The route was different than last year, more single tracks and a few km's longer. By the time I got to Swartboskloof(a mother of a climb to the top) I was already tired. and was already a few bruises richer. Nice!
What's the saying...."chick dig scars"
Half way up the climb, I was already over this whole race. The 20km road run I did the day before was propably not the best idea. But according to my program I had to do 2h. So, I did my two hours.
Then the mind games started....I did NOT feel like going all the way to the top, I did NOT feel like running 2h on the mountain, I just did NOT feel like running.
But I told myself "Self, just get to the top, and if you don't feel like running anymore, just stop, rock hop down the mountain and go home"
Oooh, but when will I be able to make up the missing hours in my training, I just don't have extra time to make up for missing training hours.
Once I got to the top, I ate something, and walked a bit. Wow, its SO beautiful up there, that I decided to carry on running. I am really glad I did. The best part of running on the mountain, is for every up there is a DOWN. and I LOVE the technical downhills. It was touch and go quite a few times, and if I did fall on the downhills, it would have been nasty.
Even though this was not my best race, I was confident in the downhills, and to me that is all that counts at the moment. I used my fancy new Inov8 Trailrocs....and they ROCKED!!
Ok, back to the JMC.
I finished the race in a spectacular time of 5h19......hahahhaaha.....the guys who won the race, did the course in 3h!!
One day when I grow up I will also run that fast.
Now I'm just wondering.....if it took me 5h19 to run/crawl 35km....how long will the 100km in the canyon take me....O sh#t. I will have to take enough food for the midnight feast I will be having in the canyon. by myself.
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| me, smiling, before I realised there is a detour coming up. |
