Hi Everyone,

I am going to try and give an account of how I found Expedition Foods during the epic Namib race. I would give them a 110% for a lot of reasons some of which I'm going to explain below:

One thing I got to learn about the RTP race is that you should always train with 90% of the things you will use during the actual race. The reason is the level of precision you need to have in terms of salts, electrolytes intake, fluids intake and above all the art of using the food as fuel. The physical demands of the race call for a special brand of the meal, one that is easy to prepare, fill your belly and make you want another meal. I am glad to share that for me it was Expedition Foods.

So why did I start explaining about the whole 90% training and why did give them 110%, you might wonder. Here is why. I am staying in Namibia, which falls under the African continent, being an African, there are some meals that we call too light and some too heavy. in short, we measure the food calories according to the size of the meal. I have grown to learn that is called overeating since the previous point goes along with the one that says, ' You need to finish everything that is on your plate.' On top of that, there are a lot of meals that naturally do not go well with my or my African stomach. Having said that, all this always bothered me during the training as I knew that shipping stuff to Africa/ Namibia would take forever. I had the fear that I am not training with the food I am going to use during the training. Thoughts of the food being rejected by my system were gathering traction as we drew closer to the race, especially after considering the amount of hard work I put in. So to give you insight, 24 October 2021 was my first time enjoying Expedition Foods. I think it was a strawberry flavoured porridge that I took. My worries were swept by the flavour that at the beginning of stage one, I had enough energy to cover the uphills and make it to camp 2. Since I put my meals in a zip bag, I can't remember the flavour names. All I am positive about is that they were 800kcal means with my favourite meal being rice with chicken and some green vegetables. At each stage, I would look forward to my meals. The quick nature of preparing the meals helped during the ling stage where I fixed a quick meal and within a short period after my consumption, I felt stronger and started marching towards the finish line(see image).

Fast forward, I finished without issues and I would recommend Expedition Foods to any 4 deserts runners, campers and explorers. 

Thank you for #FuelingCgampions.

Hi Everyone,

I am sitting in my favourite coffee shop in Swakopmund enjoying the best service in town, thank you Brew and Bristles. Looking through the window, I noticed the amazing weather, dark grey clouds covering the beautiful skies causing me to revisit the Namib race camp 2 (Don't blame me, the camps were just too beautiful not to mention). Having completed the Namib race 2021 race, there is a lot that I learnt along the long journey and would like to share with everyone. This is not to say I am a superhero or professional to give advice but take this as a letter coming from someone who does not want you to fall into some obvious holes. Hence this writing is targeted to all newbies or multi-stage first-timers. 

In all your getting from this, take out the 2 messages from me:

i. KNOW WHO YOU ARE - accept your fitness level by respecting your weaknesses whilst concentrating on your Strengths.

ii. BE ONE WITH YOUR PACK. - Run(hills, flats, trails) with your pack, walk with your pack, sleep with your pack, visit friends with your pack and hit the bar with your pack. lol

 I shall try and explain why these 2 are important later.

 Background

The 4 Deserts Ultramarathon Series is widely recognized as the most prestigious outdoor footrace series in the world. This is a good start that set my running tempo and I used this line to measure the amount of time and effort I needed to put in order to make it to the start line. This does not mean it's impossible to complete the race but simply states that one needs to align with hard work to comfortably finish whether walking or running. This article is mainly targeted at the Namib Race edition.

I summed up the race challenges based on 2 things:

i. The Variables  - Variables are things that will play with you throughout the race, for example, emotions, sleep patterns, mindset etc.

ii. Constants - Things that will stay with you throughout the race like blisters, PAIN, Pack Weight and meals.

PS: I shall constantly refer to these 2 key things.

