OVERCOMING CHALLENGES
Fast forward to May 2016 and we set out to get Nicky ready for Paris in April 2017 . “ It didn ’ t take too long for reality to hit , and while running the Paris Marathon sounded super glamorous , I soon realised it would involve months and months of training , hard work , commitment … all that stuff that sounds so noble , but is often hard to follow through with ,” says Nicky . “ I am not a fast runner , and so the six-hour cut-off time for the marathon was always going to be a challenge , but I was determined , and I would try contextualise my long training runs to see how they would translate into my ultimate marathon time . In other words , would I make it ? My training under the guidance of Jeannie and Craig showed that I should ( hopefully ) make it in under six hours , but it was by no means a sure thing .”
Given her challenging biomechanics , Nicky often picks up injuries from long distance running , and that included a calf injury last September . Although not nearly ready to do a run over 21km after her injury , Nicky travelled to Nelspruit in November and surprised
Nicky and Jeannie
me on the start line of the Kaapsehoop Marathon . With a mixture of joy to see my friend and dread at the thought of what Nicky was about to put herself through , I knew there was nothing I could say to change her mind about running that morning . She assured me that she knew she was not fully fit yet , but still wanted to go as far as she could , which turned out to be 34km . My jaw dropped when I heard later what she had done .
Nicky just kept her sights on Paris and mentally pictured crossing the finish line on Avenue Foch . “ That image kept me going many a time , especially on those early Saturday and Sunday mornings when I had to get up at 3:45am – or as my friend and training partner Amanda calls it , stupid o ’ clock – to be in time for a race at 6am in Pretoria or the South of Joburg ,” says Nicky . And all too soon , she found herself in Paris with ‘ bestie ’ Amanda , lining up to register for the race at the Salon du Running Fair on the Friday before race day .
THE BIG DAY
As Sunday 9 April dawned , the girls made their way to the top of the Champs Elysees , and Nicky says she vividly remembers every step once the race started : “ We began moving slowly forward en masse , with music playing , adrenaline pumping , and of course , some tears of emotion seeping out . But that was when my smiling started !” She took in the sights and soaked up the atmosphere , just as she had dreamed of doing so many times , and at 29km , when passing the Eiffel Tower , she thought , “ Wow , who has that as a marker in their Sunday run ?” and eventually , after 41.5km , I was on the Avenue Foch . The crowds were lining the road , banging on the advertising boards and cheering madly , ‘ Allez , Allez ,’ and I finished with tears of joy in my eyes , trying to take in as much as possible of the experience – which is why there is not one photo of me at the finish where I am looking in front of me ! I did it , 42.195km in 5:49 … and it was the most beautiful marathon I could ever have dreamt of , the culmination of a year of planning , training , saving , treating injuries , running races at stupid o ’ clock , crying , laughing … but knowing that Paris is ALWAYS a good idea !”
The Champs Elysees on race day
“ The last 10km were really tough , but I just carried on … still smiling , still plodding , still making sure there was no walking when I could hear the various bands ,
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