The 2 Oceans

I know, I`m spoiling you (both my readers) by posting twice in a week but hey, I aim to please. Time has really been in short supply and the motivation to post has seriously been lacking too. I started a Posterous blog, which is basically blogging for lazy people, of which I apparently am one.
That site can be found at Running Golfers Posterous and is just a silly little sideline if I`m honest.

In any case, the reason for this post is to give you some feedback on my running. Yes, I am still running although I must say I haven`t taken it too seriously for the last year or so. In fact, I only got serious again in December, when I entered the 2 Oceans half marathon. The biggest race I have ever entered and I am beyond excited.

So it was the usual thing. I had to get fit and lose weight. Sounds like a replica of 2 years ago. Well, truth be told it has gone reasonably well. I lost the weight I needed too (9 kg`s AGAIN!!!) and have upped my fitness considerably. I have put in more miles during the last 7 weeks than I did during the 10 weeks leading up to my 1st half marathon. I am reasonably comfortable in the knowledge that I should be able to finish in a fairly decent time. I`d be happy with anything between 2:10:00 and 2:30:00.

I`m flying out to Cape Town tomorrow morning and then flying back on Sunday morning. The only sad thing is that Hayley can`t join me. That would really have been the icing on the cake. She has to work unfortunately. Her whole family is there and my Father-in-Law will pick me up at the airport tomorrow morning and we`ll head straight to the 2 Oceans Expo to register and collect our numbers etc. I cannot wait! I intend to spend some money there, that`s for sure!



So, that`s my story. I am really, really excited about the opportunity to run such an awesome race in the most beautiful place on earth. Such a blessing.

South Africa - A dream unfulfilled

It`s been a tough few weeks in South Africa. We've had the usual Julius Malema tirades about nothing and everything, Jacob Zuma and his wives, Jacob Zuma and his kids, Premiers and their unpaid traffic fines, calls for lifestyle audits on Government Officials, Julius Malema singing "kill the boer, kill the farmer", some of the worst hate speech on his Facebook fan page, Government tenders being awarded to government ministers, the tax bill footed by the tax payers to sustain Jacob Zuma`s wives and 20 kids, protests due to non-delivery of vital services to poor communities, protests by school children outside a courthouse, etc etc etc. Sadly, it`s a very, very long list.

If we are honest with ourselves, it`s probably the worst it`s been since 1994, when the dream of the New South Africa was signed and sealed by all it`s citizens. Back then the nation was so excited for the dream to finally become a reality, it had been way too long in the making. The buzz of the New South Africa was tangible. 1995 followed and the Rugby World Cup was hosted here. A nation building exercise of the highest quality. Springbok supporters followed the progress of the team but a nation celebrated the winning of the cup. A cup that was presented by a true icon, wearing Francois Pienaar`s number 6 jersey. Nelson Mandela stood on the podium and heard a full Ellispark chant "Nelson, Nelson, Nelson". I still get goosebumps just thinking about it. Afterwards, we saw black and white dancing in the streets together, celebrating the victory by the Springboks.

The African Cup of Nations victory followed the next year. This time, white supporters embraced Bafana Bafana as their own and a nation celebrated as one once again. Neil Tovey was the Francois Pienaar this time but Nelson Mandela was once again there. The catalyst for all that was good. South Africans united and it felt right, it felt like the dream was real.

Fast forward now to current day South Africa. It`s been 14 years since the day that we won the Africa Cup of Nations. A lot has happened in that time but having said that, nothing has also happened in that time. I always think of the way people drive as an indicator of the bigger picture within a country. Next time you drive somewhere, see how many drivers use indicators or come to a complete stop at a Stop sign. See how many drivers cross solid white lines, drive in the emergency lanes, cut people off, disregard the speed limits etc. Once again, the list if very, very long. One could almost say that it`s a free for all. No rules or laws and it`s survival of the fittest (or fastest).

