TREMAINE; GRAHAM AND PETER SWAP RUNNING STORIES
BLUEWATERBAY 15 KM ROAD RACE 2012
I love running. And I love road races as well. I enjoy the training but a race has a special place for me. There is something about being in the group; the build up and the people who take part in road running in Port Elizabeth - A special group of men and women.
I could not find a partner to drive to the start with me so I was up early and had my Oats. A while back I did not eat before a trail run that I did with Andre and felt very poorly and low during the event. Now I try to remember to eat some oats before taking part in an event.
I parked in the same place as Ben and I had done last year and entered the run. It is now R35 to run just 15kays. It seems very expensive. Over two Rand a Kay.
At Registration I met up with Nina who was part of the organising team. I also saw Lynette who works with me. She is laid off for a while with Stress and it is good to see that she is getting some excersize walking the 5kay event. I am sure that the running and general outdoors excersize has been one of my Prozak's over the past years of stressful working environments.
NINA HAS HER CAP AND SUNGLASSES ON BUT YOU CAN STILL SEE THIS IS A REALLY GOOD LOOKING YOUNG LADY.
I put on the number and my old vest which I know will cause some comment but I simply have no reason to purchase a new vest which will be used for running only. It is not exactly as though I am going to the theatre with the scrappy old running vest. When I am running I have no idea what I am wearing; only if it is cool and allows me to move easily. This vest has streched and has a couple of additional breathing holes for added ventilation.
We line up at the start: now I see the Achilleans who I love so much. Bob, Tommy, Roger, Garreth, Bruce and Paulette, Gail, Leslie, Keith, Kenny, Tremaine, Graham, Graham, Gerald, Sidzumo, Andrew, Andrew, Wayne, Michael; Others? Also Andrew Jonas; Keith Harris; Derrick Hoshe; Warren Collier; Paul Johnson: Marie Louise
SIDZUMO LOVES TO FOOL AROUND BUT WATCH OUT WHEN HE IS RUNNING. DYNAMITE!
Off we go. The race starts as 06.30. I am feeling good.
I enjoy a slight downhill or flat start as this gives me time to settle my breathing and warm up a bit. I forgot to bring a cap and can feel the heat of the early morning sun. Around the School we run and out down towards the River. Down Tippers Creek and right into the suburb. Eckard Schoeman passes me. We run around the river front suburb and then back the way we came. As the front runners pass us going back they are already over a KM ahead of us and flying. The first White face is at least 20th in the running. We have a couple of Achilleans who are up in the front group.
We pass the first Watering point at 3km. And now back along the river front road. I see Peter and Odette on a balcony above us and give them a bit of a wave. Under the bridge and up towards the Bluewaterbay lifesaving clubhouse. As we turned East we could feel the cooling effect of the east breeze. This was in our favour as we went through the DA watering table at 6km. There is always a bit of sand on the road here and the runners tend to avoid this.
We run back into the suburb of BWB and left around a circle. Again we see the front runners anead of us. I greet Garreth and Andrew who I met for the first time today. There is this chap from Old Selbournians East London who I see at races (I think his name is Mark) who commented earlier that he has never run the whole race. I think that this comment sunk in as I determined that I would not walk today. This was a good decision and I passed him at this stage. He is planning to run 30 comrades and 2 oceans'.
KENNY AND CATHY. KENNY SAYS THAT IT WOULD BE A REAL INSULT IF I HAD TO BE IN FRONT OF HIM. WATCH OUT KEN. THAT IS TOO MUCH OF A CHALLENGE. CATHY DID PASS ME ON THE RUN. HAD A GOOD FINISH TODAY.
I press on and now some of the faster 5 km runners pass us. I chat to various people along the route and soon I see that we have passed the 8km marker and are "on the way home". In the suburb of Bluewaterbay and Bluewaterbeach there are a couple of bumps. Cathy passes me and I tell her to stop showing off. A strong athlete this Cathy. I cannot really call them hills as they are too small but they tempt the runner to walk. I resisted the temptation and jogged on. On the horizon over the ocean we could see around 5 cargo liners anchored in the bay. This is good for Port Elizabeth as it brings in revenue and employment to the city. At the Coega harbour I now regularyly see ships parked to load and off load their cargo. In the main PE harbour thousands of cars are brought in and out of PE almost daily.
ANDREW WAS STRONG TODAY. FINISHED 15 MINUTES AHEAD OF ME AND STILL CAME TO FETCH ME.
We make our way back towards the clubhouse. I come across a man stretched out on the roadside. Looks like the heat got to him. A couple of neighbours are taking care of him with water. An official vehicle stops to check up on him. I carry on. We pass the DA watering station again. There is an announcer man telling us that their table is the best. That the DA is the best. I am again tempted to walk as I take a drink. Then down to the river again where a man from Despatch jumps into the river for a swim and then runs past me to catch his running mates. It seems a long way from the bridge to where we have to run up Tippers again.
Finally we reach the steep Tippers Creek Hill. Now more than ever I am determined to NOT walk. I walked last year. But today I look down at the road. Not once do I look up to see where we are. And I manage a miserable shuffle but not a walk. Up and up. Over the top of the hill, turn right and there is Andrew coming back to fetch me. He has run around 15 minutes faster than I have. We run in together. All along I have been aware of Bob and Tremaine behind me. I knew that if I had shown the slightest sign of weakness they would have charged past me.
TREMAINE AND I FINISHED TOGETHER IN JUST UNDER 90 MINUTES.
Last year I battled to catch Ben as we ran onto the school field. This morning it was Tremaine who was trying to catch me. I managed to run a reasonable pace over the final 100 meters: Tremaine and I crossed the line together.
I see Nina again at the finish. She is assisting the 5km event. We have a cold drink and make our way over to the Achilles Trailer. Here the gang is analyzing the run, talking about past runs and planning future runs. That is what runners do. Just as Golfers are able to tell you about every shot that they had, so can a runner give you a report on each kay, injury, running partner, and any other possible detail they can think up.
TREMAINE AND BOB SHARE A STORY. BOB HAS THAT HANG DOG LOOK SITTING ON THE TRUCK AFTER A TIRING 15 KM RUN.
Finally it was time for me to go. I had a stunning morning both on the road and chatting to the Achillean group after the event. Good to be back at a race.
BRUCE AND PAULETTE WHO PUT THE TRAILER AND BEVERAGES TOGETHER EACH EVENT. THANKS TO BOTH OF YOU. YOU KEEP THE SPIRIT OF ACHILLES STRONG. THEY LIKE TO BATH AFTER THE EVENT AND I CAUGHT THEM IN THE ACT HERE.
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