Nike She Runs The Night

So last night I was out at Cetennial Park with 3200 other ladies for the first ever 'Nike She Run' in Sydney. This event was absolutely amazing! Kevin (my lovely boyfriend) first told me about this 13km female only run a few months ago. I was a bit hesitant at first because I'd only started jogging (at a recreational pace) 6 months ago. 

Was I ready for an official race where there'd be surely a gazillion others out there that would whoop my ass? Well, I bit the bullet and had been a bundle of nerves ever since I got my race pack with my Nike shirt, a bag and an almost expired energy bar. Kevin tells it me it was scrumptious. 

I had to pee at least 10 times yesterday before the race I was so nervous. The event was so well run and there were lockers for storage and a fast moving toilet line (I don't think I was the only nervous one there!). There was even a large bowl in the toilets filled with hair ties and bobby pins. They really had thought of everything. They had Ruby Rose chatting on stage and the vibe was buzzing. 

Then we all walked a short distance to the starting line where they had TVs with karaoke for the upbeat dance music they were playing like Beyonce - 'Girls' and other appropriate girl power songs that got us pumped and dancing. There were three zones for how fast you were going to be and for obvious reasons I put myself in the slowest one. I saw Kevin on the sidelines and got a quick kiss for good luck and then we were off! Just after the start there was a bump that no one expected so a lot of people tripped over that which was the only bad thing of the night. 

Despite getting a stitch right at the beginning (excuses, excuses, I know) which crippled me to a walking pace, I was able to really get going after the 5km mark (they had these massive lit up purple balloons at every kilometre). My eyes boggled a bit when I saw the race leader looping back the other way on her 6th kilometre when I was only on my 2nd! The race itself was beautiful - they had a section where you ran past fireballs, tree's were dripping with sparkles and motivational signs. 

And in addition to Kevin who was at every spectator point cheering me on, there were heaps of volunteers there also clapping and cheering you on as you went past. It really did help keep me going. I got some more crippling stitches towards the end but I just kept running in a hobbled sort of foetal position manner and when I saw Kevin at the end line I just gunned it all the way to the finish line. I got a time of 1hr 31minutes which isn't bad. Not too shabby at all. 

They had these cool Nike bottles, free shoelaces and towels at the end. Also there were free massage tables set up, and it was more of a party than a race! We went and had some pizzas and iced chocolates afterwards. I  figure it was well deserved. 

So overall a great experience,  I thank Nike for putting on a very cool and well organised event, and sadly I will probably be overseas this time next year but I'd love to do it again one day.