Race Recap: Baden Road Races

This face says it all...I'm done...(yet only half way..)

Part of the Waterloo Running Series, the Baden Road Races take place in the Township of Wilmot and more importantly, just a few minutes away from my soon-to-be-sister-in-law's house. For Christmas I let Rachel know I wanted to run a race together and we agreed on this one. I ran the Rememberrun in 2014 which is also part of the Waterloo Running Series, and was interested in running more as it was well-run (haha) and had many nice added touches.

The Baden road races include a 7 mile, a 5km, a 1km and a kids 200m. The signature event is the 7miler that runs down the road towards tower hill. I shouldn't say runs "down" as it felt all up hill...both ways.

I was impressed right from the beginning. The event starts and ends at the Wilmot Recreation Complex in New Hamburg. The start time isn't until 9:30am. Not only did I get to sleep in, we got to wait in a warm area with lots of indoor washrooms. Bonus!

The finish line is inside, right in the arena. This is great for spectators but also for participants as you can watch and cheer on other finishers and feel cheered on as you finish.This event would be great for spectators due to the indoor aspect. There are many races I've run in unfavourable weather where my poor parents had to stand for extended periods of time getting cold or wet.

Rachel and I ran the 7miler; her mother also decided morning of that she too would run it, so she slipped over around 8 to register and then returned home. Our spectator was Rachel's dad and he did a great job getting photos and being at the start, near the finish and at the finish with the camera.

Just finished! Smiling because it's over!!

The course itself is easily the most challenging I've run. A 7mile equals 11.3km which isn't as long as a half-marathon but shouldn't be dismissed as a short distance as it is just that much longer than a 10km. I didn't intend to run this competitively as I'd just had my goal race, the Goodlife Half Marathon two weeks prior, and a fast 10km at the Sporting Life 10km the weekend prior. This one was to be a fun experience with my sister-to-be. I didn't take it too seriously in preparation with extra rest or any form of energy chews in advance of running. I had my music fairly low and one headphone out so we could chat.

One of my favourite shows to watch is Four Weddings and I despise when the brides judge overall experience on weather as this is a factor that no one can control. However, I will say, my overall experience of this race was greatly impacted by the weather. Rachel said last year was hot and humid which made the race a challenge. Well, this year was the opposite. It was cold, windy and rainy. It was about 9 degrees and dropping, feels like 6. The wind however was strong. In the first km a girl in front of us lost her hat as it blew off her head nearly tripping me as I was watching the spectators. On the out and back course it never seemed to be at our back or beneficial. On the way back it was a brick wall to push into. Add into the brick wall a driving rain that no matter how low I pulled my hat was still smashing into my face and that was what we had to run through.

The course has an up and down hill within the first 2 km, and from there is consistent uphills that slightly level out and rise up again. Just when you think you've reached the "hill" that this race is known for, Rachel notifies me that this sharp right turn onto a gravel hill is actually the hill before "the hill". At the bottom of "the hill" is a timing mat as the fastest hill time winners (male and female) receive a pair of saucony shoes. The actual hill is so straight up that we decided to walk it. I never walk in a race but I had nothing in me from all the other million hills that led up to this hill. At the top you can seemingly see for miles. I was notified this is the highest point in southwest Ontario. I can attest to that! At the top you get to ring a big brass bell then head back down again.

We're coming!

Where's the top? Just look down says Rachel

Seriously? Dying...

Sister pulling ahead to ring the bell!

You'd think this would be the turning point in more way that one as you now get to head downhill but with my muscles and lungs being shot (I was certain I was going to puke) and the hill being so steep and gravel it was a challenge getting back down the hill again. Of course, then the driving rain/wind started and the way back seemed to last forever, especially once we hit the long, gradual uphill with 2.5km to go. I actually felt like I couldn't go on any longer. I told Rachel: "you go ahead if you want, I'm holding you back" but being the good sister she is, she stuck with me. I realized you can't "race" three significant distance races three weeks in a row. The last km didn't feel as brutal as it levelled out and the end was in sight so the speak. It wasn't actually as it finished indoors but I could see the building and that was enough for me.

We crossed the finish line side by side and had identical times of 1:01:11. There was live music at the finish line as well as quite the spread to eat. They had watermelon, bananas, bagels, grapes, coffee, tea, hot chocolate and pizza!! Lots and lots of pizza. Though it was 10:30/10:45ish and I wasn't hungry I figured I should eat knowing this would be my lunch and lately have felt nauseous a few hours after racing, potentially due to not eating. I was excited to get a coffee and the watermelon for sure. The pizza was also delicious.

At the finish line after getting medals. Thankful for hot coffee!

