Tackling the tar with furry and not-so-furry friends

Images : Courtesy Carla Farina

This is because life has decided to get in the way . Work commitments have me tied down tighter than my shoelaces on a long run , and instead of basking in the glory of sunrises over the mountains , or feeling that sweet rush of adrenaline as I narrowly avoid faceplanting into a tree , I ’ ve had to ‘ do ’ with pounding pavement like a wannabe city-slicker . The constant tap-tap-tap of my feet on tar has replaced the crunch of dirt beneath me . Instead of dodging snakes ( and occasionally screaming when one slithers out of nowhere ), I ’ m dodging potholes and cars .

Urban Adventures

Now , don ’ t get me wrong , Pirates Road Running Club gatherings have been a lifesaver . I look forward to those Early Worm Runs as much as I look forward to the coffee at the end , and the highlight of the past month was the Pirates 94.7 Cycle Challenge Supporters ’ Run . Wow , the ‘ gees !’ I was so happy and proud to be a Pirate , with all my fellow crazy Pirates , and there ’ s something comforting about being around like-minded lunatics who love to run and laugh as much as they love to eat ( and drink ). It ’ s kept me sane-ish .

Also , as you know from previous articles , Joburg is scattered with many beautiful trails , from Kingskloof to my new favourite spot , B ’ Sorah – thank you , Lizle , for

finally dragging me out there . In fact , there are almost too many to choose from , however , how I wish I could lace up my trail shoes from my front door and step straight onto a path leading me up into the mountains . As a result , I ’ ve tried to bring a bit of ‘ trail life ’ into my road runs . I ’ ll veer off onto random patches of grass or hop onto sidewalks with the enthusiasm of someone pretending it ’ s singletrack , but it ’ s just not the same .

What has also been amazing is quality time with my dogs . We set out at 4:30am , and sometimes we ’ re the only ones out there , and it feels like we are the only ones in the world . Other times I ’ m joined by my friend Chana and her crazy new pup , Athena , and another friend , Leigh . It ’ s a magical time of the day , with furry and not-so-furry friends , but my soul is crying . She misses the trails , with an ache that only trail runners will understand .

I miss the mud . I miss the sweat-soaked , salt-crusted thrill of reaching the top of a monster climb and pretending not to almost pass out when someone else runs past . I miss the wildlife . ( Well , most of it ... I could do without the spiders and their strategically placed webs across the trail .) And let ’ s not forget the camaraderie of the trail community , where no one bats an eyelid if you ’ re covered in dirt and snot ( and in my case , more often than not blood ), or look like you ’ ve just emerged from a swamp .

Lately , I ’ ve even started dreaming about trails . Literally ! The other night , I dreamt I was running along

a ridge , only to wake up tangled in my duvet like a trail runner lost in a thick forest and forced to bundu bash out of there . ( Of course , that has actually happened to me more times than I care to remember !)

Appreciate the Blessings

I guess the moral of the story is this : You don ’ t know what you ’ ve got until it ’ s gone – or at least , until your calendar is so packed that the nearest mountain feels like a mirage . But I ’ m holding out hope of being back on the trails soon . The current demanding work commitments won ’ t last forever , and I am lucky that I do actually love my job . And I know the trails will still be out there , waiting for me like an old friend who doesn ’ t mind if you ’ ve gained a few kilos , or forgotten how to climb a hill without sounding like Darth Vader . Until then , I ’ ll keep hitting the road , but the next time I find myself on a trail , you ’ d better believe I ’ m going to stop and soak it all in . And I ’ ll take that unmissable sense of freedom and bottle it up for the next time life gets in the way .

About the Author

While Carla ’ s ‘ day job ’ is Head Tennis Coach and Director of Tennis at Game Set Match Tennis in Johannesburg , her second love is trail running , which she tackles with an unquenchable thirst for adventure , a never-saydie attitude , and a healthy sense of humour about all the misadventures that befall her on the trails !

Making the most of urban trails in the meantime

43