Goals, Speed Work and Streaking

I haven't really talked about my goals for 2014 and we are already nearing the end of April. The main reason for this is that I missed my main goals for the 1st half of 2014 but I am busy building up form and fitness to reach my goals for the 2nd half of the year.

I have two main goals for the 2nd half of 2014 and they are both circuit races:

1. Jannas 18 Hour Circuit Race - 24 October 2014 (1km lap)
2. Johannesburg Festival of Running 48 Hour Circuit Race - 19 December (500m lap)

Both these goals include some hard ultra slogging so my focus at the moment is distance and more distance. For this my current running streak is working well.

Almost done with part 1 of my streak!

But there is another twist to this story...

Speed and pace! Not something I am known for at all. I don't do any speed work ever. But... this streak thing is forcing me to do some shorter than normal runs from time to time and I am starting to push them a bit more as I feel my fitness returning. My pace is improving all the time.

Streaking is certainly working wonders for me. My endurance is getting better and I need that for my two main goals of the year. At the same time I am actually getting my pace up and this is just an added bonus. I'm loving every run, long and short.

Happy training everyone! I hope you are also loving every workout.

Ernst van Dyk - South African Super Star

When Ernst van Dyk won the Boston wheelchair marathon for a record 10th time yesterday I must admit I was a very proud South African. What a super star!

Today I dedicate a post to him as I believe this fantastic athlete doesn't get even a small bit of the glory he deserves. Please take a look at his website.

Also do yourself a favour and search for images of Ernst van Dyk. Awesome!

I am really proud of this man. Well done Ernst, you deserve a lot more praise than what you are getting.

Run 30 Days In April - Halfway!

My streak is still going well and I am now halfway through April. I am really enjoying my running at the moment and haven't had any "hard-to-get-out-there" days yet. All is good!

April - 15 done, 15 to go.

Happy training!

Foto Friday - The Old And The New

Time to break in some new rides for the road...

Happy Friday everyone! Have a super weekend!

A Lovely Trail Run

Saturday morning I went for a 10km trail run on my favorite trails in the Klipriviersberg Nature Reserve. It was awesome!

With all the rain we had in March the trails are beautiful and green. Summer is no more but it still looks as if it is around.

The views were great as well!

To the South with beautiful blue skies!

To the North with Johannesburg in the distance.

I loved every second out there and ran to the highest point in the reserve at the white beacon.

Final steps up to the beacon.

The trails were pure bliss!

In the final kilometer I came up to a Blesbok that trotted ahead of me for about 100 meters before disappearing into the bush. He made sure I didn't catch up with him.

Catch that Blesbok!

Then the last little hill and a fantastic trail run was done. I will be back this Saturday for sure!

Have a super week everyone!

Throwback T-Shirt: In memory of...

It seems my current batch of training shirts are retiring at quite a fast rate. This morning I had to dig into my pile of race shirts again for a shirt to add to my "in use" pile. The shirt I picked is very special to me.

1997 Super C Korkie 50km

The Korkie ultra used to be a 56km race between Centurion and Germiston. This was one of my all time favorite races. It was my first ultra in 1985. 

No 1623...my first ultra

Unfortunately the road it was always run on was replaced by a huge highway and the race had to be moved. Finding a 56km route for a race in a city is no small task. The distance was reduced to 50km, but the race just never returned to its former glory. Several attempts were made to save this great race, but it is sadly no more today. 

In 1997 I ran the 50th addition of the Korkie on a circular route between Germiston and the eastern parts of Johannesburg. 

This is a great shirt to have. Not many will be around anymore.

I ran this race with our late friend Madelein. She sadly passed away some years ago. Madelein had Huntington's Disease. Her mother died of Huntington's at the age of 47. Unfortunately she passed the Huntington's gene on to Madelein.

Madelein lived her life to the full, making the most of the time she had. One of the things she wanted to do in her life was to run the Comrades Marathon. She did this and also ran many other ultras. I was privileged to run some races with her, including the 1997 Super C Korkie, where I got the shirt above. 

So today's Throwback Thursday T-shirt I start using in memory of Madelein. We spent many great hours on the road together.

Madelein running the 1996 Om Die Dam 50km

Madelein and I during the 1997 Om Die Dam 50km

We think of you often Madelein, rest in peace friend.

Please click on the link for Huntington's Disease to read a bit about it and spread some awareness about this monster. There is no cure yet.

I Started My Running Streak

My run this morning marked the start of my running streak. I am breaking it up into small goals.

First goal: run 30 days in April.

I will post regular updates. Remember my plan is:

Start 1 April 2014.

Run every day for 30 days.

If I make 30 I'm sure I can make 50.

If I make 50 I must make it to 100.

If I can do 100  why not do another 100 and make it 200.

200 to 300 becomes close to 365...let's go for a year running streak!

Some say streaking is foolish. So I find it perfect to start on April fool's day :)

Happy running!