Well, I’m pleased to report that I managed to Run10K for Cancer Research! I had my snazzy new Nike running gear of tshirt and frighteningly skinny shorts. Along with my old faithful Addidas trainers I felt ready to go for it.
The excitement in the lead up to the point of getting to the starting gates was quite an experience. There may be more races ahead, however none will be able to match the thrill of doing it for the first time.
I prepped myself on the Saturday night with a LOT of food. Some home made carbonara and lovely fresh egg pasta, some chocolate biscuits, and lots and lots of bottlegreen Elderflower cordial, and roiboos tea. Who knows, this might know be my lucky meal!
Surprisingly, I managed to sleep like a baby and was delighted when I woke on Sunday morning to see full-on blue skies! For months, one of the main things I’d been worried about for ‘race day’ would be if it had been chucking it down with rain. I’m a fair-weather runner, and I’m not ashamed to admit it!
Leila’s usual breakfast of champions was demolished – muesli mixed with some rice krispies, a ton of blueberries, some natural yoghurt and milk. It’s a marathon in itself to get through a bucket of cereal as I do daily, and I washed it down with some OJ and cup of tea.
The next couple of hours ahead of the race were spent in anticipated fear of dehydration-vs-needing to pee. I think I managed to strike balance with my body’s equilibrium, and man, you shouldda seen the queues for the portaloos!
Anyway, the time came. We were off! It was an exciting and somehow also quite peaceful hour of running on a decent autumn morning.
Tracks I remember listening to on the retro iPod shuffle:
Women’s realm – Belle & Sebastian
Kodachrome – Paul Simon
Brown Sugar – Rolling Stones
Country Girl – Primal Scream
Running on Empty– Jackson Browne (I actually played this about three times)
All great tunes. I also did some fast-forwarding of tracks that were slowing me down.
Along some roads… paths… up some fields… down some hill… around the grounds… and past the water. 60 minutes later I rounded the last stretch and pelted along the drive to finish at 61 minutes.
Not bad for a newbie! Competitors’ medal collected, bottle of water downed and grins proffered to Graeme and Storm, my welcome team.
Quick stretch, threw a jumper on, and we were off back to Edinburgh. Huge sense of achievement and a strange fleeting but certain thought that this might have been my first,but was unlikely to have been my last race.
So far almost £450 raised for Cancer Research – thanks to all who sponsored me!
Congratulations Leila! Although I am also a runner, in true foodie style, the best part of the experience sounded like your yummy dinner and mammoth breakfast!