Lining up to start the Chocolate Race 10K
After last weekend's personal best at the Toronto Yonge Street 10K, I felt like I could push a bit harder and beat that time. Even though the course at Port Dalhousie was more difficult, I had a new-found confidence to push even harder.
Somehow, I ended up in the first row of the race. I really didn't want to be there, but they kept getting us to move up closer to the start line. I usually force myself to start farther back so I don't go out too fast. When the gun went off, I found myself holding tight in good position. I ran the first 2K in 9 minutes, which was 2 minutes faster than I was aiming for. Ooops.
Busting out a solid 4 1/2 minute kilometer somewhere along Lake Ontario
I had to remind myself to slow down and settle in to my 5 1/2 minute pace. I decided to skip the chocolate station at the 2.5K mark. Last year, I made the mistake of grabbing a shish-kabob and nearly choked on the chocolate-covered marshmallow. Who knew chocolate could be such a hazard?!
The race cruises through some residential streets of Port Dalhousie and merges onto the waterfront trail that follows the shoreline of Lake Ontario. It is quite beautiful, and because it's an out-and-back, you can get pumped up by the faster runners passing you on their way back.
It was somewhere around the 4.5K mark when I realized there were only about 15 runners ahead of me. I felt pretty good hitting the turnaround, but I made a deal with myself to kill the hill right before the water station at the 5.5K mark and take a 30 second walk break to down a cup of gatorade.
I kept reminding myself that I had already run further than what was left in the race and it would all be over soon enough. I got myself into a good rhythm and really linked in to my music. And then disaster struck...
With just over 2K left to go, some twit clipped me from behind and sent me flying. It is pertinent to point out that this race isn't very big and that particular section of the course had plenty of room for passing. By the time I realized I was falling, I had to expend a huge amount of energy to prevent myself from face-planting on the blacktop. All this idiot could offer was a "Sorry!" as she kept bombing along. I must have yelled an expletive (who me?!) because she turned around again to yell sorry. I was pissed and devastated. I was on track for a sub-53 minute race!!! I tried to get myself focused again and took some deep breaths to reset my breathing pattern, but everything had been thrown off. I had to take a short walk to get my legs to loosen up and get my breathing back.
Getting back in the zone was a lot tougher than I thought. Seeing the sign for 1K to go was a good kick in the ass. I knew my Mum would be waiting for me somewhere near the finish, so I reminded myself that I had less than 5 minutes to go and I turned up the tempo.
Screw the clumsy twit who tripped me and the chocolate-covered pretzels I passed up along the course, I was gunning to beat my Yonge Street time!
As I entered the final stretch I started picking off people to chase down, and then I envisioned Reid Coolsaet finishing strong at the 2012 Yonge Street 10K and told myself there was only a minute of pain left to go! And then I channeled an old 100m track buddy of mine and took off. Was I moving particularly fast? Probably not. But did I chase down a whole bunch of runners? Hell yeah!!
The official chip time said 54:46, which is unfortunately 4 seconds slower than the downhill Yonge Street course. My Garmin told me it was closer to 54:40.
When I got the race results, I was stunned. I got my first top ten finish!!! 23rd overall, 10th woman to cross the tape and 2nd in my age group. It was definitely an awesome race. And to think I don't really see myself as a "runner". I'm starting to see the light...
Not too shabby and a good confidence booster for next weekend's Orange County Half Marathon.
And most importantly, one more medal to add to the wall!
With my medal and Kim's (I wore both bibs because she decided not run)
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