8 Life Lessons I Learned From Cross Country

So you may be asking yourself why I am qualified to offer life lessons as an “unlikely cross-country runner.” 

Frankly, when people look at me, they would never think, “Oh, I bet she is a cross-country runner!” 

I played sports all throughout high school, so I was athletic, but I did not fit the average cross-country body type. On the contrary, I have home run-swinging hips and thighs where, unfortunately, one alone was bigger than most of my teammate's torsos (you think I am exaggerating, but I am completely serious). 

Basically, I felt like the Incredible Hulk running next to a bunch of Barbie dolls, only instead of a green complexion, I was usually red in the face. 

Whether you like running or if the only form of running you do is running your mouth, these life lessons may help you too.

1. Don’t let anyone (including yourself) put limits on your abilities.

Since I don’t look like a cross-country runner, I never thought I would be good at it. I like running, and I actively ran to be in better shape, but I never felt like I was particularly good at it. 

When I decided to run cross country, I did it to stay busy during the winter. So, when I began running competitively and was pretty decent at it, I was shocked. Who knew the Hulk could outrun a few Barbies, right? What shocked me even more was when I discovered that women were approaching my husband and telling him how proud they were of me. 

Lesson? Try something new, even if you might fail. You might end up loving it. Live a little. Test your limits. You will be amazed by your unexpected abilities.

2. Everyone needs a running buddy.

Some days, you are just not feeling it. Some days, running 4km just doesn’t seem fun (I know. I know. Some of you wonder how insane you have to be to ever consider that fun). 

These are the days when you need your running buddy to encourage and push you. Sometimes, even in the middle of a run, your motivation can plummet, and you need a good running buddy to drag you along so you do not give up entirely.

Life is like that, too. Some days, you’re just not up to it, and good people surrounding you will motivate you to keep going even when you want to give up. Life is hard, but it gets easier if you have a running buddy. 

So be that kind of running buddy for someone else, and when you need it, they will be there for you as well.

3. The importance of mental toughness.

Everyone knows that in sports, mental toughness is important to be successful, and in cross country and life, it is no different. Surprisingly enough, in cross country, it’s not the fastest person who crosses the finish line first but the one who can endure the most pain for the longest amount of time. 

Sometimes in life, you have to do a similar thing to succeed. You must keep pushing even when it gets hard, and you want to give up. 

Learning to be mentally tough, not just in sports but in everyday life, will completely change you. You will be able to accomplish so much more, and your ability to handle setbacks and disappointments without giving up will increase dramatically.

4. Don’t let the fear of pain stop you.

Life and running are going to hurt. Sometimes….. they are going to hurt a lot! 

No one likes to be in pain, but it is necessary to live through it. If we shrink away from the pain, we may miss out on some of the richest experiences in our lives. 

Pain is momentary, but the experiences we will miss if we shy away from pain will impact our lives. Don’t miss out on life because you fear the pain associated with it.

5. Sometimes, even when you feel weak, you need to dig deep and be strong for others.

In cross country, you may not be the one who crosses the finish line first, but you can still earn points for your team. When another teammate falls behind, it is your job to push yourself and make up the difference. 

You are not always going to feel strong in the run of life, but even at your weakest points, it may be important that you remain strong for those around you.

6. Kindness is important even during competition.

Cross country is an exciting sport because while it is still a competition, everyone is pushing through pain together and have sympathy for each other. 

My first race when I wanted to give up I was completely taken off guard when a runner from the other team running next to me started to encourage me. After marvelling about this for quite a bit, I concluded, “Why not?” 

The people around us in the run of life need encouragement, too. It doesn’t make you any less competitive. If they do better from your encouragement, it just pushes you to be better. What would happen if we encouraged and showed genuine kindness even to those who may seem to be against us?

7. It is important to show strength and heart on the uphill.

Running uphill is hard. It takes strength, endurance, mental toughness, and heart. Running cross country, I was once advised: “Beat her on the uphill.” 

Running, as mentioned earlier, is a mental sport. If you pass someone while running up a hill, you defeat them mentally. 

In their minds, they think, “If they can pass me uphill, I have no chance of catching them.”

