Race Recap - Cedar Hill 12k

The Cedar Hill 12k race was only a week after the Paper Chase 10k. I thought being sick for the Paper Chase meant I would be better in time for Cedar, but apparently not. Is that just a getting old thing? I seem to remember getting sick as a kid and it was gone in 3-4 days, now I get sick and it lingers for 3 weeks!! So race day I was mess....snotty, sneezing, coughing mess. Did I mention the snot?! Trying to run with a constantly dripping nose is so annoying! 

So once again I tempered my expectations. No PR, its the last race of the Vancouver Island Race Series just go out and enjoy yourself. My running buddy and I also decided to experiment a bit more with starting out slow. I decided to use this as my mantra....

The Cedar hill course as you can tell by the name is very hilly. Where as the Paper is just is constant up and down on smaller rolling hills, the cedar course is bigger steep hills. I went down to the race with my uncle and his new running friend who has been racing for years. Races are starting to be a very social event as I get to know more folks within the running community :)

Our start line selfies are also getting bigger!

Shelagh asked if I wanted to go warm up with her so we went for a jog. I was kinda surprised when she suggested we do an easy 10-15mins. It was a lot longer than my normal warm-up jog. But as we were out touring the neighborhoods I noticed every speedy runner I knew was also out jogging for the same amount of time. So I'm thinking I need to incorporate a longer warm-up run before my races.  It was also a very windy morning. So I was thinking about on the long open stretch how I was going to need to find a group or person to draft behind. 

We lined up to get going and I decided to aim for about a 7:20. I started out and found it hard to get in the groove. I was 6:50 and then 7:30 I couldnt settle in to the right zone. The first mile split came in at 7:23. The second mile is all down the open windy road. I would get in behind a group of people and then they would slow to 7:40 so I would sprint ahead to the next little clump of people and then they would slow down too much for me. It took me a while to find a group of folks who were going the pace I wanted to and I think I wasted a lot of energy on this mile running ahead and trying to find my spot!

But at the end of the second mile I found a big guy in a bright orange shirt going almost the exact pace I wanted. Not only that but he had his phone out and was watching his pace all the time so I knew if I tucked in behind him I didnt have to think. My second mile beeped at also 7:23 and I settled in finally and got very familiar with the back this guys calves! He was good at pushing it down the hills and my 3rd mile came in at 7:11. The 4th mile was a bit tricky. I was trying to decide at what point to swap from not being an idiot and to work on not being a wimp. Also the guy I was tailing had started to slow a little bit. Mile 4 came in at 7:33 and I knew I had to break away. 

  

coming up the hill towards mile 5 trying to turn it on a bit

My face in so many of these pictures makes me laugh. You can tell I'm so congested and cant breath at all through my nose. My mouth is always hanging open and I have these rather pained expressions going on. Also thankfully the picture isnt any closer because I had snot all over my arms and shirt lol

Once I rounded the corner at mile 5 I saw the girl who placed 4th behind me at Paper chase about 200ft ahead of me. So I knew I was in 4th this time. But I figured she was too far ahead to do anything about. Mile 5 I ran well and even with the hills I came in at 7:24. By Mile 6 she was only 50ft ahead of me. I realized I was speeding up and she was slowing down. I knew I had some energy so I made it my goal to overtake her.  I slowly closed the gap between us during the last full mile and I felt a little devious but I came up with a plan.

When we reached the field which is where the finish line was I would stay right behind her until the final turn then I would try and push past her on final stretch which was about 200ft to the finish line. I pulled in behind her and was trying not to breath too hard because I didnt want her to know I was there. But I was so snotty and snuffly I felt like a loud snorting buffalo behind her! We got to the final turn and she was hugging the inside corner so I knew I was going to have to pass her on the outside. I put my head down and went for it as hard as could. I wasnt sure if she had left anything for the finish.

