Life’s been a whirlwind! Between family and work, I haven’t been able to hit the SAAC club runs since April. But today was different. Today was the legendary Steven Baird aka Squeak’s Run, infamous for its brutal finisher – Bonnie Dundee Hill.
Let me tell you, the weather was epic. Crisp sunshine, zero wind – perfect for a race, even if I had just annihilated a personal best 100kg deadlift the day before. (Seriously, how were my legs supposed to feel about that?)
My plan was a chill 9km – easy warm-up, tempo pace for the “race” section, then cruise for the rest. Sub-juniors were doing 1km, juniors 3km. Feeling like a seasoned pro (read: slightly out of shape), I opted for a comfy 3km junior jog.
Back at the start line, feeling smug about my time cushion, I learned my handicap was a measly 1:30. With 50 seconds already gone, it was a mad scramble – gulp water, grab headphones, blast my power playlist, and GO!
Of course, I started too fast. Classic rookie mistake. But hey, adrenaline! I settled into a rhythm, pounding the pavement with the music pumping in my ears. Feeling good!
Then, just past the 3km mark, disaster struck. My shoelace decided to stage a daring escape. Stop and fix it? Risk losing precious seconds? Or soldier on, potentially face-planting later? Knowing a loose lace would drive me insane, I opted for a quick pit stop (seriously, who invents these things during a race?).
Back on track, and now approaching the infamous Bonnie Dundee. This hill is a master of disguise. Starts innocent, then throws a savage right hook after the damn. Just when I thought I was making decent progress, junior runner Jerome breezed past me like I was standing still.
Defeated? Nope! At this point, I embraced the walk/run strategy. “Stuff it!” I declared (probably very loudly, thanks to the headphones), and marched up that hill in a glorious mix of walking and running until my body screamed for mercy. Honestly, I can’t remember ever walking that hill before, but guess what? I somehow emerged victorious!
Deadlifts? Warm-up? Who knows! But hey, the fresh air, the unexpected win – it was a fantastic way to get back into the swing of things. Here’s to many more crazy SAAC adventures!