no hills. The 3 of us stayed together to the end, which is a good sign... We can handle the distance and if we are going to run a marathon in a couple of week the sub 3 should / could be easy.

I know you want to know Duncan finished with 2h58:?? while Garath fell of the pace 3km from the end and finished with 2h59:59 or was it 3h00:00 last I know he was going to find out what the officials had!!! Me, well I had finished with 2h30:36 in 12th place and taking 2nd 40+.

My day wasn't over, as Dawn didn't want to stay for prize giving, So she drove home and left me to cycle the 20km home... don't worry the wind was behind the whole way!

BACK ON THE TRAIL...

After a week of training I was ready to start racing again. OK I wasn't really ready, but is one every really ready? My sponsor, CONTEGO, also sponsors a couple of Mountain Biker, so the event this last weekend was made for us...

TOTALSPORTS CHALLANGE 2013, TERRA FIRMA, TSC is 7 events including a swim and 2 paddles, while the TERRA FIRMA only has the 4 land based events:

1. Road Bike, 50km
2. Road Run, 13.8km
3. Mountain Bike, 25km
4. Beach Run, 9km

I've done the 7 man team TSC before,  and have had a couple of good finishes running the last leg on the beach, this year I was on the road with Bernard on the Beach and 2 of Contego's bikes on the 2 bike rides...

With the 7 event guys hitting the change-over first it was difficult to follow who was in the lead at first. The first Road Bikers I saw were 2 guys going head to head over all 7 events (OK only 6 this year as a little wind had put play to the Surfski). They had started before the terra firma teams, Then the action started with my friend and Contego team mate Eddie, his partner came in with one other rider... my guy would be in soon. I wasn't worried about them as they were both in pairs, and Eddie would have a 2nd run and his cyclist would have to change his road bike for a mountain bike. After a couple more 7 man teams coming in the next group arrived and I saw the team colours. I thought I was getting a clean get away, but my team mate headed down the side shoot and I had to chase him.. maybe i lost a couple of seconds, but the 2 guys waiting there with me were now 10-20 meters ahead.

The clock was running and so was I, I took a look at Ms 310, and after blinking a couple of times to make sure the contacts were clean, I decided that the 2:45 pace that she was telling me was just a little to fast...

It was down hill to start and we hadn't turned into the wind as yet... 1st km 3:06!!! No Dion let them go you can run them down later... I past 5km in 17:15 and then the wind and heat started to made the running hard. I was passing a lot of guys, but most of them were 7 man teams. I caught and passed one of the guys who had started just ahead of me, but Riaan was still ahead, and his team was leading 'my race'.

Working Hard

At 11km we turned of the road for a little tail down to the lake, 2km later I handed over to the Mountain Biker (the 7 man teams had a paddler waiting). The youngster I handed over too rode the leg of the day and past the team ahead of us and road down Eddies partner (who was on his 2nd ride).

Barnard on the beach... he had said 2-3mins and I can catch them! Well the team had worked well and in was only Eddie (on his 2nd run) ahead of us, and he was caught in the 1st km!!! Since both teams are CONTEGO, they ran together for a bit before Barnard race home to bring our team in first!!!

I should now be writing about the Cape Summer Trail Series, as race 1 was held on Sunday... Yes I was running back to back races!

Held in Lebanon State Forest it a lovely run starting with a steep drop over the 1st 100m before climbing for most of the next 5km...

My old body didn't like the idea of running hard 2 days in a row, so not much of it was working as Owen set us off... After a lot of talking to myself I was moving in the right direction... But by now I was off the pace as the kids flew throw the forest. I got into a little bit of running on the way up and caught a couple of guys and also moved into 1st 40+. As much as I was willing to hill over I didn't want it to end. That 3:06 1st km of yesterday was a fluke, and I would need more to catch the lighties ahead of me and to keep Johnny at bay... So down I went, they were gone, but my lead over Johnny wasn't enough and he took the 40+ lead 3km from the end.

I had to settle for 8th and 2nd 40+... But never mind I'm not dead, I have legs, I'll be back...

After a little sleep...

