Milkwood 10km

I ran the Milkwood Race for the first time this morning. There was a 21.1, 10 and 5km race. I decided to do the 10km race, I was definitely not feeling up for another half marathon. Especially not so soon after the last one!

Last night I was wondering why I had entered another bloody race. The last thing I left like doing was waking up early. But I am glad I did, there was simply stunning weather and scenery. The full moon and gorgeous sunrise alone made it worth while. There was a pretty nasty hill from around 3-6km though! Ouch. I finished in a respectable 53.21 mins though, which I was satisfied with. (I finished a few seconds behind the half-marathon winner. Hahaha). In this race instead of a medal you get a little baby Milkwood tree to plant in your garden. Cool idea. I love it. I hope I can get mine to grow!

I saw Lindy, Paul, Greg, Gert, Jeremie & Vanessa at the race. Steve was a no show AGAIN. And I finally met Sean in person! He is just as much of a character in real life. What a card.

After the race I went to breakfast with Jeremie and Vanessa and a bunch of their cool friends. It was fun.

It was a lovely morning and great way to spend Mother's Day since I was sans children.

The FAT CACTUS had a litte party

My birthday 'party' drinks last week with some friends and colleagues.

It was sundowners - Margaritas and Nachos - at the Fat Cactus!!! Gotta love that place! (In fact it's hard not to when the Margaritas come in 2l jugs... until the next morning that is.)


I had a ball!!!

...But I need new friends the ones I have are defective. The jokes around 'Fat Cactus' were merciless, and 'come here you drunk bitch' counts as a term of endearment in that circle! (I wouldn't have it any other way. They are freaks, but they are my freaks and I love them!)

(The boys went to dinner with R, but he dropped them off before 8pm).

This was the night of my actual birthday in our guest house in Wellington before the race:

Stretched to the limit

This is how I stretch after a run...

This time Griffin was sitting on me, sometimes I use Quinn, and sometimes they both pile on. It really helps! :)

I would run 5000 miles

Well kilometers anyway... because well I HAVE!

I have made more progress on my journey across Africa.

As of today my running tally (pun intended) is sitting at 5000km!

I am now about 20km North of Bauchi in Nigeria.

So I have run 5000km, and I will run 5000 more! Just to be the girl who ran 10000 kilometers from her back door. Tra la la!

Underneath it all

No Doubt - Underneath It All

There's times where I want something more
Someone more like me
There's times when this dress rehearsal
Seems incomplete
But, you see the colors in me like no one else
And behind your dark glasses you're...
You're something else

You're really lovely
Underneath it all
You want to love me
Underneath it all
I'm really lucky
Underneath it all
You're really lovely

You know some real bad tricks
And you need some discipline
But, lately you've been trying real hard
And giving me your best
And, you give me the most gorgeous sleep
That I've ever had
And when it's really bad
I guess it's not that bad

You're really lovely
Underneath it all
You want to love me
Underneath it all
I'm really lucky
Underneath it all
You're really lovely

So many moons that we have seen
Stumbling back next to me
I've seen right through and underneath
And you make me better
I've seen right through and underneath
And you make me better
Better... better...

You're really lovely
Underneath it all
You want to love me
Underneath it all
I'm really lovely
Underneath it all
And you're really lovely

I did it, I ran a half marathon!

So the boys and I went off to Wellington last night and as luck would have it our guest house was like 2 blocks away from the start/end of the race. Yay how awesome. We took a walk there and saw the start - an evil start with a steep uphill for the first few blocks. Nice! We took a look around the stadium and got oriented and then went back to get ready for the morning and to have dinner and watch TV. We went to bed just after 21:30. I woke up many times during the night and had loads of dreams - thanks to the nerves, and kept being too hot or too cold.

I finally woke up at 05:45 to hear torrents of rain. GREAT. I thought screw it I am not running in that and stayed in bed another 15 mins. I sms'ed French dude J to tell him the weather was crap and he said he knew, he was already at the start!

So I got some coffee and drank it in bed and by then it was already 06:20. The boys woke up and I told them I was doubtful that I was running... but then the rain stopped and the 3 of us decided to give it a try anyway, I was still not really feeling committed. So I dressed and got ready quickly and we headed off at 06:55 wearing jackets and shivering in the cold. I had not had breakfast or anything, even though I had planned to. I don't normally eat breakfast but I thought a 21.1km race might require some sustenance, but the morning was so stop-start it just never happened.

At 07:10 I was right at the front by the start - I hadn't found J or S yet, I sent the boys off to wait at the side and gave them my jackets and next thing off we went. I started at a reasonable pace and thought I would just go at see how I felt - slowing down if I thought I needed to. The first 1km was comfortable and I felt fine. Just after that I found R10 lying on the side of the road and stopped to pick it up - that is the 3rd time that's happened to me now. I saw that as a good omen.

I was alone listening to my music and just ran comfortably and the kms passed nicely. I was mentally calculating how far I had gone in fractions and percentages the WHOLE time (10%, 1/8th, 15%, 1/7th etc). Each time there was a water point (about every 3km) I drank a small cup of Pepsi, thinking the sugar would help to keep me going. I was totally fine until 10km when I ducked into an orchard to pee quickly. I checked my watch and I'd done the first 10km in about an hour, not bad! After that it started drizzling and there was a nice downhill so I sped up a bit. I enjoyed the steep down hill to the 12km water point.

Then it started raining quite hard, at one point we had an off road section on a clayish dirt road which was a little slippery. I just kept going. At 14km it was really raining and I decided the best way to deal with it was just to GO and get it over with, so I just kept going.

