Two Oceans Training: The Trials & Tribulations!


Mike Finch |

23 days to go! It’s here – the final month of training for the Two Oceans Half Marathon has begun! It’s go-time.

Lauren Anderson & Penny Cairns. Image by Jared Cumming.
Lauren Anderson & Penny Cairns. Image by Jared Cumming.

I am now well and truly into the final month of training for the Two Oceans Half Marathon. I’d love to say it’s been smooth sailing all the way, but it has surprised me how emotional running can actually be. It’s just you and the road – your feet and mind are the only things that will get you to where you need to be, nothing else.

Questions start to arise of “what possessed me to enter this race?” or “do you even enjoy what you’re doing to your body?”. I’ve had to really dig deep to answer these questions over the past few months. That, coupled with planning a wedding a month after the race, has been rather a mammoth task to achieve!

So why did I enter?

I wanted to challenge myself, my body and my mind. My dad was an incredibly successful runner in his day and came 13th in the Comrades one year (right behind Bruce Fordyce) – so there is absolutely no reason why I can’t run a simple half marathon – it’s well within my genes.

Do I enjoy what I am doing to my body? Well, in a strange way, yes. I enjoy pushing myself and feeling that exhilarated feeling when it’s all done. I am a born perfectionist and am incredibly hard on myself – sometimes to my own detriment. This stubbornness (if you can call it that), will push me to run the best race that I possibly can. I’ve been taught from a young age that “you finish what you start!” – and that I will.

The whole concept of running forces you to be with yourself, to keep your mind entertained and stay motivated for long periods of time. My body has embraced the changes of my running and I can feel the difference, this alone spurs me on to keep at it.

Am I nervous for the race? Absolutely – however, I do know that I will be fit enough and strong enough to tackle it when the day finally arises. I am getting fitter every day and feel inspired to keep going and pushing harder. What keeps me sane is that I know that I’m most likely not alone in feeling like I am feeling. I’m inspired by other runners who have succeeded even though it’s not a natural thing for them either.

Running has become a staple part of my life and although it challenges me daily, it releases stress and emotions, and builds my confidence and stamina.

I’ll never not be a runner again – I’ve come too far to stop now. I can’t wait for race day to arrive so that I can push my body to its limit and prove to myself more than anything, that I can do this!

23 days and counting … bring it on!

READ MORE ON: two-oceans

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