I have been a mess lately, losing my Sister doesn’t seem to get better. The more time passes the painful it gets, the more reality hits that she ain’t coming back. My sleeping patterns have changed, thus affect my training. I have failed in the past two weeks to wake up and join the Club’s morning runs. I make it up in the afternoon and the truth is I don’t think it’s sufficient.

Saturday, 30 November came and once again I was late. Fortunately for me, the race was just around the corner from home and it didn’t seem like a lot of runners participated. I lined up to start my first marathon. I remember my brother asking me if I was ready and all I said was “it’s now or never“. I told myself that if I didn’t start there’s no way to know where I needed to improve at, especially as the 14.06.2020 draws near. I had one thing and one thing only in my mind … complete the race. I had discovered during the week that the race was a double lap and started preparing my mind for it because I failed dismally in May to complete MiWay. I told myself I had a home ground advantage and that I did the Discovery series races with double laps and finished. With this in mind, I lined up at the starting point for Run 4 bibles race in memory of Riana, mine was however in memory of my Sister, Puna 💜.

It wasn’t an easy race at all, it was tough but I reminded myself that if I couldn’t do it for me at least do it for my Sister and daughters. There were moments when I became teary, when I remembered my Sister… her smile, her sarcasm but most importantly how proud she would have been if I completed the race. And my daughters who reminded me that I needed to complete 42kms run during my 42nd year on earth. And I did it.

I didn’t qualify, yet, but I conquered that 42,2kms in the scotching heat of Pretoria and got the medal. I am proud of myself and thank my family and friends for believing in me.

Still I rise 💜💜💜