Been there, done that and got really dirrrrtyyyyyy!!!!!!

Gosh - where do I start? I thought at first I was mad to take part on this event but until I got to the finish line, I think it's no longer the madness is in question here, it is more to do if you are determine enough to put your mind to something that you think you can't do. I certainly owe my most gratitude to my mate Stuart and his friend Gareth that decided to run, walk, crawl or even drag ourselves together until the finishing line, rather than leaving me to do it all by myself. I was slow, but I wasn't a quitter!

Some of the girls that I knew from Yasmin's daycare (the teachers) took part on 6km challenge but I decided to push the distance to 12km instead to see if I got what it takes to finish and do it. What do you know, I may be one of the last but I didn't ended up DNF! I didn't even injure myself or limping much once I reached the finishing line.

The most difficult part for me on this challenge (if I am running by myself) is to pull myself out of the deep water. I think the last couple of water we were in, if Stu and Gareth wasn't there, I will be frozen to death in it! The other tough bit which I really struggled through the whole course of this man made and natural obstacles are climbing on those hills second time around (12km participant has to do the course twice) Not only the poor legs are knackered but it just doesn't want to climb anymore. After reaching the top hill (I am not kidding you, its like the scene in The Sound Of Music those hills look like!) running downhill can be quite dangerous too especially where the slippery places are. It will only take one wrong step and if you slip, you will be doing those Bollywood scene on Indian/Hindi movie where they rolling from top hill all the way down the bottom singing their heart out. The only difference is, they got better costume on, where I am covered from top to bottom with mud. I don't even recognise myself at the end of the event as I was soooo dirty!

It's also very tricky to run all the way this course not only if you have the pace and stamina for it as the muddy areas are, again, if not careful can be lethal! Accident waiting to happen. If I am not overly careful enough about my steps, I think I would have been much quicker. Its only my first time and doing 12k, I think I have done well. I finished in 02:27:53.

I thoroughly enjoyed it. I cried (well, what's new there?) when all three of us reached the finishing line together holding hands as I have yet again proven that I can do it. I have it in me to do it. I felt slightly embarrassed as the 'event photographer' took our photos with beer in hand (the sponsor of course) where my eyes were filled with tears! Such a wimp! Or my neighbour Brett would think so (miauuuwwww!) But when the lady photographer asked us to do another pose only this time with grrrrrr..... and mean face, I soon got my tough spirit back up again. This event is something that I will not forget and it mean more to me as I got 2 friends that willing to sacrifice their PB on the day so they can pace it with me. Now that is priceless.

Will I do it again next year? I don't know. I know Stuart wanted to do again next year and he can suck me into anything this fella. So we shall see if the circumstances is allowing me to do it again. Don't get me wrong, its certainly fun, entertaining, doing all the mud sliding, etc and felt like you are a kid again as some time. The pain and hurdles that you go through during the event made you realised how hard it is. Like Stuart said to me when I was complaining that it was hard, he said life is hard, who said its going to be easy. So true. I learnt a lot from this event. And I still keep telling myself when I doubt myself that I can't do it. I also keep telling myself once I completed an event that I CAN DO IT! Its a forever battle but I know I am not a quitter.

I also learnt when you have great friends, do not let them go. And I will be running with them at Auckland Marathon 2009 this November (well not together like this time). Bring it on!!!!