Ja well no fine, so we start another chapter in the memoires of the Running Reporter. They say familiarity breeds contempt, but could it also be family breeds’ excellence? Ansie Breytenbach is being trained by her husband, none other than our general manager Wynand Breytenbach. Ansie is all set to do the Rhodes Marathon and Wynand had strict instruction that her race at the Hatfield race should be a slow race, not faster than 1 hour 50 min for the 21. But knowing Ansie and her possible lack of concentration if running alone, Wynand wanted to ensure she has the proverbial “ball & chain” attached, somewhat like a hand brake.
After scouting around amongst the clubs runners Wynand decided to ask Theuns Strecker who has not bettered a 1 hour 50 min in a very long time. The objective was explained and the instructions given. The race started and off they went. At about the half way mark Ansie looked at her watch and enquired from Theuns what his all time PB was on a 21. It turned out to be 1 hour 41 min and Ansie accelerated the pace Theuns did his best to keep up. Ansie then started to encourage Theuns to work harder and when they reached the finish, Theuns had a new all time PB of 1 hour 38 min. Wynand was upset because the objective was to have Ansie run slower and here Theuns went faster. Theuns is so chuffed with his new PB but the ‘Ball & chain” did not work. Wynand, in the future if you want something done correctly, it is best if you do it yourself.
When can someone have too much experience that you get so blasé that you expect everything to just fall into place without any consequences? Elsa Meyer, one of our ladies, that has earned national colours in her walking days must have thought that she is above the laws of provinces but she had a rude awakening. Elsa and Gerhard went to the Pirates race in Johannesburg to test the waters against the opposition from the other side of the “boerewors” curtain. They entered and lined up for the race and at the sound of the gun Elsa took off on yet another race winning walk.
As was expected, there was no one else in her category that could even get close, so the winner was a foregone conclusion. At the finish line Elsa slowed her pace after going over the time keepers’ mat and waited for the officials to call her over to get her details. This was so not new to her, so she was a bit taken aback when she was not called upon to furnish the info. She then enquired and with a shock was informed that she was disqualified. “What? Me? Disqualified for what? I know how to walk, I can teach your umpires about the rules of walking. And then the rude awakening, “you are disqualified because you don’t have a race number on” Elsa did pay her entry and unfortunately forgot to pin them on and did the race, officially, “unlicensed”. All the hard work, because Pirates is not an easy route, all for nothing, just a disqualification. Elsa, maybe you should visit the club shop and invest in a set of “Bibfix”. That way you can “snap it on” for your next race, and avoid any follow up disqualifications.
Some guys you just can’t keep down, or is it up? Travers Snyman made his comeback last year by doing comrades again after many years and this year again, and now on to his 3rd Washie. Now you would think that an experienced runner knows how to pre-plan a race end whatever goes with it. Not Travers. In a small town like Port Alfred, Travers got lost. I ask you, if you are doing a 100 miler’ (161 km) race, the last thing you can afford is too get lost. If you want advice on how to do that, then Travers is your man, because he has firsthand experience. As if doing 162 + something kilometres to complete his 3rd Washie was not bad enough, Travers also fell at least twice. Members that read the Running Reporter regularly will remember that Travers has been involved in a few falling incidents. Travers is to an extent known as “the fall guy” Travers, I hope you don’t hate me for this but I now rename you as Travers “loop & val” Snyman.
Wells folks, that it for now so Cheers vir Eers.
The Running Reporter
After scouting around amongst the clubs runners Wynand decided to ask Theuns Strecker who has not bettered a 1 hour 50 min in a very long time. The objective was explained and the instructions given. The race started and off they went. At about the half way mark Ansie looked at her watch and enquired from Theuns what his all time PB was on a 21. It turned out to be 1 hour 41 min and Ansie accelerated the pace Theuns did his best to keep up. Ansie then started to encourage Theuns to work harder and when they reached the finish, Theuns had a new all time PB of 1 hour 38 min. Wynand was upset because the objective was to have Ansie run slower and here Theuns went faster. Theuns is so chuffed with his new PB but the ‘Ball & chain” did not work. Wynand, in the future if you want something done correctly, it is best if you do it yourself.
When can someone have too much experience that you get so blasé that you expect everything to just fall into place without any consequences? Elsa Meyer, one of our ladies, that has earned national colours in her walking days must have thought that she is above the laws of provinces but she had a rude awakening. Elsa and Gerhard went to the Pirates race in Johannesburg to test the waters against the opposition from the other side of the “boerewors” curtain. They entered and lined up for the race and at the sound of the gun Elsa took off on yet another race winning walk.
As was expected, there was no one else in her category that could even get close, so the winner was a foregone conclusion. At the finish line Elsa slowed her pace after going over the time keepers’ mat and waited for the officials to call her over to get her details. This was so not new to her, so she was a bit taken aback when she was not called upon to furnish the info. She then enquired and with a shock was informed that she was disqualified. “What? Me? Disqualified for what? I know how to walk, I can teach your umpires about the rules of walking. And then the rude awakening, “you are disqualified because you don’t have a race number on” Elsa did pay her entry and unfortunately forgot to pin them on and did the race, officially, “unlicensed”. All the hard work, because Pirates is not an easy route, all for nothing, just a disqualification. Elsa, maybe you should visit the club shop and invest in a set of “Bibfix”. That way you can “snap it on” for your next race, and avoid any follow up disqualifications.
Some guys you just can’t keep down, or is it up? Travers Snyman made his comeback last year by doing comrades again after many years and this year again, and now on to his 3rd Washie. Now you would think that an experienced runner knows how to pre-plan a race end whatever goes with it. Not Travers. In a small town like Port Alfred, Travers got lost. I ask you, if you are doing a 100 miler’ (161 km) race, the last thing you can afford is too get lost. If you want advice on how to do that, then Travers is your man, because he has firsthand experience. As if doing 162 + something kilometres to complete his 3rd Washie was not bad enough, Travers also fell at least twice. Members that read the Running Reporter regularly will remember that Travers has been involved in a few falling incidents. Travers is to an extent known as “the fall guy” Travers, I hope you don’t hate me for this but I now rename you as Travers “loop & val” Snyman.
Wells folks, that it for now so Cheers vir Eers.
The Running Reporter
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