We're six!

Running the Race is six today!  Looking back at those first posts really makes me cringe, so apologies in advance, but what better way to celebrate six years of running adventures and stories than by sharing my favourites?  So here they are, in no particular order: 
   

1.  Ostriches, ostriches everywhere!

Over the years I've come to the conclusion that a career as a Kalahari ecologist and a passion for trail running is not a good combination when it comes to avoiding ostriches - those pesky birds are everywhere.  And they're nosy as hell.  Here are two of my fondest (?) running-related ostrich incidents: Close encounters of the feathered kind and The inaugural Naval Hill parkrun - may they be the last...!  

2.  Where good manners won't get you anywhere

Picking a favourite race is a bit like picking a favourite child: Impossibly hard and frankly not something to be done.  But if I have to pick a favourite race post, it will be this one: My experience at the 2011 Paris Marathon.  The race (and trip!) was such a culture shock (in the adventure-of-a-lifetime kind of way) - I realised very quickly that my meek boere manners were going to have me dehydrated by Kilometre 30...  So I jumped (and bumped) in and grabbed what was mine!

3.  Best of the best     

If picking a favourite race is hard, then picking a favourite parkrun experience is impossible.  parkrun makes my heart go vroom - period.  I've never been to and never will be at a parkrun venue that I don't like - the concept is brilliant and I'll always be a fan.  Two South African parkruns that completely blew my socks off are Big Bay and George - put them on your bucket list!           

4.  Houston, we have a weirdo...    

Runners are weird - there's no denying that.  But this post is about my fascination with non-runners acting all weird when they see someone running.  What's up with that...?  

5.  You    

This list just wouldn't be complete without your amazing stories: Madelene Loots, who lost 50+ kg, completed the Two Oceans half at 34 weeks pregnant and continued to earn her Club 50 parkrun shirt at 40 weeks and one day pregnant.  Gordon Booth, who, at 84, is still running strong.  Claude Moshiywa, who gets up at 03:00 a.m. to do his long runs before clocking in at his full-time job.  The list is endless.  What a privilege to have gotten to know you all.

Here's to the next six years of running adventures and beyond!    

Thanks to the ladies from Eat Pray Run DC, You Signed up for What? and Mar on the Run for the opportunity to share these memories as part of their Friday Five link-up.  Happy Friday!