The life and times of Zola Budd....

On my run today, I was thinking about Zola Budd. The October 2009 edition of Runners World had a fantastic article on Zola Budd, and I loved the snapshot of her life. As a runner (albeit a slow one!) I can only have an inkling of the difficulties and frustrations she must have gone through, but as a fellow South African I know only too well the complexities of her situation. Zola Budd was confronted with a dilemma that many faced in South Africa: is it possible to compete in 'normal' sport whilst living in an abnormal society? Since the policies of apartheid left so many without the freedom of choice, the politics of the anti-apartheid movement looked to the freedom of the many rather than to that of the individual. It was an issue that divided South Africa.
It was unfair on Zola, and she was treated appallingly, but she was seen as a star who had the opportunity to shine. For those who thought they would never be afforded that opportunity, it was anathema - and she was crucified. It is hard to analyze her situation 'purely as a runner', because it was so deeply situated in the political unrest in 1984. It was never just about her talent and how good she was, the issue was always about how could she participate in 'normal' sport while South Africans were living under a state of emergency.
Whilst this article is very good, it could never capture the heartache that she must have gone through. I was profoundly touched by the article, and I remember all the furore very well indeed. Like so many before her, she was caught up in a situation that she could never win. But this is a different time and space. Go Zola Go, this is your time to be a rock and roll star.

A Flexistential question: Newton vs Karhu

This post starts with a previso: I already own 2 pairs of running shoes, but my desire for a pair of Newtons - the Jimmy Choos of the running world - is rivalled only by my desire for a pair of Karhus - the Christian Laboutins of the running world.  Naturally at this moment I cannot buy both, having just bought a sexy sexy Specialized Dolce Triple bike!

So, the question is since I can only choose 1 pair at the moment, would they be the Newtons (the science of running embodied in Sir Isaac Newton, whose face is on the inside sole of the shoe), or the Karhus (the spirit of running embodied in the god of my running universe, Paavo Nurmi, who himself ran in Karhus)?

I went down to Boyleston Street in Boston where City Sports (of all places) stocks both brands. Well, the Newtons I saw there were very limited and not in my size; the Karhus were non existent - so that was pretty much that.  Though disappointed, all this just served to sharpen my lust for these articles.  Yes yes I know, lust is 1 of the 7 deadly sins and all that, but allow me to say that this is not just casual, unfettered lust which goes nowhere -this is focussed lust: I hope to run faster in either of these articles!

So in the meantime, whilst pondering on this flexistential question, I looked at websites, spoke to those who had Newtons, entered a competition to win a place in the Helsinki Marathon, and finally went to the New England Sports Expo to see if they would have the objects of my desire on display.

And did they ever!  The first exhibition flag I saw was for Karhu.  Trying to contain my excitement, Stuart and I stopped off to chat with the guys at the Boston Triathlon Team stand and after signing up with them, we walked over to the Karhus.  So, after picking up the red pair (see pic!), the boy told me they only had 2 sizes left - and yes, after trying on a pair they actually fit.  I was in heaven - and even more so when I was offered the shoes at 25 USD!!!  The boy seems to think they are from last season (since the new models for next season have just come out), but if you look on the Karhu site, it is actually still a current model.  But I don't care - 25 bucks for perfection - bliss! 

The shoes are quite a narrow fit, which suits me very well.  They are light and snug.  I have only worn them running once, and cycled in them a few times.  The feeling is a bit different from Adidas or Brooks but I like them.  I think I need to wear them more, before I can make a more complete comparison.

So right now I'll limit myself to the aesthetics, and say they look hot.  What is more, I think this is a sign from Paavo Nurmi himself.  I am going to wear these shoes in my half marathon which is coming up in May, and hopefully I will run a very good time.   So I shall enjoy these Karhus for a while before I get the Newtons - after all, I want to enjoy this high for a while yet!

An Ethical Dilemma - Part III or the Ras na hEireann 5K

Sunday 15 March turned out to be a beautiful day.  I took the T up to Davis Square, and walked toward the starting line.  This time I lined up near the front of the 9 minute section, as the last time I was too far back, and it was really difficult to get past people.  I was not feeling particularly festive, partially because I felt a bit of a fraud.  After all my pontifications, here I was stood, lined up, waiting to race.  The truth of the matter was that I wanted that medal, and that had overridden all other feelings.

So, not feeling that great, I decided that if I could not enjoy the race, at least I could try and run a wee bit faster.  It was a slow start, but as soon as our section took off, I started out hard.  I tried to slow myself down because a collapse is immanent halfway through the race, but I just kept going.  For the first time ever, I had decided to race with my ipod, and tried to pace myself with "take on me" by a-ha.