Expectations

I believe we all have a story leading to the RTP races. As we train we're mainly consumed with matching our expectations during the training to the race outcome. I remember during training, I would constantly visualise crossing the finish line and celebrating. I would even picture my last stage outro pose and speech but I have come to learn that things happen so fast during the race. I expected to be this lone runner cruising all by myself, I had figured in my head the survival methods till I finish the race. As a newbie, this line of thinking is very normal as we often spend time training by ourselves that we think all the pressure is yours to handle. I do have good news for you, that you're not alone when it comes to the RTP. Take it as running with a family around you. Left, right and centre there is always someone cheering, encouraging you and willing to crash the course with you. 

As for me, it was in stage 1, in my head I had played out how the stage was going to end and that's a variable I was playing with. I went blowing steam from the start, I thought everybody was in the racing gear. They were in the racing gear by the way but different strategies. Jeff, who later finished 4th was to my right filming and he shouted," Yo! Mabasa-remember to take it slow." This was a reminder of a conversation we had the previous night where he was sharing his experiences with me. Told you an RTP family member is waiting to help you, right!! As I approached around 3.6km that is around 2 miles, I slid in the mud puddle and felt the left knee ITB or runners knee saying," hello my old friend." This caused me to change my whole game plan to a maintenance approach. My expectations for stage 1 were affected but as a runner, I grew up to be, I learned the art of fashioning my goal to suit the current situation. I stopped and regrouped immediately. One by one athletes started passing me, oh that's a constant by the way. As I passed CP1 to CP 2, I never felt the ITB again but I was then introduced to the next challenge - Uncle cramps.

Through the excitement of the race, I wasn't taking enough fluids, adding to that I didn't take hid of the major constant - my 14kg Pack. Two weeks before the race I started my taper, I didn't lift that pack until it was 2 days to the start line so as I was running I felt it was drawing me back hence BE ONE WITH YOUR PACK. I expected that since at one point in my life I pushed 110km so 15kg would be nothing and it proved otherwise. This took a toll on me as I passed CP2 and for a second I felt like I had failed and my fear of not finishing kicked it. Adding to that I never expected myself to be not running and in other words to be walking. As I looked back, I saw a gentlemen approach slowly towards my direction. He looked so experienced than me and I decided to wait for him. His name is Max, we walked/ran together and marched towards camp 2. Upon arrival, I felt every muscle aching and as I got into the camp all excited, I received some free advice from Samantha. She showed me some recovery exercises and running postures. I believe she had read my body language that it was compensating to the weight of my pack thereby straining my hamstrings more.

Recommendation: Don't be ashamed to walk if it calls or join a group of individuals. You're not alone. Lower your expectations if you have to.

Training

As a newbie, training is one area we either under or overdo. I am not judging but if you are like me who started with a negative score, you will tend to spend more time trying to balance the scale. I was 110kg and when I started with my training, all I wanted to do was to be able to run. I spent a lot of hours, days, weeks and months pounding the pavements, going through hills to gain the necessary strength to run. After having gained these, I introduced weight training. As a newbie, you will feel like you're starting all over again. My recommendation for this is that train with the pack you're going to race with. There is a temptation of ditching the big pack for a small camelback but please don't fall into the trap. Use the pack you're going to race with. The pack is a major constant that can be a make or break during the race. The main goal for the training is to be able to define who you are. If you know who you are and your limits, you're able to fashion your strategy accordingly. Some guys are fast, slow guys, guys who will pass you but the ultimate constant is YOU. As for the pack options, check out this link: https://www.racingtheplanetstore.com/collections/race-equipment-backpack

The training part also includes a strict diet, please do not neglect this. RTP can assist with the recommendations of some dieticians. I used the running plans from the RTP website. Here is a link to assist: https://www.racingtheplanet.com/racingtheplanet-4-deserts-beginner-training-plan

Recommendation: Get a professional coach and follow a plan ie running and diet.

Race In general:

The one thing I will guarantee you as a newbie is the overwhelming availability of support. Days leading to the race I felt anxious thinking I was the only newbie around. I got to learn that we were a lot of newbies getting to know each other. This made me feel at home as every second there would be someone new introducing themselves and sharing stories. If you are lucky like in my case, you'll bump into a gentleman called Atul. He is such a legend when it comes to storytelling and has dozens of them. For a second I thought he was part of the welcome committee lol.

