ROAD RUNNING
After a great 2023 , Ela is now focused on 2024
Nearing the finish of the False Bay 50km
From the Archives …
Life Lessons on the Run
In our July 2020 edition , Ela wrote about her experiences in a difficult year . As if COVID and lockdown were not enough , she was hit by a taxi while out running , and woke up in hospital – luckily with no broken bones , but plenty of bruises . As she says , from something bad comes something good … because she made a new friend who promised her free taxi rides for life ! Read the article here .
Into Ultra Territory
The next big race I prepared for was the iconic Totalsports Two Oceans Ultra Marathon . As for laying the groundwork , I ran the Weskus Marathon as a long run with an added 8km to round it up to a nice 50km trot . The morning of the Two Oceans saw me being much better prepared than the Cango Caves Marathon , as I stocked up on Biogen Cramp Care tablets and Futurelife Energy Bars with Electrolytes … because Missy didn ’ t want to have painful legs again !
The first part of the race saw us running in complete darkness , as our good old nemesis – loadshedding – apparently had a free entry . This led to me stressing that I would trip and fall with every step I took , but before I knew it , the beautiful rays from the sunrise were illuminating the road ahead . I crossed the finish line after 4:47:50 with minimal pain – more like mild discomfort – from the 56km journey my legs had undertaken , and a shiny Sainsbury medal to add to my medal collection .
Now I had two months left till Comrades and training started ramping up , with the climax being a 60km long run in May . I completed the False Bay 50km with an added 10km to tick off the 60km long run , and with that the hard work on the road was complete .
All that was left to do was relax , pack my belongings , hop onto a plane and travel to Durban , where on 11 June my dreams would materialise . The FlySafair flight landed in the dead of night at the King Shaka International Airport and the next day called for a 20-minute shakeout jog before ubering to the bustling Durban ICC for race number collection , and the inevitable discussion about my age , and how young I look . Oh well …
Coping With Comrades
The morning of 11th June 2023 called for a super early wakeup at midnight , the earliest I ’ ve ever voluntarily woken up , but I knew that in a couple of hours , it would be all worth it . We took the bus from Durban to Pietermaritzburg City Hall , and just like I had underestimated the race route , so too did I underestimate how cold it would be . The longest wait for a race to commence kicked off , but fortunately , I was kept company by the security guards carefully guarding the seeding pins to see that no one cheats . When Shosholoza came over the speakers , everybody sang together with pride and joy , and it was a beautiful experience to be a part of . The Chariots of Fire soundtrack gave me goosebumps , followed by Max Trimborn ’ s pre-recorded cockerel crow , which sounded more like the poor fellow had laryngitis … perhaps a precursor of the road that lay ahead for me .
Some 16,000 of us rushed across the start line like a pack of wildebeest , and now it was each person for themselves . I felt great , actually better than expected , and steamed forward , ticking down the kilometre markers as I passed by . Around halfway , my wheels gradually started falling off as the cramps in my quads struck again , so I had to slow down , but I still made my way forward , with some walking combined with running . However , the longer I was on the road , the more sore and more difficult it became . With about 4km left , I took my millionth walk break , but this time my legs just wouldn ’ t start running again . I was gutted .
Images : ABPhotoZA & courtesy Ela Meiring
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