Question:
Do you remember you first race?
Answer:
I remember my first race very well, even training for it. It was a half marathon in 1981, the SABC Road Race in Johannesburg. My dad got our whole family to run that day. My dad, my brother and I ran the half marathon and my mom and two sisters the 10km. I was 17 and still at school. I remember at the start I felt very small and young between all the runners. When I saw a runner with his permanent Comrades number on his back I thought I was totally in the wrong place. I felt like a complete amateur between all the “pros”.
I was very new and dumb with the whole running thing. I remember the first water point. They gave me a paper cup with water, but I wasn’t thirsty or didn’t feel like drinking it. So I poured it over my head. The water was ice cold and took my breath away. That was probably one of my first running lessons.
I also remember the route going past a fire station and the firemen had hoses out and were spraying the runners. Then I remember the last 3km or so going up a very steep and very long hill. I walked a lot here and eventually finished in 02:15.
That was my first official race and first half marathon, 29 years ago. I received this badge for finishing.
It was a fantastic day and our whole family finished the races we ran. I have now completed 381 half marathons. I’ve finished a total of 1274 official races.
16 comments:
381?! Amazing! Love your blog! [Sorry spelling error above! ;) ]
I love hearing your old race reports and seeing the badges from your old races. I think it would be so cool to have the badges come back. Having your whole family participate is really neat. It sounds like you did a lot of running together as a family.
What a great memory that is for you! I love that you still have the patch too. I'm not so good at saving my race memorabilia.
Great story! It's fun remembering your first and thinking how far you have run :)
Great old race reports Johann! you have run an average of one half marathon per month since 1981 until now.
I began to run four years ago and I like it. Before I begun to run I had gone swimming and had played water polo.
Wow - those race totals are amazing. Really great to see that after all of those races, you still remember the first one.
It's easy for me to remember my first since the marathon I ran in March is the first and only organized race I've ever run. No halfs, 10ks, 5ks, or any sort of ks. I'm targeting another marathon in November if my healing continues, but I need to start scoping out some shorter races between now and then to make my race log longer than one line.
AWESOME that you still have the badge!
wow, thats a lot of races! a lot of halfs too!! i remember my first race...it was $10!
IT sounds wonderful racing with your family. How great that you kept the badge.
Hi Johann,
My first race was a 5K just last May. I ran it must faster than I did my training runs and pretty much sucked air the entire race:) That is what I get for going all gang busters at the start:)
I think it is so cool that your entire family shared that special first race day with you. I love that you kept the patch....it has the date on it too! The amazing thing is that you are still running and it continues to make you happy:)
Thanks for your encouragement...I'm looking forward to my own first half-marathon :)
Great story, Johann! Can't believe you've run that many races. I remember my first race - 1983 XC season (junior year of HS). Went out way too fast and died in the last mile. But I was hooked! Also ran my first road race that December (a 10k). I ran that same race last December & wore the 28-yr old t-shirt!
That is amazing! I loved that story...I love all your stories. You have a lot of knowledge and experience to offer....and I love how you share it! Your comments mean the world to me...Thanks!
I recently found your blog, love it! I have a good friend that lives in the states now but from Johannesburg :). I love your first race recount! I can't tell you when I ran my first race, I was pretty young as I've been running forever...but my first marathon was 14 years ago and I remember it well :). I look forward to sharing your running journey!
Hell yes I do! I just posted a blog about it! My first "official" race was the L.A. 5k in 09' I know I know, it was not long ago at all, but I amaze myself daily with how far i have come!
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