A tale of two cats

We got a cat yesterday. A smallish year old brown tabby. Quite quiet and timid, but it was very affectionate at the shelter, and Ever and I took a shinning to it and we decided to bring it home.

It is yet un-named.

Today, the door was open a fair bit and before dinner we could not find our new friend. After dinner, Luke went to look for the cat and found it down the street, and we all breathed a sigh of relief.

I went out for a short while and when I came home the cat came to see me in the kitchen and I made appropriate cooing and loving to it. Upstairs Maya heard me, and yelled down 'who are you talking to." The cat" I replied. She yells back, 'no the cat is up here'.

Yep we had two cats of similar appearance in the house.

We think we restored order and let the 'wrong' cat out the door.

We hope.

Clothes

 World war three broke out in this house tonight. Maya realised that not all the clothes that do not fit her anymore will be kept and cherished until she can lovingly dress her children in them.
One of her biggest arguments t in the dispute is that she will be able to save so much money by saving every scrap of clothing she has ever worn.

Of course the money savings on clothes will be offset by the rental fee of a storage space.

I can't get it out of my head and I can't stop listening.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZkp7q19f0

Centurion C50

As this summer has been far to hot for me top handle running without jumping into EVERY random water crossing (creeks, sprinklers, rivers, lakes, strangers pools) I have been doing a far amount of cycling. I even committed to cycling to work as often as possible. Unfortunately I had to give up that goal a month or two  as the roads department tar and bouldered with out my permission.

To top off this excessive cycling I signed up for the CF50 event with Centurion Cycling. It is a 50mile/80k ride/ race. The company that stages the events motto is 'Racers race, and Riders Ride". I did a bit of both.

In actual the ride is 87k as the timing mats are positioned for a riding start 5kish from the starting corrals. As the plan was to have a casual ride I joined the casual enthusiast corral. Which when you look at my time- yep I belong there.

Several members of the tri club were doing it, and thankfully we all found each other in the starting corral....and set off. I was really cold so wore a throw away sweater for awhile. There are three big climbs with many many others in between. The one hill I was rather concerned about was on country road 13 going up to Epping. ... and it wasn't that bad. I honestly just spinned and took my mind of it by talking to anybody I could. Just being really positive. One fellow of whom I admired his matte black cervelo, told me of how it was free as he is the shipping manager of the company. I tried to convince him that Hanover would be a great place to set up operations- no go. This is a totally draft legal event so it was my first opportunity to ride in a pelition. It is true, you are just sucked along. But as that was my first opportunity to ride in a large group like that I didn't last long without mentally feeling drained, and needed a break. Did see one person post crash. There were several people already stopped, so I didn't.

My goal time was 3.5hours. My chip ended up being 3:13. My 80k split is 3:18. My gun doesn't matter. but I do not understand the results. In any event I have no clue why I am so slow on the bike. I mean I put a reasonable amount of time on it relative to my friends? I work hard, but that just is not reflected in my times. What am I doing wrong? My shifters were off- as in when I changed the back the front responded. That is the last time I go to that bike guy for a tune up! My descents were crap as I am terrified of bouncing off the pavement and come to a skidding halt, my skin marking the pavement so I didn't even hit 55k on the downhills.  It all comes down to what am I doing so wrong??

Great event, great time, great venue. Wonderful organization, friendly vibe. Crap food. Hamburger and mixed greens. No onions for the burgers and when I say mixed greens I mean JUST mixed greens. Cookies and bananas for desert. Poor.

Back to School

Maya and I have differing ideas as to what constitutes a special back to school meal. I won:)


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Mine over Matter

Second in the element racing off road triathlon series.... and is called MINE over Matter, not MIND. Actually only realised it yesterday after the race.
The mine comes from it held in a piece of land which once served the purpose of being a quarry for limestone- which is adjacent to the Kelso conservation area in Milton...which is far from home. So we hoteled it the night prior. Worth it, vs camping in a thunderstorm the night before a race.

Swim
1k- 22:31, 2:16 100 metre split.
Basically why do I bother swimming? I suck. Even when I think I am making progress i am still horrible.

Bike
17k-1:10, 14.5km/h*

*This result isn't actually what I rode.

