Float like a butterfly
Sting like a bee....?
Mmmmm maybe not - there was no "floating" around that Cardiff Half course, despite the fact that I did actually wear wings 🤣 - it was a hard slog of 13.1 miles but do you know what - as mad as it sounds - I loved it.
I had, as some of you know (I know I went on and on and on about it) gone down with a cold 😰 - I could not believe it. Of all the weekends - after all the months of training - why oh why. I was straight to that famous chemist, that may be related to feet (why are they called Boots - what is the connection there to pharmaceutical products? Am I being stupid and missing some obvious link). Am I going to end up "filling my boots" is that why they are called Boots? Was it a Mr Boots who founded it? Or maybe a Mrs Boots? Lets leave that shall we - answers on a postcard to JoeBlogs....
Where was I? Oh yes - buying the contents of Boots to stave off my stupid annoying cold. Well that is another thing isn't it - not MY cold - my husbands cold. So kind of him to share - not! So I stocked up on all things cold remedy related and hoped for the best.
I woke up early Sunday morning - my next mission - paranoia setting in about avoiding "runners trots" - yes I know you don't wish to know that! Well I was up at 7am eating my HUGE (that is tiny obviously) porridge pot - fuelling (hardly lol) for the big race. Allowing plenty of time for that breakfast fit for a king (NOT) to completely digest. Also restricting myself to one cup of tea and some water. Oh yes I thought smugly - I will not set off across that start line and think mmmm I need a wee. I had this - yes!!!! ✊ Or did I .......
Met up with the lovely ladies from work also doing the run (insert word as desired - race/walk/jog/stroll around the city 🏃😀. We were ready to smash this. Well we really had no choice at that point to give it our best go. Make people proud. Lots of money raised for charity so hey we all on a winning streak anyway.
It was a truly glorious day, the sun was shining - it was just a perfect, perfect day 😎. There were thousands of people lining the streets - music playing - fire flashing its way up the towering impressive Cardiff castle walls - thousand of runners surging forwards (27,000 plus of us) - bit crammed lol.
We were off - on our way - at last. All those months of training down to this moment. Carried away with a sea of runners - all shapes, all sizes, all ages, all abilities- you can hear the laughter, talking, nervous chatting, strangers talking connected in that moment, serious pace checking - fancy dress - all sorts. Everyone on their journey, their own journey - their own race, their own pace, their own challenge and their own achievement. What a moment.
I have to confess that the first 5k was horrendous - I struggled to breathe properly, my legs felt like jelly and oh yes as soon as I stepped over that start line my brain screamed out those words "I need a wee". Really - no way body - we are not stopping for an imaginary wee stop and I cannot do a pit stop wee at the side of the road in the middle of Cardiff (shock horror - I would be arrested!). So it was onwards and upwards. I have to say my body was also saying "look lady you fed me a measly tiny porridge pot and i have just got a memo from your brain telling me you want to run 13.1 miles - no way lady). Ok, I conceded so I broke into my emergency wine ............ no sorry emergency wine gums 😂.
That was better, I finally settled in and found my pace. I was happy - I was going to enjoy every minute, even the painful ones. I had decided (because I am a serious athlete) I would go all out and run it in a bee costume. I like to let people know I am a dedicated runner. I have to say the kids loved the bee outfit. My heart leapt with joy when I heard children saying "look mummy a bumble bee" and "go bumble bee lady go". It gave me a warm glow - is that selfish - maybe - I do like a bit of attention, I cannot help it - it is the drama queen in me. Bit like this blog really - is this for me or you? Am I capturing my memories - or am I sharing my joy and trying to inspire others.......I had two amazing highlights in this race. I was struggling, getting towards the last leg, probably 5k to go. I was focused on trying to keep my run/walk/run ratio going despite the fact that each step was getting harder and harder. I was high fiving all the children, taking their welcome offers of jelly babies - touching their "power up" signs - even buzzing on demand where requested 😁. I ran past 2 children on the pavement giving them a high five with my bumble bee wand - delighted faces. As I fly past (well ok lunge past, huffing and puffing, trying to still smile) I heard a little boy on the pavement say "aw Mummy I wanted to high five the bee" - well what could I do - quick bee turn - back I go - big bee wand high five - his little face - he was grinning from ear to ear. He will never know how wonderful it was for me to have that moment. I was spurred on to keep going.
Then it was here - the 20k mark - I fly over that board shouting out "20k yay" - 1 kilometre to go. The end was in sight - well actually it was not in sight - it was 1000 metres away, round a corner, a corner which seemed like a long way away. However I knew I had this and more so I could see I was going to smash my time of 3:33 from last year. This really spurred me on but my legs really were off duty by now - they figured that the novelty had worn off and they did not want to run anymore. Every run session was getting harder. Then I heard my name being yelled - I glanced over - there they were - our running coaches from the local running club. At this point the emotion of smashing last years time and smelling the finish line was taking hold. I was fighting back tears of happiness - pure nectar wanting to flow down my very hot red cheeks! Well Mrs Cole took flight and ran along the pavement encouraging me to keep running. "I am leaving you at this corner - keep going" she yelled - and she was gone. Me nodding like some poor broken child! Feeling like I had to just get my breathe and my legs feeling run out I momentarily allowed myself to walk. It was at that moment the most wonderful stranger came from behind and all I heard was "Joe Bumble Bee you are NOT walking - the end is just around this corner - I am going to run with you and you are going to run all the way to the finish" - every time my steps slowed this lovely lady just kept saying "come on bumble bee Joe you've got this - don't walk - run you can do it!". Do you know what - she was right - I could do it - I did do it - we ran over the line together and I gave her a massive very sweaty hug - thanking her profusely - what a wonderful human being, sacrificing her own time on the clock to help a bumble bee cross the line.
Delighted, euphoric, ecstatic - a feeling like no other. I had indeed done so much better than I ever did dream I could in training and with a cold - 3 hours 7 minutes - so happy. But do you know what that time does not matter - only to me - it really does not matter what time you do it in - finishing is an achievement in itself. Your race - your pace - your dream - your goal - your journey.
Live it - love it - just do it!
If this bumble bee can do this - you can do whatever it is you want to have a go at - just don't give up. As small or as big as you like - even just going out for a walk, stopping to chat with someone in the street - whatever it is - just do it and do it style folks!
PS - just to report I actually did not go for a wee until about an hour after the race was over - see that pesky mind and body ganging up on me making me think I needed the loo!
