Auckland Half Marathon - Maria Sykes
2011 found me facing a new challenge when I decided to enter the Auckland half marathon in New Zealand to raise money for Kamla Foundation.
After 26 years with very little desire to exert myself physically, never getting picked for a sports team at school and always being last in cross country I found myself surrounded by people who inspired me to make a change.
So in March I set out on my first run with a new pair of trainers and a determination that this challenge was not going to beat me. My first run was less than 1 mile and it was gruelling. I did not enjoy anything about it and I continued to feel the same way about every single run I did over the next 4 months! During my runs all I ever thought was how much I disliked the way I felt, the pain in my legs and my lungs and how the thought of running 21km (13 miles) was quite honestly horrifying. I was constantly fighting a massive urge to give up!
Finally something changed and a run after work in the rain was a long awaited turning point! It was still a massive challenge and 16 weeks before the big day I started a training schedule that meant I was running 3 times a week. 6 weeks before I decided to get serious and gave up drinking alcohol to help me get through my long runs! Given that this was in the middle of the Rugby World Cup it was not an easy time but it made a massive difference and on the big day I felt strong, determined and ready to run. Having raised £900 for Kamla Foundation I knew I was running for those young women that I met in India who were so amazing in the face of such adversity and that gave me massive strength.
Running over Auckland harbour bridge (the marathon is the only time pedestrians are ever allowed to cross the bridge) was a fantastic feeling and I 'whooped' as I looked up and saw the New Zealand flags that marked the top! My lovely friends were waiting on the finish line with a banner of support and a bottle of champagne that we enjoyed with a celebratory breakfast picnic in the sunshine.
Running the half marathon was one of my biggest acheivements and has been life changing for me in so many ways. Running is now something I continue to do, often with a big smile on my face, and I am already looking forward to my next half marathon where I hope to beat my time of 2hr 34 mins.
Thank you so much to all those who supported me both in New Zealand and the UK. I know that the money raised will make a big difference to the adolescent girls programmes that are being run in Tamil Nadu. My involvement with Kamla Foundation is ongoing and I hope that one day soon I will get the opportunity to return to India to see the families and friends I made there in 2010.