Three weeks have flown by since I last wrote. My initial aim was to post weekly updates leading to my next race on the 4th March, but these weeks were plagued with immense self-doubt, a whopping migraine and a tummy bug!

Week 1

Sunday: Immediately after the Jack’s Gym 5k Trail Run, I felt energised, excited and truly inspired to keep running. Yes… I acknowledge it was a dismal performance but it was a start. The very next day I went up Kgale Hill. This is the highest peak in Gaborone and is very popular for both beginner and advanced hikers. I did a distance of 4.97 km, 1:34 hrs, with a 296 m ascent. So far, so good…

Thursday: I did a treadmill walk/run. It was quite intense for me, 4.62 km, 39.02 min, at an average pace of 8:27 min/km. However, it was a late run (around 20:30) and by the time I finished I was completely exhausted and didn’t drink enough. So around 03:00 I woke up with an awful migraine that lasted for two days. Headaches are not new to me but I suspect this one was caused by the fact that I didn’t hydrate enough before going to bed. An extremely painful lesson to learn…

Sadly, it was all downhill from there. Self-doubt crept in and completely ruined the next couple of weeks for me. I felt silly for even thinking I could do 17 races this year, let alone do a 10 km race in an hour. I thought, “Why did I even start this blog!?” I felt helpless. The last time I really felt this way was when I was trying to get my Driver’s License. When I turned 18, I got a learner’s license but I ended up getting my license when I was 30. I simply told myself that some people are meant to drive and others are not. Twelve years later, something clicked. I started lessons and passed my driver’s test on the first go. In Week 1 of training, that same feeling of helplessness returned and I convinced myself that although I may like the idea of running, it may just not be for me.

Week 2

This feeling continued right into Week 2 and after being hit by a tummy bug and continued headaches, I was just not in the game. Aside from a pilates lesson on Wednesday, I did nothing. In fact, by the end of Week 2, I told myself that I was not going to run in Pretoria and that I was basically going to throw in the towel…

Week 3

Tuesday: I started the week feeling a lot more determined. I was a little bit tired from work, but still managed a good walk/run outdoors. I did 2.21 km in 19:03 mins, pace 8:38 min/km. Much slower than my last run, but I felt happy that I had put on those shoes and gone for a run.

Wednesday: I decided to go for a run before my pilates class started. I ran (no walking!) with my cousin which was really fun. We found a nice pace (average: 7:47 min/ km) and chatted the whole way (2.77 km in 21:33 min).

Saturday: Taking advantage of the beautiful cloudy weather, I went for a run around the neighbourhood. What a great run and a personal record! I managed 4.03 km in 30:57 min, my longest distance and time without walking! I kept a close eye on my watch and as soon as I approached a pace of 08:00 min/ km, I stepped it up a gear.  My average pace in the end was 7:40 min/ km. I was very pleased.

Sunday: I was supposed to go up Kgale but decided to have a lie-in and go for a late morning run with Ditiro. Somewhere in the back of my mind I wanted to run 5 km without stopping but I didn’t think I would manage. But I did!! Oh my word!

I was so excited. It was a tough run but having Ditiro there really helped. We also included an uphill section which I managed to do without slowing down to a walk. You should have seen my excitement when my watch finally said 5.00 km, 38:04 mins with a pace of 07:36 min/km!! The word “happiness” doesn’t quite do my feeling justice!

Can you remember the feeling you had the first time you RAN 5 km?

Upcoming Races

I have got the Medihelp Mini-Monster 10k race this Saturday and then the Bots Half Marathon (10k) race the very next week. Am I ready?!? Not at all! But I am going for it… Pretoria (South Africa) is a lot hillier than Gaborone. So if I can finish in 1: 25 hrs I will be quite pleased with myself. It will be a nice training run for the next one in Gaborone where I may even be able to PB!

(For the first time I am linking up with Courtney at Eat Pray Run where you will find links to others blogs sharing their training plans this week. Eat Pray Run is my “go to blog” when I am looking for some inspiration!).