An awesome day...2 race wrap edition

It was a huge day but ultimately rewarding and punishing at the same time.

Melissa, AKA Running Buddy No:2, and I headed over to Werribee Mansion to participate in an inaugural event. The Werribee Mansion Fun Run put on by PB Events was the first of 2 challenges for us this day. The 11km course around the manicured gardens surrounding the historic homestead was beautiful and challenging. There was a section of stairs and a steep hill up to a ridge that backs onto the Werribee Zoo. Doing a 2 lap course means you know you have to do those steps and hills twice. I was pretty pleased to come 10th in my age group in a field of 176 participating in the long course. Mel was ahead of me the whole way and finished 7 minutes ahead of me. She is much younger than me!

some steps

some paths

some bridges

After post race lattes we headed home to rest up for the next challenge.


At 530pm we headed into the city to join in the Wings for Life World Run. Not great timing that the 2 events fell on the same day. I hadn't remembered signing up for Werribee and then signed up for the second run at the behest of another running friend. Running Buddy had been ill for the past 3 weeks and sensibly bowed out of the morning run favouring the bigger World Run instead.
Because it is a world run, being run simultaneously around the world our event started at 9pm Melbourne time. We had to kit out in reflective vests and headlamps for safety and it made for quite the spectacle.

The roads were closed along Beach Road and we headed out with the chaser car ready to take off after giving us a 30 minute head start.

Spectators lined the route and cheered us on which was quite unexpected. They had come out of their posh homes or sat up on their balconies and gave us encouragement. I had originally set my goal for an ambitious 15 km but then settled for 10 so was very happy to actually get to 11km before the 'catcher' car caught up to us. Once you are overtaken that is your race done. We started sprinting when the car approached but my legs couldn't keep it up for long. The mood amongst our group was high, we had done a good job. Running Buddy and I had run from Elwood to Black Rock.

the Australian female winner ran 51km!

The male winner ran an astounding 79kms.
My result is recorded as 11.15 km with an overall rank of 14594 out of a world field of 68,740. I like my category rank of 659. But then I checked my Melbourne results and my category rank is 19 and overall rank is 597, not bad stats from a field of about 2,100. I was surprised how good I felt and am really happy with my performance. In effect I ran a half marathon just with a 12 hour break in between.

After the finish things went downhill. A crammed bus ride squeezed in with other sweaty runners back to the start then another nausea inducing bus ride back to the car made me feel quite unwell. Even though we got our jackets on fairly quickly once back at the start we got cold. The only drink to have was the sponsors Red Bull which I couldn't face so I downed a can of lemonade thinking that would help but no. I had to pull over on the freeway and have a good chuck. That relief meant I could get home but what I really wanted was to be warm and dry and tucked up with a hot cup of tea.

Looking back on the day I was very happy overall, a couple of negatives did not detract from the sense of achievement I felt. We ran in a unique race where the finish line catches you, we raised money for spinal cord research and we ran for those who can't.

We don't plan to do anything quite like that again.