The race photos from the finish line were pretty telling. I felt a little bad as it meant I took 3rd once again she took 4th. I've had people do the same thing to me and it always stings a bit. But she was an awesome sport and came down and sat beside me and congratulated me on a strong finish and introduced herself. Hopefully she races again next year and we can battle it out some more :)

   

I actually ended up running the race a little bit slower than last year but that didnt bother me. I ran it smart, finished hard and felt good despite the wind and sickness. I think next year I will work on turning it on just a little bit earlier than I did this year. Its always an experiment on what works and what didnt and what to try differently for next time! But I was pleased to get another medal :)

My running buddy also placed 6th again so it was a nice way to end the race series with both of us getting some recognition. 

I'm looking forward to next year, hopefully racing healthy and learning from some of my mistakes and experiments this season!

Look out I cant stop!

Race Re-Cap - Port Alberni Paper Chase

I was anxious to race again to get that bad run out of my system. I wanted to run a smart race, finish strong and have a good time! I focused on my eating for another week and got down to my happy racing weight (132).

(ignore random clothes strewn about!)

Unfortunately the Wednesday before race day I caught a cold that the girls had. No fever thankfully, just congestion, tight chest, cough and headache kind of sick. It made me even more determined to run logically. Hold back a bit at first and depending how I felt I could turn it on for mile 4-6. The fact that I was sick and that this was a new course took a lot of pressure off this race for me. I had no previous PR that I needed to beat and I could ease up a bit because I wasnt feeling great. I just kept reminding myself that one of the reasons I run and race is because I love the energy and atmosphere and I was out there to have fun, not win every time. 

The Port Alberni Paper Chase was being held again after a 15 year absence from the race series. The course is tough! Up and down constantly. There is no flats. For 10k you either pushing up hills or trying to make up for the hills on the down portions. So I knew going into it I wasnt going for a new personal 10k best. I just wanted to set a baseline to improve upon :)

(start line selfie with my uncle)

The weather was sunny and about 6 degrees by the time the race started.  After the overheating disaster of the last race I wore a tank top and shorts and was happy I did! I also changed up my breakfast pattern after showing up hungry to the last  race. I ate my oatmeal at 6am when I got up and then at about 8 I had a bagel with PB and banana. I decided I would try to aim for 7:15 pace, but really had no idea with it being a new course. 

We started out and I felt pretty good. I consciously reminded myself to hold back and settle in. The first mile split beeped at 7:14 and I felt pretty good about that. The second mile split was 7:07 and I reminded myself to settle down. The third mile had the out and back section which was set up all wonky, you rounded the cone and had to come back and cross paths with all the runners who will still on there way out. I hope they fix that for next year! My third mile split was 7:16 so right on target.  Mile 4 was a tough one with a long uphill climb and I slowed down a bit to 7:23. I could see one of my running nemesis's ahead of me at the top of that hill and tailed her for a while about 50-100ft behind it made me pick my pace back up to 7:10 for that mile.  

Seeing her ahead of me I knew I was probably in 3rd place for my age group. At the 5 mile marker I heard someone come up behind me. As she passed me and pulled ahead a step I took a quick glance and saw it was a girl in my age group. I realized there was 1 mile to go and I had a good amount of energy left.  That was all I needed. I knew this section of the course well and that I only had a couple blocks until there was a nice downhill section. I just went for it and felt strong and fast coming down the home stretch. I ended up hitting around 6:20 at this point. I turned the corner to finish line and heard someone cheer me on. It was just the boost I needed to get me up the last hill :)

I ended up finishing 3rd and the girl who pulled up beside me at mile 5 finished 8 seconds behind me. I was pretty damn happy, it meant I got a medal which I didnt think I was going to get this season. But most of all I was happy I ran a smart race and finished feeling strong. That was more important to me. I had a good time and enjoyed the race!

getting my medal

My uncle also ran a really good race and he did it the whole time carrying drumsticks! It was in honor of his friend who was a drummer in a band they were in together who recently had a stroke. 

My running buddy also placed 6th so it was a good run all around!

The pictures from this race make me laugh I am practically giddy I am so happy. I just felt so much better than the last race and you can see it in every photo with the huge smile on my face!