BONUS: Nasty Newcastle Nails (Runbelievable Recap)

Fresh off race day, Shona Farr returns for a Runbelievable Recap… a real, unfiltered debrief whilst the mind is fresh but the body is a mess.

No polished summary. No highlight reel. Just the honest reality of how the day unfolded… physically, mentally, and everything in between.

We talk about:

• The worst lead up you can imagine
• What surprised her most on the day 
• What it felt like crossing the finish line 
• Why a marathon will NEVER be on the cards ("slap me" she says)

https://www.instagram.com/shonarunsveryslowly/

Runbelievable Recap episodes capture the part of running that often gets missed… the raw, immediate reflection before time reshapes the story.

Because every runner has a story… but the most honest version comes right after the run.

Interested in being a guest on the show? Hit us up!

👉 Everything Runbelievable:

http://runbelievable.au

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Transcript

Joshie 0:11

Hello everybody and welcome to the Run Believable Recap. In this mini episode, we catch up with listeners and former guests of the podcast to discuss their recent experience at running events. Some will be successors, others epic fails, but they all have one thing in common: shaping who we become. Today we're sitting down with Shona, who just took part in the Newcastle half marathon. She's kindly decided to rest her weeping toenails to chat with us today about her experience. Shona, welcome back to Run Believable.

Shona 0:40

Thanks, Josh. Thanks for having me again.

Joshie 0:43

You're literally just off the plane. How are you feeling today?

Shona 0:47

Um very tired, a little bit sore. Um my glutes are a bit sore and very, very sore feet today.

Joshie 0:55

Yep.

Shona 0:57

No shoes on these feet for a while.

Joshie 0:59

No, no. We'll make sure that the camera doesn't pan down to those feet. Now, I should actually um, by way of background, encourage listeners if they want to check out episode 17 for your backstory. Now, the moment that really stuck with me is a moment where you profess to l loving being an older woman. Now, as you sit here today with legs burning and weeping toenails, do you stand by that?

Shona 1:22

I still do because, you know, like I looked at where I came yesterday and I looked at how many people were over 60. Um, and there are only 20 of us. Uh and you know, there were a couple of thousand people in the race. And so I thought that was pretty cool that I was one of those. So Oh, good.

Joshie 1:40

I knew I didn't realise that the over 60s were underrepresented.

Shona 1:45

Yeah, no, there weren't many this time. So I I beat about I think four or five, so that's all right. Okay. The rest beat me, but um, it was still, you know, it still amazes me that I'm one of those few that are in a race like that. So I think that's pretty, pretty amazing.

Joshie 2:03

I think you did great. Uh, and especially given your interrupted preparation, which I don't think a lot of people know about. I think it all started with that amazing jump shot that you did about six weeks ago. Um can you talk us through, I guess, what happened after that?

Shona 2:17

Um Yeah, well, I I had a knee injury then, um, which I I I can't even remember the name of it now and what my physio told me, but I think it's often referred to as runner's knee as well. Um so I managed to keep going, strapping that, and then then I got hit with COVID, and then I think I had about three weeks where I really couldn't run at all because I just felt so terrible. And then when I just started back running again, I had a foot that fall and I fell on both knees, my elbow, um, both my hands as well, and the same knee. Um, well, it's still swollen today, it's still bruised, it's still very sore. So that's been my last yeah, few months of training, been pretty, pretty hard.

Joshie 3:05

My goodness. Were you still able to get out and walk, or was walking uh painfully?

Shona 3:09

Yeah, no, I did walking. Um, I did some cycling, not as much as the physio told me. Um I should have done more. Um, I you know, I mean, I walk my dog every day anyway. So, and I did do running after the fall when he told me not to. I still continued to. Um, because I just knew I was doing Newcastle and I knew if I didn't do any running, there'd be no possible way I could do it. So I just kept going and I took a lot of um pan it off.

Joshie 3:36

So yeah. Did you have many people trying to discourage you from participating?

