10 km in the park

to finish off my runningest month ever at 172.6 km for a total 6 month total of 755 km and Im over half way! Yay.  LOL 
Ran in the park around a couple of really big loops with a couple of really long climbs; speed wasnt high but effort was very high to get up those hills and down others. It was a mix of terrain from paved trail to rooty bike trails and wet mud to dry sand. Really good run.  Warmish at 17 C (not thinking that is accurate) and 100% humidity rain with the sun coming out part way through for a very muggy run. 
10 km in 1:10 ish.

Tempo Run

Guess Im wandering a little unsure about a plan to follow; tonight I did the run that was recommended in the Running Room book for Marathon Finishing...6 km tempo run; but Im not married to a plan yet. Tomorrow Im going to have to run early before going away for the afternoon/evening and I hate that I had to run tonight (busy and humid/hot) and then early tomorrow morning (only a few short hours later) to get the runs in and am I going to start to resent the runs?  Its early yet for that. And marathon training can take so long!

6.4 km tonight in 40:25 minutes including warm up and cool out and hilllllls. love hills. 

10 km tomorrow?  We will see.

Tomorrow is half way through the year and Im at 745 km for the 6 months so far.  Looking good for being half done!!!!!

LSD Run Ughly.

Didnt really go out with a plan this morning. Big Mistake.

I had planned a really long long run, keeping in mind the 16 miler in 2 weeks, and never having done that distance....Someone suggested it was overtraining and maybe a slightly shorter long run was needed.  We did just do a half marathon last week.  I was undecided.

Woke up kind of cranky and irritable with tight, aching hamstrings and ankles. Maybe ball hockey 2 nights ago was brutal; covering someone really fast and trying to screw them up might have screwed me up ;) lots of start and stop and change direction and sprint.  it worked but Im really sore. Or maybe it was the weeding Ive done in the past 2 days.  Unaccustomed to all that bending and reaching?  either way any sore that I was yesterday I was worse today.  All the stretching in the world  was not going to cure that.

I got up late.  I intended to get up around 7 and at about 630 I put my head between the pillows and didnt wake until 820.  SO tired. Wanted to go right back to sleep but forced myself out of bed.  Got coffee going, got some breakfast for meself and the littlest of the littles, and set about preparing to run. It was cool at only 13 C. 

Got distracted. Did some house work. It rained.  Considered not going until tomorrow but tomorrow is supposed to be super rainy. And I know what happens when I put off runs; I never get to go on them.  And if Scott is milking in the morning I wont get out til late anyway. No putting it off.

I left the house at 1125 am with the temps rising and humidity 100% and a plan to meet Scott at the park in an hour and a half. What was I thinking?

Got about a km down the road and decided to change the plan.  Took a different route, across the highway to Brookside Road and through Bible Hill.  And mostly felt pretty ok.

But did not factor in Irritability.  I wore the Johnny Miles shirt and it was very slippy....with the water bottle belt it was unbearable; the belt would not stay in place and chafed in weird places.  The shirt was pulling at my neck and felt like it was pulling my shoulders down. It was just SO irritating!  Ugh.  It really took a lot outof my stride and a lot of energy to keep righting that belt and being so annoyed with it. I really considered tossing it. 

And I forgot my phone. So no calling for an early pick up.

I changed route again to cut off some of the miles because I was cranky.  And starting to feel really tired. And despite drinking water, feeling kind of cold and nauseated. But mostly cranky ;)  So I was then shorting on km for the long run but missing the park and starting to get super slow. And it was a pretty hilly route.  and I was short of sleep. Really it was just a bad idea.  Oh and I was hungry.

Did finalllly get to the park where Scott had been waiting since finishing his own run in the park. I bet that was nice.  Shady.  By the time I got there I was just done with the run. I had walked a few km before for a drink and getting started again was a total struggle.  I have not had such a poor run in a really really long time.  UGH.

18 km in 1:56:and something nothing to write home about but I guess bad or not, they are km in the book.  12 km off my goal of 750 km in 6 months. I can get there by Thursday. Im not sure I care anymore.  Its just been one of those runs.

