Today is Sunday the 3rd of July 2016. It is a day that will be forever imprinted upon my memory. Around 6 years ago, I couldn’t get out of bed and put my feet on the floor first thing in the morning without crying from the pain because I was so overweight. Today my feet hurt for a whole different reason. I just completed my first marathon! I say that as if there will be another. There won’t! It turns out my body doesn’t like running just as much as my head doesn’t! I had issues with my training due to sacroiliac joint inflammation which meant that I didn’t get past 18km in my training runs and my training runs were also very slow. I was worried that I wouldn’t be fast enough to make the cutoff time and get my medal. I just told myself that despite all of that, all I could do was do the best on the day – and that’s exactly what I did! I did do my best on the day. I started running and I ran the entire 42.2km, other than when I stopped to hydrate at water stations. I did a much better time than I expected and definitely got my shiny medal that I so wanted to get! I just kept telling myself the whole way that I could do it and that I wasn’t giving up. I also told myself that it was only 7 hours hard work as opposed to the 3 years it took me to lose 100kg!! A walk in the park really!
I had quite a few people that helped and supported me in different ways in the lead up to the marathon and today, so to each and everyone of you, I say a very big thankyou from the bottom of my heart! I also would like to say a big thankyou to all of the volunteers and supporters on the sidelines as well as other runners. The atmosphere of support and encouragement along that entire 42.2km is just fantastic and makes a tough job so much easier! When the going got tough – and it got pretty tough at the end – those familiar faces and words of encouragement from people kept me going. Lastly, I have to admit that most of the way, even though it was hard work, I did have some fun. I asked the police lady to arrest me, but she told me no. I told her she could save me a whole lot of pain, but she wouldn’t have a bar of it! At the coffee shops I asked if people could order me a coffee and run it down the road to me. I told them they would catch me up easily because I am a slow runner! I high fived everyone who stuck their hand out along the way. I told the kids who were looking away that they better get ready because I was running so fast if they weren’t careful I might take their hand off! I inspired and encouraged some people who were doing it tougher than I was to keep going and not to give up. It helped me just as much as I hope it helped them. I had an awesome day! I am very tired and very sore right now, but that will pass. What will never ever fade, is the feeling that I felt as I crossed that finish line. The sense of achievement. The belief that I CAN DO ANTHING if I tell myself I can!! #gcam16