Each Step is One in The Right Direction

Mississauga Half Marathon

Warning: LONG DETAILED GREAT RACE REPORT!! JUST READ! IT'S WORTH IT!!



ologies for the late race report. I left everything on the course, and was sleeping for about 18 hours (on and off) post race...

So, my experience officially started on January 23rd, along with our fearless leader, Rob, and about 10 other people from the 10k clinic. Now, we all had our different goals, but the great thing was the commraderie, there was a reason to go out to the clinic every night.

The real thought of this half marathon started in January 2006, with the Team in Training Brochure that was mailed to my house. So, I took said brochure into Science Teacher, and asked him, in the beginning if this was possible...and he said..."Yes!" So everyday I would go in with different questions, and he would answer them. So that's how I got started. Now, this half marathon that I wanted to do was the Scotiabank Waterfront Marathon, but trainng during the spring and summer caused allergies, and I sorta gave up. Then, when I started again in the Summer, I partially tore my ACL. Now, instead of deciding that I was doomed to not run, I took it as a challenge. I suffered through physio and three weeks on crutches, and then I joined a 10k clinic, and met some great people, and challenged myself to make it through the clinic. The hills killed me, the long runs killed me, the slow ones killed me, until my body decided it had had enough. About the 6th week into the clinic, I, for lack of a better word, limped through the run. I talked to the clinic leader, and he shared his wisdom with me, and the next day I decided it would be better if I joined another clinic, after I healed. So, I took the entire month of December off, and ran the Resolution Run. It was then I decided that I would continue to the half marathon with everyone else. Well here we are...=0)

So, the actual race experience started at precisely 5:01 am, when I jolted upright to the sound of alarm. Yes, I actually slept. I was so tired from not sleeping the week before,that I slept quite well. All of my stuff was set out for me on the table in the kitchen. I let Rick sleep until 5:20, and he was up, and made himself toast and got ready. I myself, did not eat breakfast, because I had not trained with breakfast. Don't try anything new.

We left the house at 5:50, and made our way to the start line. We had an "In" with one of the ladies from the clinic, and didn't have to use porta-potties or anything. We got nice a nice warm office building cafeteria, with nice bathrooms. There were about 30 people there, and there were a couple of people that were pretty calm, but mostly everyone was nervous. I had made "coveralls" to keep me warm, but it was already about 11degrees celcius at 7am, so I didn't use them. They are still in my bag.

About 7:00 we started walking to the starting line, to check our bags. Please note, when I get nervous, I get giggly... I didn't have to go potty nor did I suffer from "Nervous Potty Syndrome" We checked our bags, and the people I was planning on running with, "Q-bert, Alyson, Jason and Brent" made our way to the start line. Q-Bert, was our unofficial 2 hour pace bunny. And he was dressed as goofy. We positioned ourselves at the start line. It took us 6 minutes to cross the start line, and then we were off.

The whole entire experience was surreal. I couldn't really believe. I kept saying/thinking, "What the Heck are we getting ourselves into..."

So we dodged walkers and slower runners, and we were off.

Miles 1-3.1 (km 0-5) were done in like 27 minutes. We did 10 and 1's. There weren't many spectators along the course,but the ones there were, were pretty dead. So, as we passed each kilometer mark, we would say "YAY 2k!!! YAY 3k!! YAY 4k!!!" and so on and so forth. At about 4 kilometers, we were at the top of a hill (I think) and looking down on the sea of people was amazing. I don't even know what I was thinking/feeling...just wow.

Miles 3.1-6.2 (5k-10k)were done in 1:01 I believe. Like thats the overall time. This was the time when the big hill came to us. We had a walk break just before the hill. I overthought there, on the hill. I even asked our unofficial pace bunny how we should approach the hill...I felt really strong on the hill though. I guess all the speed training paid off. I took a gel at about 5 miles (8km) Let me tell you this is the fastest I have ever taken a gel.



Miles 6.2-9.3? (10-15k) I dont remember the time. I don't know how fast they were. This is the part of the course that I was most familiar with, so I was pretty confident. I took another gel somewhere in here. I tried to drink water somewhere in here. It was funny. We can just leave it at that. I think I should practice drinking and running with a Dixie Cup. The one minute walking tha i was taking started to feel shorter, and the ten minutes started to feel like an eternity. I stopped looking at my watch and kept telling myself "Don't think, Just Run. Don't think, Just Run..."