Now look at government. We have ministers enriching themselves, cheating, stealing and lying. Our president was in the news recently for not submitting his financial affairs, once he became head of state. This is required by law. Thabo Mbeki did it, as did Nelson Mandela. Mr Zuma then went and got legal opinion on how to circumvent this little conundrum. Something to hide maybe?
I listened to John Robbie on 702 this morning. He was interviewing the Premier of Gauteng, Mrs Nomvula Mokonyane. She has R 17, 000 in outstanding fines and 2 outstanding warrants of arrest. Surely she would see the errors of her ways? Nope, she took issue with the reporter who broke the case. That was her defence. John then asked her if she would be willing to have a lifestyle audit done on her. She was furious and could not believe that John could even fathom asking her such a thing. "Why must I have such a thing done? Why don`t you have one done?". Ummm, one small difference, John Robbie isn`t paid by the citizens of the province to make sure that they are being looked after.
We hear Julius Malema ranting and raving his little head off every single day. He spends more time in the Equality Court than at home I`m sure. Yet, we have not heard Mr Zuma tell Julius to watch his mouth. Isn`t that what a leader is supposed to do?

Before you say I`m just a normal conservative white guy, keep this in mind. Jenny Crwys Williams had a show towards the end of last year, where she invited people to call in and say what their biggest positive was of 2009. I phoned in and said that Jacob Zuma was the biggest positive for me. My point was that he had taken over amidst doom and gloom from a big portion of the population and had made work of crime and a lot of other issues. Unfortunately it looks like I might have been wrong in my assumptions.

So looking at the way people are ignoring the laws of the road and the way government and the ministers therein are ignoring the laws of the land, it is quite obvious why a comparison can be drawn between bad driving and a bad country.

Where does that leave us as a country? Does the Rainbow Nation have a future or is the dream gonna remain just that, a dream.

Look, I`m just a normal guy living his life and trying to make ends meet. All I can do is influence the people I come in contact with be it by my behaviour or my attitude. I cannot change the minds of guys like Julius Malema or Jacob Zuma but I can try to change the people around me, even if it`s just by driving properly. So, this is what I pledge to do:

• I will always use my indicators.
  
• I will always obey the speed limit.
  
• I will always yield when it is my duty to.
  
• I will always obey solid white lines and emergency lanes.
  
• I will always say thank you if somebody lets my into the flow of traffic.
• I will be kind to everybody around me, even if they don`t deserve it.
• I will not read another story on Julius Malema or listen to him on the news.
• I will be positive about my country, even when it is almost impossible to do so.

Silly and mostly mundane things you might say and they probably are but it`s a start.

Will I be able to do all this? I hope so. Most of it I do as a matter of course, like indicating and obeying the speed limit. I am however gonna try to change MY little world which surrounds me and the things I do have control over. I`ll leave the bad news for other people.

I have faith in this country and I know we can make it work. All I want to see is the dream of the Rainbow Nation, realised. A tough task no doubt but definitely possible.

Need you now - Lady Antebellum

I know it`s been a while so I thought I`d pop in and share my favourite song of the moment. I adore this band. I`m not the biggest country fan but these guys are AWESOME.

Enjoy everybody!

Russian Miner Interview

I won! (Part deux)

Ok, you have to go watch this video! It`s on Bob Skinstad`s site and this is where he announces me as the winner. Not just that, he says the kindest things about little 'ol me. I`m so chuffed!

Not often you get to hear cool things being said about you, by your hero. Life is good this Friday morning!

I`ll post a photo of my Bob Skinstad Springbokjersey and of me IN my Bob Skinstad Springbok Jersey very soon. Will pick it up today and get photos done as soon as my better half is back home.

Vanilla Ice Castle Lite tv ad

Great new tv ad for Castle Lite featuring Vanilla Ice.

I won!

I am probably the most unlucky person on earth when it comes to competitions. I have never won anything. I do enter them but I never win, not even a chocolate.

That is until this weekend. Bob Skinstad, my all time rugby hero, runs a competition whereby you have to guess the exact score in order to win a rugby jersey. This competition has been running the whole year and I don`t think anybody has won it. It`s quite difficult. I mean guessing the EXACT score in a rugby match is virtually impossible.

So on Friday Bob announced that the winner of the #Guessthescore competition will win one of HIS Bok jerseys. Worth a shot I thought, so I emailed my score to him. I backed the Bulls to win the Currie Cup Final 36-24.

