Sea to Summnit

I don't know where to start when it comes to today.

Today I ran the George Driscoll Sea to Summit trail. It was supposed to be 32kms but my garmin and another runner who finished with me, both showed it to be 33 1/2kms... and at the end, that extra kilometre and a half really made a difference!

I was just beside myself with excitment.
I got there pretty early but didn't know anyone so just walked around to try to keep warm. It was a cold morning!
One of the buses was late coming from the finishing line so we had to wait a little bit and by then, there were people I knew around so it wasn't so bad.
Of course, I was filled with self doubt!
Firstly that I could complete the course, and secondly that I wouldn't get lost!!! The getting lost factor was probably a bigger issue....

I lost my running partner right at the start but didn't feel so bad as at that stage, there were other people around so I felt confident I wouldn't get lost... as the group thinned though, it became a little more of an issue but still it wasn't too bad until I stepped wrong over a creek and injured my knee.
I almost cried.
I knew I was going to finish one way or another, but the thought of the next 20kms running in the pain I was in was almost too much to bare! I kept looking at my garmin wishing it to clock over faster...

Then it happened... there was no one to the front of me, no one to the rear of me and I came to a point where I had no clue where to go...

So I waited for the next runner... His name was Dave and he was just amazing... running along at my hobbling pace to be sure I wouldn't get lost.
I should have known already, but he told me what markers to look for and I felt a little more confident so I told him to run on ahead (didn't want to slow him down) but he said he'd stay with me to Belair and he did! How nice was he!!

Did ok on my own... at one point I had to ask a guy who was doing some gardening in his front yard if there had been a group of runners come by, because I wasn't sure if I was going the right way and he said "Yes there have been tons of runners coming by"
I really wasn't THAT far back I thought... There were tons behind me too!

So I kept going until I got to another spot where I couldn't see any markers... This was about 8kms from the end... I doubled back as I was scared I'd missed a turn off... about 500mtrs later I saw a girl and a guy coming and ran with them.. They were familiar with the course and were fantastic company for those last hills back to the finish line.

Can't express how much I enjoyed today... Everything about it... well, apart from the injury!

And after I got home and showered I realised I have a monster bruise on my right leg just behind the knee... Not sure if that came from when I stepped wrong or from something else!

And I just love this running community. Everyone is just so supportive! what a great bunch of people to be associated with

Now, when's the next run???