Friday 26th May 2023
The night before a race is always a strange time. You want the time to speed up so you can start but also want it to slow down because you never really feel ready. Particularly when it's a BIG scary race. I never really sleep properly the night before because my brain races and trying to force myself to sleep and sleeping earlier than usual, doesn't really work. It's usually a mix of feeling excited and terrified.
Today I watched my sister prepare her support bags, try out backpack combinations, organise her snacks packs and pop some arnica tablets. Her nerves are rattling because of the magnitude of this goal. Her own pressure to finish this time, and her 2 year determination to push past the obstacles to get here. Being a runner, I'm aware of some of the feelings she's going through but I haven't had this size of running goal ever, nor do I want it. But I do admire her for the determination to get to this point.
This day was full of activities though, with our friends flying in from South Africa to support and a sister and hubby driving up for the weekend too. I personally love the idea of all the support, but it puts Debbie under her own pressure to not disappoint. I'm the type of person who now relishes the attention and open up to feel all the love, but it seems to make Debbie squirm ( beforehand). Life is full of support from many different sources and I've learned to appreciate all of them however it appears.
When someone does something this extreme and of this magnitude, of course we ask why. But another part asks ourselves if we would do it, and it is in this discomfort that we shake our heads and say 'you're crazy'.
As I get older and stranger, I feel freer because my own internal restrictions are lifted. People's questions make me reflect and determine my own limits. This idea of running 96miles non stop on a trail route is a very clear 'no' from me. I know my physical limits and although my philosophy is one of 'never say never', trail running is something I know I will never do. Trail walking is very different for me and this race that Debbie is doing is something that we as a group of sisters did, 16 years ago, over the course of seven days. But because I know that I will never run it, I can still admire and respect my only little sister as she sleeps through her last night before this challenge.
May the good weather gods be with her this time and here's to success on Sunday evening.
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