I did it! Yep! even got up in a good mood at 6 am, feasted on toast and peanut butter with fruit and yoghurt to follow. OH, Steve drove me into town and dropped me off. Even at 7.30 am there was so much going on in town and loads of runners, gazelles in abundance, walking to the start and here’s me thinking maybe I should have done the 6.5k fun run and had I been a little bit ambitious with thinking I could run a 10k race? but I had my VRB badges from Runningroni and Dexy5 and UpTheStanley pinned to my cap and after reading your replies to me this morning before I left knew I’d be OK (VRB’s rock thank you) and on arrival at the park was comforted by the sight of people who looked just like me. The Ngati Poneke Young Maori Club performed a powhiri (welcome) and a haka and it started to get exciting.
Trip to the portaloo Eew! but needs must and then into line with 2000 other runners 😳 stretches, health and safety briefing and we’re off. I covered up my watch with my buff and decided that ignorance is bliss and to forget about my pace and just enjoy the run as the atmosphere was amazing and all along the way dancers, cheerleaders, bands and drummers lined the footpaths cheering us on. At 3km I threw some water down my neck, (yes actually) before deciding that mastering the art of drinking while running takes skills which I do not possess, so a little walk had to happen. Aren’t those reusable cups so good though? 6km I reached into the back of my leggings to get a jelly baby, 6.3k dropped my jelly babies, ☹️ not leaving without you precious little guys, so turned back to scoop them up so’s ok they were in a plastic bag, water and jelly baby stops the only pauses of the run.
Finish time 1:21:32. and I’m really happy with that. Hung round the finish until Steve came to pick me up and had him take a medal pose photo of me (I know Lexi no mates!) and while waiting for him to arrive had a little boogie to the live band with some grapes, strawberries and carrots love the “runner in training” little girl (pinched it Oldfloss) her mum is a member of the Wellington Scottish Harriers and this little one had her own vest. So cute!
Quick shower when I got home and then off to step granddaughter’s 18th birthday. She got money and some old vinyl albums of ours we thought she might like, as she roams all the second hand shops looking for them. How great is that? some might call us “crusties” oldies, wrinklies whatever now its retro/vintage/classic/mid century but whatever our label we rock! but HU and this forum rock the most and if you got to the end of this blimmin well done!
Off to bed soon, good morning everyone xx
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lexi6
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Well done to you Lexi6 on running your first 10K race, you look so happy and proud in that photograph with your medal, 🥉 the people in the other photos look so happy as well, great day for everyone 🏃🏾👍
Thanks grumpy, the fruit and veg didn’t make Guinness, missed out by a couple of hundred people, but they were brilliant for making the effort anyway 😊
Woo hoo! You look super in the photo with your medal, Lexi, so fresh looking and happy! Well done 😊 I'm so pleased you enjoyed it and did so well (even though you had self-doubt before the start!)🤗 You Did it!👌
The event sounds brilliant, well organised and attended. Some imaginative costumes, love the grapes and watermelon... did those chaps on the stilt legs run? Carrots?😆
I'm glad you had a lovely day, and hope you feel very proud of yourself.
Thank you for the photos and report looks like the weather was good too.
Thanks BBr it was just fantastic and was so well organised and the volunteers were just amazing., The fruit and veg costumes were great, how they ran dressed as aubergines and asparagus etc I don’t know. My favourite was a chap who had a huge hat full of very large handmade brussels sprouts. 🥰 The route we took, passed some of the most expensive properties in Wellington and they were out on their balconies cheering us on too, further round residents and their kids having a ball spraying us with their water guns. The day was cloudy and breezy just perfect conditions. The stilt men were just having a boogie, they certainly calmed my nerves down. Can’t wait to do it again next year xx😊
What a fantastic run and great photo, sounds like you had a great time. Less of the oldies - I lead a health walk group ranging in age from 80 to 88 and they really object to being called oldies so I’m afraid you are still very young and have to run for loads more years and races 🤣🤣 happy running
Whoohoo!! You rocked it like we knew you would! Great race report of a great day and wonderful pictures. Very smart to cover up the watch and take everything in instead.
Thanks Saska it was very empowering and I think covering the watch up made it more enjoyable for me as I didn’t feel any pressure then. Just enjoyed the sights and sounds. It was wonderful.
What a brilliant run you have had Lexi6 and have moved on so far since we met you at Wilmslow last year. I’m so glad that 🦜 got accompany you too. I love the theme of fruit and veg and can see why you wouldn’t want to dress as a bunch of grapes in Wellington; danger of taking off in the wind.
