Active English

http://activeseniormates.ning.com/profiles/blogs/gold-coast-marathon-maggi-has

The Gold Coast Marathon was on today, 5th July 2009.
I saw the notice about the road closure during the week, and remembered how much I wanted to run the Marathon years ago when I was in training and running marathons.
I wondered if there were late entries.

When I went back to my apartment, I found the notice again in a Tourist Book, and called the number.
I had to go to the Convention Centre and register as a late entrant. I decided I would do this.

The situation was that I have been walking to school and back at Cloncurry, but had done no proper training. Since arriving at the Gold Coast on Monday, I had run and walked the beach every morning, but I knew this was not proper training. I still wanted to be a part of the Marathon and deicded to do the 5KM Walk/Run. There were no other walks, and I was not sure if I could have run 10 kms. I knew 5 kms was easy, which it was. I walked/ran it in 38 minutes…I still have to check my number as the tag on my shoes registered my time. I aimed at 35 mins which is 7 minutes a km, and got close.
I also took photos while I ran, talked to various people, stopped for drinks, so I feel happy as I reached the goal I set..I walk a km in 7 minutes.

I walked over a km to the Convention Centre from the Hawaiian Apartment where I am staying, not realising the Shuttle bus picks you up at all the stops along the way. There was a lot of traffic because the road was closed for the Marathon, and we got there at 10.20…10 minutes after the race started. It was OK as the tag tied to the shoelaces recorded the time from the moment we crossed the starting Blu lines and exited the Race.

I met a new friend, also named Maggie, who was walking for the ‘Angels’. I have a photo of her shirt which I will add later. I lost her whilst looking for the “Start”, but I know she will contact me again as she has my card and location. I did not take my m obile with me in the race.

Dressed in my red Marathon Shirt, black shorts and my Korean ROK running shoes, I hit the track along with another 10,000 runners. I ran and walked and dodged prams, running kids with parents, and other teams along the way. I did not feel lonely running by myself, as I concentrated on the walking and took photos along the run.

The 5 kms finished quickly enough. If I realised my time was so good, I would have gone in the 10 kms which had a 90 minute cutoff, as I was still doing some jogging at the end with others also still full of energy.

We handed in our electronic tags, collected a gold medal with ‘Finisher’ on it, and I asked a lady to take a photo of me for the story. Its still in the camera.

It was a long walk back to cross the bridges back to where the shuttle bus was. A long queue was waiting for the Shuttle, and I decided I deserved lunch, and found the Internet cafe instead where I am now sitting.
its 10.30am now, and 2 hours ago I was running in the Gold Coast Marathon…another one of the ‘Things I must do Before I Die” completed. I plan to return next year with a Social team…so start planning to join me. You don’t need to run, you can walk the distance at your leisure and enjoy the experience.

I feel very happy and thrilled that I have Done It!!!!!