Today was the long awaited Duchenne Action's 10km LOVE Run and it's a complete miracle I'm able to tell you about it, to be honest, as the race was scheduled to kick off at 11am and I was still asleep in my bed, on the other side of London at 10.10am, having slept through my 7am alarm.
Major %*$ x a billion.
I still thanking ALL THE GODS in the universe that Megan called me at 10.10am to tell me she had arrived as it was her blessed call that woke me. Thank you x a trillion Megan but IF there is a next time PLEASE SOMEBODY call me 30 mins earlier JUST IN CASE!!!
Seriously I got up and out of bed, had a panic attack, grabbed all my belongings, took my medication, flew around the living room to collect LOVEheart costumes, robbed a cash machine and jumped in a taxi in a record 3 minutes. When the cabbie told me it was at least a twenty-five minute ride to Finsbury park - I firmly told him he had 20 mins MAX and starting changing/ making SOS calls to the LOVEheart Runners who, being highly responsible, functioning adults UNLIKE me, were all there ready and waiting for me to give them their COSTUMES.
Fortunately my cabbie was clearly an ex Grand Prix Racer - flying over traffic queues and magically changing red lights to green so I arrived at our meeting place about quarter to 11. THANK YOU Travel Gods and the best cabbie in London. After a quick change into LOVEheart costumes, depositing bags and power walking/ taking photos of the LOVE Runners in their awesome costumes on my way to the start line and getting everyone all ready queued up to run SIMULTANEOUSLY - we were in position JUST in time for the starting gun. I actually can't remember now if it was a gun - I just remember commencing running seconds after/ as this photo was being taken!!!
LOVEhearted UP AND in no need for a warm up
- BPs were already RACING
Not quite the full LOVEheart team as Megan and Mel were still depositing our bag - THANK you guys.
No joke we were SERIOUSLY LAST to get in position - see there's NO-ONE BEHIND us.
Rather we were behind all these guys who had been ready for AGES!! and were inpatient to get started .......
Fortunately blogging isn't a timed race so let me introduce the LOVEhearts properly.........
Cutest Engaged Couple EVER - Mrs Cat and Mr James ..... check out this LOVED UP BRIDE and GROOM-to-be in their matching costumes - heartsies xx:
Grr.. I'm a Forces Man in Marabou fluff surrounded by more pink fluff and hearts...grr
Half Marathon Training Kaye of ksweeswee blog fame was also wearing her heart on her sleeve back:
Kaye here alongside her Paris Half Marathon compadriate and currently erstwhile ;-)) blogger Jungle Gemma - GG I miss your hilarious posts - come back to blogland.
Fortunately Kaye's love for her man (they make a STUNNINGLY gorgeous couple FYI) is only rivalled by her love for.......
CAKE!!!
True action shot - me power walking backwards - Gemma and Kaye walking towards me. Result = fuzziness. Sorry girls for my photography ineptitude.
Another beyond cute couple-to-be if I had my matchmaking ways ;-))) ....
Stud Muffins and Love Bugs are destined to be together - FACT. xx
Lucinda will absolutely, POSITIVELY kill me for this - but as you've already read I'm a girl who lives on the edge.
It has been really nice knowing you all. Thanks for stopping by.
Plus I definitely caught some incognito "checking you out" action on camera:
Argh - now due for a VERY PAINFUL, as well as UNTIMELY demise.
Swiftly moving on...to a LOVEheart with LOVEitude:
Marathon Training Vanessa doesn't stand for any nonsense when it comes to matters of the heart OR running for that matter.. This incredible athlete crossed the finish line in 51 mins - we were neck and neck for about 10 seconds although to be fair I was only completing my 3rd lap as Vanessa was finishing!!
Christine displaying a message to her valentine - Mr Christine aka Tim our race photographer. BUT I think she also had her eye on the prize, as she ran a PB today - 57 mins - CHECK CHRISTINE!!
Also peaking out the corner of this photo in her ravishing purple LOVEheart is the AMAZING JO or AJ, as I call her, in her "Hug Me' costume:
Quick summary list of JO's AMAZINGNESS:
1. Jo ensured I got the five remaining LOVEheart costumes completed and didn't go glitter crazy last night after an uber stressful day. People you have Jo to thank for these fab design creations.
