Crocodilian 32 km: Unfamiliar Territory

Hello Dear Reader,

Right after work...well...right after the early part of a birthday party...Doc and I hit the road and headed back to Vanderbijlpark (the place we stayed last weekend) to get some shut eye for the big race- the Crocodilian 32 km- this morning. Lots of laughs- check. Alarm clock set for 4:30 am- check. Shut eye-check (but not nearly enough).When the alarm went off at the designated time, I honestly felt as though I'd not slept at all. You see...I've been going out every evening this week and have been seriously sleep deprived. Great for the social life. Not so great when preparing for a big race- 32 km (20 miles)- the longest distance I've ever covered in my life!

Either way, Doc and I were up and out of the door by ten minutes to five (perhaps a little too late) and followed directions that we thought would get us to Fochville,

South Africa within 20 minutes.

Twenty minutes later and after several wrong turns, both Doc and I were starting to get nervous. The taxi driver we stopped to ask for directions said, "Oh, you just turn at the 4-way stop, turn right and go strrrrraight! Only about 45km away." Errrr...uhhh...not such a nice thing to hear when you only have 20 minutes before race kick off time. After thanking Mr. Taxi Driver, Doc and I drove like bats out of hell trying to get to middle of nowhere Fochville...and I mean in.the.middle.of.no.where! We were both super anxious, but the race to find this random little town caused lots of laughter and many inside jokes!

The race kickoff time was 6:00 am. We arrived at the Crocodilian

Estates Hotel at 6:20 am. Uhhh...late! By the time we registered and took off, there was no sign of there even being a race, with the exception of a water table and a few race supporters. For the first 3 km, we saw no one. I was having a very difficult time getting into the race. The week-long partying started to catch up with me. Having driven all night, slept for a few hours, and rushing to the race totally threw me off. At about 4km, I was struggling to move and Doc, for the first time in his life (wink, wink), managed to run ahead of me.

At about 4km, several runners came over the hill headed in the opposite direction. What was initially the first few runners of the 15 km race turned into lots of runners...all looking at me as if I were crazy. Yes, I just started. Yes, I am well aware that I'm super late. Yes, I'm running the 32km.

It took a good 5km for me to finally settle into some type of rhythm, but emotionally, it was pretty draining to see so many other runners headed back on their way to completing the first lap of a two lap course. I did my best to look right in front of me, but it was impossible to avoid the stares of runners on the other side of the road. Additionally, it was a bit disheartening to know that I was the very last person in the entire race...and behind Doc (following him by 1 or 2 km).

Keep your head down Dani and focus on getting to the finish line.

As I was running towards the start line to finish the first lap, runners from the 32 km were well into their second lap. Additionally, I FINALLY managed to catch up to and pass Doc and a few of the stragglers of the 15km race at the starting line. Running past the starting line, I entered a go-cart track which was part of the 32 km race. Expecting to see Doc any minute...but nothing. When I ran back on to the main road to start my second lap, I saw Doc ahead of me with the last of the 15 km racers. ...And that was the end of Doc...and just about the end of me. I was quickly losing motivation...I was the very last racer...Doc, my running partner, was out...racers in the 32 km were way ahead of me. I wanted to stop at 15 km...and seriously considered it, but I knew that this race was about me...and my journey to completing the Publix Georgia Marathon. Furthermore, I didn't come up with any convincing enough excuses for why the Crocodilian 32 km race report all of a sudden became the Crocodilian 15 km race report.

Keep focused Dani. One foot in front of the other. Keep it movin'. Quitting is not an option.

Second lap...my spirits were starting to rise. Cheers by passing runners (and I mean LOTS of runners) and all of the water station volunteers motivated me to keep going. I can do this. Finally, I reached 21 km and a part of me wanted to cheer...I was there in under 2 hours! The obvious challenge was that this wasn't a half marathon. I was now entering into completely unfamiliar territory...beyond 13.1 miles (even though I once ran a 15 miler).

Keep your head down. Focus on the task at hand. Keep it movin'!

Reaching the last water station on the first part of the second lap, I noticed that the water station volunteers were cleaning up. I yelled, "Hey, don't you all pack up! I'm not finished yet! I'll be back!"

Turning the corner to enter the last leg of the last lap, I passed an older woman who yelled, "Good job my girl! You're beating me!"

Numb feet and legs. Drained out of my mind. Hit the wall a long time ago. One foot in front of the other. Keep it movin'.

As much as possible, I ran with walk breaks in between. The gap between me and the very last runner was widening. Finally, I reached the top of the last

hill (this was a hilly, hilly race) and saw the Crocodilian Estates in the distance. Run. Run. Walk. Run. Run. Walk.

At about 3 km from the finish line, Doc ran into the street to cheer me on. Runners who had long since finished cheered me on. Lots of cheers. A great deal of encouragement. Let's finish this race! Once again, I entered into the go-cart race track, made a loop and returned to the road to find Doc on the side lines cheering me on.

FINALLY, after just under 4 hours (Doc says around 3 hours and 30 minutes), I FINISHED THE CROCODILIAN 32 KM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Of all of the races I've completed, this one was the most emotionally taxing/draining/challenging. Feeling so unprepared for this race; tired; way behind; and at times, demotivated, I overcame the obstacles and persevered. I am now ready...ready to tackle to biggest race of my life...ready to take on anything standing in my way!

I have to do it. I will do it! I can do it!

Until next time...one foot in front of the other...keep it movin'!

Yours in (Publix Georgia Marathon) training,

Dani

Hello, my name is Hillary and I've got a bum toe!

