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Peninsula Marathon 42km race 14 September
After the wind of Saturday, Sunday looked as if it was clear
and still. In fact the drive through to the start did little
to tell us otherwise. With the sound of the gun we set off
down the road. I didn't start on the front line as I didn't
really want to do anything stupid, I took all of the first
km to get into my running and believe it or not my body was
holding up.
I found a group of runners and tucked in at the back, by
3km we had let a couple go off the front and then at 5km [17:27]
a couple fell off the back. The 3 of us, who were left just
ticked along. I tried not to do any of the work as I wanted
to save my strength, I'd need it. With the slight climb to
10km we had lost a bit of our pace, but things were still
going well and I was still on time. [35:40] 10 to 11k was
downhill and fast, but then we rounded Devils Peak and we
got our first taste of the wind of the day, A South Easter.
By the end of Claremont, we had slowed and the Kenilworth
hill was still to come. I was losing time and if this race
was going to be a race I would have to leave it to the guys
who had taken me so far. It wasn't till 16km that the race
got easy again and I was able to get back up to pace. I had
lost just over a minute and now running alone I made my way
to the halfway mark [76:10]
The sporadic cheers from the supporters on the side of the
road kept me pushing on. Come Lakeside, and all of that changed,
not only for me, but for the entire field. From 25 to 30 I
tried to be brave, but racing alone in the wind is not fun.
By 30km I didn't want to fight any more, so I settled into
long run mode and just let the kilometers pass me by. Coming
into Fish Hoek, I caught the leading vet, but he was running
backwards and would struggle to break 3hr.
With 4km to go Stef caught me, I didn't let him go, I decided
to help him a bit. After 2km of running hard into the wind
I told him he was on his own again, but he wouldn't let me
go. It's really difficult to get that motivation going when
running for nothing, but Stef was still on course for a PB
so I put my head down and hung in for one more km, before
letting Stef run the last one on his owe. He finished some
20 sec ahead of me and was happy with his run. Me on the other
hand had let the wind spoil my day and I was some 7 minutes
off a PB.
The course: 3 Has the potential to be very fast, but
the South Easter can put pay to that!!!.
Marshals: 2. What a poor job they did, OK we didn't
get lost, but at some busy roads all they needed was to let
the traffic know that a race was on, and they didn't bother
putting any-one there.
Handouts: 3 Medals, Prize giving was for to late to
wait for in that wind.
Cost: R40.00
Value for money: 3. Good prize money, but that only
goes to top runners, but we did get a T-shirt.
Other People's feeling about the race: 3 The race took
an unfair knock due to the wind... but most people enjoyed
the run bar the wind.
Total score = 14 out of 25
My feeling about the race: 4. I'll come back next year
and hopefully the wind won't blow and I'll run that PB I need...
Till then I'll bitch about the wind!!!
Next week Gun Run for the non runners and Stragglers 15km
for the rest of us!!!
Spar ladies 10K 06 September
I did think about it, but I didn't dress up in drag and take
to the streets of Newlands and Ronderbosch. I left that for
the real ladies.
I was there to watch and support, so let me tell you a little
about the race. I stood 100m in front of the start to watch
the mass of Ladies running towards me. I didn't stay there
long (I didn't really want to be run over by the Harleys)
I took off down the road to find my first good vantage point.
It didn't take long for the lead runners to come flying past,
they were followed by my wife, friends and the masses. I didn't
hang around to watch everyone go by as I had a 2.5km run to
get to the 5km mark. I made good time on my shortcut and was
at the 5km mark long before the ladies. In fact I think they
were running slowly, only reaching half way in just over 17
minutes.
I heard later that their escort of Harleys had been puffing
out a lot of smoke and the fumes had bothered a few of the
girls. (I don't know if it had slowed them) I was there about
5min before I took to the road again. While the ladies ran
around Ronderbosch Common, I headed straight back. Between
8 and 9 the lead bus came past, No this wasn't a 'bus' of
runners, it had organisers in. Next to catch me was the Dairymaid
car with Miss SA sitting in the back, she even smiled at me
as they drove by. (I think she smiles at everyone)
I stopped at the 9km mark and let the bikes go by. With one
km to go René was out front and needed a fast km to
break 34min, (she didn't run fast) She wasn't the only one
who hadn't ran the time expected of them, but she did win
and what more would you want. The other girls should have
stayed with her and helped make it a fast race.
Being a spectator has challenges of its own, I had tops
and glasses to catch and hold as the ladies ran past, and
then I was asked to name all the runners as they came past.
(I must confess I don't know enough of the top ladies, but
then again they don't run enough races for me to get to know
them.)
The course: 4 I think it was quiet a fast course,
but I think traffic could be a problem if the organizes aren't
careful.
Marshals: 3. My wife almost took a wrong turn just
after 7km, but that was the only problem I heard of.
Handouts: 5 Goodie bag that was full, and a T-shirt,
but only medals to the 1st 1000 finishers..
Cost: R30.00
Value for money: 5. Even if you didn't get to run I
think you would have got you moneys worth.
Other People's feeling about the race: 4. Not enough
toilets and no showers, but the race it's self was fun and
my friends, who took 1hr40 really had a lot of fun and now
want to do another 10km walk/run.
Total score = 13 out of 25
My feeling about the race: 3. You need seeding and
time incentives if you want a fast race.
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