Archive for Half-marathon

Running Casualties

July 8, 2009 Cands One comment

Yesterday I was very proud of myself for heading out on a 13km run with my friend and long time running partner Jo who has also been suffering from running doldrums.  Bare with me here as a set the scene…

I usually get changed at work, throw all my stuff in my boot (that is what us South Africans call a trunk) and head to where I plan to run from – in this instance the Sea Point Promenade which is always a hive of activity.  I am very aware of petty crime and theft and so I’m careful not to leave anything in sight to tempt people to break in and steal my stuff, yesterday being no exception.

Anyway after spending a lovely hour and 40 minutes or so on the route, Jo and I got back to our cars having solved the worlds problems and feeling very proud of ourselves for putting in the distance (eventhough it might be a little late, Jo is running the marathon route of the race I’m doing this weekend).  Upon driving off I thought I heard my boot bang a little like it wasn’t open, so I stopped to have a look…  Turns out some low-life had stuck a screw driver into the lock, opened my boot and stolen my handbag (with camera, ID, purse, bank cards etc) along with my bag full of work clothes!!!

Now I’m no stranger to crime, especially petty theft having been relieved of my purse not even 6 months ago from a spawn of satan, right outside my front door (of course I was uber fit so I chased the scum bag all the way down my road and would have caught him if he hadn’t chickened out and jumped into a car which was waiting for him) – I mean who steals from a 5ft nothing, slightly built girl with her back turned???

Anyway, I don’t want to give anyone a bad view of SA, it is a magnificent place and like any developing country you have to be careful and keep a close eye on your stuff but I’m really getting sick of this!!  I think it is time to band together as a nation and make it impossible for the dregs of society to get away with stuff like this.  It has also taught me not to get too attached to any of my belongings and although Leo over at Zen Habits says this is the way forward, I’m sure I don’t need to be taught this lesson again…??

Anyway what I’m really after is a couple of ideas on how to stop this from happening again.   I can’t go home and then head out to run (not in winter anyway, it gets dark too early).  Should I fit an alarm??  Does anyone know of a fancy locking mechanism??  Either way if you have any bright ideas/contraptions please let me know!!!

Safe running…

do-not-enter

Half-marathon, Reluctant runner, Training

Half Marathon Coming Up…

July 6, 2009 Cands 2 comments

I’m so excited, I feel like a child looking forward to the school holidays or Christmas because on Saturday is the Knysna Marathon (I’m only doing the half) – a beautiful run on dirt roads through the most spectacular indigenous forests  surrounding the town of Knysna on the Garden Route.  I did this race for the first time last year, just a month after the Comrades and ran it in 2hr 30min,  I was running with a friend who was doing it for her first time so took it easy the whole way. This year my intention was to start training a couple of weeks before the race so that I wouldn’t struggle but, in true Reluctant Runner fashion – my training only started on Saturday…

This race is a highlight on most runners and non-runners calendars.  Entries are limited so they are treated like gold and snapped up the minute they open – half of Cape Town empties to head up the coast for what promises to be a weekend of fun, pain and more fun (although somewhat limited depending on how stiff you are).   I have so many friends running this year not just the half but the full too PLUS a couple of converts who are marking this as their first tentative footstep into distance running!!  So if I don’t see you at the race, I’ll see you here afterwards for a full race run-down…

marathon-logo

Half-marathon, Reluctant runner ,

20 Hours and 58 Minutes…

May 23, 2009 Cands One comment

Ok everyone so we are within a day of the Comrades Marathon and I’m about to head off to Durban.  If you want to keep track of me you can find out here.

I (ok not me, but someone who I’ve asked) will be updating my Twitter and Facebook status with my progress.  I’m not sure how much time I’m going to have this afternoon so if I don’t manage to get online – See you at the end!!!

Comrades Marathon, Fund Raising, Half-marathon, Motivation, Reluctant runner, Training

8 Things you can do with your race medals

May 16, 2009 Cands No comments
  1. Re-gift: It is a recession after all… Just remember that the karmic wheel is small, what goes around comes around…
  2. Diving weights: they even come with a handy ribbon to go around your neck, or just stuff into pockets for the desired effect.
  3. Ornamental Display: This can be used as a conversation starter, although you have to take note of who you bore to death with your running tales, or expect a sharp decline in friends!
  4. Use as a weapon: If you take the biggest medal (I have a pretty big and heavy one, complete with the profile of table mountain on it) and keep it in a handy place, when an intruder strikes, swing said medal above the head until desired momentum is achieved (you may yell here like the Highlanders used to) and aim for the head. Beware; this could lead to imprints of whatever medal you have used, so try not to do it as a joke…
  5. Table Stabilizers: When you have a table that rocks because it is on an uneven surface, use a medal – not as cheap looking as a piece of cardboard and can double up as #3
  6. Tooth Mouse/Fairy gifts: Again in keeping with #1, the alternative to money is sitting right there in front of you. Note: you might have to explain to Junior why he can’t put it in his piggy bank for the iPod he’s been saving up for.
  7. Pocket Money: Times are tough and you put in many hours and hard work for that medal, it is as valuable as money (in your mind anyway).
  8. Accessorise: My medals come in all shapes and sizes, you could start a new trend and pare a medal up with an outfit – see how the people in the office react. Note: again could be coupled with #3, especially if there were people at work who didn’t even know about that run where you got a cramp 30 minutes into the race and then needed a number 2 after 45 minutes…
My Medals

