Sunshine Coast race report by Kirsten Wanless
Tabu – a shitty 70’s perfume
Where does a race report start?
By rights it should start on the day – but as every marathoner knows – the race is just one part of this massive undertaking. But I will cut to the chase…. Well at least the day before….
Pre race day
Fragile
The only word to describe it – like if someone looks at you sideways, gives you encouragement, doesn’t give you encouragement – I cried.
Do I want to drive to the coast? Should I catch and uber – should I meet the girls for lunch – should I meet my uncle, what should I have for lunch? Maybe I will just cry again.. In the end I stopped making decisions, and let life make them for me. Right choice.
Race day
Wake up – I am good to go. The tears were shed yesterday. Fuck this I am ready.
I am ready, but the cab isn’t…. and I don’t really care. I will get there and I will take another toilet break while I let the amazing women I am with sort it out.
Done – I am walking to the start line. Nic has her arm around my shoulder and saying everything a legend of racing should say. I am feeling supported.(And a little teary)
Small world, I am standing next to one of my oldest friends from Brisbane. He is running the half and I am chatting away – heading up the hill and wondering if I should ease up a little. Then Michele tap me on the shoulder. “Tell me to shut up if you want, but you want to run sub 5 hours right? Well that is the 4.15 pacer behind you over there.” Whoops, put the breaks on.
I am getting to watch all the halfies in front, and I am loving the run. Michele is heading for a negative split, so she hangs with me until we hit 10, and I have hit a great rhythm. Everything is right with the world. Off she goes… and 10 – 20 is a nice relaxed pace. I am starting to tighten up around 18. That’s OK, I am on track. There is my bestie from Brisbane, who pops up about 6 times during the race. Lets just call her Batman ? Heading around the start line for the 2nd loop. Its time for some tunes….. Lets crank out some 90’s cardio…. I see you baby… shaking that ass….
Tune after tune, I am grateful for the distraction. I am really surprised I have been sitting on 6.30 pace from the start, I was sure I would start slipping closer to 7. Don’t think, just run… ohhh Darude… yes…. I am air punching and playing it LOUD. Spectators don’t stop me to see why I look like I am fitting (?) Watermelon…. Thank you – was perfect.
And there it is 28/29 mark agghh its hurting. My treat at 30 is to meet Nic and to pop a couple of Panadol extra. That’s what keeps me going. There is batman…. Yep I am ok, I don’t want to kill anyone… and no, I don’t want all the stuff I made her carry around ….the food and drink..
Nic…. Sight for sore eyes. I am hitting the start line again for the final loop. Other marathoners are finishing. This is a little disheartening but I figure whatever, I am still running. Nic pushes more shot blocks on me, I pop some Panadol. My heart rate feels a bit irregular, like my body is experiencing shock. The sugar helps, the Panadol helps, the captain helps. I warn her – I want to sit on 7 k pace, I am happy with that. 4 k later Nic tells me I am on 6.30… still? Wow, I am surprised, but it feels comfortable (as comfortable as a shuffle can be) but I am not worried. I only have 8 to go, who cares now right? Nic is talking, and I can’t talk back. I get her to tell me how everyone finished in the half. They are fantastic stories (the good and the bad) , and it is distracting. She sits just ahead of me, and it is like a lifeline between us. I can feel her pulling me along. Its awesome. We aren’t talking much but having her there is all I need.
36 – its hard. How hard? Not as hard as the struggle of the woman I dedicated the run to. My Aunty who battled 3 years with cancer. That’s hard, so I bunker down. Channel her grit.
Its getting hot, how long have we been out here? Started at 6 am, must be around 10.30. We see a pacer who blew out, and was heading for a 4.50 finish. OMG I am in front of him. Could I do sub 4.50…. yes, why the hell not. How far 40 K…. its still 40 K…… its still 40 K It feels like 40 K for ever. Nic, are we nearly there? Yes, she says just hang on now.
There are cyclists rounding up the slower marathoners… please god don’t let me come in last.
There is batman…she is still smiling and taking photos.
The finish line, the sprint, the 5 year old finishing the 5 k gets in front of me and I nearly end up on the ground.
MBRC – hanging over the fence yelling and cheering. And the culmination of 6 months of running with this amazing club is being realised. I am not teary like I was in my first marathon. I am killing it. My friends are there, my family, and my uncle. My sister joins me for the last few metres. The insecurities of the past few years are non existent.
I see 4.50 on the clock and I know that my nett time will be under. Victory is mine – and I am invincible. I am and invincible cripple……
At this point I want to share my Aunties influence. I was lucky enough to tell her before she passed that I would run this race for her. When there is nothing to give that can change anything, and goodbye is too hard to say, I gave her this marathon. I had 3 occasions during my training where I KNOW she was with me. These were really powerful experiences, one nearly knocked me off my feet. I was crying, stressed, on the other side of the country and she was right by my side. Her perfume was so powerful it was like she sprayed it in my face. I didn’t have the same experience during the race, except to say that the part I was the most scared of – 30 – 35K mark, is where I flew. I was sitting on 6.20 pace and it was an “easy” experience. I feel like she gave me wings then, at the part where I needed it most.
So the first marathon, was an achievement beyond what I thought possible. And it took me 3 years to get the courage to hit the marathon again. Now I know I am not a fluke. I am a bad ass marathoner……motherf@#ker
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