Shona 3:42

Yeah. Um, yeah, my family said don't be silly, mum. Um the physio didn't discourage me though from doing the marathon. Um because it was a two-lap course, I said to him, if it's really bad at halfway, I'll just stop. You know, it's only 10Ks. And he just said, get that out of your mind right away, because if you've got that mindset, you won't go further. Have the mindset that you are going to finish that marathon. And so I really changed how I thought about it. But saying that when I got to halfway yesterday, I just thought, I'm like, I'm I'm probably gonna swear now, I just thought, shit, I just can't, I I can't keep going. Um, it started really hurting at about eight kilometres, and I thought, oh, this is just really bad. And then at about 10, I knew I had blisters on my feet. I just knew it. Um, and one under a heel, which I've never had before. And I thought, goodness. Um, and my husband was going to meet me. Um, he'd finished his whole marathon when I'd done one lap, he'd finished. And I got a text from him saying, Where are you on the course? And I said, I'm just going through the halfway now. And I knew he was going to join me after he had a little break. And I thought, okay, I'll just keep going until he joins me. If it's still really bad, I'm going to pull off. And by the time he joined me, I'd done another few kilometres and I thought, well, you know, what's nine more? Yeah. I just keep going.

Joshie 5:10

What were conditions like? I think you said it was a bit uncomfortable.

Shona 5:14

The the the my condition or the well, the weather.

Joshie 5:18

I think it was quite warm in the quite warm.

Shona 5:21

Um I think it was only about 19 degrees, which sounds cool compared to Brisbane, but we were in the sun the whole time. So it's three hours of sun, um, which is kind of pretty draining. And by the second lap, the wind had really picked up, so it was a really, really strong headwind because it was right around the coast. So every time you sort of got near the ocean, it hit you, which I don't mind so much. Um, and there were a couple of big hills in that area, which the locals said weren't very big, but they were. And but I quite liked it because then I just walked up and then I ran down really, really fast. So that was good. So I love it. I liked that bit. But the scenery was amazing, beautiful, beautiful course, gorgeous. Yeah.

Joshie 6:04

I'll have to get down there. Yeah, beautiful. One thing that I think a lot of people forget and underestimate is people who are, I mean, let's be honest, you're not at the front of the pack, you're sort of, you know, towards the towards the the tail end. And but uh the longer that you're running, the the less favourable the conditions. You sort of miss the benefit of having the cooler weather before the wind kicks up and before the sun's beating down. I mean, it was what probably 10 30 or 11 o'clock and you're still out there running.

Shona 6:30

Yeah, I I didn't finish till the around eleven. So also they had a a rolling start. So um the front people finished started half an hour, almost half an hour before the slower runners, um, because it was so crowded, it was just crazy at the start. And you kind of crossed paths, the marathoners had started two hours earlier, so they had to keep holding you back to let marathoners pass. So it was a bit chaotic actually. Um, so it was almost 8:30 before I started. So yeah, I was well uh out there well after 11.

Joshie 7:02

There's certainly no stopping you on Saturday. You decided to go straight from the airport to parkrun as well.

Shona 7:08

That was a funny thing. Um, because we landed at 7:20 and the parkrun started at 8 o'clock. And you know, it's not that close to the airport, and we didn't, we only had carry-on, so we thought we'll just try it. We just jumped in a taxi. And and we actually had about 10 minutes to spare, so we did really well. Yeah.

Joshie 7:26

That sounds almost logistically impossible. I don't know how you managed to do that.

Shona 7:31

Um, we had to quickly change at the airport too, because I really didn't want to wear running shorts on the plane, so I quickly changed at the airport before we headed out. So yeah.

Joshie 7:39

I love it. This this sounds like something from a movie, it really does. Um so talk me through, I guess, the um, you know, from say the midpoint of the half marathon to the end. I mean, obviously the longer you're running, the more uncomfortable you're feeling. I think you notice that your your feet, your toes were really starting to I I really was in a world of pain, like, you know, because this is my second half marathon.

Shona 8:02

And strangely, my first one, I thought this isn't that bad. I never really felt that bad the whole 21Ks. I did it quite easily, I thought, and I was surprised how hard this one was. Um, obviously I'd trained for the last one. I hadn't done the longest run I'd done for this year, it's like eight kilometers. So obviously incredibly undertrained. And um, I I was quite proud of myself doing the first half all by myself because Jason, my husband, had done the first half with, you know, the first half marathon with me. So I was doing this by myself. And I had tried the Jeffing method, which my friend Bell, shout out to Belle, um, showed me only last week.

Joshie 8:43

So okay.

