Just up Kloof Nek and back this morning.
Running Notes
My house – Kloof Nek – My house
Distance: 8km
Monthly Archives: February 2014
Thursday morning hills
Found them pretty easy this morning, probably because I’ve got myself pretty worked up about a bunch of problems outside running. Used the up and downs as thinking time.
Running Notes:
Route: Bottom of Bellevue Street – 5 x 600m hill repeats
Distance: 6km
Lighthouse 10km helpers run
Sweltering this evening, we had a high during the day of 35˚ so it was probably hovering around that when I set off to do a fast 10km on the promenade. I’m helping at next week’s race so the organisers get to run the course a week in advance. The idea was to get under 50 mins (came in at 49:03) so was pleased with that.
Running notes:
Route: Winchester Mansions – 1km towards the pool then turn – Newport Deli – Promenade to the bottom of Seacliffe Road – Winchester Mansions
Distance: 10km
PT Session No.10
Had a bit of a draining two or three weeks at work and it really showed in today’s session. Found it really hard.
Notes:
360 Training
Great run with Kirsty
Still a bit slow and tired, but we had a good run and a catch up through the park and along the promenade. Tafelberg road was out of the question as the wind was howling up there.
Running notes:
Route: Virgin Active car park – stadium – Mouille Point Lighthouse – Seacliffe Road – Virgin Active
Distance: 11km
Run and work is all there is
Gave myself a day off yesterday. Which was great on the legs, less great on my life as I spent the rest of it in the office. Ran a nice, easy 15km this morning, legs felt strong again and I bounced up and down the hills. Spending all of today in the office, so I can’t wait to feel exhausted again this week. Woo hoo to no weekends!
Running notes:
Route: My house – Kloof Nek – Signal Hill – Kloof Nek – My house
Distance: 15km
100km done
Thank the lord. It’s been one hell of a week inside and outside the running.Exhausted doesn’t quite cover it.
Running Notes:
Route: My house – Kloof Nek – 1km over the top – Kloof Nek – My house
Distance: 10km
Thursday run No.2: 13km
Felt like a very long run. Bumped into Andreas on the mountain, so at least the conversation helped. 90km down / 10km to go
Running Notes:
Route: Kloof Nek – Cable station – End of Tafelberg Road – Cable Station – Kloof Nek
Distance: 13km
Thursday run No.1: 5km
Half asleep this morning though the legs are almost back to normal, and had a nice quick trot around town. Not sure if I’m going to be feeling that fresh tonight when I need to do 13km… 77km done / 23km to go.
Running notes:
Route: My house – Camp Street – Buitengracht Street – Wale Street – My house
Distance: 5km
7 laps around the reservoir
Needed something flat and easy this morning. Getting up at 5am was pretty bad today. 72km done / 28km (and two days) to go.
Running notes:
Route: Molteno Reservoir
Distance: 6km
PT Session No.9: Shouldn’t have eaten that cake
Six burpees down and I could feel it coming back up. Only realised when chewing said piece of cake that it was less than 2 hours before my personal training session, but it was a damn fine slice of office birthday sponge, and it was worth it. Luckily I only did two thirds of my session as I bitched to Justin about my hamstrings and we had to stretch for 20 minutes. Note to self, might try that ruse again. He did tell me he was pleased with my progress and from next week he is intensifying the programme. I am genuinely flabbergasted that it could possibly be harder than this.
Notes:
360 Training
Seventh consecutive day of running and I’m finding it a bit tough
Legs still super tight, had to stop and stretch them a bit which is a worry, as I never have to do this once I start. Heart and lungs raring to go, hamstrings are too tight for more than a shuffle. Did loosen up a bit on the way back home though. 66km done / 34km to go.
Running Notes:
Route: My house – Kloof Nek – 1km over the top – Kloof Nek – My house
Distance: 10km
Monday run No.2: 5km
So the killer plan wanted me to do 5 x 1000m speedwork. I damn well shuffled as fast as the hamstrings would allow but barely managed 6 mins a km. Had a sneaky 30 seconds walk break between reps. 56km done / 44km to go.
