My Soweto Half Marathon, 2016

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This was a first for me…
Not my first half marathon,
but my first in Soweto.
Having read the pre publicity, I was very keen to see if it lived up to the hype.
 
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Usually I “carbo-load” before a race,
but I decided to try sushi instead.
Did it work?
I am uncertain as to the energy content,
but it did make be burp a lot…
back to pasta I think.
 
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I did NOT have dessert as I remembered that I sometimes had
issues with milk products “repeating” on me during races.
 
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Having heard about the traffic congestion at previous events,
I decided to rather be early…I got to the stadium at 04h10!

And the race only started at 06h30…
I was able to find out where the start was going to be,
then I went back to my car to listen to the radio and relax.
All around me, the traffic was increasing…

 
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The awesome FNB Stadium…
slowly revealed in the dawn light.
 
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The traffic build up…
 
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And the runners arrive in DROVES.
I have no pictures from the race as I do not run with my phone.


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This was my final time…gun to mat.
My mat to mat time was 2: 23.



I took this picture of our pace-setter and his wife just before we set off.
His wife was running the 10km and I am hoping that she achieved her goal time.
I ran the entire route with a sub 2:30 “bus”, driven by Khalid Fadal…
and his co-driver Mdlilo, whose whistle skills kept us altogether.
Running with them was motivational as their flag 
was a constant help in finding them after water tables or “pee” stops.
Not to mention all the new songs I learned along the way…
Like the fact that Jay-Z has done a mix of “Hard knock life” 
from the musical “Annie”.
https://youtu.be/4ZTrfrpTrlw
 
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Now that I know that Soweto is CERTAINLY not flat,
I am keen to return in 2017 to see if I can  better my time
and my position in my age group.
I finished 25th out of 68 Grand Masters.
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A great medal and an awesome t-shirt.
 
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It certainly was the “People’s Race”.
 
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My post race breakfast…
French toast with crispy bacon.
Well deserved, I thought.
 
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Freshly showered and shaved post race…
The moustache is in honour of MOVEMBER,
and it WILL be coming off at the end of the month!
 
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