“This is my story”
Comrades Marathon slogan 2009

Resting HR (average): 56

Injury status: (L) low back 1/10, (R) shin 3/10, (L) shin 3/10

This was a bad week in terms of training. I had wanted to have another big week. Monday was a reasonable 12km, and then Tuesday morning I woke and it was pouring with rain. I procrastinated for 90 minutes, coming up with every excuse why I shouldn’t run…It’s raining, my legs are sore, i don’t feel so good…The previous day I listened to an audio of “the mindset of a champion” by Canadian sprinter Mark McKoy. He said that the difference between a champion and an also ran, is a champion trains when he doesn’t feel like it. So out I went. It was probably one of my hardest runs this year. All I could think of was I can’t run another 15, 10, 5km…but I can do another few steps. Over and over and over again…till I struggled home.

Wednesday my resting heart rate had climbed quite significantly to 59, probably a result of pushing hard the previous day, and possibly from running in the rain. It was a short, sharp session.

By Thursday, I decided I needed to take a day or two off and recover as my resting heart rate was up at 60. I took a couple of days off and then the next 2 were simply lazy days! With the Bulls rugby semi to prepare for and following the Comrades marathon 2009  on sunday I struggled to find time to train!

The Comrades 2009 was a great run, with Stephen Muzhingi beating the defending champion Leonid Shvetsov in a dramatic finishing.  In the womens race the Nurgalieva twins once again came first and second. For the top 10 results in Mens and Womens click here.

“You’re not a runner unless you’ve run Comrades”
Every Comrades runner