Randy...all smiles after a hard day!
And last but not least...Ally in her Nemo Swim Cap...I wear it for motivation!
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Ain't technology FUN?
I bought a new camera the other day...and have a funny feeling it will become a pretty valuable training tool. It's shock proof, dust proof, and best of all...waterproof! I took it to Master's this morning and got a bit of fun footage!
And last but not least...Ally in her Nemo Swim Cap...I wear it for motivation!
And last but not least...Ally in her Nemo Swim Cap...I wear it for motivation!
Victoria Half Marathon October 12, 2008
I recently completed my first "Personal Best" in a running race. Having always been pretty lax when it came to race day, I wanted to see just what I could accomplish with some focus and determination. Well, I did it...1:52:11, my best time ever for a Half Marathon. This, of course, has me thinking about what I can accomplish for a Marathon time...but, that's something for a later date. I'm more concerned about IMC. And this training will help.
I had traveled to Victoria with a good friend, Erica, who was also running the Half (it was her first ever...and she did brilliantly...especially considering she had never run farther than 10kms!). The drive to the ferry was uneventful and the weather crossing was spectacular...so we had ample opportunity to gaze at some unbelievable scenery. Sadly, I didn't bring a camera, but you get the picture (....nice pun, eh?!)
It had been years since I had been to Victoria and I was amazed at how beautiful that city is. We stayed downtown at the Island Ocean Hostel (very reasonable and was blocks away from the start line...which was a total score). I was a bit dubious of staying in a Hostel, but asked when making the reservation if we could have a quieter, private room and it was great. A bit squishy for 3 adults, but you couldn't beat the price. And to have access to a kitchen really helped on the keeping the costs to a minimum.
Unfortunately, as soon as I got there I fell into the "race brain" mono-focus that befalls most competitors, I think. I wanted to get my race package and then keep my feet up. I didn't want to walk around, which was a shame because it was perfect weather for cruising the town, I wanted to be well rested and ready to race. I had come off night shift the day we drove down to Victoria, so was understandably exhausted on the first night there. We, Erica, Trish and I, found an incredible restaurant just down the street from the Hostel called The Black Olive and partook in some incredible food for our Pre-Pre-Race meal. I admit, I had a glass of incredible red wine that seemed to take the edge off the traveling and it helped to loosen me up a bit...or help me sleep, not too sure which?! Who cares...it was just what the doctor ordered and the Berry Tiramisu for desert was decadent!
Enough about food...
Race day came early and we were up and at it right on time. Erica and I had to start our race at 0730 and Trish, who was doing the Marathon started her race at 0830. A tasty bowl of porridge with fruit was comfortably consumed, a few trips to the toilet (more like 10!) and Erica and I were heading out the door to the start line.
The weather was perfect for running...not too cold, not too warm ( I brought gloves and kept them on for most of the run...poor old circulation!) and the biggest surprise was that it wasn't raining! It was truly a perfect day for this race.
As I mentioned, I went to the bathroom at least 9 or 10 times. No word of a lie! Call it pre-race jitters, girl bladder, whatever...I wanted NOTHING in my system before this race. I had run a few races in the past where peeing was an issue and I really just wanted to run without distraction. Well, as luck would have it, as I was walking to the start line, as if my bladder knew that there was no chance in hell that I could get to a toilet conveniently, I had to go...AGAIN! Well, it was at that point that I decided that if it wasn't reabsorbed I would just pee my pants...and hopefully no one would be the wiser. This stressed me out a little, but I had to keep my goal in mind. I wanted to run a sub-1:55 Half and my bladder was not going to stand in my way. Or so I told myself. :) Once I got to the start line, the line-up for the porta-potties was WAY too long; again...this stressed me out and made me want to pee more...damn! Again, I reassured myself that if I still HAD to go then I would. "BANG!" The race had begun! Crap...now I really had to pee...As I was about to cross the start line timing mat, I looked off to my right...and there they were...as if placed by Angles...porta-potties WITH NO LINE UP! I thanked God, Buddha, Allah and anyone else up there for their part in putting those little lavatories there and for having them free of people so that I could pee in peace. This race was starting off brilliantly!
Ahhh, now I could get down to business.
I had, before ducking out to pee, established myself in the correct pace group. With the little detour I had fallen back into a slower pack and it proved to be a bit worrisome regarding pace. There was at least 5,000 people in this race and I felt like I had to get in front of most of them to achieve my goal. The feeling I had was much like what a salmon must feel like swimming upstream. Ducking this way, dodging that way...I couldn't get a consistent pace and that worried me a bit. I turned my iPod up and got into my groove and just ran.
Before I knew it, I was 3 miles into it and feeling pretty good with the speed I was currently maintaining. I wasn't speaking with anyone, so couldn't gauge whether I was actually able to carry a conversation, but it felt good. I kept looking at my Garmin and was surprised at how fast I was running. I did remind myself that I had to keep some gas in the tank for the second half of the race, but I was feeling good.
I got a tap on my shoulder from some random lady at one point..."your friends said to say, HI"...I was a bit confused and turned around just in time to see Brock and Cindy waving madly! It was so nice to see friends on the route. Support is incredible!
I'm not sure whether it was the music, the weather, or the alignment of the planets...but I was having a blast! The miles just seemed to fly by and I was often surprised at the mileage markers. My Garmin confirmed that I was where the signs said I was; 3 miles, whoosh, 7 miles, whoosh, 10 miles....Holy Crap, the damn race is almost over! And I was running faster and faster and faster! It was unbelievable to me, the non-runner, at just how fast and how comfortable I felt, Don't misunderstand me, it hurt, but it was a "good" hurt.
