Running Momma: 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 :)