#Homieshalf

Thursday, November 20, 2014

I am sitting on my bedroom floor listening to Other Lives, procrastinating on writing this post. All the events that are about to be told happened 3 weeks ago. I feel like this post should have been posted earlier. Unfortunately, exams had my life and the blog had to take the back seat until they were over.

What is Bridge The Gap?

A concept that was initiated years ago by leaders of run crews in other countries. The aim was to link running crews across the world by having weekends that consist of RUN, PARTY, REPEAT.

I try to interact with as many running crews across the world as I can. I knew about the bridge the gap events and I was quite jealous when NBRO went to America to run the Chicago marathon. It is on my bucketlist to meet the runners that I follow on instagram. When we were told that we would have our own #bridgethegap event, I was happy that I would get to meet runners from other countries.

Before I started the blog, I researched RUN DEM CREW. RDC is a crew from the UK, one of the oldest and biggest crews in the world. It was started by Charlie Dark, I read his running story and he was on my runners to meet list and I did meet him. He is one of the pioneers of urban running.

Our Bridge the Gap event was called Homies Half.

31 August 2014, Friday

We started our 3 day Run, Party, Repeat weekend at 73 Juta Street(House Of Innovation). This was the Braamfie Runners Space, I will miss Saturday mornings inside this space. We were joined by members from @theninefour(Cape Town), @berlinbraves(Berlin), @pattarunningteam(Amsterdam), @rdcbridgethegap(London), @thesisruncru(Soweto) & @braamfierunners(Braamfontein). After the meet and greet and speeches from the team leaders. We had a Halloween party at Great Dane in Braamfontein.

I also got to meet Anelisa and Thithi, people who run blogs that I am constantly reading.

1 November 2014, Saturday

After arriving home at some hour past midnight, I had to wake up again to drive to Mofolo, Soweto. Thesis Run Cru was hosting that mornings shake out run. I wanted to kick off #INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER, an indie runner takes full control of the @thatindierunner instagram account for 24 hours. The indie runner shows us a day in their life through pictures or instavideos and we get to know more about them.

Not everybody has instagram though. The #INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER will be made into a blog post that will be published a week after. I did the first one and I must say I enjoyed it.

#INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER (@butatliruns)

#iwokeuplikethis /// No literally I woke up like this, I sleep in my running gear to make me wake up for @braamfierunners , My name is Atlegang(@butatliruns) I am 21 & I live in Johannesburg, South Africa. Today I will be taking over @thatindierunner. Spend the day with me #INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER

BRAAMFIE RUNNERS /// A family, My family. Almost 2 years running with these people. No matter how cold or whether I have a hangover(which rarely happens), Saturday Morning I will be there. Running the streets of Johannesburg. This weekend was different though, we had visitors from around the world. @berlinbraves @rdcbridgethegap @pattarunningteam @thesisruncru @theninefour <<< Making international connections. Running together, Partying together. I never thought all this could be possible from running. Crew Love !
#INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER

INJURY /// Stop Running! Stop Running! They said. I wouldn't hear them, I hobbled along the races that I had planned to finish. Stress Fracture, The worst that can happen to any runner. 3 Months Off, Still not really recovered from it. We leaen from our mistakes and I know I am stronger than I think, I just haven't run anything longer than 12 kilometres this year. Right Foot, Left Foot until we get there. Stronger Every Run!!!!!!
#INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER

Wow, I just discovered how amazing my phones camera is. The lightning tights, the ipod, the orthotics All For Tomorrow. Apparently I pronate so I always have to wear stability shoes. I am glad stability shoes are more fashionable and lighter now.
#INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER

MEDALS /// Earned not given. I don't race for a medal. I doubt I will ever win a race I am too slow for that. It is a great feeling to cross a finish line. Pushing yourself to the limits, Finding a stronger you. I didn't think I would finish my first Race but I did and you will too. I am the fool who ran a half marathon with a stress fracture. Goodluck to everybody racing against themselves tomorrow. From me(@butatliruns) I pass on the password for the next Indie Runner to do the next #INDIERUNNERTAKEOVER

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The tights are called tiger tights, which is appropriate because when I run sometimes I blast Katy Perry's Roar in my ears when the going gets tough. The contrast though, right now I am listening t Lianna La Havas as I type this.

I think my fashionista days are over, while everybody has been raging over bucket hats I have been thinking about my next pair of tights. I never wear head gear because often the size is too small for my head. I made a promise to myself that one day I will buy a thesis bucket hat, but turns out that things worked out my way because I got one during the weekend. It even has a Christmas print, How festive!

Maybe I will run in it one day, just for control! but first I took a selfie.

Cav' the clavicles #teamskinnybitch we are running to you.

We closed the Saturday off at Chaf Pozi in Soweto. I love braai'd meat and it is that time of the year when people get drunk and braai everyday. I must acquire friends who do such. I do not like paying tourist prices.

2 November 2014, Sunday

The Beeeeg day, My training for this race was a joke. For the weeks leading up to it, I could not run anything over 5 kilometres. I seem to have this hip niggle that I will go get checked out soon. I ran city2city last year with a very serious injury. So nothing could stop me from doing this half marathon.

Waking up for the races is not a nice thing. I have to get up before the birds start chirping, not to mention finding parking is such a struggle. I think I should have woken up earlier because parking proved to be a problem yet again which meant we had to run to the start line only to find that the race had already started. I thought we were going to run together but he left me. That inner voiceso told me to take my earphones in the car. I do not think I would have survived 21.1 km's with tight muscles and the sound of my breath.

I spent the first 7 kilometres chasing somebody I could not see, but I stumbled into Zama at this point who had left me earlier on. I decided to make her my pacer. Run we did, Run to the 11th km, Run up the big hill in Diepkloof, Run to the finish line we tried. Finally we ran over the finish line, Yes! we did it 21.1 in our legs.

My aim for this race was to finish the race. I was not prepared for this race but I finished it. Not only am I proud of me this was my fastest half marathon.

I am proud of him for finishing his first half marathon with literally no training at all. Beast Mode! I do not know who else could do this.

"She believed she could, so she did" - Zama(Right)

A week before she did not even think that she would be able to run the race because injury just kept creeping on her knee. Help from an angel and Kinesio Tape(My saviour Always! in pink ofcourse), we crossed the finish line together.

Zonke(Left)

She pushed all the way through that half marathon with ease. Looking stylish as always with her fly sunglasses. When I met her she could not run anything over 5 km's, a year later. We multiply that 5 with 4 and add 1.1, she handles it with ease. Whenever I run with her I just look at her hair bounce, this is not when she is teaching us how to do the Nae Nae.

Anna

I was very excited to meet Anna, but she was not sure if she was going to run the half marathon because of a very sore knee. I told her to run through it, Stupid some people might say. However, I am that crazy runner who hobbles 21.1 km's with a stress fracture. Now if I had traveled to another country to run a race. Then had an injury, I would push through it. She did push through it! She had to run alone though.

That is what Indie Runners are, Independent and Inspirational.

I congratulate our visitors who had to adapt to our altitude, through out the weekend they were complaining about how hard breathing is. Everybody that took part and finished their distance achieved something great. Well done to you!