The last 2 miles were a complete blurr! The last time I looked at my Garmin, I was at about a 7:35/mile and was FLYING! I crossed the finish line to the cheers of Lisa, Noelle, and Andrea and did so in under my goal time. 1:52:11 I was so proud! I just might become a runner, yet!
I had traveled to Victoria with a good friend, Erica, who was also running the Half (it was her first ever...and she did brilliantly...especially considering she had never run farther than 10kms!). The drive to the ferry was uneventful and the weather crossing was spectacular...so we had ample opportunity to gaze at some unbelievable scenery. Sadly, I didn't bring a camera, but you get the picture (....nice pun, eh?!)
It had been years since I had been to Victoria and I was amazed at how beautiful that city is. We stayed downtown at the Island Ocean Hostel (very reasonable and was blocks away from the start line...which was a total score). I was a bit dubious of staying in a Hostel, but asked when making the reservation if we could have a quieter, private room and it was great. A bit squishy for 3 adults, but you couldn't beat the price. And to have access to a kitchen really helped on the keeping the costs to a minimum.
Unfortunately, as soon as I got there I fell into the "race brain" mono-focus that befalls most competitors, I think. I wanted to get my race package and then keep my feet up. I didn't want to walk around, which was a shame because it was perfect weather for cruising the town, I wanted to be well rested and ready to race. I had come off night shift the day we drove down to Victoria, so was understandably exhausted on the first night there. We, Erica, Trish and I, found an incredible restaurant just down the street from the Hostel called The Black Olive and partook in some incredible food for our Pre-Pre-Race meal. I admit, I had a glass of incredible red wine that seemed to take the edge off the traveling and it helped to loosen me up a bit...or help me sleep, not too sure which?! Who cares...it was just what the doctor ordered and the Berry Tiramisu for desert was decadent!
Enough about food...
Race day came early and we were up and at it right on time. Erica and I had to start our race at 0730 and Trish, who was doing the Marathon started her race at 0830. A tasty bowl of porridge with fruit was comfortably consumed, a few trips to the toilet (more like 10!) and Erica and I were heading out the door to the start line.
The weather was perfect for running...not too cold, not too warm ( I brought gloves and kept them on for most of the run...poor old circulation!) and the biggest surprise was that it wasn't raining! It was truly a perfect day for this race.
As I mentioned, I went to the bathroom at least 9 or 10 times. No word of a lie! Call it pre-race jitters, girl bladder, whatever...I wanted NOTHING in my system before this race. I had run a few races in the past where peeing was an issue and I really just wanted to run without distraction. Well, as luck would have it, as I was walking to the start line, as if my bladder knew that there was no chance in hell that I could get to a toilet conveniently, I had to go...AGAIN! Well, it was at that point that I decided that if it wasn't reabsorbed I would just pee my pants...and hopefully no one would be the wiser. This stressed me out a little, but I had to keep my goal in mind. I wanted to run a sub-1:55 Half and my bladder was not going to stand in my way. Or so I told myself. :) Once I got to the start line, the line-up for the porta-potties was WAY too long; again...this stressed me out and made me want to pee more...damn! Again, I reassured myself that if I still HAD to go then I would. "BANG!" The race had begun! Crap...now I really had to pee...As I was about to cross the start line timing mat, I looked off to my right...and there they were...as if placed by Angles...porta-potties WITH NO LINE UP! I thanked God, Buddha, Allah and anyone else up there for their part in putting those little lavatories there and for having them free of people so that I could pee in peace. This race was starting off brilliantly!
Ahhh, now I could get down to business.
I had, before ducking out to pee, established myself in the correct pace group. With the little detour I had fallen back into a slower pack and it proved to be a bit worrisome regarding pace. There was at least 5,000 people in this race and I felt like I had to get in front of most of them to achieve my goal. The feeling I had was much like what a salmon must feel like swimming upstream. Ducking this way, dodging that way...I couldn't get a consistent pace and that worried me a bit. I turned my iPod up and got into my groove and just ran.
Before I knew it, I was 3 miles into it and feeling pretty good with the speed I was currently maintaining. I wasn't speaking with anyone, so couldn't gauge whether I was actually able to carry a conversation, but it felt good. I kept looking at my Garmin and was surprised at how fast I was running. I did remind myself that I had to keep some gas in the tank for the second half of the race, but I was feeling good.
I got a tap on my shoulder from some random lady at one point..."your friends said to say, HI"...I was a bit confused and turned around just in time to see Brock and Cindy waving madly! It was so nice to see friends on the route. Support is incredible!
I'm not sure whether it was the music, the weather, or the alignment of the planets...but I was having a blast! The miles just seemed to fly by and I was often surprised at the mileage markers. My Garmin confirmed that I was where the signs said I was; 3 miles, whoosh, 7 miles, whoosh, 10 miles....Holy Crap, the damn race is almost over! And I was running faster and faster and faster! It was unbelievable to me, the non-runner, at just how fast and how comfortable I felt, Don't misunderstand me, it hurt, but it was a "good" hurt.
The last 2 miles were a complete blurr! The last time I looked at my Garmin, I was at about a 7:35/mile and was FLYING! I crossed the finish line to the cheers of Lisa, Noelle, and Andrea and did so in under my goal time. 1:52:11 I was so proud! I just might become a runner, yet!
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