I had an amazing time. I finished in 5:04 and some change. I was hoping for a sub-5 hour, but I'm ok with my time. I wasn't last. I was strong. I felt good. I was continually passing people. I had a couple of issues that couldn't have been avoided. And yep. It was clearly more than 4 minutes worth.
I had a panic attack on the bridge. Going over was ok, there were lots of people and we were on the bridge deck. Going back it was windy and I was alone, and on the sidewalk and I panicked. I was actually ready to start screaming or crying when three lovely ladies came up behind me from Newfoundland and helped me across the bridge. I heart them.
The second issue I had was actually kind of funny. My lovely pace bunny, Sharon met up with me just after the first half. (The full winner past us just after I me up with her.) We were cruising along and I realized that I had a rock in my shoe. I couldn't move it around out from my foot so I had to stop. This was about 28km in. I had my shoes tied in a manner so that I wouldn't get black toenails, but that meant that they were a bitch to untie. I finally got my shoe off, got the rock out and couldn't get my damn shoe back on. I ended up having to sit down on the grass to put my shoe back on. Sharon had to put my shoe on, because I couldn't even figure it out. LOL.
So back to the race. The first half was phenomenal. Across the bridge. Behind Mic Mac Mall. Through Shubie Park. Shubie was hard. It's twisty, turny, trail running. I could feel the twinge in my IT band and I thought I was going to suffer. I was dreading having to walk down the hill just before the finish line uphill because of my ITB. Hit Waverley Road. Got some high fives and a hug from my virtual friends. And an RL friend, who I didn't see and didn't even realize she was there. oops. Up Maple. Maple is my bitch! Cathy was at the top waiting to cheer me on and take pictures.
I have to say. It was amazing to have my running group there to support us. There were 5 of us from the running clinic that were running the Bluenose marathon. And 10-15 from the group cheering us on. 1 taking pictures on the route cheering. And 1 more out for a leisurely Sunday run, pacing me. It was so awesome. :)
Back to the race. Over the bridge and up beside the finish line, around the Hill and off to do the second half with Sharon by my side. :) HRP Chief Blais was out directing traffic at one of the intersections, with his nice smile. Right Sharon? Down to the North End of Halifax. I ran the entire first half without a walk break, but the second half I did 10 and 1's. Which worked well. I needed every one of them.
From the North End of Halifax, we made our way all the way back to the South End and the dreaded Point Pleasant Park. PPP is a nice place to run. But it's nasty as hell at the 35km mark. The trail. The gravel. The Hill that never ends. And after you manage to get through that hill, with so little energy left in the tank, you still have probably another km to go before you actually get out of the park and get back on the road for the final 5km.
I tried to kick it up a few notches in the last few km's because I could see that I was losing my sub-5 hour goal. But in the end, it wasn't meant to be. I had lost too much time, and I hadn't had a gel since 27 km and was using gummies as my fuel. It was still a 20+ minute PR, which is incredible to say the least. And I did meet my secret goal.
Speaking of gels. Here's another funny Sharon story. So, I took my 3:00 hour gel right on time. I was taking them every 45 minutes. It was about the 27 km mark I think. And it did not settle well at all. I thought I was going to have to take a potty break. Out of the blue Sharon asks "Need a pepto?" I was shocked LOL. So I took a pepto pill. It settled my stomach. And we were off again.
Remember I mentioned my ITB was flaring during Shubie. It did ache for most of the race. But the only time it actually bothered me was at the bottom of Devonshire. That's a really, really steep downhill. I actually had to take that as a skip and a hop down the hill. I couldn't run that straight on. The downhill that I was really concerned about was down Cogswell just before going up Brunswick and the finish line. That didn't bother me at all.
Some pictures.
I loved the training for this marathon (Once I moved my tempo runs to the treadmill), I really enjoyed the clinic, I will probably join another one in January again. This race re-ignited my love for this distance after the disaster of Niagara falls.
So what's next? I decided very early on in this training that I don't do well training in the summer heat. But I can maintain a half marathon fitness level. So I'm going to run three half marathons, in three weeks, in three provinces. Valley. PEI and then Moncton. However... Secrets be told I will attempt to follow a marathon training schedule for Moncton. Once I get close to the end, I will decide if I will attempt it or not. After 4 marathons, I'd like to see what I can do on a flat course.
In January I will join another marathon clinic. And decide later in the cycle whether I will attempt Fredericton or stick to Bluenose. I like racing on home turf, but I have my eye on Boston, so I want to race on a flat course to gauge an attempt. Bluenose is a very hard and technical course. Brag, brag, brag. LOL.
Well, I guess that this is longer than I wanted it to be. I'm sure I missed something.
