Thursday 9 May 2013

My First Road Race

Well folks... I did it! I gave the mud on my trail runners a chance to dry and tied some speedy pink slippers on my toes! My new Brooks Pure Flows! They are more pink than bubblegum and absolutely amazing! They are like hugs for your feet! What could be better, one might ask?! Your feet getting pink hugs as they race!! Introducing... The one.. My first.. The big BMO half marathon!!

After much consideration and deliberation I decided to run it! With two of the most awesome people participating too, it only made a bigger cause for it! Kathryn rocked the fluorescent ninja look and brought on the full marathon and I destroyed the half marathon.
Right from the day before at the expo, it was an incredible experience! From picking out the perfect outfits to eating every type of energy bar, to posing for Oikos yogurt pictures the expo was full of fun times and totally got me pumped up even more.. Yes you heard me right.. Even more excited than when I was running around in circles in North Shore Athletics after I signed up! Prepping for the race involves tons of hydration, stretching and lest we forget, pasta!! I took on the challenge at Anton's the night before and put some serious dents in those pasta mountains!! Talk about fuel!! Yum!!

Waking up the next morning with one of the best power shakes and a nice decongestant to scare away my stuffy nose it was game time!! I arrived to see herds upon herds of people!!! And I thought the PNE was busy!!! Wow!!! The line up for the potties was massive but all super organized!! Lol imagine that! Awesome!

After a nice relaxed warm up, we headed into the masses to get ready for the gun!! It was amazing to be a part of something with that many people there! Pretty scary though as I'm not one for crowds but sine the atmosphere was so positive and I was with such good company I was already on cloud 9! The race was absolutely beautiful!!! The energy the crowds had... I couldn't believe it!! I've never experienced anything like that before!! Just thousands of people cheering us runners on!!! Random strangers.. All sending their low and support and energy!! It was one of the greatest feelings!! I could have flown with all those positive vibes in the air if I had some fairy dust!!!



The run felt incredible! Water was everywhere you needed it, and having such an amazing running companion made it from great to fabulous!! The amazing sunshine plus stunning scenery were breath taking!! I couldn't stop gazing around!! Kathryn and I had made a promise to each other to take funny pics for the cameras so hunting out photographers and prancing and pulling ridiculous stunts happened without a doubt! I think I was cheerin as much as the crowds at some point! Lol! Love a good cowbell!! Anyways I ran fast and ran hard and passed passed passed!! Zoom zoom zoom!! Maybe Tinkerbell did help me out because I flew! It was one of my favourite runs I've done and completed with a time of 1:30:13.. A chip time that placed me third in my age an sex category!!! Wow!!! Crazy!!! Unfortunately it goes by gun time so I'm 5th in my category in the official results, but heck it wasn't about winning. It was just for the fun experience and all the laughs that went along the way with it!! I can't wait to try another one! Talk about a victory!!!

Next up: National Mountain Running Championships in Quebec!! June 1st!! Wow! So soon!!

Congratulations to everyone who participated and massive thank yous to Kathryn for fixing my muscles all the time and support and Sourosh for fixing my ankles!! All that running has been compressing them! Yikes! All is good though!! With all the amazing people, friends and family behind me, I couldn't be more grateful or more ready to take on all the adventures life has to offer me. Starting now.. Time to climb off the bike as I'm making a pool of sweat in the gym as crank out a strength workout!

Much love to you all and will post again soon (ps. Still gotta write my recap of my April 7th race!!)

Hugs and kisses,
Shanny


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