Grimbsy Half Marathon aka Okay That's a New Ouchie Half Marathon

What a great weekend for a marathon - snowmaggedon had hit, snow blowing everywhere, piling up higher and higher in my front yard. 2 days until the Grimbsy Half Marathon & being from the Niagara Region I knew that it never lasted long down in the sunny south. It would be a clear race day.

So Tracy "Macleaniac" and I headed to Mt Hope to meet up with Samantha Furlong and run the Half Marathon in Grimbsy. Woot Woot. Temps were going to be high of +3 and not a stitch of snow in the forecast. Rain maybe, snow not so much.
As we drove down it became apparent that the roads would be very clear, unless a horrid twist of environment fate were to happen. We scoped out the route TO the race. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. Back to Mt Hope and the Super 8 hotel. ( which was about a stones throw from the Hamilton Airport) Dinner and strategy for the race. According to Sam who got this from the Race Director, it was a new course and flat.
Now the 3 biggest lies I've ever heard are:
1) The cheque is in the mail
2) I'll still respect you in the morning
3) It's a flat race course

However; I was willing to hold off making that call until I had run the race.
And I only forgot my running mits, my headband & of course my Garmin. I did have a sports watch so it was better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.

No Expos until the morning of the race when we were able to pick up the kits. Okay no problemo. Set the alarms for a decent time and we'll be all over it. Kit pick up instructions were to be obeyed, it was a BYOB - bring your own bag. And the expo had all of 1 table okay 2. LOL. Oh well.

We gathered in Grimbsy Secondary School - which was fantastic. The weather was great, no snow just a small chill in the air but you could tell that it was going to be a great day for a run. The roads were clear for the most part.
We lined up and off we went.
Our race strategy was we each would do our own thing. So guilt free I left Sam & Tracy to their own devices. Apparently there was a conversation behind my back that went something like this:
Tracy: Look at Blazing Saddles go- that's the last we'll see of her until the finish.
Sam: Blazing Saddles? You mean Saddle Bags?
Ahhhh friends like that make you feel all warm & fuzzy. LMAO
(I didn't think they were that noticeable... drat. Now I have to really work at shaving off more time & apparently some width.)

I checked my watch and I had done the first 1K in 5:12 - HOLY SMOKES... just a tad bit too fast. Crap. Goal pace according to Kevin was to be 5-10 seconds slower than race pace so 5:50/km ack. Slow down Joan.
3K - 16:20 - Nice slowing down chicolita.
10K 59:10 - Yep.. okay
11K 1:04 woo hoo.. on my way to a PB!! AWESOME...

And that includes the trapsing through orchards on broken up tracker paths. Slushy, mucky puddle filled paths that took us through the front yards of several families. Oh and did I mention the rolling hills. More like a Golf Course path than a FLAT RACE COURSE in some parts. There was not a heck of a lot of down hill after the uphill.
I was beginning to wonder if Kevin O'Neill had anything to do with picking out the new race course. My suspicions were starting to mount. So much for a flat course. Yeah. Flat my backside.
Then suddenly around 12K I started getting this unfamiliar pain in my butt. Usually I'm somebody elses' pain in the butt.
It was sudden and sharp, but I ignored it. Took an extra walk break for about 20 seconds here and there. Then by 15K - it became apparent that this was a not something that was good. As I walked to the 16K mark I thought to myself how the heck am I going to handle this.
I could run 500 meters before the pain would shoot from my butt down my hamstring. I was pushing the dreaded spot hoping to ease the sharp knifing sensation, when a woman RAN by me and noticed my dilemma and said " ahhhhhh the paraformis..." The whatie what? Who knew I had a paraformis?! What is a paraformis other than a pain in my @$$?
By that point I looked at my watch and my dreams of a 2:08 were squashed. 3K left and I was not a happy camper.
I would run as fast and as far as I could before the pain became unbearable and then walk until it subsided. It started hurting just walking.. ACK...
19K - more of the same.
Then at 20K I thought oh man... I have to run this in. HAVE TO... I have Kevin's voice in my head telling me to have a strong finish. Last 2 K should be strong. A long heavy sigh escaped my lips - Turtles never say die!!
So I picked my prey - and gunned it. I weaved around 3 or 4 runners and flew toward the finish. aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh... 2:20... not bad considering. I added 12 minutes on to what I had hoped would be my PB.
So now how do you heal a paraformis? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?
Expect my call Trish.

