Wednesday, January 30, 2013

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...

5 comments:

  1. And I am not surprised!

    Love that final picture--what a spectacular backdrop!

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    1. If you are ever in Cape Town I'll take you for a run...

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  2. Of course you ran a half marathon to round out your week. Who wouldn't? (probably me)

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  3. Some great running there, well done! I love reading your blog as there are not many South African bloggers and seeing a nice photo of my country is such a bonus. I must come run the TO trail race one year.

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  4. What I wouldn't give to train like this...

    One day.

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