Race Review: Run Blue Mountains

Sunday October 18, 2015 was the annual Run Blue Mountains race in Thornbury, Ontario. This race hosts a half marathon, 10km, 5km and kids 1km race as well as a 5km walk. This is the 3rd year I have participated in this race and the second time I have run the 10km course.

Receiving my finishers medal

I have had so much fun at this race in the past and this year was no different. The race has such a small town, tight knit community feel to it. The run is organized by the Thornbury Rotary club and touted as "a run through apple country". The course follows scenic rolling countryside on a combination of paved streets and gravel roads with beautiful views.

The race has been very well planned out and is one of my favourites as it has so many special and unique touches. Let me share them with you.

The race is hosted at the Beaver Valley Community Centre which is a beautiful indoor facility with washrooms and plenty of space to sit and keep warm pre and post race as well as for spectators. From a spectator perspective this is one of my parents favourite races because of this key fact.

Day of packet pick up

Packet pick up was easy and simple as though they have 5 different events, they are all clearly marked and colour coded so it is easy to do pick up day of. The race kit comes with your bib with chip timer, kleenex and some food samples which are useful to throw in my purse for later. This year the "swag" was a running toque which I think is a great idea. My first year it was a beautiful long sleeved shirt and last year I was somewhat disappointed in the short sleeve tech tee that seemed to be so common from every race I've run. I appreciate that they make these little changes each year and are ever improving. I wanted to commit the faux pas by wearing something new the day of but realized the race hat didn't have a pony tail holder. So, I reached in my purse, grabbed my jackknife and made my own ponytail holder. Just call me Macgyver.

This year was unique in that Friday night and early Saturday we were hit with a good 10cm (at least) of fresh snow. I was a little excited as the prospect of running in it. Temperatures were around freezing and not too cold. There also wasn't much wind. I accepted that the snow would make the surfaces a little more difficult to get a firm footing and that a personal best was likely out of the question.

A run through a snowy apple country

The organizers decided to host announcements indoors. They have a local pastor start the event with a prayer and the singing of O Canada. Then we all went outdoors for a fun warm up that you can't help but participate in. This year they decided to have a mass start of all distances, which I thought was another great choice. They lined us up quickly and sent us off. There wasn't too much standing around waiting.

Great energy from the warm up crew

Everyone warming up: even more important this year!

I am familiar with the course having run it last year. Though it's essentially a large rectangle there are quite a few small twists and turns on the course. The race has ample volunteers on course to ensure the safety and direction of participants.

What a difference a day makes! Friday morning volunteers collect apples for participants and spectators

I was even more appreciative of them in this less than favourable weather. There were many points during the race that the large falling snowflakes make it impossible for me to see ahead of myself without constantly blinking. Yet the volunteers stand in place for 3+ hours.

Awesome volunteers on course

They have great signage with colour coordination and arrows to best direct runners. It is quite a pretty course too (albeit hilly), my favourite part being a downhill that crosses a now pedestrian only bridge with beautiful views of the Beaver river.

Snowy gravel roads meant sloshy, slippery downhills 

The weather made it challenging for my personal support team (Mom, Dad, Mark) to see me coming through the driving snow. Though I was wearing notably bright blue pants, I finished the last 200 meters by weaving in and out of 5km walkers. Luckily they were still able to see me finish but were unable to snap any photos.

Girl guides handing out food and water to finishers

All finishers receive a beautiful finishers medal and are greeted with water, bananas, almonds and raisins in the finishers chute. I headed inside to what could only be described as an after party! There was live music, food, beer and prizes.

This husband and wife made beautiful music together

Within the registration fee all racers received a lunch. It was apple baked beans, salad and a bun. I am not a huge fan of chili or of eating right after a race. (Give me an hour and I'm ready to eat the house). My boyfriend Mark is beginning to learn the benefit of attending my races in the way of food. I was glad he was able to eat the meal as it was prepared with love for sure.

Where's Waldo? (me)

I also like this race because they have a podium and they celebrate the top 3 finishers in each age category (10 year increments) of all 3 race distances with a zipper pull style medal that can be attached to the finishers medal. They also reward an apple pie to the first place finisher in each category. Last year I got first in my age category and this year was no different.

Mr. Wentworth-Stanley handing out awards

The race is made that much more special and unique largely in part to one wonderful and charismatic man named Jeremy Wentworth-Stanley. He is an Investment Advisor and his financial donation helps cover race costs so that all money brought in can go directly to the Rotary Club. Mr. Wentworth-Stanley participates each year and greatly enjoys handing out medals and pies to the top 3 finishers in each category. Last year he got word of it being my birthday that day and he had the whole hall sing Happy Birthday to me. This year when I went up to receive my award I said, "Thank you, again" to which he questioned, "again?" and I explained last year's interaction. He asked if it was my birthday and I advised that it was the next day yet he still had everyone sing to me, yet again. He was trying to embarrass me but little does he know, the spotlight and I are good friends.

It's little touches like these, unique people, a friendly atmosphere, great organization and volunteers that make this race a success and one that I intend to participate in for years to come. Great job, Run Blue Mountains. I will see you next year, though I don't think I can call it my birthday run any longer.

Race Review: Collingwood Half Marathon

For my 6th half marathon I ran the Collingwood half on October 3rd, 2015. This is the first time I've ran the same half marathon course a second time. The Run Collingwood race series is my local race and since its' induction in 2013, I have participated each year. The race has a 10km distance (which I ran in 2013) and a half marathon (2014, 2015).

