Training related Reluctant Runner Topics

Running Charity Partnerships…

For the past couple of months I’ve been in email contact with Ryan, a South African living abroad, who is running the Comrades Marathon for the first time this year. It’s been great chatting to someone who is going through exactly the same things I went through last year (what am I talking about, I’m going through the same stuff THIS year)…

Anyway last week Ryan informed me that he is also raising funds for running the Comrades and instead of trying to find a charity at this short notice, he has decided to join me on my mission to send children in the Red Hill informal settlement, to school!!

I am so excited for this joint venture!! Let’s see how much we can raise…

For updates on all the donations and pledges, go to my Facebook Group – Let’s send some kids to school…

Help send him to school

2 Comments / May 18th, 2009 / Comrades Marathon, Fund Raising, Motivation, Reluctant runner, Running, Training

International First Love Day…

Today is International First Love Day and I felt like I wanted to contribute…

When examining what qualifies someone or something as a “First Love” I was rather shocked to discover that running ticked all the boxes!

Love is about sacrifice – we all know about this when training for a specific race, I for one can’t even remember what my surfboard looks like or which way to put on my wetsuit, don’t even mention my friends (I have to write their names down to remember them).

You spend most of your time with those you love – don’t even get me started on how much time I spend running, thinking about running or planning a run.

First loves are like prized possessions – well we all know what I think about in times of crisis…

In all honesty though there are things about running which would qualify it as a first love, for me anyway. These are the things I love about running: love-day

An early morning run through a beautiful place, when it’s quiet and nobody is around
The feeling of crossing the finish line of all of my races
Having people come up to me at a race and say ‘Hey, aren’t you the Reluctant Runner?”
The fact that it serves as a platform for me to give back in some small way
The knowledge that I can do anything I put my mind to

I keep saying that after this Comrades Marathon I’m going to be putting running on the back burner and taking up all those other things which I enjoy doing, but in the back of my mind I wonder – will anything else be able to compare with that feeling of running across the finish line of the Ultimate Human Race…?

4 Comments / May 15th, 2009 / Comrades Marathon, Fund Raising, Motivation, Reluctant runner, Running, Training

Running Inspiration

Note: I have sorted out my PayPal issues, so donating is going to be as easy as pressing SEND

I also found what I’m going to be using as my inspiration for when I’m feeling dog tired and ready to keel over (other than all you folks who have donated).

I first heard about this father and son team from my friend Glen, check out the video, you won’t be disappointed!

Leave a Comment / May 13th, 2009 / Comrades Marathon, Fund Raising, Motivation, Reluctant runner, Running, Training

Running Medal Alternatives

On Sunday I did the Milkwood half marathon as my last long run before the Comrades. I wanted to do this race in particular because instead of handing you a medal at the end, they hand you an indigenous tree… Rather random I know, especially since I live in an apartment, but I’d far prefer getting something like this, which I can keep in my flat until it is too big, than a medal.

This post isn’t about the actual race because I did it last year and which I’d recommend anyone in the area adds to their running calendar, I wanted to write about this race because it has come to my attention that my little wooden box which I keep my medals in is becoming inconveniently full.

I’m not sure about any of you, but after every race when I get a medal, it gets photographed for a blog post and then unceremoniously thrown into a box in my cupboard – not really what you’d think one would do with something which is meant to be given for bragging rights…

I’ve always been interested in what people do with these useless pieces of metal, some people don’t take one, others throw them away before they even leave the event and some people do the same as me (minus the taking a photo for a blog post) – very few in fact do anything useful with theirs which has made me start thinking about possible alternatives.

I like the idea of a tree because it makes me feel all hippie and cancels out feeling bad for not recycling (AND a tree is also harder to kill than normal house plants). I asked around at the race yesterday and some people said they’d prefer water bottles or even sachets of new products to try.

I certainly wouldn’t shed a tear at not getting a medal – ok ok some races you HAVE to get a medal like the Two Oceans, the Comrades and the bit international City races. I’m interested to hear what you’d like to get instead of a medal!!

Running "Medal"

Leave a Comment / May 12th, 2009 / Comrades Marathon, Motivation, Reluctant runner, Running, Training

Running Isn’t Always Glamorous!

Yesterday I wrote about the study which I’m involved in which will measure my core and body temperature during the Comrades. I had to do a VO2 Max test in preparation and wanted to fill everyone in on what exactly a VO2 Max test is and how I fared…

You basically have to run on a treadmill which starts off at a leisurely pace of 7km/h and gradually increases by 0.5km/h every minute. The aim is to keep going until you have reached your maximum effort which is when you jump off of the treadmill. Now there were a few things which I did not consider and therefore didn’t ask before we started the test, the most important being

How do you jump off a moving treadmill going at about 15km/h???