Bike started out fine, got going really fast, for me, and hit a rut and fell into long grass. Pride was hurt and my chain came off, but that's not what I'm talking about.
Another rider fell in front of me,  an obvious deformity of the wrist occurring.  Went for help, stayed with her until trained personal arrived. At the same time was lapped by the winner. At that point was only a few kilometres actually into the course. Felt like pooh. Course was very doable from my perspective. Walked up the ski hill and another point where my tires were just slipping. Felt very dusty. Tried reasonably hard. Still kinda suck.

Run
8.5k- 43:16, 5:06ks
Finally something I am good at! Although at this point, it is blazing hot....and people are already coming into the finish line. That makes one feel really good about their performance up to this point.
Anyways my goal was to pass at five people on the run. Starts on double track up 1.5ish then glorious  single track for 3-4k. My impression of the trail is it is very well used. wide, non technical single. Then a out and back and down the hill back to the race site..which is where I thought the race ended. I knew we had only gone 5ish kilometres but I figured then the race was short, and not as long as limberlost. I was wrong, had to run around the lake. I was having a good run and actually didn't mind. Spent about 10seconds to long dumping water on myself at the aid station. The volunteers pointed out for me where the next woman was and I said it would be tough but I thought I could catch her.. and they laughed and said no way. I left and tried to prove them wrong. I was running 4:45ks and caught another guy and the gap i was making on the woman was narrowing but not as fast as I would have liked. I was going faster and faster but kinda resolved I wasn't going to make it but I was still gaining on her. In the finishing shoot I caught her but she pulled ahead very so slightly to beat me by one second.  Luke said he could see the entire lake run and had tremendous fun watching me make gains.

Over all I had fun. would be nicer to be a faster biker and swimmer, and I think my key to doing so  is to develop upper body strength. As in I have none. I need to work on that, and perhaps I will see some improvement. Really what do I have to lose?

The race is nice. The run could use a bit more single track and it quite flat. Very fast. Bike was very rideable except for one technical section and the ski hill. Luke liked the venue. Felt part of the race. Easy accessible. At Limberlost he felt transition cut off the spectators.
 Personally, I liked Limberlost better. It was harder and I was sure the race course on the bike would kill me. My arms were sore afterwards not from the swim but from pushing the bike up the hills. The food was great at both but Limberlosts meal also inculded salads and watermelon.  Even though it rainned, the expereince of camping on a race site was so much fun. I will be definitly doing both next year. Thanks Element racing!!!!

Things I know now that I wish I knew then

That chafing, quite similar to diaper rash really really hurts. No wonder babies cry.

Life

 Gets you down sometimes... especially when you work six nights in eight days. Perhaps when I was younger this wouldn't have been a problem, but I am holding up the age card and not coping.

Rather pathetic athletic activity going on, Really have not had time. Not motivated, my bike seat hurts my lady bits, my mtn bike is out to kill me. Slightly concerned people will think I have read 50 shades of gray and am enjoying a new lifestyle with all the bruises I have from it. 

And boys and girls is a pity party. I am good at them.

The Race that Wasn't

I really really wanted to do The Bruce Peninsula Multisport Race, problem is it is a staged multi sport race with one of the sports being kayaking. I don't own a kayak, nor do I know how. I am kinda afraid of big water soo I had a bit of a problem. Initially I asked Luke, he laughed. I asked somebody else they said no so I had to go begging and pleading and promising that if we did this race together as a team our day would not end in divorce.
 After much contemplation on team names, including:

-Must beat Jackie and Kris ( friends who also did the race)

-Chocolate and Chips

-Disqualified for Doping

-Did not finish

We settled on Beauty and the Beast. Luke's the Beauty cause he is nicer than I.

We signed up for the short course, which is comprised of a 4k paddle from Wiarton to Colpys Bay. A 15k MTN around Colpys bay, then a 5.5k run via the Bruce Trail back into Wiarton. As I am a simplistic runner who will drink out of streams rather than be burdened by carrying water I was slightly overwhelmed with the gear list and the logistics of it all. But honestly it wasn't that much, and I the only item I had to buy was a dry bag, which really a ziplock would have covered.

 

The race is bit of a logistical challenge being that transition isn't at the start, and large items like kayaks and MTn bikes need to be transported. I must say the check in process was really simple, sure there are ten steps and you end up hauling all your gear into the arena but all in all not to bad. As I have done soo many races race check in isn't intimidating and I am aware of the process... however Luke is not. I try to do everything as quick and and efficient as possible to expedite the process... Luke not so much.

The race kit. Not shown are all the stickers we affixed to everything with our bib numbers. Bit of a security thing. Your gear was not released back to you without showing your bib. Also not shown are socks. The volunteer apparently thought Luke and I didn't need any.

