Little pond, Big fish.

I think it is good to do a 5k once a year just to see how fast you can go, but otherwise whats the point. Too short, but I admit to liking a 5 k better than a 10k.
Participated in the Grey Bruce Fun Run located in Walkerton. The route was surprisingly not too bad in the way of hills. Long gentle climbs and two short inclines. Started in the front- although it would be hard not to as there were only 57 participants. A young girl in pink started out in the lead but I had a feeling she would settle into a slower pace so just watched her go. 1k in there was three boys then me, I looked behind me for the next female but didn't see anybody and that is order I finished in. Felt strong and in control the entire race. Kept on thinking somebody was going to pass me, but nobody was there and I was first female to cross the line. Won a gift certificate for a massage- excellent, and then a group of us did another 10k for a final longish training run prior to next weeks marathon.
Oh my time was 21:49, not anything spectacular but it did the job.

Birthday Run

It was my birthday recently, and my birthday is celebrated with a run equaling my age in kilometres. I do this to release endorphins so I do not fall into a clinical depression. I am unsure if it is my birthday that causes the spring depression or if it is the absolute grayness and cold windiness of April.

Anyways, I chose the bay view escarpment as my destination. My birthday fell midweek and thus was venturing out by myself and knew that if I got into trouble my mother could always come and pick me up. It was to be a mix of trail and country roads with only minimal pavement. Complete unknown about the state of the trails. Made attempts to find out the state of, but all my Intel was inconclusive. In my option if I call a tourism office they should be able to answer on the trail conditions. I am sure they are well versed in snowmobile conditions. Stupid moter sports.

So the photo shows a rather nice section of the trail, most of it was knee deep snow. The trouble with the knee deep snow wasn't so much the snow depth but the fact it obscured the trail thus I spent a considerable amount of time just standing and looking in circles for the trail. There was also the issue of what lies beneath the snow, or rather what doesn't. Snow has a nice ability to create drifts where no land lies under. Thus, when vaguely following the trail one may accidental almost sink through a drift to a open crevice. Almost.



In the beginning I made a noble attempt to keep my feet dry as my wool running socks are threadbare. Thus I was wearing regular running socks which do not do much for insulation. I made a bridge so I would not have to wade through this stream, although I was soon running though flooded fields, and in fact flooded sections of road. Pictured in very minor as compared to another section. 

This horned beast was waiting for me. I was warned that I was to give livestock a wide berth, but really. I wasn't getting any closer, cause that isn't livestock that is a trip to a trauma centre in a helicopter if I don't bleed out first. No thank you. Tress passed on another farmers flied until I saw the farmer who gave me permission to bypass the official trail in favor of his flied until such a time I didn't feel like my life was in danger. I might add, I grew up on a large scale beef cattle operation. I am very familiar with livestock, and again they are not livestock but horned beasts.

Overlooked on the trail and ran beside the tank range. Spoke to an employee who said if  wanted to run on the base all I had to do is ask. He spoke of a 48k loop that is run regularly. IN the future I definitely want to run it. Slightly conflicted as when the base was established lives were torn apart and it was instill into me that the base/ Military will do as they wish. Actually this may be a reason I am anti-establishment.

Marden Half

I really hate it when people refer to any run as a marathon. Sure I get most people are ignorant of any sport other than hockey and baseball, but people running an event that does not even contain a marathon and call it a marathon... ummm yep... no don't do that.

But I will do any race for less than $20 of which it was. The gas to get me there cost more.
As this is the year in which spring has not come yet, it snowed. Wore compression shorts and long sleeve with my tri club shirt as there were many from the club taking advantage of the rock bottom price.
Started out with a 4:50 pace and basically stayed there. Came into this race on 80k plus already in the bank this week so I knew that perhaps a PB wasn't in the cards. Ran the entire race on the gravel shoulder to save my legs  in fact. Would have been nice to go sub 1:40 but ended up with 1:43. Which isn't a personal worst, so I have that to be glad but basically i am pissed I am that slow. My personal worst is 1:45 and I know I am in better shape than when i did that. I usually run so well on tired legs actually. Maybe I just need to lose five pounds.

Realised when I got home that if I ran five more kilometres that day then my seven day total would be at 100k which would be more than I can recall doing in recent memory, in fact my distance levels have been rather embarrassing sooo I am working on actually being a athlete these days and doing some work.