Comrades ’19 – T-6 – Rollercoaster

6 – Rollercoaster

So my general psyche is definitely considerably better thanks to the influence of Sam Berns’ amazing TedX Talk – see yesterdays post http://ultrabloke.com/comrades-19-t-6-podcasts/

BUT boy this lead-in to raceday is an emotional a rollercoaster. On waking yesterday morning I wasn’t feeling completely in showroom condition and so decided my condition was not one for self-medication and prayer alone. It was time for some proper medical advice.

So I decided to call a few of my running tjommies Byron Hardy and Guy Baranyay (both running Comrades this year) to seek help on whether a conventional GP would suffice, or if I should see a special kind of GP with some sports bent / now-how or maybe an endurance athlete themselves. I figured they’d maybe have different remedies and quite possibly a different approach to getting an athlete ready for the start line.

Opinions were mixed, but when my coach Mark Wolff came back to me with strong recommendation for his sports physician, I decided to ignore the bit of a trek into Alberton and booked an appointment as soon as they were open (07h30 – earlier than others that frustratingly opened at 08h00).

Thankfully the doctor wasn’t alarmed with what she saw and after two injections, a nosespray and some effervescent C, she seemed confident I’d be lining up on Sunday and sent me on my way.

That positive news had me feeling great again, only to tire a bit at work in the latter half of the afternoon. After deciding I couldn’t leave it solely to medicine and fate alone, I figured rest was probably important too and headed home for an early night’s sleep.

So it’s up and down, up and down on that psychological and emotional rollercoaster at the moment.

I’m hoping it takes a slow uphill towards the top of the ramp and into the weekend, only to accelerate down the tracks on Sunday and culminate in a beautiful Bill Rowan loop.

That’s the rollercoaster I want to finish this Comrades ride on.