Haha! Quite a few people have asked me this so I thought it would make a great title! I think when I expressed how disappointed I was with the outcome of the race, some took it that I hadn’t actually finished! Good news is, I did, and it wasn’t my worst time either. Bad news is I didn’t get anywhere close to the three goals I’d set for myself. So, what happened that day? Truth is, I’m still trying to figure it out. After six weeks, I still don’t have any real answers. But even without them, I would like to share a few lessons that have emerged from the whole experience, and as always, many apply to life in general, not just to running.

On 29th July 2023, I participated in my TWELFTH Half Marathon in Selebi-Phikwe, an old mining town in the Central District of Botswana. This was my first Goal Race of the year, and I had three goals in ascending levels of difficulty and ambition:

• GOAL C: Sub 2:35:47 to beat the time I ran last year.
• GOAL B: Sub 2h30 which I hadn’t run in about three years.
• GOAL A: Sub 2:24:01 which is my current official Personal Best set four years ago.

I knew Goal A was a stretch, but I put it in there because, “Why not?” I knew with maybe 80% certainty that Goal B was in the bag, and absolute certainty that I had Goal C. I say this in no way to sound arrogant or overly confident. As I trained, my body just felt stronger and faster than it had in a long while. Aside from a couple of weeks with a cold and stomach bug, I remained quite consistent with a minimum of four runs a week, rarely skipping speed sessions or long runs. But the best part of my training programme was I found it really fun and motivating. So, finishing the race in 2:41:23 (7:35/km pace) was a huge disappointment. It’s not what I felt I had trained for or deserved. In fact, I felt robbed that day. But I couldn’t even identify the thief, LOL!

Originally named the Bosele Marathon, the Orange Phikwe Marathon is the oldest in Botswana, started in 1985 by the late Boet Kahts and Phill Roberts who was a teacher at Selebi Phikwe Senior Secondary School. To read more about this race and the town itself, check out my last race recap where I discuss the town’s interesting history and give a detailed account of the race. After a five-hour drive, we arrived in Phikwe and headed to Hotel Selebi to collect our race bibs. The process was a lot quicker than last year. Once done, we drove to Phokoje Bush Lodge and had a lovely supper before heading to bed. The following morning, we were up at 05h00 and out the door by 06h00. The crowd looked much bigger than last year. After a warmup session, the Marathoners set off, followed by the Half Marathoners and then the 10km runners.

FIVE (Life) Lessons from Phikwe

1/ No Race is Guaranteed. Let’s just hit the nail on the head in Point 1, shall we?! Looking back at my training log, I can honestly say, I put in the work and for once, I did not come up with clever excuses to skip a run or workout. I was so focused on my training. Many of my runs were done on cold winter mornings. On my first 10km Time Trial, I was absolutely petrified and tempted to skip it. But instead, I pushed myself and managed a 06:22/km pace which for me is incredible. There was a time I had a cold, and after 72 hours of rest, I still managed a comfortable 16km long run. When in Tanzania for work, I made sure I ran as much as I could. When on a short holiday in South Africa, I signed up for a tough trail run (Half) just so I could get my 18km run done. So, the most important lesson from Phikwe is you can put in the work, but come Race Day, it may just not be your day. And this goes with so many things in life, right? With all my preparation and hard work, this wasn’t my day to PB and it’s been hard to accept that.

2/ It’s Okay to Feel Disappointed. I’m disappointed because I worked really hard for this and not only did I NOT match last year’s performance where I had worked less hard, but I was 6 minutes SLOWER. I felt excited at the start of the race. I wasn’t cocky. I just felt ready. Within the first 2km, I didn’t feel myself even though I was on pace with 06:41 and 06:51. Knowing that I’m usually sluggish at the start, I didn’t give this much thought. For the next 5km, my paces ranged from 06:43 to 07:01, so I was well on track but even then, my body didn’t feel “in flow”. Around 7km, I knew something was off, but I couldn’t pinpoint what it was. After that, I just battled every kilometre to remain on pace but when I got to 15km I knew the gig was up. After that, it was a pure mental battle to finish what I had started with my pace dropping to lows of 08:29 and even 09:00 for some kms. So, yes, I am very disappointed. BUT I also know it’s important not to sit in this disappointment for too long which brings me to points 3, 4 and 5.

3/ Acknowledge the Positives. And there were many. First of all, I had an amazing weekend bonding with my husband Ditiro and sister NJ. We all get on like a house on fire, so we are never short of conversation and laughter when we are together.

Secondly, seeing Ditiro complete his first Full Marathon in an incredible time of 3:37 filled me with so much pride. And he did it in grand style – perfect fuelling and pacing, and barely any muscle pain during or after the race.

Also, having my sister meet me at the end of my race with a huge hug was so lovely. That, and the fact she had just earned her 6th 10km medal of the year! PLUS, even as I struggled through the race, I was moved by meeting so many runners who said they read my blog, not just runners from Gaborone, but runners from as far afield as Francistown, Palapye and Ramotswa. It was a beautiful reminder of why I continue to share my journey – the good and the ugly!

4/ Reflect on What Went Wrong. For all races, I like to reflect on what went well and what can be improved for next time. I must admit writing this blog has taken so long because I don’t quite know what went wrong. I think that’s the worst part. For all other races where I haven’t done well, I’ve ALWAYS been able to pinpoint exactly what went wrong. For this race, I didn’t feel over or undertrained – in fact, as I lined up, I felt like this was my race and my time. But when I was Spring Cleaning my Fitness Routine last week – I acknowledged some areas that I can definitely improve or tighten – nutrition, strength work, and core work, being at the top of the list. So, those are the key adjustments I will make going forward.

5/ Dust Yourself Off and Try Again. I’ve done exactly that. After the race, I set my sights on the UB Half Marathon scheduled for 24th September. I contemplated taking a break and there were moments I wish I had but I’m pleased I kept going as breaks don’t work for me. I lose too much fitness and just end up feeling quite down. So, in terms of training, I’ve kept going, this time knowing I have a 12-week solid base under me. The race course is flat, in an area I run frequently and I’m hoping this makes it an easier race for me than Phikwe. I’ve also had a few interesting runs since Phikwe, including a race in Accra, Ghana, as well as a run in the University of Ghana campus. A couple of weeks ago, I did a lovely 16km run in Gaborone, and this past Sunday, I ran 18km from my house to Mokolodi where Ditiro was participating in a duathlon. For the UB Race, I’m still shooting for the same goals albeit with a little less certainty of a win, LOL. I would love to get under 2h30 but at this rate, I will be happy with anything close to it!

This was not the race recap I had planned, but the best way I could explain what happened in Phikwe and how I’ve tried to move on from it. This weekend, I have a 10km race for the Spar Community Challenge, the following weekend I have a 10km race in Ramotswa, a village I have NEVER run in, although it is fairly close to Gaborone, and the following weekend is the UB Half Marathon. A lot to look forward to and as always, I will bring you all along for the ride run! 🙂

Have you ever been disappointed by the outcome of a race? Have you ever just been confused by what happened on Race Day? If you’re a blogger, are you surprised when people say they read your blog?

I’m so excited to be linking up with My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and Zenaida for Fit Five Friday.