First off since this race wasn't an out and back I spent the evening in a quaint B&B in downtown Van near to the finish line, as a result of this the wake up time to get my butt to the start line for 0800hrs start was a spirit lifting 0530hrs, I do hope that you are sensing some of this sarcasm here it's on pretty thick ; ). With the heat we were having I knew it wasn't going to be a cool run but I was not expecting to hit the 28 that it reached by a long shot, more on this later. On the walk to my subway there was an excitement in the air, you could almost wrap yourself in it as the more and more racers stared showing up on the sidewalk to make their way to the same subway almost like a right of passage, if you wake up before the sun and start walking while eating your bagel with cream cheese and make it to the start with out dodging into the nearest breakfast joint for some steak and eggs then your have earned the right to start the race (please note.....START the race)
It all was going according to plan, waking up in time, getting to the start area, staying calm and warm in the wee hours of the morning and catching up with of a few of my fellow crazy runners. At the start I was happy felt light on the feet of mine that I have been punishing since January and to top it all off I had some great conversations with a few perfectly good strangers whom I have never met and didn't see again, but I hope to again one day. As the kilometers dwindled the race was going fantastic then it hit, as I'm sure you all were expecting , the heat she had bitten and there was no stopping it there was only to survive. Here is the part where the pain begins on a level that I have never experienced before tho I'm sure ill many more fights with this beauty in my sporting adventures hahaha. With 16km or 10miles to complete on the race I had forgotten about the goal time I had been training for, and up to that point I was on pace for too, and concentrated on finishing this challenge. The emotions that ran through me from anger and frustration to sadness and despair, it took every last bit of strength to not give in to every fiber willing me to stop as a result from the heat exhaustion, tho I'm sure it was pretty close to worse. For 16 glorious kilometers I learnt the power of the human body and mind and much stronger they become when the counter part starts to wane, there isn't a better event that I could have chosen to to learn these things, I'm glad that this happened to me as I do not feel any doubt about what can be done, anything is possible with the right attitude and water hah!
When people ask me how the race went, I say "like $hit, but I can't wait to do it all over again!" I guess this is what happens when you have a crap race but an awesome experience, if there is anything that I can say to anyone doing anything, go do it! Push yourself get that experience of the lows and when you get the highs, and you will! They will be so much higher than you could have ever imagined.
On a personal note I was to thank my lovely girlfriend for supporting me, my training partners for enduring me, and my family especially my Mum for guiding me. This one was for you......the next one is mine tho ; )
PS finish time was 04:39:00
DIgging the new background!
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