FAST and FLAT 10km race

5 weeks ago we started a program for Knysna Marathon or half, a race lots of the guys like to run. Now the 1st 4 week we hit the track and worked of our speed with the aim or ticking off a fast 10km before the 2nd half of the training started.

Last week was easy, a rest / taper week planning of leaving us refreshed for the next 4 weeks of hard training, and putting a little spring into our feet for the 10km race this weekend.

Friday night was amazing weather, but it was the "Calm before the Storm"!!! Yes the Cape of Storms was about to live up to it's name... A clod front was rolling in and bringing with it weather form the South Pole.

I pined my number on my vest on Friday evening, I was thinking about running, it's always good to line up for a fast 10km route. No I didn't think I could match my time of earlier in the year, but I had a group of guys who had their eye setting fast times and it would be good to support them. I was hoping for the good weather to hold, but no such luck... The alarm went off while it was still dark and I was up, but after a turn in the bathroom I climbed back into bed! I didn't need this... OK it wasn't that bad, but I could hear the mountain calling, she was covered in dark cloud and promised excitement.

I climbed back in bed.

The weather wasn't bad at 07h30 when the gun set the runners off and some of them ran well (other stayed in bed!) But 08h00 it was light enough to head for the mountain, so parking my car of Constantia Nek I set of for MaClears Beacon the highest point of the mountain.

Wanting a hard run I aimed at getting there in under an hour, and after the first 25min I was on pace... But then I hit the single tracks and the going slowed, it had rain over night and the path was wet, the rocks were wet and, can you believe it I didn't really want to get my shoes wet!!! I danced over the rocks a puddles moving at a nice pace over the down routes into Kirstenbosch (Nursery and Skeleton)...

Skeleton ahead

Before the rain

The 'nice' weather of the morning was gone... Newlands is one of the wettest places in South Africa and I was now heading over the mountain in line with Newlands. I was back in the clouds and my lovely easy run on the mountain was about too become an adventure... I was now running slowly as I had to stay safe and only reach Maclears in 61:15...

didn't stand still for long

I hit the rain and the puddles became rivers, the single tracks disappeared under icy water as I ran into the teeth of the storm with no mountain to protect me. I turned left at the top of Platterklip and headed to Kasteels though the Valley of the Red Gods.

It was hailing and raining and an amazing day on the mountain, I just don't understand why I didn't see another sole up there!!!

Hail on the side on the road

Yes it did stop and after 2h20 I was back at the car with 18km and over a 1000m of climb under the belt, tomorrow would be flat...

Sunday was flat and I only got to run late, I had spent the day watching Comrades (someone else's story) so at 17h00 I took a gap in the rain (and more hail) and popped down the road for an easy 20km. I like to mix it up on the weekends with a long run on the road and one on the mountain...

Thanks for reading