March: Moose Run, Distance 25km
If you ever want to try a non-traditional road race distance this has to be my favorite. Besides the insanely cheap registration fee ($5!) you get a supported scenic race through Cow Bay ending with a chili or bean lunch back at the lodge. This year there were commemorative mugs given out and even hot chocolate and gluten free snacks at the end :-) The crowd is usually made up of runners prepping for a spring marathon and recreational runners looking for a new challenge. I didn't score my best time at this race but I had alot of fun (as usual) and the weather was sunny and warmish for March.
April: McNabs Island Run, Distance 11km-or so
If I don't say this anywhere else in this blog I'll say it now, I have the most supportive husband and daughter and without them I would not be able to accomplish half of my running adventures. They joined me for this race, held on McNab's Island on a very chilly Sunday. We took the jogging stroller so my husband and daughter could run with me for the first half of what was supposed to be a 21k race. Well..we got a bit lost, the trail was not exactly marked well and we had no experience running a trail race and knowing what to look for either. Combine the two and we three spent 2 hours running around the island, sometimes on the right track, sometimes not. We had a good time though, we explored one of the forts and enjoyed the boat ride. Turns out we weren't the only runners that got turned around out there, on the ride back alot of runners were joking how they did "most" of their race distance.
April: Run for Life, Distance 5km
This was supposed to be a "fun run" before my big 50k Ultra attempt. The race took place at Point Pleasant Park and I met up with a bunch of co-workers who were either running the 5 or 10k options. I opted for the 5k since in my training schedule I was in taper mode. At the start we all ran together until one of my coworkers told the group they didn't have to stick with her, the next thing I know one of my coworkers took off and, not to be outdone, I followed suit. My competitive nature got the best of me and I sprinted through the course finishing under 30 minutes. I didn't beat my coworker either, she turned out to be quite the speed demon! For a charity 5k it was a fun, easy course. Next year I'll try not to be overly competitive.
May: Wasskaly Wrabbit, Distance 50km
It's true what alot of ultrarunners say, you sign up and train your heart out for these events and come race day all you want to do is go home! Running 50k is further than I've ever run and combining that with never having completed a true trail race, I ended up getting my butt handed to me. I had the BEST time though. I learned alot about trail running and it gave me a whole new appreciation for the badasses that are trail runners.
May: Bluenose Marathon Weekend, Distance 10km
During the ultra I met a few runners who were doing the full marathon the next week, I however made a pretty smart decision and stuck to the 10k race with my husband. My husband and I decided to stick together for most of the race with a pace bunny then race each other for the last few kms. It was a HOT day and I was so thankful I wasn't running 42kms. I managed to beat my husband by a minute.
June: Sole Sisters Women's Only Race, Distance 5km
For this race I was the pace bunny for a friend and coworker looking to come in under 35 minutes for a 5k. Running in a women's only race was cool, I saw alot of familiar faces and really enjoyed the colorful aid stations along the course; a chocolate stop, hugging station, hawaii station and fruit kabobs at the finish. Even with the odd rain shower and clap of thunder, it seemed like everyone had a great time. I managed to get my friend to the finish in 32 minutes, so she was pretty happy she accomplished her goal.
July: MEC Shearwater Trail Race, Distance 5km
This was another race I did with my husband and daughter. This one was located just 2km from our home so it was very convenient. My daughter was running this one with us and complained through the first half, so much so I regretted signing us all up for the event (though I didn't say as much). My husband and I tried to coax her on without making us all miserable. Once we got to the turn around though she really picked it up and she ended up finishing 3rd in the under 18 age group, not too shabby for a 5 year old!
August: Natal Day Road Race, Distance 2 miles
A tradition for our family, we all lined up to see if our daughter could hold onto her first place finish in this race from last year. She managed her pace well and with only a few walk breaks we circled downtown Dartmouth in under 30 minutes, capturing the first female under 8 years old again. Hannah got her medal, a tiny little sneakered foot. My husband and I were so proud.