Not long after the results were posted and I saw my time was good enough for a 3rd place finish in my category (F25-29). Also in my category was Rachel who unfortunately got 4th because though our times were identical, alphabetically I come first. Though they don't have finishers medals they do have age category medals and new this year they allowed you to line up to receive your medal, rather than wait for the ceremony.

Sad sister...but check out the spread of food being brought home. She's the real winner!

Overall, the race is a great, challenging course that I wasn't prepared for. The weather certainly added to the challenge and running on tired legs didn't help. I was thankful for the chance to run with my sister and will be looking for a chance to run another run in the Waterloo Running series.

Breaking up is hard to do (with shoes).

Finally, after 672.5km on my runners I got myself a new pair. I'm very particular about running shoes. In my 2 years running I've learned I like Asics and New Balance. Mainly because I need the wide toe box and they are both reputable brands.

Usually I make 2-3 trips to different stores that sell running shoes and do my research online. My criteria usually includes: a New Balance or Asics, a wide toe box, midline stability and of course, something pretty. I usually go for middle of the line price point as well because I'm not made of money but I don't want to wreck myself. 

But, as I opened and admired my new shoes I got a little sad about saying goodbye to my old shoes. You may find this silly but I've been through a lot with my old purple and teal asics. 

I got these shoes in the spring of 2014 in April because of a sale. I knew I wouldn't need them until June though. 

Running lots is a doubled edged sword. Running more is doing more of what you love but things wear out so much quicker. Though I feel like these shoes had a full and fulfilling life it went by too fast. 

In these shoes I: 

-came in 1st for my age category for the barrie waterfront 10k June 2014

-walked the scleroderma 5k with my family to support the research of a disease near and dear to my heart 

- ran my first 8k- a local canada day race that's been around for 46 years. 

- flew to Alberta and ran some of the most breath taking trails I've ever seen. 

-ran a 10k in BC!

-climbed a mountain. A real mountain. I now know why hiking gear exists and I wouldn't suggest ever climbing a mountain in running shoes but regardless, climbing a mountain changes you. 

-ran my third half marathon less than 12 hours after getting back to Ontario on limited sleep and fuel.

- ran my 4th half marathon, a local race, and got myself a PB on a challenging quad. 

- ran a 10k on my 26th birthday with a sub 50 that I've been gunning to break since doing it once in April. Also got 1st in my age category, won a pie and was sung to on the podium. 

-ran a Remembrance Day 5k alongside my running hero, Krista Duchene. 

And of course, all the hundreds of "training" runs in between. 

Needless to say these shoes have become a part of me. They hold so many great memories and it's hard to put them aside and start a relationship with someone new. My heart breaks at the thought. 

Then of course I catch sight of these beautiful girls and don't feel so bad. 

Because I know that they too will hold many beautiful memories I've yet to make. 

Rememberrun 5k/8k Race Review

Background:
Saturday November 8th was the 6th Annual Remember Run. This race is a part of the Waterloo Run Series  and has a Remembrance Day theme. I had wanted to run one of the races in the Waterloo Run series since hearing about it as I love the Kitchener/Waterloo area and miss it all the time. I spent 5 years in Waterloo while attending Wilfrid Laurier University for my B.A. and even did my practicums for Teacher's College in the Waterloo region despite going to Western University for my B.Ed.

Signing Up: 
When toying with ideas for a November girls weekend in Waterloo to visit my pregnant friend for the last time before baby (eeeee!!) I (selfishly) suggested November 8-9 so I could run the Remember Run and since my three best friends are awesome, they agreed.
I didn't know what the expect even though I've been running for about 2 years now and have completed over 30 races. Each race is different and can surprise you in good and bad ways.

Packet Pick up:
I always want to do packet pick up in advance of race day, when possible. It was easy to do as the pick up Friday night was at the local running store in a central location. Pick up was easy, I mentioned my name, got my shirt and my bib with a chip timer. The bib was very pretty! The bib # was quite small which I loved as the focus is clearly on the theme of the run, Remembrance Day. Also love the opportunity to personalize the bib. War has affected us all and I am so thankful for the sacrifice my great uncle Duncan made on D-Day. I am also incredibly thankful my Papa did not go to war. Though he was of eligible age, his father had been injured in a farming accident and as a result my Papa had to stay home to take care of the family and the farm. Til the day he died he was angry about being unable to attend. War affects us all.

The technical shirt was a great size! I never know to pick small or medium as some smalls I've got have been super tiny (and who wants to run in a shirt that shows all jiggles- eek!) and I've got some mediums that are giant. So long story short I chose a small and it fits beautifully! I love it. It is a beautiful shirt with fantastic details.
There wasn't any special additional goodies in the bag but pick up was easy and painless which was great because then I got to start my girls weekend with the besties.

