It was an early start in very cold conditions, around two degrees they say! And a ridiculously long wait for the bus to the start line, and even longer stuck in the slow moving traffic. On the one hand, it's a real first problem but on the other when you've paid a premium for a bus service from an organisation that makes millions, I do think this part of the day could have been better. But nevermind, they got us there safely! The start arena was a dream with sooo many portaloos and a really picturesque grove in a stunningly gorgeous golf resort. Thank goodness the wait wasn't long as the temperature continued to drop and I was super eager to get moving!

Once we were on the move the race did not disappoint. I mean, what a course! It's actually hard to describe just how beautiful it was. You can call it picturesque, post-card perfect, pristine. Yes it's all those things but man, its actually so much more. There aren't enough words in the English language to prescribe the right levels of beauty so I'll just say, it was a feast. Every moment of every step of every part of that incredible run was fuelled by the vistas of snow and water and trees and sheep and flowers and clouds, and every second was a privilege.

The other big feature of the day was the weather. I optimistically started the race in my slow coach t-shirt, but it only took about half an hour for me to realise that I wasn't going to last. It was so cold! But more than just the teeth chattering day, we would get pounded by sudden gusts of unexpected wind gushing down off the slopes of the mountains, we were scattered with icy rain drops and had to pick our way over sparkling puddles. Runners further ahead on the course had to dodge hail and a light snow flurry! So it didn't take long for me to pull a longer sleeve t-shirt on as a survival technique. My original plan had been to leave it in my drop bag but thank goodness I forgot! It saved the day AND formed a talking point on the course with lots of other runners who recognised the NY branding.

So whilst I'd love to waffle on about the beauty and the weather, honestly the real takeaway was the vibe. I'm not talking crowd support or skylines (it’s a rural trail run really) but the bliss that comes from knowing that I can now run a marathon without fear, that I'm surrounded by clients and family and friends, that I organised a tour for twenty runners that went mostly well, that I am happy and loved and safe, floating across one of the most perfect spots on earth and that I've created a space in the world where my weird outlook and quirky voice and rounded shape and slow pace have made a difference. What a day, what a moment, what a joy. My only wish is that the race had been longer. If you get a chance to run Queenstown, please do yourself a favour. It's a race fit for a king in a town named after a Queen, completed by the Princess of Slow.