Some of your hardest battles will be uphill, but if you can overcome those challenges, you will feel unstoppable. Everything else in life will be easier. So dig deep and stick it out during those uphill battles.

8. You’ve done it before; you can do it again.

Sometimes, during a race, you feel like you can’t do it, even though every day you run that much or more. 

Don’t let your mind defeat you. Remember how many hard times and steep hills you’ve run so far, and keep going. You are stronger than you know.

I would never have imagined that running cross country would have had so much of an impact on my life. My life has greatly benefited from the lessons I learned, and maybe a few of my thoughts have helped you as well. 

To sum it all up:

“Just run. It’s very hard to understand in the beginning that the whole idea is not to beat the other runners. Eventually, you learn that the competition is against the little voice inside you that wants to quit.”

The Loskop 21km WILD challenge. Very wild.

The morning of The Loskop Half Marathon, I’m doing my normal… you know, freaking out.

This was my first attempt at this race, which has a serious reputation for being tough. 

Runner’s Guide gives this route a difficulty rating of 5! 

That is serious, dude! 1 is known to be an easy route, and 5 is hard; everything else in between is OK!

On top of all that, all my friends speak of this race with such fear in their voices that you can’t help but ask yourself if you’re stupid or insane for wanting to do it, too. The funny thing is that they are all doing it, not for the first time.

This speaks volumes about the race, that although challenging, it is doable and one of those races that you will cross the finish line and feel really proud of yourself.

I decided to face this so-called ‘monster of a Hill’. Yip, plus, I created the opportunity to see what the fuzz was about.

At 06:45, the starter’s gun sounded, and we were off, heading West towards the nature reserve.

Within a couple of hundred meters, the tar road became a dirt road as we approached the entrance of the nature reserve. Ever so steadily, we kept on climbing. At last, we encountered a few downhill sections.

As progress at around +- 6 kays (Rhino Hill) was becoming rather ‘hard work’, I discovered that this was not yet the ‘much talked about Hill’. After Buffalo Plateau, one is confronted by a Hill which reminds one of ‘Rustenburg Berg’. It snakes upwards past Thaba Diafela and reaches further towards the sky, approaching Giraffe Neck.

If one runs Giraffe Neck, one can earn a special T-shirt. Suffice to say that no one was aspiring for a ‘T-Shirt’ in our vicinity. Not when one experiences a shuffle decelerating down to a stroll and then to an effort of placing one foot in front of the other. Occasionally, someone would stop dead in their tracks and take a breather before continuing up this relentless incline.

At one stage on Giraffe Neck, my thoughts were: “Someone shoot me, please. No, really, I will pay you. I have money. (Not a lot, but some.) If you go ahead and shoot me, I’ll give it to you. All of it.”

The last climb is within 500 meters of the finishing line (Forever Hill) as one ascends towards the entrance gates (opposite approach to that of the ultra-runners). One turns towards the right and descends in an adjacent lane to those of the ultra-finishers (amongst the throng of people on the sides) to complete another ‘hard day in Africa’.

A medal, ‘goodie-bag’ and a ‘bag of oranges’ further weigh down an exhausted body.

The Loskop Half Marathon tested my mind to the limits!

Confessions of an Injured Runner

You may have noticed that I haven’t blogged much lately … or not.

At first, it was because things got crazy. But lately? To be perfectly honest, I’ve been avoiding all things blog-related. Not because I suddenly hate it, but because when you write a running blog and are no longer able to run, you sort of run out of things to write about (pun most definitely intended).

There are only so many times you can say: 

“Yep. My knee still hurts. Nope, I’m not really running,” and lament about the fact that you can feel yourself getting more out of shape by the minute. 

So instead, I’ve been saving those complaints for my husband. And sparing you all the monotony.

I’ve compiled a consolidated list of everything I’ve been thinking for the past month and a half…but have been a little too ashamed to admit.

Coming to terms with a running injury is like handling any sort of grief. It’s normal to go through stages as you learn to cope:

Denial: I’m not injured. So what if it hurts to walk. I just tweaked something. Give me a few days, and I’ll be as good as new.

Anger: This sucks. I hate my body. Why does it fail me all the time?? What did I do to deserve this?

