Support

I was thinking about this the other day when my husband, Jon, cycled next to me for my last 20 mile run in my training for the upcoming marathon. If you don’t have support, you will not accomplish much, I think it is very much like the attitude that you have. I am very fortunate that I have a husband willing to give up his Saturday morning lie in to cycle all the way up the Guided Busway and back just so I can see if I can really run the distance. He will also stand in the rain waiting for me to finish my half marathon (thanks Rob and Sarah-Jayne for getting him that umbrella, I am sure he will use it!). He will wake me up to eat dinner (that he made) after my marathon walk and do it four times in a row. You see, he would be running with me and all my other crazy challenges if he hadn’t had a horrific work accident which has left him unable to do a lot, but he doesn’t know how much this support means to me. I couldn’t have a better cheerleader in my corner than I have.

Kaitlyn, Me, Jenn and Anna

This weekend it made me realise it is also about the support we give to each other people. I took part in the Perkins Great Eastern Run Half Marathon in Peterborough. A few of my friends (Kaitlyn, Anna and Jenn) were training to do this event but this was a taper week for me because my marathon is next Sunday. I decided that I would run with them instead of seeing how fast I can do it in and hopefully to help them over the finish line in their target time. I decided I would stick with whoever was at the back to keep them company and see if I can provide any tips. It happened to that Jenn was the last person so I talked to her the entire way round, I think people thought I was nuts talking the whole time. I probably sounded like a Sat Nav, I was saying things like her pace was good, keep going, to take advantage of the decline and to focus on someone and catch up to them. When one guy almost started to walk 1.5 miles away from the finish, I cheered him on and he started running again (he gave me a hug at the end and thanked me). This event she has been training for months. On the morning I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to keep up as I have not been as dedicated as Jenn has been to her regime. This race wasn’t my race to run and I felt that I needed to be a friend and stick with her. She didn’t hit her target but she had a personal best at 2:02:21 which is 6 minutes shorter than her last time and something to be very proud of! I was so proud of Jenn because she ran her hardest all the way and did it!

Who supports you or who do you support?