SEPTEMBER 2014; HOCKEY AT PEARSON; NICKY BUYS A NEW CAR; CAPE TOWN MARATHON; ALLY -- PREFECT WEEKEND;

SUNDAY EVENING.
The music group leads with a song which I find rings true:
There may be pain in the night but joy comes in the morning

Lyrics:
Nothing can separate
Even if I ran away
Your love never fails

I know I still make mistakes
But You have new mercies for me everyday
Your love never fails

Chorus:
You stay the same through the ages
Your love never changes
There may be pain in the night but joy comes in the morning

And when the oceans rage
I don't have to be afraid
Because I know that You love me
Your love never fails

Verse 2:
The wind is strong and the water's deep
But I'm not alone here in these open seas
Cause Your love never fails

The chasm is far too wide
I never thought I'd reach the other side
But Your love never fails

Bridge:
You make all things work together for my good



SEPTEMBER 2014
PEARSON FIRST TEAM HOCKEY VS PARENTS TEAM ON SUNDAY EVENING AND SUPPER AFTERWARDS.
TRAINING FOR CAPE TOWN MARATHON GOING WELL
NEW SHOES -- AISICS CUMULUS FROM BRIAN BANDS.
PEARSON 5K FUN RUN WITH DANIEL. JOSH AND JESSICA.
VISIT TO GARDEN ROUTE AND ENA. MEET JULIA THERE.


 PARENTS SIDE AT THE PEARSON FIRST TEAM VS PARENTS GAME

PEARSON FIRST TEAM ON SUNDAY EVENING PLAY THE PARENTS TEAM. 

 PARENTS AND PEARSON TEAMS MEET FOR A GAME ON THE LAST DAY OF AUGUST 2014

THREE MATRIC GIRLS IN THE 2014 HOCKEY TEAM; CAPTAIN ALLISON; LUZANNE WHO WAS OFTEN CALLED UP DUE TO HER STRONG HIT AND ANJA THE GOAL KEEPER WHO ALWAYS HAD SOMETHING POSITIVE TO SAY ABOUT ALLY. 

 THE TEAM HAD A SPECIAL GIFT FOR THEIR MATRIC GIRLS AND THE COACHES.

I am at home this week so run Monday and Tuesday morning. Stuart is injured with chin splints so he has to pull out of the Cape Town marathon. In his place we now have Sizinso Kama coming with us to CT.

I give Wednesday running a miss for a day of rest and then run 15k Moffet on Thursday morning with Liesl, Andrea and Janine.
Friday 5th. I start the morning with a solitary morning Parkrun with my headlamp. The mornings are still dark until about 6 or 6.15. Running on the beach is so amazing this morning.
Friday afternoon; Pearson is having a fun run as a fundraiser. Ally enters our family and Lene's family. We collect the boys and Jessica and make it to the school just in time for the start at 5pm.  I jog on to catch the group and find Daniel by my side. He runs the first K with me. There is a bit of uphill and he manages to keep up. We reach the top of the school and there is a One K marker.. Daniel exclaims "Grandad, Only One kay to go" until he reads the rest of the board which says "Well done. You have run your first kay and only four to go".
We run on together.. Mainly passing other boys and girls who charged off and who are now tiring. Daniel has a continuous chatter to keep us on the go. There is a strong west wind and heading into the wind and up hill has not been easy .... But now we are past half way and are mainly with the wind and downhill. Easy and fun at this stage.
We reach the final 500m and Daniel takes off and beats me into the finish. He is so proud of himself that he is first of the family to finish. Ally, Josh and Jessica have dogs with them. Barbara to my surprise completes the full five kay walking and jogging. There is a Luck Draw at the end and Paddy Hodgson wins the R1000 first prize.



 SATURDAY MORNING RUN WITH VIV; ELMARIE AND NEIL.
CORNER OF STRANDFONTEIN AND LA ROCHE.. THERE IS A NEW HOUSING COMPLEX BEING BUILT OPPOSITE THE OLD RUGBY STADIUM

 VIV; ELMARIE AND NEIL ON THE RUN.

