Roccco

Help me, help myself!

If I can improve my ways, in exactly 365 days, I will be hopping on a plane to Cape Town, for an April 13th arrival. I will spend four nights in Cape Town in order to run the Two Oceans Ultra Marathon (35 miles) on April 15, 2006.

It will be a beautiful itinerary that will hopefully be something like the following:

Twelve Apostles, Cape Town (4)
Makalolo Plains, Hwange (3)
Savuti (Wilderness Safaris), Linyati (3)
Jao or Kwetsani (3)
Vumbura (3)
King George V Four Seasons, Paris (2)

In order to fulfill this dream, I will need to lose my couch potato ways. I have just started training for the San Francisco Marathon on July 31st of this year. It will be a painful one, as I will likely run it at about 225-230 pounds, but that is no more than I have completed my other three marathons in 2002. My first big race would really be on December 04th of this year in Tucson, the Tucson Marathon, that loses about 3,000 feet in altitude. The downhill course should give me a very good qualifying time for the Two Oceans Marathon.

This thread is directed at my friends here on Fodors, so please withhold any negative commentary for this being slightly off-topic, as if you believe it to be so, it is not directed to you anyhow.

I think just a "So how is the training going?" (possibly on this very thread) every now and then will keep me on my toes. I figure that even if I only lose a pound a week, that would get me in better than enough shape to finish the Two Oceans Marathon next April 15th and then be able to enjoy my safari afterward.

Thanks!!!

dreaming

Sounds like a great way to spend a tax day next year.

Did you also look at the St. George, Utah Marathon? October 1, 2005 - it also loses about 3,000 feet in altitude. And, I understand that there are some good spa hotels in the area....

Leely

Good on you, Rocco! My sister volunteers for an organization called Students Run Oakland, which trains and then takes inner-city high school kids to the L.A. Marathon. I know there's a similar nonprofit in SoCal--maybe getting involved in something like that would help motivate you as well?

Regardless, it sounds like a wonderful plan. I'm sure you'll have no problem running 35 miles...eventually. After all, you'll have Africa as your smiling reward for all your hard work!

Favor

Roccco - I know you do extensive research and probably have some very specific reasons for targeting Jao (maybe as simple as Jao being more upscale?), but just to let you know, when we stayed at Tubu Tree we saw a great deal of the Jao people as most of the animals were on our side of the reserve. This was early June 2004.

We did game drives (day/night), a makoro trip, a game walk, a boat trip, and one day had a lovely full lunch out in the bush.

You might be disappointed if the animals turned you into a Jao "commuter".

lisa

Well, it's been a few hours, so...how's the training going so far?

Roccco

Favor,

Yes, I am considering Jao mostly for its luxury, but I do have Kwetsani as a backup, and I shall now also add Tubu Tree as a backup.

How did you like Tubu Tree? Was there much gameviewing right from the camp?

Did you post a trip report that I can go back and reference?

Thanks.

5/01/05 - Redlands Half Marathon
5/14/05 - Palos Verdes Half Marathon
6/04/05 - Fontana Half Marathon
OR
6/05/05 - Rock N Roll Marathon, San Diego
6/26/05 - Vintners Classic Half Marathon, Temecula
7/04/05 - Firecracker 10K & Dog Show (My Corgi, Scooter, is a ham and would love it)
7/31/05 - San Francisco Marathon
8/28/05 - Bulldog 30K Trail Run, Malibu Canyon
8/30/05 - Depart LAX - London - Johannesburg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can!!!

Just got my Sigma 80-400mm Optical Stabilizing Lens in the mail and the thing is a monster.

Roccco

Lisa,

I managed to plan my race schedule and I am planning to be punished tonight at the gym by the hardest instructor there is in a 1 hour boxing aerobics class before finishing up with a minimum of 4 miles on the treadmill.

Worked out 3 times last week, and this will be my second workout so far this week (my week starts on Saturday).

I am a ball right now and need to lose some serious weight, but, fortunately, I kind of enjoy pain, so I think I can reach my goals!

Roccco

Dreaming,

I am familiar with the St. George Marathon, but the timing is bad for me, as I will be in Southern Africa for the first three weeks of September. Plus, the St. George Marathon is an entry by lottery system, as it is very much in demand for runners hoping to qualify for the coveted Boston Marathon in April.

-------------

Leely,

There is a similar organization down here, called Students Run L.A. Honestly, however, I usually try to avoid races that they take place in, as I prefer smaller races, but with marathons it is harder to find smaller races, although I did run one marathon in Vina Del Mar, Chile, with only about 125 entrants. I finished in about 120th place! Not bad considering that I was 240 pounds and had trained all of about two months.

Selwyn_Davidowitz

Roccco,

I think you had better look carefully at what the Two Oceans Marathon is about in that it is NOT a marathon; It is a 56 KM heartbreak of a run. So if you just make the 42Km distance then add another third of the distance with some hefty hills thrown in and you might see what lies ahead of you. This run aint putty sticks!

With that said hang in there Roccco because you probably can do it.

Just my twopence worth

Very proudly part of the wonderful nation of South Africa

Favor

Roccco - We liked Tubu Tree very much. Yes, we saw a lot of game from camp. There is a large open area in front of the main lodge. It was dry next to camp and wet futher out. We saw Red Lechwe and Impala bucks fighting off rivals from the deck before afternoon drives.

We had Grant as our guide and if you go, and you can, get him!

I'm sorry I did not post a trip report, but I did relate a bit about Grant here:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34513191

Roccco

Selwyn,

Yes, I am very aware of the challenge that lies ahead should I take on the Two Oceans Marathon.

With that being said, however, I did complete my first marathon, the Los Angeles Marathon in March 2002, with 8 months training, in 80 degree farenheit conditions, while about 230 pounds.

I then went on an eating spree and gained about 5 pounds for my next marathon 4 months later, with very little training, yet due to more favorable weather coniditions, I was able to improve my time by 30 minutes in the Rock N Roll Marathon in San Diego in June 2002.

I was about 235, also, for the Vina Del Mar Marathon in Chile, and this was under woeful training, yet I survived.

I know that I can't play around with my training if I have any chance to complete the Two Oceans Marathon. There is a strict cutoff time of 5 hours at the 42.2 kilometer standard marathon mark. So far, my best marathon time is only 5:07, so I do need to pick it up a notch.

I am sure that once I am able to drop under 220 pounds, that running will come much easier. I am good for about the first half marathon (13.1 miles), where my best time is 2:06, but I fade badly after that point when I am too heavy.

I will be shooting for about a 6:30 for the Two Oceans Marathon, just to give myself plenty of cushion. Providing I train properly I will get there.

Two Oceans Marathon - April 15, 2005
Comrades Marathon? - June 16, 2006?

Roccco

(The cutoff time for the Two Oceans Marathon is 7 hours, or about a 12 minute per mile pace)