Shona 8:44

Um I was I had a timer on my watch, so I was I was trying to run. I started off running one and a half minutes, uh walking 30 seconds. Obviously, when I got to the hills, I walked up when I ran I ran down, I just kept running. But by about eight kilometers, it started getting hard. And by 10, I just honestly just felt so bad. And I'd taken a gel I'd never tried before, and it was so disgusting. And I just thought, oh, I've got to keep this down. Why I did that, I have no idea. I realized I'd missed, I didn't have any gel before 10 kilometers, so that was really bad. I I'd missed a fueling. I was trying to do it every five kilometers, which you know. Um, so I'd missed a fuel. I did stop at every um aid station, which there were quite a lot of, and I made sure I drank, I had to pour water on myself every aid station because it was very hot. Um and then um I kind of hobbled along. And then when Jason met up with me, he started trying to tell me how to run the race. And I said, Hey, I've done the first job by myself, don't talk to me. I said, I know what I'm doing. I thought I couldn't believe he tried to tell me what I should be doing. Anyway, don't talk to me, don't talk to me. And then he kept trying to tell me about his race. I kept saying, Stop talking. So we ran in silence. And this isn't awkward at all. Yeah, no, and I was um I was almost going to say, you know, just pull off and leave me, leave me to myself. Um and so obviously, in about with with about four or five case to go, I I just started crying. Like, I just I've never done that before. I just started crying and I just thought, this is so hard, I can't keep going. I just can't. And I was just crying and crying as I was running. Oh my god. I thought, oh my God, you know, if I pull out now, I'll be just, you know, so sad if I do that, you know. And I thought, and then I thought, well, okay, if I have to walk the last five, does it really matter if I don't get under three hours? No, it doesn't. And so I just started to walk, and then I thought, actually, it does matter. I said, Yeah, I know I can do under three hours. So my jeffing went out the window. I I just kind of walked and ran as much as I could. Um the running bit was, you know, if you see my Strava, I've really dropped down the last few kilometers. Um, but I I get the hit the wall thing now. I'd never experienced that before, and that's what what's happened to me. It was like I just felt like I just couldn't even keep going. Um and then I was passing some younger people, so that kind of made me feel good. And I thought, I'm not doing that badly, I'm actually still passing people. So that felt quite good. And and it's really amazing once you change your mindset. I just thought actually, because I looked at my I barely I tried not to look at my watch most of the race because I thought I don't really want to worry about time, I just want to finish today with no training. And I did look at it and you know, did some quick calculations in my head and I thought I I will do under three hours. And you know, and I just thought the pain is so temporary, just keep going through it. You know, I've given birth to four children, just keep going. And that's what I did. And I got to about, I think, about a kilometer to go, and there was another young woman working walking, and I said to her, Come on, we've only got a kilometer, let's do it together. We started running, and then I said to her, actually, I can't, you keep going. Oh I had to stop. I couldn't even run the last kilometer. She kept going, and I only think I ran the last, you know, I kept stopping and starting, but I managed to run the the finishing sheet, but it was hard. It was really, really hard.

Joshie 12:37

So can you can you describe how you felt when you crossed the finish line?

Shona 12:41

Well, obviously I burst out crying again. Um and when I saw the time, I I was just so relieved um to finish, I think, was the main thing. And um Jason even got a bit teary because he met me, you know, and he just said, I'm so proud of you. And I don't know, I felt really, really good and I could not believe I got a PB. So I was shocked that I wow that I actually did better than last time. Um I was really, really shocked. So it was only by a few minutes, but I think it was three minutes or something. Um, but it felt amazing. Yeah. So I had a I had a big cry.

Joshie 13:19

I didn't think I'd try my second half marathon because I cried the first one, but I cried too. So even one second is a PB, Shona. So to take three minutes off your first is absolutely amazing. Has it given you confidence as you go through the rest of this here? I think you've got two more half marathons still doing.

Shona 13:36

No, it hasn't. Um I don't think I want to do it two more times. I honestly that's how hard it was. Um, I thought I might change my mind by today. And I I had little twinges of should I try, you know, I was talking on the plane and should I try Brisbane? And I think it's only about four weeks before Gold Coast. Yeah. And I think it would be probably silly to run a half when Gold Coast is my main focus this year, is when I wanted to do under two hours 45. So that's my um, which is a lot off my off my current time. Um, so that's really my focus. And I thought if I do Brisbane four weeks before that, you know, how's it going to go? So I think I am gonna drop down to 10k in Brisbane. But in saying that, I may not, I don't know, but that's my mindset today because I don't know if I could go through that pain again like two more times.

