Done and Done

I was wide-awake this morning at 5:30am, excited to get out the door and head to UBC but also a little anxious about how the race would go. I got to the start area about 45 minutes before start time to check everything out and use the washroom. The washroom lines were quite long so I was glad I got there so early. I really enjoyed the bag check because it is so convenient and hassle free, I can drop off my things off at the start line and the volunteers drive it to Stanley Park at the finish – amazing.

The beginning of the race started great, it wasn’t very congested and I found I could get right into a good pace quickly. I was feeling relaxed and quite comfortable at a faster pace then I was planning on running at. I tend to go out too quickly in races and that is something I will have to work on for the next half marathon I am running in August. I had the 1:45 pace bunnies run by me at around 16km, I was hoping to stay with them until the end however I started feeling fatigued, the legs weren’t moving as fast as they were before and my pace dropped.

Its funny how many times I have ran across Burrard bridge during my training and have had no issues with the incline. However running over it after 18km is a totally different story, it is much harder. I had a few people from the Forerunners running group go past who gave a wave and a big smile. Seeing them gave me the motivation to keep going, only 3km left! From 19-21.1km there were so many people cheering and providing support.

As I saw the red Scotiabank arches I gave it one last kick at the end, I looked down at my watch and I saw 1:47:25. I didn’t have a lot of expectations going into the race because I started my long runs late and I was unsure whether I got enough mileage in. In the end, I am extremely pleased with my time and how well I am feeling post race.

 

Overall, this has been a great experience being able to train and share my ups and downs with you. I would like to thank Scotiabank, Asics and Forerunners for all of their support throughout the past few months. As I said above, I will be running another half marathon in August – I can’t wait :)

Achievement unlocked: half-marathon

I did it! I did it! First half marathon, and I did it!

Pictured here post-race with my speedy friend Reagan, who waited at the finish line and ran the last half-kilometre with me.

I was feeling pretty great for the first 10K, and the volunteers at the 7th kilometre were super encouraging and awesome. "Isn't it a beautiful Sunday morning to be out here running?" It was!


I stopped to use a port-a-potty around 11K, wasting about 5 minutes waiting in line. Should have held out for another 4 kilometres. I felt pretty crappy after that -- stopping in the middle of the race to wait in line sort of ruined my focus.


The course was absolutely beautiful, and it was so nice to run through some residential neighbourhoods and see folks out in their front yards with their coffee cheering us on. Thanks to everybody who cheered, and all the awesome volunteers and organizers! And thanks to my friend Reagan who came back to run the last little bit with me right to the finish.


My right knee was bugging me from about 6K on, and I'm a super slow runner, but I don't even care because I did it!


Time to celebrate with some pie.

Half marathon in the bucket!!

I see the finish line!

I did it!! Half marathon in the bucket!

Celebrating with my biggest fan!

All my gear! Plus Mason Raymond signed my bib! BONUS!

My first medal to chomp on

To do list: finish a half marathon in less than two hours....check! Pretty proud of myself, my chip time (the time it actually took me to get from the start to finish) was 1:52:50. Nice. All that training has paid off. My goal was to keep up a pace of 5:20 and that's exactly what I was able to do during the race. What an awesome run, I loved the route! It was epic. This Joe Runner experience has been awesome, thank you Asics, Forerunners for all the great gear. And thank you to my husband for waking up at 5:00am with me to drop me off and thank you to my baby Natallie for training with me and clocking in hundreds and hundreds of km's in your stroller.

what are you eating??

I know it's important to fuel up before the half-marathon and especially carb up the day, this works out well for me since I'm a carb-a-vore, I could eat bread and pasta every meal...which I'm wondering if it's wise to do tomorrow. And I usually don't eat a lot before my long runs, maybe just crackers and peanut butter. Race day, maybe try to swallow down a GU right before the race? Good idea, bad idea?What will you be eating throughout the day tomorrow and especially 6:00am pre-race?

Any last words of wisdom??

So the half marathon is in two days! I am so stoked and nervous at the same time. Back in February, I thought it would be crazy to train for a half-marathon with a baby and now 4 months later, I've run a total 419 kms since then! I am so excited about running my first half-marathon, my goal is to finish in two hours but I'll be happy to just finish. So are you all carbing up the day before? Do you have any pre-race rituals or advice that you'd like to share with me? Ready, set, run!!! See you all on race day!

Less than 10 days left!

After months of training, we're almost at race day and it feels so strange to be this close! I'm not sure I ever really believed I would get this far, but I'm feeling confident I'll be able to make it through all 21.1 kilometres -- and I'm pleased my training program only calls for 14K this weekend. Already booked my post-half marathon massage! How's everybody else feeling?

Excuses for not running

Before I started training for this half-marathon, I still liked running but I never ran as consistently as I am running now. I used to have a whole bunch of really lame excuses why I couldn't go out for a run..."it's raining" "I'm too tired" "my good shorts are in the wash" "I don't have a time for a shower after" "I don't have good songs on my iPod playlist" etc. but now I realize it's all about discipline and motivation......and it's a good thing I still have that going for me because for some reason Natallie is no longer sleeping through the night anymore. For the past 3 weeks, I've been forced to get up at 3:00am for about an hour, nursing, rocking, soothing a cranky,tired baby back to sleep. I feel like now more than ever, I could say, "I'm just too tired!" and feel justified that it's not an excuse. It's a roadblock but I'm determined to summon up the engergy, tie up my laces and get those KM's in. On Sunday last week, I was so tired after putting Natallie back to bed a couple of times but I pushed myself to get out for my long run and did 16 km's. Yesterday, I slept in 3 hour intervals...Natallie was up at midnight, 3:00am and just past 6:00am. Bleck! Somehow, I managed to still run 7K around the Fraser golf course. So I'm just saying if I can still get out there for my runs when I'm sort of a walking zombie, you can too. No more excuses for not running, just get out there, you'll be glad you did.

Running gets easier but what about this chafing?

This week I started off with an 8km tempo run, yoga on Tuesday and then the Forerunners  running clinic on Wednesday. I am enjoying the variety I get from running on my own, group runs and hot yoga classes. I find that it keeps me balanced in my training and it keeps things fun. I certainly wouldn’t have said that running was “fun” a few months ago; I saw it more as something that I did to stay in shape. It is becoming easier and more enjoyable to put the runners on and head out the door.

There is one thing, however, that would make my long runs so much better: a sports bra that does not chafed my skin. When I got home from my last two long runs it was painful to get in the shower because of the marks left by my sports bras. Not to mention the weird looks that I get from my co-workers about the large red marks along my neckline post high mileage days. I have tried a variety of brands and styles but I still have not found one that works for me.

Suggestions? I have read that some runners apply Bodyglide or Vaseline before they run. Do you find that works? 

A few things I've learned

1. It really does get easier. 5K used to seem like such a long distance, and now I'm running 20K on Saturdays. It's still tough, and I'm still slow, but it's doable. And not only am I running longer distances, I'm also running faster.
2. Listen to your body. This is important for staying injury-free, for figuring out your pace, for food and hydration habits, everything. Running is an individual sport, and only you know how best to run for you.
3. That being said... You can push through the wall. Some days you feel rough and every step is a struggle, and some days you feel like you can go for miles and miles. The important thing is to try and go further than you think you can on those bad days -- because chances are it'll get better and you'll be amazed at doing what you thought you couldn't.
4. Shoes are important. I've been running on and off, starting and stopping Couch to 5K programs for the past few years, but only really started training in January. I've probably had the same running shoes the whole time, until I got my new Asics last month. What a difference! Don't be like me, kids, get good shoes and replace them when necessary.
5. Goals are important. When I signed up for the half, I hadn't even run 10K in one go. But having something to train for and work towards really keeps you focused and ensures you get your shoes on and your butt on the road. Until I started training, I had no idea really what my body could do. I had never given it a reason to do anything. Now I know what I'm capable of, what I can improve on, and chances are I'll probably sign up for the Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon again next year so I can keep myself going.

10 km +10 km+10km +16 km

Woo hoo, I've run a total of 46 kms this week! I did 3 10 km runs during the week and saved the long run for today. I wanted to do at least 15 and ended doing 16 km. My husband came with me and pushed Natallie in the stroller so I had a chance to run without the stroller. It was such a treat to run without the 26 pound stroller with a 18 pound baby in it. I felt like I was soaring!  I also tried one of those gel things for the first time today. Gosh, those things taste terrible! How do people eat those things? It tastes like a cross between molasses and glue! No thank you! I rather eat those energy gummy chews, now those things taste like candy! 

Natallie has done 46 km in the stroller this week!

It hasn't worked out with Natallie's schedule to join the group runs at the running clinics. At first I was disappointed about that but pretty proud that I have been able to stay consistent and pack in all those runs on my own. I got to run this past Wednesday with my sister and we did 10K around Burnaby Lake and this morning with my husband and I've always got Natallie, my biggest fan. So I guess it's OK that I don't get to join the running groups, I think I'll do OK on my own. The count down is on, just 3 more weeks until the big day, hope I can keep my momentum up!