”Coach, he’s late and overweight!” Disgusted at the words of London 2012 rowing gold medallist James Thompson, I saunter over to my new sprinting coach on the modern track at the University of Pretoria.
Buoyed by the 450km I covered walking during the Rio Olympic Games, I decide to dust off my spikes and rekindle memories of my track days.
The night before a fact-finding mission turned into full-blown war between mind and body.
In an instant I had traded the comforts of being track-side for a position in lane three at the 200-metre mark.
Lining up with youngsters 14 years my junior seemed like the perfect motivation but it proved to be an ego-crushing experience.
Of course, I would line up next to, not only the fastest athlete of the group but also one of the most promising South African sprinting prospects.
Trying to keep up I was the surfer constantly at the back of the wave fading over the line before crumbling in a heap on the other side.
Jon Seeliger, a member of the 4x400m relay team that won bronze at this year’s Africa Championships in Durban, points out the lactic is about to kick in with two more sprints to go.
I’ve been up to my ears with lactic since the second 200m but taking my cue from the pros I push through the pain dragging the hamstrings along.
Eight half-lap sprints left me catatonic, spread-eagled, and chest heaving on the track.
The next half-hour was a blur, perhaps a small taster of what Wayde van Niekerk experienced following his world-title run in Beijing last year.
The lie that it would only get better was perpetuated throughout the week as each session just brought about more angst and pain.
The sense of camaraderie around the track brings small consolation jogging past Olympic long jump silver medallist Luvo Manyonga.
Manyonga has conquered greater adversity, I remind myself, and I trudge through the pain that shoots through my body with every step I take around the track.
The Tuks track is a hive of activity, and represents the past, present and future stars of South African athletics.
This is the same track where LJ van Zyl set a new South African 400m hurdles record, and where Simon Magakwe became the country’s first sub-10 seconds man in the 100m.
In the infield Hennie Kriel is busy moulding the new generation of sprinters as they pull their sleds across grass threatening to shed its winter coat.
South African track and field is alive and kicking. And if you don’t believe me just look at the past Rio Olympic Games.
Two gold medallists with a world record to boot, and two silver medals are nothing to sneeze at.
Those performances inspired me to get back on the track. Imagine what it did for the little dreamers that believe they can become the next Wayde van Niekerk, Manyonga, Caster Semenya, Sunette Viljoen, or Akani Simbine.
Now it is up to the powers that be to provide them with the opportunities and coaching to take them from dreamers to achievers.
I'm the slow guy who makes other runners look fast, but let's hope for more fast ones for generations to come.
Independent Media