Boxing Day Run 2010 - A race to

Race: Boxing Day Run
Where : Hamilton
When: December 26th 2010 - ( Boxing Day)
Distance in reality: 10 Miles
Distance in my mind: 50 Miles
Companions: Theo Bosch & Oliver Owens

Okay so there is nothing better than a run the morning after Christmas. Seriously... well that's how Theo sold it to me at any rate.
Being plagued by a chronic injury for the last year, I had scaled back my races significantly. I figured hey why not, you've managed a few good runs, give it a whirl and Theo has a way with words... " You racing? Day of sign up" Who could say no to an invite like that?

With my daughter gone for the Holiday Season, I thought why the heck not, gets me out and about. Fine... so in the Bosch-mobile I clammered. Around the bend and down the lane to Olivers house & then our little trio was complete & off we trekked.
Destination: the YMCA on James St Hamilton.
We got there with time to spare - registration didn't open until 10am. So we sat in the Y's little "cafe" and had a nice cuppa.
And guess who we run into none other than Chris Battaglia.
Now there's a surprise. LOL.

At 10am on the dot I was lead to the Gymnasium and duly handed over my $60.00 / registration form and in return I got a my bib and nifty Snowman gloves. It was the 90th running of the Boxing Day Run & what celebrations there were. Okay it was rather low key, but the clothing that you could buy was pretty darn great. However; since I have more closet space dedicated to running gear than civvies I thought it best to resist the temptation adding to my running gear.
The Expos was ... erhm... one table.. no wait... two. One with running stuff the other with running information.
I'm thinking they may want to expand on the expos just a tad.
At any rate - around 11:30 we headed off to the starting line on John Street where we were greeted by a very blustery wind. bbbrrrrr... so Oliver and I huddled up by the only source of heat - a running car. LOL. We got our picture taken for the Hamilton Spectator. Poor Theo ... bio break means missing out on celebraty.
The horn went and so did we all 1096 of us.
And once again I went like ... sno.. erhmm to fast. First km in 5:03, okay seriously, it's nice to know that my body can do it, but I have 9.4 miles left. Second km 5:15 and by the third km I figured it was time to walk since I hadn't run into an aid station yet. This, thought I, would slow me down for sure...
And as we turned into the marina's THERE was the aid station.. bugger... oh well. Keep going, as we exited the marina we hit the waterfront trail where I had done the Slainte Grey Cup 8k the year before & placed 3rd in my age group. I LOVE this part of the race & I was burning up the trail. I hit the 5 mile split at 47:52. PB LOOK OUT HERE I COME. My best time in a 10 miler was 2009 Acura 10 miler with a 1:39 time. I was on my way ... yahhoo.
Then as I started mile 6 ... I could feel the incline start & with that my leg pain increase - see I can ignore it very well on a flat course, but once the hills start, not so much.
We were running the edge of Chedoke Golf Course. Ack... this was not good.
Mile 7 - was the beginning of a mile climb up to the Club House & it was the begining of the end for me. My leg was not about to co-operate with me at all & let me know that there was NO WAY I was going to make a PB in fact, I was hard pressed to come close to my Angus Glen 10 miler time.
I was heartbroken.
I walked up the hill.
Then we hit a gravel rail trail - it was flat - but even that wouldn't help.
I walked some more.
Mile 9 started with a lovely down hill, so I trotted down hill... for about 500 meters. I was beside myself - Theo & Oliver were hopefully in the Y, changed and keeping warm. I tried as hard as I could not to look at my Garmin.
As I turned on to Jackson Street and headed towards the finish I figured I better run as best as I can in case Theo & Oliver were out, plus the finishing picture needs to be done running. I heard Theo .. then saw him.. It egged me on to at least keep running. Theo joined me for a hundred meters or so dangling the bling in front of me, as if that would help. I just didn't want to cry in front of the guys. I have an image to up hold. Sorta... okay not really but one must keep a modicum of ones pride intact.

So I crossed the finish line in 1:51:00
Chris Battaglia
Theo Bosch 1:31:13
Oliver Owens 1:11:52

All injuries aside - I think this is something I would do again. I did enjoy it. Hamilton is a great race town.