I’m so grateful for this past weekend – it was a much needed 4 days off with my best friends and the people I love most in the world.
I had entered to do the 10km at the Gold Coast Airport Marathon back in January – a long time before my world fell apart.
Even after Mum’s passing I had no intention of pulling out. I knew that it would be much needed time with my loved ones, and a chance to get away for a while. There’s really nothing like my running family – emphasis on “family”. I could not have more supportive or kind friends.
Although I wasn’t going to pull out I had BIG reservations about being able to make cut off for the event.
The cut off time was 1 hr 40. This year I have done two other 10km events – one coming in at 2 hours (that was a walk admittedly), and the other at 1 hr 23 min or so. And I was a lot fitter for that one, plus I had someone running with me.
I’ve lost so much fitness in recent years that I didn’t have much hope I would be able to complete the event and not get pulled off the course.
Well I was super proud of my effort on Saturday.
I finished in 78 mins (1 hr 18 mins).
That’s certainly not fast. And a good 20 mins off my 10km PB. However for me it was a huge achievement.
I have barely run in the last 2 years, and especially not in the last 6 weeks or so.
I started off the event running (as you do lol), and managed to get to 1km without stopping.
I was absolutely stoked with that – it’s been months since I’ve run 1km non-stop. My BFF Kate and I were running together, and after the 1km point we stopped to walk a little bit uphill. But Kate could see I was feeling pretty good and encouraged me to continue. I felt like I could give it a good crack so I did go ahead.
I thought of Mum often during the run.
Especially when I saw a gentleman in front of my running in memory of someone (his own mother?) with a photo on the back of his shirt. I wished dearly that I’d thought to do that.
But like Forest I just ran.
And maybe I was “running off” the adrenaline as one of my lovely friends suggested…
But all I know is that I pushed hard and I gave it everything I had.
I was beyond shattered when I finished. And I can still barely move 2 days later lol. But I did it. Somehow.
And the rest of the weekend was just what I needed.
A very blissful stay on the 37th (!!) floor of the Hilton on the Gold Coast. Time spent lounging around the pool in the sun (how lucky are we with our Queensland winters).
Time spent with friends cheering on others.
My world will still never be the same, but I like to think Mum would be proud that as per her dying words “live a good life” that I am doing her proud ♥
istopforsuffering 