Be mindful of the Constants and Variables. At the end of it all, it will be a battle between these two. The one who has the edge on these elements tends to score more.

The race is well guided with the RTP providing exceptional hospitality. Ask them any question, even the obvious one and they will be able to answer you with the highest level of articulation and satisfaction. My conclusion when it comes to the race is that, apart from your training, the race is designed for you to succeed, win and Finish. All help, support and guidance are readily available. It's more like being allowed to use the internet during a physics, chemistry or calculus exam.

i. Equipment: 

Equipment falls under constants and as such the trick is to lower the grams or the weight. They are broken down into 2 i.e Mandatory and Optional.

Since this is a constant, it is worth investing in super ultra gear if one can afford it or it is closer to shops that sell them. Unfortunately, on this side of the world, the lightest of things I got were still too heavy. For example, my sleeping bag was 850g and from my research one can get anything under 650grams. This might sound like a small difference but trust me, in these races every gram counts.

Here is a link to the Equipment list: https://www.racingtheplanet.com/namibrace/equipment

Here is a link to packing the pack: https://www.facebook.com/1099420474/videos/841513436471759/

ii. Race strategy: Different strategies are depending on what you want to do. i.e walk the race or run the race. If you're going for the former, I recommend investing in walking sticks. Also, take some time to train how to walk for a minimum of an hour at a certain pace. As for the latter, I recommend you understand the type of runner you are, your style and your limits. There will be guys who are faster than you, fashion your challenge according to your pace limits.

iii. Race community: I'm sure I mentioned this a thousand times now-You're not alone. There is an RTP community out there rooting for you. Take this as a confidence boost, it's all around you from the management, competitors, local team, support team and above all the virtual family. As a newbie, there won't be any reference points so you will be relying on feedback and that I assure you, you will get an overdose of it.

iv. Race Recovery: Recovery is a constant that you'll need to do. After every stage, I recommend you take some time to nap, raise your legs and have a recovery system in place. I won't talk about recovery juices at this time but I recommend that you find what's best for you. As for me, I had trained my body to dive into cup-a-soup first before my main recovery juice. This was followed by a good nap with legs raised on a platform.

v. Race injury - The most important thing is to take care of yourself. Fortunately, this edition of the race finished without any major injury for me and most around. However, various injuries occur during these races that range from ITBs, ACL etc. 

vi. Race food - I can not stress this more. Food is your fuel and you need the best brand in the business. I recommend Expedition Foods. https://expeditionfoods.com

https://expeditionfoods.com/pages/benefits-of-freeze-dried-food

Freeze-drying food is the most successful method of preservation, making it taste better, look better, weigh less and last longer.  We use the best process globally to produce freeze-dried meals cooked using the freshest ingredients that can be rehydrated in minutes.  Expedition Foods meals are packed full of the best ingredients, freeze-dried at their freshest.

Expedition Foods offers 22 different meals and 4 desserts and a choice of serving sizes with our High Energy (800+ kcal), Regular Serving (450 kcal) and Extreme Energy or Regular Serving for Two (1000 kcal) ranges.  They offer meals to suit everyone’s needs with vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and dairy-free meals available.

vii. Sleeping - As a newbie, I gathered that it's "normal" to be anxious thereby affecting your sleep. During my training leading to the Namib race, I tracked my sleep pattern and realise that on average my deep sleep is between 3 to 5 hours. This helped me in the race because I struggled with sleep. I think the idea of not completing the race consumed me. On average, I managed an average of 1.5 hours of deep sleep and 3-4 hours total sleep every night. The night before the final stage was the worst, I was up all night. 

recommendations: Visit a sleep lab or track your sleep pattern to learn of your sleep ranges. Get a light yet comfortable sleeping bag, map and a pillow(inflatable). Your body needs that comfort to properly recover.

viii. The Namib Course - The Namib race has the most amazing and unique views. The terrain range is close to none, I would be right to call the Namib desert a cradle of Africa. In the words of the legendary course director Carlos, " Run and when it's tough just lift your head and marvel at nature." 

