Highlights package

My new medal - did I mention I have a new medal? I do! I did a marathon to get it and it's grouse! - has worn a groove in my neck and been shown to everyone foolish enough to ask how I went and too slow to escape once I get started. As the layers of memory of the day have sorted themselves into an enduring recollection, little snippets of oh-wow-wasn't-that-a-cool-thing! have popped up and sparkled at me, making me smile and smile.
In no particular order, here they are
- the elites flying by. They are so amazing, like another species!
- the frail, white-haired old lady on her balcony playing Chariots of Fire on her boombox for us
- all the little kids, so thrilled to get high fives from a runner (any runner, even me!)
- seeing the Spousal Unit and Noddie at 32km. I'd been kind of looking forward to seeing them outside our apartment at 27km, and when they weren't there I thought they were probably a bit tired from doing the 5km (WELL DONE S.U. AND N!!) and I'd see them at the finish. I trundled on, almost to the finish (not my finish, the real finish, I had to RUN PAST IT and do another 12km) and there they were! If I hadn't done all my crying a few kms back I'd have wept on J's shoulder. It's a bit lonely out there at the back when things are a bit tough; just getting that reminder that there are people out there who love you and are cheering for you is like a sudden blaze of sunshine on a grey day.
- cheering the Coolrunners coming back the other way and getting a go CoolRunner! in return
- the cameraderie at the back of the pack. We leapfrog each other, pass and re-pass and worry when we see our mates slow or lying on the grass. Yay for Narelle the last official finisher - you toughed it out darl!
- asking the already-finished people walking back to their hotels and pools and showers and couches please can I see your medal? Without fail they showed it to me and told me you can do it, keep going, your medal is waiting for you
- the volunteers at the aid stations, road closures and checkpoints. Some dressed up in flowers or wigs or other craziness, some didn't, but all were just so splendidly encouraging and kind. Even the ones who put the Endura and the water in the wrong colour cups - this wouldn't have been such an issue if I hadn't tipped it over my head!
- the mighty Emma and her adorable husband R who appeared like djinns out of nowhere on the corner of a road in the mankiest, most desolate stretch of the last 10km.
- the runner dressed as Mt Fuji. How hot s/he must have been!
- the bride and groom who ran the race in wedding outfits as part of their honeymoon. They were quoted in the local paper as saying 'the marathon is long, just as our life together will be'. Bravo and hear hear!
-the little old bloke in the thick tracksuit and the hat with the dear little dog.
- the vision-impaired runners with their guides
- zooming around each turnaround with my arms outstretched like an aeroplane. It's important to celebrate these things!
- the mad Philipino (?) bloke who galloped up and down the back end of the field cheering us all on. I couldn't keep up with him, he tried to make me but I just had nothing left. He was like an adorable, whistle-blowing, bell-ringing, super-talkative guardian angel for us all down there at the back.
- the bloke with the ghastly, ghastly rap music at the 35-6ish mark. I wanted to KILL HIM - hadn't I been through enough? What had I ever done to him? Then the song 'if you're going through hell, keep on going' came on the 1p0d and I couldn't help but laugh.
- the other bloke at the 35km checkpoint telling me I was looking good and don't worry, you're 15 minutes ahead of the cutoff, you'll be fine. Although the video shows me waving in a perfunctory fashion (it was meant to be pleasant!) and grunting acknowldgement (I thought I was smiling!) I was so grateful I could have kissed him.
- if Noddie, the Spousal Unit and the Mad Philipino bloke were angels and Emma and R were genies, then Dizzey was a blessing from heaven. She appeared with 5km to go and trundled along with me, running and walking, running and walking, lamp post to lamp post. Becuase she was there, the no really this is too far and it's been going on too long, I can't run any more imp that was trying to get a grip on my shoulder just had to f#$% off. Team LBTEPA was throwing it all at the line. Thanks for my PB Dizzey!
- I know I mentioned this in the last post, but getting into the finishers' chute was like going to heaven. There is nothing, nothing like knowing you've Done It.
- so many people at the afterparty thanking me for organising it and giving them the chance to connect with other CRs, sometimes for the first time. I am so lucky to know so many lovely people.
- my racing stripe! After running six hours in the warm northern sun, my lily white Victorian legs sported a shorts line that made me smile every time I saw it - on myself, or the other people who were taking the stairs at the waterslide park quite gingerly too!
So there you go.
Now it's almost two weeks later. My medal is in my pocket. Did I mention I did another marathon and got a new medal? This afternoon I'll be driving to Melbourne to stay with the magnificent Mrs Wombat, then tomorrow we're trundling around the Run Melbourne half marathon, because the bling is nice. That's pretty funny really. Stupid Determination rules!!
More anon, partners-in-fabulousness!