TRACEY COCKCOFT MET ME FOR THE LAST FIVE KAY OF THE MORNING RUN.

Saturday 5th morning. I am happy to see that I will have company on the run this morning with Elmarie; Viv and Neil running up Walmer Boulevard and past the airport with me. At second ave I  leave them to continue to Admiralty to make up the full 15k and then on my way home I meet Tracey Cockroft and run the 5k parkrun with her to make a full 20k run. I am happy that I have again managed a week of 60k this week for the third week in a row.
Parkrun is now officially under Werner and Tamryn. I meet up with some of Nicky's friends at the parkrun. Carla; Monique and Christie. We have over 300 runners at today\s run. It is a glorious day with little wind.

FRIENDS OF NICKY -- CARLA; MONIQUE AND CHRISTIE

BEACH FRONT MORNING RUNS

 NEW RUNNING SHOES FROM BRIAN BANDS. AISICS CUMULUS

 AISICS MAKE A COLOURFUL SHOE

 WE CAME ACROSS THIS MOTOR ACCIDENT WHICH WAS CAUSED AS WE UNDERSTAND IT BY A GIRL FALLING ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL.

 SECOND CAR WHICH WE THINK WAS THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT.

 STRANDFONTEIN ROAD ON SATURDAY MORNING.

 ELMARIE; NEIL AND VIV CHECK THE DAMAGED CARS OUT.

THE REAR AXEL AND WHEELS WERE COMPLETELY STRIPPED FROM THE POLICE VAN..

WE HEAR THAT THE POLICEMEN WERE INJURED.

Sunday 7th is a relaxed day at home. Ally has a club Hockey Match in the afternoon and I have church duty.
Monday morning I drive to Oudtshoorn where I work for the day and then drive to Plett to see Ena. Julia is there and leaving for Cape Town the following morning. I do the same then following day. This driving up and down is exhausting especially as I have about 100k in the dark with rain.
Wednesday morning I meet up with Margaret at the bank and sort out some banking stuff for Ena.
Wednesday evening we go to see Puss In Boots in support of one of our Wednesday Cell Group members child who is in the show. I can now say that I, not only know who Puss in Boots is, But I also have an inside track on how this cat came to own boots and how the cat has the ability to speak.

Thursday Morning -- I have my first run of the week. Still feeling good for the Marathon next week. Nicky had a fall in the shower, hurt her foot and is now considering doing the 10k. But we are now all looking forward and planning for the Meiringspoort which is in a month;s time.

Friday 12th: An interesting day: Joshua does well at his athletics day for Clarendon at the Westbourne Oval. Jacqui does all kinds of art work for her school. Ally is chosen to be a Prefect at Pearson High in 2015. This is a first for the Giddy Family as none of us has made Prefect before. I start my day with a Parkrun and swim.

This evening Ally is at a party at the Lifesaving club and then goes to the Pearson Dance with Jessica.

Saturday Morning -- Running at the beach front with our group: Pat and Gerald; Neil; Liesl with friend Lucas; Adrienne; Elmarie; Bev; Annie. We run towards Admiralty and up to Kock st and then along Strandfontein to the Airport and back. A good 16k run which will be my last longer run before the marathon next Sunday.
We have another successful parkrun with over 400 runners.

WE ARE SO PROUD OF ALLY WHO WAS ASKED TO BE A PREFECT FOR HER MATRIC YEAR AT PEARSON 2015

SATURDAY MORNING RUN WITH LIESL; NEIL AND ELMARIE

; UP ADMIRALTY TO THE AIRPORT AND BACK MAKES A SOLID 16K.

ELMARIE IS AT HER BEST WITH NEIL

WITH LONG LEGS LIKE THIS IT IS NO SURPRISE THAT NEIL IS SUCH A GOOD RUNNER. 

