It was an April morning when they told us we should go
As I turned to you, you smiled at me
How could we say no?
With all the fun to have, to live the dreams we always had
Oh, the songs to sing, when we at last return again . . .
[SIZE="1"]Achillies Last Stand, Led Zeppelin[/SIZE]
So the time has arrived. The work is done, the miles banked, the sweat shed. Fourteen months in the planning, Paris to qualify, Steyning to prerpare. Muscles stretched, pounded, stretched again, injuries sustained, patched up, ignored. All this behind; ahead? A journey.
Fifty-Six leg-draining, heart-pounding kilometres.
Thirty four point eight unforgiving miles.
Six hours sweat in cold and heat.
Three friends in common aim.
One shot.
The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph
Dear Sweder,
Just the title of your month makes every of us dream too much... It sounds so magic, would you found some time for seeing baleins?
ok, take it slowly, you are already enough trained
Ah, just the excuse I needed to crack open that bottle of South African Cabernet that's been sitting in my wine rack for too long.
Sweder, I know everyone here will want to wish you, and Moyleman and Rog the best of luck for next Saturday's race. Not that you'll need too much luck. From what I can see, your preparation has been exemplary -- and that includes the odd pint of Guinness and bacon sarnie. Man cannot live by Gatorade alone -- or whatever your non-alcoholic poison may be. If anyone deserves to succeed, it's you three.
But apart from that, I wanted to thank you for so much breathless, brilliant writing through the winter months. It's been inspirational and entertaining. The site would be nothing without it.
And that's it.
No doubt you'll keep us updated through the week if you get the chance. And if you don't, I'm looking forward to the mother, father, granny and grandad of race reports next week sometime.
Good luck boys. Do us proud.
El Gordo
Great things are done when men and mountains meet.
You shall have set for you a task, to show yourselves worthy in these dark times.
In your post-race hydration, can you check out some Namibian beers for me? I once had a rather nice one, but I have forgotten what it was called. See if you can find it for me. You'll know it as soon as you taste it. It was from Namibia, and it was, er, nice.
Sneaked out for a crafty five to Blackcap this morning.
The legs were feeling heavy, the tyre of flab fast returning to my midriff with all this carb-loading, and I just felt the urge to say goodbye to my local route.
A sunny outing with a stiff, crisp breeze for company. The hounds joined me for an easy lope, greeting a number of fellow downsfolk with enthusiastic tail-wagging and a good deal of bottom-sniffing. The ache in my right calf eased with the passing of miles, though it didn't completely vanish. I'll be keeping tabs on that over the next few days and may well take up Kader's advice and seek a gentle massage on arrival tomorrow.
At the last minute (midnight last night in fact) I decided to launch a fund raising site. I'd intended to do this from the start, but events, like so many runners over the years, overtook me. Now, with most of my costs covered thanks to my company and the generosity of my new friends Jacqui and Clive Nel (we'll be staying at Chez Nel B&B until after the race - much more on this later) anything I raise will go directly to JDRF.
This is not a plea for funds; I've reached out far and wide into the business community in the hope of landing one or two corporate sponsors - but you might like to take a look and find out more about the charity I'm running for. And, if you feel like throwing some coppers my way, well, I won't complain too loudly.
The support I get from this forum is truly inspirational. It may seem a little previous, getting my 'thank you's' in first, but you never know what's round the corner, and often the important people get left out in the euphoria of the post-race high. I'm not going to embarass anyone by singling them out, but, generically, I owe a debt of gratitude to all the forumites, old and new, for their continued encouragement throughout the tough winter months, and to my running partners, especially the hounds, the Almería RCers and the Jog Shop Joggers who have put up with my whining, lagging behind and, on the odd occasion my long runs have followed an enthusiastic hydration session with the Mighty SP, uncontrolled flatulence.
Running can certainly be a lonely existence at times.
Not for me. Thanks.
The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph
That's one hell of a long way to run to get a Guinness :-) I take my hat off to you. I've really enjoyed the reports of the build up and will relish the Final Chapter - Good Luck, we'll all be thinking about you and willing you on.
Sweder Wrote:I owe a debt of gratitude to all the forumites, old and new, for their continued encouragement throughout the tough winter months, and to my running partners, especially the hounds, the Almería RCers and the Jog Shop Joggers who have put up with my whining, lagging behind and, on the odd occasion my long runs have followed an enthusiastic hydration session with the Mighty SP, uncontrolled flatulence.
