So we are here to run the African X. If you not sure what it is, 3 days trail running with total distance of around 90km.
Shortest day is the last day, 24km. Today was first day of 31km and tomorrow is 34km and also the hardest of the 3 days.
Here are a few facts:
- Jennifer has never run more than 24km
- I last ran more than 21km at Comrades last year.
- I haven’t run more than 30km a week for over a year
- Spent 6 weeks lying on back in December after accident and 6 weeks learning how to move again
So lets just say we are very under prepared for this. But then again when has that ever stopped us, right ?
So this morning we started our journey and we are running steady at 5.30km/h pace till around 14km when the run started to eat at us and we joined a lot of people walking every hill. At 27km both Jen and I were broken and teary eyed. But in true warrior spirit Jen kept asking where Ryan was..ha haa, Ryan runs Puma retail and they have a race going so they kept pushing through the dark spots.
With 3km to go, everything was hurting and all we wanted to do was stop and sit down, kept pushing home. We crossed the line broken in 23rd place in mixed teams and around 90th place overall out of 250 teams so we are happy. I think we ran clever and didn’t push too hard so hope tomorrow doesn’t become the longest day of my life.
On another positive note, not 1 piece of litter on the course and most teams in high spirits.
Tomorrow we rise again with our fellow warriors and take to the trails to yet again push our own physical and mental boundaries.
But now I’m on the hunt for a cold beer and some shade. If you considering doing this race, enter, great few days away and one of the best organized races I’ve done. Just remember you sleep in tents which adds another tricky element to it.
Jennifer a little broken after day 1