Starting the year right! Resolution Run!

Before we start let me tell you a secret. I almost didn't do this run.

I had been struggling on my long runs in the heat and I didn't think I had it in me.

A couple of weeks before hand, my friend Sonja and I went running and cracked out a very nice 10k. After a brief walk she suggested we shuffle the rest of the way home. 1k later she said - "see there's your 11k - you've got this". I signed up that night.

Other funny thing - I thought I booked a different hotel to the one I did. So what should have been a nice 1k walk to the start was actually closer to 3. Seems it didn't matter. It was funny walking to a fun run tho and seeing people heading home - still suffering from the night before though!

I got there nice and early - I was worried about being late! It was humid and hot before we started. Ridiculous for that time of day. I was really dreading it - it was going to be a hot hard run. Dream time was 1 hr 20 ... and that would be pushing it!


It was great to catch up with Kathleen - a five30runner from Sydney who had come up for the event. She had done the event last year - and gave me a few tips before we started

It was also awesome to catch up with Sonja and my Operation Move buddies before the run.
Sonja stayed with me at the start while we waited to go ... even though she is much faster than me. Chatting to a friend did a LOT to calm my nerves. In fact - we didn't even hear the start and got a shock when the crowds started moving!

Just as we started we were given the best gift ever!

The heavens opened and it rained. It was heavy enough to get wet - but not to feel drowned and it was so lovely and cooling. Completely changed my run for the better!

The run felt strong. I really love being part of fun runs .. running alone but together with hundreds of others. At one stage one of Paul's running buddies from Brisbane found me and ran along  - it was good. Well - it felt good apart from the hill back to the start for lap two ... I walked that bit!

The second lap had the funniest piece of motivation ever! As we were running through the gardens again a man was there practicing yoga. He was in a strong headstand and he said as I passed "running is like the practice of yoga.  You need to take it one step at a time". Yes guru!

So that is what I did. 

I had the BEST fun running. I realised as I was going that my pace was strong. I was going to smash 1:20.

And I did. 1:15:50 for 11.5 k! Ecstatic!

Even better was having my friend waiting at the finish line for me!! Running with friends is amazing. Running with friends who believe in you ... that's the best!