Bargaining: Look, body, I know that you’re hurting. But I promise if you please just let me run without pain, I will never mistreat you again. Please, just one run without pain. I promise if you do that for me, I will love running every single day of my life. I will never ever complain again.

Depression/Despair: I will never run again for as long as I live. What’s the point of even hoping? My life is over!!!!!!!!!

Acceptance: Okay, so maybe I need to take a break for a little while. If I rehab and stay smart now, I will be back running soon. Rest now will make me stronger than ever.

What is probably not so normal is the fact that I’ve been cycling back to depression/despair more often than I would like to admit.

Every time I come to a place that seems like acceptance when a few days go by, and I’m still in pain, I go right back to feeling as though I’ll never run again. Logically I know I’m being ridiculous. I know that my injury isn’t really all that bad. And that there’s a chance I’m being just a tad over-dramatic. But logic doesn’t always win.

Plus, letting myself wallow in despair gives me an excuse to be lazy. And sometimes, being lazy is much easier than sticking to an awful cross-training regimen.

Meanwhile, my friends are running more and faster than ever before. I don’t know why they chose the time I’m side-lined to take running seriously, but it’s secretly driving me nuts. I don’t know whether to be proud or hate their guts.

I have been taking the news of other runners’ awesome training and amazing race performances with an odd mixture of excitement and depression. This is the fact that I’m probably the least proud of. And the biggest reason I’ve cut back on my participation in the blog world. Even though I am very happy for these people, reading about the success of others further highlights your own failings.

I have not been as good about rehabbing my knee as I’d like you all to believe. I blame it on that whole despair thing. And on the mixed messages I received from the Physio and Bio. 

While I’ve been stretching, rolling, and taking anti-inflammatory meds like clockwork, I haven’t been great about icing regularly. Or not running at all.

At the end of January, I took two weeks off of running and expected my knee to be magically better (spoiler alert: it wasn’t).

At this point, I’ve tried everything. I got new running shoes. I’ve tried different styles of shoes – everything from more supportive to minimal. 

Last week, I had myself convinced that if I wore shoes with a low heel-toe offset, focused on my form, and shortened my stride, my knee problems would go away. And it worked – for a few kays. Without fail, 7 or so kilometres into my run, the pain always comes back.

At this point, I’ve tried everything – EXCEPT for real, sustained time off. Yes, I took two weeks off in January, but since then, I’ve tried running several times a week. And where has that gotten me? Only a little bit better and infinitely more frustrated.

Because when it comes down to it, I am awful at taking my own advice. I can talk to my husband all day long about the benefits of rest. But have I actually been doing it? When I look back at the past few weeks, I have not. Running less is not the same as not running at all.

While I do think there are some mechanical issues with my stride/form that contribute to the pain, clearly changing how I run isn’t going to make it suddenly go away (though hopefully might help prevent injury in the future).

I think it’s about time I come to terms with the fact that the only thing that will is time off. I’m trying hard to move into this acceptance phase and stay there.

But more than my desire to run fast is this overwhelming urge to just RUN. To feel the wind in my hair, the blood pumping in my veins, the feeling of my heart about to beat out of my chest. To once again lose myself in the long run. To know that my legs can carry me. To feel strong. To move without pain. What I wouldn’t give for a run without pain.

My biggest confession as an injured runner? 

I am not handling things well. Not all the time, anyway. 

I know that life is good and that my injury is not all that serious. And that (hopefully), in a few months, this will all be a distant memory. 

Sometimes it’s just hard to see the forest through the trees.

Wally Hayward Race on 1 May 2013

The race started at the Zwartkop High School in Swartkops, Centurion, Gauteng.

The marathon and half marathon started simultaneously (6:30 a.m.) – so the start was quite congested. 

It was really a big field I’ve run in – I would guess more than five thousand entrants, though I really don’t know. It took at least 15 minutes to reach a point where I could run comfortably without bumping into people, and I started about in the middle of the field.

The race was well organised, with marshals and traffic police at the necessary intersections. The water points were about three kilometres apart and well stocked (by the time I went through). 

As it runs through various residential areas in Centurion, there was quite a bit of support from the residents (not those in cars…) – some were simply cheering while others had a champagne breakfast at the side of the road.

