MARATHON BIATHLON NIPPERS AND BIATHLE 19 JANUARY 2008.

Marathon, Biathlon, Nippers and Biathle. 19 January 2008.

Friday evening I met up with Peter Pohlmann at Homely Farms where our Marathon race was due to start the following morning. Peter had already set up most of the start and finish but I was able to be of some assistance.

On Saturday morning I was first to the venue just after 03.00am. I sat and enjoyed the solitude of the morning with a hot chocolate and rusk. Others started arriving and it was my duty to direct traffic and assist with parking. This went off particularly well and soon the marathon runners had left and the 10 and 5 kay events started with out any complications. I had to leave the event immediately as we had a Biathlon on that morning in Gelvandale.

Ally had an excellent run and was catching her age group rival as they were completing their 8oom. I had a poor run of about 4.15 for the 1000m. We then went off to swim and Ally won her age group while I had a second slow event for the day doing 1.54 for 100m swim. We were both chosen for the EP team to go to Oudtshoorn in February but to our delight, Ally was top competitor for the U11’s and was chosen as “captain” of the A team.

The next day was Sunday and we had a Nippers Carnival at Kings beach. We were there early to help set up our tent. Ally took part in the swim, the body board and the Malibu board events. They then ran the beach sprints where Ally moved from heat to heat until she was eliminated. She did reasonably well in all of these activities.

Donald & Matthew McGillivray and our family then rushed off to Theodore Hertzel School where we all took part in the Biathle. (Run-swim-run). Matthew and Ally did well enough but it would be Donald’s first such event and he took off like a bullet and did exceptionally well.

We then drove back to the beach where both of the youngsters had to take part in the Iron Nippers event which combines four disciplines into one event. It would be the first time that Ally would attempt this gruelling event. Swim, Body board, Malibu board and running in between. She completed the event and while it was tough she did not seem at all phased by the enormity of what she had just accomplished. It had been a really tough sporting weekend for her.