Funny how things change.
If you had told me 18 months ago that I’d be sitting here today holding my second half marathon finisher’s medal, I would have laughed and laughed and… you get the picture.
But there I was on Sunday, running my little heart out and feeling so strong. And it didn’t matter that I was slow and came in at 2:45, because I was proud that I was seven minutes faster than at Two Oceans. What mattered was that, despite maintaining that I wasn’t built for running some 18 months ago, I never gave up. I didn’t let the small matter of forever being the slowest the training group get me down.
What impressed me even more was that Sofie, who has become such a good friend in the short time we’ve been training together, ran 21km with a bunged-up ankle! That chick is made of TITAAAAAANIIIIIIIIIIIIUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUM!
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Meanwhile, I’ve been doing a lot of ugly crying and I fear it’s becoming a bit of an embarrassing habit.
My training partner and blogger-supreme Stacey sent me her copy of Chrissie Wellington’s A Life Without Limits, which turned out to be one of the most inspiring reads I’ve ever had the pleasure to enjoy. I couldn’t help but be impressed by her humanity and down to earth honesty. Every page gave me something to cry about! But what really launched the old waterworks was Chapter 14, entitled Heroes Of Ironman, dedicated to a number of people who overcame the odds and countless challenges to become Ironmen and -women.
One such story is that of Rick and Dick Hoyt, a father and son team who race together. Rick’s umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck at birth which resulted in oxygen deprivation and rendered him a spastic quadriplegic with cerebral palsy. The journey that followed has inspired the world and is such an amazing testament of how love really conquers all.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgbbdHNUr9M]
Seriously… if you don’t shed a little tear while watching this you were born without a heart!