Mission Accomplished! :)

Wow! What an awesome race, with beautiful weather, fabulous volunteers and awesome post-race refreshments and entertainment!  Thank you Scotiabank, Asics and Canadian Running Series for putting on such a world class event. This was my first time running a half marathon in downtown Vancouver and now I definitely see why people travel from all over to run this spectacular route! Enjoying the beautiful scenery, being cheered on by the wonderful volunteers and cheering squads definitely helped to keep me going!!



SAS Team. Photograph by Own The Moment Photography

This was my second time tackling a half marathon and I am not going to lie, this time around felt much more physically and mentally challenging than my first race. Yet it has proven to be an excellent learning experience for me as I continue to strive to make running a lifestyle!

Unfortunately I did not beat my PB this time around, however I am happy with my chip time of 2:11:57 and I really enjoyed focusing on the experience of the race rather than my time. I have learned so much from my training this year and am excited to apply it to my next race. I learned that nutrition is key and this is something that I need further education on. I did not adequately fuel my body this time around (even though I thought I did) and I paid for it!!!  I also struggled with an injury during training which taught me the importance of rest, stretching, and healing. Lastly I am (still) learning to pace myself in the beginning of the race. I AGAIN started off a little too quickly (not as much as the Modo 8km Race, but still too fast), which resulted in me walking quite a bit more than I had planned on. You learn through your mistakes…. And I look forward to incorporating these changes as I strive towards my running goals.

I want to take this opportunity to say a BIG thank you to all of the event sponsors, specifically Scotiabank and Asics for putting on a fantastic event and providing us with amazing Asics gear. I also want to thank all the people who voted for me to have the awesome experience of being a “Joe Runner”; to everyone who sponsored Servants Anonymous Society and helped raise valuable funds to assist vulnerable women and youth in our community; to all the supporting sponsors that were fuelling us after the race; the musical talents along the course; and last but not least all of the volunteers and cheering squads on the side lines. You are such an integral part of making a race successful, motivating runners, and keeping the spirit alive during the race. Thank you all so much, your smiles and words of encouragement made all the difference!!!

I have thoroughly enjoyed being able to share my personal running journey, meet wonderful people, run in a world-class event and raise money for an amazing cause! I wish you all the best in your personal running journeys and hope to see you at the next race!

Happy Running :)