PETER GIDDY.: JUNE 2014 COMRADES MARATHON; RUGBY AT GREY; ALLY GIDDY HOCKEY; PARKRUNS AT HOBIE BEACH

JUNE 2014 COMRADES MARATHON
PARKRUN AND BEACHFRONT TRAINING RUNS
ALEXANDRIA HIKING TRAIL
HEARTBREAK HILL 21K EVENT
EAST LONDON TRIPS MADE TOLERABLE AS I AM ABLE TO STAY WITH BEN AND WE EVEN DO SOME MORNING RUNS WITH THE ERIKS GROUP.
ENA GIDDY -- BORN 29.6.1916 TURNS 98 ON SUNDAY 29TH.

Sunday 1st June. Thousands of South Africans watch on TV; Thousands watch on the side of the road and around 16 thousand athletes take part in the Comrades Marathon.

The Comrades marathon is a 90km run between Pietermaritzburg and Durban over some really tough hills. The Second half of the down run can be incredibly tough if you went through Drummond (Halfway) too quickly. We saw this again this year. The race was incredibly exciting from start to finish. A number of our PE friends were there; Marilyn Bull; Helouise Erasmus; Letitia Strauss; Matt and Mark who were running for Michael's fund; Beth and Grant Forbes; Benita Barton were some of the brave who did this race.

LETITIA; MARILYN AND HELOUISE FINISHED COMRADES AGAIN THIS YEAR. AN INCREDIBLY TOUGH EVENT TAKING EVERY OUNCE OF ENERGY AND WILL POWER TO CONTINUE EVEN WHEN YOU ARE AT YOUR LOWEST EBB

The first week of June saw me starting my training for some of the upcoming events: Knysna 21 and the September 42k. I managed to run four week days around 10k and on Saturday did the Beach Front circuit; Airport; Strandfontein and Admiralty before doing the 5k parkrun. This morning I ran the parkrun with Margie Saunders who took me through at PB at just over 27 minutes for the run. A total of over 50k for the week.
This morning we have Annie (Birthday Girl)Du Rant; Svenje Duffield; Adrienne Wilson; Stuart Brown; Neil Calder; Andrea Dyer; Liesl De Lange; Catherine Biggs; Kelly Holmes; Margie Saunders; Candice join us for the training run.

MARGIE TAKES ME FOR A PARKRUN PB OF 27.26. WE STARTED THIS MORNING AT 5.30 AND IT WAS REALLY CHILLY BUT BY THE TIME WE RUN THE PARKRUN ALONG THE BEACH THE MORNING SUN HAS WARMED THE AIR

Friday evening -- Fetch Ally from Youth and then Hockey at Grey. A fast and furious match vs Dale ended 2all but Dale were "robbed" of the game as they were the superior team.
Saturday 7th: Start with the training run; then Rugby at Grey vs Dale -- Grey won almost every game played today including a tough First Team game. I spent almost all afternoon at Grey; then Springbok Rugby vs World 15 in Newlands 47-13. Then Ally Hockey at Gelvandale.

HALF TIME -- JOHN; DIANNE; CHARLES; AND PETER ENJOY AN AFTERNOON WATHING GREY PLAY DALE

ALLY PLAYS HOCKEY FOR THE OLD COLLEGIANS AT GELVANDALE ASTRO ON SATURDAY EVENING. ALLY IS NUMBER 45/

ALEXANDRIA HIKING TRAIL
I am in East London for a few days this week and then on Friday John and Bradley Nelson and I drive to Alexandria where we do the Alexandria trail over the weekend. Friday evening a wonderful braai and chatting with our Fellow Hikers -- Graham Richards; Fred Kohler; Marcus Herr; Barry Morris; Matt Gendrich and Brian Saunders.

Saturday morning we set off having paid R275 for the hike and accommodation and a further R50 per night = R375 for the hike. The trail is the same route as when we did this in 2008 and takes us to the Woody Cape resort and the beach. Then a long hike along the beach into a fierce west wind. Up the rope ladder and then the final 3k to the hut. The hut is immaculate.

