Reluctant Runner

This is the second post in my series on “Running Stories”, you can read the first one here.

I’d like to introduce you to my dad aka Bruce aka Popsicle.  I’ve mentioned seconds many times before on my blog, I even wrote a Guide to being an Awesome Second – which is why I thought it would be a fabulous idea to ask my dad a few questions, especially since I think he is the Worlds Best Second (of course the word nepotism springs to mind but this is MY blog, so basically I can do what I want)!

Do you enjoy being a second?
Yes, I do

What is your favourite thing about being a second?
Seeing my runners coming through at my check points, laughing and enjoying themselves

Do you sometimes just want to leave it up to someone else?
No (Didn’t even hesitate here…)

What is the most difficult thing about being a second?
Getting to the next check point, fighting traffic and finding parking, all before the runner comes past.

Does it ever inspire you to run?
Sometimes I think it might be easier than seconding by putting a number on my chest and running, but NO I have no inspiration to run

Seeing us in distress is difficult for you, why do you keep coming back?
It is difficult but it is my runners’ passion and I will support them

Being the Worlds Best Second is a tough job, what would you say to other prospective seconds out there, aspiring to be as fabulous as you?
As a second you will be shouted at and ignored, but they need you and it is rewarding seeing their faces full of appreciation when they cross the finishing line – and I am always so proud of them.

* Just to make a few things clear, by ‘my runners‘ my dad is referring to my mom, me and any other runner who has trusted him to be waiting at the designated points with their food/energy stuff/vasteline etc for a long race.

**  My dad is also the official club photographer and has an uncanny ability to take the most awkward pictures of you (my mom is still seething from the one taken after she had just thrown up and was feeling rather retched)

This post marks the first of my “Running Stories” series.

I’d like to introduce Russell Mackintosh – Russ ran his 10th Comrades Marathon this year – this entitles you to a permanent number and entry to the exclusive “Green Number Club”

Here are the questions I thought were important along with Russ’ answers:

How long have you been running for?

I started running to keep fit for rugby in 1985 when I was at UCT. I eventually took running up as my main sport when I gave up cricket in 1993. I ran my first marathon in 1994 (Winelands Marathon) and my first Comrades in 1996.

Out of the 10 Comrades you have done, how many were good runs?

I had one absolute “dream” run (9:05 on the up run in 2006), probably 4 more runs that were not too shabby, and the rest were in the “I’m never doing this again” bracket.

What made you decide “I think I’ll do 10 Comrades”?

When I was in std.9 I watched the Comrades on TV and saw a guy called Colin Goosen collapse on the final bend and then crawl the length of the home straight to claim the last gold medal. I decided then that I wanted to run the Comrades some day. JUST ONCE.

And I did that in 1996, and I was content. But then you go down to the club and the guys are standing around having a few beers, and eventually the talk turns to Comrades, and before you know it the trip to Durban is planned and you’re on it. I can’t believe they caught me like that . . . 9 times!!

What type of mental preparation do you do?

A couple of things: I try to develop a positive mindset by focussing on the good races I have run recently; I go over the route in my mind and try to recall how I felt at various stages on my good Comrades runs; I remind myself that bad patches are nearly always temporary; I like to drive the course before the race, because it scares the sh*t out of me and reminds me to treat the race with respect.

When do you start training and how many km’s do you do?

I start training about 6 months before the race and generally do about 1200kms in that time, although this year I did 1500km – obviously too many junk miles, because the extra 300kms had no positive effect on my performance. Ideally I like to have five runs of 42km or longer in that period, and generally peak at about 100km a week, about a month before Comrades.

What is the most important thing you have learned by doing endurance sports?

Participating in endurance sports has taught me that if I set myself a goal and work towards it, the seemingly impossible gradually becomes possible, and eventually achievable.

What does your family think about it?

I’m fortunate in that my wife has run 7 Comrades Marathons and we do a lot of our training together.  It helps that your partner can relate to your mindset and emotions in the lead up to Comrades, and vice versa.  I have a daughter (15) and twin boys (11) who have grown up in a running family and so don’t know any different. My daughter has been up to Comrades twice and loves the vibe on race day. Hopefully one day I’ll have the opportunity to take one (or more) of my kids through their first Comrades Marathon.

I’ve decided to start another series, this one is called Running Stories and will involve interviews with different runners and their experience with the Comrades Marathon and other endurance races which have the potential to be life changing.

I’d like to cover categories like First time Comrades runners, Bus Drivers (Pace setters), People who have overcome insane things to go on to run the Comrades, Green Number runners (10 Comrades or more), Seconds and foreign runners who come over here to take part in this crazy race.

I’ll be making a few changes around the blog too, just to make it a bit more stream line (especially since my occupation is online marketing and specifically social media – which is embarrassing to admit given the fact that I’ve done so little on this blog), so please let me know what you think along the way.

Looking forward to interviewing some great people and sharing what I find!!

Photo Credit:  PakyuZ

The final stats from the Comrades Marathon are in!!

Of the 11 346 people who started the race (12 952 entered which means 1 606 people didn’t feel like running on the day) – 10 006 people ran (or crawled or dragged themselves) over the finish line in Durban.  That’s a whopping 88.1% finishing rate, for a race of this length I think that is pretty awesome!!

Women made up 17.5% of the finishing field, while men made up the remaining 82.5%

It also seems that at this stage people are starting to contemplate next years run… It is the 85th commemorative race and will be from Pietermaritzburg to Durban again (there has never been a consecutive “down” run) and because it co-insides with the 2010 soccer world cup they are expecting a record number of entries, resulting in the powers that be deciding to limit entries to 20 000.

Now I don’t know if this is an interesting marketing ploy but what is it about making something “Limited” that drives people (especially those who had said NO MORE), to start thinking about entering again,  barely 3 weeks after the race?  Actually what is it about an 89km race that has people coming back year after year…?

3:34am – my alarm goes off although I’m already awake, not nervous just awake and ready for my day on the road.

4:30am – we head off to the start which is a 10 minute walk from where we spent the night.  I have to find the guys from the study I am part of so that they can fit me with the equipment I have to carry for the race, to measure my core and skin temperature.

5:15am – finally all the equipment is fitted (a few more gadgets that what I’d planned for but I didn’t care), we head to our seeding gate only to find them closed and being pointed to the back of the 12 000 strong crowd, luckily someone had forced a gap in the gate which allowed my mom and I to sneak into the space between E and F seeding (I was meant to be in F anyway).

5:20am – Chariots of Fire gets played over the crowd, everyone is silent waiting for traditional rooster crow which is followed directly by the start gun

5:30am – we are off, it takes 6 minutes to run over the start line and timing mat

10 hours and 52 minutes later, I am running through Kingsmead stadium hand in hand with my friend Craig (an old friend who was doing the Comrades for the first time and who ran with me all the way) with the biggest smile on my face and goose bumps all over my body…

This is just a quick summary, I will go into more detail tomorrow I just wanted to let everyone know that I finished – it was gruelling for sure, 89km is never NOT going to be hard but I had a great day and came off lightly with no blisters (not like last year) although there was some chafing from all the equipment I carried (just a small price to pay considering that some people are still limping 2 days later).

Chafe