Friday, October 2, 2009

Bridge to Brisbane

I ran the 10km in the Bridge to Brisbane at the end of August - well I didn't exactly run it all - I ran and walked it.
My thoughts had been out of sorts for a while and I needed a challenge. I had intended, since the Mothers Day run, to commit to a training schedule so that when the B2B arrived, I'd be ready. Of course, that didn't exactly happen but I still wanted to do it. So I entered the week before, got my race pack and went!
I had no goal in mind except to finish. Gibbo dropped me near the start at 5.30am; my start time was 6.25am - but there were SO MANY PEOPLE that it was 7am before I shuffled my way over the start line. As I was waiting, waiting, waiting, I looked up to my left, up and over the bridge. There were thousands and thousands of people of all shapes, sizes and ability. I decided then that I would run up and over the bridge without stopping and then it didn't matter after that. So that's what I did. I ran for 20 minutes, until I got somewhere along KS Drive and I walked for a bit. From then on I walked and ran, walked and ran. I texted Gibbo at each even numbered km. At 8k he told me "hurry up, I'm hot". It was an enormous relief to finish. My time was long but unimportant. It was all about finishing.
After crossing the finish line and managing to hold down the gallon of vomit that wanted to erupt, I found a quiet spot to sit and remove my timing chip and shared a private smile with myself. I stood in line forever to get my finishers tshirt, then Gibbo and I went back to the Cosmo and I had a long hot bath. Then we met Megs and Chris for breakfast at McD's. I tried to have a sleep, but couldn't.
Gibbo had to stay in Bris for meetings so I caught the bus home. I rang Andrew along the way to see if he could pick me up but he was playing golf. So I walked to Mum's from the bus stop. I think it was good for me to stretch the muscles that, by this time in the afternoon, were seizing up.
I was very pleased to have done what I did but it's probably not advisable to do a 10km run on absolutely NO training. I could barely walk for the next three days.............

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