Stats: Tuesday, 7 December 2010, 05:15

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/59018532

Apologies for the late stats upload, but here are Tuesday morning's stats.

Starting out it was Dy, Jen and me.

Route Profile

The plan was to take it easy along a fairly hilly course, keeping something in reserve for Tuesday evening's Twilight run. We started out bolting up Dean Street, then a bit of recovery along Newlands Avenue. At the M3 intersection we turned down towards the Shell for water, as this route has nothing after this point. From Shell, Jen opted to stick to the flatter 8km route past Newlands Cricket Grounds and over Belmont. Dy and I continued on towards Bishopscourt.

First, up Fernwood Avenue, we kept a comfortable pace. I was on auto-pilot, thank you Dy for keeping us on the right route!! We headed down Heath Road towards Riverside Road and Kirstenbosch Drive. From Kirstebosch we turned onto Bishopscourt Drive and headed towards Kirstenbosch, but after a long climb we turned up Norwich Road and an even steeper hill!!!! But this route is becoming a regular Hillbilly route by now, and somehow seemed easier than previous times yesterday!

Route Map

From Norwich we rejoined Canterbury Drive. By this point Dy and I were having such a good chat that we completely missed our next turn-off onto Dunkeld. But in that area all roads run between Canterbury and Forest Avenue, so we quickly got back on-course.

We caught a lucky break in traffic back at M3 and crossed over quickly. Hills over, we floated down Bowood and onto Eden. More luck with traffic crossing over to the other side of Collington, we cruised along Kildare and Mains Street all the way back to Great Westerford.

Jen was long done with her run by this point - hope you had a good one :)

Dy collected her Twilight number and off we went to start our day.

-------------------------

Dean Street Hillbillies

Morning Run: Tuesday, 7 December, 05:15

Yes Hillbillies, there will still be a run tomorrow morning, even though many are running the Twilight Team Run tomorrow evening (it's only 5km - a nice cool-down!)
Tomorrow morning we won't go too overboard - I'm thinking the loopy Bishopscourt route again - I'd advise to bring a small bottle of water along: we stop at the Shell at 2.5km for water, and then no water again until about 10km.

It's a beautiful route, somewhat hilly, but we'll take it easy and enjoy the scenery.
Meet at Great Westerford, 05:15.

Next week Tuesday (14th December) - who's keen for the long 17km Constantia route and who's keen for Rhodes Mem (but a 15km version of the route, with the "hill" near the start)?? I'm keen for both, one next week and one the week after. Yay or nay??

Also, I'm thinking of doing another 30km Tygerberg route out in Bellville one weekend before the end of the year. Most likely 18th December. I've had a few people say they're keen to try a 30km run, and this would be perfect timing to get ready for January's longer races - Bay 2 Bay 30km on 9 January being the first, from Glen Country Club in Camps Bay, over Suikerbossie into Hout Bay, turn-around (or relay point for those doing the team/relay event) at the harbour and back up and over Suikerbossie to La Med. Beautiful route, with a nasty little sting-in-the-tail hill at the very end...!

-------------------------

Dean Street Hillbillies

 

Stats: Thursday, 2 December 2010, 05:30

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/58558512

This morning saw me and Dy tackle the hills slowly, one step at a time. After fighting with our respective alarm clocks we each managed to drag ourselves out of bed and arrived at Great Westerford kind of awake and ready to go.

Route Profile

We decided to tackle an old favourite with a twist: to Stone Church and back, but heading up via Klipper Road instead of Dean Street.

Both of us were in the same boat this morning - good and tired still from running hard at last night's race. We took it slow up the hills and made it to the water point still alive and breathing. Some water to drink and even more to splash on my face, and I felt a huge lot better!!! Drink and a cool-off for Dy, and we were ready to tackle the return trip. Which is downhill and flat for the most part!!

We got lucky crossing over the M3 this morning - over the first part while the robots were still red, and the next bit wasn't heavily trafficked so we were able to dash across there without too much of a wait.

Down Alster and then along past Melissa's, and we had Great Westerford in sight. No sprint-races this morning, we finished at a steady pace.

Route Map

Now for a well-deserved cup of coffee, and I'm looking forward to sleeping a little later tomorrow morning. Then on to Lourensford Wine Estate on Saturday to run the Vital Half Marathon (previously called the RWFL/New Balance Half). That's a scenic jog through the vineyards, always a good run, and usually hot enough to justify a quick dip into the dam at half-way (after stripping of just the non-water-resistant valuables/electronics, the idea is to get your running kit soaked through to cool you off for the next km or so of running)

Good luck to those running this weekend - be it a race or a training run. For those not running - have a relaxing weekend and I'll see you all next week.

-------------------------

Dean Street Hillbillies

Race Report: Metropolitan 10K 2010

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/58558513

Well done to all the Hillbillies who took part in last night's HILLY 10K race out in Bellville!!! You guys did the Hillbilly team proud!!

Route Profile

The race started at the top of a nasty little hill in the Metropolitan office complex in Bellville. Jen and I drove through early to beat the traffic (expected to be much worse due to the train strikes!) and stuck to the back routes. We got there plenty early, registered, and then just relaxed until closer to starting-time.

We spotted Dy at the starting line, with her Argentinian friend who was running her first 10K. The 4 of us started together but soon got separated in the crowds (1200 runners finished the race).

I caught and passed Jen going up the first hill into the Stellenbosch University Bellville Campus. I caught Dy and her friend near the top of the next big hill. The rest of the race was spent trying to stay ahead of them, but I was too scared to look back for fear of tripping over my own feet along the steep hills (and just a little afraid that I'd see them hot on my tail!)

For the rest of the race I was pretty much on my own, dodging crowds, passing people slogging up hill after hill, being passed again by many of those people heading down, down, down the next hill.

Finally at around 8km mark we had Frans Conradie Road in sight - the worst of the hills were conquered!!! Much as I wanted to just stop and walk up some of those hills, I somehow managed to keep moving. Frans Conradie meant that there was a bit of flat to look forward to. Some minor hills too, but these were a joy compared to what lay behind us!

Route Map

Then the final little sting in the tail - that last hill heading back up to Metropolitan. I made the mistake of looking up at this point, to see runners way up above me. Somehow I had to get from down here to up there!?!?! Made it up the hill, that wasn't so bad. Around the corner and the band is playing at the top of yet another small hill. Okay, just shy of 60 minutes, I can't stop now! Go, go, go!! Band bedhind and yet another hill ahead - what?!?! But I can see the finish line by now, just ahead at the top of this final (at last!) hill!!!

Made it! 1 hour and 44 seconds later I was done, tired but feeling great. I'd just run a course-PB (a long cry from my 10km PB, but that was on a fairly flat course - 1 hour is plenty good enough for this course!!!)

I'd barely dropped my finish-card in the box and downed my Coke when Dy and her friend arrived, looking fresh as daisies. 1 hour 3 minutes for them. 5 minutes later Jen arrived, also way ahead of the time she was expecting to run for this race.

Brilliant run girls!! We definitely showed those hills who's boss!!!


-------------------------

Dean Street Hillbillies

Stats: Tuesday, 30 November 2010, 05:15

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/58392541

Another awesome Hillbilly run!! Huge thanks to Dy and Jen for your fantastic company this morning!!!

We ran our regular Kirstenbosch route with a bit of a twist at the start.

Route Profile

From Dean Street we headed down Newlands Avenue, Jen setting a blistering pace, Dy and I following hot on her heels. Down the M3 at an even faster clip, we stopped for a quick sip of water at the Shell - the next water stop being Kirstenbosch Top Gate, and a good 5km away along our new route.

From there we headed up along Fernwood Avenue towards Boshoff (this is becoming somewhat of a regular route lately it seems, but nobody seems to mind too much as its quite the scenic detour!)

Route Map

From Boshoff onto Heath and Riverside, to Kirstenbosch Drive, where Jen opted to turn right and head straight up to Kirstenbosch via Stone Church/Winchester Road (our regular route), while Dy and I headed left towards Bishopscourt and up, up and up Canterbury Drive. On the way we met a friendly lady cycling up Canterbury Drive and had a lovely chat until we all reached Gloucester Avenue and she shot off over the hill to rejoin her friends. We met up with Jen at Kirstenbosch Top Gate - some water and a bit of a breather, then we all headed into Kirstenbosch Gardens together.

Some ups and downs and lots of clean fresh air, we reached the Tea Garden exit way too quickly (in my opinion at least!) Quick sip of water on our way out, and we were heading back home.

For there we took our regular route back along Riverside Road. Fairly uneventful, we took it slow and easy all the way back. Until the very end that is, when Dy and I had a sprint-race over the last 100m. Great fun, thanks guys!!!!

-------------------------

Dean Street Hillbillies

Stats: Friday, 26 November 2010, 05:00

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/58392543

This is just a brief feedback of last week Friday's solo Hillbilly run through Constantia.

I needed a longer run to make up for missing the following day's Phil Pansegrouw Half Marathon out in Bellville (stunning race for those who have not run it yet!), so I decided to go for a run along the 17km Constantia route from the other day.

Route Profile

I posted in hopes of some company, but wasn't really expecting anyone to join such a long run on a Friday, especially not after such a busy week past. One 'maybe' turned out to be a 'no', so I set of on my own just after 5am on Friday morning. In the end I was actually glad for my solo run - my legs were decidedly tired after the past week's hectic mileage and I took it very slow up Kirstenbosch Drive and the short stretch up Bishopscourt Drive. Canterbury Drive was even slower, with a walk-break about half-way up, then I pushed on to Kirstenbosch where I stopped for a breather and some much-needed water (it was HOT on Friday morning!! 20 degrees already by 5am!!!)

Route Map

I plodded along Rhodes Drive to Hohenort Avenue and retraced our footsteps from the previous Constantia run, following Hohenort until it became Alphen Road and met up with Constantia Main Road. From there I turned up Alphen Hill Road and took a walk-break up the hill to Victoria Hospital for some very much needed hydration at the tap. And this time round I was glad for the GU I'd dragged along - my legs were feeling somewhat leaden by this point. Watered and GU'd I set off towards Maynardville and home.

All in all a fantastic run and a great way to kick off the most amazing weekend!!

-------------------------

Dean Street Hillbillies

Stats: Thursday, 25 November 2010, 05:30

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/57839848

This morning saw 2 Hillbillies hit the roads at 5:30 - bright and early!!

We followed the same route as yesterday (http://connect.garmin.com/activity/57745768) - through Bishopscourt and Claremont. Hilly but beautifully scenic.

Dy was sore from yesterday's bootcamp, and I was still a little tired from last weekend's race followed by Tuesday and yesterday's hilly runs, so we took it slow up the hills. Dean Street still felt unusually long...

Route Profile

After we'd crossed over the M3 and down Orchard, Dy realised that we were supposed to be going down Fernwood Ave. Then I remembered that we needed to stop at the Shell for water as there are no water points along this route!! So down Boshoff the wrong way and back over M3 for a few sips of water at the Shell. Back over and up Fernwood, Boshoff, to Riverside.

From there we trotted down Kirstenbosch Drive till we reached Bishopscourt Drive, and here the real climbing started!! Bishopscourt took us all the way through to Norwich, climbing all the way. Norwich is another climb - quite steep at first, but easing up near the top.

Route Map

We had quick breather/walk-break at the top before setting out again, enjoying the downhill. We were soon climbing again, up the top of Norwich towards Canterbury. Some more down till we hit Dunkeld and climbed some more, but from there it was a lovely downhill down Forest Avenue. A bit of a struggle to cross the M3, as traffic had really picked up by now, but a break in the traffic came as the lights were turning red, and we used this golden opportunity to dash across the road into Claremont - Struben to Bowood, then quickly off the main roads into Eden, which is a lovely long stretch of road all the way down the Protea Circle. Quiet, scenic, and flat/downhill.

From the circle we continued past the Vineyard Hotel and down Mains Road for a comfortable finish back at Dean Street. Legs feeling MUCH better after the run!

-------------------------

I'm going to set out at 5am tomorrow morning for a 17+km run. Starting from Great Westerford as usual (5am) - anyone keen to join is welcome!!

For everyone else - have a fantastic weekend and I will see you guys next week!
-------------------------

Dean Street Hillbillies