Just wanted to thank you all for the most liberating, wonderful experience I have had in a long time. Surely typical to other people’s stories, I have never run a marathon in my life, not even a race. On 2 January this year I signed up, booked my flights and got an exercise program, and was determined to run my first half marathon this year. I did my first 8km race in February, and then a couple of 10’s followed until the Big Day arrived. The race went well, and not knowing what to expect I just wanted to “finish the race and live to tell the tale”. I didn’t expect finishing in any specific time, so when I finished in 2h32m I was so happy! Ironically, I know I could have pushed for a sub 2h30m, because when I walked up Constantia hill I only wanted to do a timed walk of 3 minutes before running again, but I started talking to a colleague I “bumped” into and then lost track of how long I had been walking. The walk was almost 10 minutes, and I know now that had I not gotten side tracked I would have come in sub 2h30m. I also decided to do my own little experiment, by Tweeting all the while running the race. I wanted my friends and family who couldn’t be there, or who have never experienced the thrill of a (first) marathon, or who, like me, thought this was too big a challenge, to follow what I was doing in real time. It wasn’t always easy typing and uploading pics while running, but I think my spelling mistakes were forgiven… I might even have been the first / only one to Tweet and run, I havent seen or heard anyone else who did it. Who knows, maybe I will start a trend for next year? LOL! The bug has bitten and I don’t plan on stopping any time soon. My biggest challenge now is to find the time in between life and work to train enough to keep going. Two Oceans will definitely see me next year, I cannot wait! Thank you!