Please also note that Uphills are normal and our downhill is like this / follow @mabassafinish on Instagram to get what this means.

Looking forward - Just like any other race it comes to an end but the beauty about the RTP is that you become a family. RTP has social media platforms that will keep you engaged all the time and these platforms are full of amazing people.

Currently, I'm trying to secure some partnerships that I will work with for the last remaining races ??.

Conclusion:

You might be training as an individual wherever you are in the world but YOU'RE GOING TO RACE WITH ALL THE SUPPORT & CHEERING YOU NEED. 

Attachment: Some images that are associated with the article.

"I learned patience, perseverance, and dedication. Now I really know myself, and I know my voice. It's a voice of pain and victory."

Anthony Hamilton

There is something about knowing your family is on the other side that gives you the drive to want to unite with them. I knew today would be the last day of an awesome race week. I spent the whole night twisting and turning. At some point, I took to writing about the race, an act that I had suddenly picked during stage 2. I found myself thinking about what had transpired from camp 1 to the long march. I was also happy that I had managed to complete this amazing race. 

I went outside to warm myself by the fire, a few minutes later, a couple of athletes came to join me and we all agreed that sleep wasn't kind to us. 

Fast forward to the start line, I joined the 9.15 am start group. I had set it in my heart that I'm just going to sprint and meet my family. As soon as the count down was done, I went full throttle in the dunes and 30 minutes later I saw the bright green banner. This was the moment I have been dreaming of, and I drew closer, I collected that a small figure was headed in my direction with arms wide open. "Mikyla," I screamed, then I ran even faster, I held her hand and we crossed the line together. Sam was there to give me my precious medal. 

We started congratulating each other as athletes and had some refreshments. To top it up I received the Spirit Award, something I will treasure for the rest of my life. 

Thank you to Racing the Planet, Mary, Sam, Zeana, Nick and Riitta for the awesome race. I have gained new friends, stories and memories.

Hello everyone,

Pure class and execution of a plan was the order of the day. After having run back to back marathons, it was time for the Namib desert to throw all its best obstacles aimed at defeating us. I knew for sure that exhaustion and heat would play a big role in seeing me down. Before we get into detail, allow me to stress out one point: the Namib desert is a tough and grueling hunting ground for any person who wish to challenge their limit. This makes it so perfect for RTP to host the race as this defines the" ultimate Race. "
Back to my story, as usual I woke up 4.30am and started pondering on the best plan for this long March. I knew my weakness of not being able to run with a headlamp which I had discovered during my training period. Let me also put it this way, the terrain in the desert makes it impossible to pick up a rhythm during the night and even with the brightest of lights, one is bound to stumble twice every 3km (Talking from experience ?) . So I deviced a strategy to try make sure I finished the run before sunset. The only thing that was standing my way was the mighty climb of the Rossing mountain, according to the elevation gains posted by Carlos, I knew that this was the main peak before the gradual decline towards the sea. So therefore my pace plan/strategy was to keep up as best as could with the top runners and then eventually fall back. We will come back to that part later.

As usual, I did my morning breakfast and stretching routine etc and as I was getting into the groove, I heard Sam's voice that we were now accustomed to, "Goood morning runners, this is your first wakeup call. It's 7.15am We shall have our first pre race briefing in 15 minutes." As I looked around I noticed most competitors were already going through their paces, some were already filling up their bottles, the two ladies to my right were busy catching up on updates and the one gentleman had just missed the wake up call looked puzzled by something.
7.30am Sam then updated us on the course and race leaders etc. It was time for us go to the start line and I was a bit early than usual. I had recalled from one book I read that said, "He who Is prepared for battle will Show up first." As I was drifting through my thoughts my tent mates Ahmed and Ayel came running towards me and said something that calmed my nerves, "Mabasa!, " Ayel said "How about a selfie of the three of us? " Obviously I replied with a big smile, who doesn't want a selfie with his tent buddies.. Just as we were finding the perfect background, we realised it was time to ready and go! The usual front runners, Rob, Ben, Vlad, Jeff from Canada and the Norwegian couple went shooting towards the Rossing mountain. Remember I had said I will come back to that part, for me that's the best part cause I was part of that group?. My plan was now in motion and one step at a time we marched together towards CP 1 which was 10km away. I had done this before but this time it was different, I had to hang on for longer. I was observing how they were managing their cadence, how the held up their packs, their water intake, how they we relaxed and finally how they we picking their landing lines. It was a pure class of art to say the least. Fast forward into the charge towards CP1, Jeff led the way and yours truly was in second position ?. I don't know if they did it deliberately but it really boosted my spirits so therefore, let me officially announce that 28 October 2021 during the long March I arrived second at CP 1 infront of the race leaders ?.