On Saturday we went to Riaan and Sally`s place and watched the game there. I supported the Cheetahs throughout the game but with about 20 minutes to go and the score 33-24, I kinda got the feeling that I might be in with a shout of winning Bob`s jersey. The Bulls then got a penalty with 14 minutes to go and Morne Steyn duly kicked it over. The score was 36-24 BUT there was still 13 minutes to play! I couldn`t watch anymore, so I walked around the garden popping in every now and again to check the score. Well, the final whistle went and the score was 36-24!

Bob confirmed that I was the winner on Twitter a while later and sent me a message asking me for my contact details. I literally couldn`t sleep on Saturday night! I woke up at 02:00 and couldn`t stop thinking about the prize I had won!

To put it into perspective, I have always been the biggest Bob Skinstad fan. To this day he remains my favourite rugby player of all time. My mate Andre Pretorius got him to sign a World Cup 7`s ticket for me, when they played in Argentina and it read 'Faffie, you rock!'. That is still one of my favourite possessions. Andre also arranged a game of golf with Bob when he signed for the Cats. We played at Blue Valley and it was one of the best days of my life.

So, to win a Springbok jersey, worn by my hero, is the biggest treat imaginable. I am beyond excited! AND, I finally won something!

Here`s a link to Bob`s blog, where he announced me as the winner!

61 days

61 days, that`s how long it`s been since my last post. It`s not that I haven`t had much to say, it`s just that I haven`t had the urge to say anything.

Things are going ok on this side. Been working really hard but so not enjoying my job at the moment. At least there are things happening with regards something else and I am really praying that it`ll be a reality soon. I`m basically biding my time until I can finally do something I feel really passionate about again, which most certainly is not the case now.

So, this blog is called The Running Golfer, right? Well, I haven`t been the best runner since we moved back to Joburg. My golf is getting back to where it was and I feel pretty confident with a putter in the hand. The running has however taken a bit of a back seat over the last 6 or so months.

The real problem with that is that I have picked up 10 kg`s over the last 6 months. It sucks and I feel disgusting. It`s incredible how the body just lets go if you don`t look after it. My clothes are "toight like a toiger". Let`s leave it at that.

I got back on the road about a month ago. I try to run 3 or 4 times a week but it`s not always possible. I can`t go run after dark like I did in our estate in Somerset West, it`s just too dangerous. So I can only go on days where I get home early-(ish). I started off doing a minimum of 4 km`s and I had to walk at least once or twice on every run.

The last week I have seen a rapid improvement. I can now run a very comfortable 5 km and it feels great. My pace is increasing and my times are dropping. Heart rate is also getting used to the altitude.

So, at least I am starting to shed the pounds, which is great. Hayley and I have decided to go on a bit of a health kick until December. We wanna look good on the beach you see!

In any case, I know it`s a pretty boring post after 61 days of being incognito but at least it`s something, right?

Funniest email conversation ever - Part 2

___________________________________________________________________

From:Jeff Peters
Date: Wednesday 8 April 2009 10.22am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Membership Renewal

Dear David

This is a friendly reminder to let you know your gym membership expired last week. Your membership is important to us and we would like to take this opportunity to show our appreciation by offering you a 20% discount on your membership renewal. We look forward to seeing you again soon.

All the best, Jeff Peters

___________________________________________________________________

From: David Thorne
Date: Wednesday 8 April 2009 1.37pm
To: Jeff Peters
Subject: Re: Membership Renewal

Dear Jeff,

Thankyou for your friendly reminder and the kind offer to reduce my membership by twenty percent. I own a calculator but I could not work out how to do percentages on it so have estimated that I save around $372.10 off the normal price of $420.00 - Please confirm that this is correct and I will renew my membership immediately.
Also, do I get a Fitness First sports bag with towel and drinking bottle included in the price? I own my own legwarmers and headband.

Regards, David.
___________________________________________________________________

From: Jeff Peters
Date: Thursday 9 April 2009 10.01am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Membership Renewal Due

Hello David

How did you come to that amount? Our half year membership fees are actually $460 but with the 20% discount as an existing member your renewing membership fee would be only $368 for the six months saving you almost $100 off the normal price. We are not Fitness First so do not have those bags.

Cheers, Jeff

___________________________________________________________________

From: David Thorne
Date: Thursday 9 April 2009 10.18am
To: Jeff Peters
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Membership Renewal Due

Dear Jeff

Do I get free shipping with that?

