First 21

Made it there just on time at 530. Started the first 1 or 2 km by following the pace of this girl who looked like she knew what she was doing but lost her on the incline at Sheares Bridge....By that time, i was thinking should I U turn? But it was too late! And there seemed to be no practical u turn points.

I had some sort of strategy to jog 9 minutes and walk 1 minute but the adrenaline of being with the crowd and the route march sounds of the pounding feet kept me going. I started walking a bit more after 10k. The U turn at East Coast Park seemed like it would never arrive but I saw the sun rise over the orangey tinted clouds....which was quite a beautiful sight.

Thought i would want to pee at the toilet stops at East Coast but by then, the urge to pee stopped. Has that happened to you? Want to pee, but lose that need to pee after you've sweated.

There was this guy who cut across my path suddenly causing me to trip and almost fall. Wanted to #$%^! at him but he ran off and I had no energy to yell at him.

The GOOD : It was quite well organised - I liked the stilt walkers and the drums. I tried to pysche myself that I was running and watching a street carnival. There were enough water stops and I had half a banana to eat at some point.

The BAD: sweaty army boys. Taking mrt home smelling like sweaty army boy.

The UGLY: There were some serious female runners I think who were aiming to run a fast 10k. They would CLAP very loudly if anyone got in their path and shove people aside. Very ugly.

What I found out about myself: I am a complete sucker for torture and pain! My legs felt like a ton after 15 km. But I sorta kept shuffling

Towards the last turn, with whatever i had, I tried to burst into a sprint. V tired but still pretend to finish strong.

Time 2:46

Going halfway

Ok I've got the running bib for the ancient women's category and I will be flagging off at 5.30 am with a lot of sweaty army boys. The route starts at the Padang, down sheares bridge, to east coast park and back to the Padang.

To clear all thoughts from your mind that I am completely out of my mind, I give to you, the one reason why running has totally rocked my world.

After 11 months of doing this, I am 15 kgs lighter. 5 kgs is what a bag of rice weighs. Imagine the joy of movement on a frame which no longer carries those 3 bags of rice.

Will be taking it really slow by slow. Jog, walk and aim to enjoy and complete it. If I feel ill, I can always u turn. The way i see it, whether or not I complete, this the furthest I've ever got with moving my lazy ass.

No one asked me to do this. Its going to be really hard going and every step will be a fight against the urge to quit. But I'll be doing this for the fat girl, that I know so well:
- who signed up for her first 10 k 11 months ago,
- who embraced her size XL arms in an adidas clima cool running tank top,
- who had absolutely no idea how she would complete the distance.

And I can't quit on her now.