I didn't race this weekend, altho' I had pre-entered for the Trail Series Race #3 in Pelindaba on Sunday. I entered in early October and later in the month we scheduled a long training run for Saturday. I don't mind missing the trail run because I am concentrating on the RAC Tough One for the next three weeks and don't want to do anything that could jeopardise that run.
Val and Karen collected me at 6.15am on Saturday morning and we went to Normans house. There we joined Bev on her bicycle (she is training for the 94.7 cycle challenge) and climbed into Normans car. He drove us on the route for the first 9kms thru' Randburg to Banburry Cross, Northgate. At this point he pulled over onto the side of the road and we got out - ready to run the rest of the route, ending at Old Parks, Randburg. I was shocked that we were getting out on the side of the road - I hadn't really thought about it but didn't imagine being dropped on the side of the road to start running. Maybe the parking lot of the shopping centre? Not too sure what I expected but I found this very funny.
Norman attempted to take a picture of us with my phone, this is what I got ...
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| Us at the side of the road ready to start running |
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| Taken with Normans camera - a much better image |
We (Karen, Val and I) had decided that it is important to run the first 2km slowly in order to warm-up properly and that's what we did. We ran alot on the sandy pavement because there wasn't alot of space on the road. Just before we reached the end of the road - less than 2kms from our start, there was Norman standing next to his portable table, with water, coke, bananas, sweets etc. I realised with this kind of seconding, I didn' need to be carrying my water bottle with me and promptly left it in the car. For the next 17kms, Norman was on the side of the road at least every 2kms, sometimes more if he felt we might miss the turn. It was most welcome to take a break so often altho' I did feel that I couldn't get going. I had my sandals off alot of the time where the road was good and I estimate that I did about 5 km completely barefoot. It's not that my sandals aren't comfortable but more that I really enjoy the barefoot feeling - I feel connected to the ground, I'm focused on where I'm going and it is quieter than sandals/shoes. I did notice a few strange looks from the cyclists and even the pedestrians that I ran past.
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| The gals just after a seconding point |
With about 4kms to go, I told Norman that I would run at least 3kms without stopping just to get a feel for the distance and we made it to the end without another seconding stop. Karen and I finished behind Val and walked back to Normans house. He very kindly served us fruit salad, yoghurt, juice, tea and coffee as well as croissants and jam. We spent a relaxing hour eating and chatting about what our next running goal should be. I am looking at doing my first marathon in the first quarter of 2011 and then maybe the Two Oceans Ultra 56km.
Big Thanks to Norman for taking the morning to second the 3 of us.
3 comments:
Wow, that is commitment for Tough One, well done! Norman must be very special to help you all that much. Do you know which marathon you might do?
Looking at doing the Pick 'n Pay marathon in Bedfordview, February 2011.
Pick a Pay was my first marathon as well way back in 1985. It was the Pick a Pay Butcheries Marathon then. The route is still nearly the same.
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