22 December 2024
It feels a whole lot like Christmas from where I am writing this week’s Newsletter. I am in the UK for Christmas for the first time. We are spending time with Duncan’s family and even though there is not much snow this year, we are loving the cozy Christmasy feels all around!!
It conveniently fits in with my recovery down-time and with so many lovely trails around, it is easy to keep active and just enjoy running without any real structure to it.
Runners, please remember rule nr 25 which makes it compulsory for all runners to run on Christmas morning!! In South Africa, the running calendar also allows for a quieter December, but with plenty fun events to do if you were one of the “fortunate” ones to marry into a running family!!
I remember my first ever marathon which was Dubai marathon in 2015. The race took place in January, which meant that December was an important month for training. I didn’t mind it at the time, because I didn’t have time off work and wasn’t planning on a family Christmas, but through the years I have always preferred making December a month of unstructured and enjoyable active recovery. Nobody would ever deliberately cause themselves to burn out, but it is easy to neglect recovery for the body and mind. And unfortunately burn-out only becomes evident when you are already somewhere down that path. So, my advice is to prevent it rather than trying to fix it when it is too late.
The best athletes in the world don’t feel guilty about taking down-time, so why should you? Work hard when it is time to, and rest enough to allow you to repeat the cycle over and over for years to come.
If you have a race planned early in the new year, you must accept that your December will look at little bit different to most people. But try to use that as motivation and remind yourself that your goal is important to you and that you chose this for a reason.
If you haven’t got any immediate race plans or if you are still recovering from a race, then enjoy your down-time to the full and let the idea of starting afresh in 2025 be your goal.
Here is a list of events in January that can help you kick-start your new year, and if this is not enough, add “join a local running club” to your new year’s resolutions.
For race entries and more information about the events, visit: www.runningcalendar.co.za
Sat 4 Jan: First Choice Jeffrey’s Bay
Varsity Kudos 15km Johannesburg
Wed 8 Jan Berg & Dal Night Race Krugersdorp
Sat 11 Jan East London Eye Hospital Laser Challenge Beacon Bay
Hohenort 15km Constantia Cape Town
Mzazi AC Half Marathon Polokwane
N2 City Bluewater Bay 15km Bluewater Bay
Om die Dorp Centurion
PVR Community Race Centurion
Quantis Race Mbombela
Sun 12 Jan Biogen Half Marathon Johannesburg
Hilton Harriers Half Marathon Pietermartitzburg
Scottburg Half Marathon Scottburg
Wed 15 Jan Chasing Cheeseburgers George
Midack Night race Middelburg
Fri 17 Jan PWC Night Race East London
Sat 18 Jan Berts Bricks Great Brick Run Potchefstroom
Kopanong Back-to-school race Trompsburg
Mielie Marathon Welkom
PWC George Claassen Memorial Race Pretoria
Sun 19 Jan Kearsney Striders Half Marathon Durban
Springs Striders Road Race Springs
TOP FORM Bay to Bay Race Camps Bay
Wed 22 Jan Rooies Night Race Middelburg
Fri 24 Jan Hope church Night Race George
Sat 25 Jan Blue Mining Services 5-in-1 Race Middelburg
Colchester Development run Gqeberha
Ottosdal Draf & Trap Ottosdal
Pajoma Marathon Bloemfontein
Polokwane Half marathon Polokwane
Timbercity Red Hill Marathon Fish Hoek
Wonderpark Akasia Road Race 2025 Pretoria
Sun 26 Jan Bridle Drift Half Marathon Mdantsane
Johnsons Crane Hire Marathon Benoni
Revive PDAC 25km Race Durban
Wed 29 Jan Bloemfontein Striders Night Race
Fairyland Night Race eMalahleni
Have a wonderful last few days of December and remember the rule!!