Sunday morning the wind really picks up. The hike now takes us along a stepped path to the top of the first dune. We then hike for a further 5k with a driving west wind sandblasting us. Finally we reach the bushes and a very long uphill before the final 5k to the hut. The first day had taken us about 6 hours and the second day took up about 5 hours. We were home by about 1pm.
Sunday evening I am at Church and in bed early.

Monday morning. It is a public Holiday. 16.6.2014. we have arranged to meet at Hobie 6pm for a run. We do the beach front run in reverse starting up Admiralty; Erasmus; Strandfontein; airport and back home. It is only light as we approach the beach again and I am able, as I enjoy doing, to take some pics of the group. earlier on we had Andy and Mike Dean with us. We end the run with Annie, Adrienne, Pat, Neil Calder, Stuart, Svennje who persuaded me to sign up for the 21k event next weekend; Stiaan; Andrea and Candice.

SVENJE AND STIAAN CHUGGING TOWARDS THE END OF THE SATURDAY MORNING RUN.

WHY SO SERIOUS SVENJE?

AND ALL THAT NEIL ALLOWS US TO SEE IS THE TOP OF HIS 90 CAP

ANDREA LOOKS LIKE SHE IS JUST ABOUT TO FALL ASLEEP

CANDICE -- DOES NOT WANT TO BE IN THE PHOTO -- STILL FINDS IT SO FUNNY.

JOGGING ALONG THE PROMENADE WITH THE SEA TO THE LEFT

THE OCEAN IS AT ITS HIGHEST TIDE WITH THE FULL MOON THIS WEEKEND

CANDICE AND ANDREA -- GREAT FRIENDS

IF YOU CARRY ON LIKE THIS I AM GOING TO HIT YOU PETER

CANT SNEAK AWAY FROM PETER'S PICS

ADRIENNE AT THE END OF THE HIKE IS AMAZED -- "LOOK HOW TALL STUART IS!"

A PARKRUN MORNING WITH THE SUNRISE OVER THE HOBIE BEACH PIER

THE PARKRUN TEAM

Monday later and after our run: Barbara and I drive to see Delene and Matthew. They are leaving the farm to move to Hebron next to Woodridge for a year while they build a home on the Patensie road area next to Longmore Forest area. We take a drive and look at the area where Matt will be building. He has started to clear bush to be able to see and visualise the home and other houses that will be to accommodate the recovering guests.
This afternoon I drive to EL. Stay over with Ben. I am in EL to do branch visits to Butterworth over the next three days. I am able to run Tuesday and Wednesday morning so am slowly racking up the Kays.

HEARTBREAK HILL 21K EVENT FROM PRIORY
Svenje has persuaded me to run the Heartbreak 21k. I collect her at 5.45 and we drive through to Priory School. We register for the run and walk to the start. We are right at the back with John Nelson, Duncan, Benita Barton, Michelle Elfick, Ronel Scheepers, Elmarie and Chris Botha, Gerald and Pat Scheepers, Kobus Gerber, Helen and Tanya Smith -- all from MPRG. A really good representation this morning.

The race starts at 6.30am. THere are crowds in front of us. The route takes us up the road past Brenda's house to Glendore Road and down to the Schoenies Road. We turn RIght towards the ocean and then Left into Sardinia Bay Road. I see Letitia ahead of us so jog on a bit to be able congratulate her on her Comrades Finish.

RUNNING UP HEARTBREAK HILL WITH BETH HECHTER

We are jogging at a bit under 6 minutesa kay. At this stage we are Ronel; Elmarie; Letitia; Svenje and Beth. We make our way up and along Sardinia Bay Road and then right past the Golf Course. There is a smart new entrance to the Golf Course (it must be doing well). Beth also did Comrades and is planning to do Dryland with Grant. We continue up to the New Seaview Road and are now on Heartbreak Hill. This is a long hill but is not too steep so we are able to maintain our pace. We see Claire up ahead and chat for a while. Claire is moaning about the length of the hill. It is a bit of a never ending story. Finally we go up and over the top of the hill and turn right into Boundary road and then an immediate left down a steep road. I see the distinct style of Steve Mc Donald ahead and so chat to him for a short while before he heads off. I wait at the bottom of the hill for Svenje. I had said that we would run this thing as a team.

