Modern Athlete Irene Ultra

 

Keeping up with the training and the promise to do the Two Oceans (which I am struggling to get an entry for, by the way). I have yesterday donned my threads and partook in my first Half Marathon. 

All in all, I can honestly say that it went better than expected. There is an uphill climb (I think Olievenhoud Avenue) about 13km into the race. It is, in the greater scheme of things, not a huge or long uphill, but I really struggled with that one. But once I reached the top there, the I was pretty sure I could finish it.

Did not break any records, but I am suitably chuffed with my 2:20:55 time. 

Evening out with Enzo

Enzo is a petrolhead.

I like that he is. It makes more than one of us in the house, and also gives me sufficient reason to do things that petrolheads do. Like go to ovel track races. Because.

This past weekend Enzo and myself went to Mahem Raceway in Pretoria and watched some Oval Track Racing. It was fun. We will go again.

As an added bonus, one of his classmates drives in the junior category, so Enzo was in the pits chatting away with his mate, and I did not see him for long stretches.

Enzo watching his classmate race

Two Races in Four Days

 

I am rather pleased with myself. 

On the 12th of Feb I did my first proper trail run. The Hedianga Beast. And although it was only 10km, it was a proper slog. I really suffered. My 10km times are in the 1 hour 5 minute range, but for this one it ended up being 1 hour, 35 minutes and 52 seconds.

The heat did not help. And the trail is not a soft, meandering trail. This is proper trail running. Will I be back. HELL YES!! I think I'm in love.

And then, 4days later, on the 15th Feb, I did the 10km Spar Lantern Race in Irene. Now I have to admit that I was still sore and stiff from The Beast. It was also ridiculously busy, which made the first kilometer or so more of a walk than a run, but eventually it all came together.

I would love to say that the race was easy and no problem, but I was still recovering from The Beast. It was difficult.

But that said, I did finish in 1:03:31, which to my mind is a job well done. Oh, and I have also joined Team Vitality, because temporary licenses do get expensive very fast ;-)

Oh, shut your mouth!!

 I started running some soft trail runs. They are mostly run on golf courses and they are timed. Great stuff. Although not the toughest of races, they are good training, and training I need. Meandering through the golf estates (apologies Mr. Greensman) through the dark is quite interesting. Who knew that the roughs were indeed rough. One or two almost sprained ankles there. And the hidden sprinklers do not help!! Not to mention the sprinklers that are operational at that time of night, giving a short, sharp wakeup shower.

Great fun.

And then I saw the pictures that were posted on the facebook page. You do want to shout "Oh, shut your mouth!!!"

In my defense, I was out of breath!

Johannesburg City 10K Run

 Well then. After the realisation in April of 2015 that I was, in fact, a fat slob, I started running. Well, jogging. Well walking fast and for short intervals. After a bit of a false start I eventually managed to do the running and exercising thing more often during 2016. This culminated in me being in some shape (yes, round is a shape) to run in the JHB 10k City Run last weekend. And my time of 1:02:40 is reasonably, shall we say, not too shabby for an our of shape middle aged man.

This, of course, in preparation for the Two Oceans. You see. Not just blowing smoke about that one...