JANUARY 2011

JANUARY 2011

ALLY AND BARBARA IN BOTSWANA FOR A GALA
MORNING RUNS ALONG THE PORT ELIZABETH PROMENADE
DAD 60TH BIRTHDAY
NIPPERS STARTS AGAIN
START CYCLING AGAIN
BLUEWATER BAY 15KAY RUN
OCEAN SERIES SWIM


Saturday Morning 1.01.2011
We have just switched on with Uncapped DSl for the first time since leaving EP Web where I was paying a lot more for limited access. I then moved to Axxess where I paid less but continually ran out of Gig's. Now it seems that there is no limit and I pay even less.

The weather has been overcast and we have enjoyed quite a bit of rain this past week. There have been a few thunder storms lasting just a few minutes which did not really help but at least the gardens are not as dry and miserable as they were previously.

Barbara and I had a really CHILLED weekend. We watched the last series (eight) of 24. We have enjoyed this series from the start. It becomes quite addictive. We tried a bit of outdoors but nothing really worked. We were all very lazy after all the family had left. Jessica stayed over for most of the weekend keeping Ally company.

I cleaned up the bikes and we had a couple of rides around in Mill Park. Jessica really enjoyed the biking. Barbara and Ally had to pack for their Botswana Trip.

Monday morning: I went down to the beach for my morning run and swim. This has been a huge plus for me. I simply cannot get enough of the run along the promenade and the swim aferwards. We alternated between going East to the Flat Rock along the Boardwalk or West along Kings Beach to the Harbour wall. This week we had Margie and Brian Saunders with Margie's daughter Samantha (From near Dublin) staying over with Colin McCall also joining us. Anne DuRand, Adrienne, Almarie, Adrian, Ron were the backbone of the group.

After the monday morning run I took Barbara and Ally to the airport. They flew out at 10am but only finally arrived at their hotel at Gabarone at around 10pm that evening. Barbara tried to phone me a few times but the cost of phoning is high and she would have to buy a new sim card each time. Adrienne explained that you can use skype to phone overseas. I will have to learn how to do that.

I received this awesome email from Jacqui:
Hi Dad,
I can't believe I let the day go by without getting to the phone to wish you happy birthday. You were, and always are, on my mind constantly. We are missing you so much. Annabell especially is asking after you constantly, and wants to go to 'granddad's park'!

I hope that when I am 60, I am able to be half the person you are. You are always such an inspiration to me. I know that you probably do not feel a day over 20, but you have lived an amazing 40 years over this, and have inspired and changed lives throughout your journey so far. I am so proud to call you my dad. I love you so dearly.
Happy birthday dad.

Of course we miss Jacqui, Michael & the children very much as well. Ce La Vie. I am not sure if there is anything that we could do about it but having Michael close to home and Nicci is not far; we see them regularly during the year helps.

I spent the week working in PE with no traveling. I had to look after Barbara's animals and the house. But I still went for my morning runs as my highlight of the day. It was my 60th Birthday this week. Adrienne and Anne brough muffins and juice to the beach as a celebration. Michael & family came around in the evening.

Ally and Mom are in Botswana for the week between Monday 3rd and Sunday 6th of January. They fly to Johannesburg and then Ally gets onto a bus while Barbara drives with Joshua Bellairs mother Odette and father plus child and one other. It is a whole day affair and after going through the border post they finall arrive at their hotel in Gabarone at around 10 that night. They then have a week of Gala swimming and missing home. When they arrived home on Sunday evening they had been travelling since 06.30 that morning and only arrived home after 9pm. Ally had done particularly well in the Backstroke event but had participated in a number of events where she did okay.
During this week I did little else but go for my morning run and swim and go to work.
Sunday morning we started our first Nippers Practice for the year.

Monday 10th: Barbara and Ally are home. It feels great to have them here. The house was quite empty and lonely with out them. Wednesday I go to Jhb for a one day meeting. Thursday evening we go to a Mexican Restaurant where Charles had taken me the previous week. Ally does not each much as she really does not enjoy the food. Also I think that she had made herself a big bowl of pasta for lunch. Friday morning Michael Dean, Gerald Scheepers and I do our Moffet Cycle. Easy pace and fun.

Saturday 15th: Colin Mcall fetches myself and Ben Carver and we go to Bluewaterbay to run the 15kay. We get there early but don't do any warming up (mistake). This is my very first event that I do as a 60year old. We find a good parking in an abandoned shop parking block. We walk down to the registration where we meet up with Achilles and Crusaders Runners reading themselves for this event.

The race starts at 06.30am; We start just outside the school grounds. Immediately I start to hurt in my left leg calf muscle. It gives me trouble from time to time especially on down hills. I had taken an anti inflamatory before leaving home. I am also out of breath and Ben and Tommy Satchwell head off. I should have warmed up.

I follow at my own pace and soon Michael Botha (MOF) and I are running together. We are basically at the back of the Achilles running group. I determine to enjoy the morning and not to stress about trying to beat anyone. I run without a walk for the first about 8 or 9kays. The route takes us down Tippers Creek and right around the waterfront suburb. Here we are able to see the front runners heading in the opposite direction. I count the runners and finally see Darryl Wight and Bradley Mc Kenzie following in about position 30th. Robin Fourie and Kaashief are just behind them.