A good parkrun with over 400runners on a beautiful morning. Roz will move to Cape Town at the end of \October and has handed Parkrun over to Werner and Tamryn who are already doing an amazing job.  Today Gus Fergusson has volunteered 50 times.

WEDNESDAY EVENING WE ALL GO TO WATCH PUSS IN BOOTS AT THE LITTLE THEATER. 

MICHAEL IN HAPPY DAYS IN HIS STEPPING OUT DUDS. I THINK THAT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN HIS MATRIC DANCE?

FRIDAY MORNING; WE OFTEN DO OUR PARKRUN ON FRIDAY MORNING FOR THE VOLUNTEERS. THIS MORNING WE ARE MET BY CATHERINE SWEETNAM; LIESL; ADRIENNE. I HAVE A SWIM.  

MAYBE I SHOULD BUY ANOTHER COSSIE. BUT I REALLY CANNOT SEE ANY REASON TO DO SO. 

JACQUI IS IN ISRAEL WITH HER BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN WHERE SHE MAKES PLAY AREAS FOR THEM. 

JACQUI IS SO TALENTED. 

RIA AT THE LITTLE THEATER IN BIRD STREET. THIS THEATER IS SO SMART AFTER A MAJOR FACELIFT. 

JOSH WINS HIS EVENT AT THE WESTBOURNE OVAL AND SEEMS TO TAKE A LOT OF PLEASURE AS HE RAISES HIS HANDS IN MODEST VICTORY.

Tuesday 16th. I am trying to rest but decided that a 5k walk and run with Gerald is better for me. This morning there is a huge group of runners and walkers. My legs are feeling tired but I am trusting that what I have done in the form of training is going to be what is required for a marathon..

We leave for Cape Town on Thursday afternoon 18th; Stay over in Plett with Sizinzo.
Friday morning drive to CT and register.
Saturday Morning visit Nicky and spend the day relaxing
Sunday 21st is the Marathon.
I meet up with Sizinzo and Hubert. And Lorna who recognised me from the PE running days (Friend of Malcolm Figg)
We started in the front of the field.
10km in 56 minutes and 21 in 2.02. Much too fast. Suffered later on in the race especially after 24k with the hills.
Please remind me to NOT attempt a 42k again. 21 is much more my bundle.

Monday morning Back to PE; dropped off Sizinzo and fetched Ally who had been on a Matric Prefects weekend in Kirkwood.
Tuesday 23rd: still on some annual leave so spend the day with a list of "to do's". From cleaning up the yard and pool to buying Ally a learners licence book and fixing the tyres on the bakkie. Took my car in for service. Dumped some rubbish, Filled water bottles; bought Gas; Collected my Flash drive from Post Net where I had left it last week.
Wednesday 24th. Heritage day. Also known as Braai Day. Ran the Monday Morning route 10k -- started with Adrienne and Annie but as they were not feeling on top form and it was raining they pulled out. Graham; Bev and I ran the full distance.
Most of Wednesday it was raining solidly and we were indoors. Barbara and I visit Delene and Matthew for tea.

The following weekend it is my turn to organise the Parkrun. There is a fair turn out of around 130 runners while the Grahamstown Parkrun is starting its very first run with Adrienne; Werner; Ros assisting them to a successful start.

Tuesday 30th I have to be in George and Mossel Bay for work and return on Thursday 2nd. I stay over at Ena -- she is recovering strongly and looks like she should be up and about fairly shortly.

Meanwhile Nicky has bought a Kia car

OUDTSHOORN

BLAKE ON THE RUN

JACQUI IS FAST BECOMING AN EXPERT IN THIS ART FORM

NICKY NEW KIA

NICKY IN DAD'D  OLD JACKET

BEACHFRONT RUNNING GROUP

CAPE TOWN MARATHON 2014 WITH PETER GIDDY AND SIZINZO KAMA

CAPE TOWN MARATHON WEEKEND 18TH TO 21ST SEPTEMBER 2014

PETER AT THE 12KM WITH TABLE MOUNTAIN IN THE BACKGROUND. STILL FEELING GOOD.