The weather was quite cold until at least half an hour into the race, but when the sun finally showed up, it was a lot better. it looks like we’ll have an early winter this year. The route is not that bad, but it is certainly not flat all the way. Luckily, you only have to do Hakken Hill once (I’m sure that needs to be spelt with a “K”, actually) at the end of the race.

The end of the race was also well organised – and it is the second race that I have run this year where I could get a T-shirt at the time I had finished (2:20). The T-shirt looks to be of a nice enough quality, and you also receive a goodie bag.

The Wally Hayward marathon is a very well-organised race. As a result (and probably also because it is the last Comrades qualifier), the field is enormous and congested initially. 

The organisation is good at all levels (administration and water points), it has a pleasant atmosphere, and it is definitely a race that I will do again.

Wally Hayward:

Wally Hayward's exceptional running career spanned six decades. Though he represented South Africa at the Olympic Games and set numerous ultra-distance world records, he is best remembered for his remarkable achievements in the Comrades Marathon. His first attempt at the fabled Durban to Pietermaritzburg epic came in 1930 and was a textbook example of how not to run an ultra-marathon.

He wore cheap canvas takkies stuffed with pages from a telephone directory, only drank every 30km or so, and saw a substantial first-half lead dwindle away to just 37 seconds by the time he crossed the line in first place in 7:27:26.

Exhausted by his efforts, Hayward shunned the race for two decades, concentrating instead on shorter distances and seeing action in North Africa during the Second World War. In 1950, two decades after his first Comrades appearance, Hayward returned and again strode to victory. 

The following year, he made it three wins in three appearances and sliced a massive eight minutes off the record. After finishing tenth in the marathon at the 1952 Helsinki Olympic Games, Hayward returned to secure his fourth Comrades title in 1953, becoming the first athlete to break six hours as he won the 'down' race in 5:52:30. That same year saw Hayward embark on an ultra-marathon record-breaking blitz in the United Kingdom. 

In September, he won the prestigious London-to-Brighton race in record time, establishing a world record for 50 miles. The following month, he broke the world record for 100 miles by over an hour. In 1954, aged 45, Hayward became the oldest Comrades Marathon winner in history, claiming his fifth title in a new 'up' record of 6:12:15.

This achievement was only bettered half a century later when Vladimir Kotov won in 2004 at the age of 46. In the same year, however, the South African Athletics and Cycling Association declared Hayward a professional for accepting a trifling amount of expense money when travelling in Britain. 

He was summarily banned for twenty years. In 1988, at the age of 79, Hayward returned to the scene of his greatest triumphs and ran one of the most incredible races in the long, distinguished history of the Comrades. A full 34 years after his last appearance, he finished in a remarkable 9:44:15, a time good enough to beat half the field. 

He returned the following year for a final, rousing swansong at the age of 80, completing the race in 10:58:03 in front of a rapturous crowd to become the oldest finisher in Comrades history. 

A carpenter and draughtsman for the Johannesburg Municipality for most of his working life, Hayward had a road race named in his honour.

The inaugural Wally Hayward Marathon was run in 1977 and remains an integral part of the Gauteng running calendar. He died in April 2006 at the age of 97. Source: www.sasahof.co.za

Run better every day

Some runners run every day, no matter what, and it just comes easily to them – but you may need a plan for today’s workout.

Without a plan, it’s just too easy to skip a run. You’ve got pressures in the office, errands, classes to take, things to deal with at home. And more. Always more. Which makes it tough to put together a consistent training program.

Yet consistency is the most essential piece of every training program. It’s the one thing, perhaps the only one, that every coach, physiologist and medical expert agrees on.

Without consistency, you aren’t going anywhere.

You’re not going to get faster,

You’re not going to run farther,

You’re not going to lose weight,

lower your blood pressure,

finish that marathon, or

achieve your other running goals.

With a consistent training program, on the other hand, the sky’s the limit. You’ll feel better and run better every day. So let’s get with it. Here are 24 ways to add more consistency to your running.

1. Run with others: To ensure you work out, there’s nothing like the social pressure of knowing someone else (or a group) is waiting for you. Bonus: It’s often more fun than running alone, especially if you’re doing a long run or a speed workout on the track.

