Bonitas Women's Day Race

On Women's Day - 9 August 2008, despite being off from work on the Wednesday and Thursday and only just surviving the day back on the Friday, I went off to the Bonita's Women's Day Challenge. Although I had already entered, paid and registered, and got the t-shirt; I wasn't really feeling fit or able bodied, in fact I was quite an emotional basket case too the night before. I was very much leaning towards just not going. I thought I'd just stay in bed all day and feel sorry for myself instead.

But I got an on-line pep talk the night before and at about 10pm, I thought 'Dammit, I am not going to give up!'. So I decided to pull myself up by the scruff of my neck and just GO anyway. I thought just getting out there would do me good, even if I ended up just walking, or even only doing the 5km course. So I set my alarm...

The boys had stayed over night with their dad for the first time since our split, so I was alone, had no baby-sitting issues or other excuses, and it looked like it was going to be be a lovely day.

When my alarm went off at 6am, I had a second where I thought of turning it off and just relishing the warm bed, and then I decided to just bloody go do the thing.

So off I went to the Bellville Velodrome. I wasn't feeling very strong, but I got going and it wasn't TOO bad. At about 4km I was feeling a tad tired and breathless, and Adele caught up with me and ran with me for a bit. I didn't even know she was going to be there. She soon left me in her dust as we started an uphill which was tough for me. At about 6.5km I walked for a minute or so to get my breath back, and then I decided to give it all I had and run all the way to the finish - which was not easy - remember I wasn't actually well...

I managed to catch sight of Dellie in the last km, and tried valiantly, but in vain to catch her, she came in 30 seconds, and 8 places, ahead of me.

Here's me running as fast as I could (and with no idea I was being photographed) towards the finish line:
I finished in what I think is a VERY respectable 54:35 (although there have been mutterings that the course was a bit short...?). Anyhow, who cares. I ran, I finished, I didn't die and I did ok!

(Results listed on www.wpa.org.za)

#1 XINIWE ZINTLE 0:35:50
#143 MACCANNEL ADELE 0:54:01
#151 WEIDEMAN JANE 0:54:35
#1253 CARLIE TASNEEM 2:04:52

I am thinking of doing the Blister's For Bread 10km walk next Sunday, and then my next running race is the Gun Run in mid-Oct - I should have enough time to prepare for that when this egg donor cycle finishes, so in Sept I need to get back on the road and get myself running and fit again!