Running Notes:
Route: AAC Club house – 2.5km out – AAC Club house
Distance: 5km
Monday run No.1: 6km
Okay, so I’ve run the following day after a marathon, but I usually leave it to the evening. Running on top of a marathon with less than 24hours recovery is a bit hard. Oh and I’m running again tonight. 50km done / 50km to go.
Running Notes:
Route: My house – 3km out – My house
Distance: 6km
Race No.3: Peninsula Marathon (42km)
So I surprised myself again this morning with a faster time than anticipated. After the initial euphoria of finishing the race and posting a good time wore off, I slumped into a mild state of panic. For the second time in a week I’ve underestimated my ability and done considerably better than I thought on a race. This could be one of three possibilities a) I’m peaking too soon and will be ‘over the hill’ by the time 1 June rolls around, b) I’m not capable of sticking to my race plan, and c) I’m not pacing myself well. Either way, it’s not good news. I need to give myself a hard talking to or rather as the South Africans like to say ‘pull myself towards myself’.
The forecasters estimated we were on for a 35˚ scorcher today. For the first time ever the race organisers warned us about staying hydrated, and the runners were buzzing with talk of a nightmare race. Everybody expected to post a crap time and to have to slog through temperatures that would have cancelled European races. It makes me laugh when I hear my mother tell me that the London Marathon is going to be the hottest ever at 24˚ and that they are bringing in tankers of water/more ambulances/the army/ in case someone keels over. Here, you just get a text message telling you not to forget to drink and you’re sent on your way. As a side note, the 2011 West Coast Marathon was run in 40˚ and a few people were forced to walk due to the heat, now that’s what you call ‘hot’ here.
Anyway, the gun goes on Somerset Road in Greenpoint at 5:15am, we trot off in the dark and by 4km in it’s so humid that we’re collectively leaving a trail of sweat on the tarmac like a snail with 2,000 pairs of legs. OMG, I’m not sure I can do another 38km like this. Luckily the heat that was trapped in the city bowl dissipated by the time we got to Woodstock. The wind kicked in and so did James Medcalf (an ex Quirk colleague of mine), he’d never run under 4 hours before so thought that the Carpenter bus was probably a safe bet. I’m not a huge fan of running with anyone on a race even if I’m taking it easy. I prefer listening to my own body, focusing on the distance and getting into the zone. Having to hold a conversation with someone for over 3 hours can be a bit much, although its a great fitness test in itself. If you can jabber on for an entire marathon it means you are working in your comfort zone which is where I needed to be.
Main Road, Lakeside, Muizenberg, Kalk Bay and Fish Hoek arrives. Temperature is climbing but the sea wind is masking the heat, I’m drinking more than usual, but i’m not suffering, in fact I’m feeling better on this race than any marathon I’ve run before. If you are having a shit day or racing for a PB it’s the equivalent of bleeding through your eyes (or any other orifice) it hurts that much. I’ve gritted my teeth and sworn my way around this precise marathon course before, it’s not fun, and I’ve scored my PW on it (4:29). Today though on my 5th outing, it felt like a training run. I loved it. James started walking through the stations and catching me on the other side. I didn’t see him after the 38km water table, and I coasted to a 3:50:15 finish. It was deceptively and worryingly easy today. Running psychology is fascinating. I spent years not getting close to my PB of 3:51:59 because I didn’t think it was possible. I smash it at Cape Town in September last year in 3:43:17 and now that I know I’m capable of it, I can cruise 42km inside my comfort zone nearly two minutes faster than I thought possible just a year ago. 45km done / 55km to go.
Running notes:
Route: Greenpoint – Woodstock – Wynberg – Lakeside –Muizenberg – Kalk Bay – Fish Hoek – Simonstown
Distance: 42km
Time: 3:50:15
Comrades and other short stories 