When I did the Bristol 10k last year, I loved hearing the bands all along the route and listening to the crowds encouraging us on. I hope you wore your bling to the birthday party and impressed the youngsters.
We were so pleased to find that mid-century furniture is back in. We cleared a family member’s house and were able to pass units on to very grateful nieces who had just bought their first places. And we are back in fashion again. 😂😂
Thanks Dexy I think once I picked myself up of the doldrums last year I enjoy my running way more now. The atmosphere was amazing, not just the bands but random people made my day, one guy was standing on the side of the road with a sign saying free high fives here, so funny and runners jumping over for a selfie with the two guys wearing Stormtroopers costumes Yep bling worn to the party but they were more impressed with the albums 😂 Whoopee! for mid century xx
Huge congratulations Lexi. That sounded like a fantastic run. I wonder how long the buzz will last? Judging by your upbeat post, I’m going to say at least a week! 😀🏃♀️🎉👏❤️
That is brilliant Lexi and the whole event sounds fab! What an atmosphere! You look so happy in the photo and so you should. That is a great achievement. Time to celebrate!
I know Dalmorangie who knew our old LP’s would be so treasured by this generation. Wait till we bring out the ones stored in the garage to show her . 😊
Woohoo 🥳 👏🏻🙌 Congratulations Lexi! Looks like a really fun run and you ran a great time. The image of you spilling water down your front and going back to pick up dropped jelly babies really made me laugh 😂 I did the same trying to down the paper cup of wine on the Wine Run last year, so stopped for the second one!
😂😂 Ha ha WandS those jelly babies were precious as NZ don’t make them, so they’re like gold and I wasn’t about to leave them behind! Runners behind me must have thought I was mad. 😊
😂😂😂😂 Aw Bless! Dexy thats lovely of you. Coming back last year was just heaven I got to feed my face with all the things I remembered and couldn’t wait to try. Things I loove like Terry’s Chocolate Orange seemed huge when I was a kid, but think they must be smaller now? I’m surprised I wasn’t an Oompah Loompa when we got back, but the damage when I weighed myself was just 450g.
Whoo hoo indeed! Whoo hoo! Whoo hoo! You did it!!! And had a superb time as well! I hope that the dentist appointment didn't take the smiles away. Do you have any further running plans? What ever they are let's hope that you continue to have fun. 😊🎉🏃🏻♀️🏅
Thanks Over61. Back, still with a smile 😁 I’m seriously thinking that maybe I could have 10 miles in me 🤔 but will wait for the high from yesterday to go, so won’t commit just yet 😂
I reckon we can do it you know. My second 10k came exactly a year later than my first and yesterday was only my third, I haven’t got any futher because I didn’t rate myself I’m very slow too, but am feeling so much stronger now.
10miles, I'm sure you know, is 16.1 km. I reached 13km on 16th January, but think I shall only go for an increase every month or so. My run this evening gave me some hamstring trouble so I shall be taking things easy.
13k is fabulous over 61 thats a sensible increase too I like the idea of going at your own pace, I’ll be going slowly too, its my only speed do look after that hamstring though.
😂😂 Thanks Jell it was such a fun day and there were some very clever, creative fruit and veg persons. I thought it would be hard running with so many people, but there was so much to look at the 10k really just flew by.
Congratulations on your 10k run lexi6!👏👏🏃♀️. Super photos too. Well deserved medal. You look really happy on your great achievement and rightly so! 🤗🤗
Makes a big difference doesn’t it?! I might pinch your jelly baby idea too - I’d not really thought I’d need food on my longer runs but as I’ve been doing 8/9 km in an hour plus, I’ve been feeling so tired! Maybe they’d help 👍🏻
😂😂😂 My stepdaughter and her family are all vegan, so on Sunday Steve got very creative and made a loaf to take up with pumpkin and sunflower seeds, prunes instead of dates, courgettes, carrot and apple. It was just divine, could have munched on little bits of that on the way round the course.
Thats a good pace Jazzyrunner. They really gave me a boost, apart from being just delicious they’re soft and easy to eat on the run and small enough to fit into my leggings pocket. I read about jelly babies magical restorative properties on this forum. Learning such a lot on here 😂
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Great Bristol 10K was amazing!😀🏃🏻😀
Sooooo... that 5k turned into a 10k!!
A Semi Naked 8 Mile (12.875K) Run 
