CIBC Run for the Cure

I arrived at 7:45am for the 9:00am start and even at that time, SouthCenter Mall parking lot was a happening place!  My last run was 6km last Sunday and I hiked 15km yesterday, but that didn't matter, I knew the excitement and adrenaline would get me through today's 5km easily.     

I found a place with all the runners and posed with them in my Team shirt.  The bandana is from the run a couple of years ago and shows the words "hope" and "courage".  I saw lots of courage today and felt hope for many others.

Before the run started, I went to the CIBC Tent and wrote out on a bib who I was running for today then got the lady there to pin it on my shirt.  I didn't realize until I got home that it was pinned overtop of my Team name.   That's O.K., it was more important to see who I was running for.

At exactly 9:00am we were off.  It was very crowded at first but quickly spread out.  There was so much to look at and listen to along the way that it took my mind off that I was running and the kilometers seemed to go by very quickly.  My favourite part is where all the pink bras are hung on a line strung across the road.  I could see them from a distance and as I got closer I picked out one that looked like it might be my size, then jumped up and gave it a tap as I ran under it.  

This is the route!

These are my stats!

This is always a feel good event for me.  I come away feeling very hopeful.  I'm proud to be a part of this event especially when there is acknowledgement to us, in the long sleeve red shirts, from those standing and cheering along the route.

HOPE & COURAGE

Calgary Police Half Marathon

This morning I ran the Calgary Police Half Marathon. This race was celebrating the 30th Anniversary and it was my 8th time for running it. The pre-race routine went as routine except for one thing! As I was at the trunk of my car getting my gear in order, I felt someone starring at me. It wasn't a somebody, it was this! It stayed there while I got my camera to take a photo. I took this as a sign, that I would be quick as a bunny today!

My plan was to do the 10&1's strategy, try to stay within a 6:20-6:25 min/km, down a gel 1:25 minutes into the race, listen to every beat the Calgary Police Band played at the top of that Weaselhead Hill, have fun and aim for a 2:15 finish time. My plan of attack went well, it worked for me, but with a couple of klicks to go, something overtook me and I felt like I was ready to pack it in and call it a day! I was looking for a way out, I didn't want to play anymore but finally came to my senses and thought I have to get back to the parking lot one way or another, just keep running. I ended up putting a couple of very short additional walk breaks in near the end. As I rounded the last corner and headed down the home stretch, with all the people yelling I was able to muster up some energy to finish strong. Thank you Leana for that cheer of support, I really needed it!

I crossed the line in a time of 2:16:18. It's not the 2:15 I was aiming for but I am very happy with it. My average running pace was 6:25 min/km. Looking over my stats for the race, I noticed I kept that pace all the way up the Weaselhead Hill, although it felt like I was going slower. It could be that all that hiking up mountains is paying off!

This is the route we ran.

I was curious to see a clear elevation chart so plugged my 305 in and uploaded the stats to Garmin BaseCamp. This is what I got!

I think I will take a few days off and give my legs a rest before I get busy training for the Calgary Half Marathon on May 30th.  I will admire my medal for a few days before I hang it on the coat rack with the other medals.  

St Patrick's Day 10km Race

You play smart!  You win!  That was my game plan for today's St. Patrick's Day 10km race and that is what happened! Well, in my books I played smart and I won!  Even yesterday on my way to pick up my race pack, I was still wondering if I would even attempt to run.  My last run was March 3rd and since then I have been trying to beat a bug.  Standing in the line up for race pack, then getting my bib and seeing my shirt, my focus started to shift! That was all it took!

We had ideal race conditions, path was perfect, weather was wonderful.  My race plan was not to race but to use this more as a training run so no pressure.  I played smart!  I ran an even keel pace throughout and even felt I had some to give on the home stretch, so I did!

I finished in a time of 1:02:47 with an average pace of 6:17 min/km.  It wasn't my fastest 10km nor was it my slowest.  I placed 93 out of 199 females and 6 out of 17 in my age category.  

I'm very happy with my results! I feel like a winner!  I enjoyed some sunshine and cheered on others as they came down the home stretch.  Then it was time to enjoy a bar-b-qued burger and a slice of cake.  Today's race was in support of the Diakonos Retreat Society.

Now its time to get serious about my running and get well prepared for the Police Half Marathon the end of April.  Today put things into perspective on how I am doing so far and it also lit the fire again for my running passion!

Amazing Race

It was an "amazing race" because it was an amazing time! In a fun way the time was, not in a speedy way. For a few years now I have wanted to try one of the Calgary Roadrunners cross-country races and it finally happened today! Thank you to Karen who is a member of the Calgary RoadRunners for keeping me posted on the events and sending along invitations.

This is where the race started which is near the corner of Beddington Blvd and Beddington Trail. How fitting my first X-C race begins at a birth place, because I see today's event being the birth of a new found interest.

I got there early so I could register and then check out a portion of the route to see what I was in far. We were in wide open spaces with no protection from the chinook winds. See the Chinook sky behind me? Chinook winds are suppose to be warm but they sure didn't feel that way.

I felt intimidated looking around me at the start line seeing the gear on some folks and the footwear too. I realized I should be near the back of the pack, so back I went. I was thankful I wore my Spikys. We ran through snow, slush, over ice, up slippery hills and down the other side. It was a true cross country! I didn't need to be as far back in the pack as I thought because I was able to pass numerous others along the route. I learned not to necessarily follow the fellow in front of me. I wanted it to be as true cross country as it could be and I did cross over one creek but missed the second one. The fellow I followed preferred the bridge route instead of the creek route. I will know better the next time!  Thank you to Dawn Henry and The Calgary RoadRunners for getting a shot of me in action.

It was hillier than I expected and I had to walk up a couple of the bigger ones. I am sure once I am back on track with my running and snowshoeing then the hills will be a breeze.

The options for today's race were 4km or 8km. I picked the 4km as my ice breaker. My 305 measured a distance of 3.79km and it took me 30:49 to cover that distance. I'm not surprised at the slower pace, you would understand if you saw the route and the trail conditions. My average speed was 8:07 min/km and my best speed was 4:31 min/km. I know where that occurred! I'm not sure of my finish placement but that should be posted soon.

It felt so right to be running cross country! It felt like home!