A complete rainbow, both edges rising from the beach, arced over me when I walked onto the beach at Jeffrey's Bay yesterday. I tried to take a photo of it but it rose beyond the capacity of the lens. Some things are just beyond the faculties of our gadgets.
I went for a long walk, alone, on the beach this morning. On the one hand I am trying to clear my head, and on the other I feel a burden of resistance, to the life that I am living, especially teaching and staying in the hostel.
A few minutes ago I helped a guy push a Datsun bakkie down the road, but none of the attempts got the engine going. I felt quite out breath.
Tomorrow is the cycle race - 140km.
First I have to find out whether they'll allow me to compete on what is technically a timetrial frame.
And then I have to see whether I want to compete. The race is at 10:30 and ought to be at least 4 hours long, meaning I'll only be ready to drive back to Bloem at around 3 or 4pm. That means I arrive in Bloem at 10pm.
I'm considering leaving this afternoon or early tomorrow morning so that I am not a corpse for the whole of next week. I'm supposed to be doing a lot of marking this weekend, plus setting the Grade 10 exam paper...
On the other hand it will be fun to see how strategic and hard the guys in my category ride. I've alweays wanted to ride in the Tour de France, so this might provide a little peak at the experience. I just feel run down, so I am in two minds about it. Will get more certainty later this afternoon I expect.
The rainbow, yesterday, suggests that my destiny surrounds me. I need to just move forward, through it, into it, instead of around it. A rainbow, after all, is not a bridge, or a door, but a beacon. A beacon of hope, nature's way of shining light at us, in all its color and beauty.
Results of the timetrial are that I came 13th (of 13). Ironically, my number is 661 (6+6+1 =13). I spoke to an u/23 guy, Greef, and he said his heartrate average was 179 ("My hardest ever.") That makes me think my 171 ought to have been higher.
I am starting to feel at least the mental stimulation, the visual images to back up the discipline for training harder again. Need to find out how to avoid the hostel duties though. There's a consistent drain on all my resources, except financial.
Above photo courtesy of www.topleftpixel.com
Will post pictures on Monday.
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