Run into town

to the Farmer's Market; should have been about 4 miles; Scott was to meet me and we were going to go to the market and wander around :)

It was sunny when I left the house but I got rained on part way there; it wasnt cold and not too wet. But then was the train. SIGH on Queen street, a train.  A nice, long, VERY slow moving train. Rather than hang out in the rain, I turned back and went over the CN Bridge.  Then I missed Scott and kids at the gas station (didnt know they were there) and ended up running to the Farmer's Market and totalled 8 km (5 miles) for the day. Little more than planned but it was such a nice day; little windy.  48:20 minutes. 6:02 pace.

Long run tomorrow planning to take in part of the park for some trail km.

Interestingly, at the Johnny Miles expo I had filled out a ballot to win free race registration for the CrossBorder Challenge next weekend.  Got an email this morning notifying that I had won the registration :) I wasnt sure I was going to go in the race but with registration paid, of course I would go, no sense in letting it go to waste!  Im sure other people would have loved it also!  So next Saturday morning I will be paclking up good and early and heading to Amherst to board a bus for the challenge :):):)

Run with Holly

Ran the 8 km loop this morning with Holly along for a bike ride, She loved it although the traffic made her nervous, I guess the best way for her to learn to drive her bike on the road is to go with her :)

After the Tuesday run and Ride on the Horse I was sore (from riding the horse; outside of lower legs and inner thighs from unaccustomed positions) so took a rest day on Wednesday (ok Wednesday was just really busy) and ran Thursday instead. Nice 8 km in 52 minutes with a couple of stops for traffic on the bike (big trucks are scary).

Little 5 km Recovery Run

Im actually not sure if this is a recovery run or not since it was 2 days after the "event" but I feel even more recovered now.
I have felt awesome after this race. Weary, yes but not near so much as I thought, and not at all sore.  :) This morning it was easy to dress and go out to collect a very easy 5 km even with the heat rising and the sun shining rather brightly.  I really am tho going to have to start getting up for 5 am runs.  The heat can take it all out of ya!
Unsure of training plan at the moment for this week :)

Johnny Miles 35th Anniversary Half Marathon Breakdown

the half marathon report is going to be relatively photo-less.  LOL by comparison we took way few photos
Attempted early sleep the night before which was difficult because I couldnt sleep. SIGH.  Why do I try? 

Was up early in morning and had coffee/breakfast in a relative non-rush with preps night before and being up early.  Even showered.  Bathroom upsets made us slightly later but we had planned to be early so it was good.  Met the girls and headed off to New Glasgow

We found parking which was different because the start of the race was on the other side of the river than usual; not at the park but on a downtown street.   Lots of portapotties and lines were not really bad although I was shocked at the number of people who either butted in line or just made themselves a new one; and then there were the 5 k runners who pushed to the front despite the fact that they left 10 minutes later than the Full/Half/10 K runners (there were so many of them!)

So we had our potty stop and headed for the start. I really would have loved a last minute pee but I didnt get it. lol I have a theory if I go 3 times I will be empty and wont have to stop. This one shot deal wasnt in my plan. Luckily it all worked out because despite being sure I had to pee at the start, I did the entire race without one stop at the many potties along the route (it was reassuring they were there, however, knowing the bushes were not my only option had I had to go. MANY people there.)

We waited in line and SCOTT took off with our coats and bags and camera (ugh yes camera - no pre race photos) and my pace bracelet that I took the time to seal in packing tape so it would not sweat off....SIGH. lol. 

Then the gun went off and we were like....guess it just started. Usual shuffle to the start took about 3 minutes (not bad) and we went up the street and around the corner, crossing the bridge over East River and onto the West Side and the usual route of the race; up Stellerton Road and 180 Degree turn onto the Albion Trail back to another 180 degree  turn on a street; 10 km loop (they took out the hill this year) that is done 2 times. I cannot imagine doing it 4 times for the full marathon! Ugh.

Started quite fast as usual and it took me awhile to settle into a reasonable pace (8 km!) which likely bit me later with a couple of slower km.  Finally sorted out how the Garmin would keep track of my run By Km which I love :):):) I can tell where I was too fast and where too slow but I remember so little it kind of leaves me wondering Why? lol.

