New adventures!!

So yesterday I ran the Charleston half marathon...So very very cool...Especially looking back on it this morning, I had not planned or covered the distances I should have for a half but I figured why not, i'm not one to give up the possibility of awesome experiences...during the last few kms I really was not feeling quiet so positive or that I could actually do it...if you run you know what I mean....anyways I really don't want to get too far ahead of myself in my usual rambling blog :)

So before I get going...let me just first say that the SA Rand is SUPER DOOPER weak at the moment and its the PERFECT time to sponsor my little peeps in SA...10 euros would be nearly 180 Rands!! Just saying ...feel free to donate to the cause by clicking here , and there are only 68 days left too do so, so get in now before its too late...

So we drove from Myrte Beach to Charlestone in the most amazing rain i've seen in years....to arrive in a city that had roads that looked pretty much like on the Left...wow it was quite something and the funny thing was people just seemed to carry on as thought this was quite normal .. we managed to navigate through the watery roads and ge to our destination....very impressive I have to say.

We found the location for race number pick up...I got my number and we had a squizz around....Dad had a good chat to a good few peeps in the area, it was so cool to be there with my dad. A real unexpected treat.

We found out that there were going to be 5000 runners....for me, someone who has run in a few places, but all of them having much smaller runner populations, this was all rather exciting...Im usualy the last in or very very near the last runner.....back in the UAE as well as in Finland......i'm not complaining, but unless you are running with people surrounding you when it gets tougher towards the end its a lot harder and I did not have my groovy pink MP3 player with me for this one, so I knew I would not be pounding those last few kms alone....

So yea, very exciting....I realised then that this was going to be super exciting and hopefully I was not going to be the last in the race..but mostly was really hoping I was going to meet some new peeps...for me the comradeship is always the best....encouraging people, and people encouraging me.....its part of the spirit of running. It gives you faith in humanity and helps you remember the world is full of very courageous, strong and awesome peeps....and you are surrounded by them..

So on Saturday morning pops and I left bright and early for the start, were way too early, it was cold but I did manage to avoid the crowds for the portaloos.....OMG before a run you always need to pee...some peeps need to deliver their morning number 2s as well so it really can get a bit ugly shall we say ;)....and at this race lets just say the line was LOOOOONG...so I was glad for our early arrival...it also gave me time to hang with my pops, my hero who is full of lovely stories and experiences from his past running days....the downside was it gave me a lot of time to faff and worry that i was unsuitably dressed...was I going to be too hot...was I going to be too cold...I didn't have water with me, or my energy gels that I have been using these past few longer runs...would I be ok with just the water tables...what if they ran out....I get hot, I need a lot of water, will I cope running for over 2 hours in the sun...im ghostly white, my skin is not used to that much sun, i've no cap....bla bla bla....like i say faff....all things I really could do bugger all about!!  So lets say I faffed ... but pops was a rock and totally believes in me and he left to go back to the hotel and I did the last half hour just amongst all the runners ;)

My hero and inspiration

So just before 8am everyone starts to line up, I see some boards being held in the air with times on, so I make my way towards the 2h30 board as I recon, well I may as well try get it under 2h30 while im here....My last half I finished just over that time, so even if I have not trained for this I figure I can at least try...im a bit of an optimist and often can be rather over hopeful and enthusiastic...but really I just needed a spot in this mass of people to stand.... some peeps starts singing the star spangled banner over the microphone and slowly from the front moving backwards the crowd goes silent....most start standing with their hands over their hearts.....quite a moving experience standing amongst a group of people who are clearly proud of their country....for me living in one country but being born in another...or possibly without having one fixed place I call home, but two, I found it very emotional....I would love to have just one country I call home....it sounds strange, and I suppose in a way it is, but for me I find it hard....and to be amongst that crowd I was really moved...maybe just pre nerves and the fact that I was alone...not sure....but yea, very moving....

Then the movement forward began.....It was amazing, took us about 3 or 4 minutes to get to the starting line.....and we were off....navigating oneself through this mass of people.....it starts as a very slow movement and then you get to pick up your pace and by the first km you are actually starting o set your pace....

I know this is a crappy photo, but It really was magnificent, on the right was the sea(?) or a river....ahead you could just see this LOOONG stretched out line of runners.....all just toodling along....