 AT THE DUNES RESTAURANT IN HOUT BAY WITH CHRISTIAN; AARON; ZARA AND MIA AS WELL AS MADRI'S CHILD

 AT CATHY'S HOUSE RELAXING ON THE COUCHES

CAPE TOWN MARATHON 2014

My entry for the Cape Town marathon started in July 2014 when Nicky phoned me to say that she was keen to run a Marathon. We looked up the CT marathon and decided to enter.
I knew that this was going to be a huge step for me as I have not run a 42k road race for many years. I have done Trail runs but these are normally much more survival events with lots of time to finish and generous cut off times.
Marathons in South Africa are quite tough with the cut off times being in sync with the Two Oceans and Comrades marathon qualifying times. When I started running in the 1980's the qualifying cut off for Two Oceans was 4;15 and that is what we would aim for as a maximum for a 42k. In later years the cut off time

BARBARA HAVING FUN WITH CHILDREN.

RELAXED AT CATHY'S HOUSE.

SIZINZO AND PETER AT REGISTRATION

for a Two Oceans and Comrades qualifier was extended to 5 hours. This remains a fairly tough goal for many runners but is necessary to ensure that participants are reasonably fit before taking part in a tough ultra marathon.
We learned that the Cut Off time for CT marathon is either 6.30 or 8 hours. Not sure which is correct as the website differs. And so this seemed like the best option for Nicky and myself to try our first marathon together.

Back home I entered the event and talking to some of my fellow runners in Port Elizabeth, John Nelson and Stuart Brown (both strong and accomplished athletes and marathon runners) agreed to accompany me to Cape Town. We started our training by upping the weekly distance that we run from around 20 or 30kays a week to between 60 and 70km per week. This is not easy for men who have busy family and business commitments.
Our group runs are around 10k in the mornings Monday to Thursday and then on a Saturday we generally try to up this to 15 or 20k. But the problem is to get to all of these runs through the winter and to avoid injury at the same time.
In August John decided that his personal life was just too busy to the CT marathon in and pulled out. Meanwhile Nicky was going through some big changes to her life in CT and her training took a major downturn. Nicky spoke about this later explaining that not having a routine threw her off balance and she was not able to commit to the kind of training that is required for a full marathon event. Especially as this would have been her first.
Finally Stuart also pulled out due to developing shin splints and so I would now be on my own for the event. Barbara had meanwhile also decided to close her playschool and so would be able to travel to Cape Town with me. And Ally agreed that a visit to her CT family would also be appropriate.
Ally was elected to be a Prefect for her matric year in 2015 at Pearson and would be going on a Prefects Camp on the Thursday that we would be leaving for Cape Town so she too was out of the equation.
At this time Paulette McEwan from Achilles sent out a notice asking if anyone would be able to assist a fellow Achillean with a lift to Cape Town for the run. I agreed and this is how it came about that Sizinzo would be with us for the drive.

My training had gone well. I had three consecutive weeks of over 60ks including some 20k Saturday mornings and a 24k trail run at Woodridge and had no colds or flu and no Injuries to talk about. My knees were more or less holding up and my calves would ache early on in training runs but seemed to improve as they warmed up.
I was fortunate to have some real stalwarts training with me especially on Saturday Mornings where Adrienne; Annie; Pat; Viv; Neil; Bev; Andrea, Liesl and people like this would be there to support me even though they had no plans for a long distance event.
The Mill Park Running Group runs were well supported by both the Slower (includes me) runners and the Faster group so we are always assured of  a solid group during the week. Also there were a number of MPRG who were training for the tough Baviaanskloof event.

