Well, I did it! I survived my first 5 km marathon race. And boy, was it a hard course to run on, for a blind person anyway. I’d thought it was going to be an easy out-and -back course, but it wasn’t. The path twisted and turned, with lots of sharp right hand turns that challenged me. There was even a kerb we had to step down, which meant slowing right down so I didn’t twist an ankle. I know I lost time on the kerb and the sharp turns, as it is impossible to judge a turn when you can’t see, so the best thing is to slow down. I also lost time on the start, as we let the others get away a bit.
The whole experience was great for me. I learned how to race with others around me, how to pace myself, and how much it hurts! I got a bit stressed–which I need to work on–and lost my head a bit at the end. By that, I mean my mental toughness went out the window. I was feeling sick by the end and instead of being able to push through it, I focused on it, let it dominate.
But now I have a benchmark for other races. My time was 27 minutes and 40 seconds.
Out training today, I started concentrating on another aspect of running that I need to master–breathing. My coach, Shirl, gave me some useful hints about controlling my breathing, which in turn controlled my head! It was amazing. She pushed me hard and I really enjoyed it. I realise how important running outside as opposed to running on the treadmill is. For the three weeks before the marathon, I didn’t have an opportunity to run outside, and this showed. For one thing, my stride was too short, and for another, it is much harder to run outside.
So the next 5 km race is on September 24. I can’t wait!
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