2. Run like a tortoise: We can’t lie to you. This isn’t a sport of instant success and miracle shortcuts. Patience pays off, often in a very big way. At the beginning of a marathon training program, many participants can’t imagine themselves running more than 10 kays. 

Twelve to 16 weeks later, voilà: The cheering crowd and unbelievable exhilaration of reaching a marathon finish line. 

Stick with the program. Repeat: Stick with the program. And prepare to be amazed.

3. Take a break: For everything, there is a season. You don’t have to run every day, every week, or even every month. Many top runners visualize their training year as a mountain range. It has peaks and valleys recovery periods when they let their running taper off to build all the higher in their next training period. For healthy, consistent training, your body needs regular, that is, weekly, seasonal, and annual recovery periods.

4. Eat a healthy breakfast: We can’t emphasize this. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day because it fuels you for the entire day. To skip breakfast or eat a skimpy one is like failing to rehydrate and refuel after a marathon. You wouldn’t do that, would you? Well, your night’s sleep is like a marathon to your body because you don’t get any fuel while you’re sleeping. So carbo-load at breakfast. And add a little protein.

5. Get cosy with frozen vegetables: This isn’t a nutrition tip. It’s an injury-prevention tip. If London Marathon winner Paula Radcliffe can take ice baths after a hard race, you can stand a bag of frozen peas against your sore knees for 15 minutes. 

Nothing reduces inflammation and holds injuries at bay like ice. 

Result: You stick to your training program. (Or get yourself one of the commercial ice wraps, often with handy Velcro straps.)

6. Join the “X” revolution: Despite the many proven benefits of cross-training, we still know too many runners who only run. C’mon, folks, we know all about the “specificity-of-training” rule, but we still skip the occasional running workout to get in some cross-training.

Mainly strength training, bicycling, elliptical training, yoga, stair climbing, pool running, rowing and walking.

Why? Not because we think these routines will make us faster in our next half marathon but because they make us fitter and less prone to injury.

7. Keep a log: Your training log is an excellent source of the kind of motivation that builds consistency. It beckons to be filled in, reveals the secrets of your training and racing successes, and provides inspirational quotes and useful tips.

8. Enter races: You don’t have to race to be a serious runner, but, geez, there are so many good reasons to enter races. 

Entering races, especially marathons, “scares” people into training how they should. That’s a good one. But we also like the sense of community you get from races. They help you realise that you belong to something big and that there are more people than you imagined who share your running and fitness goals. Besides, it’s good to go for the burn occasionally.

9. Pay attention to your shoes: Some things should be obvious, and this is one of them. But it’s worth repeating if it keeps even one of you from getting injured. Most shoes wear out after 500 to 800 kilometres. 

You often can’t see the wear, but your knees, hips, back, and Achilles tendons know it. Give your old, worn shoes to a local Salvation Army or similar group, and get yourself to a running-specialty store for a new pair. (While you’re there, buy some reflective gear. The days are getting shorter. Make sure you’re visible on the road this winter.)

10. Run early: Do you want to get something done? Do it early in the day. Everything gets tougher later in the day when various tasks and responsibilities start ganging up on you. In a recent Runner’s World survey, the two most popular workout times were 5am and 6am.

11. Practise good posture: Not just when you’re running, but all the time. This is especially important if you’ve got an office job and sit at a computer all day (like me). 

Ensure your keyboard and monitor are correctly positioned, and sit straight but comfortably in your chair. Some of us sit on those large Swedish exercise balls, which encourage good posture because you must use your legs and stomach muscles to keep from falling off. Good posture can improve your running efficiency and decrease injury risk. 

Ergo, better consistency.

12. Use the fridge In two ways: First, be sure it’s always stocked with those essential foods you rely on for healthy nutrition and snacking: Sports drinks, low-fat yoghurt, fruit, nuts, carrots, etc.

Second, put something inspirational outside the fridge: A picture of you and friends at a race, a training plan, a great quote.

13. Schedule it: You’ve got your calendar, your day planner, and your napkin with the scrawled list of stuff you absolutely, positively have to get done today. Be sure to write in your workout. 

