The Road to the Half

Well, the Big Weekend has finally arrived. 3 months of training with...well, let's say over 350km clocked with my running shoes. I have battled sore knees, twisted ankles, busy schedules, pouring rain, cold weather, and just days where I didn't want to get out of bed at 4.50am...yes that is 0450 in the morning!
But I've also had beautiful sunrises, fantastic fellowship with fellow runners, wonderful conversations, and a few yummy post-run breakfasts. There have been a couple of smaller races thrown in the mix to spice it up.
And now, I'm here. I planned for everything: don't over-train and burn out, don't run on an injury and make it worse, do add in more stretching and strength training to my running regime. Do plan to kick ass in this race.
But there was one thing I didn't count on. One thing I couldn't possibly imagine would run me up short.
Sickness.
That's right, Monday morning I woke up with a feeling of dread and an even worse feeling in my chest. By Wednesday it was a full-blown sinus infection and I've had to take the whole week off work - a whole week! From the girl who had 1.5 combined sick days in the past 18 months! I went from running 24k with triumph to not being able to stagger 1km without struggling to breathe and feeling like I was going to cough up a lung.
I have been dousing myself in antibiotics and cough syrup and cough drops and so many other medications I feel like a walking pharmaceutical. But the truth of the matter is that being sick wipes out your energy. I can block my symptoms to the best of modern medicine's abilities for two hours, but being able to run when all my spare energy is going towards healing? That is more concerning.
More than a few people have told me to drop the race. That it's not worth it. That there is always another race to run. How many times have I told that to others in my situation?
But with my parents finally - finally! - here to see me race, this has become more than "just another race". This has become The Race to run! The most important race I have run to date. And I am doing it not just for me, but for a wonderful woman who is no longer with us, and to support those she has left behind.
So, run, walk, or stagger, I hope to make it through the 21.1km at the Gold Coast. I hope I can cross that finish line to celebrate the months of training, my parents' cheers, my friends' support, and in memory of a great woman and inspiring runner (thinking of you, Steffi!).
Oh, and Happy Canada Day on Sunday!