uShaka

Sunday 7/5
Distance: 6.5 miles
Time: 46:56

Saturday Fourth of July
Distance: 13- miles
Time: 91:53

Friday 7/3
Distance: 9 miles
Time: 63:03

Pretty solid run on Friday morning, not much to report.

Friday evening Ivy, Jasmine and I were planning on hitting up this bizarre ex-pat 4th of July celebration (appropriately, on the 3rd of July) at the University of Kwazulu-Natal right around here. Upon arrival at the (apparently) absurdly late hour of 5pm, all that was left of the celebration was about 15 people sitting around in lawn chairs with coolers, an empty stage being dismantled, and a guy using a blower to clean up the red, white, and blue confetti scattered in front of the stage. When asked about the fireworks that had been promised, one of the cleanup guys informed us that they couldn't get a permit so they had canceled them. Here's to the Durban ex-pat crowd.

Fortunately, we ended up having a solid all-American BBQ complete with burgers and hot dogs at our American co-worker's house.

Saturday morning I decided to change things up a bit and actually complete the run to the coast I've been told not to do by several over-protective Durban-ites (Durban-ans? Durbanians?). Headed down toward the water without any mishaps, hoping to find a continuous strand of road along the beach I could run on. After a few wrong turns and some good luck I miraculously stumbled upon uShaka Marine World. uShaka is basically SeaWorld, complete with the Southern Hemisphere's largest aquarium and plenty of shops and restaurants. There's a beautiful grassy strip along the beach front (complete with helicopter pad) just beyond uShaka that I was able to enjoy for just a half mile or so before turning around. I felt pretty wrecked on the way back as the temperature picked up and I left the flat seaside area for the hills just inland.

After a few too many South African and Namibian beers last night, in addition to the long run yesterday, I wasn't feeling too fresh this morning. Nonetheless, I got out the door and put in an easy effort. I'm pretty sure this is my first week over 50 miles since April or May of 08.

This afternoon Ivy, Jasmine and I headed down to the beach and I got some quality time in the Indian Ocean. For the middle of winter, it's pretty warm. Probably about as warm as the Pacific ever gets. Unfortunately the clouds rolled in and the wind picked up pretty soon after we got there, so we didn't spend too much time hanging out on the beach.

Either way, by the time we got home I was wrecked. Spent some quality time watching Wimbledon/Tour de France and just chilled.