CJs Year of.....

Number 82 – Half way to a Half Marathon

Having survived the City2Surf, a Fun Run from Sydney’s CBD to picturesque Bondi Beach via the infamous “Heartbreak Hill”, I’ve been reassured by many enthusiastic well wishers that I’ll have “no problems” with the Half Marathon being that is only half again as long. “You’re more than half way there!” they say with a grin and a pat on the back.

 

That by the last 3kms of the C2S I’m usually surviving only on the dream of a cold glass of wine at the Beach Road Hotel and that I get to practically fall downhill before that last torturous kilometre where walking in front of the screaming crowd would be nothing short of shameful seems to have no bearing on my friends unconditional assurance that I will be sprinting gloriously over that 21km finishing line. I however I know differently.

 

So to complete dream number 82, I have decided to join a support group. “Hi, my name is CJ and I think I Can (Too) run a Half Marathon”. Can Too is a non-profit program that matches fitness incentives with a good cause and thankfully is used to people like me whose idea of serious training is to Google inspirational YouTube videos after a quick jog while I take pictures for Instagram.

In return for Can Too’s expertise and patience I will be raising valuable funds that go directly towards funding cancer researchers through Cure Cancer Australia. Cure Cancer is a cause that is very personal to me having lost some special friends to cancer but also having watched some extremely brave individuals survive this terrible disease. I also had a scare at 21, being diagnosed with melanoma and thankfully was lucky enough to walk away with nothing more than impressive scars and an appreciation for the spray tan. 

 

So on May 19, with crazy cohorts Charlotte and Kate (anymore volunteers?!) I will walk out my front door and join the thousands of Sydneysiders who also seem to think this is a perfectly normal thing to do at 6am on a Sunday morning. All things going to plan, 2 hours later I’ll be crossing the finish line in Hyde Park with blisters, cramps and victory V!

 

 “Run when you can, walk if you have to, crawl if you must; just never give up.”
― Dean Karnazes, UltraMarathon Man

 

If you’d like to read more about Can Too here is a link to their website - http://www.cantoo.org.au/Aboutus.aspx. If you’d like to help me reach my target (and obviously help out Can Too), check out click on the link of the side of the blog, donate and leave me a motivational message while you’re at it.