As a runner for about 3 years now, I am starting to settle into running. Running and I are past our honeymoon phase where we sign up for every single race and set enormous PBs in all race distances without even trying. The fact of the matter is running is hard work and can get expensive.

I decided to sign up for my local half marathon to try to run the same course again, cut down on costs (transportation, food, accommodations) and for the obvious benefit that a local race brings: an easier chance to guilt your friends and family to coming to see you run.

I am a big proponent of supporting local in all facets and that doesn't exclude our local run. The race series supports our local hospital, the Collingwood General and Marine hospital. My family has lived in this area more than 3 generations deep so I am sure you can safely assume I have personal ties to our local hospital.

The downfall of doing the same race again, and this one in particular, is losing out on some of those exciting things that come with running a race such as the newness of the experience and of the course. I also regret to share that in the past 3 years the series has been running very little has changed. This may be viewed as a positive in some respects but I now own 3 identical T-shirts and 3 nearly identical medals (the difference being only the date on the ribbon).

Which leads me to the age old question: why do I run? Is it for the swag, the bling, the personal bests? Read on...

flat Amelia ready to go

Race Kit Pick up:
In the two years prior kit pick up has been at least 2 days long. This year it was for one full day (10am-8pm) the friday prior to the race. It's quite the simplistic process of getting a bib, shirt and that's all. This year for convenience sake I had someone else pick up my bib and there was no hassle, no questions asked. This is a benefit of a small town race.

Race day:
The race is always held on a Saturday which I greatly appreciate. It gives me Sunday to still attend church and to rest and recoup a bit before returning back to work as a teacher Monday, where I certainly need as much of my energy as possible.

The weather was cool, about 6 degrees, which I appreciated considering the summer-long issue I fought of constant dizziness, nausea and blurred vision that came after nearly every single run and workout. However it was also quite windy which would provide an added challenge on the course.

Parking this year somehow was a nightmare. The 10km course starts at 8am and the half marathon at 8:30. I was trying to arrive just prior to 8am to avoid being in the way of any 10km racers. The parking lot from last year was somehow shrunken and at 7:50 there were rows of cars, both sides of the street (as you can see in the background of the photo below).

We were allowed to park in an alternative lot. I was able to use the bathroom one last time and wander over to the start with the perfect amount of time left to not stand around freezing or get too overly nervous.

pre-race support crew (+dad taking the photo)

My ideal goal for this race and for a half marathon is 1:45. This is my scary goal, the one I am afraid of telling people as part of me worries it may never happen. I also had a rough summer training wise, and in the last two weeks have been dealing with feet and ankles that lock up and burn as I run. Did that stop me from lining up next to the 1:45 pace bunny and hoping for the best? Of course not. My other two goals were to get anything below 1:50 and then to get a personal best. My current best was sitting at a 1:50:38 from my spring half marathon in Barrie this year.

Well, from about 500m in the ankles started to burn. I stuck with the 1:45 bunny for about 2km and then looked at my watch to see he was running about 4:45min/km and there was no way I could maintain those, nor are they what it takes to get a 1:45. As the course progressed my pace slowed, and slowed. I tried my hardest to get it back but it wasn't happening. I had moments of increased speed when I saw friends and family on the course and during the few slight downhills or when listening to certain spots on my podcast. But overall, my legs were fighting me. The headwind of course put a damper on things as well.

I went into the race knowing that it would be a struggle but was it ever a struggle. There was no honeymoon phase of the first 5 or 10km feeling great and strong. The whole thing sucked. If you'd asked me in the last 5km if I wanted to stop I'd gladly huff "yes" in your direction.

Last year when I ran this course my PB at the time was just shy of 1:55. I ran with the 1:55 pace bunny with a bit of struggle until about 16km where I found new strength in my legs and took off, getting myself a new PB of 1:52:33. I was kind of hoping that this time around my legs would find new strength again, but it didn't happen. Instead, I looked at my watch with 4km to go, realizing I had to be done in 20 min to PB, realizing that meant 5min/km and that my legs, despite my best effort and self-talk were not delivering.

Let me tell you, it's hard to continue running when everything hurts and when you know you wont be getting that personal best. For my 6 half marathons I've ran, I've consistently bettered myself each time (except once, but that one was to be expected). This again adds to my question of "why do I run?". Is it only for the personal bests? I may not be able to get faster and faster each time, is that okay?

coming in to the finish, full of pain

so much pain

Soon I get to stop

Loved my custom shirt

I crossed the finish line at 1:50:47. That's 9 seconds slower than my personal best. However, it is a course personal best from last year's race. Though I felt I should be disappointed in myself, upset and crying, feeling like it was all a waste, I didn't.

I still felt like I gave ALL I had in me. I felt the usual "I'm going to be sick, someone hold me up please". And I felt this overwhelming joy and thankfulness for all the people that support me in my running and love me.

At the finish line I had a mother, a father, a boyfriend, a best friend and my running partner in crime. Also on the course I saw the mother/father/boyfriend trio three times, plus my friend Chris and her son Ty drive by honking, stop to get out to cheer me on and drive by again, as well as my best friend Andrea and her mother and son drive by then stop to cheer me on.

All these people likely had much better things to do on their saturday than watch me run. It was a cold one too, but because they love me and knew how much this meant to me, there they were.

So why do I run? Not for the medals, the shirts, the bibs or the swag (though of course all that is very nice) but rather, I run because I love running. It is a physical and emotional struggle that teaches you how strong you are and how blessed you are. It teaches you what truly matters in life. Though I will still chase that personal best I know what matters most. We will chalk this one up as a success.