Fun Run - The Sequel

Much in the same way as the Matrix films, I tried to go bigger and better with the sequel only to realize that even though I was satisfied at the end of the journey, the story along the way had lost its direction from the true purpose stated in the original film. That my friends is the summary of my 2^nd ever fun run, the 2007 Mothers Day Classic.

The story of the sequel started just after the “Run for the Kids” where my Aunty Rhonda told me about the 8km Mothers Day event. My first thought was “ahh maybe” as I had my heart set on the 10km run at the end of May but going from a 3.4 to a 10km run wasn’t the best idea so I thought 8km was a good distance. So I started to get into the swing of things again but I lost my drive along the way. The main reason was simply because in my head I had already done the hard work and ran a freaking fun run. Well I know now that my heart wasn’t in this one as for dinner the week before I had pizza, noodles, Burger King plus various beverages throughout the weeks up to the even. My dedication to training was sorely lacking because the eye wasn’t on the prize.

So come last Sunday morning and I’m in the city at 6.30 in the morning and the whole city was quiet. The last of the moonlight was starting to disappear and the first rays of light were shining through. It was a crisp morning and by the time I met my aunty at 7.15 I was ready to get this run over with. We gathered on the main lawn and took part in an aerobics session that seriously felt that I was in the audience of Oprah. Throughout the day there were participants who had signed pinned to their backs ranging from “I’m running for grandmother” to little kids with “I’m running for my mother.” These messages were for people who had suffered from or died from breast cancer and I tell you, there was a lot of love on the gardens that day.

Let’s get back to the warm-up. There was music pumping out the speakers that would have given “Sisters are doing it for themselves” a run for its money and even though I looked like a dill doing it. I did the exercises and was nicely warmed up when it was all finished. Just as my Aunty and I were about to slowly make our way to the start line a message came over the speakers “All 8km runners please stay for a slightly longer warm up.”

We did the warm up again! It wasn’t slightly longer, it was twice as long. By this time I was getting cranky and wanted to get this show on the road. Just after 8am me and 22,000 other participants started the run and for the first 2.5 km I was feeling pretty relaxed but then the lack of preparation started to take its toll. I also got hit just under the hip bone during that time by a fitness freak who tried to squeeze in between me and the fence and his knee clipped me. Man that was painful, still I just did my best to get around the circuit but I knew 2 kms out that had no gas left in the tank. Also I’m slowly becoming addicted to fun runs and I don’t know why, there’s nothing fun about them, I thinks it’s more the challenge I set myself. So when I saw that finish line I just went for it and when I crossed I said to myself “I’m not going to prepare for another run by doing f#ck all.”

Still I ran 8 km in 52 minutes and whilst I had never run 8km before, I was equally pleased that I actually ran most of the way but as I said before my dedication to this run was lacking and in a way it’s a good thing as it has woken me up and tested me to see how dedicated I am in terms of increasing my aerobic capacity. It was a great accomplishment to finish it and I have a medal to show for it! It was a great start to a wonderful Mothers Day.