Number 82 - Smashed it! Half Marathon - Fully Finished.

We did it!!!

When Charlotte sent an email in February proposing we take on the half-marathon I was dubious to say the least. She suggested we train with Can Too to give ourselves the best possible chance and make it an experience for the greater good.

Our first training run started pretty easily in Centennial Park, a few laps around an oval and generally getting to know everyone. A few weeks later we did our first 5km time trial and things suddenly felt a whole lot tougher.

A few weeks after that I got knocked over by a chest infection that had me out of action for almost 6 weeks. With doctors throwing around words like whooping cough and pneumonia I was starting to worry about whether I was running out of time to train for the big day. As it turns out the doctors still don't 100% what I'd had and I was told to rest, use an inhaler and "be careful". So with that sage advice in mind, I decided to head back to training!

My first session back looked like this.

 

Despite my impatience to get back into training, running in torrential rain was probably not a genius plan. After a few kms in the wet, our coach Gordo gave me the "raised eyebrow" and I obediently gave up.

It turns out Charlotte and I had hit the rocky part of the training journey.

Charlotte had injured herself taking on the Tough Mudder, I was still on a Ventolin inhaler (having learned the hard way that I shouldn't go on even small runs without it!) and we were only a few weeks out from the race. To say we were a little nervous about our ability to race 21km was putting it mildly.

Despite this we tackled whatever training we could manage and kicked ass with fundraising for Can Too and Cure Cancer. Both of us reached our targets, were suitably embarrassed with bright orange feather boas and glitter hats during our "Star Ceremonies". Knowing we've done our bit to continue critical funding for cancer research has been one of the most rewarding parts of the last couple of months.

After 12 weeks of preparation we were ready (ish!) to face race day.

The night before to calm my nerves I got all my race gear laid out (no-one was going to miss me in that fluoro orange!) then like any normal person does before a big race, I got dressed in my Playboy Bunny costume and headed off to a Vegas party. Drinking tap water and sticking to my planned pre-race meal of fish and rice, I watched as others sculled champagne and scoffed hot dogs. At 9pm as Elvis was marrying Celine Dion to Lenny Kravitz, I decided it was time to head home to get as much sleep as possible before my 5am alarm.

 
Five am, 19th May and I was seriously nervous. A quick breakfast of champions, some water and I was very glad to see my brother who had so generously offered to support me around the race. 

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.