Lesson Learned :)

Wow. That was a tough race for me. A beautiful, well organized, awesome race, but a personally challenging race. Yesterday I ran the 8km Modo Vancouver SpringRun Off and have learned first-hand why you should not start a race off too fast. When the announcer said we could line up anywhere in the starting line, I think I was a little over-ambitious in estimating my proper place amongst the pack. It was a beautiful day, the sun was shining, there was a positive vibrant energy at the race, I felt good and I was ready to go! Bring it on!


My ‘take on the world’ attitude was quickly deflated by the 6^th km as I wheezed for air and barely convinced myself not to keel over and lay down in the inviting lush greens of StanleyPark...I think I may have been a little un-realistic in my pacing.

I completed my first kilometer in 5:03, which was significantly faster than I have been training at – averaging between 6:20-6:50/km.  As I kept running, every kilometer my time dwindled. I watched person after person pass me by. Self-doubt started creeping into my mind. I could not understand why I was having such a hard time on an 8km race. In training I can run 10 km without stopping, however this just felt torturous.  

I was able to run 5 km without walking, but then I had to do brief walking intervals for the rest of the race. I tried to keep my breathing fluid by talking to myself “Okay Lora, just breathe in your nose, out your mouth; in your nose, out your mouth; in nose, out mouth…. OH MY GOSH LORA, JUST FREAKING BREATHE!!”  Instead of calm, steady, controlled breaths I began gasping and panting like my dog after an epic game of fetch in the sun.  It literally took all of my mental strength, and every positive self-affirmation to complete the race. It absolutely blew my mind how 8km seemed so much more difficult than running 21.1km last year.  

Yet despite the gasping, panting and feeling as though at any moment my legs were going to give out and I would have to quit the race, I persisted and I managed to come out with a time of 44:52. I am proud of my time; I pushed myself mentally and physically while learning a very valuable lesson surrounding realistic pacing! Luckily the beautiful weather, the beautiful scenery, and encouraging words from passerby’s kept me feeling hopeful while I wheezed through the last few kilometers of the race. This was a very good learning experience for me.  

I wanted to say a special thank you to all of the awesome volunteers who were so amazing, encouraging and positive. Also thank you to the woman who encouraged me to keep going when “I could almost taste the finish line”. Thank you. Even the smallest acts of kindness and encouraging words have lasting impacts.