I can't stop grinning and I still feel like last night was a figment of my imagination (albeit a very painful one!)
Headed up to Caboolture and arrived at about 4pm. Saw Clairie, then bumped into the girl who taught me to row, a few years back. It was one of those funny things really, since it was while I was rowing and just starting to get fitter that I first saw the BRRC road runners charging along the river and decided that I wanted to be able to run. Nice sense of the wheel turning full circle to see her there :) Got dragged into a card game which I didn't have a clue how to play and despite my best efforts to lose, actually kept winning until I'd cleared the bank out. I quite wish it'd been real money LOL!
There were tents lined up along both sides of the track and gradually more and more people turned up. The lovely Cirque arrived to lap score for me and we settled ourselves into the lap scoring area and chatted a bit. It was pretty hot at six o'clock still, and I wasn't really looking forward to the first section of the run but before I knew it, we were off!
The course was a 500m unsealed gravel track around the historical village. I'd wondered if the looping would drive me nuts, but it didn't - there's always different stuff to look at and people to talk to on the way by. I loved how supportive everyone was, geeing each other along. Tess looked really strong and really determined from the start. I stuck to my run-four-walk one plan and it worked beautifully for me. I had to make myself walk the first few times because I wanted to keep going, but I knew if I didn't, it would cost me later on!
Two hours rolled around quite quickly, new runners came onto the track which was nice - new people to talk to - and we changed direction. It got darker and cooler which helped and I started to think maybe the six hours wasn't going to be as bad as I thought. Infact, I felt really good until I got to 3:30, when I think I must've hit what everyone calls the wall. My calves started to cramp up and tighten and my left foot was hurting. (I've decided after last night, I am going to get orthotics - it totally wasn't aligned right or something last night - the other foot was fine!) I dropped my walk-run ratio down to 3:1 and carried on. Cirque started to walk some of the walking laps with me, which was nice as it gave me some conversation to distract myself. By that point, a ton of people were sitting in the pub and yelling out encouragement as we went by. I got to the point where I just had to put my head down and focus on putting one foot infront of the other. It was hurting!
The next hour or two passed in a bit of a blur as I got gee-d along by other CRs... vegie girl, tanky, AB, Run67... too many to mention and gradually I got to the point where I felt better again. My calves stopped cramping and the magic 42km mark started approaching... I was feeling much more tired and walking a lot more, but the thought of doing marathon distance really spurred me on.
The magic 84th lap was soooooo good - I practically sprinted it... couldn't believe I'd really done it and my cheeks hurt from smiling so much! As I went past the lap scorers I started bouncing up and down and shrieking :) If I'd had the energy, I would've done a victory dance as well :) When the hooter went, I dropped my bag of sand (to show where we finished on the lap) and felt this moment of absolute pure happiness.
Thinking back on it, I don't think I ever, at any point, thought I wouldn't make it to six hours. Even when I felt like crap because I knew I'd just walk the rest. Since I've been running, I've been able to set these increasingly more difficult goals for myself and being able to achieve them has just enriched every part of my life. Running makes you a stronger, better person I think, because it teaches you to believe in yourself and follow through. If you believe in yourself, then there's really nothing you can't do.
I would also like to take this opportunity to whole heartedly thank the lovely Cirque for being my lap scorer - without you, I just couldn't have done it. You made my first marathon distance so special. You're a star! She even made me a lovely excel spreadsheet with my splits which I've uploaded to the net. see here.
Next year, 12 hours :)
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15 comments:
An absolutely fantastic effort Hannah. You have come so far.
I'm sure you could achieve anything once you make your mind up to do it.
Hannah you did amazing.
Sorry I missed you at the end...or was I. I now have chocolate and lollies that you left in my esky :)
Hope you are feeling okay physically. I know mentally you will be on fire. You did so well and I am sorry I was so sick at the end or I would have been more excited for you.
It wouldn't have been the same without you there and to have you say special words to me when I went past was wonderful and I had my ipod on low just so i could hear them :)
Allan thinks your run and Joey's was more inspiring to him than others because you both just got up and did it without knowing how you would go and with the distance and event being unfamiliar to you.
You truly have come a long way and I count you as one of my special running buddies as no event would be the same if you weren't there.
Thanks Hannah for a great night. But you are a bad bad girl for not texting me when you got home. I asked 4 diff people for your mobile number but no-one had it.
I realise now the drive home would actually have been a good one with you grinning all the way!!!!
Hannah you were awesome. I'm so glad I was there to see your happy dance on the 84th lap.
I'm not surprised that you did it, because nobody doubted you would, but I'm amazed that even when it got tough you still mananged to flash a smile at us every time you passed.
Huge congrats mate!
If you need a scorer for the 12 hour next year let me know.
That's really fantastic Hannah! I don't know how you do it, but I'm super impressed. :-)
Hope your face doesn't get to tired from all the grinning.
sfG
Ooo, I hate that. It should have been "...too tired..., not "...to tired...".
sf(obsessive)G
Holy Cow. Nothing can stop you. :)
Oh Hannah, you are a legend! Truly, one of the highlights of my night was when we chatted along the way and you told me you'd done the marathon distance. Amazing amazing amazing!
I can believe our girl (hope you don't mind me calling you that!) has come so far so quickly. I'm so proud of you!
PS Most people run for years and years before they make the transition to the dark side but I can see you doing it in record time ;-)
Woooohooo congrats Hannah - fantastic effort - well done ;-)
That's incredible Hannah - you've run a marathon! (and a bit)
Great story. Fantastic determination. Well done.
Welcome to the dark side... it was only a matter of time. :)
Well done! Brilliant effort!
I am really proud of you, you have come so far.
Wow, what an inspiring story! What a great achievment, a marathon plus! Six hours on your feet must have been very tough at times but you seem to have handled it with style.
Can't wait to read about your next amazing adventure!
Fantastic achievement Hannah. Incredible considering that you only decided to do this a few days before the run. Very happy to read this.. Team J has had a big weekend!
Well done!]
I think it's safe to say you know how to run...woohoo!
Wonderful effort by you out there Hannah. Every time I saw you out there, whether I was running too or lapscoring from the side you always looked like you were having fun. Your little dance when you found out you'd done the Marathon distance was one of my highlights... We were all getting so nervous for you, calculating how many more laps for you to go. Well done, hope you recover quickly!
Well done Hannah. You're one of my heroes and you've inspired me to keep trying harder.
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