Night before: Mark is easing the nerves with reassurance!
Morning of race: Lynne and Di are on my side. I'm VERY tense. Pretending not to be!
Start Gun: The run takes off quickly not much walking.

35 km to go: This is the first time I have a piece of paper with "splits", in my pouch! "Splits" are the times you are hoping to achieve at certain Km intervals. Its neatly typed out black on white.... after the first 7 km I was too scared to look at our splits... but Lynne ever so diligent... announced that we were well on track, actually a bit too fast. "Is that good or bad??????"
28 km to go: Lynne and Di are by my side and are giving me fantastic info about what to do and what not to do.
21 km to go: Feeling good Lynne and Di are happy with our efforts.. "If they are happy, so am I! I'm Feeling good"
18 km to go: Lynne stops to chat to family and friends and gently urges me on to continue... for a moment I contemplate stopping... but then decide to run on. "Feeling good"
17 km to go: Di sends me off with the words " You are right on track, you go now!" ...uh..
14 km to go: I am doing this! " Oh gosh need to look at those splits... oh yes... still looking good!"
7 km to go: What's going on.... I can't remember how these splits work I wonder if I can carry on running like this, my left shoe is wet, happy its raining, wish my right shoe was as wet as the left., occupy your mind, Andrea, 7 times table..7, 14, 21,.. 49... always hated that one.. that wet shoe is so heavy.
5 km to go: O.K I can do this! Like Mark said I am overtaking people... who is the next one to take on... man in blue shorts... got you... lady in white top... she is speeding up… other lady in white top.
3 km to go: Please somebody help me... I was warned about this hill... where is the 2 km marker... water! Great!
Still no 2 km marker... I want to collapse and stop now... where is that 2 km marker... I can't be that slow!
1 km to go: Oh yeah I must have missed the 2 km marker... not far...as I run onto the grass all I can hear in my mind is concentrate.!. don't fall now!
FINISH: No Ways I did it ... a quick glance at the watch 4:11:26... This can not be true I just beat my old time by ... who cares... I even beat my newly found goal!!!!

Thank you Lynne, Mark and Di! Tears and laughter mix -Thank goodness for Mark! I think I would not have been able to find the Gazebo where it not for him guiding me to our OASIS.
The camaraderie was immense! The venue superb, the hosts were incredible and the run absolutely wonderful.
Thank you for convincing me to go!

These 42.2 Km were going to be a long training run in preparation to the BIG and so very close Two Oceans! Why else would I repeat the torture of the last marathon... it was going to be a means to an end!
But, Mark and Lynne Tolsma gently, ever so casually planted a seed and with their tender nurturing of this seed it grew into a full blown goal. They both believed in me and somehow knew something about myself that I did not dare to believe!

Thank you so much for this gift!
It is wonderful to be part of such an extraordinary running family!
Here is to many more!

Andrea