As they left the check point, I let them be and pulled my pace back as I had successfully completed stage 1 of my plan. I looked back and noticed the charging group slowly making their way towards my direction. I maintained this healthy lead until the base of the mountain where Alveres overtook me. The steep ascent demanded many answers from each competitor and I heard later on that a few drops were left at the checkpoint 1.

I made it on top where I was greeted by a cool breeze and friendly smiles from the checkpoint team. They refilled my water bottles and warmed me of the technical downhill that was to follow.

I loved the technical downhill and soaked every moment of it. For a second I thought I was a superhero or Spiderman. There were two volunteers waiting to assist incase a competitor falls, but as far as I remember, I gave them a show to remember because they kept on saying "Awesome!" . CP 2 to CP 3 was much of a standard run. I looked back more than 30 times and couldn't locate any followers. At CP 3 Ken greeted me with a high five, which confirmed that I was still strong. Best part at CP 3 was the handing of the coke... Nothing beats a coke in the middle of the desert, thank you RTP.

CP 3 to CP 4,
This phase was just a gentle descent with small uphills. We were tasked to go through a small tunnel which I enjoyed doing by the way. I arrived 12.47pm at CP4 where CP captain Jon helped me with some quick math to track if I was still on time to make it before sunset. CP 4 to 5 was pretty much the same ups and downs. I was getting weaker by the step and figured I needed to have lunch at CP5.

CP 5

It had Been 4 to 5 hours running by myself, something I am used to though. I then turn a corner and realised the CP 5 was just 500m away which came as a relief. I fixed myself a quick Expedition Foods lunch which really tasted nice. I then picked my pack and headed for CP 6 which was another 10 km away. This time round, the heat had mounted as the sun was now directly in front of me. I pushed through slowly towards the camp navigation myself in the ups and downs of the desert. It took me around 70 minutes to reach CP 6 and was welcomed by Sarah, Sam and Oliver. They were excited to see me and showed signs of worry as they noticed that I had hardly sipped my water. What had actually happened was, upon reaching CP5, I had taken in 4 x 750 ml of water to balance my acqua scale and on top of that I had a full meal. This caused me to struggle a bit to move so I decided that I won't take in anymore and by the time I reached CP 6 I was still 100 % OK. Sam also highlighted that there was not going to be any water points, which I knew was not going to be a problem as the temperatures were deeping.

The last 4km was more of a walk and shuffle for me cause I knew I was closer to the main camp. "One kilometer to go!, "a voice from behind the dunes shouted. This rejuvenated me and a jog rose within me, the jog turned into a sprint and next thing I saw was so heart touching, two individuals running toward me with flags and half the camp screaming my name to keep going.. I pushed so hard to equal the chants and in a super hero stance, I then crossed the finish line in 8th place.

Wait... "I am just 10km away from realizing my dream? " plus an extra rest day ?

As the days draw near, I am super excited to be on the starting line as if I'm guaranteed a pain-free race. Today I finished up putting everything together and will be starting with the packing tonight. This is a massive step as that nitty-gritty play a massive psychological role. As for the PCR test, I have scheduled it for tomorrow so as to collect the results on Thursday.

