Hello fans, friends and freaks!
For the handful of you who followed my blog in the past you'll notice that all that morbid shit is gone. It's history, and so shall remain in history, forgotten history! I've decided to reboot this blog and rap on here from a more chilled and positive perspective. Because you see, I've clocked 40 this year, time is running out, that big old clock of life continues to tick on relentlessly towards the ultimate demise of said life, the point of which I'm almost certainly passed the halfway mark towards reaching. So, bitching and moaning about life's problems and challenges is no longer really relevant and does not help solving problems, nor does anybody really give a shit other than amused pity.
Besides, I'm a happy guy! The primary focus of my existence these days is running. It has been on and off for the last 5 or so years but lately it really has gone to new levels of not just an interest and occasional passtime, but to a full time obsession that hogs my thoughts, dictates my calendar and influences the events of mine and my family's time, especially on weekends, race days. I sit on my lard-ass at work every day thinking about running, planning and booking races and talking to my running friends about all things running. My old running buddies tend to outright ignore my long-winded posts and opinions and rants on our whatsapp group, and I don't blame them, they don't feel the same as I do nor have the same goals or this obsession which holds my thoughts hostage day in and out! Except for one new friend I have recently met at the races, a breath of fresh air in my life and an inspiration to work harder, push further, train harder; with the same enthusiasm and obsession for running as I have. We chat often and account to each other for training or lack thereof. It's exactly what I need for encouragement and accountability, and also just as a sounding board to chat about ideas and opinions. There is nobody else in my world who shares the same passion for running that I can talk to with the same level of interest. This friend does, albeit she's in Joburg, she's fast become a solid motivational feature in my running lifestyle for which I'm very grateful. We're both working towards the same goals, we will cross that Comrades finish line together in June next year, and we will do it strong and as prepared as we can be! And around this time next start the whole process all over again, forgetting the immense pain we put ourselves though over those 87.5 very long kilometers!
In fact it was a comment from that same friend recently which inspired the rebirth of this waffle!
And yes you heard right - COMRADES!!! I have entered the Comrades marathon next year! Who'd have thought... those of you who've known me for a while will remember the fat lazy slob I was not that long ago always eating junk, smoking like a tractor and either pissed or hungover most days of the week! Now I have entered, AND recently qualified to run the iconic Comrades marathon 87.5km of uphill, with the Two Oceans Ultra (56km) and Om die Dam Ultra (50km) among the "training" runs next year! I've already got two full marathons up my arse recently, and 10km races are rare these days in favour of half marathons or longer. When this all started 10km races were a big deal, I felt like a legend finishing them. Marathons and Ultra's were for insanely fit elite runners with mental issues. Now I'm one of those freaks!
Talking of which, this month is 2 years since I quit smoking!
This running "thing" has taken my life by the nuts and is gradually pacing one step at a time to bigger and greater goals and achievements! As much as it's hard work in often unpleasant weather, and early starts on weekends when the rest of the world still sleeps blissfully, I am loving this craze and intend on riding this high for as long as my legs are still functional!
So maybe that is the direction this blog will take. It makes sense, as the one thing that dominates my life over anything else these days (except my beautiful daughter of course), it should be the main topic of these one-sided discussions! I say one-sided because the comment section at the bottom of each blog entry remains eternally barren! (hint hint, if you're reading this far!)
The next race on my calendar, the Vlakte marathon this coming Saturday, involves a trip to the southern Cape. My third marathon, it runs from Heidelburg down to Witsand, finishes on the beach so yes damn straight I'll be running past the finish line into the ocean! My dad lives in Witsand so I'll take the Tamster with to visit grandpa.
Anyway my lunch break is now just about concluded, so it's goodbye for now!
