ORANGE RUNNING FESTIVAL MARATHON

February 20 to 26. Well my attempt to get a "B" start at Comrades worked out well.  Click the link Ron's Orange Running Festival Marathon Run  to see Movescount history of the event. 

I had more than adequate taper for the run.   I did this on purpose, as i wanted to finish off my last training cycle and start afresh for my CMA build up.  Having said that, the run was no picnic in the park.  The last few hills, albeit small and relatively unchallenging, saw my pace drop significantly and my legs ache tremendously.  Once i knew I had the sub-3:20 in the bag I consciously tried to run relaxed and not overdo it without being too much of a princess.  I have found that if I don't keep the pressure on I slow more than i want to.  I lose my momentum or something. 

The run did work out well.  however, the day before I went for a jog over the last four kilometres and first few kilometres and, I must say, I was bit concerned that I wouldn't be able to run "B" qualifier.  Fortunately, that was pretty well the worst part of the course for crook surface and undulations.

Anyway, my plan was to just try to run 4:40 per k pace.  This would give me a 3:17.  The first km was slow and a bit of a struggle. I ran 4:43ish because i hadn't warmed up as much as usual.  I was trying to do what I expect to do at Comrades. The surface wasn't to my liking.  I am so unco on trails even though I train on dirt most of the time.  The advantage is it keeps me from running too quick on recovery days.

First KM Didn't seem to bother the runners around me but I was short stepping on the rough. 

Not too bad really.  Glad I changed from my Lunaracers to Lunar Tempos at the last minute.  About 14kms of this dirt road althogether.

I stuck to that 4:40ish pace until we hit the bitumen at about six km.  I then started to feel comfortable.

The road was closed to traffic. Loved it.

Finish in sight.

I pretty well stuck to just under 4:20s on average until another  dirt section where we were running directly into a cool and sometimes gusty wind, which was more helpful after the turn around,  and , of course, I slowed a bit over the last 6-8 kilometres where the course hit the dirt again.  This section was a bit of drag.  There was not another runner in sight.  Just me and the road.   And I am sure the corrugations were much bigger and more annoying on the way back.  I passed half way in 1:33:30 and came home in the same time.   (I took these photos the next morning on a recovery run.)

So...all in all, things are looking fine for Comrades.   The travel seemed to stir up my back more than the running.  It is long flight to South Africa - so that is a concern.  Nevertheless, I will do all I can to get to Comrades in the best shape possible. 

The Kenyans have a word, sukumawaki, in their language which Richard Nerurkar says is a good word to describe their attitude to overcoming tiredness, set backs, and staying on course. This positive attitude, the support and encouragement in the camps, Nerurkar calls  "Sukumawki effect".  Sukumawki,  literally means "push the week forward." ( It is also a Swahili spinach stew. And Popeye is my hero 😃).

So another week down and it's onto next week, which will be a recovery week.  Sukumawki!!!