YOU SPIN ME RIGHT ROUND

I realised with a bit of a shock that it is only 26 days to go to the biggest event so far in my life. No not the Comrades marathon that is later.

It is the George Archer 201 km (130.5 miles) run that looms over my head like some Sword of Damocles.

The Sword of Damocles is an object in a Greek legend which is designed to illustrate the perils of being in a position of power. The term is often used in popular culture to talk about an imminent threat or peril, with the idiom “the Sword of Damocles” in reference to such a threat dating back to around 1747, along with the related concept of “hanging by a thread.”

So what is this race well it is starting from 10:00am on Tuesday 30th March, you can come and go as you please and finish your 201,0km in whatever size instalments you choose.

"There are many walkers and runners-who-become-walkers who are indirectly prevented from ever going beyond 60-100km in a single event because of the time limits placed on the usual races of 12-13 hours. They would never be able to experience the feeling of personal satisfaction that goes with reaching the magic distance of 100 Miles, even less so the feeling of breaking the 200km barrier.

In 2010, for one year only, the Hekpoort 201,0km will open a window of opportunity, you compete against YOURSELF and the CLOCK.

There are no 1st, 2nd, 3rd or last positions. If you manage the distance somewhere within the 5 day cutoff, you are a winner. If this event helps you to better your Comrades time by 30 minutes, you will be a winner twice. If finishing this event makes you feel really goods, you will be a winner three times.

Yes I have lost my mind !!! You know what this is the baby event there is the 403 km and 649 km as well being held at the same venue. All together there are 55 of us. 31 on my race, 6 on the 403 km and 18 on the 649 km.

So how do you tackle something like this, well on their web site they say

"If you have already completed a multiday race, you will know what is coming. If not, this section might be for you.

There are three ingredients. You need a timetable, you need discipline to stick to it (where possible) and you need consistency.

Mathenatically, 201,0km over 5 days translates to just over 40km per 24 hour day.
if you sleep for eight hours, eat for one and a half hours, shower and look after your campsite for one and a half hours, that leaves you thirteen hours for your 40km.
You will more than likely not want to complete the entire 40km in one stretch.
The fact that you aren't tired after 10km or 20 km is no indication that it won't seize up on you after 30km.

You may or may not know where your injury distance limits are and you don't really want to use this event to discover them.

The secret to a (relatively) happy outing is to stay well within your limits. break the 42km into three or four easier sections.

If you have decided that you are quite comfortable with 10km, then your timetable will have twenty 10km sections marked on it, four per day.

At 10min/km, you need 1hr40 per section. At the end of day 1, you should be feeling as though you haven't even started.

Think of it this way. You can make a car last for 10 or 20 years, 200-300 000km if you look after it and keep it within its limits or you can jam it into first gear and move down the highway with the engine screaming - it will probably last one week.
You can lift 40kg in the gym comfortably every day forever or you can suddenly try to lift 60kg and never lift weights again.

You can comfortably finish the Comrades Marathon in 11:30 by consistently running/walking at 7:30 from the start or you can sprint your heart out at 5:00min/km from the start for 5km and not even make halfway.""

So keeping this in mind I have planned two 21.1 km runs one in the morning and one in the afternoon of the first day, the next few days will be a 25 km in the morning, 21.1 km in the afternoon and then a 15 km in the evening. Last day should be another 21.1 km till cut off at 10h00.

If all goes well I might just consider the 403 km for next year !!

Oh I forgot to mention the best part, it is a 1 km circuit so you go around and around which makes me think of that song…..

You spin me right round, baby
Right round like a record, baby
Right round round round
You spin me right round, baby
Right round like a record, baby
Right round round round