The title of this blog has been seen on bumper stickers all over the Cape. Something my granny would also say when I was a boy and as usual old people are always spot on. This year training for Comrades certainly was different.
I sit here drinking my Earl Grey tea thinking about this journey, it has been one long bumpy road. January to May 2017, lots of long runs, hill work, tempo runs, PB’s, gym sessions and not so much rest. Thankfully Two Oceans is there for my Kenfac buddies, without this group running would be a lonely task and I am not so sure I would have been able to do all this running.
After Comrades the running season ends for me after which I get a break. I certainly am looking forward to the rest. So, the dark days and few friends. Thankfully after Omtom I had a few crazy friends who decided they’ll do some extra work because they had the time. Silly buggers. Wasfie, Saleh, Nazier and Mo. Maniacs, Saleh more so than the rest. This idiot, decided to run 54km with me on a 36 degree day from Bellville to Hout Bay. Yes, that’s the distance we ran. Then a few days later we done another 40km in and around Durbanville on a much more pleasant day. Meeting new people along the way as we usually do but ol faithful Wasfie rocks up, kids in the mix doing support car duties and checking up on us. He is the Guru so he knows exactly what we need and when.
He is our pack leader, he just needs to wear an underpants over his tights and use a peg to keep the towel/cape fastened around his neck. Anyways, enough about my childhood superman dress up days. The guys really made things bearable this year, the long runs are horrible and cold but so very necessary. Thanks to those gentlemen, midweek early morning long runs with Wasfie was brutal, the man is a machine but I keep learning new things from him. Long runs in town with Saleh in the evening, always a bad idea because town is far too hot. We ran most days rest days are Monday’s and Friday’s, the rest of the week you run to eat and eat to run.
People doing their first Comrades have been asking me for advice, when it comes to giving advice I’m a bit of a nerd. I read about this up run so much that it seems as if I’m an expert. I am no expert and I am just as afraid as the next person. All I know is, save your legs, start slow, take your vitamins, eat well, pack your race goodies together, everything you need for Comrades should have been tried on your long runs, use the toilet at home at least twice before you leave, do not do anything dumb before race day and pray.
I am as prepared as I can be because of some people that want me to succeed on this journey. Almost 6 months of hard grafting to be ready and all I can do is trust the process and ask for a good race day. The training is pretty much done now, tapering has kicked in and it is now when the nerves will kick in. I’ve been awake at 3am every morning for the last 3 weeks without using my alarm. Hopefully that’s a good sign.
When days are dark a few friends will run with you. Crazy buggers.
Struggling Sportsman 