So I, in my comfortable naïveté, started the whole process – oh don’t let me forget to say that I couldn’t talk because my Oxygen and CO2 levels were also being measured which means I had a mask covering my nose and mouth - and secretly I was hoping that they would find me to be some kind of sporting prodigy, which is why I’ve managed to do such crazy things in terms of running in such a short period of time

All was well until about 15minutes into the exercise, while I was bolting along at somewhere between 12km/h and 14km/h, I mistakenly looked down and almost shot right off the back of the flipping treadmill… Sending forth a muffled scream from inside my face mask I managed to grab onto the railing and hop off before I was unceremoniously spat off the back – not something anyone should be trying at home and neither, as it seems, in a carefully monitored state of the art laboratory!!

Luckily I was already running over my maximum (according to the computer) and all the results they had were fine, truth be told I wouldn’t have been able to carry on for much over what I had already done anyway, as most of my regular readers know I’m more of a tortoise than a hare…

: Not me but similar to what I looked like

3 Comments / April 30th, 2009 / Comrades Marathon, Reluctant runner, Running, Training

Masai Mara Marathon

I was sent this competition link the other day and was forced to think about a possible African holiday, guess what the first thing was which popped into my mind… – a marathon through the Masai Mara.

How amazing would it be to run through such an insanely beautiful piece of land, just as the wild animals do…? Of course precaution would have to be taken for the carnivores, but to have an organized marathon in this part of the world would have me packing my bags and making sure I can outrun a lion

Anyone else keen?

Masai Warriors

6 Comments / April 9th, 2009 / Motivation, Reluctant runner, Running, Training

Comrades Entry Extension

Big news!! I’ve just got an email from the Comrades people to say that for the first time in history they will be extending the closing date for entries. For those of you who weren’t aware, the closing date was March 31st but according to the Comrades people they were inundated with calls and emails begging for it to be extended. Apparently there was a rumour going around that the marathon was cancelled (I didn’t even hear about it so it couldn’t have been a very successful rumour) and so there were some people who didn’t send their entries in.

Tsk, Tsk (say I with my nose in the air – although I only entered last Friday so I’m only doing this because if my mom hadn’t reminded me I would have probably been one of those people on bended knee

So, if you were hoping that you could use the closing of entries as your excuse to NOT run – think again and just enter!!!!!! I promise you won’t regret it (well perhaps right after but given a few days you’ll be planning the next one!!

Photo

Don't Miss the Boat... er Plane

Leave a Comment / April 3rd, 2009 / Motivation, Reluctant runner, Running, Training

Running Route Series – Part 1

Chapman’s Peak Drive is a spectacular piece of road which hugs the side of a mountain and is quite regularly closed due to rock falls, which is actually the best time to run on this road because it means you don’t have to compete for your little piece of tarmac with any cars, although cyclists do put up a pretty good fight…

The road from end to end is about 18km return, it also offers ups and downs which is great for training. The following images were taken from above the road while on a hike in the area:

First half of Chapman's Peak

Second Half of Chapman's Peak

2 Comments / March 23rd, 2009 / Fund Raising, Motivation, Reluctant runner, Running, Training

Confessions of a Runner

I have a small confession to make, it seems I’m suffering from writers and runners block…

For the past few months, trying to motivate myself to run has taken every trick in the book and trying to write about it has been even more difficult. So today while on one of the best runs I’ve had in ages I decided to just have fun and stop putting so much pressure on myself.

Last year I remember having so much fun because everything was new, this year it definately feels like I’ve been there and done that which is certainly effecting my running and ultimately my writing.

So, in the interest of trying to rekindle the enjoyment I used to get out of running and writing, I’m confessing my feelings in the hope that it will get me out of the motivational doldrums I’ve been in…

Anyone else know what I’m talking about?

3 Comments / March 22nd, 2009 / Motivation, Reluctant runner, Training

I’m NOT a Short Distance Runner!!

Last night I did the Men’s Health 10km. I did this race last year and had the most shocking ,so this year I was hoping to improve on my time and try enjoy myself – the conclusion I came to after the race… I am NOT a short distance runner!!

It seems that on anything shorter than a half marathon, my brain and my body engage in full-on warfare while I standby and make sure neither wins. I’ve never particularly enjoyed the shorter distances (in races, not while training), and I have just put it to other exterior factors like the heat, the fact that I might be getting a cold, sore muscles – anything really, so while I was struggling towards the finish line (along a really beautiful route I might add) it dawned on me that perhaps I should just stick to what I’m good at – the marathons!

To be fair I did do a personal best coming in at 50minutes and 6 seconds but to say I enjoyed the race would be a blatant lie, a more accurate description would be that it felt like the last 2km’s I was dragging my full body weight with my fingertips towards the end along the gravelly raod– of course this wasn’t what was really happening it just felt like it…

Anybody else out there feel the same??

4 Comments / March 5th, 2009 / Motivation, Reluctant runner, Running, Training