Sightseeing On The Run...
What an incredible way to sightsee…
To visit the fortresses old and new on foot, to race around the old town, and down to the port, to run along pathways, monuments, palaces and run where feet have fallen for centuries… Up the steps to the top of the world, to the look out post over the ever turquoise blue Ionian sea… And on reaching the top, hot, dusty, exhausted, down we ran again….
I am sitting once more in Dwight’s bar with a Capuccino in front of me, officially feeling the after effects of racing a hard race…
I do not remember my body this feeling of ‘definitely have done something extra’ for awhile…
Which would indicate I have been running with something in reserve…!
Today I was feeling good, as we made our way through the street, past restaurants and towards the new fortress…
Having climbed to the top, we ran down the steps again and out onto the road… I was lying in third position in the women’s field.
I found my rhythm and moved into first place… As I ran by my lovely friend Anastasia , she said ‘Bravo Julia” and we put our thumbs up to each other….
It did cross my mind as we ran along, that when the Greeks say it is a short easier course, they have a different criteria to me…!
There were hills, steps, cobbles, twists and turns - none of which made for easy running! But gave me an experience to remember always… A race so unique that held me powerfully in its energy and beauty…
We passed by a beautiful building, down some steps that led to the sea… It was here that I allowed myself to be pulled from my focused, relaxed 'in the step' state….
It was here that I discovered where I was clearly not completely in the moment; or prepared to ‘go with the flow’ when it didn’t quite flow my way…!
Some guys were coming back towards me, speaking fast in Greek, a man above me was also calling….
Ahhh, we had taken a wrong turning….
I ran back up the path, and clambered over the wall which took us through woodland…
I had seen a woman climb the wall ahead of me, and so I was unsure of how much time and positions I had lost….
I felt disheartened; I lost some momentum, my energy dropped a little…
I was aware that this was some unresolved ‘stuff’, and demonstrated an attachment to an outcome…!
I ‘processed’ this through the woods… I took it a little easier, both to allow this energy to clear from within me, and also because I am not as fluid a runner on the roots and stones of woodland…
We emerged onto an asphalt downhill section… I was aware that I now felt relaxed and clear again, and had ‘let go’ of the disappointment…
I then noticed that I was starting to gain on the woman in front of me… I caught her and as I ran by, it flashed into my mind I might be able to ‘pull the race back.’
We came onto the long straight road which led to the old fortress; it ran alongside the bright, sparkling, water, the morning sun shining brightly on it…
There was about 5k left to race…
A group of runners including Anastasia and Marcella, were stretching out ahead….
I made a decision to risk it… To ‘go for it’, and see what I could do…
I knew I ran the risk of blowing up, but I also had nothing to lose, having already lost whatever I mythically had believed I owned…!
And as I ‘put my head down’, I noticed my HR was 170 (high for me) but I raced along anyway, loving the freedom of seeing ‘what if….’.
As I passed Anastasia, she exclaimed ‘Julia’, and laughed… I laughed too…
‘I got lost…’
We reached the fortress and raced to the steps, up, up, up to the cross at the top we climbed…. High up, triumphant all of us; we had reached the pinnacle…. And then down again, past the port, and then winding our way this way and that through the narrow streets of the old town….
I held the pace, and I didn’t get in the way of myself….
I left my body free to do its thing….
And at the finish, Marcella, Anastasia and I connected with one another through the spirit of the race… And Anadi and I talked and caught up with the many wonderful people we have met on the running road, on this beautiful Island of Corfu...
Our new friends…
Treasured encounters on the run….
