The experience of my first ever half marathon was SOOOO unbelievable words can not describe it, but I'll do my very best to.
Last night I had my dream meal planned a nice lean steak and pasta, the steak was cooked and waiting on the bench while I was adding a little cheese on top of my pasta, I turned my head and found my cat on the bench with my steak in it's mouth. Great start. I still live at home and the rest of the family were having veal- my most hated meat. I ended up whinging saying that of course when my meal is very important I have to eat veal that I hate. I end up going to a friends house for a while to distance myself from my family because they were annoying me beyond belief.
I came home at 9:30 with plans for an early night and people kept on messaging me wishing me good luck and I decided to turn my phone on silent at 10pm because I needed the alarm. I fall asleep just before 11 and then I'm woken up at 11:01pm due to the vibration of a message from a friend wishing me good luck. I got SO frustrated and angry at her for sending a message at that hour when she knew I had to be up at 5am and spent the next hour smacking my legs around, changing cds trying to relax myself and seeing if I can fall asleep with the tv on. I then had a honey sandwich and an apple and lay in bed trying to fall asleep again, no such luck through my head I was freaking myself out saying that I have run the distance but I go up hill in the beginning and the rest is downhill so I've really only done 10km hahaha. I then was at loss what to do so I put on that free nose thing we got in the kit and BANG asleep within a minute.
My alarm went off at 5am, I jump up have weetbix then some muesli and a banana. Quickly put on a bit of make up (got to look good whiel crossing the line
) and brushed my teeth. Got to the station and stood infront of the ticket machine having a blank at where I'm going, the runner behind me gave me a nice "Milsons point" and I thanked him and bought my ticket. As I walked away he then asked if he could borrow 40 cents which I of course gave him, imagine if I hadn't and he couldn't run today!!
I sit down and put on a bit more make up (vanity or distraction you decide) and then my friend meets me. We hop on the train and he keeps on saying "Don't be scared you'll be fine" which of course makes it worse, we have a nice chat with another guy telling me that my first will be the best.
Then once we arrive we wait for one of his friends who never shows and then I walk around for a bit give my bag in and regretfully take off my jumper. Standing in line I have the fearful "Oh my god I can only run 10km" thoughts again and I tell Nic and he laughs and says I'm well prepared. Off goes the gun and I don't believe it's really it because no ones moving! As we finally get to the line I turn and say to Nic 'Oh god this means I have to start running doesn't it" we start off at a 5km pace and I'm enjoying it, I'm loving running across the bridge and I'm in the zone. This continues for about the next 7 or 8km until we reach that dreaded area where everything looks the same and then I see the first half marathoner coming around again and I get frustrated. I want to be him, I want to jump over and be where he is!! I start getting stroppy, Nic keeps on asking how I am and I tell him to shut up and stop asking and that I"m fine. I down a GU chocolate flavour yum! Not only do I enjoy it I also get the kick that i need and can keep on going, still regretfully looking at those that have already turned. This was definitely the worst point for me the same scenery and seeing others much further ahead. Finally after what I feel like forever I start turning and am happy for a while after some more Gu further along and some water stops I'm going well, Nic keeps on telling me I'm looking strong and I am feeling strong too. I like the way you get a downhill after most of the ups to give your legs a rest. No pain whatsoever in my ITB and my breathing and heart rate are perfect, I didn't wear my band because I get distracted but I had my watch and I picked up some interesting heart rates along the way like a very puffing and painful 210 for a solid male.
Once I have some nice scenery I'm happy again and keep pushing on, I can't remember much around here I was happy and that's all that matters. Then I realise there's only about 5km to go!!! I keep telling myself "You've done the training, you've done the hard part and you're loving it" the image of a big white glove pushing me along which I read in a post on here keeps coming to mind and it really helps me along. Suddenly there are only 3km to go, I'm struggling quite a bit and down another GU. Nic turns to me and tells me that I've got 3km to go and that we're going to 'pick up the pace now" I tell him in an angry voice "I'LL DO WHAT I WANT WHEN I WANT SHUT THE **** UP" Oh and another comment he made trying to be funny with a hill ahead is "There's a hill coming up do you want to grab my belt and I'll pull you along" I didn't see the humour and just said "No I'm doing this by myself"
I keep on pushing for a while and slowly see people dropping to either side in pain and that scares me but I realise my body is strong and prepared. Then before I know it I see the Opera house and I'm absolutely covered in goosebumps, the feeling is unbelieve !! I'm almost there and I've trained so hard. I push and then I see a photographer, I wave both hands quickly needing to get proof of this amazing feeling. The photographer laughs and makes sure he gets a shot of the moment! Then I keep on going, it seems like the Opera house is so close yet so far then in about the last 250 metres I sprint, I don't know where it came from but I sprinted so fast and slammed the finish line at 1 hr 53 minutes and feel invinsible!!! My first half marathon most definitely is one of the most amazing experiences of my life, so when's the next
Last night I had my dream meal planned a nice lean steak and pasta, the steak was cooked and waiting on the bench while I was adding a little cheese on top of my pasta, I turned my head and found my cat on the bench with my steak in it's mouth. Great start. I still live at home and the rest of the family were having veal- my most hated meat. I ended up whinging saying that of course when my meal is very important I have to eat veal that I hate. I end up going to a friends house for a while to distance myself from my family because they were annoying me beyond belief.
