3hr 27:59min!

.....and that 59secs is very important!!!!!

Sunday Total: 42.2k
Week Total: 66.5k
Month Total: 111.3k
Year Total: 911.4k

Time: 3hr 27.59min
Av pace: 4.50min/km
Av Temp: 13.1*c; max 18*c (7am-10.30am)
Rel. Humidity Av: 62.3%
Wind Spd Avg: 4.5kph (SSE)
Started with: One way or another - Blondie
Finished with: Hate to say I told you so - The Hives

Yay!! I have run the Canberra Marathon and in a time that's not half bad! I won't lie - for the last 10km it was a hard slog. Everything hurt by this stage and I felt incredibly tired. I was convinced, by the 40km mark, that 3hr 30min wasn't going to be possible and so the mental re-calculations were happening (bad move - I can't add 2 and 2 after running 5km!). Clairie's encouragement helped immensely at this point, as did Katy's amazing, crazy performance! And that cup of coffee that was waiting for me once I had finished - bliss! It was just what I needed!

However up until then I was having a great race - I was running well and enjoying the scenery, the course and the support from the likes of the always amazing CR cheer squad - they are just incredible. I've already mentioned Katy the Greaty but she deserves more than one mention for her ingenuity, enthusiasm and imagination! Then there was Steve, Geoff, John, Naomi, Carol, Ewen, Aki, Peter and the list goes on an on - it all helped. Thank you. And the encouragement from others doing the marathon - its called sharing the pain!

So all in all it was a satisfying marathon and I was only 79secs outside my PB. But considering since SFT I have been sick with a virus, found that recovery didn't happen overnight (but it does happen eventually!), and that physically and mentally I was tired, I'm pretty amazed with my run. I don't know how others back up from one marathon and run another so soon afterwards - I wish I knew the secret. For me it was hard work.

Well done to tesso, iliketoast, liza, speedygeoff, maria, charlie, roger, griffin, emma, anita, susan, go girl, portrunner, phoenix, Mr Lulu, mario, johnny dark and, of course, strewth. For some goals were achieved, PBs made; for others it was their first marathon; and for others things didn't go to plan; but they all did it. Well done!

Today? I'm still incredibly tired, a little stiff but not too bad. Had a lovely lunch with Strewth, Lulu and Mr Lulu. Have eaten one of my dark chocolate Easter rabbits tonight. I tried sharing it with the family but no-one wanted any...honest!

Running? Not yet. I need a rest....it's long overdue.