Going nowhere, slowly

Driving in a hired vehicle a few weeks ago was an experience. I was driving a Kia Picanto for the weekend. The first annoying thing was that my suitcase couldn’t fit into the boot. No, not because my suitcase was big, but because the boot was so small. After I had eventually figured out all the dials and gadgets, I drove out of the parking bay. Everything was hunky dory driving in the slow-moving traffic caused by road works. But then I got onto the highway and the traffic was flowing, fast, really fast. I put my foot flat on the accelerator pedal, the Kia didn’t respond. Changed down a gear, still not the response I hoped for.  I’ve been told I am a speed demon and have a heavy right foot, so this did not feel normal at all. By this time I realised that I was hogging the fast lane and needed to move out of the way for the faster cars. At some point I was sandwiched in the middle lane and was contemplating moving over to the slow lane but some cars seemed to use this lane to overtake me. At one point I was overtaken by a Land Rover and a BMW X5 on either side of me. I barely saw them approach behind me but I did feel the tremble of my car as they swooshed past me at lightening speed. It felt like I was hardly moving. Driving up the hills was also super frustrating as I kept hoping I wouldn’t have to meet up with a car driving slower than I was because slowing down meant I’d be literally creeping up the entire hill. Well, after getting all hot and bothered, wondering when I’d reach my destination, I then decided to look at the upside. Pushing this little car to its speed limit still meant that I didn’t have to worry about speed traps on the highway. It was difficult enough to get to 120 km/h. So I could smile at every policeman and speed camera as I cruised past.  It also meant that I would have much better fuel consumption on the full tank.  I resigned myself to the fact that I had to drive in the slow lane and not be bothered by the speed of the faster cars passing me. I would reach my destination eventually, even if it took a little longer than expected.

This got me thinking. Once you make a decision to start on a new journey, whether it be a healthy eating plan, an active lifestyle, a new training programme, a new training goal, race or event, it always takes an adjustment and some changes. Then you get over the adjustment phase and you start getting the hang of it and have fitted the change into your lifestyle or daily schedule.  Things are smooth sailing for a while as you start to ease into the new routine.  But then you will hit a hurdle, this will happen, at some point. Either you are invited out to dinner and you have no control over the food you will be eating, you might need to travel and this will mean you are unable to train or keep up with your training routine or programme or, you reach a plateau. The way you handle these situations will determine the outcome of your journeys goal.  Its true.  This will be your test. You could get totally derailed and go off-track and therefore lose the momentum or you could get over the ‘hurdle’ and continue unfazed.

Here are a few tips you could try when this happens.

• if you are attending a potluck event, take something you know you can eat
• eat a healthy salad, even a fresh fruit salad, before your dinner outing
• try to stick to your meal plan foods as much as possible
• avoid ordering fizzy and alcoholic drinks.  Drink more water
• don’t over-indulge on food, drinks and desserts
• travel with your training kit, you never know when an opportunity might arise to train
• if you can, take a brisk walk or short run
• do exercises which do not require any gym equipment, there are lots e.g. jumping jacks, push-ups, sit-ups, squats, lunges, plank
• if you’ve reached a plateau, trying changing things up a bit. Vary your training routine or exercises, change-up your meal items and food combinations.

If all else fails, do not despair. Going ‘off-track’ for one meal or an unplanned no-train day, will not mean all has been lost and is a catastrophe. Remember, eating one bad meal wont make you fat, just like going to gym one day wont make you fit.  It’s what you do after this so-called ‘off-track’ day which will determine your success to handling these hurdles. Continue on with your daily routine or schedule as normal and you will be back on track again.  Its easier to do this than to start all over again. Going slowing, does not mean you wont get there.  It just means it will take time to get there. Staying focused and determined, especially when it seems hard and out of your control, will help you get over the ‘hurdles’ and reach your goal. Getting over the ‘hurdles’ will give you the ‘umph‘ to continue on.

