Saturday 15 May - Sherryn's 6.5k race :)

After arriving in Apollo Bay late Friday night we eventually went to bed in order to be up nice and early for Sherryn's race which started at 10am.  Sherryn & Chris, and Josh & I drove into town from Skeens Creek where we were staying, picked up the timing chip for her, then mingled around the starting line for about half hour until the race started.
Now a little bit about Sherryn...she started running around the start of this year by doing the Couch to 5k program which over nine weeks helps you to build up to 5k of running non stop.  I remember when she was at about week 5 and she had her first 20min run with no stopping, she was nervous and really didn't know how she'd do it!  But yes she did, and eventually after nine weeks was finished the program and running for half an hour non stop.  At Easter time we were all sitting around the campfire out at the farm and she said that she didn't know what to aim for now that the program was finished.  She wanted some suggestions for a 5k race or similar to work towards, she had her iphone organised with music she actually selected instead of the random ones on the program and she wanted some extra motivation in a race to aim for.
I suggested she do the 6.5k race in Apollo Bay the day before my 45k.  She was going to be there anyway for the weekend, had about 6 weeks to train for it, and she said yes straight away!  I think the next week she'd signed up and registered for the event.
So Saturday came, and I was so happy to be watching her line up for her first race.  I remember my first race, wondering what the hell I was doing and looking at all the people around me thinking how much faster they were going to be and comparing myself to others.
The starters gun went and she was off, along with about 700 others (I think, maybe more) and with a smile on her face as she went past we cheered her on as loud as we could.
45minutes later I saw her running down the road toward the finish line, it was the best feeling and I started to scream and jump around, waving my hands and cheering "Go Sherryn, WOO HOO!!".  Chris and Josh were at the finish line taking photos, she'd done it and I was soooo proud! Her first ever race, and she chose one of the most difficult by the way with a massive hill 200m elevation gain over 1.5k amazing effort I think.  She raced along side some of the best in the state, especially Steve Monaghetti who we'd joked that if it was raining we were going to ask him to carry an umbrella over her head along the way! hehe.
Afterwards we stood around chatting, very happy to have finished the run, then we actually went and chatted to Mona and we were happy to hear that the third place getter even walked up some of the hill!!! It was massive!

I'm sure photo's will be coming, but I just wanted to say a MASSIVE congratulations to Sherryn for her great run on Saturday!  She's come a long way in only a few short months from running 2minutes at a time to being about to run a race in 45min, such a great job.  I'm glad you're enjoying the running as much as me, and I hope you are very proud of your efforts! xxx

After the run, we were back to the house and watched a bit of the "Spirit of the Marathon" but I fell asleep and was feeling horrible with my head cold being all blocked up and headachy I was seriously wondering how I was going to get up the next day to run 45km.  We then went in for a late lunch, came back to the house and met Kerri, Andrew and the three boys Cody, Ryan & Jesse then had dinner, relaxed and finally I went to bed around 10.30pm I think.  We all stayed at Dale & Joy's house, which was great!!! Thank you!