Did you Just say 8 Days ?? Well as each day passes I feel so overwhelmed with the feeling that the Namib Race is upon us. I am playing the start line, CP drills in my head and I guess I just need to go through the phase. I have finalised my race strategy and am ready. I am taking it easy, watching a lot of sports-related documentaries as a way of calming my nerves. 

I also noticed that competitors are trickling in and already enjoying the beautiful weather Swakopmund has to offer.

Wow! It's 17 days to go!! 

Just thought of giving a quick hello to you guys.

I have been putting a lot of hours in the training shack and scrambling to get in shape. I'm focusing on the race than ever before and if one is to assess, they would easily conclude that I have done these kinds of races more than thirty times yet this is going to be my first official multi-staged ultra lol ( Talk about FITYMI). One thing I'm trying to do is to keep my mental health in check cause this will play a vital role in me pushing it across the finish line. I appreciate everyone who has and is encouraging me to keep pushing, I don't take it for granted and I thank you.

To all my fellow competitors, volunteers and race management, i wish you safe travels.

My alarm went off at 4.30 am and as usual, had to drag myself off the bed so that I prepare for my planned solo marathon. I picked up my running pack and headed out a 5 am. I ran along the coast with the waves cheering me whilst the sand was trying its best to slow me down. For the first two hours, the fog/mist made it difficult to select the route ahead(Don't ask about the headlamp). These factors made my run turn into a heated battle and the mistake they did was to pick the wrong opponent. I fought through and long story short, I made it back in 4Hours 20min thus an average pace of 6.10/km.

Todays Goal:

Type: Trail run

Location: Gonikontas

Type: Hills

I left the house at 7:30 am headed towards the Husab mine where I was scheduled to troubleshoot an Internet link. According to my standards, this was supposed to be a 2-hour job but unfortunately, that was never to be. I ended up spending the whole day there trying to bring the link-up. This affected the whole training plan as I wanted to pass through Gonikontes on my way back.

Consolation: As this troubleshooting involved a lot of lifting and climbing, I found peace knowing that I did some indirect strength training ?. 

Hope never disappoints.

I woke up with a joyful heart, that feeling after watching the Georgia Race 2021 video. It was nice to watch runners pound the ground again after going through a grey covid spell. One question still lingers in my mind, "Will my turn come in October?" Whatever the answer, I'm grateful to be able to run again carrying a good and positive mindset. It's such a joy to hummer the ground again.

My training is going on well and the new changes and team seem to be working to my advantage. I am building from the foundation I set the past two years and I am hoping all will fall into place. Here is to HOPE, let's Go!!

This is going to be a short and late one. I think it's due to the fact that I had a lot of off duty going on.

My 2nd dose was on the 29th of June 2021. I got there at 8.45 am wanting to quickly get it done and disappear but that not how everything unfolded. Seems there was a surge in the individuals wanting to get vaccinated that caused long queues. The other reason was the fact that a rumour on the shortage of vaccines was going on around town so everyone wanted to get at least the first dose. As I patiently waited in the quick, it hit me that the people around me were sceptical about getting the vaccine, to which I took the liberty of demystifying some of the facts. A few minutes later I decided to walk to the nurse and ask if it was to join the same long queue, to which she guided me to the shorter queue of those getting the 2nd dose. Due to experience, I knew the drill and in 30 minutes time, I was done.

After effects:

Truth be told, I felt nothing compared to when I got the 1st dose. This might have been caused by the 1st dose that was already in my system. If I remember very well, the 1st dose took me like 3 days to shed off before feeling normal again. 

Currently, Swakopmund is experiencing a spike in the covid cases and recorded deaths. I know there are a lot of myths around vaccines but I strongly know that the way forward is to get vaccinated and  obviously masking up.

I'm proud to be typing his cause yesterday I got my first dose of the Sinopharm vaccine. Truth be told, I am not into injections, it's the one thing that gives me the creeps but after going through yesterdays process, I must say I'm impressed that it wasn't that painful ?.