Carve out an hour in your day. The experts all agree: Your exercise is one of your most important daily activities. Make it happen. The President of the United States exercises almost every day. You should, too.

14. Get your clothes and shoes ready: Root through your closets and drawers the night before a morning run to select and organize the running gear you need. Another good trick: Have a complete bag of running gear (and a dry shirt and towel) always at the ready in the boot of your car. You never know when you’ll be able to use them.

15. Run on different surfaces: See how many different surfaces you can run on in a week: Tar, gravel, trail, grass, track, treadmill, beach. Each stresses your leg muscles in a slightly different way, helping to prevent overuse injuries. (If possible, avoid concrete, the hardest and least accommodating surface for runners.)

16. Take a trip: Reward your training and racing successes with a special running vacation to take in an exotic international marathon if you can afford it. There really are some superb races out there to choose from, especially the Big City Marathons.

17. Stay flexible: We like that word; it has many important meanings. We’re discussing a regular stretching programme to keep your legs limber and injury-free. Or yoga and Pilates routines, both of which are enjoying a massive surge in popularity. Pick the approach that works best for you. You need to prevent injuries if you want to improve your training consistency.

18. Run before you get home: If you can’t run in the morning or at lunch, at least try to run before you get home from work. Stop at a favourite park or trail on your way home from the office and do a workout there. Or arrange to meet some friends for a run at 5:30pm. Once you’re home, it’s hard to get out the door again for a workout.

19. Stay hydrated: Eat your fruits and vegetables, and get plenty of sleep. I know: You’ve heard all this stuff before. Okay, I'll stop. But just remember that the simplest, most basic advice often makes the biggest contribution to improved consistency.

20. Adopt a runner: Sometimes, the most motivating and rewarding thing you can do is to reach out to someone else. It could be someone close, at work or even in your family. Or your club might receive occasional calls from new runners or those who want to begin. Offer to help. Beginners don’t need a mentor with a Ph.D.; they need encouragement, a personal connection, and the kind of basic training, nutrition and injury-prevention experience you already possess.

21. Start a running streak: I don’t mean that you should run every day. In fact, I don’t advise that for most runners. But I like the idea of running the same road race every year, or you could run one marathon yearly. Or you could “collect” cities and towns by racing in a different one every few months.

22. Join an online community: Many running websites have forums or message boards where runners exchange information, opinions and greetings that develop into digital friendships. Often, these blossom into “encounters,” where the online friends agree to meet at a particular race. Along the way, they encourage each other’s training and lend a sympathetic ear when that’s what you need most.

23. Establish a pre-run routine: You warm up at the start of a race and at the beginning of a workout, but it’s also helpful to warm up for your warm-up, so to say. Follow a routine. Sixty minutes before your run, reach for a bottle of sports drink. At run-minus-30, take a three-minute stroll to loosen the legs. At run-minus-10, listen to a favourite psych-up song. Include any other short activities that work for you. Psychologists say these routines help us develop the healthy patterns we want.

24. Don’t obsess about it: Hey, I wish every day went as planned and every run fit perfectly into the scheme of things. But stuff happens. Life has a way of playing tricks on all of us, both the unexpectedly happy variety and that other kind. Don’t worry about the runs you miss. Sometimes the best advice is simply to run with a smile on your face and to enjoy and appreciate every workout. Come to think of it, that’s always the best advice.

My second 21.1km - Cradle of Humankind

Firstly, the scenery was breathtaking.

We were there before the sun, and it was freezing cold.

But that is part of the race.....

I started my run slowly and controlled myself from running fast initially.

I started to get tired at about 3km point but didn’t stop and kept running. After 5km, that tiredness was gone, and I began to enjoy my run. 

I enjoyed every bit of my run, from 5km to 10km. I saw so much wildlife and hot air balloons on the route.

I reached my 10km mark in just less than an hour. During the whole run, I drank about 1L of water. From 10km to 15km the group in front of me kept me motivated to keep going but after 15k my legs started to hurt. I walked between 15km and 18km for a couple of minutes and was running slowly.

