Sand dunes, flying forty-somethings and embracing low mojo
It never ceases to amaze me what we, as athletes, put our
bodies through.
This past Saturday saw my participation in one of the
tougher cross country league races here in Cape Town, the terrain being almost
exclusively being of soft sand and the route winding its way through dunes of
Koeberg Nature Reserve. Cross country league, while essentially a grassroots sport,
is perhaps one of the most competitive branches of athletics in South Africa.
Free from the expense and “bling” that is associated with other off-road sporting
disciplines, the level of competition and the sheer intensity of these races
make the sport a true test of athletic ability.
And as with many other endurance sports, the way in which
each competitor approaches his or her preparation can be as varied as it is
interesting. For instance, two of my fellow competitors have opposing approaches
to training, competition and athletics in general.
The one guy competes in every single race on the calendar.
His training program includes weekly track sessions and long runs, no matter
the weather or what event is on his weekly race schedule. A few weeks ago, he
commented how he was feeling tired at that Sunday’s league race, given that he
ran for over two hours the previous evening, only beginning this session after
6pm. This week saw him perform marginally better, amazing considering he had turned
in a disappointing (for him) eight hour-plus Comrades Marathon performance only
six days previously. His rationale: he needs to maintain his points tally for
this winter’s cross country league!
The other guy defies the odds when it comes to performance
versus age. Now in his early forties, he turns in impressive results almost
year-round, with regular sub-35min 10km being standard fare. An unassuming
fellow, his consistent performances and seeming zest for life could be
attributed to an important factor: he eschews any running events over 15km, a
rare exception being the provincial half-marathon championships. But this is
only part of the equation. Perhaps the more important piece of the puzzle is
his avoiding of the excessive and potentially destructive mega-mileage that is all
too common with those pursuing the marathon and ultra-marathon distances.
My own athletic journey has been and continues to be heavily
influenced by such examples. While being a non-conformist by nature, there is
so much than can be learned from both the good and not-so-good practices of
others; exactly how we apply this to our own pursuits is the key to maintaining
our longevity, enthusiasm and competitive zeal.
Other key influences that I have come to embrace over the
years could be listed as weather and mood, which have a direct and sometimes
indirect influence on my energy levels.
I had high hopes of going out for a couple hours on my bike
the next morning. After a hard race on Saturday afternoon in cool and still
conditions, I was looking forward to simply pushing the pedals and enjoying the
sights on one of my favourite loops here in Cape Town. Waking up on Sunday
morning to a steadily increasing northwesterly gale and imminent rain soured
that somewhat; had the weather been like the day before I would have saddled up
with enthusiasm and glee. Not this day though. It is funny how, as soon I begin
rationalizing and calculating a route that keeps me out of the wind, I know
that I am simply going through the motions and that the road is best saved for
another day.
After a morning of clearing up the garden, preparing food
and general household shores, I was confident that I had made the right
decision. Yet part of being an athlete of any level is to have a plan B, which
in this case turned out to be an easy one hour session aboard my indoor trainer
in our back garden. No need for a fan given the howling wind, this short,
simple and enjoyable session was the perfect antidote to the post-race blues.
Sometimes that is all we as athletes need.
Rather a taste than nothing at all.