The sun came out fairly early on and it was quite steamy. At most of the water stops I had water and poured what was left of my cup on my head.  That was super nice. Felt kind of tired at 4 miles but that passed and really didnt come back. Seriously felt pretty good throughout the entire race. Time goal of under 2:10 was in my reach! LOL  Up the paved road, very crowded and did the usual up over the curb to avoid this dumbass or across the pylons to avoid that stupidbugger who stopped right in front.

Turned on to the trail which I LOVE because the footing is good and there was shade :)  It was hot, despite what certain spectators said.  Loved the trail but for the detour. There was a detour.  The trail was being worked on, and there was a detour up a HILL and I mean a steeeeeep hill onto a parking lot and around a washed out culvert maybe?  It was loose gravel and STEEP and really unpleasant. Gee we only had to do it 2 times!  

Shortly after that met Scott and he was taking photos and offering snacks (didnt have them there).   He had a good spot because it was uncrowded and he could walk up across the trail up onto the street and met me at about half way ;)

I kept picking people in front of me to pass; reel them in then pick someone else; of course at the start they were a lot of 10 K runners who might have been going a little faster than someone doing 2 times that distance might have been.  Either way its totally a mental bonus to be able to pass people along the way and not only be passed by everyone.  Which happened sometimes too :):)

So we went under the bridge and along the trail to the road; last year this road would have looped around a street up and down a hill but this year due to the changed start/finish line, they had us go up the street and had a turn around which we hate but got over, having to do it 2 times. 

Back down the street, through the usual half way point at the park, where the 10 K runners finally peeled off, and onto the second loop of the run. Met Scott, had my half an oatmeal bar, a drink of yogurt, and off again up the hill.  Ugh spent almost 5 minutes swallowing that oatmeal bar hahahahah.  and on a hill! lol

Second time around much the same as the first.  Loving the trail, not so much the road OH yeah there was construction on the road by the highway so we ran over pot holes and loose gravel and puddles and mud. Blech. 

s

On the trail second time I saw Brian and he took some photos and I was sure...I could see Sarah in the distance. It was about 17 km into the run.  Right at the start I lost sight of everyone and just had a vague idea that Sarah was ahead somewhere and Margie and Coralee were somewhere behind. But we do run our own races.

So the fact that now I could see Sarah in the distance was surprising. I was fairly sure there was some sort of problem, and I caught up to her at the next water stop and said something but she didnt answer so I touched her shoulder (um big mistake) and she said some bad words and  fell on the trail; there was that "wall" we have heard about.  After a bit she got up and walked with me, working out some cramps, and then we tried running some, and that worked, we were so close to done!  Had some water at the next stop, walked up a hill, ran some more, Made the turn, the end seemed forever coming, she seemed to be doing ok so I said if we pick it up a little in this last bit, we are still going to beat your last times!  And Sarah rallied and picked up the pace and we crossed the finish with hands high!  Personal bests for both of us, at 2:08:52.  (Downhill finishes rock!)

Broken down by km

km 1 - 5:50/5:50

km 2 - 11:29/5:38

km 3 - 17:34/6:06 trying to convince myself to slow down here ;)

km 4 - 23:27/5:53

km 5 - 29:11/5:44

km 6 - 35:15/6:04

km 7 - 41:14/5:59 settling a bit into a stride

km 8 - 47:16/6:02

km 9 - 53:18/6:03
km 10 - 59:25/6:07 (check out that 10 K time - a little fast lol)
km 11 - 1:05:52/6:27 through half way point a little slowed by what? not sure. Was pretty hot.
km 12 - 1:11:52/5:59 better

km 13 - 1:18:23/6:31 gulp

km 14 - 1:24:38/6:15
km 15 - 1:30:29/5:51
km 16 - 1:36:43/6:14
km 17 - 1:43:16/6:34 ran into Sarah on this km.
km 18 - 1:50:19/7:02 some walking to make sure she kept going
km 19 - 1:56:48/6:30
km 20 - 2:03:36/6:48 hills
km 21 - 2:08:54/5:33 strong finish.  My garmin must be different from the race measure because I came up 50 m short of 21 km, not 21.1 but Im sure they measure carefully, being a Boston qualifier and all.

Finally caught us in one spot for a End of the race photo :):):) We all look like awesome Half Marathon runners!!!