Hello Dear Reader,

I'd like to reintroduce myself. My name is Hillary and I run hills for fun. Wait, wait! Let me redo that. Hello, my name is Hillary and running hills isn't fun, but I still do it anyway. Ah, yes, much better!

As I stated in yesterday's post, my mission over the next couple of weeks is to run all of the roads (without stopping) that lead to the new Lesotho parliament building. I was supposed to run hills with my friend Doc yesterday, but he tricked me to get me out by his way so that I could hang out with his friends and take a break from running. He thinks I'm too intense. I guess I wasn't too annoyed, because we did have fun and it was raining anyway.

To make up for the trick, Doc sent me a message this morning saying, "I hope you're not doing anything today, cause we're running hills straight after work." Hmm... We'll see if he shows up... he is a lazy bum after all (jk).

Either way, I AM RUNNING HILLS TONIGHT...rain or shine...because I mean business! Tonight will be the first post- Sasol Half Marathon run. The 3 day break from running has actually been a great, yet unplanned, decision. All of the delayed aches and pains have subsided, and my toe is not throbbing like it has been. Additionally, my energy levels are fully restored and I'm ready to go, go, go!

But wait, let me rewind a little bit and speak about my toe. So, early last week, I was washing dishes and dropped a really heavy metal knife on one of my toe nails. If that wasn't enough trauma to my toe, I then had to go and run a half marathon. Poor little toe! After the race, I had Doc take a look at it and in his shaky medical opinion, he thinks my nail is going to fall off. Eww! In a resting state, my achy breaky toe is fine. When any pressure is applied to the nail (yes, I've got issues to do that), it's sore. Clearly, hill running and the upcoming Crocodilian 32km race won't keep me still...but it's the price we pay for 26.2 miles, right? I promise I won't take a picture of it and post it to this here blog (I hope), but forgive me in advance cause I will feel compelled to spill the yucky details every once in a while.

Ok, now back to running. We're all very well aware of the fact that, between November and December, I lost touch with my running mojo. Very sad. Very true. One of the best decisions I've made recently is planning weekend races to get my long miles in. Not only have I been able to knock out long runs, but the excitement and motivation I initially had around running is back and in full effect. Not sure if it's possible, but I'm still burning running high fuel. Setting targets and achieving mini-accomplishments has done the trick to make me want to get up every day and run (and getting a metal and race t-shirt doesn't hurt either). I mean really, how many marathon trainers can say that every time they complete a long run, they get a t-shirt and a medal for it? I know I can!

The other day, I was having an email conversation with one of my friends in Rwanda. We'll call her CPT. CPT is an amazingly witty lady with a passion for baked goods, hiking tall mountains, and lives by the motto..."Why stop at 26.2?" My lovely friend CPT told me that she is now training for a 100 mile race. I'll pause here for you to collect your jaw off the ground.......here's some elevator music to aid in the process....

......better now? Whew! 100 miles?! No way. No how. I asked her if she had reinforced steel legs and a mission to prove everyone in life wrong. I wanted to know...what's the secret.

My secret? i run very slowly. very consistently (as in consistent throughout the run and consistently through life). and with absolute pleasure- running is my favourite activity on earth (unless there is hiking as an option).why stop there when you can keep going? why hike kili when there is everest? that is the kind of mentality I have with exercise. I fail often and that is ok. But the only true secret to running is that it is all in your mind. if people realised that, the whole world would be runners. in fact, the whole world used to be runners before the invention of electricity.

Perhaps she has the right idea: trying in the face of failure and remembering that running is 95% mental. I forget the last part often. With that said, I'm going to level a few hills tonight and if it doesn't happen tonight, well, I'll keep trying until I do!

Until next time...one foot in front of the other...keep it movin'!

Yours in (95% mental) training,


Dani aka Hillary

One hell of a hill!

Hello Dear Reader,

Today is the day that I try to conquer one hell of a hill. Just call me Hillary until I do!:


I know you must be saying to yourself, "That's not such a big deal. My 3 year old nephew could do that!" If that's what you're thinking, and I'm sure it is, let me give you a different view of this mighty hill:


When I started training in August, I made a very first attempt at giving this beast of a hill a new name: "Mine"! One quarter of the way up the hill, when I had to literally stop and gasp for air, the hill yelled at me, "I don't think so!" I've done my very best ever since then to avoid it like the plague. However, I know that this hill must be run before I can feel totally confident in my ability to run the Publix Georgia Marathon- a race full of hills!

Yes, I'm going on and on about this hill and still, I feel that you're closely examining the pictures and doubting my sanity, because you don't think it looks big at all! In my last attempt to illustrate how insane this hill is, before I invite you to personally run it yourself, take a look at this picture:


...and even still, this picture doesn't do the hill justice, because once it reaches the top of the road, you have to turn the corner and continue up the side of the hill on the left (you can kind of make out a path through the middle)!

This week, I've tasked myself with running up and down this entire hill without stopping. Surely, it will take several attempts over several days...and perhaps a couple of weeks, but I'm going to get there! This afternoon I will take a first stab at it and give you feedback on the results.

Wish me luck, Dear Reader! I think I'm going to need it!

And on another note, I will be running the Crocodilian 32km race this Saturday (with Doc, I hope) and "God willing and the creek don't rise" (yes, I'm a Southerner), I'll run the Dairy Belle Naval Duiwel Half Marathon (a recent add to the race roster) on February 19th!

As always, you know I'll keep you posted on my hill training this week!

Until next time...one foot in front of the other...keep it movin'!

Yours in (hill) training,

Hillary (aka Dani)