ACHILLES TEAM OF RUNNERS AND SUPPORTERS
TOMMY SATCHWELL & PETER GIDDY
SATURDAY 24TH MARCH 2012
KENNY PASSES AN INSULTING REMARK: "I am surprised to see you here Peter. There is not a 5km run today"; BOB IS AS STRONG AS EVER; GRAHAM DOES NOT LET AGE SLOW HIM DOWN; PETER P IS A REAL ATHLETE.
I had run the Seaview training run on Wednesday and so there were no takers from our running group to join me this morning for a run to Jeffreys Bay. Tommy Satchwell has not run this event before and was keen to give it a go.
We arranged to meet at 5am at my house. As expected Tommy was on time and we left promptly at Five. It had rained the whole night. Thunder and lightning had made for a fitful sleep. I had woken up earlier than was neccessary and made some coffee for the road. Since a bad experience last year I now make myself a plate of porrige before any event.
BRIAN JAMES MAKING A COMEBACK; TOMMY FIRST TIME AT KOUGA KUS; PETER AND PERCY
The drive to Jeffreys was dark and wet. I am always amazed at the way that some drivers take chances in torrential rain and almost no visibility. The pools of water on the road make for dangerous conditions and accidents are just waiting to happen. Tommy and I drove at an easy pace and made it to J-Bay before Bruce and Paulette. They had a car load of passengers: Geoff; Graham Nel; Percy taking up the back seat.
JOHN KOTZE CAME TO THE RUN WITH SEAN. JOHN JUST DOES NOT SLOW DOWN. SEEMS LIKE HE GETS FASTER EACH YEAR.
Bruce has this tarpaulin at the back of the van (donated by Graham I hear) that we used to keep ourselves warm and dry for the ride to Humansdorp. In the back of the van was Tommy; Anche; Robin; Brian and myself. I later learned that Paulette had given up her run to do the driving. The way that we did it with the tarpaulin over us we had a warm and dry ride.
We walked down to the Registration area and I signed in for Tommy and myself. He had filled in a form in advance so it was easy to register. At this stage the rain had eased back a bit and we waited for the start of the race in relative dry. A good group of Achilleans; Charlo; Crusaders; and other clubs were represented there. I did not get a sense of less than normal numbers in this event. Tommy had pointed out that the Lake Farm race numbers were down due to the rain last weekend.
The race started at 7am. Through the village of Humansdorp and out down on the old main road to Humansdorp. Tommy has a Garmin that measures his times and distances. Overall he was doing approximately 5.05minutes a kay. I had met up with Geoff and Liesl and we ran to around 10km together. Up to this stage we were at an average pace of 5.40min/kay. Geoff was measuring the times at each km marker. The route is undulating and at no stage are you able to let up the pace.
GEOFF AND LIESL SET A STRONG PACE. I AM ABLE TO STICK WITH THEM TO 10KM AND THEN FIRST LIESL AND THEN WHEN GRAHAM COMES CHARGING PAST HE ALSO DROPPS ME.
I had determined to not walk at all this morning. Geoff and I passed a novice runner: Dee-Anne. She was running well for a first half marathon. Says that she has now (after children) decided to get fit again. Graham Channon came charging past us. I am sure that he had seen these three Achilles shirts ahead and decided to sneak up behind us and then run on without so much of a "good morning". Earlier on we had seen Bob ahead. Bob seems to be quite fit and fast at the moment. Retirement is good for him.
After the 10kay I was left behind by both Geoff and Liesl. I kind of pressed on. There is a bit of a long pull up from the 10km to the Shopping center and circle. We are now at around 13km and going strong. It is still uphill and we are having to work all the way. I probably lost a few minutes between the 9 to the 13km. I have been trying to keep up the pace but see that those around me have steadily pulled ahead of me. At the start of the residential suburbs it is now 15km into the race. Now we can see the ocean and the bay ahead of us. There is a brisk east head wind. The rain has all but stopped but there are puddles everywhere. Two kays to the bottom of the hill.
AT FIFTEEN KAYS YOU ARE AT THE TOP OF THE VILLAGE. FROM HERE YOU CAN SEE ACROSS THE LAGOON AND THE BAY. FROM HERE THERE ARE TWO KAYS OF STEEP DOWNHILL WHICH TEND TO DO DAMAGE TO KNEES.
Cathy and .... pass me. I take their pictures but stupidly delete when I open my phone next. As we run the final 4km we have to run through all these road puddles. This section of road is in particularly poor condition. We cannot move into the road to avoid puddles as there is a fair amount of traffic going up and down this main throughfare. The last 4kays is mainly a slight up hill and we have to work hard at a determined pace to avoid losing time.
CHECK OUT THIS STUNNING GROUP OF ACHILLEAN GIRLS. ALL FAST, ATHLETIC AND GOOD LOOKING EVEN WITHOUT LIPSTICK AND HAIRDO'S.
19kay marker board. This is a tough event. Long stretches with little respite. I run on. Left turn. 20km board. Straight and then another left turn. Finally we are on the home stretch. Another bump makes you work again. And then we are into the finish area.
KEN AND I ENJOY A COOL DRINK AT THE END OF THE RUN
I see Graham and Bob doing their "Warm Down". I am not sure what a warm down is as my only thought when I get to the finish is that I am finished. Tommy wanted to complete 100km of training this week and had an extra 5kay to do when he finished the 21. Tommy did his best time at 1:48 for a 21km. He is in training for both Oceans 56 and his second Comrades. This year it is a down comrades. Just as todays event is supposed to be down hill Comrades down run has an equal number of uphills compared to the Up Run.
ACHILLES TRAILER AND TENT. BRUCE AND PAULETTE SET UP THE TENT AND BRING OUT THE CHAIRS. COFFEE AND RUSKS ARE WELCOME AFTER THE RUN.
There are a whole bunch of Achilleans who have done this event and who are hovering around the trailer. Bruce manages to get changed and look like he is on his way to a wedding. He arranges the chairs and the Gazebo and soon there is coffee being poured for the weary runners. Tommy and I leave after a coffee and rusk. Tommy is keen for a Burger. I am on a "no meat" diet for Lent but he manages to arrange a Vegetarian Burger at the Steers. I pay a quick visit to our J-bay shop. They are all excited to see me as they had passed me on their way to work from Humansdorp.
TOMMY AT THE FINISH OF THE KOUGA KUS 21KM. HE POINTS OUT THAT DRAFT BEER IS JUST R16 WHILE THE PRICE AT A BREWERY IN PE IS R28. SHARP EYES THIS MAN HAS.
Tommy and I ride back in the rain. In PE it is still thunder and lightning. There is a Rugby festival at Grey. Michael wants to go but the rain puts a damper on everything.
The children have a Playstation and sit playing a game.
DANIEL; JESSICA AND JOSHUA HARD AT WORK BATTLING THE STAR WARS ON THEIR PLAYSTATION
Barbara buys the Weekend Post and brings herself up to date with the latest news.
BARBARA AT HOME READING THE WEEKEND POST WHILE WE LISTEN TO THE SOUND OF THE RAIN AND THUNDER OUTSIDE
I have a business target to make and receive reports from managers to say that we have made our targets.
The rain stops for a while and we are able to watch rugby at Grey where Grey beats SACS.
This has been a good Saturday. The overnight torrential rain and the day of thunder and lightning did not spoil the activities of the day at all as we were able to spend most of the day outdoors.
No comments:
Post a Comment