So this is likely one of my best runs yet; timewise anyway (hard to beat Vegas) but it was a good idea of how the Marathon might go IF prepared properly and trained right :):)

Taking a bit of an easy week and then hopping into marathon training WHILE still yet running a few summer races and having a life.

Johnny Miles 35th Anniversary Half Marathon

Is done over and finished with great success!  Weather held (wind could have gone away) and route was good (detour could Bite Me) it was a good run!

309/472
1561 Teri-Lynn Masters
F 34/73
F3039
2:11:14  Gun Time
2:08:52  Chip time
6:09 Average Pace

Tomorrow

is the half marathon. I do not seem to be taking it very seriously.  I did not run today. UGH!!!

The weather gods have heard me; latest forecast for morning is lovely clouds and 18 C.  Gonna be awesome.

Back to that not running; by the time I even got up (first time sleeping in past 630 am in over a week) it was hot and I had to take Holly right to a soccer clinic and it was hot and then I came home and Scott left and was gone....most the rest of the day; there was no time and it was HOT.  LOL more hot than usual.  Out of the blue. Our weather changes way too fast.

Now I could go run now, but Im actually concerned that it would make me too restless and not sleeping well.  And the marathon starts in less than 12 hours. I need sleep.

SO I guess Im doing the half with no cob web run. SIGH.
Im sure it will be fine.

Signed UP

for the 16 miler at Saint John in 3 weeks!  YIKES!

Celebration of Greenspace

Should be awesome!  And totally not hot in July right?
hehehe

Error in Judgement and a Weather Watch.

Again. I do this all the time.  Ugh.  But it was totally fixable it just took some discipline.

I was supposed to run Tuesday and Wednesday and take off Thursday and Friday.  That's part of my taper.  I wanted to run with Tonya on Thursday and so I rearranged. I was even dressed to run on Wednesday morning but I changed and went with Thursday morning. Wednesday was sunny and beautiful.  Thursday there were no such promises. But that was the plan I went with.

Dumb dumb dumb.

Because I forgot that I had a dentist appointment yesterday morning right at the time we were to run. And Tonya could not wait. She's a busy person.  Luckily Im a lady of leisure and I have nothing else to do.

I intended therefore to go before the kids had to go to school. Like at about 530-6 am.  And I went to bed nice and early and got up nice and on time. And it was raining. And I didnt have supper the night before.  So I was feeling nauseated.  I did not run.  I didnt feel it.  I was like Shit what now?  I knew I was not going to feel like running after the dental appointment.  I mean you know you are getting old when your old fillings are worn down and need replacing. Crap.  And it sucked lol.

After the dentist we went to Halifax to say goodbye to my beloved car and got into our new one to drive home. Its a freaking automatic SIGH but it has leather seats and seat heaters which I will love this winter and it has a sun roof. To be honest I liked the Forrester best. But we would have had to deal with our old CRV for like 3 months to get the deal they offered...and I mean its no good to save a little money to spend it on a 3rd car for 3 months. Didnt work out. So we have the new CRV.

So we come home and get the kids from school and I had a little bitty nap and we went to soccer; Holly had a game at the same field and the same time that Annika had a practice (miracle!) and we watched them both yay! Holly scored 2 goals as her team won 4-3.  Then I ran home.

I dont usually like to run in the evening; Im usually tired and cranky and want to get the kids to bed on time. So this is where the discipline part came in.  It would have been so easy to go home in the car (the new car) and get the kids into bed. But I went and did the running IN the rain (love warm rains and it was warm) and I did 6 km at race pace.

Now I dont really know what Race Pace is hahahah I cannot do 21 km at the race pace the book predicts after the training I did.  Im like....I dont get it. I did what the book said. Should I not be able to do the pace it predicts? But I cannot. So Im not going to beat myself up. I ran that pace for 6 km and did that in 35 minutes which is fine with me at this point.

Then Scott came and picked me up timing was perfect because I was going to walk for 1 minute and then continue running til home but he drove along and picked me up before the 1 minute was done. (see? perfect timing).  And I called it a run done.