Past the first 3kay watering table and then we run along the river front. This is a stunning route and the river looks cool and inviting in the heat of the morning. I wore a cap but had to take it off as I was heating up. It is a case of sunburn on the top of my head or over heating due to the cap. We reach the second water table at the lifesaving club house and then have to do a bit of 4X4 stuff as we slip over the sand that covers the road.

Back into the suburb and we again see some of the front runners as they are now a good number of kilometers ahead of us. Round through the suburb and then back heading across the main road. Now we encouter the 5kay runners. Then at a slight hill I walk for a few minutes. Michael and I are running together still. We run though this newer section of BWB and then start heading in a direction that will take us home. Then the second walk comes with about 5kays to go also on a slight incline.

I get going again and an Achillean girl runs up to me: Adri DuPlessis (Steenkamp) turns out to be a school friend of Ronel Scheepers. I have not met her before and she tells me about her school and subsequent running. She runs steadily and we catch up to Tom Darcy. Michael is with us. We catch Ben who went out a little faster. Then we hit Tippers Creek Hill. I am able to jog up to the 14kay mark and then walk. Tom and Adri pass me. I make an attempt to catch them but give up without much of a fight.

Ben and I run the last kay into the school field together and he times us to have run at 6 minutes a kay = 90 minutes. I am not entirely dissatisfied. Colin follows us into the stadium a few minutes later. We put on a clean shirt and spend a few minutes with the Achilles and Crusaders tents having a cold drink before heading home. Maybe not a hugely memorable race but I have enjoyed myself and am glad to take part in an event again.

Sunday morning Barbara, Ally and I are up early and head down to Hobie Beach. As I woke up I looked out the window and saw a completely calm morning; a great day for a swim. But when we reached Hobie the windsock was stading straight up with a strong westerly. To find a parking at Hobie on an Ocean Series day you have to be there before 08.00am. Ally and I register. It is her first race and my third. Barbara has arranged for a Wetsuit from Orca. It is a struggle to put on these thin wet suites as they fit very closely and are thin and easy to tear. I go for a short swim to get a feel for the temperature. It is certainly not too cold and I decide to not wear my thick wet suite that I wore at the last event.

We stand around waiting for the race to start. All around us are people we know. Ally meets up with Natalie Billson. Ally goes to Collegiate High School next week. Natalie will be one of her first contacts there. The two of them gather around their freinds and wait for the race to start. The 3kay swim starts first and then five minutes later it is our turn. As usual I am right at the back. We swim quite a long way straight out to the first buoy. This is not a difficult section and I see that there are a number of swimmers behind me. A couple of them take a short cut and do not round the buoy.

We now head in a westerly direction towards the "six pack". This is the toughest section that I have done in the three swims that I have done. The wind is in our faces and this creates spashing and waves that have to be experienced to know how tough it makes the swim. The wind had the added effect of pushing me seawards. I was becoming a little despondent and saw a number of swimmers being picked up in the Rubber Duck as well as on the Jet Ski. The West Wind has the added discomfort that as you try to breath the water splashes into your mouth and you swallow sea water.

As I started to approach the Six Pack buoy I looked up to see a school of Dolphins swimming on the shore side of me. They looked huge and fast. I never got close enough to see them under water. This made the whole swim worthwhile and made me determined to reach the buoy ahead of me. I was exhausted and alone. The three kay front group passed me before I even reached the buoy. Finally I felt as if I was making headway and rounded the second Buoy.

From here it is a short swim towards shore to the third buoy. But it was again straight into the wind and I had to make a determined effort to swim as hard as I could as I knew that as soon as I reached this marker it would be a whole lot easier. Now heading back to the Pier the wind was behind me and the splashing of the waves was not nearly as noticeable. Again I had to correct my direction a number of times as I was being pushed out to sea. Even when I thought that I was swimming directly towards the pier I found myself heading seawards again.

Finally I swam past the pier and was able to head directly towards the beach. i breath on my left hand side and could use the buildings along the beach road as markers to guide me in the final stretch. I thought that I was last in the 1kay swimmers but only later on when I saw the results did I realise that there were 11 swimmers behind me. My family was at the finish to greet me. Ally had finished about 20 minutes ahead of me. My time was 47 minutes while Ally finished together with Graham Richards in around 25 minutes. Ally had finished just ahead of Natalie and was placed 2nd in the 13year old category and 42nd overall. There were 4 men in the 60+age category. Colin was second and I was fourth. Ronel Scheepers; 30 min 17th. Natalie Billson 3rd in 29.30. Natalie's two elder sisters; Carmel and Lauren were placed First and Second in 17.30; Margie Saunders 1st in 26.48. Christine Claassen 30.24; Alec Riddle 33.24; Jamie and Cameron Riddle; 34.30; Michael Bester 39.08; There were 190 swimmers in the One Kay swim. Summerstrand present and past Nippers were well represented with Jason and Daniel Jones in the top Ten; Kurt van Staden; Lise-Marie Goosen; Wesley Wiehann; Giovanni Falco all in the top ten finishers. Rogan Scheepers was 2nd 13y in 25.26. Shuaib Abrahams finished 28.24. Claire Breetske finished in 30.28; Wayne Jones completed the 3kay swim ahead of Raynard Tissink in 44 mInutes. Tim Fraser swam 54 minutes; Chris Howes 1.09; Rob Connacher at 76 swam 1.24; and Mike Webb 1.39.

