36: 10km Fun run

Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.

This was one of the first challenges on my list, ever since I saw my girlfriend complete the Run Melbourne fun run in 2018. Last year I did the Colour Run 5km challenge with Dad and was ready to take it up a notch. There was some drama around my ankle which I twisted while travelling in South Korea a month and a half before the race . Although it had not fully recovered, I was confident that I could push through the pain without re-injuring it.

I completed my first 4 weeks before the event, when my cousin Joel was visiting from England. Joel, Shira, Dad and I went down to Albert Park early Saturday morning to participate in the Park Run event. For me, Albert Park is a challenging run, and one that I generally like to work up to, but with the limited time to prepare for the 10km challenge, I wanted to push myself. I finished the run strongly, my legs were sore but my fitness was good. 33 minutes in total. Because I do regular boxing I was fit enough, but I just needed to condition my legs to get me through to 10km.

The next run was with Shira again. We ran the Gardner’s Creek Trail but we added a lap around Central Park to make things interesting (6.5km in total). This run was mentally challenging. Usually when I run the Gardner's Creek Trail there are places along my route that I walk. Getting past those points, one foot after the other, was key to overcoming the mental hurdle.

The last run was my strongest. I ran 8.5km with Dad from my house to Caulfield Park, 2.5x around and back. After a strong finish I knew I was ready for the Melbourne Marathon 10km.

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Although I did not get much sleep the night before, the morning of the run was beautiful. I was blown away with how many people were there! All representing a cause or a charity, running for personal fitness or just to help out a friend, the atmosphere was electric. I started slowly, my calf was tight and I was trying to weave my way through people. Dad, who usually jogs at a snail's pace, was racing past me and I could not keep up. Not a great start. Once we reached the Tan (Royal Botanic Gardens) I worked myself into a rhythm, and my calf issue subsided… for now. The period between the 3km mark and the 6km mark was difficult mentally. I just wanted to ensure I did not stop jogging, for anything, but by this point I had lost Dad and was slowing down.

But once I made my way out of the Tan onto St Kilda Road with the Army brass band playing a rendition of Thriller, I knew that there was not long to go. I got my second wind! I picked up the pace and persevered. Finally I made it to the MCG, and at the final turn I saw Dad drenched in sweat about 2 minutes ahead of me. I sprinted the last lap of the MCG, powered through the pain to finish the 10km run. This was the furthest I had ever run without stopping and I am proud of my achievement. Even if my 64 year old, overweight, grey haired, jokester of a father beat me!