Beating the sunrise

Well, technically I dont think there was a proper sunrise because it was pouring so much.

So this time round, I don’t think i expected very much of myself since I was sick last week + lack of training, but I was pleasantly surprised with how it turned out. The route wasn’t  a bed of roses or anything but I’m totally glad I pushed through.

The first big crash was when I lost tz and becs cause i went for water. then thinking that they were behind me i waitedd for good 30 seconds, but didnt see them, got it in my head that they were ahead and really chionged for one solid km. Was so relieved to see them again, but lost them at the next water station -_______- and this time i couldn’t find them. 30km alone is freaking lonely ):

Next semi breaking point was when it started to rain, then pour. But after awhile, I got it into my head that the only way I was gonna get out of the rain was to finish the damn race, so somehow or another I started running faster. But the rain just got heavier and heavier, the organisers texted us to say that it was category 1 and we “were advised to head for shelter” .

The whole of ECP was me trying to landmark parts of it and tell myself, no I’m not gonna stop. My mind was just going “Okay stretch at 25km (turning point), eat gel and stretch” Then after that it was ” Okay keep running, must hit 33km , eat banana and stretch”. Cause last year, i started walking at “banana point” haha which incidentally was earlier at 30 km.

BUT somehow, at 31/32km, I started pacing this random guy. Most people you either overtake or they overtake you. Wordlessly, we were matching each other step for step. I can’t say how much it helped. After a km or so we both individually realised, dammit we should just pace each other. 

At rest points, we’d stop, (I didn’t say a single word to him till we crossed the finish line okay.) Drink up, then I’d start running and he’d follow, we really matched each other pace for pace for 10 freaking kilos all the way to the finish line, through the pouring rain, through the huge ass puddles. :D After which, we sat down in finisher’s tent waiting for our friends and talked cause it was pouring too heavily to get our bags

I’m glad to have made  a new friend (: made up for the shit weather, and my shoes looking like some mud cake.

I swore that this would be my last marathon. But…. sighhh why do i do this to myself???