The first part of the run was through the gorgeous part of charleston city, the historic area I think its called...surrounded by water, magnificent old houses and at various intervals people playing instruments and cheering us along.....I managed to set a good pace for myself, I was not tired, I seem to have benfitted from running in the cold...lungs of steel??!!  But yip, I just felt like I was trotting along at a comfortable pace....then we started to move to an area of charleston that was not quite so 'gorgeous' but looked like it was a poorer area, the less wealthy area....but still lots of people out watching us run past their houses...being encouraging....

Then the slog began....it was around 13 or so kilometers, I knew I was more than halfway and if I carried on at this pace I would do a decent time...but I think between the heat and just not having anyone to chat to and needing something 'sugary' for a boost I started the part of the run where you start to think you are an idiot for doing this stupid run, the doubts about your sanity start to set in and you just feel like you are a fool for trying and I suppose I would call it the 'doubting depressing phase'....

So in order to overcome this mental battle I decided to try chat to someone....make a mate shall we say, so I spot a fellow lady looking about my age, my sort of pace and well no earphones to compete with :)  So anyways, to cut a long story short, here I am, a South African- slightly Finnish kinda peeps, running a random race in Charleston in the USA and the lady I pick up to chat to turns out to be a South African - American lady who grew up in my part of SA, her father (and herself) have run comrades a few time....and well just had an upbringing that really is so close to mine.....Mind blowing really if you think about it!!  What are the odds.....Life is strange, and amazing, I suppose you just got to be open and it will keep surprising you  :)

So thanks to my surprise meeting I met someone who encouraged me through those few very hard last few kms, by 16k I really could feel the pain of not having covered the longer distance training, my right hip was starting to hurt and my mind was very weak...My new friend stayed with me but there was a point where I really had to walk, I HATE walking as its really hard to get going again and I was so near the end...but my body was angry with me...I needed liquid, I needed a boost....a water table was not too far away and I stopped filled myself up with masses of gatorade, and water...and then started running again but really really slowly...some huge burps later, no farts, at least ;) I kinda got my mojo back ..I was tired, but I could hear the noise of the end....it was through what I think is called the old navy base (?) and the route was gorgeous again...makes it easier to run when the surroundings are gorgeous...it was gorgeous.....

I basically made it to the end, I picked up and ran really fast as the official time when I hit the 13 mile mark was 2h 29 or so and I realized I was not going to make it in the 2h30...I really wanted to give it my best...my watch was saying I still had a minute or 2 before 2h30, so I put foot and ran like a bloody Ussain Bolt (hahaha whatever)...I crossed the finishing line and the official clock said it was about 2h30 and a few seconds....I was not as dissapointed as I thought I was going to be to be dead honest...shit I mean come on, here I had signed up for the race a few days before, I have not run in the sun for months and well....I fecking did it in a time better than i've done in the previous 2 halves!!! I think I can do the Two Oceans....the hills are still terrifying, but I will make sure I do some hill related stuff when I get home!!

I asked someone to take a pic of me at the end, I was then to catch a shuffle back to the start and my pops was picking me up....The end was pretty cool, so many people, so much vibe..I couldn't find my new friend, but I figured I would find a way to get hold of her, there is always Facebook if all else fails :) and she had a name that was easily recognisable....

So I got my badge, I stood and drank a ton more of gatorade, went and collected my bag from the tent, popped into the showers and caught the shuttle back to the start where I was met by my pops and nephew.....

The shuttle turned out to be a good old american school bus, one that i've seen in the movies for years.....so yet another cool memory :)

We went to fetch my mom from the childrens' museum as she had been assigned my child for the morning...she looked harassed and exhausted, but no complaints!!!!!!!!

I am so lucky to have such a brilliant supportive family, I know that it was not a bundle of fun for them, but I do know that they allowed me to do it, supported me and never once complained, pops fetching carrying, driving around on the wrong side of the road in a big strange city at all hours of the morning, watching obnoxious kids....mom dealing with two obnoxious kids and standing around for many hours in a smelly museum/school gym hall etc etc, Both of them sleeping in a small uncomfortable hotel room listening to my really bad snoring, and all duties performed on very little sleep....just so I could run a race....I am grateful...I wont bother mentioning all my brother (the one with the badger on his face) did to allow this to happen but I do love him dearly and appreciate him too.....

Family that is like mine, well they are hard to find and I am so lucky that I have them....as crazy and loud and nutty as we all are :)