My Little Girl

2013 TIME TO GET DOWN TO BUSINESS

I was lucky enough the plan a rest week over the New Year, so after a couple of big weeks to end the year I started the New Year with a couple of easy runs... But there is only so long you can rest for:
This is how my year ended and the new one began...
Monday 24 Dec: 10.3km including 10 x 200m (not hard, just tempo to keep the legs turning over.
Tuesday 25 Dec: Yes Christmas day I went for a run, up the mountain from home, 8km out took me to the top of Nursery Ravine... (this was before church)

Looking a bit old a weather beaten

That looks better!

Wednesday 26 Dec: AM 50km cycle with Dawn, but I don't call cycling real exercise, so that afternoon I headed out for 21.1km 89:16. That's the trouble when I run with Ms 310!!!
Thursday 27 Dec: Can't spend the whole day at home, so I went for a 25km run 2h17:00 half of it on the mountain, took a couple of pictures...

It was early and the horse were still in their PJs...

Friday 28 Dec: Popped up to the Nek to meet a couple of friends, but missed them!!! So went for a run with some-one else I met, just up the road to the Dam on the mountain, 5km up and then back. Didn't want a big run as I had something special planned for the next Day!!!
Saturday 29 Dec: Met the boys at the club (UCT) for a little run!!! Over 3h14 later we had only run 26.4km, but with 1300m+ climb and most of it on single track including Devils Peak in the mist...

I reached the top!

This is Cape Town in Summer, not Scotland!

Sunday 30 Dec: was flat and on the road 11.5km.

So yes it was time for an easy week!!!

We have, what they call the Runners Memorial 8km race on the 31st each year and it was to be Dawn's come back race after a Hip-Op!!! I was running with her and if we walked the whole way I would still need a run, so I ran 5km in the morning (ok it was 4 x 1km reps and a bit of a warm up and down). 18h00 race Time, Dawn and I hid on the side so as not to get in the way of the fast runners and to be ahead of the slow walkers!!! My wife ran like a star, running the whole way with only 3 of the 8km over 6min we finished in 47:20.
Tuesday 1 Jan: The plan for the rest of the week 4km easy run about the block.
Wednesday 2 Jan: OK I was going to just jog around the block, but Eddie gave me a call... So I took him for a little stair session at Rhodes Mem!!!
Thrusday, Friday and Saturday 3, 4, 5 Jan; I just head out round the block for 4-5km,
Sunday 6 Jan: Bay to Bay 30km... Yes the year starts with a bang, no time to get into it, 30km first up, but all the coach says is: just make sure you can run the last 5km.

Lots of us heading out.

My timing was perfect: I finished with a 1h57:57, the same time as 2012...
With Sunday under the belt training has started and last night (Tuesday) they were dropping like flies as the first track session of the year was down as 30 x 200m (45sec rest). It's only 6km hard, but 30 is a big number and 200m is short, so we / they were running fast. I wonder if any of them can walk today!!! We have a little 12-15km forest run to get through...

Has your year's hard training also started, and do you need to work as hard as me to burn of the Christmas Eve Dinner and Christmas day lunch, not the mention the beer and wine, Champagne and chocolate!!!

Roll on 2013

2012 only History now...

2012 is now a thing of the past and all the dreams I for for the year, well some are realized and some have been carried forward to 2013... So what was on that 'dance' card? Run, and run some more, in fact first up I planned to run lots... Back in December 2011 I ended up running on the 10th... And as luck (or fate) would have it I ended up running every day for the next 2 weeks!!! That's what I (stupidly) though I should see what sort of running streak I could put together. Now when I had a younger man's body (and mind) I did a bit of streaking!!! But not like this... So with 2012 a leap year I set about running on every day... Yes the day before a big race, I would run 4km around the block, and then for the couple of days after a marathon, I would also just pop out for 4-5km... (I hear you only need to run 1 mile, but really!!! Then again they would count it is you were on a treadmill!!!) So in the last 366 days I run anything from 4km to 42.2km, with weekly mileage between 65km and 150km totalling 4703.5km (92 834.3km since I started running!) Races, I was aiming at club colours in 3 distances, but as in 2012 and 2011 I come up short... Only reaching the standard in the half (74:36) I will try again this year. I ran lots of races about 45 in total, but I can't tell you more that that as my full records are at the office and I'm not going there for a couple more days!!! I do know I didn't reach the magic number of 1000km raced, but I have been there before, so it's not the end of the world... I don't run PRs any more, but as a 40+ I do run age group bests, and this year past I was luck so sneak in a couple of podium finishs... So thank you for 2012 and I wish you all the best for 2013! Bring it on...