Training

Road to Soweto: Training Recap, Week 7

Shathiso @thegaboronerunner.com

I am training for the Soweto 10k on the 5th November 2017. The Soweto Marathon is one of the biggest races in Africa and I am really looking forward to being a part of that vibe! I am also doing a #17in2017 Challenge where the goal is to run 17 races this year! To keep myself accountable I am linking up with the inspirational Holly and Tricia this week for their Weekly Wrap! Be sure to check out what they and others have been up to this week.

Equipped with my new gym membership card, I felt like I new person this week. Work was also a lot easier, and although I had some deadlines, I had much more time to breathe and to think and to plan (and do) my workouts! A very successful week of training and I recorded my highest weekly mileage this cycle! 🙂

Monday, 23rd October: Easy Run (30 min; 3.75 km)

I say Easy Run but this run was pure torture. I struggled and luckily I was with Tapiwa otherwise I may actually have quit half-way. Remember last week I boasted about my body being “in flow” and feeling so light on my feet? Haha. Today’s run was the exact opposite – I felt like my shoes were laced with lead and every step took a lot of effort. I don’t think I have ever been so glad to be done with a run! It was also extremely hot so this may have contributed to how I was feeling out there!

Tuesday, 24th October: Boot Camp Class (50 min)

The last time I went for a gym class was probably 8 years ago… maybe even 9 or 10… So doing this class was big. First things first, I booked my class using an App — that had me laughing out loud. There was no such thing a decade ago! Secondly, even in my gymming days, I NEVER did an early morning class. But today I was up at 04:40 and by 05:15 I was in a room with many others warming up for the class. Who knew so many people go to the gym at that ungodly hour!? The place was buzzing with people. I think that alone was enough to shock my body into action! The actual class was really good – we did a circuit moving from station to station every minute. I did well on the rowing machine and the bike, and some of the leg workouts. I struggled with the exercises involving my upper body and I definitely have a lot more work to do. The instructor was tough but he did say to me towards the end that, “Yeah, even slow motion movements like that are okay!” I wasn’t quite sure whether to smile or to roll my eyes! By 06:05 the class was done – we were all exhausted and sweaty, but remarkably cheerful. I was home in five minutes, just in time to see my 5 year old off to school, and to get my 3 year old ready for nursery school.

Wednesday, 25th October: Rest Day

Yay – for rest day! My upper body was really sore from Tuesday’s Boot Camp Class! But sore in a nice way – I felt aches in muscles I didn’t even know I had! I was so grateful not to be running today – it must have been around 40°C out there!

Thursday, 26th October: Run (30:14 min; 4.01 km)

I decided to go for a run around 20:10 when it was a lot cooler (28°C as opposed to 40!). After Monday’s awful run, I redeemed myself! A much faster pace, and a lot more comfortable.

Friday, 27th October: Rest Day

Halloween was not big in Botswana when I was growing up but over the last 5 years or so, the tradition has slowly worked its way in! We were invited to a Halloween Event and the kids had a fabulous time trick-or-treating for the first time! 🙂

Saturday, 28th October: Race Day (2:42:18 hours; 17.6 km)

I participated in my 13th Race of my 17 Race Challenge with Tapiwa! I love trail races but I don’t think they love me too much! For the first one I did this year, I missed a turn and ended up very lost! In another trail race, I got mugged with 5 km left to run. And then there was Saturday’s race… It was supposed to be a 15 km trail race, but they had obviously not measured it well because it ended up being 17.6 km. We were told the only water stop would be at the 9 – 10 km point and it was actually at the 15 km point (?). As we were at the back of the pack, we spent so much time trying to figure whether we were lost or not especially when we reached 12 km and the water-point they had said was at the 9 km mark was nowhere in sight. The good thing though is that this was my longest run ever and it was brilliant preparation for the Soweto Race! 🙂 Here is the race recap!

Sunday, 29th October: Blogging Day 🙂

Mileage this week: 25.36 km

Mileage this training cycle: 82.22 km

What do you do to celebrate Halloween? Have you run races where the distance was completely off? How was your week of working out? 🙂

22 thoughts on “Road to Soweto: Training Recap, Week 7”

  1. Isn’t it crazy how many people go to the gym so early to workout? That always has had me stumped. Of course, I was there too…

    Great work this week! And Happy Halloween!

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  3. The only time I was at the gym that early was when I struggle with the time change. The older I’ve gotten, the more the time change has affected me. I hope it’s not too bad when DST ends on Sunday.

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  4. OMG your kiddos are precious in their costumes! I hope they had fun.Good for you for getting up and off to the gym so early! It really is a great way to start the day. .I need to get back in my gym “groove”.

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  5. That trail race sounds frustrating! Who would the only water stop near the end? But, congrats on your longest run ever. And, nice weekly mileage too! Your kids are adorable. I bet they loved being able to Trick or Treat!

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    1. That’s the thing Holly – why would the only water stop be so close to the end?! You just have to laugh, otherwise you cry! The kids were soooo excited so it looks like this will become an annual tradition for us! It was so fund getting dressed up. My boy initially refused to wear his cape and hat but as soon as he saw all the other kids dressed up he realised his mum hadn’t gone crazy! 🙂

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  6. Isn’t it crazy how many people are at the gym so early? I also get surprised when I see people out running at 5am. it make me feel like Im not the only crazy one!

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  7. Every year, I think about how strange (and fun!) Halloween really is. I mean…people can dress in costume (some in the work place!), and we encourage our kids to do the same. Then, we take the kids out and about to beg for candy (sometimes from total strangers). Your kids look so cute! Congrats on your longest run EVER!

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    1. Hahaha! You should have heard us try to explain to the kids what we would be doing! The concept was so strange to them but they had so much fun! So this will definitely be an annual thing for us now! I already have visions for our next outfits! 🙂

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  8. That is quite the commitment that early of a class at the gym. Good job. I am glad my classes do not start until 9 am. I live in a condo so there are no trick or treaters that come by so I am going to my friend’s neighborhood that has many kiddos!

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    1. Hope you had a great Halloween! I am not sure how long I am going to last with such early gym times, but keeping my fingers crossed. I love the feeling after the session, but the thought and act of getting up… now that’s the tough part!

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  10. I love trail races, but I think the water stop situation is usually less than ideal due to having to find places where it’s relatively easy to truck or hike the water in. They should at least tell you where it is accurately though!

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    1. Oh yes! If they had only said, the water stop will be close to the end, at least we wouldn’t have wasted so much time thinking we were lost! But I do love trail races – it’s just so peaceful out there – such fresh air, no traffic or noise – just so peaceful.

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