Seven days are up

What's with this weather? Serious downpours... in winter... in Jo'burg? In school geography we learned about the high pressure system over the highveld in winter, which prevented the warmer, more moist air from the KZN coast making its way up here to bring rain. So, what has happened to this high pressure system?

Actually, what concerns me even more is that I need to get out for my Day 23 run today... Fortunately I'm working from home the whole day with no meetings so I should be able to take advantage of a break in the rain. There are four mouse birds sitting in the leafless tree outside my window looking really, really pathetic and cold. I'd love to bring them indoors and to give them a hug... my cat would like that too!

Ahh... as I type this the sky has lightened and the strong downpour that has been going for the past hour is slowing. There is hope!

The Seven Day Challenge candidates seem to have done really well.

Tezz, in Durbs, sent through her stunning Google Earth image yesterday, on which she has drawn her tracks. This track-drawing thing is fun - it visualises your efforts ;)

Tezz's seven days of tracks

She says, "Well, that went pretty fast! I was quite dedicated at adding different roads to make it look prettier... even so far as to go around the block at gym after spinning to add a couple of new ones! I didn't clock up too much, but am pleased that I stuck to it every day - my normal week consists of two spin classes and maybe one or two walks/runs. My total for the week was about 34km and two spinning classes."

George spent the weekend commentating at the Cross Country Champs with early mornings and a crazy schedule. So, as he says, "like a crummy soap opera Day 6 is now Day 3". What this means is that days four and five were erased and he has tagged on two extra days to complete the challenge on Thursday instead of Tuesday. His post, updated daily, is on his blog.

Fred has rocked through all seven days and he wrapped up his Day 7 with "4km HARD on treadmill followed by 2km of walking at a 2% incline 7.5km an hour". He's now looking to challenge himself with "21 days of Ashtanga yoga". As a practitioner of Ashtanga, I can fairly say that it is probably easier to run for 35 days! ;)

Terrick also enthusiastically jumped on board to do this challenge. "My seven day challenge ended last night with an easy 3km jog with my new-found jogging partner," he says. "It has been an awesome week of adventure that has brought about many smiles, insane laughter, new friends and some close tears due to some unmarked one-metre deep construction holes along our running/cycling path. All definitely worth it. Thank You! the adventure has only just begun."

My mom, Liz, started the challenge just as she was coming down with nasty coughing and spluttering and a runny, snotty nose. She'll pick up her walking again soon to do her seven days this month.

The other challengers, Jon, Darron, Jacques and Elizabeth, please add your comments below. I'd love to hear how you've found your seven days.

(now at the end of my post it is raining again and all misted over...)