Miles 9.3-12.6 (15-20k) I started to slow down at about 17km. I think I lost my wind. "Don't think tiger, just run. Just Run, Just Run" I stopped for a Gatorade. At this point I am ready to try anything. THe gatorade was too sweet, and almost made me puke. I still had the others in sight, but they were about 30 seconds ahead of me. It was at this point that I think the logic kicked in and I started doing my own "Run/Walk" thing. This was horrible. Absolutly horrible. My mind sorta went back to the..."What Was I thinking?!?!" But I was going to finish this thing. I had given up on the prospect of less than 2 hours.

Final 1.1km...Struggled. Then some random spectator started to run with me and pushed me through the last little bit. Do I ever apprecitate her. She said to me "Just over the hill and your there" Please note, that hill felt like a mountain. I heard my family screaming and cheering for me and I picked it up even more. I crossed the finish line to the announcer saying "Go Tiger!"
I tried to do this little smile thing at the finish line but we will see how it went.

I started walking and I was feeling very dizzy and a little delerious, and tried to walk towards the chip, but some lady from the medical tent ran towards me and took me to the tent, where there were doctors and nurses and people with IV's.

I kept trying to insist that I was fine but Noooo. They wouldn't let me leave. And then they wouldn't let me go and they couldn't find my mom and groan. The people in the medical tent were very nice, but really, all I wanted to do was bask in the glory, not have someone shoving water down my throat. There was a doctor and a nurse with me the whole time doing the blood pressure and pulse thing.

There was a man that had just been taken away in an ambulance, and I don't even know what happened, the whole situation, made me cry. All I wanted was my mom and my medal...and sleep. Someone called her cell phone and came.

They do what doctors do best, they talk like I'm not there. They said "dehydration" I think it was just how you are supposed to feel after a long hard race like that. I was so diligent about water intake, it is impossible.

How do I feel today? Well, I have 4 blisters, and a tonail that is falling off. My muscles are sore, partially because I was not allowed to stretch in the damn tent. I also spent 4 hours in the car yesterday, going to see my dad and tell him all about it. I slept on the couch yesterday from 6 until 10, and then I went to bed until about 9 this morning.

So, here is what you have been waiting for...

Clock Time: 2:07:25
Chip Time: 2:01:12
Watch Time: 2:01"16
Pace: 6:03 (doing 10 and 1s)
Pace Running: 5:41
Overall place: 1816
Age Group Place: 12/34
Gender place; 794/2204



So, I have some thank you's to say.



First, thanks to my mom who got up every Sunday morning to take me to my running class, even when her walking class wasn't on, and for waiting up to two hours after her walking class finished to take me to work. And for listening to me repeat my race plan several times, and work it out outloud with her listening to me. And for letting me stay home one of the days before my race because we thought I was getting sick and I had worked to hard to get sick before the race...



Rick: My step-dad. He drove around the night before with me to find Saint Ralph. I mixed the addresses and phone numbers up and we got lost. There was no Rogers on that street. We ended up going to the University and finding a phone booth to try and find the Rogers. We ended up driving for like 2 hours to find this movie. Then, when I turned it on, I dozed off. And for getting up that morning with me because he wanted to see me start. He bought a new camera so he could get pictures. Unfortunately, we didn't quite know how to make it work.



Robb: The leader of my Running Room clinic. I don't really know what I thought in the beginning, but I was a little unsure. Then, as the clinic continued, I warmed up to him, and he has answered every single one of my questions, and never looked at me l ike I have two heads. I don't know if I would have made it through the race/training without him. He positive attitude kept my spirits up after "Bonking' during 18k. He was such a strong leader and role model.



Mr. Science Teacher: The one that was supposed to run the half with me but never ended up training through the winter. Even though you didn't run, you planted the seed, and look at me now! Thank you =)



And congrats to everyone in the clinic, look how far we've come. Look at what we accomplished. We should be proud;)



Stay Tuned: I will bore you with what I would have changed and what's next. *(Im not thinking about what I would do differently until later. Im just basking in the glory right now:)) Oh and pictures to come

EDIT****: a big thank you goes out to my fellow bloggers, and everyone that has read, or commented here. Somedays, you are the reason I run. This blog has made me accountable, and has given m so much invaluable advice. Thank you again and again. Someday, Ill be able to share words of wisdom..someday!!!! I can't believe I forgot to say this! Forgive me?! It'll never happen again I promise:)

posted by AddictedToEndorphins @ 5:22 AM