World of Pain

Self-inflicted of course! Yesterday was the SMH half-marathon. I am trying very hard not to be disappointed that I ran 1hr57min and not 1hr55min as I had wanted to. There were a number of factors that went against me ... or that affected me I guess. The main thing was the insanely packed field - 10,000 people (or a fraction over), and because it was a two-lap course, the road was divided in two AND there were cars parked on it. So I spent a lot of time ducking and weaving to try to get ahead of slower runners ... actually no, I spent the ENTIRE time slowing down, speeding up, sprinting, running side-ways to get around people. It drove me mad AND wasted a lot of precious energy. I was dead on pace at the 15km mark when I just decided I could NOT do any more weaving after I nearly tripped myself and someone else over ... this happened to everyone, it's annoying and unfortunate but can't be helped.

There are a range of other things, not worth going into. Strange temperatures, upset stomach (weird reflux - ew!), shoes weren't right and - especially - my head wasn't right. The negative thoughts nearly drove me mad! Main one was the physical thing ... I am not a born-runner and I do not have a nice slim runner's build. I am short and muscular, I won't say stocky because I hate that word. But I have thighs and boobs and a butt. Running along with gazelles in their little short shorts and tiny tops and slim arms and thighs ... and everything, just added to my pain. Thinking "god, look at yourself! You don't belong here!" blah blah. Argh! Anyway, I am putting that down to the fact I was PMSing badly, tired and stressed by work etc.

I was having a whinge to a friend of mine yesterday evening, and he very patiently listened to me whinge and bitch on about it all for about two hours and finally said "okay, so when are you going to stop going on about this magical 1.55 and realise that you just ran a half-marathon?" So ... I shut up! I ran a half-marathon! And I finished something around 2,000 people cannot say. And I beat my time from the last race, which had 4,000 entrants not 10,000 and was not a two-loop course.

Now, I am still a bit bummed ... but frankly the pain in my body is taking over all thoughts in my head. Dear god, everything hurts! Well, not everything. I could probably name some parts that aren't too bad ... my hands, for example, are fine. Ha ha.

Okay, that's enough ranting for now. Note to self: 21.1km is HARD.