Half marathon mums
On Sunday, Kerryn, Caroline and myself, three mums, completed our first half marathon.
We ran 21 km from the beach to the city. Only a few months ago, none of us could run further than 5 km. So how did we do it?
It all began one Saturday morning in February. Coach Christine was getting a running group together. Nothing too challenging. We began with a 3 km run and walk, and our goal was to run 10 km to the beach suburb of Glenelg for a coffee. Within 10 weeks, we were sipping lattes by the seaside.
It was time for another goal. A few of us talked about a half marathon. Coach Christine devised another running schedule, but by the time we’d built up to 16 km runs, people were dropping out of the group due to busy schedules, winter rain and sore bodies.
But a few of us kept at it. We kept running 10 or 12 km most Saturdays, and we ran 15 or 16 km a few weeks before the half marathon. And even though our preparation wasn’t ideal, we decided to go for it.
The night before the race, we got the husbands and kids together for a pasta meal. Then on a blustery Sunday morning, we fronted up at the Henley Beach sailing club. We pinned on our numbers, and lined up at the start.
And we ran. And we kept on running for 2 hours and 15 minutes. Until we were greeted by our husbands and children at the finish line. My daughter had drawn a fairy path picture for me. Kerryn’s son had made her a ‘you’re my hero’ card. And Caroline’s kids had made her a trophy out of plastic tubs and toilet rolls.
We were buggered, but we did it. We set ourselves a goal. We started out slowly. We did it together. And it was exhilarating.
In an earlier blog, I talked about challenging ourselves to do something new. And not holding ourselves back by believing that what is possible is impossible. Read more here.
So this month, as the sun reemerges, the blossoms bloom, and the air warms, what is your half marathon?
Jodie Benveniste
Director and founder of Parent Wellbeing
