Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 121, August 2019 | Page 57

“do it with a smile on your face, a
twinkle in your eye, and the sheer
joy of running that infects all who
come into contact with you”
PJ’S PIECE
By PJ Moses
Cutting a Long
Story Short
There is a runner’s saying that
goes, “The long run is the one
which puts the tiger in the cat.” It
is not just a nice thing to say to
newbie runners, though, because
it holds true, and should form a
part of any running programme
that you may be using to improve
yourself. But I do feel there
should be a warning attached
to it, too… something along the
lines of: “The long run can also
strangle the tiger.”
T
his is what happened to me and my former love affair with long distance
races and training runs. Instead of feeding the tiger, I was strangling it
with my output, and if I can put it in terms most South Africans can better
understand, I would say that the more wood I added to the braai fire, the less
flames and more smoke I saw.
My enjoyment of the long run seemed to be a spent force, and not even time spent
in beautiful mountain surroundings could cure me of that feeling. I was lacklustre
in my approach to everything running-related, and so my training came to a halt,
as did my running life. I would venture out on occasion, but nothing compared to
the level I was at a few years ago. I tried tweaking my training and adapted my
schedule to reignite the spark, but nothing was going my way. It was the most
frustrating time of my running life, and it dragged on for more than a year. I was
still active, riding my bicycle and going to gym, but I was losing running form and
fitness, plus the desire to reach my true potential as a runner.
A New Strategy
In years gone by, when I used my fists and not my mouth to settle arguments on the
bad streets of Cape Town, I learnt that sometimes the knockout punch comes from
a short arm hook rather than a looping overhand. I started to employ this tactic in my
running by the end of 2018 – not the punching part, take note, but rather the short
over the long part. I made the Cape Summer Trail Series my goal, with those short
distance trails that we Cape Town runners have become so fond of.
I wanted to see if running short and fast distances would bring the love back,
and this idea did not disappoint at all, because during the series I not only found
my love of the trails again, but also my joy in running. That joy that is situated in
the burning legs and lungs, or eyes stinging with sweat. The love of the outdoor
beauty and love of the masses who joined me at every race. We were all there for
the same feeling of stoke that rushed through our veins at these events, where you
feel part of something bigger. These feelings had been missing from my running life
for too long. Now they were back, and I had to cultivate them carefully before they
disappeared again.
After a successful Summer series, I immediately set my eyes on the Winter series. I
knew that if I set myself that goal, then I would be forced to train and run regularly.
I scanned the internet for short and affordable trail races, and luckily we seem
to have an abundance of them due to our many wine farms, enthusiastic race
organisers, and a growing trail community that keeps the trail love spreading.
Chasing the Fire Within
So far this year I have been to the Grabouw/Elgin area twice (I can never tell the
difference between the two), I have been to the wine estates of Meerendal and
Spier for the first time, got some night time trail fun at Kirstenbosch Botanical
Gardens, and battled a ‘Tyger’ in what Capetonians call the north. These races not
only brought my sense of adventure back, but also afforded me the opportunity
to stand on the podium four times this year. I can even claim the title of champion
veteran over the short distances in the Summer Series of 2019. That is a priceless
achievement that has brought tremendous joy to me and my loved ones.
More importantly, the fire within me is once again burning brightly, and the cat is
once more a tiger,
roaring with gusto
to remind everybody
that there is greatness
within its soul. So go
out there and shorten
your distances if you
must, because there is
absolutely no shame in
it, and whether you are
trying for a podium or
just a finish, do it your
way. And do it with a
smile on your face, a
twinkle in your eye,
and the sheer joy of
running that infects all
who come into contact
with you.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: PJ is a former Cape Flats gangster who took up
running, and writing about it, when he turned his back on that dangerous
lifestyle in order to set a better example for his two sons. Today he is an
accomplished runner, from short distances to ultra-marathons, recently began
working in running retail, and his exceptional writing talent has opened still
more doors in his new life.
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