Eion Scott's Fundraising Page

On the bridge with Northcote behind

Getting Closer - St Heliers at last

OK I'm buggered…

See my blog below for a description of the run and feel free to add your comments. While the run is over, I'd only be too happy if you were to add to my total raised for Heart Foundation.

Many thanks for all your support.

4/11/08
Well thank goodness that's all over. I'm starting to feel like I'm back in one piece after two days of being a tale of two halves - top half, no problem, second half, falling apart like the All Blacks in a World Cup quarter final… Kidding aside, it was a great race, and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience (once I got to the end at least).

The first 21k was sublime, overnight rain had stopped and the air was crisp and cool, everyone was squashed in at the front so took three or four minutes to get to the line, encouraged by people with megaphones blaring out English football supporter chants. Nice and steady through Devonport, Takapuna and Northcote, eventually onto the motorway and had a stop at the top of the bridge for photos.

Round the tank farm I foolishly thought I could pick up the pace to get to the half way mark in under two hours, which I did, but not without consequences…my calves stiffened up, and suddenly even a slow jog was an effort. By the time I got to St Heliers the pain had extended to the quads and hammies and I was a mess! The final 10k was, as they say, ugly! Run 100m, walk 200, run 75m, walk 250. The finish line seemed to be getting further and further from my grasp. By this stage I was using any excuse to delay the pain, and the blessed waterstops couldn't come soon enough, especially the flat coke, which seemed to give me just enough wings to hold my, admittedly feeble, pace for an extra curve of Tamaki parade, maybe even get me to the next bay.

The costumes helped, especially the lei'dies with their bikinis and grass skirts, Fred and Barney carrying their papermache car and, running at the rear (so nobody had to put up with the rear view), the mankini'd and moustachioed Borat.

With the Ferry Building in sight, I managed to run the last 2km with only one short stumble in the middle. And to look at me sprinting to the line, you would have thought it was a doddle! (go to http://www2.marathon-photos.com/scripts/event_entry.py?job=Sports/2008%20Sports/Auckland%20Marathon&match=1277 if you want to see the video!)

Net time was 4:36:14. Not quite what I'd aimed for, but satisfied nevertheless. And the massage in the heart racer tent afterwards was exquisite! Thanks everyone for sponsoring me. It was a buzz.