We Signed Up. We Showed Up. We Finished.

Some time ago, Adrian, Ranil, Serene and I somehow thought signing up for the Pocari Sweat Run sounded like a good idea.

And this morning, the day finally arrived.

No more talking about it. No more “still got time to train.” We actually had to turn up. 😂

An Early Morning in Blue

The morning started surrounded by a sea of blue Pocari Sweat T-shirts and lots of people who looked considerably more prepared to run than I felt.

But never mind. There were four of us. We had our race bibs. We had our shoes on.

And since Serene had already collected our race packs — including providing Ranil with her premium pre-race laundry service 😂 — there really was no excuse left.

Off we went.

At My Own Pace

I wasn't there to chase a timing or prove anything. For me, completing the distance was enough.

Walk when I needed to. Move a little faster when I could.

And just keep going.

Actually, that felt rather appropriate for me. I've been doing quite a bit of walking as I slowly prepare myself for next year's Camino, although lately I've also realised that my walking fitness needs a little rebuilding.

So this morning wasn't about being the fastest person out there. It was simply about getting my legs moving again.

One step after another. At my own pace.

Better With Company

And of course, these things are always more enjoyable when you're doing them with people you know. Adrian, Ranil, Serene and I had signed up together, and somewhere along the route there was always a familiar face.

There is something quite nice about that. You don't necessarily have to walk or run every single step beside one another. Everyone finds their own rhythm.

But you start together knowing that eventually, you'll all meet again at the finish.

5.7 Kilometres Later...

And eventually... FINISHER.

About 5.7 kilometres showed on my Relive route by the time the morning was done.

Was I fast? No need to discuss. 😂

Did I finish? YES.

And frankly, that was the important bit.

There's something satisfying about having that medal in your hand at the end. Not because it means you've won anything. But because it's a small reminder:

You signed up.
You showed up.
And you finished.

This morning wasn't some huge life-changing achievement. It was simply four friends getting up early, putting on matching blue shirts and spending a morning moving together.

But perhaps those little things count too. Especially for someone slowly preparing herself for a much longer walk next year.

Today: Pocari Sweat Run.

Next year: Camino.

One step at a time. ❤️