Being back home, driving my car feels great as I can zip through the traffic at my normal pace.  But I do have to say, when I drove back to drop off the Kia Picanto, it was definitely driving  a little faster and responding better than it was when I first drove it.  Guess it needed a little ‘umph’ too.

Fitswazi100 Photo Finish…….

 

Pictures don’t lie…….

Some people still live by the saying “seeing is believing”.  Whether or not you are one of those people, here are some awesome pictures that were captured on Sunday 23rd March 2014, the last leg of the Fitswazi100 – 100 km run over 3 days.

Although these pictures don’t cover the full 100 km journey or include all the runners that participated, they do show the strength, endurance and determination of the runners! To wake up sore, tired and even blistered and complete the final days run on achy legs, takes a lot of these.  There were many happy, smiling faces throughout the run.  I know I was one of them!

And yes, it was our ‘Victory Run‘, so we brought out our best ammunition – our bright and colourful running gear, and brightened up the streets of Manzini City!

Acacia Hill descent

Stretching the legs….Killing the downhill

Who said runners aren’t fashionable!

Big smiles… Running is fun!

Pictures tell a thousand words……

There are lots of things we don’t see when we run.  We don’t see ourselves and the people behind us, the way we run and how we are feeling at a particular point during the run. We sometimes don’t see that everyone else around us is feeling the same way, ‘bushed’, after a hill climb or after a tempo run.

There are lots of things you don’t see when we run.  You don’t see the strong, fighting, determined and never-give-up spirit that we bring out when the going gets tough.  You don’t see the grit, pain and aches we push through.  You don’t see the support, encouraging, motivating and cheering on we give each other when it’s needed. You don’t see that when we are on the road, we are equal, we are all runners!

Then there’s also the support and assistance of the people working behind the scenes, organising or encouraging us on.

These pictures show all of this.

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…And when its all said and done, and we have our bruised and blistered toes to heal, deep down there’s that feeling of accomplishment and self gratification, that 100 km was run over 3 days!

That feeling no one can take away! 

 

 

“IT ALWAYS SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE UNTIL ITS DONE” – Nelson Mandela

All done. Yeah!

Running Crazy ………. Fitswazi100

Run 100 km over 3 days.

When I mentioned this, people were convinced what they’ve always suspected. That I’d definitely lost my mind! Well either that, or there are some other ‘closet crazies’ out there!  I did not do this alone. There were many accomplices. Actually, 9 others who ran all three days and covered the entire 100 km.

The last three days have been such an awesome experience.  I’m still trying to find the words to express how I’m feeling. Keep posted for a detailed encounter of the three days. Till then this is my recollection:

• We had perfect running weather over the three days
• A super turnout of brave runners (averaging 15 runners per day)
• Ran 3 days of good routes with many rolling hills
• Had good conversations and lots of mingling, yes most of it whilst we ran
• Lots of refreshment stops
• I got to learn and practice some running tips and tricks
• Leg massage on Friday and Saturday after each run
• We all complained of sore and tired legs and body at some point
• We had a few good sprints and tempo’s on the runs
• We ran and ran and ran and ran…………

A big ‘Thank you’ to the support and back-up crew for your time and assistance.

I would like to congratulate and thank all the runners that took the Fitswazi100 challenge.  ‘Big Ups’ to:

• Mark
• Thandeka
• Mphile
• Kwesi
• Lungile
• Vusi (vvo)
• Banda
• Loncwala
• Jespah
• Nathalie
• Stanley
• Busi
• Bongani
• Xolani
• Artwell
• Lindiwe
• Sibiya
• Mxolisi
• Thobile
• Phetsile
• Sisusa
• Nkosingiphile
• Bahle

No matter your reason or motivation for running, whether you ran all three days, two days, or even one day, you are super awesome! For those training for Comrades 2014, this mileage has now been stored in your ‘tanks’ and you have taught your legs to run when they are tired.  From this experience, I hope you have learnt that you are able to do more than what your mind currently tells you, you have stepped out of your comfort zone, pushed past your limits and have gained a new confidence in yourself. Most importantly, I hope that you reaped the benefits of the run, enjoyed the run and the camaraderie.