Job done. In the immortal words of Sir Edmund Hilary – I knocked the bastard off

It’s early evening now and my body feels as if it has been caught in a cement mixer full or rocks. Everything hurts.

And yet I am happy.

Things went well today, mostly. I had a plan. It was a good plan, it was the best plan. All I needed to do was stick to the plan.

I’ve read stories from so many people who didn’t stick to the plan and how it all unravelled for them, so I was keen to stick to the plan.

So I did.

To complete in my target time of 4 hours and thirty minutes, I needed to do the first 30 kilometres in 3 hours. That would allow for me to slow down for the last 10kms, which I knew I would do.

I went out nice and easy for the first 5kms, just like everyone else who was not trying to win the race. Then I kicked it up a gear and started running freely.

I was passing people every couple of minutes and I felt really good. I got a real kick each time I passed someone with long legs, even if that someone was 80.

The first 10km mark passed and I had run it in 58 minutes, so I was on track. The weather was chilly but with very little wind, so I wasn’t sweating, But I was nice and warm by now.

The road we were running on stopped being flat, and by flat I don’t mean it started climbing hills, I mean it has a steep camber, so I was running on the side of my foot a lot. That came back to haunt me later on.

I was still passing people and feeling good at the 20km mark, which I reached in 1 hour and 50 minutes.

Things were going well.

At 21 kilometres, half way my time was 2 hours and 2 minutes. If I could not slow down for the second half of the race then I’d have a spectacular time!

So I slowed down. That’s just what your brain does to you.

But I wasn’t worried. My strategy was to slow down a bit for the next few kms to recover a bit – I had been running really fast (for me).

I got to the final turnaround and stopped to chat with my sister and her family that had come out to cheer me on. It was awesome that they came out and I’m very grateful for the support. (and the excuse to stop running for a couple of minutes)

Then it was back on the road –the homeward stretch.

Things were starting to hurt now. My calves were tight, and my little toes were complaining about being pushed into the side of my shoes due to the slope of the road. My kidneys started hurting. I felt nauseous every time I tried to drink.

But I pushed on, head down, not smiling so much at the people on the side of the road who clapped and shouted ‘well done’ as I passed.

I hit the 30km mark with a time of 2 hours and 58 minutes. Despite slowing down I was still on target.

Then I saw my sister and her family again, and again stopped for a quick chat (well, you have to don’t you?). the finish was only 11kms away. I could do that surely.

I said goodbye to my family and carried on.

Now people were passing me more than I was passing them. A couple of women breezed past and then stopped to walk for a bit. So I passed them. Then they passed me again, but I caught them up the next time they walked. And we carried on like this for most of the way to the finish.

But I was slowing right down, and walking more than I wanted to. I became harder to pick my legs up and deal with going over a curb. I desperately didn’t want to be last, and I was pretty sure I wouldn’t be. But with the mix of runners from the other races on the course it was hard to tell who was running the marathon and who was running a different race.

I could see the finish now – the Westpac Stadium, in the distance. That was huge boost. You could see it getting closer. so once again I put my head down and tried not to walk, especially now that we were running along the waterfront with lots of people out enjoying the sunny day.

The head wind (oh yes, this is Wellington. You didn’t think the wind would stay away for the whole race did you?) that had been killing me for the last 10kms or so, seemed to go away as I searched for the distance markers to tell me how far I had left to run.

Mr. Garmin piped up and cheerfully told me I had just run 40kms. That meant only two to go. I had done the distance in 4 hours and 16 minutes. I had 14 minutes to run two kilometres.

At the start of the race, or even in the middle of the race, that would have been no problem. Now it seemed like a soul crushing limit that I had no chance at. I was running like a little old man (which I am) but not a fast little old man.

But I didn’t give up. I wanted to finish (so I could have my beer and icecream) as soon as I could. This was still a race after all.

2 kilometres later Mr. Garmin gave me the time for the distance. But I was still on the course, still a long way away from the stadium, still stumbling along on legs that had really had enough.

I glanced at my watch to check the time, it said 4 hours 31 minutes.

I should be upset by that. If only I had not stopped (twice) to talk to my sister. If only I had taken one less walk break, if only…

But that’s no how I view it. My target was to finish a marathon, which I would do eventually. But also not to come last, which I succeeded in. the face that I came within a minute of my target time is just awesome for me. It tells me my plan was perfect. I ran the best race I could run. I could not have run any harder than I did.

But before congratulations are shouted out, we still have another kilometre to go. The reading on my watch at the end of the race was 42.92 kilometres. So my official time will be somewhat slower than Mr. Garmin’s version.

Now I could see the raised walkway the crossed the motorway leading to the stadium. I had a target! I put my head back down and called on whatever strength I had left to just keep running. My hill training paid off as I ran up the ramp, passing a bunch of people who, at the end of the race, found this just too hard to run up.

And then I could see the finish!

I could SEE it! I stumbled across the line and looked up at the clock as I went through. It said (I think) 4 hours and 38 minutes.

I stopped running.

I then had a couple of medic quiet approach me and ask me if I was planning on dying right here. It was a fair question, because other runners would have to go around me, and they were tired. (they were far more polite than I paint them, but their questions held the same meaning).

I told them I was fine now that I could stop, and carried on to get my banana and sponsored drink – Poweraide. And then there was nothing left to do but drive home (via the supermarket).

Job done.

The official results are:

Gun Time: 4.38 – this is timed from when they say Go!
Net Time: 4.37 – this is the time returned by my timing chip
Rank: 249 out of 370 runners
Age Group: 37 out of 48
Gender: 178 out of 225

There were so many nice memories in this race.

Passing a blind runner with a helper at about kilometre 5. They were discussing how to communicate whether to turn left or right. They had already done 5kms and just now they were making this up! I love this about kiwis.

I passed and got passed by a guy wearing a plane costume. He ran the whole race carrying a load of cardboard. And I think he beat me.

Another young guy skipped the whole race.

There were lots of old people doing the marathon. And when I say old, they were older than me, probably I the 60s and 70s. I’m pretty sure some of them beat me.

I have really enjoyed training for this event, and finally participating it. I think I did well, and I’m super happy with my time.

And so now my focus changes to the WUU 2k in a month’s time (I think). That will be my first ultra-marathon. If it goes as well as today I think I’ll be hooked on this for good.

All the photos (this time) are of me.
They were taken by my brother-in-law. Thanks Murray!

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Check out my stories here on Steemit

Running Deer

Running Deer - part 1
Running Deer - How legends are born

Charlie Rabbit

Meet Charlie Rabbit
Charlie tides up
Charlie Rabbit and Margery Mouse
Charlie Rabbit and Margery Mouse make music

Little Peppers Adventures

Runaway Rabbit and the hungry fox
Maybe and the land of purple rainbows – A Little Peppers adventure
How Pappa Pepper and Monster Truck the Pepper got their wild hogs - a Little Peppers Adeventure

Dark Angel Regiment of the Space Marines - Mission Files

First Squad Sniper Elite - Zaresith mission

Other stories

Stranded
The Lady Of The Lake

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Also don't forget to check out my Dad's blog

Who else can tell you stories about impersonating an officer, stealing a military aircraft to go on a booze run, or steal military aircraft and go on an unsanctioned bombing run - and that's all before he turned 18!

Check out @len.george and find out what other madness he got up to!

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Head over to: https://www.steemithelp.net/. It's the best place to get a handle on what the platform is all about.

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