Race Day:
a 10:02 start time was glorious as I'm sure you can imagine catching up with my girls took awhile :) We got to "sleep in" until 7:30 and had a leisure morning with a great breakfast. We took the 20 minute drive to the race location which was the Preston legion. It was a busy place! So many runners in a sea of red everywhere. I started to get quite nervous, to which my friends made fun of me and assured me I had no reason to be nervous.

I wore:
It was chilly, about 4 degrees with a windchill. I had no idea what to wear. I wore long pants and a long sleeved tech shirt. I would have wore the race shirt had it been long sleeved. Also I haven't worn a tshirt over a long sleeve shirt since I was in grade 9 and thought it was cool to wear name brand t-shirts over long sleeve white shirts. The embarrassment haunts me to this day so I won't do it with tech shirts. I then remembered I had nowhere to put my phone and none of my long pants have pockets (curses!!). So I also decided to wear my running jacket so I had somewhere to put my phone. (Seriously, I cannot run without music and mapmyrun. I CANNOT! Well, I can if I have to but I would rather listen to Willie Nelson than my laboured breathing.) I also wore thin red gloves because without them I'd be head to toe black and my fingers would freeze as my extremities always freeze. Always.

Pre Race:
The opening ceremonies were great, bagpipes, O Canada and a moment of silence. I am emotional to start with at races, just the nervousness leading up, the enormity of what we are doing and the group mentality of seeing all these people being active and pushing themselves gets me choked up. So add in thinking of the veterans, my relatives, my country and the recent loses...yeah. But, to lighten the mood a train came through so we had to delay the start a little longer. I was alright with that as I love trains and their symbolism- a different story for a different day).

I should also mention I was tickled pink as about a week previous to the race I read on Krista Duchene's blog that she would be running her first race to get the rust off post femur fracture and that it would be a local 8k. This made me super excited because I am so in awe of Krista's strength, dedication and love of the Lord. The fact that I got to run a race a small race with her was too exciting. She was running the 8k and I was running the 5k so I assumed we'd finish about the same time as one another :). So seeing her line up near the front in shorts and a tank top added to my excitement. I try to line up front-ish. Not front-front where the people do those crazy super fast long "warm ups" (I'd be too tired) but front enough that if the course thinned out to single file I wouldn't feel I had to weave through people, also when I come across the finish line I want my chip and gun time to be fairly similar.

The race:
Off we went and I waved to my three besties, happy to see them cheering me on. I have the best support crew at races.

We made some quick turns and ran down the "main street" of Preston past the cenotaph and the Tim Horton's. We then ran into the local park which was pretty...but the roads weren't in the best shape which made my steps a little more cautious. It was neat to have such a broad view of the runners ahead of me. Our run then weaved down a muddy, thin, grassy trail. This moment annoyed me at first as I knew it would slow my time, but then I looked around and enjoyed the beauty of the run. But, then we ran onto boardwalk which was somewhat slippery due to the weather and fallen leaves. Regardless, it was pretty as well. As we came up a slight incline on the boardwalk an awesome volunteer holding a clear sign indicated the 8k group turned left and the 5k group turned right. I secretly praised myself for choosing the 5k rather than the 8k. It was neat the see the people split into their different race distances as it's hard to tell what people are running elsewise.

I secretly was thankful it was a 5k as I hit the pain train hard at about km 1. I know in shorter races (5 and 10ks) that it's more cardiovascular than legs. I'm not sure why but the pain was real and challenging right off the hop. My splits were nowhere near where I wanted them to be, other than my first but I knew I  couldn't maintain. I'd just have to be happy whatever the outcome.
My thoughts on why I wasn't where I wanted to be split wise:
-I had McDonalds for dinner the night before (don't judge me)
-I had bacon for breakfast the morning of (I said don't judge me)
-I haven't really been running any speed work for awhile
-I wore too much. This seems to be a recurring theme
-Difficult terrain
lessons learned

Came into the finish and was happy to see my three best friends cheering me in. We hurried off for lunch and some shopping so I wasn't around for the "after show" but I hear there were lots to eat and it's nice to have an indoor facility to escape into especially in less than favourable weather.

The bling:
This is a race that doesn't have finisher medals but rather medals for top 3 in each of the 5 year span age categories. Upon researching past years' finishing times I assumed I could place for Women aged 25-29. So once I finished I scurried over to the chiptime trailer and asked my stats. She let me know I had finished second in my age category which I was pleased with. A medal, yes! The awards were at 12 and it was about 10:30 so we decided to go for lunch and shopping and then swing by again to pick up the medal.

Overall:
Free race photos! <<<< this is so exciting!
Great volunteers
Great course marshalling
Pretty course
Chip timing
Pretty Bibs
Nice bling
Great shirt
Great opening ceremonies
Not too expensive

I'd do the race again.
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