Me, Colin and Rhys went together. Colin opted not to race, just wanting to "keep training" and also a bit worried about getting injured (I should have maybe thought about that too, as I have now a very irritated ITband!). So Rhys used his entry.
It was a beautiful day! Here we are getting ready... Rhys had some issues ...
Wait I'm not ready yet...
Almost got it...
This is pretty tough..!
Whoa! I blew another pin!
Tada! Ready to go!
And we set out. I wasn't expecting too much (this is what I said outloud atleast... secretly of course I was hoping for some racing miracles!), as my mileage is pretty moderate, and I am still very cautious with my leg with intensity. The last time I raced a half I was gearing up for a marathon and only training the one sport, so big difference.
The first couple of kilometers were a touch fast, which is always the case. I shouldn't be leading this group...
Then the first short but very steep hill at kilometer 5, slows things down and you get into a more sustainable groove. 20min for the first 5k, exactly! Yes! Good split and feeling good at that pace. Then from about 8k through 12k is more steady climbing and I ran through 10k at exactly 40:24, still very pleased with that time and feeling great. In fact I felt my strongest from 12-17k, my 15k split was 60min and small change, very happy, feeling strong and still keeping it together mentally for the last hill that I knew was coming soon... A very big climb, which seems to never end, 1k up, then you turn a corner and ohh, there's more hill to climb! The whole race I was trying so hard to work hard on the downhills, to make up for the lost time...
Well I was that very loud, panting, snotting, grunting runner, people around me thinking: "Ewww, if that's what it looks like to run faster... I'd rather not!" or "You'd think this girl was going to break a record, the way she is carrying on!"
Oh well, I may have shouted out a bit aggressively a few times for people to move over, but the sidewalk was narrow (with high car tarffic on the road!) and these ladies were trotting along 3 abreast! Next time I think I'll bring a cowbell.... you can never have enough COWBELL!!
Anyways, the wheels fell off after that last brutal downhill. 19-21k were very slow, atleast 1min slower. I had mentally prepared for 3 big hills, I wasn't thinking about the last couple k's, which were a gradual uphill. When I looked at my watch and it was past 1:26, I was super down, and I still had to run UP the street to the finish line.
Here I am feeling initially vrey upset about my 1:27...
But now I am fine about it, it was a super tough course, and my running is in a good spot right now. Minus my terrible IT band ... this week I'm going for in for some needling.
Thanks to Colin for cheering and taking pictures, though I think now he is itching to race himself!
PS. Apparently Rhys, had a few bad moments where he had to walk... but he blamed it on his race bib: "Darn, I blew another pin!" or was it a blown hamstring on the Historic Hills of Fort Langley??
1 comment:
Very funny! Loved the cowbell reference.
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