I wanted to keep my energy up for the finish line, so I was not trying too hard to push myself. I ran slowly every 5-6 minutes and walked for about 30 seconds. After the 18km mark, I caught the second wind and started to sprint, leaving many people behind (including a couple of those who encouraged me when I was walking).

Then I started to run slowly again and kept a steady pace so that the people I left behind did not cross me. After 20km mark I was too tired and my whole body was in pain but I kept telling myself that If I can run so far I can run another 1 KM or so.

Marathon is more about your mental strength than physical, and I realized it that moment. I ran faster again, close to the finish line, and beat another 7-8 people behind. I finished my run in 2 hours and 13 minutes. After that, I was in so much pain that I couldn’t even walk.

Finishing my second half marathon (in the same year as my first, I might add) was no easy feat, and I want to shout it from the rooftops!

Luckily, social media allows us to do that more leisurely now.

“I’m going to post it on Facebook, tweet about it on Twitter and then blog about it afterwards,” which was my playful response to the random guy behind me when he asked if I would share this on Facebook. 

He thought I was being sarcastic, but little did he know that this was precisely what I would do. So, I am writing about this experience but struggling to find the right words to capture the moment I had. Thus, just enter the race next year and see for yourself.

My first 21.1km - Om die Dam

There is only one thing essential to train for such a long run, and that is Running.

I started my training about 6 weeks before my first half-marathon. I used to run for about 5k on the treadmill without stopping.

But that first 21k I run I ran and completed in 2 hours and 40 min. And please note: I was SICK! Although the doctor advised against me running the 21k. 

I was stubborn, I NEEDED to run the 21k, all those hours of training was not going to waste on my clock.

So I went. Not my best time, but my body was only capable of what I was running.

I walked more than I actually ran, but it was an experience I would never forget. During the last 5k, I ran on reserved energy, thanks to GU.

The longest I ran before my first half marathon was about 15k, a few weeks before the actual run.

WOW! I loved it!

My thoughts while I run…

Friends who don’t run often ask me what goes through my mind during the long run. 

It’s hard to describe, as most runners know there is no rhyme or rhythm to what goes through your mind during those hours when you’re pounding the pavement.

The majority of the time, my thoughts can be amounted to one big cluster. It usually goes something like this:

1. What a beautiful day for a run!
2. Damn, it’s hot!
3. This sucks.
4. Well, 21 km is only ten and a half km each way, which is basically 10 km each way, so I’m really only running 20 km. That’s not too far.
5. It’s starting to feel far.
6. WATER!
7. How long have I been running? A year?
8. SIX MINUTES?! What de…!
9. I can barely remember what my life was like before I started this run.
10. OK, concentrate! There are still 12-plus km to go.
11. But who counts the first and last km? This is an easy half marathon.
12. Oh, shit! A fellow runner from the club!
13. Should I wave?
14. I’m totally gonna wave.
15. OOOK, they didn’t wave back. Never do that again.
16. Just keep running; no one saw. Except for that old guy who may or may not be averting his eyes.
17. Man, I think I’m hitting that “second wind” thing people talk about.
18. Wait, never mind. I’ve been running down a decline.
19. If I leap to avoid dog shit, does that make me a CrossFit athlete?
20. What the heck is CrossFit anyway?
21. Mental reminder: Google CrossFit when I get home.
22. If I ever get home.
23. WATER!
24. Aarrrgg! I hate this song.
25. If I had a heart attack right now, I wonder who would find my body.
26. OMG, I hope I never find a dead body. Runners always find dead bodies.
27. Bodies. Body. Bod-ay. Runnin’ all day, no one can catch … may.
28. OK, I must be halfway done by now.
29. What?! Only 12km in?
30. WATER!
31. Alright, Lizette, stay focused. What am I going to eat when I get home?
32. I’m running 21km, so I should probably eat five slices of pizza with wine.
33. Or I could buy one pizza and ask them to cut it into five slices.
34. I should get a side salad, too.
35. ….
36. F@*k the salad, actually.
37. Man, what are these people doing in front of me? Walking?!
38. Is this a contest to see who’s the worst at walking?
39. If I pound my feet on the ground, they’ll hear me coming and let me pass.
40. Oh, mother! They didn’t turn around, and now I’m right behind them. They will think they’re getting mugged by the world’s sweatiest criminal.
41. You know what, ladies? Now is a good time to start to run in the street.
42. *Jumps off curb*
43. Hi, hi, hi, please don’t hit me with your car.
44. Pedestrian pedestrianizing over here; let me cross.
45. Thank you, Mr. Blue Honda. I’m trying to smile at you, but it probably looks like I’m having a stroke.
46. Actually, I wonder what I look like right now.
47. *Checks out the reflection in shop window * Yeesh.
48. Is that what I look like when I run? What am I, a newborn deer with a drinking problem?
49. Whatever, I must be almost done by now.
50. Heck yes. Two to go. It’s all downhill from here.
51. Except for that very real uphill in front of me. Dammit.
52. Wait, is that… Is that…
53. A DOG!
54. Hi, doggie! You are so cute. You are now my mascot. I will finish this run for you, pup.
55. I am exhausted.
56. WATER!
57. Honestly, I don’t even like running.
58. Why do I even run?
59. Why does anyone even run?
60. Why are we even alive?
61. OK, let’s not go down that road.
62. Focus. Focus. F…F…F
63. Wait, less than one km to go? I am KILLING this run.
64. I AM THE SWIFTEST GODDESS OF ALL TWO-LEGGED CREATURES.
65. YES, including ostriches.
66. Honestly, I should sign up for a marathon.
67. What is it, like 42km?
68. That’s just 20 km each way, which is practically 10, and 10 is twice five, and I can run five km EASY.
69. That’s it, I’m doing it. 42km.
70. Marathon…42 km marathon…. 4….2…..km
71. On second thought….
72. But I could probably do a marathon IF I wanted.
73. OK, almost home. Should I shower first and drink wine? or rink wine and shower later?
74. Yep, definitely drinking wine first.
75. I guess running’s not so bad.

