Our mania started a couple of years ago while on summer holidays we came about an announcement pinned on a tree in the local town square stating that there would be a 5km race for a specific charity.

First thoughts were 5ks, piece of cake; we are on holiday, it will be fun – Let’s participate …. all in …..100%, and for a good cause too!!!

The afternoon of the race, without much thought as to what we were wearing, we gathered in the town square, enrolled and got our bib numbers!!!  Excited and looking around sneakily to see what the competition was like as now we also wanted to win.  The idea of holiday fun turned to pure competitiveness once we saw the trophies and medals lined up!!!

ON YOUR MARKS

Off we go to the starting line, pushing gently in front, no talking and saving energy.  Just then it dawned on us that we had no recent training and were not wearing proper running gear ….. actually we were wearing “whatever-matched” holiday clothes and borrowed sports shoes!!!  Other competitors were wearing matching running clothes of sweat proof material, proper watches and glasses.  Here we were with our raybans and shiny, “not meant for running” gear!!!

GET SET….

GO ….not feeling too bad.  First-second-third kilometer and still feeling good.  The competition was mild, there were no uphills, just the sweet summer breeze and two kilometers to go.  Felt like we were going quite fast but who would know since we were wearing our normal watches.

Two kilometers later we got to the finish line in good time and position – feeling extremely excited as we had just discovered the sport we wanted to continue doing.  Loved the running….. and loved the competition.

 RUNNER’S SYNDROME

Felt this way on that first event so many years ago,  and not given up since.  The only difference being that we will never run in raybans and ill-fitting clothes. 

Since then, we have read a lot on line about this fantastic sport, shopped the appropriate clothing and took place in many, many events – 5k’s – 10k’s – half marathons and marathons!!!

For those of you out there who have also been bitten by the “same bug” ……

 welcome to OUR WORLD!!