Shanghai Running Magazine Volume 3 | Page 29

Dragons with 15 people, parade style
floats 2 levels high one of these was
of Roman Emperor Nero with about
10 minions – they were going to push
this 42km???

The countdown started, samba music
blaring, 3 2 1 – then fireworks, jet
fly by and even explosions of confetti
for the start – just brilliant. Took a
few minute to get to the start and we
were off.
Unfortunately I had been diagnosed
via MRI of a stress fracture in my
right foot and was advised by my
Orthopedic Dr. not to run for 3
months. I had not run for 2 months
and my plan was to quickly walk the
first 3k then cut across the looped
marathon and join back at about 21k
and continue walking the 2nd half.
The first 2k went quite slow and my
walk was keeping up with the slow
joggers though my group went ahead
and I was hoping to see them in the
late stages of the marathon. As the
pace started to pick up I got caught
up in the moment and decided there
wasn’t much difference of pressure
on the foot of a fast walk vs a slow
jog so I started jogging and didn’t feel
pain.

The first châteaux was about 6k in
and they were serving red wine in
glasses with a decent 1/3 glass pour.
This was an incredible place on a hill
overlooking the grand inlet Gironde
Estuary and they had live music
performers playing some classical
instruments. I decided since I was
near the back that I wouldn’t stop for
a wine and continued on. At the 9k
mark was the second stop another
sensational châteaux, red wine in
glasses, live music and all the costumed runners were stopped having
a drink and just having a great time.
The weather was now Mid 20s and all
sun and was quite hot – I was already
sweating pretty profusely in my fashionable red fishnet stockings and size
1 red tutu which I somehow managed
to fit around
my waist.
Unfortunately
the fishnet
stockings were
now causing
some serious
chaffing and
I was very
concerned this
would only get
worse.

© Shanghai Running 2014

As luck happened at about 12k mark
the 3rd châteaux I caught up with
some of my group who were aghast
that I was running (but I had no pain).
I asked around and someone in my
group had glide and I was able to
keep the chaffing at a point of limited
pain. I was so happy after the application which I had to shove my hand
down my extreme