I think our Guinness-fuelled sessions have paradoxically had a sobering experience on Sweder. Least I could do in the circumstances. :o
Sweder Wrote:I owe a debt of gratitude to all the forumites, old and new, for their continued encouragement throughout the tough winter months, and to my running partners, especially the hounds, the Almería RCers and the Jog Shop Joggers who have put up with my whining, lagging behind and, on the odd occasion my long runs have followed an enthusiastic hydration session with the Mighty SP, uncontrolled flatulence.
Running can certainly be a lonely existence at times.
Not for me. Thanks.
Please, Stop talking on this way or I am falling in love with him. When you talk about uncontrolled flatulence you mind that he is generous in giving Chanel nº 5 for every girl around him?
I am sure that with so many hours running, you will certainly think a little bit in RC, appart all other things that you may have in your mind. I also will be expecting for a so incredible rehydratation session, specially with mighty people around.
I am sure that Moileman, Rog and you will enjoy one of the best race of the planet
Funny how things pan out.
Queuing up at the departure lounge at LHR I’d just remarked on how smooth our export processing had been. Checked in online, swift run to the bag-drop, no queue at security and an untroubled hour in O’Neils having a farewell pint. A family of young terrorists were running amok, clipping the ankles of red-faced travellers in front of us.
‘Some poor sod’s going to cop that lot on board!’
Cue the sound of the gods chuckling in their firmament as we shuffled forward.
Sure enough, the pleasant, middle-aged couple across the aisle from us received a visit from the chief steward. A family were being kept apart by an oversight in the seating plan. Would they mind? Of course not. And so Mr and Mrs Hell and their three feisty toddlers entered our cabin.
C’est la vie. All part of life’s rich tapestry. As a seasoned traveller I’ve endured my fair share of disruptive passengers, not always excused by the exuberance of youth. In this case the parents did their best, but short of flaying the little darlings there was no way these tearaways were going to settle down.
I managed to enjoy a few hours of half-sleep having swapped the shenanigans in the next row for the ultra-violence of Martin Scorcese’s Oscar-winner The Departed. Blimey, I haven’t seen that much claret since the accident with the delivery truck outside the Lewes Conservative club. A nasty little film with few redeeming features save perhaps a definitive performance from Jack Nicholson.
The arrival process in Cape Town mirrored the trouble-free departure from London; all smiling officials waving us through. Things could barely improve, and yet they did. The Nels, our hosts for the next few days and nights, had organised a welcoming luncheon at a small yet perfectly-formed eatery in Bloeburg Sands. When I say ‘organised’ they’d gone so far as to persuade Dale, the propreiter and walking advert for his own sumptuous cooking, to stow some Guinness Draught in his ‘fridge. As we sat in the blissfully warm afternoon sun swapping tales and listening to the comforting ‘shhh!’ of bottle-tops loosening I thanked my lucky stars for good friends and fine beer.
Note to MLCMan: it didn’t take me long – two hours in fact - before I not only located but sampled your mystery Namibian beer; Windhoek (pron. Vind- hook) is an all-natural ale, light in colour, that refreshed the palate and tickles the tastebuds in a most agreeable fashion. Happily a favorite in the Nel household, arge quantities found nestling comfortably alongside a conspicuous stash of . . . well, I think you can guess.
Oh yes, and Mr Nel was his own generously-stocked bar.
In his living room. Happy trails.
The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph
Sweder Wrote:Note to MLCMan: it didn’t take me long – two hours in fact - before I not only located but sampled your mystery Namibian beer; Windhoek (pron. Vind- hook) is an all-natural ale, light in colour, that refreshed the palate and tickles the tastebuds in a most agreeable fashion.
Good man, I knew I could count on you. Now that you are most suitably and agreeably nourished, the race should be thoroughly enjoyable. You've certainly earned that much.
I'm off for a short plod shortly, which I shall dub the "Windhoek Sweder Five". Then I have to begin the long search for a local supplier of Windhoek beer.
Between about 10:30 and 11:30 BST on Sunday (an hour later for Europe, and god knows when for Australia) should be the boys' finest hour. That should be 5-6 hour point of the race. The target is 6 hours.
Spare them a thought.
By sheer coincidence, I should be off out for a run during that period, and will be willing them on.
El Gordo
Great things are done when men and mountains meet.
Alive! Beaten but unbowed. Managed to pick up a medal - in fact all JSJ-ers did. Many twists and turns to relate but no web access for a while. Cheers, Ash.
Great news, great achievement. Can't wait to hear the details. If they got medals, they must have got in within 7 hours, but perhaps not within target 6 hours if that's what "beaten" means.
El Gordo
Great things are done when men and mountains meet.
Congratulations Ash! I'm so excited for all three of you. Well done. I can't wait to hear all about it. What an accomplishment. The Guinness is well deserved.
April - Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon
