Xplosive!

2^nd June, 2013: Go to bed the previous night wondering which route to take on and what target to set. The City Mortuary route has become rather monotonous and too obvious for me. The Kangundo road is challenging and still untamed with a terrible setback - it has no security lights. Since it’s a dirt / rough road, I can’t dare venturing into it while it’s still dark lest I have a nasty fall.

Decide to stretch my sleep, the psyche to run has evaporated and my body doesn’t have the feeling of getting into any activity besides the dormant sleeping state. This is getting scary. Drag myself out of bed at about 5:30am still undecided. I later realize all this was because of stress - work related stress. I decide that a run will help me clear my head in no time. I had rested for a whole 4 days and was becoming lazy again!

Over delay my preparation and set off a few minutes after 6am. The sky is clear and soon the sun will be out and burning. I hate the sun so I will have to do a quick run, get back to my crib before I get dehydrated and become another walker. Since its already daytime let me take on Kangundo road – why not?

My garmin is on, ipod check and off we go. Feeling good because I have fresh legs but I wonder why I don’t have the urge to go. Start off in a rush and my hands and fingers freeze immediately. In a t-shirt and three quarter tights and the cold wind rushing past me makes things a little bit worse...goose pimples, let’s see how long they can last. I increase my speed so as to gain some body heat and break a sweat. My first kilometer is on a high already – 4:30 and move to 4:29 in the next kilometer – experiencing a repeat of the crazy speeds we had during the group run.

Hit 22:17 in 5kms…not that fast after all, increase the tempo a little bit since I am still in freezing mode and clock 31:09 in 7 kilometers and go like ‘that’s what I am talking about’. The 10th kilometer mark falls in fast in the 44^th minute (44:17) – a minute short of my P.B. Chase down the 13^th kilometer which I have managed to wrap up within the hour a few times – an improvement of 5 seconds from the group run (57:58 in 13k).

Clear the rolling hills of Kangundo road (12.64 kilometers) and join the Eastern bypass heading to Utawala. Meet the longest climbing lane of about 12 kilometers! - I checked the terrain from the garmin and just marveled at the sight! It is a long climb and the first 2 kilometers is steep and really drains me out. The sun is out in the 13^th kilometer and the cold is gone – pure sweat! The climb is tough and all tarmac. The way back home is far and there is no option but to keep going. The miles keep coming and going one after the other. After the 17^th Kilometer I realize I can actually get a new Personal Best in 21 kms but too weary to give my target a proper chase.

Decide to burn up some calories for a new 21 kilometer record. Push from 4’45” to 4’36’ in the 17^th and 18^th kilometers respectively, 4’36” in the 19^th Kilometer and then maintain at 4’37” in both the 20^th and 21^st kilometers – a new Personal Record in 21 kilometers – 1:35:51 it is!

My morale is up a notch and the chase for 26kms in 2hours is now on but the sun begins to take a toll on me. Decide to play psychological game with it by simply ignoring it. Attain the sub two hours in 26 kilometers – 1:59:39, not a very commanding record as such but it will do for today. Still not very familiar with the route and still unsure of how long I have to go before I join Outer Ring road. Slow down a bit and play safe until I get my bearing.

See a familiar building at a distance – the Taj Mall and I go phew! I am finally home – a new surge of energy flows through my nerves and I begin to gather momentum once again. Join the notorious Outer Ring with pleasure and welcome its uneven paths. The climb towards Donholm which has always frustrated my quest doesn’t even give the slightest challenge. With Manyanja road in sight, I realize it’s all about to be over – the route that I dreaded the most has actually been conquered. My 30^th kilometer explains exactly how I felt, it’s all systems go – I do a 4’30” in the 30^th kilometer! (2:18:15 in 30 kilometers – 12kms to a full marathon, inch closer to my quest!)

Pass by my starting point but decide to a add a few more kilometers just incase because I still have the energy. Make a turn after Manyanja Road into Spine Road and go all the way to the Kangundo Road junction.  I now realize that I could have done 42kms if I had a good flat course up ahead but I am content with the progress made on this day despite not feeling up to the task when I started. Stop at the 32^nd Kilometer – 2:27, a new record in distance and speed! This is how I rolled at an average speed of 12.99km/hr - 4'37" per kilometer….
 

Kilometer	Time	Avg Pace
1	4:30	4'30"/km
2	8:59	4'29"/km
3	13:30	4'31"/km
4	17:56	4'26"/km
5	22:17	4'21"/km
6	26:39:00	4'22"/km
7	31:09:00	4'30"/km
*Fastest	35:24:00	4'15"/km
9	39:49:00	4'25"/km
10	44:17:00	4'28"/km
11	48:50:00	4'33"/km
12	53:24:00	4'34"/km
13	57:58:00	4'34"/km
14	1:02:57	4'59"/km
15	1:07:53	4'56"/km
16	1:12:30	4'37"/km
17	1:17:15	4'45"/km
18	1:22:00	4'45"/km
19	1:26:36	4'36"/km
20	1:31:13	4'37"/km
21	1:35:51	4'38"/km
22	1:40:42	4'51"/km
23	1:45:23	4'41"/km
24	1:50:10	4'47"/km
25	1:54:58	4'48"/km
26	1:59:39	4'41"/km
27	2:04:25	4'46"/km
28	2:09:12	4'47"/km
29	2:13:45	4'33"/km
30	2:18:15	4'30"/km
31	2:22:52	4'37"/km
32	2:27:39	4'47"/km

10 kilometers short of a full marathon – about 40 – 45 minutes and I will be there. I will work towards increasing my mileage by 2 kilometers every month i.e. a kilometer after every two weeks. It’s tough but it can be done – it never gets easy, you only get better!