Living the Dream: first 20-mile training run

I'm officially signed up for the Two Oceans Ultramarathon (56Km) in Capetown the first weekend in April. The course is along the coastline, and it's supposedly the most beautiful marathon in the world. When in Africa, right? Now I need to pick a c0uple marathons to run before April to make sure I won't die.

So that brings me to today: my first 32km (20 mile) training run through the scorching Botswana bush. A few weeks ago I was introduced to Ngaire, an Aussie ER attending, and ever since, she's been taking me on epic runs around the city and into the bush in preparation for her first New York Marathon.

Today's run was a bit more epic than usual. We did the first 10 miles on crazy narrow bush tracks, and I had no idea how Ngaire knew where she was going. The crazy African dagger thorns (see picture I took a few weeks ago) kept stabbing up through the soles of my shoes, and at one point we had to stop. There was one nasty thorn that we couldn't get out with our fingernails, so...I may have used my teeth. It worked, and I could run the next 10 miles!

This was very good for me in many ways, but mostly because I realized I have no idea what I'm doing. I brought one small bottle of water and no food, assuming it would be like a normal run, just longer. Luckily, Ngaire had snacks for both of us, and she called her boyfriend to come throw us some Poweraid bottles when we popped out of the bush. He was a real hero. I think by the end I'd had 3 full waterbottles, 2 Poweraids, and 1 large can of coke (apparently a secret weapon).

We ran the last 8km back to the car on a main road, and 9 out of 10 passing cars honked or cheered us on. I spent most of that part staring at Ngaire's heels and dumping my then near-boiling water over my head.

Incredible experience, and it made for a glorious bath in the posh palace's giant tub, followed by one of the best naps of all time