Regards, David.

___________________________________________________________________

From: Jeff Peters
Date: Thursday 9 April 2009 12.48pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Membership Renewal Due

Free shipping with what? The $368 covers your membership fees for six months.

___________________________________________________________________

From: David Thorne
Date: Thursday 9 April 2009 2.26pm
To: Jeff Peters
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Membership Renewal Due

Dear Jeff

By the power of Greyskull that is a lot of money but I admit to being in desperate need of increasing my body strength. My ten year old child often turns the taps off in the bathroom very tightly and I have to go several days without washing.
I feel bad constantly having to ask the lady from next door to come over and loosen them for me, what with her arthritis and limited wheelchair access to my apartment. To be honest, I originally joined your gym with full intentions of attending every few days but after waiting in vain for someone to offer me steroids, I began to suspect this was not going to happen and the realisation that I may have to exercise instead was, quite frankly, horrifying.
My aversion to work, along with the fact one of your employees, Justin, was rather rude, telling me to 'lift this', ''push that' dulled my initial enthusiasm of becoming muscular and I stopped attending.

Regards, David.

___________________________________________________________________

From: Jeff Peters
Date: Friday 10 April 2009 9.17am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Membership Renewal Due

Hello David

Not sure how to take your email, nobody here would offer you steroids, it is illegal and none of our staff would do this. Justin is one of our most experienced trainers and if you found him rude while he was trying to be helpful and just doing his job then there are plenty of other gyms you could look at joining instead.

Cheers, Jeff

___________________________________________________________________

From: David Thorne
Date: Friday 10 April 2009 10.02am
To: Jeff Peters
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Membership Renewal Due

Dear Jeff

Yes, I have noticed that there are many gyms in my area. I assume the low qualification requirements of fitness trainers means that there is an over supply of these buffed but essentially otherwise purposeless professionals.
I knew a guy in high school who couldn't talk very well and collected sticks, he used to call the teacher 'mum' and during recess we would give him money to dance. Then sell him sticks to get our money back.
He went on to become a fitness instructor so I view gyms as kind of like those factories that provide a community service by employing people with down syndrome to lick stamps and pack boxes. Except with more Spandex obviously.

Regards, David.

___________________________________________________________________

From: Jeff Peters
Date: Friday 10 April 2009 10.32am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Membership Renewal Due

Go f$*k yourself.

___________________________________________________________________

From: David Thorne
Date: Friday 10 April 2009 11.38am
To: Jeff Peters
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Membership Renewal Due

Dear Jeff

I was, at first, quite surprised at your response; one minute you are inviting me to renew my membership and asking me for money, the next insulting me. After doing a little research however, I have learnt that mood swings are an expected side effect of steroid abuse.
As another side effect is a reduction in the size of your p#$%, this gives you understandable cause to be an angry person. I have also learnt that Spandex contains carcinogenic properties so this does not bode well for yourself and your shiny friends.
If I woke up one morning and my p#$% was a quarter of the size I would probably take my anger out on those around me as well.
There are probably support groups or websites that could help you manage your problem more effectively and picture based books available on the subject for people with limited reading skills. When I am angry I like to Listen to music by Linkin Park. The added angst and desire to cut myself works similarly to the way firefighters fight forest fires by burning off sections, effectively canceling each other out and I find myself at peace.
I understand that you guys usually listen to Pet Shop Boys or Frankie Goes to Hollywood so this may be worth a try.

Regards, David.

___________________________________________________________________

From: Jeff Peters
Date: Friday 10 April 2009 1.04pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Membership Renewal Due

DO NOT EMAIL ME AGAIN

___________________________________________________________________

From: David Thorne
Date: Friday 10 April 2009 1.15pm
To: Jeff Peters
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Membership Renewal Due

Ok.

___________________________________________________________________

From: Jeff Peters
Date: Friday 10 April 2009 1.25pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Membership Renewal Due

Is that you being a smartarse or agreeing not to email me again?

___________________________________________________________________

From: David Thorne
Date: Friday 10 April 2009 1.32pm
To: Jeff Peters
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Membership Renewal Due

The middle one.