The Nightmare!Even though I'd asked for a wake up call at 6:00am, Sunday, I found myself looking at the clock just about every hour, on the hour all through the night, but then falling into a deep sleep at about 5:00am. From there followed the worst of all possible nightmares; since it's funnier than the event itself, I might not bother with an account of the half marathon.... just the nightmare that preceded it! It happened like this:
" It seemed I was late leaving the hotel & Ewen had gone on ahead so as not to be late for the race. The rest of the nightmare was me desperately & in vain trying to find the start of the half marathon!! I was frantically running around streets (this was happening in what I knew to be Canberra!), asking where the start to the half marathon was; everyone I approached shook their heads : they'd never heard of it! There were people lined up for just about every possible distance but none for a half marathon. I even ran through houses which somehow were part of the course (!), knocking over furniture as I went; running & stopping right on the edge of cliffs just before falling over, climbing to the top of mountains, still searching for half marathon runners, until eventually I found myself somewhere crawling on grass unable to move except by clawing & grabbing at the grass with my hands to pull myself forwards, & even then, not moving forward, not even an inch! How real these things are at the time! L
ost again & terribly distressed over a first DNF...and a DNS!!
I woke with a powerful feeling that it was a reality & so upset that I had to sit up in bed & try to clear it all away & out of my head; even then I couldn't shake off the awful feelings it had left, so I got up, made a cup of tea, a hot muffin with jam, climbed back into bed & sat there eating breakfast until I felt normality
- whatever that is! - slowly return & until the wake up call came through at 6:am! Not the best night before a race & what if that dream somehow sabotaged the run!!
I found out much later - it didn't!!
The Run!With some of the nightmare aftermath still in mind, Ewen & I walked from Phillip Street to the start - met up with more than a few Cool Runners; I'm hopless on remembering names so I won't try to mention them, but wonderful warm welcomes & hugs from all...thank you!Took about 2 minutes to cross the start mat, but that was OK; I was no longer on a mission or in the middle of a nightmare! I felt strong during all of the first 10km (1:08) loop (at 5km 32:35); the hills, especially Hunter Street & the Argyle Cut, didn't bother me as much as in previous years; surprised that I felt so good & running so well having started a new program & not a single long run since the Canberra 50km back in early April . I hope the casual wave I returned to the many who called out encouragement, was sufficient to let you know just how much you were helping me - I'm always so focused on where I'm going, staying on track, not tripping over, I can't talk!! The second 10km loop is always harder & it was again this year & I somehow missed clicking my watch during this loop, so I missed the splits.I was delighted this year to find that I was no longer running the entire race on my own; I suppose that has to do with the extra 1000 runners, but I'd like to think it had something to do with the fact that I was running a bit faster as well!! Psychologically it makes a huge difference : runners to focus on & knowing there were quite a few behind me!
I struggled on some uphills in the 2nd round but absolutely loved the fast run down Hunter Street both times - I went berserk (quads, knees & calves today attest to the speed I'd gathered!) & I felt like I was flying through space! At the Argyle Cut for the second time & when I was surely feeling I didn't have much left, to my surprise Ewen was waiting & I think I berated him for standing around idle!! I was lucky I didn't get a clip under the ear! And this is how the run progressed for the final 2.5 to 3km : Me, over & over : I can't go any faster; I have to slow down; I'm out of breath; both knees are hurting & the right one is killing me; I won't be able to sprint to the finish; I've got nothing left; I know, we're nearly there; got to keep going, I know I can't stop now...etc. etc..Ewen, over & over: just keep moving; if you can do the next km at (naming it) pace, you'll break last year's time of 2hours 28minutes; keep moving; slow your heart rate down here; pick up the pace there; 1500m to go; not too fast yet; 1km left; there's the Finish Line (couldn't see it though!); see that lady up in front with the pick top, we'll slowly gain on her (we would, I agreed though she seemed a hell of along way off!); wait, (we did & passed her!); steady & get your breath here, lower your heart rate & be ready for a sprint finish; no, not yet; wait till the last 50m; just keep going; there's the finish line (again!)! And finally, O.K......GO!!The Dream Come True!And I did! I was off into a sprint & across the finish line with a net time of 2:24:47 .... 4 minutes faster than last year (to be confirmed in tomorrow's results). Gun time, around 2:26 I think. Still puzzled where the energy comes from to make that final sprint when you've been saying to yourself & everyone else that you haven't a thing left to run on!!In the last few hundred metres, 2P & Gnome joined Ewen & me & lent their support in willing me to "keep the faith.....as well as the pace!" Thank you both so very much for running those extra metres! You were terrific & so very kind! I always get a special thrill to think that anyone would come back & run some of the final stages with me.And what can I say about Ewen? I hope so much that the following simple statement goes some way to describing the sort of person he is : He made sure I finished the half marathon race...........ahead of him! ....I hope I can show my gratitude one day by "running out of sight on a dark night'!From Chickybabe.
....where it would have been nice to lie down in the paddock for the rest of the day!
.jpg)
...in my dreams!!!!
.jpg)
hen do drills!!! Oh Dearie, Dearie Me!! No wonder I'm becoming so fast!! -6%
.jpg){kind=link}