We rented a tandem kayak,  but apparently, the particular one we rented has no glide and in the future we will rent one with a rutter.  So after struggling with spray skirts- that we really didn't know how to use ( We learn later that we didn't have to use them just have them with us in case) and paddle out to the start line we were off!

So this is the first time we had paddled together more than in the Paisley millpond for 10minites, obviously an adjustment period is in order..... preferably not in a race situation. There may have been some minor yelling and accusations that it was all my fault the kayak kept on going left. Some calming reminders of the fact this was in fact the only time we had paddled together so perhaps it was just going to be what it was going be. I should point out the the non-competitive one was rather frustrated about how much further ahead other teams had gotten. Towards the end of the paddle our speed definitely picked up with the rubbling of thunder in the distance. The somewhat blue sky became quite dark, but we were ok with rain as we like tough conditions. Not sure of our time as it has not been posted yet. I meant to start my watch but as it was to be a fun day I forgot.

 

We ran into transition and immittly are told there will be a 20min wait for the lightening. The hope was that a thunder/ lightening storm would blow over. 20 minutes became 40 and the rain was failing hard. Thankfully, the owner of a shed opened it up to us huddled against a building trying to stay dry/ warm. The storm wasn't going anywhere, practically everybody had a phone and was watching the radar. I was busy hoping that they would send us off time trail style and not as a mass start- cause trail races with mass starts don't work well......then well the race was cancelled. The storm just wasn't moving and that was the end.

I am disappointed the race didn't wait, but I understand logistically a race that is run with volunteers, and insurance policies that very specific in race conditions just could not continue. In the end Luke and I did get a MTN bike ride later in the day, and in the end that's I was looking for. Some time to spend with Luke doing something we both love.

Next year we will be back.

Muskoka Grind

You know what isn't the best pre- race?? Sleeping in a tent during thunderstorms. Everybody can thank us for the recent rain as we made the choice to camp. I am not superstitious but I am convinced that us in a tent=rain.

To back up a bit we traveled Saturday up to Muskoka- officially known as the longest drive ever. We encountered projectile vomiting, a parade, x3 construction delays, and a 15min wait at Weber's burgers. Thus a three hour drive became five.

The race was being held at Limberlost reserve- which is quite beautiful. As most local hotels were requiring a two night minimum  we opted to donate $40 to the reserve and camp on the race site. This in its self was fun. Got to check out transition the night before and met some other racers  and commiserated to each other on our overall lack of fitness and Mtn biking skills. The kids met up other other kids which give Luke and I a chance to pre-ride the course. Mentally I gave me a boost to know that I could handle it, but overwhelming know the next day I was to ride it at race pace, twice. I should mention I have no race pace. I also appreciated seeing some other females doing the full who were not women I knew had competed at the Xterra worlds.

It didn't matter that we stayed on site, I was still scrambling to be ready in the morning. Mostly I was consumed with trying to find coffee, and deciding if I should wear a camel back, and getting the all important bathroom visit out of the way. Basically I had to run to the swim start.  As well the most supportive partner in the world is Luke, except in the mornings. Which does not make for a happy morning.

 

Swim- 1k.

The picture of me coming out of the water with nobody behind me kinda speaks for itself. Doesn't help that the last time I swam 1k was in May prior to hurting my shoulder. But whatever, I swam the best I could. Sighting better would have helped.

I also passed about four women in transition so time differential wasn't too bad.

The Bike- 16.64

Basically, I think this was a course that favored a MTN biker. I think alot of the competitors were hard core mTN bikers- well at least in my eyes, and there I was in my entry level hard tail.Thankfully I was ok by that. I found it interesting that one hard corer was complaining about a minor muddy section. I didn't realise that MTN bikers didn't like mud as it mucked up the components on the bike. I laughed to his face about the absolute stupidity to his comment. The course was two laps with  two long uphill sections that I basically had to walk... and I had to walk other sections as well. It would have helped if my front de-railer would have allowed me to dip into my granny gear.  I thought it was reasonably technical but again the hard corers didn't.

I was quite slow, as in out of 40 people completing the course I was 37th OA. On my last lap I was all alone out there and just assumed that the few people that were behind me had dropped out, so I told all the volunteers on course I was the last one out there.

While I was biking I think I set new heart rate records. Felt like I was at my max heart rate for most of the race, and definitely could not catch my breath.

