BAY ULTRA 50KAY MARATHON FEBRUARY 2008.

The Bay Ultra February 2008.

Friday 8th February 2008.
This afternoon Barbara, Ally, Cheryl Kotze and Greg headed off for East London where the two youngsters would be representing their school (Clarendon) and EP at an interprovincial Gala at the Joan Harrison pool. John & I were not able to accompany them due to business commitments. By all account both of them did well in their events both on Friday afternoon and on Saturday.

I phoned Gerald to find out what run we would be doing on Saturday morning. He told me that he would be running the Bay Ultra 50kay and why don’t I join him? Since our return from Canada I have been out of town (travelling) for two of the three weeks and have not been able to train but thought that this would be a good tester for Two Oceans. I was able to purchase some of the energy sachets by kind favour of Earl who dropped them off at my house. I thought that at least I should have some kind of help on the way.

At my first Comrades of about 20years ago, there was a competition where you had to predict your time. I had no idea what my time would be but guessed at 10 hours. I finished in 9.59 and was about third in the competition and won a gift pack from Lepin including an Energy Belt. This morning I opened the belt for the first time. I put my sachets & toilet paper in the pouches and headed off to Hobie beach. I paid my R70.00 and entered the run.

I met up with some of the usual crowd: Hennie and Gesina, Pietie, Graham Elborne, Gerald Scheepers (who has done every one of these events from the early 52kay Marina Salt to the present day run), Kobus Gerber, Benita Barton, Percy, Mark H.S., Mof and others. Davera was there in her new colours looking quite red. Frans had some good advice for runners: In an ultra like this start off slowly and when you really get tired; put on the breaks! I liked the sound of this and followed it from start to finish.

We jogged up the beach road in a westerly direction and then up through Walmer. At this stage we had the East wind behind. This was a day for cyclists to be out training. We saw small and big bunches. The only problem with cyclists that when they ride past and greet you, you have no idea who they are. The speed and “camouflage” is just too confusing. We recognised Margie Saunders, Mike Kingston, Baron Naude and other Ironman contenders on the road.

For me this would be a new course. The last time I did a Bay Ultra was out along Marine Drive and back down Buffelsfontein road. Today it was the other way around. I had started out with Gerald and then met up with Mof and young Bently from GM, but from about 10kays out Johan & I stuck it out together to the finish.

The course takes the runner all the way up Buffelsfontein road, right at the old Seaview road and up to Longbarn. Then we went right again to the top of the Chelsea tea garden road. The Chelsea tea garden is now known as The Estate Deo Volente (God willing). This is where our daughter Jacqui had her wedding reception. From there we headed east and into the wind. The route goes down to the new Seaview road and towards Sardinia bay. Then we head along the Sardinia bay road and eventually head down to Schoenmakerskop. Finally the last twenty kays is along the Marine Drive and ends at Hobie Beach.

Johan was quite concerned that he had over trained. He had been reading Bruce Fordyce’s book where the advice was lots of rest. Johan was also worried about a hip injury, his diet the night before as well as that morning, Suntan Lotion, and his son who should have been at the 30kay but we finally found him at the 39kay marker. Interestingly, Johan had been reading about something that Bruce used to use called FRN. This was a product made by Lepin and was well known to runners of the 1980’s and 1990’s.

Johan is an interesting running partner as he has all kind of experiences to relate: his motor Biking trips, his hiking in the berg and his previous runs all make for interesting listening. Johan even gave me some cooking lessons. I think that I may have persuaded him to start doing what I do and recording these activities in writing.

In particular Johan related a story of being assisted by famous rugby player, Ian McCullum when he got into trouble with his motor bike in the Baviaans Kloof. Dr. Ian McCullum (Rondebosch boys high) played rugby for the Springboks in the 1970’s with players like Morne DuPlessis, Gerrie Germishuys, Hannes Marais, Piston van Wyk, Robert Cockrell and Boland Coetzee to name a few. Ian is now a medical doctor, psychiatrist, naturalist, author and poet. He wrote the book Ecological Intelligence. In April of 2006 he stated that he is of the opinion that the psychological well being of mankind is largely dependant on how we interact with nature.

It is amazing how many people are out there to support runners. Pierre Bester and family represent Brian Bands, Total sports were there. Pam Golding and Ann Carol Hyam assisted with seconding. Bob, Tremaine, Graham and his daughter gave us encouragement on the old Seaview Road. Cliff McKenzie was out on the Sardinia Bay road. The Crusaders team were keen seconders at the 30kay mark. Neil Calder drove past to encourage the stragglers. There were a few seconding tables provided by both Clarendon and Alexander Road schools. Bruce and Paulette came past us at Willows to announce that the Trailer would be at the finish. I was unfortunately not able to stay at the end as I still had to go to work.

This event is huge for a small club like Body Concept. They have just over 30 members and people like Eckart and Paul coordinated an excellent run. When we turned at the top of Seaview we headed into the easterly wind. It was reasonably strong but it was only when we reached the Marine Drive that we started to feel the force of the wind. Johan and I were at this stage almost last in the field with just 5 runners behind us.

We teamed up with Krish Pillay on urging from his wife who was driving the course. She was worried that he would not finish but he seemed determined and eventually finished just ahead of us. We also met up with young Lindy who had only run a 21kay previous to this. As we approached the 42.2kay mark we realised that we would not make the 5 hour cut off. To qualify for Oceans or for Comrades you must have run as standard marathon in 5 hours. The cut off time for today’s run was 6.30hours. We thought we could make this but while this would qualify Johan for Two Oceans it would not be a qualifier for Comrades. Johan was considering going to Kango for a Comrades qualifier. I think that Kango is an easier run.

It was a tough section of about 16kays along the Marine Drive from Schoenmakerskop to the University but when we hit the last four kays we had the wind behind us. It was about here that I started to cramp. I had hoped that the energy sachets would help me but so far I am not sure if they were doing any good as I was becoming extremely tired. Johan had a Red Bull and he seemed to think that this was the magic juice.

As we approached Summerstrand we passed a group of cyclists who were doing a fun event leading up to the Herald Cycle tour that would be taking place the following day. Johan could have finished earlier but stayed with me to the bitter end where we completed the event in just under 6.30hours.

This had been a learning curve for Johan who had never really walked in a run before. It had also been a lesson to myself: firstly a bit of training would have helped and secondly I had better enter the Oceans Half marathon and run with my daughter, as there is no way that I will finish a 56kay at this pace. Johan had spoken quite a bit about “Frosties”.

When I phoned him that afternoon his daughter answered the phone and told me that Dad was sleeping. I am not sure if it was the exertion or the Frosties that had caused him to pass out. The Biggest Loser: I had weighed myself that morning just before leaving and did so again when I returned home. I had lost three kays.