Resting today and by resting I mean Im going to do housework and gardening and going to play ball hockey tonight.  Really great rest.  The tomorrow is a short slow run to loosen up for the half on Sunday!  Its here! SIGH.

Weather watch:  It has bobbed back and forth; at the moment we are looking at sunny with clouds and a chance of rain (whatever) oh hahahaha I see some lightening on the forecast now FUNNY Wind forecast has dropped yay and temperature has dropped to about 23 (bearable).  It has actually improved despite the lightening hahahhahaha

Last longish run before the HALF

Half in 5 days :) Gee can't wait. Weather watch - no longer Quite as hot expected but winds have certainly gone up to 25 km with gusts.  Blech. 

Had a wonderful run this morning with Margie on my 10 km loop which somehow became 11.2 km when I wasn't looking LOL how does that happen? I even mapped it; was not that long. SIGH anyway it was nice and sunny and a little windy but not terribly hot by 10 when we were done and in my kitchen drinking smoothies :)  1:11 time I thought we were kinda a little faster than that LOL 6:20 time average pace.  Still was a nice run.

Weather watch 6 days out

Ugh the weather will change more before this is over;  but today's weather forecast for Sunday is NO rain, mostly sunny, 27 C with a humidex of 31C! Gross.  thisn would be really not good. SUPER not good. Someone do a little cloud dance.  I don't want rain like last year...but some sprinkles would be just awesome :):) or a cold front! hehehe

Park Run

With the dog today. It was sort of supposed to be a rest day but I did not run Saturday; I had a bit of a run in the park with Maggie instead of running really hard.  It was nice and cool weather-wise and Maggie is awesome :) I don't know how far I went and I ran for about 55 minutes.  I figure I ran at least 4 miles so that was what I claimed. 

Weather Watch

is on; for next Sunday's half marathon.  Currently says temps of 24 with scattered showers. Gross.  I wish it would be dry and 10 C and overcast. Am I hoping too much? Oh and kill any wind.  lol  I suppose it wont be 24C in the morning and a few isolated showers would feel good. This has potential to be pleasing :):):)

Just another run

Feel like Im just putting in a little time here now; waiting for the half next week.  The weather has been hot and dry for a couple of days and Im thinking if it is this warm for the half I might have my worst time ever ;)  I better aim for water at the water stops because I do not want to dump gatorade on me ;) But I will SO dump the water glasses on me ;)

Simple little 8 km run today (6 scheduled) I did my Valleydale loop which is about 8.2 by the end.  Its just a nice loop with some shade even on roads.  Lots of hills but not really anything major.  I felt good by times, tired others.  Ended in under 54 minutes so not a best time but I did walk once when really hot and I also started out slow.  Heat is having its effects. 

Funny after all these years and kms run Ive never had trouble with dogs until this month. And now for the third time I was chased by a dog this morning. I told it to go lay down heehehe the things you try. then some human came out of the house and called it off.  Couple of days ago I was on a busy street when a dog came flying out from behind a house and onto the road; it actually hit my leg but did not bite; but I jumped sideways and almost landed in the path of a truck. Really wise.   No one called that dog back home.  Grr. I will SO not be impressed if Im bitten. I might start to carry pepper spray for the dogs!

Taper week this week. Have to check the plan :)

Run Around Town

Took a nice warm run around town today from the park to Salmon River and back again down Queen Street and back to the park.  It was uneventful if not a little painful in trying for an effort that wasnt there :( I feel like I put a lot of energy into the run but could not get a good comfortable pace going; whatever, its done and I can concentrate on a busy weekend!
8.4 km, 52 minutes. 

Ball hockey game tonight!

Whew Heat is awesome but...

not all that lovely to run in :)
I could not make myself go this morning; laundry, other things on my mind.  House cleaning.  LOL

But about noon I did feel like going and it was SO hot. :) nice and hot tho. Maggie and I went to the park where there was shade and cool and she had to stop and stare down all the dogs we met and there was no convincing her on.  It was about half an hour but Ive no idea distance due to Garmin uncooperation. Oh well. Who cares?
lol

Bad Bad runner with a Race coming up!

lol Ok so I felt great after my LSD on Saturday of 20 km. I really did. I came home and did some cleaning, got up Sunday not sore, did more cleaning, played ball hockey...all good.
Then Monday happened.  I went to a Boot Camp in the park.  Ugh.THEN as if that wasnt enough I went to Ball Hockey pick up. That was great!