The prize giving took far too long and after this we still had to join the Nippers Training. I took the U14's for a body board and swim practice. The West Wind was really strong at Summerstrand and the waves were dumping. We had to get through the waves and only on the sea side of the swells were we able to swim. We also did a bit of beach sprints. By the time it was around 12.30 we were all pretty Beach Frazzeled. We dropped Ally and Natalie off at the boardwalk. We joined them for a small brakfast at the Dulcies before leaving them to meet up with their friends: Daniel, MC and Tara.

Monday 17th I ran the with Susan Burri. I battled this morning and was very tired when I finished. Ally had two sessions of swimming of 2 hours each.

Tuesday 18th: I had a lie in this morning. I had planned an away trip but was just too tired to consider it. Also too many things both at work and at home happening at home. Joshua starts Junior School at Clarendon this morning. Ally goes to High School at Collegiate for the first time in her school uniform for a short introduction Meeting.

This month Ally decides to join up in Water Polo. She is chosen for the first team U14 and has a tournament scheduled for 11th Febrary.



Saturday 22nd I am up early for a good Beach Run: we do the full distance including Admiralty Way; Then a swim before rushing off to the Westbourne Oval where I took part in the Biathlon. I was expecting to be part of the 60Plus age group. Chris Jansen tells me that the age qulification is only up to 1 September and that I am technically still 59. I run the 1000m in the wet and wind but it is fun and from here I rush down to the office where I have a number of things to complete before rushing off to Newton Park swimpool where we do the swim. Unfortunately I will not be able to take part in the East Cape event in Oudtshoorn as I will be involved in the East Cape Nippers Champs.


Nippers on Sunday keeps us busy.

Monday I head off to East London for business and I stay there for most of the week.

Friday 28th January.

This morning starts with Michael Dean; Gerald Scheepers and I doing our Bicycle ride around the Moffat circuit. I have come to enjoy this short bike ride. Low pressure. Fair distance. tough climb up Target Kloof at the end and then I ride both Mike and Gerald home.

This evening Ally has a commitment to be part of the international swimmers event at Newton Park swim pool. I go to watch a Friendly between Eastern Cape (Southern Kings) and the Blue Bulls. Brenda, Julia and Jessica come along as well. We get there early and have some thing to eat and drink; I order a Bunny Chow for Julia and myself. Half a loaf of bread with the inside scooped out and a chicken Curry stuffing. Really tastey and VERY filling. The Rugby is exciting; Kings score three penalty goals (9 points) before half time. Then in the second half they score two running tries before allowing the Bulls to score a concellation try in the final five minutes of the game.

Jessica finds huge amusement in the chap in front of us who was on his feet dancing and chanting but cannot stay awake in the second half of the game.

Saturday 29th

This morning I have to be at Homleigh farms to assist with Parking Duty for the Achilles Marathon. All goes well and I am able to be in the office reasonably early.

Sunday 30th.

Ally and I swim another Ocean Series One Kay. Barbara manages to hire the wet suite again and Ally has a good swim despite the strong West Wind that blows into our faces from the Pier to the Six Pack. It is the same conditions as two weeks ago. Splashing waves into our faces. Difficult to breath and generally tough swim. I am wiser this time and after turning west at the first buoy I head towards the shore. The wind pushes me out to sea but I keep aiming at the shore line and am not on my own heading out to sea. I find that I have some other swimmers to my right.

Once we turn towards the shore at the second Buoy it is not too long before we head back home. This is the best part of the swim but again I am pushed outwards. Paddy Cloete is assisting a man to his first attempt. He had bailed last time at the first Buoy and had wanted to do so again today. Paddy had helped him and they passed me in the final stretch. I seem to swim outwards and I think that it is a fear of getting too close to the Pier.

Ally swims at around 25 minutes and 3rd U14 girl while I am 20 minutes slower at 47 minutes. 4 OLD man on the beach. It was a really tough swim again but we both felt good afterwards. Michael brought his family down to the beach and Jessica and Joshua took part in the One Kay beach run. Julia did the 5 kay walk. A sporting weekend for us as Ally and I went off to Nippers for the rest of the day. After Nippers we chose the teams for the East Cape Champs of Next wekend after which a group of us loaded the trailer.

This evening; Sunday 31st was the first time that I have left a Church Service due to total boredom and poor message. I normally enjoy the Sunday evenings but this evening there were a couple of speakers about their own mission work and it was much more "coffee table" talk than Sermon Material.

Monday 31st. I go to our Cell Group in the evening. It is good to see the group again after a long break. We decide that we have now completed our "purpose Driven Life".

Busy lives we live. Full of activity. Lots of fun.

Peter Giddy
1.02.2011