ROAD RUNNING l spent two days sightseeing in Munich , where I did two easy runs , then travelled to Paris . Early morning on race day , we met at the Sub-3 starting batch , and l could feel my adrenalin . l was in the midst of the world ’ s athletic talent , with all the sub-3 runners looking so swift and fit , and l wondered what l had gotten myself into …
The atmosphere was electric , the organisation was impeccable , and soon the song Chariots of Fire was played , reminding us of Comrades . The Wheelchair athletes started , next it was the elites , and five minutes later we started off , too . We went over our plan again : We would run the first 15km together at 4:15min / km , then coach Wawa would leave me to drop my pace to 4:20min / km , and he would accelerate . I had no problem with that plan , as all I wanted was just to run .
Well , we eventually got to 15km and Wawa did his goodbye in his usual respectful yet unassuming manner . I wished him well and off he went , like the biblical Asahel who was known for his light-footed speed in battle . However , I kept a safe distance just behind him and at 18km we were together again , much to his amazement .
Wawa had emphasised two important things to me when we started running the marathon , firstly that at every 5km we take a gel , followed by well-timed hydration intervals . Secondly , knowing that l am a noisy runner and enjoy greeting everyone on the streets , he told me to conserve energy and not talk or sing , which is one of my running traits . I felt so bottled up , as l wanted to keep entertaining the crowds at the hydration stations and respond to the lively music being churned out on the way ! ( At 7km he had asked me if l had found my running rhythm , and l confirmed l had by singing a few lines of the song Jericho by Reality 7 . Sometimes one simply must sing !)
Inspired by Biblical Heroes
From 18km we were now moving at 4:06min / km , and at 32km l sensed l might struggle to maintain this cadence , so l asked him to leave me , saying that l will manage . He left me with the following words : “ Keep the pace and you will make it ,” which reminded me of the words of Moses to Joshua as they were about to enter the land of Canaan . It was now very clear he was talking of a sub-3 for me , and not the 3h15 which was the plan .
At 33km there was a bit of an incline and l slowed to walk for about 250 metres . l could hear the supporters screaming that l should run – remember , l was running with a band of sub-3 athletes and no-one was walking , it was all serious business ! After my recalibration walk , l started to run again , and as my friend Panda Qamata would say , “ and his hair began to grow ,” referring to Samson in the Bible , when his hair started growing while in a Philistine prison .
14 ISSUE 146 NOVEMBER 2021 | www . modernathlete . co . za
Running along the banks of the famous Seine River .
I started running again , and till 36km , my pace was back at 4:15 / km . l looked at the time left , but the maths was so difficult to figure out whether I can make the sub-3 . It was only when l got to 38km and l realised l have 21minutes left , that it dawned on me that if l can just run 5min / km , l can make the elusive and much celebrated sub-3 cut-off . At this point l started dreaming about being at the threshold of making history for myself , but l reigned in some composure and kept pressing forward .