Tired Monday night.....starting to stiffen.

Tuesday Im a zombie. I am tired. I can barely walk.  So what did I do?  Horseback riding.

All that moving and holding a posture took its toll and I was so tired when I got home from soccer I went right to bed. 

I guess I just dont know when to stop.

This morning I got up and dressed appropriately and I decided I would do Yesterday's run of 6 km. Today called for 12 and it was more than I could face.

But the weather was lovely and the run felt good and thanks to a trail I took a route I had not planned on and Voila 12 km done.  Albeit without the 4 intervals called for but gads what can a girl do?

Planning a run tomorrow and Friday and then Saturday is too busy for running ;)

20 K LSD

Ugh done.  Done like dinner!  But not as nice.  It was a struggle.

Im still kinda weary although Im sure its improving right? Had some company this morning as Sarah joined me for most of the 20 k.  Those km go by a lot faster when there is company.

We kind of left about an hour later than I had planned. Could not get moving this morning. SIGH.  THe sun was out and it was warm.  HOT when we started at 8 ish am.  (or later. LIkely later.)  So we were very sweaty.

Started out nice, pace was a little slower than usual but Im still tired and since the Cabot Trail is over Im rewarding myself with a nice slow long run for the first time since February.  And I dont want to be this worn out next week and the week after because the Johnny Miles Half Marathon is in 2 weeks.  And Sarah was more than willing to be my pokey running mate this morning. 

Did a little climbing on Salmon river Road then a little downhill on Valleydale.  That was the end of the nice :):) it was HOT and there was no shade for the rest :)
Greenfield Road up to Harmony Ridge was one long long climb.  Really from the start of the run to the end we did about 12 km of climbing.  It wasnt constant climbing thank goodness...there were some rolling hills to relieve us slightly.    Then back down the other side which was nice but going down can be tiresome too.  At the end of 20 km I was beat.  But a few minutes of walking and I do believe I could have gone further.  We did a lot of walking on this run...10 minutes run 1 minute walk most of the time.  Itwas good with all that HOT.  I totally ran out of water.  Jelly Beans at 5 km, half a granola bar at about 11 km.  RAN out of water. Bad bad bad . May have to go out and start planting water bottles all around the neighborhood.  Cannot be running out of water!

So 20 km done in 2:18:30 Im aware of the sucky time but this was my reward for the rough training and Im sure I will recover faster and be able to play ball hockey tomorrow night and get a run in tomorrow to boot. Its all good.

On the downslope to the Half marathon now!

Weary

Yeah, just like I knew I would be...just Weary. It usually takes me a while to recover from a race or extra effort; not that Im hurt or anything, just extra weary. Long runs arent nearly as hard on me. Added to the fact that I have a cold and all I want to do these days is sleep.  My bed callllls out to me :)
Despite that Ive dragged my butt out in the rain again today to run 8 km steady pace (whatever that means) I took that to mean I would just run and not do intervals and not do tempo...and not do anything. just ran. It was nice, in a way.

8.4 km in 52 minutes; if I had run 100 meters more I would have a nice 20 km for the past 2 days; Im resting tomorrow and running a 20 K LSD on Saturday so I can attempt ball hockey Sunday night :):)Plus the weather should be better Saturday than Sunday.  Although I do not at all mind running in light rain.

Nice.

Stats and another run

Ended the month of May with a 165 km month and total about 584 km for the year. Still a little behind; need to have another good month in June to do a little catch up ;) Loads of km in my future ;)  May is my runningest month to date; previously I was around 120 km for a month so that is a HUGE up.

After wimping out on yesterday's 6 km run in rain and with a cold that had kicked my ass, I got out today and did the scheduled 11 km with 3X1.6 km intervals.  I ended with 11.5 km in 1:13:30 no complaints.  Body seems to be more or less normal although tired and cold has moved to chest with a little cough; crossing fingers its already past its worst!