I took a few days of leave for this event. We left on Thursday afternoon 18th of September. Sizinzo calls himself an Early Bird and was at our home by 1pm. We had a bit of lunch and left shortly after 3pm. We drove into an almost gale force westerly and by the time we reached the Tsitsikamma area we were driving in a storm of lashing rain and hail. We arrive in Plettenberg bay at about 6pm and stayed over at my Mother (Ena) who has not been well for the past few months. She has an assistant (nurse); Violet, who made us a Pasta Supper which went down well.

Friday morning we had to make a stop at Mossel Bay for business and left there shortly after 12pm. Again we were into this really strong West wind including hail and stormy rains. A stop in Riversdale for a bit of a take away lunch of Curry Bunny and Chips.

SIZINZO AND PETER AT REGISTRATION AT CAPE TOWN MARATHON. 

Finally we arrived in Cape Town around 4pm and with a bit of luck found the place to register. As we had been driving I had found my "letter of confirmation"and had asked Sizinzo if he had his letter. It was around this time that I realised that he had not entered this "pre entry only"event. I was shocked but we were there so there was not much that I could now do to help him. It seems that Sizinzo won the SA over 60 age group runners for a 42k marathon in 2013 and was wanting to defend his title.

We made our way into the registration area and I found my Number. Barbara asked if she could collect Nicky's number and they were most accommodating. But Sizinzo was told that entries were closed. We knew this but he had asked anyway. We then asked if we could do a substitution and again the officials were amazingly accommodating. Well done to them! What a pleasure to deal with officials who were there, not so much to uphold the rules but more as support for runners.
I by realised that I had left my RaceTech timing chip on my shoes at home and so would have to Pay R120 for a new chip. I have done this so many times before; at both Comrades and at Two Oceans. I could not believe that I had again been so Doff!


But the upshot of the whole registration thing was that Both Sizinso and I walked away having registered and with our "Goody Bags"and race shirts.
We dropped Sizinzo off at the taxi rank so that he could find his friend where he would stay for the weekend.
We then made our way to Cathy and Saul where we had a Braai and early night
Saturday morning -- we make our way to Penhill where we meet up with Nicky and her family. We also visit a house for sale and then have a braai at Cathy later that afternoon with Nicky; Werner and children.

SIZINZO AND HUBERT AT THE START OF THE EVENT.

PETER AND SIZINZO AT THE START OF THE RUN

Sunday Morning 21/9/2014
The race starts at 7;30 but as I am not sure of parking I leave just after 6am. There is also a 10k Peace Run this morning from the same venue.
I find parking at the same place where we had registered on Friday. I feel it is worth the R30 to have some security for the car. I heard later that the Urban Run in PE was a lot of fun but the Cookes had returned to their car to find all their kit stolen.
I walk to the stadium where the race is due to start and then wander around to see if I can see Sizinzo. He is there with his friend Hubert who lives in CT but remembers me from the days when I would be at the races in PE as a regular thing.


We make our way to the front of the field so that Sizinzo can have a reasonable start. I look out for Margie Saunders but dont see her. I meet up with Lorna, a person who used to run with Malcolm Figg and myself. She reminds me of those training runs that we did. She was also with the University in PE at that time.


The race gets under way. The announcer says that there are 4500 runners this morning. I jog on at what I feel is a relaxed pace. We head through the city and out past the Fort and past the Hockey and Circus stadium where Ally had been playing earlier this year.

I WAS AT 10K IN UNDER AN HOUR. FAR TOO FAST WHICH I WOULD REGRET LATER

AT ABOUT 24K THE CLIMBS BEGIN WITH THE FIRST HEADING UP TO DISTRIC 6.

At the 10k I am feeling totally relaxed but hear someone calling out 56minutes. Too fast for me! I should not have gone out at less than about 7 minutes a kay. But still feeling good and we do a couple of loops. I hear me name being called -- It is Bev Mc Donald. Steve is also running this event and will soon catch me.