Joshie 14:28

Yeah, but honestly, uh a little bit cheeky. I know the answer to this question. Thoughts on a marathon one day, Shona?

Shona 14:35

I am never in my entire life, I swear I will never do a marathon. I can't even understand why anyone would, honestly. And I see your like long runs on a Sunday and you're doing 25Ks, and I think that's just to me, like, why? Yeah, how can that be fun?

Joshie 14:54

Um it's not, I'll be honest.

Shona 14:57

It's not, and like I don't think people that you know, that people that haven't done that distance can never comp because they just can't comprehend how hard it is. Like, it's really, really hard to be running for three hours, like so hard.

Joshie 15:13

It is, and let's be honest, you don't need to be running marathons and you don't even need to be running fast to be considered a runner. I mean, look at what you've been able to achieve, Sean. I mean, that in itself is truly inspirational. Um now, I know that you've only just come off the plane and you're probably in a world of hurt. Be honest, when you're at the airport and the airline staff do their message over the PA, if there's anyone requiring a mobility assistance, were you tempted to put your hand up?

Shona 15:39

Um people like could caught a lift up to the plane. I said to Jason, Jason said, Oh, we should be saying that. You know, we've just run half a marathon. Can we get the lift, please?

Joshie 15:48

Yep.

Shona 15:49

I thought about it, but I've got I've got a 10K in two weeks. So um that should seem really easy now. And in Adelaide two weeks, so that that should seem like a walk in the park after after yesterday.

Joshie 16:02

Assuming that the feet recover. I mean, I know that we sort of joked about it, but how are you feeling in terms of the body? Because uh you send me a photo and I won't post it, I promise. But you that does not look healthy at all.

Shona 16:12

No, my the second toe, um I what I do is when I run, I kind of clutch on for my life, so I curl my toes under and I have no idea why I do it. So the bottom of my sort of toe, the pad of my toe is just digging into the base of my shoe. So I just get incredibly bruised and sore and blisters. Um, if anyone's got a great solution for how I can combat that, um you know, I just can't stop curling my toes. I don't know why I do it. It's worse, obviously, when I go downhill. And I normally do a heel lock and I didn't. Yesterday, I totally forgot. And I should have so my foot wasn't sliding forward because I buy shoes, you know, a little bit big. And um and strangely, under my heel, I've got a really big blister and I've never had that before. Um, and I but when I was running down the finishing chute, my toes, I they were just like, I thought they're on fire or something. I thought, oh my god, they're just so bad. Um, but yeah, there's like fluid seeping from under my toe nails today. So I'm talking, it's very, very sore, like I've never experienced before.

Joshie 17:22

So what does the rest of the week look like for you just going to take take the week off running, just recover?

Shona 17:28

Well, I really wanted to go, you know, to do some runs by Wednesday, but I guess it feels it depends what the shoes feel like on my feet. Um, I'll go back to my physio exercises for my glutes and things because that's that's a bit tender. Um and I do have a physio appointment this week, so um my knee is really bad today. Excuse me. Um, it's swollen again and very, very sore. Um that's also what went through my mind yesterday at about 10Ks. Am I being really silly to continue when my knee of knee feels like this? Um I I didn't take Panadol before the run because I thought I don't want to mask the pain because that could be dangerous too. So I chose not to take anything before the run. Um so I'll get him to look at it on Wednesday and let him, you know, maybe there's a way I can strap it or something, um, because I didn't strap it on the weekend. I didn't know how to. Um so maybe that's that's a solution, I don't know. But um, I'm definitely doing Adelaide. Yeah. Nothing stopping me doing Adelaide.

Joshie 18:32

You really are an inspiration, Chona. I know you're in a world of hurt and you're completely bugged, so I appreciate you taking the time to chat with us today. Um, thanks for joining us again on Run Believe or while you rest up. Thank you. Send me that um toe-nop picture promo.

Shona 18:48

Thanks, thanks.