To no avail, I just ran like a banshee out of hell.  In the end, just after the 2 mile mark was a water stop, and I forced myself to stop, drink and walk for a few minutes.  Then off I went again, and soon found myself on the bike path.  That usually means the end is close by.  This time however, it seemed to go on forever and it was really hard to sprint.  I told myself to step on it, and had no idea what the clock said in the end, as I could hardly see!

I picked up my medal, a bottle of water, and took the T home.  Finally the results were posted.  Mind you, I am still slow, but compared to my previous time, I have improved by 6% in 4 months!  I did my second 5K in 27:56, which means my split was 9 minutes.  I placed 49/219 in my age group, and 1806 in a total field of 4150.  

My next 5K is on Sunday, and this time I am going to do a mile warm up first.  I find it a bit difficult to go out fast, and am wondering if a warm up makes any difference.  I decided to post one of the race pics (courtesy of Ted Tyler), with me looking like the very banshee aforementioned in this post.   Perhaps I should consider buying a pair of sunglasses which might make me look less agonised!

In conclusion, I am glad I ran.  I had a great time, contributed to a good cause, and improved my time.  The race also gave me a moment for reflection and yes, I am still going to write that letter to the race organiser, Paulie.

An Ethical Dilemma - Part II

Ethical dilemmas are supposed to provoke one into thinking more deeply about what motivates us towards one course of action rather than another. The essence lies in the principle taking precedence over one's own personal desires. So, why am I racing tomorrow? Initially my justification was economic - races are expensive etc etc. But more truthfully, the real reason can be found in Siena, Italy.
When we were living in Italy, I used to run with a very competitive club, and though I liked everyone in the club, I never really enjoyed running. I constantly felt under pressure to score points for my club, and that sucked the enjoyment out of running for me. In Tuscany, races are tabled in a regional register, and each club is ranked according to how many members participate in a race, their position, overall distance and so on.
I was never very good (i.e. fast), and never won anything. One Summer I became friendly with Roxy, a Canadian woman studying glass design in Siena. I introduced her to running and to the club, and soon we were spending long pleasurable hours running both in the Medici Fortress in  Siena and around the Tuscan countryside. We became very good friends, and still are today. A big regional competition came up at the end of Summer, and I was ready to win the trophy in my division (yes a proper award!).
The only problem was - Roxy. She was in my category and she was faster than me. I could beat the other people in my category as I had done so pretty consistently that year in other races. Roxy was the one to beat, and I doubted very much that I could catch her. Of course, all I needed to do to win, was not to invite her to the race, but that was never ever an option. So I invited her. She came, she ran, and she got the trophy.
Naturally I was happy for my friend, and of course I was disappointed for myself. I thought about this episode earlier in the week. It would have been morally reprehensible for me not to have told a dear friend about the race, knowing full well that she would win. I also knew then that it would be a long long time before I might be in a position to win anything, but therein lies the bittersweet joy of running.
I am racing tomorrow because the ethical dilemma arises from divergent political beliefs. Still, I am prepared to give the organisers the benefit of the doubt, as I am unsure whether they even realise the implications of their tee design. So, I shall write to them, and let's see if and how they respond.

An Ethical Dilemma - Part I

My race tomorrow is a 5K. The Ras na hEireann is the USA version of its famous sister race, the Ras na hEireann International Cross Country held in Termonfechin, County Louth, Republic of Ireland. I picked up my race number and timing chip on Wednesday night at Marathon Sports in Boston, and once home, looked at the race t-shirt and got a shock.
The back of the tee has a row of photographs commemorating Bobby Sands and the other IRA  prisoners who participated in the 1981 hunger strike.  I see this as a politicisation of the race: I want to run a 5K; I do not want to be part of the issues around the "Troubles" in Britain.  As a South African who grew up under the apartheid regime, I understand only too well the issues around this.
If the race organisers wish to politicise/advertise their causes on the official race tee, I would appreciate a heads up BEFORE I sign up for any race.  Race entry fees average around $30 each.  Do a few races and it starts adding up.  My past races have raised money for various charities and research foundations, and the race tomorrow will donate money to the Somerville Track PAC, an organisation which in turn donates scholarship money, travels money and meals to Somerville High School students.  So, money to a very worthy cause.

I do not want to discuss the "Troubles", but I will be writing a letter to the race organisers.  As a buddhist, the loss of any human life is a tragedy, therefore highlighting only one aspect of the "Troubles" does not sit well with me.

My dilemma has led me to question my participation in the race.  I have decided to race, albeit with very mixed feelings.  Why have I come to this decision?  The next post explores this motivation.