Losing my virginity in Canberra!

What a weekend - woohoo!! It will bore everyone to tears if I attempt a blow-by-blow description of the run so will try and keep this brief.

The Start: I arrived with about 5 mins to spare and no warm-up. As I was introducing myself to some fellow Cool Runners the gun went off - oops! I hadn't even turned on my running watch so consequently spent the first three mins turning it on and finding the right function - while trying not to elbow too many people along the way.

0- 10km: (55:58) I went out with my Melbourne training buddies Cato and Greybeard. Even though I knew they were likely to be too fast for me I wanted to get through the first 10k with plenty of chat to distract me from my back pain. That worked well and I soon found the Team Wobbly cheer squad near the 10k turn around point cheering like crazy! I grabbed some ibuprofen and a chocolate Gu and thought I was feeling pretty good. Going past the turnaround and the CR cheer squad I seemed to end up beside fellow Cool Runners (Plu and Gasher) so we set off for the second longer loop in search of photo opportunities.

10 - 20km: (54:37) I was still traveling okay, found myself running on my own at about the 15k mark - not sure how and I was feeling that the slightly fast pace was helping my back pain (although this was probably the ibuprofen in hindsight).

20 - 30km: (59:30) Going through the Half Marathon point in 1:53 had me worried but I soon realised I had to add on 3:05 mins because it took me that long to get my watch going after the start - so I relaxed a bit. Just a couple of mins ahead of schedule I was feeling relaxed. I had forgotten to walk though the drink stations as planned because the water tubes are so easy to run and drink with. I felt good just keeping my rhythm going while drinking. I think I took a small walk while going up a hill and stopped to do some back stretches as well.

30 - 40kms: (69:13) Things were beginning to get ugly for me. I stopped at about 34km mark and briefly started to sob. I doubted I was going to finish for the first time. I couldn't keep the pace going and not alter my gait so I slowed down a little, thinking if I kept my form I wouldn't do any damage to my back. I needed to stop and do my back stretches every couple of kms and then every km towards the end. My calves were also starting to cramp. I remember starting to chat to one girl during the final leg home (I guess around the 36km mark and she said she had thrown up three times so far). I didn't feel so bad after that so I walked and ran and stopped and stretched my way to 40kms thinking if I could make it to the Wobbly cheer squad I would be able to finish.

40 - 42.2kms: The Wobblettes ran up to me around the 40km mark and ran with me for about 200m or so - I began to feel good again. Lucky I had my sunglasses on at this point as the tears were flowing again big time. I remember feeling an overwhelming feeling of being part of a team. The realisation that I was going to make it to the finish started to set in. As the girls got puffed I suggested that they meet me after the finish and plodded on. About 200m from the finish I could hear the finish line cheering and wondered if they could see me walking so started running again!! As I rounded the corner into the finish chute I heard the CR cheersquad going berserk and I lifted a final time - things were going in slow motion at this point. Although I don't think I was running particularly upright, I remember hearing my name being yelled out by a number of voices I recognised and realised that I couldn't focus through the tears behind my sunnies.

A blue gloved hand reached out for me and started to guide me past the finish line. I said I was fine and then wobbled and grabbed the hand rail. The medal was placed around my neck and very soon afterwards placed around Wobblettte #2's neck where it stayed for most of the day!

I can't believe how many lessons I learned on Sunday and not all to do with running. Without the Team Wobbly and CR cheering at various points around the course, and the CR fraternity I am sure it would have been a far less memorable experience for me. I was lucky to be able to start and very fortunate to finish and experience finishing a marathon.