Weekend Results

Some great results from the various races that RoadRunners competed in this weekend.

In New Orleans Roger Ison ran his best time in a while with a 3:25 finish at the Mardi Gras Marathon.

In Tampa Bay Alan Hewson ran a PB 3:31 at the Gasparilla Marathon, in the half marathon Lisa Thurlow ran 2:05 and Cindy Marcelli 2:40.

Closer to home at the grimsby half Marathon Joan Van Hilten ran 2:20, Tracy MacLean 2:29 and Samantha Furlong also 2:29.

In Peterborough at the YMCA half Marathon Jamie Nielsen ran 1:34, Mary Mitchell 1:36, Shawn Patton 1:37 and Mark Harrison 1:39.

Race Season is Upon Us

Yes the race season is starting and we have a number of events this weekend.
Some RoadRunners are or already have travelled long distances to get to their races. Roger Ison is in the Big Easy for the Rock n ROll New Orleans Marathon on Sunday morning, good luck Roger, not that you need it.
Alan Hewson is Tampa Bay to run the 10th and last Gasparilla Marathon. This race is being discontinued for some reason and will only be run as a half marathon in the future. Speaking of the half marathon, we have Lisa Thurlow and Cindy Marcelli will be running the half marathon.
Closer to home, the 32nd Annual Peterborough half will take place on Sunday and our own Jamie Nielsen will be making his annual pilgrimage to run this event.
Also on Sunday is the 17th annual Grimsby Half marathon. I know of 3 RoadRunners taking part Samantha Furlong, Tracy Maclean and Joan Van Hilten. Good luck to all.
If I've missed any one let my know.

Surf City Marathon, by the Numbers.

What a great time we all had in Huntington Beach CA at the 2010 Surf City Marathon. We all arrived the friday before the run, but some had to return on Monday, Wednesday, and a few of the lucky ones stayed until Friday.It was a well organzied event, perfect weather, great bling, great course, free beer at the finish(until they ran out,boo) and great sights. So here are the numbers in no particular order:

Jim Tuttle 3:56 1 strong run.
Kevin O' Neill 3:06 3rd in his age group, 35th overall.
Catherine Harding 5:03 her 2nd state run, only 1 blister.
Rhonda Ferrell 5:35 1 dedicated run,1 day to relax after.
Glenn Shaw 5:27 1st Marathon Well done!
Michelle Lancia 5:03 1st Marathon, your hooked now!
Bill Lovett 3:31 another strong run for Giddy Up.
Dave Hope 4:22 2nd state run.
Tracy MacLean 5:27 10th Marathon
Jacques Bois 4:25 Arizona 0, California 1
Clarence Wang 4:28 Thanks for coming Clarence, always good conversation.
Brian Lancia 3:48 1st person to go for a run after the Marathon,on tuesday!!! Who does that!!!
Keith Lascelles 3:23 29th Marathon
Rick MacLean 4:04 17th Marathon
Mike Thrane 1:56 (half marathon) 1 good and organized cook.
Cynthia Osborne 2:02 (half marathon) we missed you again.

Special thanks to our cheering section, Bev, Paps(the seester) and Taylor.
Congrats to all. Now the hard part, back to running in the cold!

Rmac

Surf City

This coming weekend 18 Barrie RoadRunners will be running the Surf City Marathon in Huntington Beach, California. Although the weather may not look that great for California standards its still 40C warmer that it was last Saturday morning, rain or shine a great day will be had by all the RoadRunners, providing they can all behave themselves ;-).
At least 2 will be running their first marathons (Glen and Michelle) so good luck to them. And to everyone else.

I'll take that challenge.... " bet you can't run just one"

Wellllllllllll... I just got an email from let me double check...The Barrie RoadRunners on behalf of Peter from mynextrace.com - He says " I bet you can't run just one" referring to the Niagara Subaru Race Series.

