FertilehealthyAiming for success, not perfection…

We had a heatwave this past week, with Thursday and Friday being unbearably hot.  So we were obviously quite pleased when a breeze came up on Saturday afternoon and started cooling us down.  We threw open all doors and windows and breathed in the fresh cool air.

It wasn’t long before we had to start closing up again…  The breeze was turning into a gale-force Southeaster – the wind that pummels Cape Town mercilessly during the summer months (but rarely in March).  It’s also called the Cape Doctor, because it blows away all the air pollution (and all the litter into my garden, but I won’t reveal what I call that).

This is Cape Town’s most famous landmark – Table Mountain.

And this is what it looks like when the Southeaster blows – the Tablecloth appears!

And that’s why trees around here look like this!

And this happens all the time!

Today was the annual Cape Argus Cycle Tour, which starts in Cape Town, goes right around the Peninsula and ends in Green Point - a route of 109 km (68 miles) – and attracts 35000 cyclists from all over the world. 

That meant road closures around all the areas Craig and I like to go to on a Sunday morning for our run/walk.  So, he decided that we’d go to the lower slopes of Table Mountain and follow the road from the bottom station of the Cableway.  I didn’t even know that the road continued beyond the Cable Station, but it I was in!  (You should be able to see the road, but the Cable Station is off the picture towards the right).

On the way there I couldn’t help but feel apprehensive about the howling wind.  The tablecloth was very low, in fact it came right down to the road…

Perhaps this picture can describe what it felt like when we got out the car…

Okay, I may be exaggerating a little bit!  But we were being pummeled!

Some people may have turned around and gone back to bed (a lot of cyclists did!), but we’re hardcore athletes, Craig and I.  So we set off on what was, for me, the most exhilirating, crazy, exhausting, full-body workout I’ve ever experienced!  Everybody’s doing Jillian’s 30-Day Shred…  they should try Table Mountain when the wind is blowing at 40+ mph!

Because the road twists and turns, following the curves of the mountain, I had to adjust my posture and lean into the wind every few yards, as the wind gusted and came at me from different angles.  My glasses were pushed against my eyes, I had to drop my MP3 player inside my shirt and turn up the volume.  As for my hair, well I’m surprised I still have hair!

And the clouds were swirling around me.  Magical!

The first half of the walk was mostly against the wind.  And it was hard.  I kept telling myself I was only going to do 5 more minutes…  and then another 5.  I ended up doing 45 minutes, at times singing loudly into the wind because there as no-one around (Craig had run on ahead).

Did I mention that not only was I leaning into the wind, but I was also going uphill? 

That 20 story staircase I tackled on Wednesday?  Piece of cake compared to this!

Of course coming back was downhill, and I had the wind at my back…  I ran for long stretches!  Not because I’ve suddenly become much fitter, but because I had no choice.  The wind just blew my 300 pound frame down the road and I had to run to stay on my feet.  Craig caught up with me and passed me about a kilometer from the end.  When I got to the truck, I had to grab on to stop!  My return had taken me only 35 minutes!

I have no idea how far I’ve gone, and I can’t measure the distance, since the last few kilometers of the road is closed to cars, due to rock falls.  It really doesn’t matter – I know I worked hard!

I looked like this afterwards, only not so green. 

I know I’m going to be stiff tomorrow, but it was such a fun workout, I can’t wait to do it again!

Perhaps not this week though!  It looks as if the heat will be back tomorrow…