Life was pretty uneventful until today. I did my first 10k Fun Run today. To give you a bit of brackground. I only got back into running at the end of January after a few months of not much. Then to make me actually have something to train for I signed up for my first official fun run.
A few weeks into my 'training' I had a small tear in my hamstring. I was told to rest it for a week. NO RUNNING! So what did I do?? Played Tennis.......cos you don't run when you play tennis right?!?!? Especially when it is Women's Double Championships. I lasted right until our last game when I felt it 'go'. So that meant 3 weeks of no running. One day I am sure I will listen...............well maybe.
Fast forward to today and I found myself standing at the starting line with 2500 other people. I was in the last starting group feeling very lonely and out of place but keen to get going.
All ready to run!
Off I head feeling confident and scared at the same time. Before we hit the first km mark I have realised 2 things. 1. I need to wee & 2. I don't think that I will ever get used to running with this many people.
First things first I need to wee!! And my hockey girls know when I have to go I HAVE to go. I did stupidly stop to have a drink at the first water station and nearly choked on it. But that was not the problem it was the cup of tea I had before I left the house that was making every tree or bush look appealing. I was starting to get desperate and as I had never run this course before I had no idea how long it was until I would get some relief. Bit different to running on the farm where you don't even need a tree or bush let alone and actually toilet.
Finally after about 3 and a bit km there it was!! I have never been so happy to see a toilet!!!
Problem 2.............People.............fast, slow, talking, groups taking up the whole path etc etc. I spent the first 3km wondering what the hell was going on. I over took a few people then would find someone to sit behind thinking "yep this is a good pace" then they would slow down or speed up. Then I would try to overtake people without getting in others way or cutting in infront of the person I was overtaking. OMG when did running get so hard and require so much thinking????
The good news is that once I had done my wee I didn't have to worry too much as the crowd had thinned out. Then the next 7km was a case of me passing people then them passing me then me passing them & them passing me etc etc etc. I ran up until 6km (minus the wee break) from then on it was walking and running.More running then walking. I tried to run the whole of the last km but it was hard work!! It didn't help seeing people who had obviously finished a lot earlier leaving. However some of them were great and offering support & encouragement.
The best part was about 10 meters from the finish line I spotted my hubby and little girl. Was so nice to see them and have someone to high five before I crossed the finish line. I looked up as I crossed the line and the clock said 1hr 15min. (my official time will be a little under that as we crossed the start line a few minutes after the clock started.) My goal was to be under 1hr 20min. So I was stoked.
My shirt was dripping with sweat & I was exhausted but it was all worth it!
Now I have about 6 weeks to get ready for my next fun run. The HBF Run for a Reason. It's a 12km run which I am hoping to do in under the 1hr 15min I did today. However that won't be my biggest challenge for that run. My biggest challenge will be running through the Graham Farmer Freeway Tunnell!!! I almost hyperventilate just driving through it. I have no idea how I am going to run through it other then it will be the fastest part of my run!!! Have I mentioned that I am VERY Claustrophobic.
Things to remember for next time:
No cups of tea before hand
Wee before you start no matter how long the line up is
Stop to drink unless you want to choke
Find a way to not chafe under the arms
Also one last thing to remember before doing a big run.............If you get your hair coloured the day before don't wear a white hat. And it was a borrowed hat. Ooops!!
Oh Nikki, I am fist pumping here for you, that is fantastic!!!! And that's a great time, well I think it is anyway. Nikki you look so good there with your race number on. Hope you've kept it, there will be many more ahead I reckon, I keep mine in a plastic pocketed album with any certificates that I get for the race too. Pop your time on the back and then you have a PB for that race to beat next year.
ReplyDeleteAnd I hear you on the wee! OMG I fear having a drink at the water stops because it's like the seal breaks and that's it, I'm jigging all over the course wanting to go. And the hair, OMG the hair! That's happened to me too. Mine actually dripped into sweat one training run and my hubby looked aghast at me when I got home thinking my head was bleeding! Crack up.
Good for you. It's addictive these fun runs, just saying!
Carol
www.finding-carol.blogspot.com