August: Sunofa Gunofa Run, Distance 12.5km
This race is held in Wentworth so my husband and I dropped our daughter off with my mother and off we went into the hills (that felt like mountains) in Wentworth for another trail race. My husband hadn't been training for races at all so his winging-it caused him to need to walk alot of this course. It was insanely hilly, sometimes you had to actually climb-hands and feet up the side of a hill. Running through the river was a nice relief until I took a spill. A little bloodied, we made it though and had a great time laughing at ourselves during the 2.5 hours we were out there. My husband had the craziest runner's high after, I think he was; a. thankful to be alive and b. thankful the race was finished! As usual the race was gorgeous in its scenery and the support by the organizers, Jodi and Karine, was excellent.
September: Maritime Marathon Weekend, Distance 42.2km
I think I was caught up in the excitement of a full marathon taking place in my community or something, because I did not train properly for this marathon at all. It snuck up on me and the next thing I know I'm doing a bit of a runner's shuffle through the last 15km, having nasty GI issues that caused other runners to drop out. I managed to finish with my slowest marathon time yet, and be the last finisher..which by the way, can be similar to winning the race, a pace car is behind you, everyone is cheering because they know you're the last person to cheer for and the race director(s) shakes your hand. I still smiled.
October: Cuddly Coyote Trail Race, Distance 27km +~3km
I loved the course for its scenery and its challenges. I had spoken with Jodi, the race director and he said this was a technical course-boy was he right! My friend and I got lost twice, once by talking about Honey Boo Boo of all topics, and the second time because we thought the guy in front knew his way. We added about 3km or so onto what we ran, for her it was a new PB in distance. We had a beautiful sunny day and great support on course. It was really nice to see the same faces from the other trail races there and I ran with the second guy to run the whole Confederation Trail from tip to tip in 42 hours. My friend and I got the lighthouse medals for finishing last and I was awarded Trail Runner of the Year for having a positive and determined attitude on the trail course. Of course I'll be back to do them all again next year!
October: MEC Shubie Trail Race, Distance 10km
My husband jumped into this one with me. This is a groomed trail so the footing was easy although the rolling hill nature of the course makes it a bit hard on the legs. It's an out and back course that I ran last year so I knew where the tougher parts were and when the aid station would appear which helped me coach him through the first 5km. He gutted it out and we managed to finish the race in a little over an hour, not bad with no training on his part.
November: Lucky 7 Relay, Distance 7km for each person, total team effort of 21km
This will be my first relay race since high school. lol. I'm teamed up with one of the fastest runners at my work and my friend and co worker from the Cuddly Coyote and Sole Sisters Race. Together we are Team Mach 7 (at least we sound fast!) The race organizers make sure the atmosphere at their races is like a party, so I anticipate this to be a fun run.
Shoot! 13 races total, wow, that IS a new race year record for me. I had a great time at all of the races, faced new challenges and accomplished a huge personal goal of running 50km. If I think back to last year I had only actually planned to run the 50km race, just about every other race was one I decided to do as the race season progressed. Which ones would I do again? I'll be back at the Moose Run and trail races for sure (including the 50k Wasskaly Wrabbit), although I'll play the ones by MEC by ear since the races seem to change by distance and location each year. I'll do the Natal Day Race again, we have to see if my daughter can make it three years in a row! And I'll be looking for another 50k-ish race to do late in the summer. Next year my goals, aside from distance will be to really push myself, not only during races but in training as well. My training attitude of "doing the best I can" on each day is fine but if I want to get better, I've realized, just doing what I can isn't going to cut it. I need to push my comfort envelope and push through the wall so the whole passage of training pays off in the race itself. I've started to find that this teaches me how to better handle life itself and the challenges it brings, whether it be work or family related.
Once again I want to thank my wonderful husband, my amazing daughter, my good friend and coworker Andrea, my mother for all of her support and help and the trail race organizers Jodi and Karine for putting on the most challenging and well organized trail races in the province.
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