Run- 8.64

The only competitive goal I had for this race was to be in the top five of woman racers for the run. I was fourth. I came off the bike in like I said last or close to last position. I managed to run down I think five people. Including a women in my age group two seconds before the finish line. Which meant 3rd in my age group. Sure there were only five, but who cares,  I got a metal in a off road triathlon!!!

Prediction

On Sunday I am doing the Muskoka Grind. An off road triathlon.
Since we are going all that way, I am doing the long coarse. I am wondering about cut off times. Slightly nervous.

Swim- 1k-  Due to lack of swimming r/t shoulder- 25min
Bike- Mtn 16.64- Insider information says it is a hard course. So if I throw caution to the wind and ride hard and don't brake on any downhill i say 1:45
Run Trail- 8.64- If I am having a good day 45min.

So add it all up and I am looking at around 2:55.  I think actually that may be an overly optimistic time actually as I am not accounting for  transitions. Soo anything under.. actually finishing and I will be happy. There has been a seriously lack of training in this blasted inferno of a summer.

Adventures..

After much begging and pleading Luke has agreed to participate in a team with me in a muiltsport race held in wiarton in a couple weeks.

You see I really want to do this race. It is Kayak, MTN bike, trail run. On the Bruce Peninsula. Sounds fun right?? Except I can't kayak. Sure I paddle around once a year in a shallow lake, but there is no way I am going out on Georgian Bay by myself to drown. So I beg and plead and finally, after Luke realised just how short the race is, he agrees. The deal is we paddle together 4km  in a tandem kayak, ride separate Mtn bikes for 15k, and run 5.5k trail while staying within10metres of each other.

As of now the major issue is gear. We rent a kayak, already have gear for Mtn biking and running right...but WRONG. The gear list is tremendously long. We don't actually need to buy more then a couple items to assembling it and carrying it seems like a huge challenge.

The kids will most likely to the kids race in the afternoon, if you take a look at the website you will see Maya and her triathlon outfit from last year.

 

2012 MANDATORY GEAR

ALL PARTICIPANTS, FOR ALL STAGES:

•750 ml water carrying capacity

•Whistle (attached to PFD for paddling stages, readily accessible during all other stages)

•Area Map (provided in race kit) marked with transition locations if unfamiliar with area.

•Small First Aid Kit containing:

•Pressure Dressing / Sanitary napkin to treat a significant bleed if it occurs

•Emergency Blanket to treat hypothermia

•10 bandaids

•Tensor Bandage (min 3” width, standard length) to treat bone/muscle trauma

•Hat/Buff

•1 package of liquid energy (power gel, honey, etc)

•1 roll (min = 5 metres) of adhesive tape minimum 1” wide (duct tape, first aid tape etc).

•Recommended: knee high socks / long pants to reduce risk of contact with poison ivy

•Recommended: fully charged cell phone in watertight container.

ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT FOR CYCLING STAGES:

Each participant must:

•Wear an approved cycling helmet

•Use a Mountain bike in good condition with properly functioning gears and brakes

Carry a spare tube and pump

•Recommended: tire levers, chain repair tool, multi-tool

ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT FOR PADDLING STAGES

•Approved life jacket worn at all times when on the water*

•Use a Kayak, Sit-on-Top, or Surf ski in good condition. All other watercraft not permitted, except in the Youth Race.

•Bailer or pump*

•Whistle or signaling device**

•Throw rope (minimum 15 metres) as per Canadian Coast Guard Regulations*

•Properly fitted kayak skirt for boats with sit-in cockpit*

Sprayskirts are mandatory gear. You will not be given a race kit without presenting at Gear Drop with a spray skirt.

You must also keep the spray skirt in or on your boat at all time

•Properly fitting Polypropylene / Synthetic or merino shirt in a waterproof bag (in addition to clothing worn at start of stage)

•Waterproof jacket

•Recommended: spare paddle, wetsuit

 

ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT FOR TRANSITION AREAS

•TWO bags capable of carrying equipment for run cycle and kayak stages (not including bikes / kayaks). Bags must be packed

and dropped off Friday night for Challenger course participants and must be dropped off either Friday night or Saturday

morning for Explorer course participants.

 

What my Mother taught me...

Ok lets be honest, my mother is a terrible cook,  but she always put a tremendous effort in to her endeavors when taking a dish to a potluck. She agonized over what to bring and made her best homemade effort. Even if the food didn't taste the best at least I knew she tried her best. As in all of my lessons learned from my mother it was subtle but into adult-hood I went knowing that only those who took store bought items to a potluck where not those who dressed for success. Everybody has a busy life but sometimes you need to put your best food forward.

