I wanted the win... I didn't want to be waiting round for the organizes to add up the times from all 4 races, I don't take stress!
The start of the race was fast, too fast for a fat, slow, old, man like me and the boys flew down the gravel road.
OK Kane was flying with 2 guys chasing hard, 1 of them was Johnny, (my 40+ competition) So I had to throw caution to the wind and and put the hammer down... Now I'm not a racing machine anymore, so I can't go out hurting from the gun! The early km were flat and easy by trail standards and the gap to Johnny and 3rd (or 1st 40+) grow till we crossed the dam at 3km.
I took a split and was about 45sec behind, but with a couple of hills over the next 6km I had to up my game if I was to catch him.
Roger had been following my every move, but I hit the single tracks with purpose (these single tracks are on mountain bike routes on the farm Oak Valley that we were running on). Back to the race, running like a rally car using the banks to take the turns I weaved through the forest and up the little hills. 30 sec the gap was closing.
Between 11km and 12km there was a short steep hill and I had no time to slow, so push I had to push. I was killing myself hammering the downs and hammering the ups, flying round the corners and through the bush to pass the 25km runners... Yes I coulds see Johnny, but I just couldn't catch him.
No the title was mine :) I had beaten Johnny by enough in the hills of Tygerberg. It had been a hard fought battle, but fun, don't tell anyone, but I do like racing!
Well done, you're one tough competitor... as a matter of interest- do you drink?
Old maybe but not fat or slow. Congratulations. Great win!
I got excited just reading this! Well done that old, fat, slow man!