As luck would have it I'm slated to sign up for the Grimbsy Half this Friday. I've just signed up for Around the Bay last week. I have to at least APPEAR to have my addiction under control other wise they up my meds again.

I grew up in Lincoln County - why the heck not. My buddy Sam needs to kick start her running again after a series of illnesses. We'll see how many I can avoid from this series.

Since my daughter, Chelsea, has caught the walking bug - we just may end up doing three or four of the races in their series. I'll keep ya'll posted.
( okay prolly more me supporting her new found hobby than me running - cuz some times it's just not about you - it's about them!)

Till the next blog!

My the wind be at your back and wings on your feet.

Robbie Burns - an excuse to wear a kilt

Well what a glorious Sunday morning January 24th was. A grrrate grrrraaaate day for a wee race! And why not head down to Burlington for it? They know how to put on a fun time.
Race kit pick up was very easy - once you actually go when the store is open .... whoops. "Green" blue Walmart reusable bags were the kit. Had some E-load products in there. Very nice, very nice indeed for a "smaller race".
926 runners signed up. 826 finished. Not sure how they managed to lose 100 runners along the way - the Insta Kilts were not THAT amazing. Fun for sure... but difficult to work with. If I do it again - I may have to invest some time and energy in shopping the local Goodwills for one.
Be that as it may - it was not a run for a PB ifnya were going tee wear your wee kilt!

What was a treat was the fact the staging area was inside the school! BONUS!! WARMTH and coffee, tea and hot chocolate! I could see this was gearing up to be an AWESOME apres run do! I was giddy with anticipation. My kilt was pinned as best as I could muster. Rectangle doesn't fit curves well.

So Terry, Joy, Keith, Veronica & I milled about the school and bumped into Tigera and her two friends as well as Nancy C & her girl friend at the start. A nice showing of RoadRunners for a first outting to the 30th annual running of the Robbie Burns 8K Road Race.

I had my Garmin on and no intervals set. I was going to work on my speed, my biomechanics and run without my water belt. I only had a Cherry Halls in my running capris. I think it was about a year old by the looks of it - but beggars CAN NOT be choosers at this point in the game. What doesn't kill me....

Off when the buzzer and over the start line I went. I had Kevin's voice in my head the whole time. "elbows down, shoulders down - less breaks." " elbows down, shoulders down - find your pace" " elbows down, shoulders down ...." Yeah okay Kev I get the picture .. argh.. come back when I'm about to pass out from a lack of oxygen okay buddy? sheesh.

I managed to maintain under my race pace - at the 3K mark I took what I thought was a quick break to unwrap my vintage Halls cough drop and pop it in my mouth - with out dropping it. I know what I'm like.
Then a quick one at 6K mark cuz I promised myself one at 6k. I was almost done my Halls - I was still maintaining under my race pace. And then off to the home stretch and stretch it was. Off in the distance I almost make out the school. Not long now. Nancy's friend Hilda was wonderful enough to run a short way with me to help me dial it up a notch. Kevin rejoined my head with a " finish strong!!" " finish strong" AAAAAAARRGHHh Fine fine fine...

I'm a tad bit disappointed - I was slower than the Slainte 8K run - but then I wasn't wearing a ankle length cocktail skirt / towel/ kilt. But happy I could figure out my pace as well as minimize my break time. So really a success if you look at it through squinty eyes. Honest.

Would I do it again? Definitely. It is great fun. I mean they were serving freshly made PORRIDGE... bagels, bananas & the tried and true Canadian MAPLE COOKIE. After the race for the awards ceremony we all gathered in the auditorium. Keith Lascelles won a nifty prize for being the first kilted runner across the finish line! Way to go Keith! Nancy was 3rd in her age category 44-49 and Terry ended up on stage showing off his grand kilt in their annual Best Kilt - Male category! Unfortunately the competition was a bit too fierce - several of the lads bowed out when twirling in their kilts looked to be the only way to win this highly sought after competition.
It really was a lovely kilt Terry!

It was a great day and a fun run!