The photo is a random dinner of glazed carrots and cabbage turnovers- do not recall if I have posted it previously.

5peaks Duntroon

As this is my year of no commitment I did a race from the other trail series- 5peaks.
Went to register about 20minites to late for online registration and was screwed over for 10bucks. Cursed are the people who like to make last minute decisions.

Did the Duntroon Endro which means 12ish k. Which means not long enough for my liking. I actually liked the course and think it would make a great venue for a ouser race. Cause I have decided that's what I like. WHY??
- Food- most but not all,  ouser races pride themselves on feeding runners. Sorry bowls of bagels and fruit cut up do not do it for me. I am partial to a meal. Even the crappy bagged lunch that I hate from Hailburton is better. 

-So it is a short race and you don't deserve a meal says the race organizers in my head. I say make the race longer. My point... too short. Instead of two loops make it four. The infrastructure is there already, use it.

- No headphones. This would be fine if it was longer cause then I would be going slower then I could talk to people to entertain my ADD brain. So I kinda cheated and put my shuffle in my bra on maximum volume and heard snippets of songs here and there. Now don't give me that crap about needing to concentrate on the trail and being aware of other runners and wildlife. etc. blah blah blah. Seriously we drive tremendously faster than we run and  most people can concentrate on the road and the radio at the same time. If it is considered un- friendly to use headphones then why I am the only one talking??? I am paying for the privilege to be on the course, I should be able to enjoy it.

-Individual feel. Every race in the ouser series has its own personal branding, feel, and mythology. Even though there are different venues 5peaks feels like I am at another Gap. You know one with port-a potties and water crossings.

Soo perhaps why I am so negative is the fact I had a awful race. You know the heat wave that Ontario has had? You know how I am a better cold weather runner. Yep both of those do not mix. Have been doing alot more cycling than I ever have- but despite the clams that cycling helps ones running, apparently that does not ring true for me.
The race starts on a uphill, and due to my overly tight hamstrings , yah it wasn't pretty.  Most of the two loop course was great wonderful single track which was a joy to run on. But the course was dry dry dry. There were a few sections of double track which I find really mentally draining.  Mud would have made it tremendously funner.
Did the course around 1:09. Or 5:48ks... which I am better than that. Sucks that I have not been run training and thus this disaster of a race happens. Didn't even win a door prize.

Dairy Milk Dash

 

It all started with a 1kg bar of chocolate seen on clearance at Zellers, and a snide comment about if I wanted a race at Mishawah why didn't I run one?

So I did.

I set up a 2.5k loop around the camp. In the process I cleaned up a nature trail that had been neglected for years, and if west Nile virus was in the area I got it.  I most likely spent at least 12 hours over the week on the race. I had to map it out on garmin, clear the trail,(Whipper sniping takes a long long time) and mark the course. When it come down to it Mishawah is a small patch of land so there was no way around not including the trail ..... and I love trail. Although Luke and I did our best to mark the course still people got turned around and the leaders came in to the finish the wrong way. Next year I will come with prepared spikes and arrows to go into the ground. I will also have a map available for preview. AND I am bring my own whipper snippier!

 

I think Maya is channeling Bree wee here. Apparently the girls ran the whole way!

Despite being given a 4pm time spot by the camp director I think we got a reasonable turn out. Wasn't impressed with the directors attitude about the race. As in I got one announcement. Funny his kids showed up?? Seems his kids like activities 'a little different eh.'?

These ladies had a blast, and were so cheerful. Willing to try even though they are not runners.

I was overwhelmed with the amount of Hanover people who came out to walk. Even people who limped through the whole thing. Really it gave me so much joy seeing my friends  running and walking. Like I birthed another baby!

Everybody got a as many freezzies as they wanted. There was door prises for the dairy milk and some Oh Henry's. I actually forgot to make metals so look for them next year.

Honestly it was the highlight of Mishawah for me. I have been asked numerous times to resurrect the Chesley community classic which benefits the hospital foundation....and it is looking tempting.

Levitating

Personality I like this flying photo better. It reminds me of this photographers work.

Levitating children remind me of Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children. Which brings me to the point of the fact everybody has a super power, but it is often subtle, difficult to assess and determine, and not necessarily powerful. It is unique though.

