Sorry for the lack of updates! But the guess what!? Here's a one! Hahahah
Resolution Run (8km)- January 1st, 2013
http://runthefraservalley.com/2013/01/03/130/
2013 has started off with a big bang for me! I woke up on January 1st with a jump in my step and the excitment of race day! I had registered for the 2013 Fraser Valley Trail Running Series the day before and it was now time to kick off the New Year.. the right way! After a long drive through tons of fog and frost, I made it to Crescent Park in White Rock for the 8km Resolution Run. It was a beautiful sunny morning, but absolutely freezing! I shared runny noses with fellow runners and ran around like a little bunny trying to warm up my muscles. I contented myself with the realization that the ocean would feel much colder! The race was fast and furious! We took off like a shot for 2 laps of the 4km loop around Crescent Park. It felt great to be running and running FAST! The course was totally frozen- as I stepped on the grass.. it didn't bend.. and it's not because I forgot to eat breakfast and didn't weigh enough! Over the first loop, I started to see the difference between the other trail races I have done and this style of race. It seems a lot more cross country and I was a little shocked about the difference in some attitudes on the course! It took me back to running when I was a kid and people wouldn't let you pass.. this wasn't the trail etiquette we learnt in the Kintec Trail Running Clinics! One of the guys wasn't letting anyone pass him and would try to cut you off when you got close to him and both me and one other great guy, Sean Baker, were trapped behind him.. meanwhile I'm thanking all the wonderful volunteers for standing out in the cold to make this run possible for us and Sean is giving us heads up on hazards on the trail such as logs. After racing into the second loop, it was game one.. I took off my longsleeve and tossed it to the side, revealing my white Kintec Shirt - que theme song! I decided it was time to rev up the engines even more and burn past this guy and the last girl infront of me. I had to play a bit of ninja and squeeze through the corners to pass him but I was cheered on by the friendly voice of Sean who had also been stuck behind that guy with me saying, "GO WHITE SHIRT!!!" It pushed me forward to get that support from someone I had never met before and pushed through the last of the race as fast as I could burning through and finishing as the top female overall and in my age category 20-39yrs! My first victory!! It felt amazing and everyone was really nice! I was able to meet my supporter on the trail, Sean, after the race and exchange congratulations on a great run. He is a great guy and was so nice to talk to! We had both ran like the wind and it was really just such a rewarding way to start off the New Year. BIG thanks to the organizers and volunteers for making the race happen, plus supplying the coffee and healthy snacks after the race! It was a fabulous experience and there are some really fast runners competing- notably the 2nd place girl, 13 year old Olivia! I was shocked to learn she was so young! She will have a great future infront on her!
PS. I was right, the water was much colder! I was able to join in a very special Polar Bear Swim with John Tak and his family at Ambleside Park upon coming back into the North Shore and let me tell you.. diving into that icy ocean was the BEST ice bath ever! It was so special to be invited to join them as I was just about to dive in solo! What an amazing family!
Shanny
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