Running with the usual suspects today we started to discuss all the runners who had come and gone over the last decade. I was running with my good friend Jon ‘BMW’ Pendse who I first met in 2008 when we shared the same changing room in our building at work. I actually met a few of my now long term friends in those changing rooms. That doesn’t sound good but you know what I mean. Anyway in 2008 I was training for my first Comrades marathon in South Africa ( http://www.comrades.com ), the ‘human race’ as it is called. 87-89k (depending on the year) of serious hills ran from Durban to Pietermaritzburg. (or vice versa) Anyway part of our training was the Bunbury 50k which was to be our last long run. We all decided to run the 42k in 3hrs30mins (5min/k pace) and then enjoy the extra 8k for the ultra. This was to be my first ultra and I was very excited about the prospect.

The first part of the plan was executed to the minute and we crossed the marathon distance right on time. I then felt good enough to put in a bit of a burst and increase my pace to sub3 pace. In the distance I could see my mate ‘Old Phil who is a notoriously bad finisher. I caught him and passed him with ease before spying Nathan Fawkes (who at the time I did not know). Nate is a young, strapping lad and I was very pleased with myself when I caught him with about 4k to go.  Because of the out and back nature of the additional 8k I was getting comments on my position in the race and my mate Chris Kowaski (another Comrade runner, though not a back-to-back runner, there’s another story there by the way.)  ran past me and assured me I was in second place. This was all the incentive I needed, I sprang into life and was in hot pursuit of what I thought was the now leader. Anyhow with about 1k to go I caught the lead runner, who it turns out was a young lady. Anyhow she was dispatched to second as I exploded into the last kilometre.

To this day I can still feel the thrill of victory as I climbed the last hill and sped to the finish. The sun was shining and I felt great. I could see the finish line and the downhill stretch of road leading me to my victorious lap of the park , pre-finish. As I rounded the last corner my family was there videoing my finish. I remember saying to my Wife ‘I’ve won, I’ve only bloody won’. My Wife looked surprised but continued videoing me as I ran round the playing field for one lap pre-finish. Needless so say there was lots of fist pumping and arm waving but I must admit to being under whelmed at the lack of tape to break at the finish or even any sort of comment about my wonderful victory.  When I eventually caught up with Karen, my Wife, I mentioned my disappointment at the lack of acknowledgement for my maiden race victory. “Oh no”, Kare said, “you came second. A guy finished about 25 minutes infront of you.” In all the excitement of the final push, and with the nature of the Bunbury marathon, I had completely forgot about the lead runner in the Ultra, who was so far ahead I never even saw him in the out and back 8k.  He was mentioned in my speech when I received my prize for second place ! Funnily enough in 2013 I returned to Bunbury and won the marathon but that’s another story.

Anyhow the reason for the amusing story was Jon was second in the marathon that day and I recognised him from the changing rooms. Because of that I chatted to him the next week and we’ve been good friends ever since. In those 8 years I’ve seen Jon grow from from a young man into a family man with 2 great kids, lovely Wife, good career and now a very fast BMW 330d.  We’ve probably run 30+ marathons together and many ultras , as well as thousands of training kilometres and we’ve shared so many good times and laughed so much, so many times.

Running lets you meet great people who will share your life for as long as you run, it is true, only a runner knows the feeling….