On Sunday Neka and I ran the 5 km
Race for Life for the Cancer Research UK charity. You might think that we had spent weeks and weeks training for this event. I certainly had
intended to. But with one thing and another (one thing being my back and another thing being my knee) we hadn't actually managed even one run in the 3 weeks leading up to the race. And we certainly hadn't done more than 4.5 km for a very long time before that. Well, not running, anyway. Not even jogging.
Outfit ready, including matching pink lead
We turned up on the day of the race at The Hoe, Plymouth, armed with optimism, hope for good weather and a picnic for afterwards.
I had originally intended to do the race at the Exeter venue, Westpoint, because it is much closer to home but they didn't welcome dogs. Now, am I the crazy one? In 2 months' time, Westpoint will host the largest dog show in the southwest - Paignton Championship Show. Yet, dogs were not allowed at the Race for Life. And I simply wasn't interested in running without my usual running buddy, Neka.
Warmed up and ready for the off
Neka isn't the only dog I've gone running with. Keskiyo has also had a turn from time to time. He's not quite as enthusiastic as Neka (i.e. he's lazier) so I expend a bit too much energy coaxing him along sometimes. In addition, he also has an irrepressible need to pick up any item of potential interest he passes in the gutter - empty sandwich bags, discarded chips, plastic bottle tops. It's an
infuriating endearing habit, but potentially life-threatening for me - or at least neck-threatening - as he veers off to one side, taking absolutely no notice whatsoever if he happens to trip me up in the process.
So, mainly, I go running with Neka. Who only threatens my neck in the event of a cat daring to come within her field of vision. Or a discarded chip. Or another dog she simply
must say hello to.
The weather didn't have the most auspicious of starts, which was a worry partly because I'm unashamedly (or perhaps there is a tiny bit of shame there) a fair-weather runner. But of even greater concern on this occasion was that we had planned to meet up with friends after the race for a picnic and I certainly didn't want the weather to interfere with my opportunity t
o pig out re-fuel after the race.
Rain, rain, go away!
In the end, we got lucky with the weather and there was just a little moisture during the race itself and actual sunshine after the event. So Neka and I didn't get soaked during the run and our friends didn't bail and actually stuck around to cheer us on.
The atmosphere at The Hoe was quite incredible. When my dad asked me on the phone the night before how many runners there would be, I said I thought maybe a couple of hundred. Well, yep, a couple of hundred alright - plus the other 4000. And all their supporters.
The Plymouth "Eye" - only a little smaller than it's cousin in London
Fabulous atmosphere and all the runners in pink.
Neka (right) all smiles before the race with one of her gorgeous son's, Tarkka
Luckily Jay was there too for photographic and cheering services.
And dog wrangling.
Ready! With Neka (R) and Tuuli (L) who came for the day out
and to bark at everyone and everything.
A sea of pink!
And then, we were off! The 4000+ participants were invited to separate into "runners", who got to go first, "joggers", who followed on after them, and finally "walkers". I joined the "joggers" group but quickly regretted not sticking onto the back of the runners because there were already log jams and I spent most of the first 5 minutes or so walking and trying to shoulder my way past some other people even slower than I. Which "shouldering" I did in the most polite manner, of course.
We're in there somewhere
Photo: Jo Ross
The organisation of the event was really very well done. The route was picturesque along the seafront and through pretty cobbled streets. There were enthusiastic "official" cheer-ers dotted along the route and even some wonderful entertainment. I remember seeing a choir of women singing their hearts out and an outstanding troupe of drummers who were well placed so that we all got to pass them twice. In addition to the officials, the whole route was lined with supporters shouting and clapping us all past. The atmosphere was positive, enthusastic, energetic and actually really touching, especially when you read each runner's story pinned to their backs.
I ran most of the way behind another girl with a husky until said husky paused to answer the call of nature. Luckily I had enough poo bags with me for Neka and every other dog on the route. Neka, lady that she is, refrained from disgracing me in that manner, however.
As I neared the end of the race I was even more glad that the rain had stayed away because it meant that I saw no less than 3 separate groups of friends cheering me to the end. Jo was there with Tarkka, Emma, Adrian and the girls were there with Rauhan & Sukka, and Kelly and Billy were there with the Collies Kye and Maddie.
I even managed a little sprint to the finish line to make it exactly 43 minutes according to the race clock. However, that doesn't mean much because I guess the clock started as the very first "runner" group left the starting line and I was quite a way back in the throng behind them. My own gprs said I did it in 41 minutes, but again it also said I only did 4.5 km, so I'm not sure when exactly I set it going. Suffice it to say we did the entire route, there was some walking involved, but we did our best.
Of course there were photos of us nearing the end, but this is all you're going to get.
500 m to the finish line - we made it!
What, you thought I was going to publish the whole photo? Surely you didn't really think that? Allow me to paint a picture in words instead: there was redness of face illustrating my honest exertion, there was gasping for breath as I had just made it up the final hill, there was sweating (see previous detail), and there was no makeup. But there was also a big grin and a thumbs up.
After the race there were some canine cuddles and a picnic in the sun.
Neka (middle) with the adorable brothers Tarkka (L) & Rauhan (R)
He got me
Photo: Jo Ross
The fabulous lead cover made for me by Jo. It reads:
Best of Luck at Race for Life Go Jen and Neka
Tuuli & Tarkka falling in love during the picnic
Two tired girls at the end of the day
The 3rd tired girl was probably already in bed by that time.
And thanks to the truly touching and incredible generosity of our friends and relatives, Neka and I
raised £360 for charity.
