It was the resolution that almost wasn’t – well for me at least.
In the South East corner of Queensland, we are blessed with an enormous range of running, trail and tri events all aimed at celebrating the outdoors that we are blessed to live amongst. So you can imagine that when the Hans Resolution Run advertisement cleverly hit my facebook news feed, I wasn’t convinced. The thought of paying ANY registration fee in January – after Christmas with a family and with school expenses on their way – was all a little too much.
And then the RMA posts started.
I could see the increasing number of RMA women pledging their resolutions – and I wanted in! In an act that probably best represents the RMA movement, a generous Running Mumma (Jen Craig) offered up her ticket to a willing taker. It appeared that she had been double booked that day and couldn’t attend – and didn’t want to see her ticket go to waste. Fortunately for me – I was quick on the keyboard! And despite my best attempts to persuade her otherwise, this total stranger insisted that I have the entry for free!
The lead up to the event gained momentum. The number of Running Mummas posting their intentions continued to grow. Some kind Mums put shout outs on Facebook offering up carpooling rides, and the ‘pre-race’ gear pics began to appear on my feed. I was excited!
Arriving at the event with my partner in crime – running mumma extraordinaire Julianna – I was stunned to see the peppering of RMA shirts, visors and smiles throughout the crowd. We spotted a pool of Mummas and headed over for the pre-race photo. The process of having the picture taken was hilarious – with strangers running from all around shouting “wait for meeeeee!” There were awkward getting-to-know-you laughs, and resounding humble comments of “I am just going to give it a go today…” All in all, it was lovely to finally put voices and expressions to the profile pics and Instagram shots that I had been following for so long.
The time came to hit the starting line (after the fun of a public warmup session involving full body paper/scissors/rock comps), and before you knew it, we were off. Through the beautiful botanical gardens the crowd was tight but not impossible. We spread out as we headed over the Goodwill Bridge and smack into the first photographer ;). At this stage you couldn’t tell where the humidity stopped and the sweat started. It was hot, humid and hard going!
By the time we hit Southbank and the bemused looks of a few early bird tourists, we were positively drenched. Then came the light rain. It was a welcome relief for the runners – well at least those who don’t wear glasses! As I made my way up the steep ramp on to the Victoria Bridge, I came across a familiar face and more familiar logo. It was another Running Mumma who I had met at a few previous running events. The ramp had almost killed me, and with some heavy legs I stayed with her for a little bit while we gently encouraged each other over the Victoria Bridge. What she didn’t know is that I am all but certain I would have walked that stretch if it weren’t for her company and encouragement. She was a lifesaver!
As we finished the first lap and headed out for the second, the sounds of “Go RMA” and “lets go running mumma” became a little more frequent. With no headphones, these calls became my music to run to.
The second lap went in a blur that had nothing to do with any awesome cartoon-like pace. It was a blur because I had reached that time in the run where it wasn’t easy, and in order to win the argument between my head and my body, I had to just focus.
I finished the race the same way I started – surrounded by running mums. I was surrounded by women who had just demonstrated that actions do speak louder than words. I was surrounded by women who had kept their New Years Resolutions to themselves. Well done ladies – every single one of you.
I will definitely be back next year – and next time, Jen, it’s my shout!
For more info about the Hans Resolution Run click here
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