Race review: MEC barrie race one

My first race of the season and it was a great one! Rewind 2 years and this very race was my first race ever with a bib! 

Can't believe how far I've come since then! At that stage I wasn't overly impressed with the race series. Though it only cost $15.00 to enter, my friend Heather and I ran the 10k and were confused by the course which didn't have clear signage/marshalling and we ended up running 8k. Also it wasn't chip timed and therefore not overly official. Last year it just didn't come up on my radar (which is okay as I hear the weather wasn't all that fantastic) but this year I thought it would be a great way to see where my 5k was at to start the season. 

I am happy to say I now am very pleased with the MEC race series. I bribed my dear friend Heather to sign up with me. I LOVE that the races cost $15.00 to enter (or $20.00 day of- which is still so cheap!). As a result I didn't have much expectation. I also love that they are in barrie which is a 40 minute drive for me. We arrived for bib pick up to this:

We checked in, got our bibs and then shoe chip timers. I've ran one other race with a shoe chip timer and it didn't go well. Somehow the zip tie let go and I lost the timer. So I made sure the sucker was on as tight as possible 

And here's the obligatory shoe shot of heather and I 

For $15.00 you get your bib, chip timed results and Nuun tablets. After the race there were bananas, water, coffee, oranges, Nuun and cliff bars. Here's what I still have as the others were consumed before a chance to be photographed. 

I love this size of cliff bar. They will be in my purse until one day when I'm out and about and get famished. Purse snacks are the best. 

The race went through the banner, 

Left and around the parking lot and back up beside the banner. It was an out and back and other than the added loop around the parking lot it was a nice straight course. 

There are no race shirts or medals or prizes other than medals for the top 3 males and females per distance. 

My goals were to PB if possible or top 3 if possible. Neither happened but I had a great race and start to the season regardless. 

I pushed hard and it hurt. My lungs felt like they had no space in my ribs. This is how a 5k feels when I'm chugging hard. 

It was such a clear, blue, sunny day. It was slightly chilly at -2 feels like -7 with a slight headwind on the return trip. I was happy with what I chose to wear of pants, long sleeved top, sweater, gloves and my peaked hat from the sun. Near the end I had to peel my mitts but I never felt too hot or too cold which is good. 

Check out that pre-race selfie. We were cold. 

Overall I finished in 23:23 which is a second best for me (PB 22:50). I thought I was in 3rd for women for the first km but was passed by a lady and she put a gap between us I couldn't close. After I finished she came over and congratulated me and we talked for a bit. She was so kind! I told her I thought she got 3rd and she said she wasn't sure as the beauty of an out and back is that you get to see all participants including those ahead of you. There was one young runner that wasn't overly distinct in gender. The original results posted put my new friend in 4th (and me in 5th) but later the online results posted put her in 3rd!! Which I was so happy to see. This put me in 4th. So close to both goals! 

There were a lot of people there which was great to see! A lot of people were in the day-of registration line. This is likely due to good weather and Easter weekend. I finished 

22/155 overall,

4/103 for women and 

1/21 for females 20-29. 

Overall, it was a great experience and I am pleased with how the MEC series have improved. I'd love to do another! I'm also again so glad Heather lets me drag her along to these things. I'm super proud of her. This was truly the first she has run since last summer! But she's so strong in all that she does, in many ways. She was the first to inspire me to run, she inspires me in our bootcamp class and in all physical things she does. So blessed to have this friend. 

And a new bib for the collection: