10kay Clover Helpers Run.
Saturday 18.07.2009.
Kings Beach.
I am not quite sure how it came about that we ended up doing the Helpers Run with Gerald. I think that he has to work on the day next Saturday and he particularly wanted to get Suzanne back into running races.
A few weeks ago Geralde came across Suzanne running on the beach and insisted that she join the group. Since then she has become quite regular at MPRG. We have been doing the slowest of running and walking. But at least we are out there. Myself when I am not doing “Country Work”.
This morning we met at the Kings Beach Parking ground at about 06.30am and set off a little ahead of the main group who looked like some real serious runners. I take a little while to start breathing and running easily so was puffing and panting after just a few 100 meters. But once we steadied the pace and settled down to an easy jog, I was fine to run. This morning we had Colin McCall join us together with Gerald’s daughter, Ronel. When Ronel moved from Cape Town she started to run with MPRG until she found a job in PE. Since then we have not seen her. We put our names as participants on the clipboard list that was circulating.
This morning Ronel looked like she has stayed fit as she was able to maintain a steady pace throughout the run. Suzanne was determined to run the whole distance so it put paid to any thoughts that we had of having a nice stroll from time to time.
From Kings beach we jogged East along the Marine Drive. Andy Bolton and Michelle Elfick were returning from a run that had started at Mill Park. Cyclists passing us shouted their hello’s but when you are a runner trying to identify a cyclist it is almost impossible, as the cyclist with a helmet and dark glasses, becomes completely camouflaged. I really must remember to take out my bike and start to train cycling.
We turned up Admiralty Way. Ronel had her GPS watch on and would, on a regular basis, let us have our distance run. Suzanne and Colin had gone ahead and I was surprised to find that they were completely out of site as Gerald, Ronel and I turned the corner from Marine Drive. But a short while later I realized that they had stopped for water at the garage and that is why we could not see them. Up Admiralty Way and ahead we could see Alf Zemke standing at his Bakkie with water. This put a fire in the bonnet of Ronel who decided to start her sprint. She had been bragging about how she could outsprint her dad. So now the two of them took off up the hill with Ronel beating her dad with pure staying power.
Once we were watered we turned West along Erasmus Drive. Shortly after we had turned, the front runners came loping past us. These are the real athletes of road running. Tall, thin men with muscular legs that talk of hours of intense practice. A young lady followed close on their heels. Gerald thought that he would fool around and sprinted off with them. They did not appear amused at his attempts to be jovial and they continued at a Sub 3 minute pace. We jogged on at our six minute pace. Still we had not done any real walking. Maybe too much talking. At the Roundabout (English word for Circle) we turned back down past the University and the Casino and down towards the ocean. We had a nice relaxed kay of downhill running. Suzanne was looking strong. Colin had decided to take it easy and was keeping Ronel company.
Back into Marine Drive and Suzanne started talking of stopping at the garage for water. With no support from Gerald or myself she scrapped that idea and we ran at a steady pace to the Kings Beach Parking area. As we ran we were reminded that today was the 91st birthday of our ex president Nelson Mandela. Gerald remarked on how much Madiba had done for South Africa. How we could have ended up with a completely different scenario.
We could have had all kinds of recriminations for the way that the white South Africans had treated their Black counterparts. We could have had a dictatorship. We could have been persecuted. All kinds of possibilities exist. But as history now tells us: we had a smooth transition with forgiveness as the common thread. Instruments such as the Truth and Reconciliation, the Restructuring and Development Program, Affirmative Action and others have helped to make South Africa a prosperous country of opportunity for all South Africans.
Gerald had taken our time and Jan Van Eeden recorded us at 1.05 which is just above 6minutes a kay and quite acceptable for a group of joggers who have not run a full 10kay without walking for absolute ages. Ronel and Colin followed seconds later. Gerald and Ronel had some kind of bet and by beating his daughter he had weaseled out of paying for whatever he had to pay for.
Suzanne was quite happy with her morning’s exercise as this had been the first ten kay run in as many years. I had to be at work this morning so left as soon as we had finished.
CLOVER TEN KAY ROAD RACE AT KINGS BEACH.
The following weekend, Saturday 25th July 2009 was the "real thing". I had been out of town for the whole week and when Gerald said that he would be running on Friday I was happy to join him. Friday morning we ran around St Georges Park. Elamrie, Michelle and Claire joined us at the start and then ran away and we never saw them again. Gerald & I had an easy run and walk.
Saturday morning I left home at about 06.15 and registered for the race at Kings Beach. Chris Jansen was doing registration. Lekker Lekker Hennie was directing people as they came into the tent for registration. The PE events are far too complicated with registration. We should be able to pay the R20 and hand in a slip with our names. The orgainsers erect this huge tent which costs thousands of Rands and make a big fuss of registration.
Once I hade my number I sat in the car and pinned it to my vest and waited for the race to start. Sitting there I saw a very athletic (good looking) Paulette running past. At about 6.55 I joined the back of the runners waiting for the start. Lesley, Graham Nel, Suzanne, Colin Mc Call, Tim Gendall, Bradley Joubert, Gill, Ekardt, Lex Mitchel, Ben Carver were amoungst the people I saw at the start. Les Barnes was there. Les used to be a reporter for the local Afrikaans newspaper, Die Burger. He covered all the local runs for many years and it was quite common to see him greeting all kinds of people. At that time every one in running knew Les. Lately he has gone into the Supermarket business with his son, Peter, at the Sunridge Park Spar.
I had run the route the previous week and knew that I would be out of breath as we ran up to Marine Drive. It takes me quite a little while to settle into a race. As I ran I was greeted by a young Achillean (Ancha) who I had run the final few kays (also at Kings Beach) with some time before. I was so impressed that she remembered me. Ancha explained that she was recovering from an injury. Nicci Roote and friend Robyn greeted me as they enjoyed a Cappocino at the garage opposite the Red Wildmill. I ran for a short while with Dean who used to be a student of mine. Alf Zemke greeted runners as they passed him in Marine Drive. And then I concentrated on the run. I did not want to burn myself out but also wanted to run under 60 minutes.
For a while I was able to chat to Aletta who told me that she had run Rhodes the previous weekend. She described Mavis Bank and how tough it had been. This brought back memories for me. She desribed the thick snow that had made the race even tougher than ever. The cut off for Mavis Bank 21kay was 4.5 hours and the cut off for the Tiffendale turn off was 6 hours. Aletta described how she had battled to make these deadlines. This explains why Rhodes is one of the toughest Ultra's in SA.
As I ran up Admiralty Way I passed Colin and Suzanne and gave her a bit of a push. Then I pressed on and ran at an easy pace. I ran for a short while with a man (teacher at Grey I think) whose name I cannot remember but should. He was running with his 16 year old daughter from Collegiate. I wanted to talk to him as it sounds like he was thinking of joining Achilles but when Shoaib (Daughter Ageelah I think, in Nippers) greeted me I ran on with him. The two of us ran the last five kays together. He is training for Ironman Half in EL next year. He pushed me to a pace that was a little uncomfortable for me but I was enjoying myself.
We ran past Gerald S who was marshalling at the Circle in 2nd avenue and then down to the beach. The two of us were pushing each other and when he would slack I ran harder and vice versa. We passed Gerald Hoxley, The only Achillean that I passed today. Then ran hard into the finish area back at Kings Beach. As we approached the finish Percy and Robin shouted a greeting. They must have run really hard to have completed the 10kay and still had time to jog back to greet incoming runners.
Our time was about 57.20. Shoaib had a heart rate monitor and gave me some of his statistics. I was happy that I was still able to take part in an event like this. It had been a stunning morning for a run. The sun was shining. It was neither too cold nor windy. Later in the day I phoned Suzanne and she told me that she and Colin had run exactly 60 minutes. She explained that the last few kays were very tiring but she was quite stoked about running and feeling good that she was now back into the sport after a ten year absense. I had also spoken to Tim who had run with Bradley and done about 44 minutes.
As I walked back to the car I saw Aletta and Gaynor finishing. Gaynor appeared to be looking good and Aletta said that this would have been a PB for Gaynor. I greeted Val and Andre Erasmus from our church. They were there to support their 22 year old daughter, Helen who had run a 49 minute 10 kay. It seems that Helen had planned for a sub 40 minute but had suffered with cramps during the run. Helen is another potential Achilles Club member. I saw Margie Saunders and her son getting into their car with a group of young Grey Boys.
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