I got to the hospital around 12 noon and there were like 4 people there filling in the consent forms. I completed mine and 15minutes later, the vaccination process was done. They did, however, highlight that I needed to wait 30 more minutes just for monitoring.

My next dose will be on the 6th of June. 

I know there are a lot of speculations around the vaccination but personally, I think it's best to get vaccinated and not only protect yourself but the people around you.

Stay safe.

We're currently experiencing the east wind here in Swakopmund,  this means our normally cool town is blazing hot as it is blowing from inland towards the coast via the desert.

To cut the long story short, my training has been going on well though last week was more of a rest week as I am recovering from Posterior shin splints. I learnt the hard way to be sensitive to my body signals. 

As I am feeling better, I have 2 goals this week; i.e, to gradually get back to my running by attempting short and very slow runs. I trust this method will be beneficial to my bigger picture goal achievement. The second goal is to get vaccinated ?. Comparing the two, I would say the latter is way important than the former.

I will try to post more of my runs and progress on my blog more.

follow me: IG:mrmabassa

#Overcome #GoFinish

Greetings from Africa!

The norm is for me to write a full intro then go to my main point. This blog is going to be different, in that I'm going to share the main point. "Don't lose hope"

Yes, April 2021 race is not happening due to reasons beyond anyone's control but we focus and reschedule for the 24th of October. It's hard to put everything together due to a lot of variables beyond anyone's control. As an ultra runner(with two years of training experience), I have learnt that you need to keep the hope alive, pick your bags up and regroup. Moving is the only way.

The new date is 24 October 2021 and depending on the vaccine roll-outs and global covid landscape, we will meet again in the desert.

Let me start by wishing you a Happy New year!!!!

The goal this month is to move to the second stage of my training. I managed to get into rhythms with structured training. This week here is what my training schedule looking like:

Day 1:

Calf raises 3x15

Step ups    3x15

Superman  3x15

Crunches    3x15

Back extensions  3x15

Day 2:

Burpees   3x15

Bridges      3x15

Reverse Snow angel   3x15

Push back push ups     3x15

Accordion crunches   3x15

Day 3:

Lateral squats  3x15

Walking lunges  3x15

Push ups     3x15

Tricep dips   3x15

Planks    3x30-45 secs

Hello,

The past couple of months has seen me doing a lot of inquiries on how to come back from a big break and setback. I'm sure everyone will agree with me that COVID-19 derailed a lot of our running plans and schedules. However, as the saying goes-"No need to worry over spilled milk, we regroup and march ahead." I guess this whole regrouping thing is the main driving force to why I'm writing this blog.

Before I lay out my findings, I must say thank you to the more experienced runners, coaches, and medical people around me who were willing to guide me in this "regrouping" process. 

In the past months, I found myself struggling to find any motivation to run. This felt weird to me as I never really thought such things existed. It all started after doing my 60km solo run, I made a choice to take a well-deserverd break since I had been pounding the road for 6 months straight. A day's break turned to a week, a week to months and before you know it I started losing interest and when the November race got canceled, it drained all the comeback hopes. Fortunately, I'm a special person who is not too proud to consult and I reached out for information/help. After talking to Anim(Thank you big time), it turned out that what I was going through is not something foreign in the running community. This came as a relief, but the battle was just beginning. I got linked to a therapist who figured what was going on with me and the conclusion is - I'm motivated by overcoming challenges, not quitting, and finishing what I start. Due to the lack of races in 2020, this caused me to lose the reason why I was training (By the way I take my training so so seriously).

The short story of it, we came up with a new training plan. One that doesn't focus on making a winner but a running machine (Me with my Thinking big mentality ?). This is the best plan ever and is not only designed to win but to break all the RTP time records.

Currently, I feel no pressure at all, and I'm excited to be enjoying the runs. The RTP community run is also adding to the positive energy, a big thank you to you.

So now that the form is found again, I appreciate what it means to have it and promised myself never to let it go.

"Count it as a blessing when you're able to put on your running shoes to do a km run"-Mabasa

Keep well and stay safe.