Parkrun # 9

Saturday dawned with a heavy mist over the property here on the hill. We were thrilled as it meant having a cool walk on Parkrun. 

Once again, I didn't take my camera on the walk (I really wanted to improve my time this week - at least with more than three seconds!) but I took photos beforehand.

A group in black with orange Parkrun caps were visiting the 'Berg as a tour group and joined us on Saturday 

Grant and Ant Gray

As a photographer, you see and record quite funny images. This lady above seems still to be waking up; the man next to her is having a cuppa Java to wake himself! 

After welcoming the locals and visitors alike, thanking the sponsors and explaining the route, Esmarie set us off. I started off walking fast and then broke into a run for about 200m. I walked fast for the next 800m. 

Shortly after passing the 1km marker, I came abreast a young boy who was walking and skipping along alternately. He looked at me and said: Hello. I greeted him and pulled ahead. 

I passed him and immediately he broke into a run and pulled up beside me. Without introduction, he told me he could drive any one of the vehicles on the farm we were walking on. He said his dad managed the farm and the supervisor, Sepho trusted him enough to let him drive the tractor and excavator. Only, he added,  not on the open road. This little lad looked about nine years old. I tried not to answer too much as I was conserving my breath. He skipped along and ahead of me and I would pull up beside him and pass him.

He asked my name. I said I was Jo. He told me his name was Kaylin. (spelled it out for me) and then said: Do you think we've done 2km yet? Gasping, I said the 2km marker is just after the reeds on the road below. I told him I was going to run, would he like to run as well? We ran for about 200m and then I had to stop and walk again. 

Then he told me how he engages the gears on the tractor when working the land: F1 or F2 and then you set the Track mechanism, turn a little wheel and the vehicle moves ahead without you steering. 

I found him the cutest kid ever. He pointed to a tallish man ahead of us and said it was his uncle. I asked his uncle's name; he told me it was Clive. 

He said he was going to run and catch up to his uncle. And off he went. 

On the dam wall, which was between 3 and 4km, I  really pushed myself to walk about half [again] as fast as I was going. I just couldn't summon up enough strength to run. Passing the 4km mark, I started to gain on Kaylin and his Uncle Clive. As I rounded the arrow mark pointing us onto the grass which is the last kilometer of the race, Kaylin shouted: Uncle Clive, here comes Joey; she's so fit ! 

Greeting Clive, I walked between him and Kaylin. Clive told me that he'd been right behind me the week before and now he would finished just behind me again. On the home stretch, Kaylin said: Let' s run, Joey. Which we did and we arrived at Pieter, the volunteer together.

; With my heart in my throat because I felt I'd not done well, I asked Pieter my time. He replied: 

45 minutes 36 seconds!

WHOO HOO! 

I've broken my 46 minute time of the past two weeks;  I'm sure it was due to this little lad who was at my side most of the way! 

Waiting for Anthony, (I'd seen him a distance behind me with Ant Gray), I collected my camera from under the volunteer table and took photos.

Uncle Clive and Kaylin

Joey (moi!) and Kaylin

Pieter Yuille - I saw him ahdead of me,  running all the way. Slow and steady. When I spoke to him here above, he said he was a Comrades runner. Grant says they're often slow and steady and always finish the race. He finished this Parkrun in 38 min but says in Durban, at sea level he finishes in under 32 min

Lovely ladies, Amina and Fathima finished in 36 and 39 minutes respectively

Then Ant Muirhead and Ant Gray arrived, had a drink of water and Ant M asked if I was coming back with him to meet Grant and John. Last week a young woman in the Valley asked if I do the Parkrun twice; she'd seen me finish and then walk back again. I laughed and explained why Ant and I always go back. 

Apparently John's knees were really paining and he and Grant were still approaching the 4km marker. We stopped and talked to 86 year-old Allan (who also hikes on a Tuesday) who was walking with a young mother with a baby strapped to her chest.

Ant Gray chats to Allan and the young lady

Grant and John 

Ant and Ant wait to meet Grant and John 

Once again, a wonderful morning of exercise while socializing with all manner of people! 

MAY YOU ALL HAVE A GREAT WEEK AHEAD!