I heart running

During the past few weeks its been easy to get caught up in the anxiety and the stress, the fatigue and the wishing race day would arrive, that comes before a big race you've been working so hard for.  Maybe not all runners, but I'm fairly confident that I'm not alone in this-get pretty nervous before an important race.  I've been working seriously hard in preparation for The Two Oceans 56km (in exactly one week).  During the past few months, I've woken up to an alarm seven days a week, Saturdays and Sundays being the earliest days! There have been many 04:00 starts when I felt like I just couldn't get out of bed.  There have been many late afternoons and evenings after a long day at work, when going for a run felt like an impossible task.  There have been many invitations that I've declined and many sacrifices that I've made.  And in between all that, it's easy to get caught feeling as though running is a job rather than a passion.  But it only takes a few minutes out on the road in the early morning or evening, to remember why running is so great! There's a reason its so hard...because it makes the reward so much better!

X Small means X Large

Aren't runners generally small people? I mean of course you get some runners who are tall and well built and you even get some runners who are over weight and may not look like someone who runs, but surely the biggest percentage of runners are average size or even small people? Then why is it that the organisers of races haven't realised that yet? When pre entering a race, runners often receive a T Shirt as part of their entry.  The option for an X Small shirt is almost never available, which I can understand because lets face it, very few people are quite as small as I am.  Most of the time, fewer size Small shirts are ordered, meaning that they run out first.  So if you're a petite woman and you're not one of the first to arrive at the entry collection table, you're probably going to have to settle for a Medium or even a Large.  Furthermore, races don't generally offer a difference between the male and female style shirt (which I completely understand...its not all about fashion after all).  So even if you're lucky enough to get a Small, it's more than likely still going to be shapeless and pretty big.  I have now learnt not to get excited if I am lucky enough to get a size Small, because many of the so called Small shirts I have, are longer than my running shorts!  Two years ago I entered my first Two Oceans half marathon.  If you do the 21.1km, you have the option of buying a T Shirt along with your entry.  I was so excited to be taking part in my first Two Oceans that I ordered a Small T Shirt.  It was a bright greenish yellow, but I didn't care, I just wanted something to show for my big achievement.  When I got to the expo in Cape Town to collect my (expensive) T shirt, I realised I hadn't thought my purchase through very well! Despite the colour, the shirt is good quality and well worth having...except for me! As I took it out of the packaging, I realised that I in fact would not have anything to show for my first important race, because there was no way I could wear this massive shirt! When you enter Two Oceans 56km however, you get a free T shirt, and this year there is also the option to order a male or female shirt.  However, despite the fact that I entered online many months ago, when clicking the option for a Ladies Small T Shirt, I was politely informed that this option was no longer available and I was forced to order a Medium.  I am hoping however, that because of the difference in styles, this shirt won't look like an XXL and I'll actually be able to wear this one!

My Body Hates Me

I miss running on 'fresh legs.'  Gone are the days when I could enjoy two rest days before a 21km and pull a PB out the bag.  These days, it seems all I ever do is run on tired legs.  And the more I complain, the more experienced runners tell me to be patient, that I will again one day race on fresh legs.  I'm not sure I believe them any more! The more mileage I do each week, the slower I get, the more tired I feel and the more terrified I become that something, somewhere along the way has gone horribly wrong!  Surely with all this mileage, I should be getting up the hills with a bit more grace and style...instead of gasping for air and turning red in the face as I always have done? Honestly, I'm not really sure, all I know is that at this point I'm hanging on through one more 100+km week and looking forward to a slight taper before my first Ultra Marathon in two weeks.  Until then, my body really does hate me for putting it through all this! Lets hope it pays off!

Where are we now?

The training programme I'm following starts every new month with the question "where are we now?" This is then followed by some reassuring paragraphs about how the novices sticking to this prograame are well on track to completing their first ever Comrades.  Of course this feeling that it's possible really only lasts as long as I'm reading the words of someone who has 19 Comrades medals under his belt.  After that, the answer to the question where are we now, changes dramatically.  So where am I now? Well, its 24 days til Two Oceans 56km and I'm only 82 days away from the ultimate human race. So to sum up...I'm freaking out! I've done two standard marathons in the past two months, one of which I completed in under 4 hours, getting me the seeding groups I wanted for both ultra marathons, my weekly mileage is getting closer to 100km every week, I'm eating more than I've ever eaten in my life, I'm popping vitamins and immune boosters every morning and I can't make it through my evening run without an afternoon nap! So do I feel ready...not even close! I thought by now I would feel somewhat ready for Two Oceans at least! There's not much more I can do though.  It's almost time to taper before my first ultra marathon so if I'm not ready now, I don't think I ever will be! Someone said to me the other day that no one is ever ready for Comrades.  You just do the mileage, put in the time on the road and hope for a good race day.  Lets hope that works!