Cabot Trail Relay

Was this weekend :) There is SO much about this weekend that needs writing :) I bet this post is going to take forever to write :)

The weekend started for our team of 17 on Saturday morning (unless you count meetings Friday night) at 7 am with the first of 17 relay legs that take the team around the Cabot Trail in Cape Breton. This trail is a tad hilly with 4 mountains and loads of coastal roadway.  The scenery is amazing and world Famous :)

After the kids went to their Grammy's house Friday Scott and I were free to take off Saturday morning when we were ready. The day didnt start the weekend well; I woke early with a cold. The weather was great tho and I got my run in then we eventually got the car packed and got going :)

My leg started at the tourist bureau in Margaree Forks.

It ended at the Lakes Cafe, 15.5 km later.


We drove to Cape Breton and started our trip around the Cabot Trail from the opposite end of the relay start; we wanted to check out my stretch of road, leg 15.  It was supposed to be a relatively easy leg, 15.48 km and only some hills.  It was, mostly up hills but few steep ones and mostly rolling hills and long gradual slopes. 

Ran past this pretty river.

We drove it backwards and I was regreting the drive since it sort of psyched me out a little bit.  We drove further around the top of the trail and back down the other side to meet up with the race and catch our team's water stop. 

On the way we saw the Brigadoon Guy.  Mark Campbell was running the relay alone in a continuous run of 280 km and started the race the night before.  He was doing this in support of Brigadoon Camp Children's Society; a noble cause :) He was starting some of the hardest part of the trail; heading up thfirst of 2 mountains in that area (Cape Smokey was behind him!).

Our team is the Tidal Boars Runners, after Truro's Tidal Bore.  The team was collected by a couple of old time members including my friend Chris Cashen who had a stroke last August after a good 10 K run in Truro.  He ran 3 parts of the Relay last year and was present this year travelling as support and central in planning :)

We met up with our support team waiting on leg 6 for the runner to come along for water.  He was in a rather difficult part of the leg (Long hill) and had some choice words for the hills :):)

Pretty :)

After delivering water we scooted through to Leg 7 where we were doing the water stop; teams take turns providing the water and usually there is some costume/theme/fun going on at these stops. Our team did Baseball (Chris is a huge fan) and we all had baseball shirts with our names and team number/logo and we played ball while we passed out the water. 

We were kind of wandering a bit after this; we had not eaten all day and we had to get back to our motel which was RIGHT on the start line of my leg *convenient* and it was a couple of hours away.  We went back the way we came and got some pasta for supper (neither of us felt well) and some sight seeing.  We saw Brigadoon Guy again;  he was over the mountains and into a flatter section.

So back to motel and off to bed; but neither of us got much sleep.  The room was fine, the bed was fine; but we couldn't stay asleep.  It was a long long night and made for a very early morning. I had planned everything out for the morning about 600 times during the night and gone over lots of things that could go wrong, which is likely why I didnt sleep.

The legs of the race all start at a particular time regardless of where the runner in the leg before is. This keeps the race moving; they cannot keep the public roads inconvenienced for too long and the race officials would be far too spread out if they had a continuous passing off of the "baton". 

My leg started at 530 am.  It was just getting light and it was COLD (0). Rain was forecast but it was not raining.  We got up a little bit after 4 am and I tried to eat (fail) and made coffee (big fail) and got dressed for lots of weather and left the room, walking down to the start :) SO Im standing at the start and all I can think is the poor start I had set myself up for; woke with a cold Saturday, didnt eat much while driving for hours and hours, no sleep, and a time limit on the run for getting a time, with a gazillion hills ahead.  If past the time limit, runners get the last timed time plus 5 minutes.  I did not want a LATE or a DNF.  I wanted a time. And I trained for it with speed work and really pushing it and I was on target after last week's 10 K in Halifax but really tired.  I needed to be less than 6 minutes a km and while for some that is no big deal, it is for me. Im not fast. I can go long but Im not fast and never will be. That's really pushing it.

Not a lot of time to warm up after waiting in a really long line for some reallllly nasty portapotties :/ I ran a few paces and jumped a lot.  I stripped to a long sleeve shirt over my tshirt and the tights and left the gloves. Good choice.  Then it was time to line up and we were off. 