I came home at 9:30 with plans for an early night and people kept on messaging me wishing me good luck and I decided to turn my phone on silent at 10pm because I needed the alarm. I fall asleep just before 11 and then I'm woken up at 11:01pm due to the vibration of a message from a friend wishing me good luck. I got SO frustrated and angry at her for sending a message at that hour when she knew I had to be up at 5am and spent the next hour smacking my legs around, changing cds trying to relax myself and seeing if I can fall asleep with the tv on. I then had a honey sandwich and an apple and lay in bed trying to fall asleep again, no such luck through my head I was freaking myself out saying that I have run the distance but I go up hill in the beginning and the rest is downhill so I've really only done 10km hahaha. I then was at loss what to do so I put on that free nose thing we got in the kit and BANG asleep within a minute.
My alarm went off at 5am, I jump up have weetbix then some muesli and a banana. Quickly put on a bit of make up (got to look good whiel crossing the line
) and brushed my teeth. Got to the station and stood infront of the ticket machine having a blank at where I'm going, the runner behind me gave me a nice "Milsons point" and I thanked him and bought my ticket. As I walked away he then asked if he could borrow 40 cents which I of course gave him, imagine if I hadn't and he couldn't run today!!I sit down and put on a bit more make up (vanity or distraction you decide) and then my friend meets me. We hop on the train and he keeps on saying "Don't be scared you'll be fine" which of course makes it worse, we have a nice chat with another guy telling me that my first will be the best.
Then once we arrive we wait for one of his friends who never shows and then I walk around for a bit give my bag in and regretfully take off my jumper. Standing in line I have the fearful "Oh my god I can only run 10km" thoughts again and I tell Nic and he laughs and says I'm well prepared. Off goes the gun and I don't believe it's really it because no ones moving! As we finally get to the line I turn and say to Nic 'Oh god this means I have to start running doesn't it" we start off at a 5km pace and I'm enjoying it, I'm loving running across the bridge and I'm in the zone. This continues for about the next 7 or 8km until we reach that dreaded area where everything looks the same and then I see the first half marathoner coming around again and I get frustrated. I want to be him, I want to jump over and be where he is!! I start getting stroppy, Nic keeps on asking how I am and I tell him to shut up and stop asking and that I"m fine. I down a GU chocolate flavour yum! Not only do I enjoy it I also get the kick that i need and can keep on going, still regretfully looking at those that have already turned. This was definitely the worst point for me the same scenery and seeing others much further ahead. Finally after what I feel like forever I start turning and am happy for a while after some more Gu further along and some water stops I'm going well, Nic keeps on telling me I'm looking strong and I am feeling strong too. I like the way you get a downhill after most of the ups to give your legs a rest. No pain whatsoever in my ITB and my breathing and heart rate are perfect, I didn't wear my band because I get distracted but I had my watch and I picked up some interesting heart rates along the way like a very puffing and painful 210 for a solid male.
Once I have some nice scenery I'm happy again and keep pushing on, I can't remember much around here I was happy and that's all that matters. Then I realise there's only about 5km to go!!! I keep telling myself "You've done the training, you've done the hard part and you're loving it" the image of a big white glove pushing me along which I read in a post on here keeps coming to mind and it really helps me along. Suddenly there are only 3km to go, I'm struggling quite a bit and down another GU. Nic turns to me and tells me that I've got 3km to go and that we're going to 'pick up the pace now" I tell him in an angry voice "I'LL DO WHAT I WANT WHEN I WANT SHUT THE **** UP"
Oh and another comment he made trying to be funny with a hill ahead is "There's a hill coming up do you want to grab my belt and I'll pull you along" I didn't see the humour and just said "No I'm doing this by myself"I keep on pushing for a while and slowly see people dropping to either side in pain and that scares me but I realise my body is strong and prepared. Then before I know it I see the Opera house and I'm absolutely covered in goosebumps, the feeling is unbelieve !! I'm almost there and I've trained so hard. I push and then I see a photographer, I wave both hands quickly needing to get proof of this amazing feeling. The photographer laughs and makes sure he gets a shot of the moment! Then I keep on going, it seems like the Opera house is so close yet so far then in about the last 250 metres I sprint, I don't know where it came from but I sprinted so fast and slammed the finish line at 1 hr 53 minutes and feel invinsible!!! My first half marathon most definitely is one of the most amazing experiences of my life, so when's the next