At about 17km I was tiring a bit and had slowed down on the steepest hill (but was sill actually running - unbelievably), a dude ran past holding a stick (which must have been a 'bus' (timed marker such as sub-2-hours etc, you can follow them if you want to come in at that time) his flag was long gone from the rain though. I assumed he was the sub-2:15-bus and decided to try stay with him. I managed to keep him in sight until about 19km when he got too far ahead of me. There was some wind added to the rain in the last 4km and I was getting cold, so instead of walking I kept running to keep myself warmer and to get it over with.

I tried valiantly to catch the dude with the stick again but never did. I finished about 1-2 minutes behind him. As I got to the end I felt a bit tired but otherwise quite good and euphoric actually. I scanned the end for the clock to check my time but couldn't see it... at the medals I started asking people around me if anyone had been timing, and one person said they'd done 1.56, so I finished somewhere around 1.55-1.57 (I'll use the official time when it's published for this one). WOW! The dude with the stick was apparently the sub-1.55-bus!

I am honestly totally amazed astounded and impressed. I did not think I could do it at all, and really did not expect that I would be able to keep running!

I was freezing and wet and cold afterwards. I saw a few friends, found the boys and Roxy who were having a ball and then we left soon after to go back to our guest house for a blissful hot shower.

Turns out S wasn't even there, and J's time was 2:01... I think they owe me a CASE of beer now!

My legs are a bit stiff and I could do with a nap now but I am otherwise fine. Apparently some years this race is very hot, and others very windy, so I think the cold and rain were actually preferable.

And my friend Lindy took a pic of me looking like a dork at the end. So there is proof :)


Here's the Action Photo pic of me running the last 100m into the finish. Glad it's almost over!

It's my Birthday

Yippee yay! I actually don't make that much of a big deal about birthdays, they seem pretty arbitrary to me to be honest. But well, after last year's really crappy birthday, and now this one being the first time it is just MY birthday (well it is still obviously also Richard's birthday*, but since we are no longer together we don't 'share' a birthday anymore...) I decided this year to actually acknowledge my birthday a bit more.

Yesterday I bought doughnuts for the IT Crowd and Managers at work, and then at after work drinks we had (way too many) Margaritas in celebration (incriminating photos pending).

Today I woke up (far earlier than I had to thanks to my most irritating ex-Mother-in-Law, I mean really! After 13 years has she not freeking learned that an early morning phone call from her is NEVER appreciated and particularly not on a birthday and even MORE so after a rough night. Silly cow! *Growl*). Anyway that was the start of the day and I dragged my sorry ass up and after 2 cups of coffee was able to shower and get the boys to school on time.

Having taken the day off - good planning on my part - I was able to get to my 9am appointment at my brain-dead leisure. There to lie in paralytic bliss as I was massaged** thoroughly from top to toe for a whole 90 minutes - which was my birthday present to myself because well 'I'm worth it'. :P That was divine!

I then went off to get my new running shoes which had arrived and which I got at the discounted price (About 25% off in the end). Score! I love them lots, but won't be wearing them for my race tomorrow sadly, since I have not worn them in yet, plus it is likely to be wet and muddy and I wouldn't want to sully them so soon, now would I!?

I then had a nice cappuccino on my own (love doing that) and responded to my gazillion birthday messages which were very unexpected and very appreciated. Thanks to all who wished me! Then I did a bit of retail therapy - nothing too hectic, my credit card is still in tact. And now I am about to pack up and collect the boys before we had off to Wellington to spend my birthday evening chilling and relaxing together before the big race early tomorrow morning.

Wish me luck! I'll see you on the other side... if I make it.

* If you ever read this HAPPY BIRTHDAY RICHARD!

** Very cool and interesting place I went to called the Healing Light Centre in Kenilworth which is a community outreach program and PDA blind people massage center. Awesome concept. A 90-minute aromatherapy massage costs R170, and it was really very good. I asked for a firm massage and she was very strong and firm but did not hurt at all.

Things & Thoughts from the week-end

Sushi is delicious, especially when enjoyed with good company.
Bumping unexpectedly into someone meaningful from your past can not only give you a huge fright but also be quite heart warming.
I play pool really badly, but I don't mind, I enjoy it anyway. Somehow you always meet interesting people and have fun.
I still really like Tequila.
I don't like cigarette smoke.
I love running. I may change my mind after Friday though (Half Marathon D-Day)
Roxy is not normal. She is more than a little mad. She fits in well!
Baraka = WOW!
I love soup. Lots.
I talk. A LOT!
My brain is very busy and in control of me.
Some things do shut me up though. This is very good. My mind needs the break :)
Walking in the rain is nice.
I like laughing and being silly.
I am very thankful for a really special good friend who makes me coffee and pancakes and supports me always, without question.
Drinking wine and listening to music is wonderful.
Foot rubs are one of my favourite things in the world.
The seasons are changing and it is much cooler now. I am enjoying watching and feeling the changes and the feeling of snuggling under a blanket.
Saw a photo of my MOM (in the most unexpected place) I am still shaking my head at this. WEIRD! Unbelievable.
I like day dreaming.
Salmon is simply delicious always.
I seem to be able to at least talk (about practicalities) with my ex now. I am so glad. I would love to have a better relationship with him, and to see him getting on with his life and actually being happy (finally). Hopefully this will come in time. I will keep being patient, and gentle.
I hate upsetting people, or hurting them, at all. It makes me feel bad and can bring me to tears easily. I don't like causing people negative feelings or physical pain, or to be a burden to them in any way.
Lindt Chilli Dark Chocolate - so many ways it can be simply divine.
I feel like I am on a precipice, but I am scared to jump - this time.
I want to look at the view and breathe in the air.
I want to believe in flying.
Or at least know there is someone who will catch me, if I don't fly.
Again.