The Mississauga Half Marathon

Blap blap blap blap blap blap blap blap blap blap.

That's the sound my alarm clock makes. Annoying ain't it?!

My cell phone alarm has a really annoying pinging noise. God I hate them both some days. But not the morning of May 16th. Okay maybe just a little. It was freaking early ... again. 4am.
It was time to get ready to catch the coach to the Mississauga Marathon. My goal race. Acckkk... No marathons yet, so half marathon is better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick. Right? I'm very grateful that I'm running! Half marathon is GREAT!!

My calf felt good. It was ready. I mean woot woot!! Lots of walking, swimming & cycling. I hadn't decided what I was going to do, meaning I had signed up for the half marathon run - but didn't know if I'd walk it or not. See you can walk in a running event, but you can't run in a walking event.
So depending on how my calf felt that would dictate how I would do the event.

But morning of - I felt ready go. My calf did. I managed to get to the bus despite some work issues that had cropped up at 4:30am. Sick or what?! Ack.

Cindy & I had tossed around the idea of doing the race together. She was just doing this as a recovery run from the Flying Pig & I wanted to test my running legs - maybe. But as we runners hang out with enablers - and get caught up in the joie de vivre that is running; I had decided the minute I got off the coach that it would be running as far as I could go.
I've done the half at Mississauga for a couple of years now and know the route. It's fairly flat except for the area around UTM. Slight hill there.

So I just happened to run into the MacLeaniacs & Cindy. Tracy was running for a PB & Rick was saving himself for some 50 miler. Go figure. LOL.
So Cindy and I banded together, determined to run with only the expectation to finish. I know myself well enough though. It would take a lot of self discipline to not run like a woman possessed to do at the very least a course PB.

I don't know what it is, but the first few K really bug me. Not sure if it's because we are running through the city proper or what, but it just annoys the heck out of me. I don't really start enjoying it till about the 5K mark.
Then heading down toward UTM I start to really enjoy the race.
I managed, much to my surprise, to power up the hill. I thought for sure I'd be huffing and puffing and walking up the great big hill, but I didn't. I don't know if I'd have wanted to run another one like it right away, but I was feeling really good.
Cindy was keeping me well in check, which I appreciate because every now and again I could feel my calf sing out a sharp note or two.

We had lots of questions about our compression socks though, lots of interesting conversation about them. I really love my compression socks. They make such a noticeable difference for me. I have a pair of compression calf sleeves and two pairs of Recovery Socks. I'll wear a pair for racing and then another pair for recovery. I highly recommend them.

Oh sorry back on point. The Race.

As we were heading toward the 15/16 K mark Cindy remarked that we should be running into some of the marathoners - like Old What's His Name... Kevin. Wouldn't you know it not more than a few minutes later we could make out this red blur speeding by us and the faint noise that noise the Road Runner makes ... BEEP BEEP ZZZZOOOM!!

After spitting out the sand and dust we had to eat as Kevin streaked by we managed a few hoarse rounds of " GOOO KEVIN, GOOOOOOO!!!" and " Then Kenyans went thataway" aahhh it was nice to see a Speed Demon in action. I felt the odd pang of regret deep in my belly that I wasn't doing the 42.2k this time. Then I realized it was just nausea from me stepping through the rip in the time space continuim that Kevin created ... ahahaha.. ahahah..

It was a bit odd for awhile having the Full Marathoners running with us at their 32K mark for a couple of kilometers. I felt somewhat bad for them as they needed to dodge the half marathoners beforet they had to stay to the right to do the last 10k of their race. We would shout of courtesty - stay to the right Marathoner coming through" It was nice to see the halfers do so, nothing like good running etiquette I always say.

As we were passing over the bridge heading toward the 19K mark I had mentally prepared myself for what was about to happen, it happened the year before quite badly and the year before that. As you run over the bridge you get a sick feeling and your legs turn to rubber. It's almost instantenious. So as I hit the bridge I steeled myself and my mantra was " it's the bridge, it's the bridge, it's not you, it's the bridge" Just then I hear Cindy calling out to me. " Joan I'm going to pass out, I feel really sick". I dropped back a bit and started yelling " It's not you Cindy, it's the bridge" several times. Luckily she made it with out passing out. There were others not as lucky.

I really really felt good this Missy Half. I certainly felt like I had done well. I ran the entire course ( except for the walk breaks) but for the most part I really felt good and was very pleased with our time of 2:31. It didn't feel bad at all. My calf muscle held up. I didn't do anything stupid, for a change, and managed to finish it with no incident. Now mind you the next day there was a bit of aching, but nothing that didn't disipate quickly.

Though I did too much the following Wednesday and went on a hilly run. ACK. what was I thinking? I'm not quite ready for that yet folks.
I have to keep it simple and flat right now. So no Buffalo this year. I have no one running to keep me from doing something dumb. Cuz I know I won't stop me.
Next year. Next year.

Just so you know the bling is very nice & the apres run food wasn't too bad either. Bags and bags of nuts almonds or cashews, apples, bananas, water and gatorade. It was all very tasty. Nuts, now there is an interesting choice for protien, but hey they were yummy.

Then back out to the 300 metre mark to cheer on the rest of the halfers and full marathoners coming in. It was a steamy hot sticky day - but they all did fantastically and I couldn't be happier for my fellow Barrie runners.

Until the next run. May you have wings on your feet and the wind at your back.