“Why do I run? I actually never asked myself this question until you asked me. I don’t even know now if I have one special reason to do so. I might not be able to tell you right now why I run, precisely, but I can tell you how it started and why I continue.
I was already a big fan of hiking. I started it here, in Queenstown, after my wife and I split. I had some free time on my hands and didn’t know what to do, so I went out exploring the beautiful landscape and mountains surrounding us.
My first event was the Remarks run-up, back in August 2018, a charity event for Daffodil Day. No obligation to run, so I walked it up in 2h10 and I was pretty happy with myself. Just after this one, there was a Stadium climb challenge. I’m a big football fan and was interested in going around an empty stadium for 3 loops, climbing a total of 5000 steps. After this other charity event, I did another one, a 24-hour walk and covered more than 80 km and some serious elevation. Following on I registered for the Queenstown 10km during the Marathon weekend and I succeeded in doing it in under 1h. I got hooked and decided to do another 10km the following month around Lake Hayes.
I improved my time and decided to sign up for my first half Marathon during Moonlight Shotover in February 2019 then signed up for the Motatapu Ultra in early March. Both of those trails were exactly what I was looking for. I always pictured marathons as races with people running in big cities, like Paris, London, Berlin… on the road…. I never imagined that you could get off the road, be in the wild, and do some climbing while running!
From that point there was no looking back and I signed up for the half marathon in Dunedin at the end of August 2019 and successfully did it in under 2h. It was followed by my first full Marathon in Queenstown, just a year after completing my first 10km. I did the Motatapu Ultra, again and again, I tried their full marathon as well, a couple of times, and I did new races like the Te Anau half. After breaking the 4h mark on a full marathon, I was able to go below 3h30 and do the half under 1h30. I can’t imagine my life without running now. Why didn’t I start it earlier? I’m now over 40 and have changed category in running events. I start to place very well and can get top 10 overall finishes in some events, and top 3 in my category.
In the beginning, I wasn’t really running for myself. I remember that my ex-wife told me that I couldn’t do a full marathon when I first mentioned it to her. Maybe I only wanted to prove her wrong. Is that bad? I don’t know and don’t even care now because I did it and I continue to do so.
I also think about my dad, who lost his legs. I’m sure that people in wheelchairs would love to have blisters because of running, cramps, or anything like that! I lost my dad a few years ago and he’s always with me now when I run.
Training is my safe space. After a long day of work, with a very early start, I can’t wait to put my shoes on and go out for a run, music on. And do even longer runs on my days off. I don’t think about anything in particular and I think about everything at the same time. It’s my way of meditating I guess.
I also started to face my first setbacks. Not improving my time on the same race, same distance, from one year to another. A couple of times it was hard to accept, at first, but I also realised that, at some point, I will stop improving every time. It was actually a very good lesson, as it made me work on the mental aspect of it, which is definitely one of the key elements. Being able to accept that the day will be long and that no PB will be waiting for me at the finish line; refusing to quit; accepting that you can’t control the weather, or many other external factors. Something like a break-up a few days or weeks before a race, it can make you completely miss the mark.
I’m now looking for the next race, my next PB, my next challenge. I’m thinking about going further in the next few years to run and compete. Not restrain me to local runs only. I’m thinking about planning some holidays, to go to Sydney or Auckland and do a full or a half.
I keep pushing myself and I’m excited to see where my limits are. I already did more than I could ever dreamed of, so any new race or new PB is just an extra gift.
Running gave me extra confidence as well. I’m now doing things that I never thought I would do. In less than a year I got my first tattoo, followed by another one just a few months later. I did my first tandem skydive, and I even did my first ever bungy recently!
I want to be able to look back in a few decades, be proud of myself, and tell my grandkids that Grandpa was a runner, and a good one. I hope I’ll be able to be one of those legends that I see, still entering races at 80 years old, or even older. Will I keep doing it even if I can’t run anymore? Will I be happy to complete a full marathon even if I can only walk it? Only time will tell, but as of right now, I’m not planning to stop anytime soon.
See you at the start or finish line of a race!”
David @davidlamercerie
(Queenstown)
–
Portraits of Runners + their stories
@RunnersNZ
