Sunday 26 May 2013

Jugo Juice 10K

Today was awesome. It didn't go as I had thought, but the part that made it awesome was that I just went with it, did the best I could, & enjoyed the day!

Since we moved to Sylvan Lake, Calgary is now a 'destination' race if you will. I found us a great rate at the Marriott downtown which is super close to the C-train.

We headed to Calgary around 11on Saturday after dropping Lilo off at the parents in law & chatting with them for a few minutes.

When we arrived in Calgary we stopped at the expo to pick up my race packet. Just like last year, this was super well organized we zipped in & out in about 15 minutes. The shirts are awesome! Love that the sizing is more true to size. Last years shirt fit but was not very forgiving, this one is a little more roomy & I like that. It's a great design as well. (I will add pictures once I'm at a computer)

After that we went & saw Star Trek: Into Darkness at Chinook (it was super good) & went to milestones for some pasta for me (gluten free & soooo yummy!) & steak for Nick. Then we watched some surfing movie that was really good, based on a true story & I cannot remember the title of it!

I set my alarm for 5:30 & we headed out around 6:30, paid for more parking in the parkade & hopped on the train to Erlton.

We got there just as O'Canada was playing before the 42.2 & 21.1's headed out.

Then it was line up & go time!!!!! I didn't have music or water, just my Garmin & race number belt with the pouch on it for my phone & Kleenex & wow that's the way to go! I used water/Gatorade stations for the first time ever & realized I'd apparently feared them for no reason. I've always just assumed I'd run into someone or someone into me & did everything to avoid them. This time though they were a huge motivator for me & I loved them! Sweet!

The first kilometre was a mob of runner/shufflers. The only pace bunny I'd seen at the start was the 0:45 & 0:50 which I situated myself in between...or so I'd thought, it was a bit mash mash & I lost track of them quickly.

On the first little uphill, something inside of me popped or stretched or something! I had a giant pain from my butt to my hip & down my left leg to the point where I was limping every step. I moved over to the side, stopped, stretched & then started again. It would be ok for a few steps & then would be back again. Scores of people passed me & I was wayyyy at the back of the pack by 3Km. Finally just before 4Km it went away & I slowly was able to run again. I gingerly went along until the 6K point & then hauled butt for the last 4K. My time was 1:32:00 which is over 1/2 hr over my time goal but I didn't stop & so I'm pretty proud of that!

Highlights for me:

1. Running on Memorial Drive. I remember being a kid & coming to Calgary to see my Grandparents, I always thought Memorial Drive was the most beautiful place ever with the trees & river & then downtown in the background, this was really special for me.

2. There was this older gentleman running ahead of me as I stopped & stretched & then kept going, he was so cool! He thanked EVERY volunteer he passed. What a sweet man!

3. The organization was amazing! I'm super Type A & tend to get nervous if I don't know what to expect. Having that email go out last night about watching footing & to always go left when the cones split the road was just brilliant in my books!

4. Nick took a pic of me as I was heading into the grandstand, I'm in a mob of other runners & it's grainy but he was SO excited that he was able to take a picture of me running :)

5. The pancake breakfast. There were no gluten free ones, but Nick got pancakes which was awesome as he got a reward for the morning too!

6. Medals. Love my giant medal :)

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