Atb 30k 2014

Going into Around the Bay, was not feeling overly optimistic. Training was far from ideal in grey/ Bruce counties this year, not a lot of time to train with family commitments.... and both are poor excesses.

 

I am the queen of no excesses police. You can always make time, and I do own a treadmill. However I just was not in the right head space to do this winter. Happens.

What I have been doing is a lot for more core work, and frankly I think it made a difference. Not a lot of long runs in, but I still felt strong.

 

Basic plan was to stick with my friend Matt at the beginning so I wouldn't go out to fast, which I am rather fond of doing, and stick with him until I couldn't any more. Just run by feel.  He was much more motivated than I to follow a race plan. So I just hung out with him and another guy from our triathlon club. When he geled so did I. We took turns setting the pace. I mostly said, 'is it necessary for us to be doing a 4:45 pace.' Hung around a 5:05 pace mostly. At around 20k we met up with a friend who had done the 15k relay and wanted to run the rest of distance in cause it was such a nice day. Her and I chatted for a bit then she decided to walk a bit. Meanwhile, my buddy had fallen off pace or I had been going ahead of pace and I was all alone. Had a singular dance and song party. Ran/ walked up the big hill, looked for Matt again, figuring he would be right behind and realised I would have to take myself to the finish line.

 

At that point, I think it is 27k. I was done. I knew I only had 15 or so minutes left but my:

-bra strap was chaffing

-had to pee

-right quad hurt

-worried I was getting a sun burn

- was thinking about other friends and wanted to find out how they were doing.

 

Pace varied widely here. Put that Happy song on repeat and just pushed it on. Finished in 2:34:40, which isn't bad, considering, but I will never be happy.

 

2014-2:34:40- Whatever

2013-2:38:42- Ran with a friend.
2012- 2:54:51- Paced a friend to sub three.
2011- 2:25:20- Raced.
2010- 2:37:04- Tried to race- crashed.
2009- 2:31:27- First timers luck.

 

 

This really hurt, had to pop. I wore toe sock and lubed my feet so I am rather upset about this state of affairs.