I woke up very tired. James asked if I wanted to go for a run. No way, I couldn’t even open my eyes and it was 6:30 am but since British summer time just changed over last night, it was actually 7:30 am. So we lay in bed a little longer. We got ready for breakfast. We get a discount at the café next to the hostel office. They have vegan haggis which is some sort of Scottish sausage. It was fabulous. The server at the café knew we were vegan and told us of other places that served vegan haggis. One place was a few doors up and had a whole selection of vegan cakes. I lit up and wanted to check it out. We did later and yes they had a lot of vegan food. Where were they a few nights ago?
We checked out, stored our bags and went to the IAAF world cross country championships. It was cold and rainy. I wonder how the athletes will run? We arrive at the event and see athletes warming up -- people from Ethiopia, Ireland, Britain, Palestine, USA, Canada, France, Morocco, Eritrea, Kenya, Brasil, Spain, and Scotland just to name a few. I was in awe of everyone. These are some of the best runners in the world. Their families are with them, some flying or wrapped in their country’s flag with pride. We go to the tent selling shirts. James sees another flyer that said there was a 5K run earlier in which we could have participated. What??!! I had wanted to do that but we never found on the website of there would be a public run. I would have surely gotten out of bed for that this morning. James said that we could have made it if we got up to run or at least finished our run when they began. *sigh* How frustrating. To have had the opportunity to run a 5 K here would have been incredible. It’s amazing being here anyway. Maybe we will run after the races. I rationalized that it was cold and rainy anyways.
The opening ceremonies began. I welled up when I saw how many countries were participating. The first of four races began, the junior womens’ 6K. They ran two short courses and one long which was around Haggis Knowe, a small but steep climb over a hill. These women flew right by me as I took photos. Some women were running barefoot. I of course looked for the stragglers feeling a sense of connection with them as I have yet to run with the pack. Even they flew by me. Then the next group, the junior men 8K—2 short courses and 2 long courses over Haggis. The flew by even faster. There were significantly more of them than the women. I was on the sideline and took a photo when the crowd of runners almost knocked my head back. Then I noticed a distinct smell. Someone in the run had a lot of cologne on. What? Who wears cologne on a run? It wasn’t a spectator. The aroma flew by with the runners. How interesting. The next lap around the cologne was no longer and replaced with regular sweaty body odor. That’s more what I expected. How funny. We moved to a different spot for the third group—the senior women’s 8K. My feet were muddy from the rains which were starting to clear. My hands are numb and teeth chattering but I am having a fabulous time. I am ready to run. I could use some hot tea though. These women run past with a speed I can not comprehend. We notice a women with glasses. James wanted me to get her picture for Luna. I get it. We run into our friends form the pub last night. Cal if with his brother and baby daughter. We say hello and give hugs. They are headed for food, we are headed to our spot for the last race. It was great to see them again. But again, I forgot a picture.
The last group was the most exciting, the senior mens’ 12K. Now why the men run further than the woman I don’t know. Are we really THAT genetically different? I start this discussion with James shortly before the race begins. The discussion ends there. Early in the race Kenenisa Bekele from Ethiopia lost his shoe. He is the three time 10,000 meter world champion and 2004 10,000 meter Olympic gold medalist. His competitor from Eritrea, Zersenay Terdese won last year’s world cross country championship. Bekele fell to 40th place in the run. No one expected him to catch up. He moved up to 30th. As the run progressed I stopped paying attention to the announcer talk of his defeat last year and how awful this is for him now. On the last lap, I got the picture of the winners coming in. Bekele had won the race and there was s huge distance between he and the rest of the runners. The crowd was elated.
I am exhilarated by the whole event from the runners to the bagpiper on top the hill to the scenery. I am re inspired to run. I wanted to run a ½ marathon in May but had second thoughts. I didn’t want to finish last so I thought I should wait and train longer increasing my speed. Then again maybe I was just looking for a way to be a coward here. After watching this, after having the privilege of watching the world’s fastest runners, after seeing them struggle and each and every one of them I could see they were giving it everything they had. They had sweat pouring down them after one lap, they had snot over their faces, their expressions were that of determination. Mud was everywhere on their legs. I could see they were digging in to those psychological places where we need to go to keep moving. After seeing them, I was re inspired. I can do the ½. I will train and I will work harder. It’s time to move from my comfort level and really give it all I have.
Time to take the train to London. We take a 5 hour train ride to London arriving late to our noisy but comfortable hostel.
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