My Medals

Comrades Marathon, Fund Raising, Half-marathon, Motivation, Reluctant runner

Kloof Neck Classic – 2009

February 9, 2009 Cands No comments

Last year when I did this race I distinctly remember walking a lot, cursing the race a lot and hurting a lot in the days which followed.  This year, although not a leisurely walk in the park, it seemed to go by in a flash with very little cursing or walking and as for hurting – the sunburn I got after the race did more damage than the actual race itself…

Read more

Fund Raising, Half-marathon, Motivation, Reluctant runner

Running – on empty…

January 30, 2009 Cands One comment

It seems my levels of motivation have reached an all time low…  Forcing myself out for a run on Wednesday, I went as far as the end of the block before I turned back and came home.
I’m feeling really bored with running which is probably why for the past 3 months I’ve been doing so little of it, although I know I need to pick up the mileage with  a 56km race coming up in April and then the Comrades (89km) in May.
Joe from Fitness Geek recommended changing my running route and music, any other suggestions??

Oh, and I’m running the Kloof Neck Classic on Sunday, check out the profile below…

Kloof Neck Classic Profile

Half-marathon, Motivation, Reluctant runner

Rebuild!!

January 29, 2009 Cands No comments

Hi everybody, as those of you who are familiar with Reluctant Runner have probably realized, the site has gone through some changes over the last few weeks while I’ve been transferring all the content to a paid server – it seems I have finally done everything I needed to do although I’m sure a few things might have fallen through the cracks, so if some links aren’t working or you get an error message on some pages please give me a shout so that I can fix it.

Another thing is that my feed URL has also changed, so if you were subscribed to my previous feed please replace it with this:

http://feeds2.feedburner.com/ ReluctantRunner

Hope to see all the old faces here as usual!!

Half-marathon, Motivation, Reluctant runner, Training

Races Planned for this Year

January 7, 2009 Cands 2 comments

These are the races I plan on doing leading up to the Comrades in May,  of course things might change since I won’t run if I’m ill (I learned the hard way) or injured and I might add a few unofficial ones to the list, but so far here they are:

January
5th Poppy Run 15km – first time (1:24)
10th Terra Firma 13km – first time
17th Hohenhort 15km – 1:26:47
26th Red Hill 36.2km – first time

February
1st Kloof Neck Classic Half Marathon – 2:04:07
7th Lion of Africa Half Marathon – (decided not to do)
22nd Peninsula Marathon – 4:29:47

March
4th Men’s Health Lighthouse 10km – 0:54:22
7th Constantia Village 15km – 1:40:31
14th West Coast Half/Full Marathon – Didn’t finish

April
11th Two Oceans Ultra 56km – First time

May
10th Milkwood Half Marathon – 1:52:56
24th Comrades Marathon 89km – 11:19:

Seems like a lot now that it’s down on paper – I’m not going to lie, I feel a little intimidated…

Half-marathon, Reluctant runner, Training

A Guide To Being An Awesome Second

March 27, 2008 Cands 5 comments
  • Wake up with the athlete on the morning, usually around 4:15, to take them to the start, offering words of reassurance.
  • Make sure they have all they need and go over the route – again – and the spots where you will be waiting.
  • Be at designated spots way in advance, foregoing any breakfast or coffee stops, it’s all about the runner.
  • Make sure all pre-packed items are ready i.e. lip ice, sun cream and hat, boiled potato cut into pieces, raisins, and cooked chicken legs.
  • If runner is unable to stop (for fear of not being able to start again), don’t feel shy to walk with them, telling them that they look great (girls need to hear these things, even if they are a lie)
  • Be sure to peel any fruit, break into segments and wait while runner sucks the juice out and hands back what’s left.
  • Wait at the end standing with arms wide open to give them a congratulatory hug (any comments on smell or their sweaty bodies is NOT recommended).
  • Pay to have them go for a massage at one of the massage tents
  • Carry all their paraphernalia and shoes, back to the car and then drive around and fetch them from the entrance so they don’t have to walk to where you parked, usually around 3km’s away because you couldn’t get there earlier.
  • Tell the runner that you would do it again in a heartbeat!!
Comrades Marathon, Half-marathon, Reluctant runner, Road Running, Trail Running, Training , , , ,

Kloof Neck Classic

March 26, 2008 Cands No comments

For those of you familiar with Cape Town, imagine running up the Glen from Camps Bay then up Tafelberg road and then up Signal Hill road, and then back to Camps Bay again.  Madness – definitely

My first half marathon in the year, I’d decided to test myself to see how unfit I’d become over the holidays – why I decided I needed a test after having a very lazy Christmas I’m not really sure, I guess I was hoping that the dancing on New Years counted for something…

Hurtling back down the Glen to the finish line at Camps Bay High school, making sure I didn’t trip on any cats-eyes on the way, it felt like I’d been on the road for hours.  Fighting the urge to walk onto the field towards the time keepers (this is apparently very uncool) I almost choked on my “free” (we pay for the privilege of putting our bodies through this kind of torture) cup of coke to discover that I’d run this race in 2 hours and 4 minutes.

To put this into perspective for you, I was never a runner to begin with, opting for long jump and javelin at school in the compulsory sport events (this is comical given that I am on the very side of short), I had never imagined that I would find myself running, let alone running races with the hopes of qualifying for the Comrades!!

Half-marathon, Reluctant runner, Road Running, Training , , , ,
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