When we had started earlier we had debated if we should wear long sleeves or not. I am glad that I left mine in the car. Even though most of this run is in shade, I was not at all cold. From here we run back into Glendore Road and turn Right and then left into this suburb and along the road where the vanThiel's lived. This road emerges back in the suburb where Priory is. We turn left up a bit of a short steep hill and then left again for the final Km. Not surprising -- there is yet another steep hill ahead of us. We grind our way to the top and then jog the final 500meters to the finish.

Svenje has timed us and we have run around 2;09. We ran the whole way with no walking. Not a spectacularly fast time but this is not an easy course with many hills and turns. And the hills are mostly in the second half of the run.

We Drive to Summerstrand to fetch Ally; then home; then take Ally and her friend Sarah to Drama at School.

GRAHAM; BRIAN AND MATT ON THE ALEXANDRIA TRAIL

LOOKING ACROSS THE BEACH TO THE CLIFFS WHERE WE WILL CLIMB UP TO THE WOODY CAPE HUT

SATURDAY MORNING 21ST JUNE. WINTER SOLITICE. WE HAD STARTED AT PRIORY AT 6.30AM AND HAD RUN DOWN GLENDORE ROAD, SCHOENMAKERS KOP ROAD, SARDINIA BAY ROAD AND WERE NOW ON THE HEARBREAK HILL ON THE NEW SEAVIEW ROAD. BETH DID COMRADES EARLIER THIS MONTH AND IS NOW LIFTING HER LEGS UP THIS LONG HILL.

NOTHING CHANGES -- BETH LOOKS HER NORMAL CHEERFUL SELF. WE HAD NOT RUN ANY DISTANCE ON A ROAD FOR MANY YEARS.

HERE IS ROSE RUNNING STRONGLY UP HEARTBREAK.

CLAIRE IS AS TOUGH AS NAILS WHEN IT COMES TO RUNNING UP HILLS.

CHEERFUL, HAPPY AND STRONG ON THIS AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL PE WINTER MORNING. THERE IS NOTHING QUITE LIKE BEING OUT IN A WINTER SUN.

STEVE MC DONALD WITH JUST A FEW KAYS TO GO

RONEL AND ELMARIE -- MAKING UP A STRONG PE CLUB TEAM.

TANYA SMITH AND HELEN -- PART OF THE MPRG

PETER POHLMAN -- ACHILLES FROM BEHIND

LETITIA STRAUS -- ANOTHER COMRADES FINISHER FROM EARLIER THIS MONTH. FINISHED WITH JUST THREE MINUTES TO SPARE. HAD TO RUN WITH HEART AND SOLE OVER THE FINAL FEW KM'S TO COMPLETE HER SECOND COMRADES

SVENJE MANAGED TO RUN THIS TOUGH EVENT FROM START TO FINISH.

TRACEY CROMMELIN -- NOT ONLY A WONDERFUL YOUTH PASTOR BUT AN ATHLETE AS WELL.

ONLY A COUPLE OF KAYS TO GO SVENJE -- VAS BYT.

Saturday 21st June: afternoon -- Ally has Drama Practical at School. Then it is Hockey at Westerning School against Old Vics and then we go to Braai with Wayne and Sonja. Sonja's Birthday. It is always a pleasure to visit them. Wayne is welcoming and we love their family.

Sunday morning -- we sleep late. I have to load some branches and bags for the rubbish tip. Then I take Ally to the shops to print letters of introduction for her and she takes the opportunity to spend more of my money on Ear Phones for her computer and hair stuff for her trip on Monday.