Hill first thing and of course things start off quickly.  But the small group of 69 strings out into single file quickly.  Before long there are few people nearby.  Its good.  I was really missing my Ipod for pacing but since these public roads are still open to traffic it's an important rule to leave the noise makers behind.  Pace was pretty fast for the first 1.5 km then people seemed to settle. 

I realised within about 4 minutes I had made a mistake with the running tights.  Are not supposed to try anything new on race day DUH. The tights were new; but I had tried them on and run a little bit in them and they seemed fine. I guess "really" running is different; I quickly realised they were not going to stay up and settled continuously somewhere around mid hip...letting it all hang out is not something Im all that fond of.  They dragged my unders with it; I spent the entire time hauling them up.  UGH not a gooooood thing!  UGH. Lesson learned.

Anyway...;) got to 2-3 km and settled into a pace; I had lots of people in front of me but also lots behind me so I relaxed and just went along at what I hoped remained a nice sub-6 minute/km pace; Im just not fast!  lol I was however not really labouring so it seemed comfortable.  I was managing the hills without much loss of speed, just increased the effort to remain very steady.  It worked well.

Walked a few steps at the water stop to swallow an energy bean but I never seem to manage this very well LOLOLOL I only had one....pretty useless I think. 

There was this chick in front of me who I caught up to and when I drew alongside, she would speed up.  and then she would slow down.  She was obviously making me her "person to beat" lol I do that, there is always someone I am going to beat and damned I wont let them pass. But she was obviously struggling so I just kept my pace the same and allowed her to play herself out lol.  Again and Again she would get a few feet ahead of me and then slow back down so I would catch up.  At about 7.8 km I said "we are about half way done, just in case you were interested".  *Snicker.  I couldnt tell what she said in response, but I do believe at that point she gave up, I passed her by 8 km, and never saw her again.  ;) See her in the photo behind me. :)

At the top of a steepish hill at about 8.7 km I met my support team in the form of Scott and Jody who gave me water and half an oatmeal bar; I find this keeps my belly settled if I eat something really small part way through.  Otherwise I tend to get nauseated. Walked a few steps there and then off again; wasnt going to let any of those people behind me a chance to catch up.  Scott told me he expected me to have passed the chick in front of me by the end.  And I did before 10 km were past...she completely lost it and I flew past her!

From there on there were a lot of hills....rolling but with a tendency to go UP.  Every time I came around a corner there was another hill lol.  Lucky I run hills at home and didnt get too discouraged; my last 5 k was a little slower than the previous 10 but not a lot and I am glad I banked a little time in the first kms. 

I could hear the finish line way before I could see it;  I could hear the music and cheering from about 12 km. It was awesome to hear.

I kept coming around corners to see another hill!  The support teams were awesome, driving along and stopping to cheer. Some teams did it over and over but they cheered for everyone and were totally positive it was great!  One group was telling how much further it was...then because there was no sign anymore (where did it go...blow away??) the race officials were waiting over one hill to tell that there was 1 km left. Then I could not hear the crowd anymore; I think the next group may have been leaving.

Got to the top of a hill and then it was downhill to the ending :) Was able to get a good speed on and came in with a time!  Im sure its no great feat but my worst concern was getting a "late" which is no time; anyone who is late gets the time of the last "timed" person plus 5 minutes. I didnt want that...I wanted to earn a time. Running all that way to get the same time as someone who walked it was not what I had in mind.  And I Did it...I got a time. I had to run 6 minute km and I did...well close, 6:02 kms for 15.48 km and I got a time! :):):) 1:33:40 was my official time.  LOADS of people behind me got a "LATE" and a time plus penalty.

So it was a little anticlimatic after that. We went back to the hotel room, I was snacking to keep the nausea at bay (it stuck around; might be a little of the cold and medications...) showered, checked out, and met the rest of the team at the finish line to cheer in the last leg. Then we went to the banquet but neither of us felt like eating (blech) although I DID get the carrot cake yum and ate that, we skipped the steaks and lobsters, saw some speeches; there was a standing ovation for Chris Cashen who despite his stroke was instrumental in gathering our team and "ran" his own leg late at night, as far as he could.  I would not have taken part in the relay without his inspiration; I joined after his stroke, in support of him.  We talked to the team, and then left for home. 

I already cannot wait for next year!