21K AND FEELING GREAT. BUT TOO FAST AT 2.02 I WOULD SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES LATER

AT 21KM IN 2.02 I WAS FEELING GOOD BUT NEEDED TO SLOW DOWN IF I WAS TO FINISH THIS EVENT.

Still going strong and before I know it we are at the 21k mark and it is now 2;02. Definitely too fast. And then at 24k the hills started. First up to District 6 and then two long climbs up through the city. Steve Mc Donald passed me. We ran past Nicky's flat in what I thought was Queen Victoria park but I see is called Government gardens. At this time I had a bit of a sit down and a bit of a recovery. Shortly after that we passed the 30k mark. At the 32k I was able to buy a Red Bull and give myself a bit of a boost (even if only psychological). I found a Sub5 hour group and managed to stick with them for most of the last 8 or 9kays which I walked / ran in 90minutes.

STEPS AT ABOUT 33KM. I WOULD TAKE AROUND 90MINS FOR THE NEXT 9K

The route takes the runners back to the stadium and then along the main Sea Point road all the way down to the 35k mark where you head down to the main promenade still going towards Sea Point. The last 5kays is on a cobbled stone walk way back to the stadium. On another day the run with the ocean on your left would have been wonderful. But today all I could think of was the end.

Finally came into the stadium at 12;30 which was a 5 hour finish.
I had become confused with the times and marker boards towards the end and was totally in Survival mode. However when I finally finished the event my legs seemed to recover fairly quickly and I was able to walk to the car.

FINISHED. MISERABLE SELFIE

I later heard that Patrick and Thomas had been on the side of the road at about the 10k but had not seen them. Sizinzo finished 7th Grandmaster in about 2.23 and Margie was second in about 2.22. She told me that the first lady had passed her in the final few kays.

Barbara and the families were at Hout Bay and I drove through there and had a fish and chips lunch at a restaurant called Dunes where the tables are in the sand and it is perfect for children who have plenty of safe areas to play.
Spent the rest of the afternoon at Cathy recovering.
Monday morning; collect Sizinzo and drive back home.
Margie tells me that she finished in 2;23 and was Second. Sizinzo was about the same time but finished 7th in their Grandmaster Age Group.

STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE. THEN NEXT MORNING AT ABOUT 3AM WERNER HAD TO FLAG DOWN A TRAIN USING THE LIGHT OF HIS CELL PHONE

 THE CADDY IS STUCK DEEP IN THE MUD

HERE THERE IS NOTHING TO SEE AND NO ELECTRICITY AND NO PEOPLE.
Nicky relates her tale of the event where they were stuck in the mud and pouring rain at an event which was part of a Rovos Rail trip for some wealthy people. It is an amazing story of how Werner was to do the sound but the Caddy got stuck in the mud, they transferred the equipment to a truck and trailer which took them to the tent on the rail siding. There was nobody there but eventually someone arrives with a whole trailer of tables and chairs. These have to be set up and built. They are all in terrible condition and Nicky has to paint the tables with white paint in the pouring rain and howling wind.
Then they have to set out the tables as the rain pours down through the tent. Finally the passengers arrive on the train and the guests arrive and they have a fun time. Then all the organising people left while the only vehicle that was still there had a number of flat tyres.
Finally in the early morning (3am) a train comes past and Werner flags it down. Everyone climbs in the train which takes them again to the middle of nowhere. A farmer allows them to sleep in the shed on potato sacks.
Next morning he helps them pull their vehicles out of the mud and repairs their tyres and finally they are able to drive to Riebeek where John lives.
I have given the short version but this is a tale worth telling.

THEY MADE A BED OF POTATO BAGS IN THE SHED. THIS WAS THE BEST OPTION IN A NIGHT OF DISASTER, HOWLING WINDS; POURING RAIN; A TRAIN TRIP AND A NIGHTMARE OF AN EVENT IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE.