Army Run 5K Race Report: Slow and Steady

I ran the Army Run 5K on Sunday. It was my first race since Munchkin and I was excited and nervous about it. Overall, I'm happy with how it went, considering everything that happened over the past few months. I finished in 35:48, which is a personal worst for me, but a huge victory considering where I started 5 months ago.

I realized about a month before the race that I needed to lower my expectations. I did my own return to running program that I modeled on Couch to 5K, but was more conservative given the c-section and a switch to minimalist shoes. I had some pelvic soreness after I ran more than 15 minutes straight. Dr. Google told me this was due to some separation of the pubic symphis related to pregnancy. I figured as much, since my hips were HUGE up until recently. So I knew I needed to slow down and dial back the distance/time increases so I wouldn't end up injured. I decided to focus instead on enjoying myself at the race and celebrating my return to running.

The morning was warmer than previous years at about 8C, sunny, but with a brisk wind. The race was really crowded and I probably lined up a little too far back. I try not to weave as it's a waste of energy and dangerous in such a crowded race with less experienced racers. But, I was definitely in a too slow group at the beginning, as I was held up quite a bit in a couple narrower parts in the first K. I ran 10 and 1, then 9 and 1s since my math sucks and I forgot to go to 21 for my next break. Oops. It was early, I swear! I saw my brother and his munchkin near the 4K mark and that gave me the push to keep going to the finish line. I had a little juice left in me for a sprint to the finish and crossed the finish line strong. I felt a little sick after, so I know I left it all out there on the course. We celebrated with a post-race brunch, me with French toast. Yum!

Now the race bug has bitten me again and I've got to figure which race to run next!

Race Report: Ottawa Half Marathon

Short version:

I finished my first half marathon this morning! Woohoo! I ran it in 2:26:25 and am very proud of my time. I ran the whole thing, from start to finish. I'm tired, sore and ravenous.

I achieved all the goals I set for this race. I'd adjusted them earlier this week after my test run was successful. The goals were:

Bronze: Run to the best of my ability (aka: if you have to DNF, it's not the end of the world).

Silver: Finish.

Gold: Finish in under 2:30.

Long version:

Woke up at 6:30 and dawdled around the apartment, applying heat to my foot and doing my back exercises. We live close to the start line, so I watched the marathoners go by from our balcony at 7 a.m.

I headed out at 8 a.m. My gear was my Adidas running skirt, Sugoi Brand Champions singlet, armwarmers, hat, and fuelbelt with G2 and GU gels pinned to it. I managed to snag a free Powerbar and I was so happy about it, as I was still hungry despite eating my usual pre-run meal of cereal+milk, plus I had a Larabar on my way to the race. It might've been nerves, too, but I ate most of it as I watched the marathon elites run down a Colonel By at about 32K in 1:4o. Wow.

The race weather was 17C, cloudy and very humid. It took about 7 minutes to cross the start line (there was supposed to be a wave start, but I guess they dropped the idea). Saw Hubby at Kent/Laurier where I handed off my warm warmers. My first K was really slow at 7:16 or something like that, but hey, I was running and I felt good.

We ran under the new arch in Chinatown, then through Little Italy along Preston Street. By about 4K, I was feeling the humidity. It was gonna be a long race. I was getting ready to shelve my time goals and just enjoy the race.

Next the route headed into a residential area. Lots of great community support along this stretch. I saw the best sign of the day here: YOU ARE NOT ALMOST THERE. That got a good laugh out of me. Around this time, it started to drizzle a bit, and it was refreshing after the humidity. Next I saw the best spectator of the day: crazy old woman near Wellington St. W loudly swearing at all the runners in French.

My parents and brother were out cheering at Wellington/Kirkwood with signs. I waved to them and continued on my way. Soon the rain started to really come down. I finished 10K in 1:10 and we ran eastward along the Parkway. I ran next to an amazing walker from the Bytown Walkers (they're seriously competitive, btw) for a time. He had a fast pace and we were near each other the entire way. The road was quite cambered through this stretch and I was starting to feel it in my calves and ankles.

We turned from the Parkway onto Booth by the National War Museum to head into Hull. Saw Hubby here, gave him the report that my foot felt tight, but good. Crossed the Chaudiere Bridge and then up the hill on Eddy. This hill was brutal, long and late in the race at 15K. Next we passed the Museum of Civilization where I saw Hubby again (he'd rented a bike to get around)... he tells me I surprised him here as he underestimated my speed. Ha!

From here we ran up the Alexandra Bridge. I was most worried about this stretch as it's two fairly steep hills in a row, with the flat bridge in between. I kept telling myself "I eat hills for breakfast", my favourite mantra, and I think it helped. I got to the top of the hill and turned on Mackenzie without feeling totally exhausted. But by this point, I could feel my legs getting tired. Foot still felt tight, but not bad. Down Colonel By we ran (downhill, yes!) I took a gel more for the mental boost (yeah sugar!) than anything else. Lots of people were walking by this point and I had to weave quite a bit in order to keep my 6:50 pace.

Crossed over onto Queen Elizabeth and only 1K to go. I was feeling pretty spent and this is where the mind games kicked in. I focused on the runners in front of me and picked them off, one by one. My legs wanted to give out, but there was no way I was walking now. Then I saw the walker man I'd met way back at 12K. Here was my target. I passed him about 100m before the finish and finished the last 200m or so at 5:55 pace, so I had enough of a kick left in me!

Clock read 2:37 or something crazy like that, but my Garmin told me 2:26. Grabbed my space blanket, picked up my medal, and posed for a photo. I grabbed some food and met up with hubby. We walked the four blocks home in what had to be the SLOWEST walk ever. Huge props to my husband, who normally melts in the rain but spent the entire morning outside biking across downtown to cheer me on. He's a keeper.

I almost cried after the finish. Running this meant so much to me after my issues with my back and foot. Two weeks ago I thought I was done for. I'm already thinking about my plans for running, but I know this week won't involve much running!

Photos to come. A huge thank you to everyone for your support and kind words through the rollercoaster of these past few weeks. I know some of you thought I was crazy for running the race despite my back. I did it and lived to tell the tale! Though I may have some choice words for walking and stairs tomorrow...

Winterman 5K

This year the Winterman lived up to his name: -24C with the windchill (-11F for my US readers). Brr!

I was actually kind of nervous before the race, which is really weird for me. This wasn't a goal race by any means. I hadn't done much running in the previous month thanks to a vacation to Cuba, a nasty cold and brutal cold snaps with temps in the range of -30C. I just wanted to enjoy the Winterman race and a run on a flat and paved road surface!

My goals going into the race were:
Gold: Beat my personal record of 28:09
Silver: Beat my course record of 31:26
Bronze: Beat my 2010 5K times (aka, come in under 35 minutes).

The race was held at the Canadian War Museum. There isn't much parking there, so I opted for a jog/walk to the race site. It's just far enough for it be far away (it's 30 minute walk) and close enough to make me feel guilty for driving. I ended up jogging more than walking because of the chilly temps. I treated it as a warm up!

The race started at 8:30 with a huge military gun being fired to jolt us awake. The course was pretty crowded as there were 1300 runners heading out onto the course. I just tried to pick a line and go with it. There were a few weavers and some walkers who started far too close to the front of the pack, but overall, it was a great field of polite runners.

The course is an out-and-back and has two smallish hills - rolling would be a good description for it. The wind was pretty strong and we weren't really running into it, but it was enough to keep you chilled most of the time. Parts of the course was icy due to a thaw earlier in the week, but overall it was clear and smooth sailing.

I ran the last kilometre strong, passing quite a few people on my way to the finish line. I finished in 33:13, beating my bronze goal. I probably could've pushed it to beat my course record, as I had a lot in the tank at the end and I wasn't sore at all in the days following the race. I didn't want to overdo it at this race, given that I have another race in April and my goal race is the halfmarathon in May.

Here's a pic... it makes me realize that my RunningRoom jacket is at least a full size too big for me, but I can't justify buying another unless I get it at a wicked sale price. But I look awesome in my Sugoi Firewall tights and for once, both feet are off the ground!

Army Run... ish

On September 19th, my Mom, older brother and I walked the Army Run. Mom doesn't run and I've been really trying to limit my races to avoid injury, so walking sounded like fun.

Sunday morning dawned sunny, yet crisp. There was little wind, but it was pretty chilly in the shade. My family met us at our place, only blocks from the start line. The three of us walked over and lined up with the walkers. My Mom had never participated in an event of this size, so it was really neat watching her take in the whole experience. She was so excited about the free t-shirt, the timing chip and the pace bunnies, of all things.

The soldiers fired the gun—which was as loud as a cannon—to start the race. We all jumped out of our skin and started moving forward. It took us about 10 minutes to get to the start line and then we were off!

The route was a little different this year, owing to the fact that the Terry Fox Run was the same day and used part of the previous year's route. The walk took us through downtown Ottawa, past some major landmarks like the Parliament Buildings, the Rideau Canal and some beautiful scenery.

All along the route there were military bands, like this one: the Blackwatch pipe band and the RMC Cadets band. There was also another band at the start, but I wasn't able to see which one it was.

The walk itself took us about 55 minutes. It was a great morning for a walk and it warmed up nicely. We chatted all along the way. And I think my Mom may have been bitten by the running or walking bug... she was asking me all about the Couch to 5K program. I really enjoyed just spending the time with my Mom and my brother. And we were certainly thinking about our little brother, Matt, who's got less than three months left in Kabul. We're all really excited for him to come home!

Next thing we knew, we were done, had our dog tag medals and a snack. Here's some of the post-race fuel they were giving out! Pretty neat stuff eh? Though it's mostly sugar and carbs... not much in the way of nutrition. I haven't tried it yet and I'm saving it for after a grueling run when I'm craving a treat.

And finally, here's the post "race" photo of us in Confederation Park. After this we walked down to a restaurant where my husband and Dad were holding a table for us. I treated myself to some very tasty french toast for brunch.

I'd definitely do the Army Run again... it's got a great atmosphere, it's not as insanely crowded as our Race Weekend events in May, and it's super well-organized. I love the route, too. I highly recommend it!

National Capital 5K Race Report

On Saturday I ran the National Capital 5K. I ran this race last year and really enjoyed it, so I decided to run it again this year. Seems like a pretty good reason, don't you think?

This race was one of many events organized on Saturday by Somersault - a local running/triathlon event organizer. There were about 100 people or so in the 5K, but over 1,200 participating in the day's events, which ranged from the 5K to an Olympic distance Triathlon.

Saturday morning's weather was perfect! No wind, clear and about 10C when I left the house. My friend Jen and I headed down to the race together. We parked at Brookfield High School, about a 10 minute walk to the race start. We picked up our kits and I rushed back to the car to drop off our stuff, as there was no on-site bag check. I really have to make that suggestion next year, as there's no on-site parking and I ended up doing the trek to/from the car twice. Hey, at least it was a good warm-up!

The race started promptly at 8:30. A lot of runners started out too fast and this course will make you pay. Knowing that, I started further back in the pack and tried to hold my pace and avoided weaving if possible. It's pretty much all downhill on the way out and all uphill on the way back. I saw one woman pushing her kid in a running stroller... a very ambitious undertaking on that course! This year's route was adjusted slightly due to construction at the turnaround point. Organizers added in a little jut out halfway along the course. I wasn't a fan, but there wasn't much they could do.

The course itself is quite narrow, as it follows a bike path along the scenic Rideau River. A good portion of the run is through a forest. I really like the route as it's entertaining to run and I don't get bored easily.

Overall, I had a good run. I felt strong on the hills, which is what I'd trained for. I didn't improve my best time on the course, but conquering the hills was a really rewarding experience. I managed to pass quite a few people in the 2nd half of the race, including the woman with the kid in the stroller, who faded quite a bit in the second half.

I finished in 33:35, 9/12 in my AG. The 10K winner finished just ahead of me. Man he was fast.

My next race is the Fall Colours 10K. I might sign up for the Army Run 5K, but I haven't decided yet.

Race Report: Emilie's Run 5K

Saturday morning dawned warm and overcast. By race time it was 24C, but it felt like 27C with the humidity. There were some clouds, but the sun came out just in time for the race start. There was a bit of a breeze, which turned out to be a headwind on the way back.

The course itself is flat, with only small undulations along the route. It's an out and back on newly paved asphalt. The event had about 600 participants in the women's only 5K. My friend Jen and I started out near the back of the pack... I knew after last year that the racers would be really fast and I didn't want to get caught up in the madness that is mid-pack at Emilie's run!

I'm happy to report that my gun time was 35:02, which is what I was shooting for. I finished 34/41 in my age group. My garmin tells me that I ran 34:43, as it took some time to get across the start line. My splits, according to sportstats, were 7:16, 7:10, 7:07 and 7:06 and 6:25.

I'm very proud of the fact that: a) I ran the whole thing, from start to finish. b) I didn't blow up. And, c) I ran negative splits.

Like I said the other day, I knew a personal best was out of reach. And even if I'd been 100% healthy, a personal best would've been tough given the heat and humidity. I had lots left in the tank at the end. I'm not sore today, two days after the race, and I wasn't sore yesterday either. But I sure was tired on Saturday night!

I'm looking forward to my next race, the National Capital 5K, on July 31st. In the meantime, I'm going to work on improving my endurance and most especially hills, as the next course is all downhill on the way out and almost entirely uphill on the way back. Ouch!

The News Gets Better

Turns out my gun time was actually 28.09! Woohoo! And I was 4th in my age group, which is huge for me. Yay!

Cookie Run 5K Race Report

This morning I ran the Cookie Run 5K in support of the local Girl Guides. My goal for this race was to beat my old personal best (PB) of 30:08 from June. I really wanted break 30 minutes! I knew I could do it, as I've broken 30:00 in training and now I can hit it during everyday runs without really taxing myself. It was just a matter of by how much I would break it.

When I woke up it was cloudy, risk of flurries, -5C with the wind and I was really unsure as to what to wear, as the forecast called for it to warm up and for the sun to come up. I ended up wearing my my Sugoi Mid-Zero tights, a very light long-sleeve tech tee under my Sugoi Locust Jacket, along with a tech beanie and gloves. It ended up being the right decision.

Before the race I met up with two friends who were attempting a personal best in the 10K. They planned a 5:40/K pace (they run 10/:45 intervals). So as long as I was near them, I knew I would break 30 minutes. I warmed up a bit on the walk to the start and jogged a little before lining up.

The race started at 10 a.m., it was about 0C at that point with a slight wind. I turned on my Nike+ right as the horn sounded. There was a hill right after the start, which lasted about 500m and then a slight downhill. The rest of the course was pancake flat, minus a very tiny uphill just before 2K, and a downhill on a path at 4K. There were lots of kids and people of all ages and abilities. The course was on a closed road at our local research centre, so there was lots of room for everyone.

I tried to run the tangents as best I could, as there were lots of turns on the course. I took water at the 1.5K mark as my mouth felt cottony from my puffer (hooray for exercise-induced asthma) but didn't need it on the way back at 3.5K. The pace felt very comfortable and I felt as if I was going too slow. I knew this was a product of my speedwork over the last month, as I'd had this feeling in most of my runs recently. I resisted the urge to peek at my iPod, but I knew the race was going well because I was keeping pace with my friends.

At the 4K mark, I could feel my legs starting to get heavy. My head was clear, so I knew I had something left in the tank. I rounded the corner and saw the finish line. I started my sprint about 200m out and crossed the finish line in a blaze of glory!

The clock at the finish line wasn't working, but volunteers wrote down bib numbers and times. My iPod told me all I needed to know: 28.16! Woohoo! I beat my old personal best by 1:52!

I grabbed some water and girl guide cookies and used the walk back to the car as my cooldown. I'll likely be sore tomorrow... but I feel good knowing I left everything out on the course. I'm on such a high! My friends also beat their previous PB in the 10K by about 2 minutes. Congrats guys!

My next race is the Resolution Run 5K on New Years' Eve. Until then, I'll continue to work on building up my base. I start running 4x a week in December.

Race Report: National Captial 5K

I raced the National Capital 5K on Saturday, which was part of Somersault's annual run series. There were a number of different events on Saturday including a 10K and Olympic-distance duathlons and triathlons.

The course was a hilly out-and-back on a bike path that follows the Rideau River near Hog's Back Falls. Saturday morning was sunny, foggy and humid. At race time it was 20C with 83% humidity. The weather in Ottawa's been horrible over the last month and most athletes (including me!) haven't had the opportunity to really train in hot or humid weather.

The grassy parts of the course at the start and finish were sopping wet, thanks to all the rain we've had. Course marshals warned us ahead of time to watch our footing so we wouldn't end up getting covered in mud. I started off a little fast, but the run out was mostly downhill. It was quite pretty: we ran through a forest next to the river and you could hear the gushing water over the sounds of the runners. The course wasn't overly wide, so we ended up running almost single file and it was really hard to pass other runners in certain spots.

I did end up walking at the 2.5km mark to take some water and then again at another point for my puffer, thanks to the humidity. The uphills on the way back were quite challenging, but I enjoyed it as there aren't many hills for me to train on near me. As I approached the finish line, I had to make a couple flying leaps over muddy water on an uphill to avoid getting soaked!

I had enough left in the tank to overtake the person ahead of me (you can see her behind me in the photo), to finish in 31:23. It wasn't as slow as my first 5K, but definitely not a personal best. But, I wasn't running this race as a personal best. I ran it for fun, for some experience with hills and to find my motivation to run again. So far it seems to be working!

My next 5K is on Sept. 20th at the Canadian Army Run where I'm going to try to break my personal best in the 5K of 30:08. I've set an August exercise goal of running three times a week, excluding ultimate frisbee games. I've also committed to a 5K training program for intermediates on http://nikeplus.com/... I think all this should be enough to get me back into the running groove.