Just after I entered the departure lounge in Cairns a four year old boy ran up to me with a huge smile and threw his arms around my leg and wouldn't let go. Somewhat taken aback I tried to shake myself free, at first thinking he had mistaken me for his dad. It's happened before - kids that high have trouble looking up. But then I realised who he was.
During the race he had wandered out onto the run course, and seemed to have an obvious interest in me. I stopped, bent over and had a little chat to him. "Your funny" he said. I immediately decided this wasn't the time and place for the apostrophe conversation (don't worry if you live in New Zealand and don't understand that).
He also wanted to know what I was doing. I tried to explain about the race, but he knew all that. He really wanted to know what was up with my hair. But I couldn't linger too long. We had both enjoyed the conversation.
It turns out anyway, that this was a Kiwi kid from Auckland and his dad was in the race, and had also been at Wanaka. He had seen me race before, and I was now one of his best friends.
I stand in awe.
Overnight fun
The day after I booked my overnight accommodation at an airport motel in Auckland I saw it featured in the paper because it was so dirty, and the service was so bad. What to do, as I had already paid for it?
I decided to risk it, and after a phone call to the motel to ask where my promised shuttle was they eventually arrived. I could see what issues were. I had dinner there as there was no where else to go, but stayed away from the chicken and the stews, hoping that fried fish might be better. I also had trouble believing I was in New Zealand, so may Paul Henry never go there.
Then just as I was dozing off for the night, the fire alarm went off. At first I thought it was a car alarm outside my window, so I rolled over and pulled my pillow over my head. Then came the knock on the doors down the passage, and soon we were all out in the 13 degree night while the fire service investigated. I'm not sure what the problem was but it seemed there was no fire, and we were soon back in our beds. Too soon though it was 5.30am and I was off to the airport. Only to wait, and wait, as the small planes were not leaving the airport in a hurry due to the fog.
Recovery
Once home I thought I would try and catch up on some work, but I could feel a small nap coming on. I slept until lunch, then slept all afternoon, and slept all night too. I may not be done yet either.
My legs were hurting in the night in a way that they haven't hurt before. At least the blisters seem to be settling down.
Another point of concern is my left knee. After Challenge Wanaka 2009 where I ran my (still) best ironman-distance marathon my knee started to hurt after the race and became quite puffy. It was fine before and during that race, and this was my most debilitating injury ever. I could hardly run for eight months, and I thought my career was over. Then suddenly it disappeared. Well after Cairns where I completed my slowest marathon ever, I felt the same pain and the same sort of swelling, although to a much lesser degree. Thankfully though it seems to be settling down.
My ankle seems good, so even though my decision to use my training shoes with inserts was a painful one, it had the desired effect.
I'm not in a hurry to get out and train again. I have three months to Beijing, and my base fitness seems OK. So I will wait a couple of weeks and then ease into my swimming and cycling. I'll be able to use an intensive approach over the last six weeks to get me into good shape, and I will leave most of my running until then. I have to try and peak for Beijing, and then again two and a half months later for the selection qualification races in Auckland in November. These are for the age group champs the following November in Auckland. The competition will be fierce.
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