My first 10k’s – A Ballito runner’s experience

I am not a runner. At least that is what I told myself until I signed up to do Jump Start, a beginners programme launched by Dolphin Coast Striders running club, aimed at someone that is new to running or starting out again and looking for a running goal.

I ticked all of the above boxes.

While waiting for the Jump Start induction talk to begin that evening I took stock of myself.

I am a pragmatist and I knew what kind of shape I was in. I had come through a long illness that had left me depleted and alarmingly unfit.

I needed reinforcement and motivation to get through this challenge and as I listened to various testimonials from previous “non-runners” I knew I had found the right place to set me on the path to becoming a “runner.”

So with my fellow Jump Starters, my newfound aspiration to prove something to myself and my willingness to shut down early on a Friday night for an early dawn rise the next day, I set out to run my first 10k.

In the past my number one rule of exercising was to never wake up to an alarm clock, so I can honestly say if it wasn’t for Dolphin Striders’ Sarah Swainson’s unrelenting enthusiasm and commitment to seeing us through this training plan I would have slept right through the 4:15am alarm that beckoned every cold and miserable Monday morning throughout our 10-week training. I learnt fast that when you train with a group accountability becomes important. You have to be there. No excuses.

Our early morning runs became about recognizing fellowship and allowing small moments to be just enough as we hit our humble milestones. Friendships got forged during those training runs.

For that period in time we all belonged to a group of varying abilities and we did not have to worry about not being fast or never having run before, we were all starting somewhere with the same goal in mind.

Fast forward 10-weeks. Buzzed on coffee and feeling nerves, reality set in when I arrived at Kings Park stadium.

Our official 10km race. I was really going to do this. This was going to happen. And half of anything in life is just showing up. So I was in. All in.

Instead of standing on the sidelines, this time, I was participating.

After passing the half-way mark fatigue mounted in my legs and I began to experience catastrophic energy issues. It happened fast.

My critical inner voice made a prompt appearance and started an internal monologue that flooded me with negativity

“What is it, exactly, that you are trying to accomplish here? You aren’t going to make it.”

The phrase “entering the pain cave” took on a significant meaning. The outside world became excluded and I descended into a chasm within myself.

“Holy Cow” I thought as I staggered onto my next kilometer, “This really hurts.”

My pace melted into a crawl as my critical voice screamed at me to stop and take a break on the roadside.

Then amid the turmoil of the cave, I heard a firm voice beckoning me on, forcing me to pull myself out of my internal abyss.

Dolphin Striders’ stalwart, Barry Holland aptly referred to as “The Boss” presented himself after the 6km mark and decided to stick to my side.

After taking a look at my face he quietly pointed out, “If you stop now, you will never know if you could have finished today.”

Determined to push through my fatigue I focused on Barry’s words and labored onto the last stretch.

Coming into the final straightaway in Kings Park stadium, I was sure I was making audible grunting noises and looked “a little deranged.”

I didn’t care. I strained to breathe but with the last of my energy, I lunged across the finish line and pressed stop on my watch: 58:11.

We all achieved our goals that day, the feeling of accomplishment, the validation, the euphoria.

Every kilometer of training was worth it.

The Dolphin Striders Jump Start programme effected change in all of our lives.

The 2019 Jump Start programme will be launching at the end of June.

For further details log onto the Dolphin Striders’ website: www.dolphinstriders.co.za or visit their Facebook page.

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