I'm Putting it Out There

It's three days after I sat and watched the Comrades Marathon and cheered from the sidelines for the fifth time.  It's five years since I ran my first ten kilometer road race.  It's nine months since I ran my first marathon.  And it's hopefully just 368 days before I run 88-89 kilometers from Pietermaritzburg to Durban on June 10, 2018 and complete a five year old dream. It's time to make that dream a plan.

It might be a big dream plan.  I might fail.  But, I think that if I write about it and tell about my goal and the plan I have to achieve it, then it might just be a bit more attainable.

So here's my story.

I'm Stephanie.  I'm a regular person.  I've never been an athlete.  I became a runner five years ago -- well in the sense of running over five kilometers.  I really only became a runner, as in someone who really likes to run and isn't tortured by the thought of it, two years ago or so.  I used to hate running and thought why run if someone wasn't chasing you?  But, something inside me has shifted and well, my legs get a little antsy if they don't run. It's odd. It's inexplicable. But, I'm happy it's happened.

Four years ago, in 2013, I first watched the Comrades from the sidelines as a friend was running the race.  Before, I'd just heard about it and thought people were very loony for even attempting to run that far, but I began to think about running.  Here I am four years later and I know even more people who have run the race and survived.  Luckily, I don't actually know anyone who has had to give up on the day. May it stay that way as I'd like to remain positive. Though I did just read that on Sunday, 17,031 runners started the race and only 13,852 finished.  That means that 19% don't finish.  That's a big number! But, we aren't going to dwell on it and instead keep on telling you about my motivation for doing this race.

When you watch Comrades, you feel like you could do it.  You see people of all sorts of shapes and sizes (even blind people) and you (well I do at least) think, "damn that could be me." I've seen a couple of friends who were novice runners set their mind to it and complete it. It's such a nice feeling to be on the sidelines and witness an event that shows no color or socioeconomic boundaries.  Comrades is an event for everyone.

I want to be a part of the race.  I want to know what it feels like to run for 88 kilometers and cross that finish line.  I don't just want to be a spectator anymore.  So, help me out.  Check in with me every now and then. See how my training is going.  See if I am keeping on track to accomplishing my goal.  Follow me here and I'll keep you posted and try not to bore you too much.  I'll post my plan of action and my running plan. Let me know if you have any tips.

Wish me luck and hey, if you want to join me on June 10, 2018, on that start line in Pietermarizburg at 5:30 to run a quick trot down to Durban, let me know.  The more the merrier!