OUR HIKING GROUP FOR THE ALEXANDRIA TRAIL; FRED; MATT; BARRY; BRADLEY; JOHN; GRAHAM; MARCUS AND BRIAN

JACQUI LOVING EMILY

NICKY AND CATHY

BLAKE AND SAUL

CHRISTIAN THE COOK -- DOES EVERYTHING FROM BRAAI TO BAKING

LENE AND JESSICA AT RUGBY EP KINGS VS BLUE BULLS

JOSH AND DANIEL AND JESSICA -- DRESSED WARMLY FOR A COLD EVENING OF RUGBY. EP KINGS BEAT BLUE BULLS

MIA AND ZARA WITH THEIR GIFTS FROM STEFAN'S HONG KONG TRIP

AARON AND CHRIS WITH NEW CELL PHONES AND OTHER GADGETS FROM HONG KONG

NICKY RECEIVED A FULL SET OF RUNNING GEAR

DAD AND NICKY. NOT SURE WHEN THE PIC WAS TAKEN -- FOUND ON WHAT'S UP FAMILY.

Monday 23rd. We are all up early and with a few final additions we take Ally to the airport for her trip to Israel. I have put some Brandy, Amarula, chocolates and home made Crunchies into Ally's bag. We have given her the full itinerary and letters of introduction so she should be okay. We see her off through the ticket area and leave her to make it to Jhb, international departures and finally the trip to TelAviv on her own.
Later on Monday evening I am at our cell group and Ally arrives with Michael to fetch her and sends us a what's up pic. She is safe!
Tues and Wed I run 10k each morning. But Wed eve Barbara persuades me to go to Hockey with her and Lene. We meet at St George's park next to the cricket grounds and are soon caught up in a game. I think that I become over keen and run around too vigorously because I start to feel stiff and sore before the game is over. Jessie scores a goal.

Thursday morning. I am supposed to run hills with Stuart but can hardly get out of bed. My back, hips, knees are all sore. So I take a break. Friday morning I run with a friend of Marshall Thompson, our Neighbour. We do the 5k Parkrun. Then Sat morning s small group of us run from Hhobie beach. Adrienne is in Canada doing an Alaskan tour. This morning on the run: Mike Dean and Pat join us for the first half, then it is ELMARIE Botha, Viv Bullock, Stuart, Neil Calder and myself for the second half.
We do a solid 15k and then I am race director at Parkrun where we have around 300 runners. Catherine completes her 50th. Today celebrates Nahoon 100th event. Helping me are ELMARIE, Gerald, Chris, Annie and John, Werner.

After a shower I take some branches and stuff to the tip and then catch up with abit of admin while sitting in the sunny lounge. Just then Marshall stops by and offers me 3 x tickets to Rugby. Springboks Vs Scotland. I am just so stunned and excited. This week I have had a couple of amazing things happen. A cheque from the company was sent to me as study assistance for Ally so I was able to pay that in just when it was most needed. And now these tickets! Gail is staying with us so Lene let's the three children stay with her while she, Barbara and I go off to rugby. We dress warmly but as it turns out we are in shirtsleeves until half time. It is a wonderful evening out. We have excellent seats. The Boks win 55-6.

Sunday 29th June 2014. Ena's 98th birthday. Yvonne Ena Spence, Born this day 29/6/1916 in Dumfrieshire, Scotland. Barbara, Lene, Jessica, Joshua, Daniel climb into the Qashqai with Josh and Danny in the boot area and drive through to Plett where we meet up with Patrick, Marianne, Isabelle, St John, Thomas, Julia who sis doing her field work research in the Garden route, Tsitsikamma area for her Phd.

We hear from Israel that Ally is loving being with her family who are loving having her to stay. She is not feeling at her best, probably change is climate and food and even some jet lag.
Cathy is planning a trip to New Zealand with her family.
Nicky has had some real upsets since Stefan returned from the East and Turkey where he did some work for a few weeks