I'm not talking about farting, burping, wetting yourself, pooping, or vomiting. They're all pretty normal activities for a race. I'm talking more about something that leaves you thinking 'can't believe that happened'.
Something weird happened to me in last week's half marathon. Yeah, I know - you didn't know I was running a half marathon. Yes, I've been an absent blogger. Again. Because life. Because busy. Because stuff. Excuses, excuses, excuses.
So just to catch you up, I ran a half marathon last weekend. In Sydney. It was originally going to be a marathon but I just wasn't feeling the training love and lots of my friends were doing the half so the full became a half. No regrets. Just a fun weekend in Sydney. A well-needed long weekend of no jobs and no responsibility and no stress of worrying about running 42.2k.
Just a little side-note here - #2 son and girlfriend coincidentally chose last weekend to move into a unit. And because of the Sydney trip we managed to miss out on having to haul furniture. Mostly. Except for the fridge that arrived on Friday before keys were in possession and when no one except little old me was around to help lug it up two flights of stairs. There was a near-death crushing accident because I'm not so coordinated at pulling extremely heavy white goods while walking backwards up steps. But I lived to tell the tale and so, fortunately, did the fridge.
Anyway, back to the race. And the weird thing that happened. I was running along thinking the usual things that I think in a race - Am I running too fast? Am I going to die? This is not fun. I'm going to have ice cream afterwards. How can they call this course flatter with all these hills? Shake it off, shake it off. Oh no - not another 16k of Tay-Tay. Think of another song. Shake it off, shake it off. Ooh look at those cute tights. Is that rain? - when I heard a voice next to me.
"Hey, you live in Howitt St don't you?"
A woman that I'd never seen before was right next to me. A woman who freakily knew which street I live in.
"Yep"
"I live up the road in the blue house. I see you out running all the time. Love your tights."
Okay, so a neighbour not a stalker - phew. And a neighbour with pretty damn good taste in tights. And a neighbour who's training for Melbourne marathon and was doing Sydney as a bit of a hit-out.
She ran off (a neighbour who's faster than me) then when she got about 30 metres away she turned around and ran back.
"That was rude of me. My name's Kerrie"
"Charmaine"
And she was off again. Leaving me a little bemused. I'd finally met the lady in the blue house but in another city in the middle of a race.
So has anything like this happened to any of you?
Ha! What are the odds? So crazy she recognized you AND said something! That has not happened to me, although I do have a neighbor who runs constantly but almost never speaks to me. I don't think she races much anymore.
ReplyDeleteLOL - that IS weird! What a coincidence! Had you never seen her running before?
ReplyDeleteNot at all. Strange since she sees me out all the time.
DeleteI love that kindredness runners have! And how weird to meet hundreds (thousands?) of kms away from home!
ReplyDeleteYou seemed to have a really good time at this last race which is great as I recall how anxious you used to get with the flights and race prep etc.. And stop with the apologising - you've got so much going on we just love to hear from you when you get time! x
Okay truly it has to be said .. HOW ON EARTH CAN ANYONE RUN FASTER THAN YOU????!!!! Do they breed them fast in Brisbane? Heck. Hallucinating??? Hmmmm just putting it out there.
ReplyDeleteAnd I agree, what's with the hills, that was not a flat course, the promo's did lie! Fun fun.
did you sell her a pair of tights?
ReplyDeleteThat is so weird and funny at the same time! I see a potential new customer for your tights too.
ReplyDeleteIn the town where I live people talk with an accent (I don't because I wasn't born there) and it doesn't matter where we go on vacation, it happened more than once that we heard someone talk with that accent and knew they were from the same town as us.
People obviously notice my tights frequently ... but also, when I was blogging a lot, folks would often say hi as I was running by or when they were passing me. It makes you feel like a celeb for about 15 seconds, then you just move on with your life. But never anyone in my neighborhood in another town.
ReplyDeletePeople tell me they see me running all the time. Heck, I've been running for 34 years, I'd hope someone would notice!!! Buy, no - never met up with saying that during the race! Love the tights - hope she bought some!
ReplyDeleteWacky! Probably the weirdest thing is being recognized from my blog at a race (it's happened twice), which seems crazy because I'm like, "People actually read that schlock???"
ReplyDeleteIt seems quite unusual. I've heard people who met a neighbour on holiday (in a small Greek island) but not in the middle of a race.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, she was very kind.
So glad to hear from you, Char!
Haven't seen you post anything, lately. You have been on my mind - I hope you are busy (my excuse) - not injured! Stay well - Beth
ReplyDeleteThanks for thinking of me Beth. I'm fine - just really busy. Hope you're well too.
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