How running changed my life

When I started running, I had no idea how much it would affect my life. I started doing it to get in better shape, but it gave me so much more. Running gave me a purpose and a drive. There is no greater feeling than crossing the finish line of a race. You’re filled with adrenaline and such a sense of pride & accomplishment. 

That feeling is addictive, so after my first race, I signed up for another race and then another to continue chasing that feeling. While I was doing this, I never really stopped to think about the effects it was having on my life, but they are profound and go way beyond just the health benefits.

Happiness: I’m an introvert, so I recharge best with some alone time. Although I like to run with my running partners, we give each other space and time to think, which re-energises me. I don’t think I realized before how much this affects my mood. 

But now that I have this time to myself multiple times per week, my daily moodiness is gone. I can’t even begin to describe how different my attitude and outlook on life are. The change was subtle, and it took me a while to recognize it, but I am absolutely a happier person.

Self-Confidence: From as young as the age of 8, I felt ashamed of my body. I vividly remember a time in grade 3 when the girls were measuring to see how far their thighs were from the tops of the desks. My thighs were the closest, and from that point in my life on, I was aware of my body and didn’t feel comfortable.

I used to buy clothes that were too big to hide my body. I hated being in a bathing suit. I used to not even be comfortable with my husband. But ever since I started running and exercising regularly, that completely changed. I haven’t lost any weight; I just feel better about myself. Now, I’m proud of my body and its strength. I’m okay with others seeing it. It’s so empowering to feel free of body shame, and it motivates me to continue on my fitness journey.

Courage: “The miracle isn’t that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start”. That quote is one of my favourites because I resonate entirely with it. I remember when my friend was training for her first half marathon. People asked me if I would run the 21.1km, too. I just laughed. Me? Never. I honestly didn’t think I was capable.

But through running, my confidence improved, and I got up the courage to sign up for my first half marathon. It was terrifying, and on the day of the race, I wanted to puke, but I got to the start, and I crushed my way to the finish.

New Friends: Before I joined Run Walk for Life in Rustenburg, I felt lonely. Being introverted and shy, I struggle to form new friendships, but running and blogging gave me common interests with people. I have met some of the most incredible people who have become great real-life friends to me now. We actually call ourselves "The Running Divas"

When I say exercise & running changed my life, I really mean it. I owe so, so much to running and the running community that I just want to shout from the rooftops: Thank You, RWFL!!!!