Throw Me

One thing Ever and I discovered at Mishewah this year was that he loves to be thrown as far and high as possible if the water isn't too deep.
It's a lot of fun. 

Barrys Bay Triathlon

Cause I can't go on vacation and not do a race.

The Barrys Bay Triathlon is a small race with the tag line 'Challenging race in the beautiful Madawaska Highlands'. Seems to attract an accomplished field of competitors. Many of the competitors were wearing gear from iron man or 70.3 races, and all the conversations I listened in on seeamed to be about the next big race. Reviewing the results shows impressive results from the other female competitors. So basically I felt pretty intimidated.

The swim I knew was going to be bad, bad, bad. Lack of swimming due to my shoulder and my overall lack of swimming skill. Thus 18:34 for 750metres- 2:30/100m. The good was I didn't panic, just swam. The bad was I swam with a fellow wearing bright red boy shorts doing the breast stroke for all of it. Initially I thought I found somebody who would be good to draft off of but he wasn't wearing goggles so hence I settled for boy shorts.

The bike was a whole lot of hills. As in thank god for my granny gear. No bike computer to know how fast I screamed down the hills thank goodness cause I am sure it was in excess of 60km/hr. It was challenging but such a confidence buster to know that it wasn't that bad and I didn't have to walk even the 7%grade one. 1:12 for 32km. 26.5km/hr or in other words,  room for improvement.

Run was good- 8k in 37min. 4:40km off the bike which I am pleased with.

Overall good race experience. Small but I never felt completely alone out there. Good door prizes. Including the $10 git certificate to the local bakery which provided me with donuts.
My goal was under 2:10 and I was 2:08something. I was the 10th female out of 34. The  female winner beat me by 21minites, but her resume is pretty impressive. I wish i had won my age group cause then I would have gotten a pizza cutter shaped like a bicycle. But you can't win them all, well actually I have never won a triathlon.

Camera

Luke and I each have one of those new fangled iPhone and take them everywhere so we can text each other like we have our own language nobody understands. They fit rather handy in our pockets and we always have them with us for in-prompt photo opportunities. Some photos turn out and some don't. Because of the ever present iPhone/ cameras we forget to bring our real camera to places where it might come in handy like the RCMP musical ride or the airshow, where the iPhone just don't cut it.

I don't know what the solution is, I am just saying it is a problem.

In the attached photo Luke trespassed onto a construction zone for a photo opportunity. Ever is wearing is white and shinny soccer shoes which he invents excesses to wear. IE. 'i need to wear my soccer shoes for playing tennis'.

On another note, Ever took a tumble on his bike today and called himself a tough coconut, I think that's funny.



Pure Grit Trail Race

 

How do you know I have not been running much??

I actually run a race and I feel like a truck hit me.

Haven't been running much lately due to work/ heat/ and I have been spending a bit more time on my bike. Which BTW, just when I didn't think it could happen, it has. I have developed larger thigh muscles.

As this is my no pressure/ local races/ fun races year I didn't go to Niagara falls to run the 50k, I went to Sawmill Ski trails and ran a cross country race there.

I call it a cross country race as there is no single track. In my world double track is cross country. It was close though as my legs are all scratched up from raspberry bushes, which I like cause I think it makes me look tough.

The race was held on cross country ski trails as a benefit for a Nordic cross country team. Price was excellent at $20 or $50 per family!!! The race organizer has four kids.

The race was a single loop for the short course of 7.5. Double loop for the 15k. Course ended up being  short at 13.5kish total.

When I was in line at registration I saw the local very fastest girl. Soo whatever. I am local fast not provincial fast, which she is. She is also rather pleasant, so whatever.

Lined up and set off. Tried to stick with one guy I know I have beat before but he passed me as I was dumping large quantlies of water on myself at the only water station. Course was reasonable marked but due to the field being spread out so much I had doubts on a few occasions.  On the second loop I did not see a single person. In fact I asked the aid station if I was the last person left out. I think I run better on high mileage and basically fresh legs are not good for me soo I felt like i had multiple stress fractures the entire race.

Ran the first loop in 36min and very positive split it with  41min for the second. Which totally sucks. Around 1:18 total. I blame my split on the lack of anybody else on the course to push me. I should mention I was beat by 14min. We are the same age. I blame genetics)

I am happy I was the third female though the first lap and ended up being second female OA in the long course.  Which is great cause I got a $20 gift certificate. Free race!!! Homemade cookies and watermelon at the finish line. All good to me.