2. Jo always comes supplied with chocolate in emergency situations.
3. Jo cut a staggering 9 WHOLE MINUTES off her 10km PB today - completing the race in a STAGGERING 1 hour 1 min alongside her HUG ME Twin - Marvellous Marathon Training Megan - whose 10km race today was just a warm up for the incredible 17.5mile training run she has planned tomorrow!! Megan you astound me with your incredible running enthusiasm.
4. Jo is NEVER late for anything and would NEVER oversleep.
5. Jo allowed a drunken man to HUG HER in her HUG ME costume - wish I'd got that on camera!!
6. Jo is ALWAYS AMAZING. ALWAYS.
Conscious that you've not met everyone yet as my photos are sadly incomplete I MUST mention:
1. Mel in her ironic I LOVE RUNNING costume - Awesome.
2. Vix in her CHASE ME costume - Seriously I don't advise chasing this girl as she is INCREDIBLY FAST and pixie LIGHT on her feet and is often used to pace runners in races
3. Ellie in her adorable 118 118 costume.
Then there's me, the latecomer to the show/ running imposter:
CHECK OUT my HOT PINK LEGWARMERS - a SURPRISE PRESSIE from one of my VERY select blog subscribers (Can you imagine getting a daily dose of ME straight to your inbox!?!) not to mention, the sweetest, KINDEST friend I was fortunate to make at University - Miss S - I LOVE THESE SO MUCH - THANKS for making my LOVEheart costume EXTRA "SPECIAL" xx
Whilst my unadulterated love for SUGAR is no secret - my LOVEheart costume actually says:
Costume Closeup courtesy of Lucinda
Surprisingly, of all my LOVEheart costume elements, it was my homemade LOVEheart head band that caused the most stir and received the most compliments from the other Duchenne Runners that I encountered during the race:
Hairband Closeup
But enough costume distractions, time for the nitty gritty: Personally speaking, my running today was S.H.O.C.K.I.N.G and had it not been for the other LOVEhearts and my generous friends who has sponsored me for such a worthy cause to complete this race, I would have pulled out half way through lap one of four due to knee issues, the number of hills on the course, desperately needing a toilet break and having not drunk ANY fluid since I woke up 50 mins previously as well as just feeling exhausted from all the adrenaline rushes of the previous hour. But I crawled my way round - running, walking and praying I'd make the distance.
I was lapped OFTEN but it was great having amazing team mates wave, cheer and grab me on their much faster progress round the course, past me. Running alongside Vanessa as she was finishing was a TOTAL race highlight for me, that and the lady who shouted out at me on the hill of the final lap that I MUSTN'T STOP as I WAS THE REASON SHE WAS STILL RUNNING - UBER SLOW ME in my SUGAR LIPS LOVEheart costume.
It was the NICEST THING ANYONE'S EVER SAID TO ME DURING A RACE - totally made me well up in appreciation. (I was a women on the edge all day today.)
Relieved to be over the finish line and in one piece.
The LOVEhearts are a speedy bunch, splitting roughly into three uber speedy categories (apologies in advance if I've put anyone in the wrong category).
- +/- 51 mins - Vanessa, Vix, The Groom and ?Mel
- +/- 57 mins - Christine, Kaye, Gemma, Lucinda, Ross, ?Ellie
- 1 hour 1 min - AJ, Megan
FYI - Today's 10km meant Lucinda completed 100km!!! as part of her FEBRULOUS challenge. Someone else who also became a CENTURION KILOMETER RUNNER today, 12 days into the challenge, albeit a MUCH slower one was ME!!!!!!!:
Admittedly I am disappointed with my race performance - not the time so much but rather ALL my walking breaks and my lacklustre knees. But I think the disappointment I'm feeling is due more to the aftermath of the adrenaline highs and coming down from the SUPERexcitement of the day so I will sign off here.
BUT it doesn't really stop here - Please check back tomorrow for LOVErun: THE FULL DISCLOSURE for some extra special LOVEheart race highlights you really don't want to miss, BRILLIANT race footage AND the LOWDOWN of a VERY SPECIAL SURPRISE WAITING FOR ME ON MY RETURN HOME FROM THE RACE.
ALL my LOVEheart,
From Slowest Centurion Runner on the Planet (ok, ok not officially running terminology but it should be) xx
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