What dignity?

I took myself off out to Roundstone yesterday for an 8k road race, although I was less intent on racing and more on just actually crossing the finishing line. I had been doing ok with training but then fell off the wagon a little, so probably wasn't as prepared as I'd like to have been. I was also running it alone which is definitely less than ideal but it's just the way things worked out. I could package this very neatly, say there were some difficulties to be overcome and skip to the end where I crossed the line, but there were a few moments in the middle that I have to mention.


First, the anticipated fight with Bitchface. I hadn't realised that a good 2k in the middle would be uphill, which proved to be incredibly challenging. I'm not good with hills. A lot of people passed me out, and what was worse, a lot of people passed me twice as they headed back towards the finish (it was a straight 4k out, 4 back route, no loop) while I was struggling with the hill. I had to walk, there was no way I was running it all, and I had to work extremely hard not to be disappointed with that and not give myself a mental tongue lashing. Anyway, I made it to the top, paused for a drink then started back. So far so good. Ish.

Challenge number two. The impossibly badly timed arrival of my period (apologies for the tmi, but I promise I won't go into detail). Let's just say I had to borrow superman's cape (literally, there were people running in fancy dress) and then get myself back to the finish line as quickly as possible. Stopping wasn't an option as I had no way back to my car other than back the way I came. I'm not sure I ever had to utter a more embarrassing sentence in my life as I did to poor number 52, superman, running behind me. He was an absolute gent about it, and I made it home with what little shreds of dignity I had left trailing at my ankles. I actually wasn't going to go all the way to the finish line, I had parked at a friend's house about 500m out and was going to duck back in, but she insisted I get myself across the finish line or I'd regret it. Of course she was right, and I'm glad I did, but my feckin god. It could only happen to me. (I should point out that as I ran the entire length of Roundstone main street in my makeshift sarong there wasn't another runner to be seen, so all eyes on me. Fun eh??)

So there you have it. Bitchface AND nature conspired to turn that run into something of a nightmare. But I finished it. And I smiled. Then I scarpered!!


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