Something about Mountain Air

This morning I got up before 6 am in order to get ready to tackle the day. Which included an hours drive out West to the town of Canmore to hit up the trails for the Rocky Mountain Soap Company Women's Run.

Last year I did this run, I was excited and nervous. It was the first time I was ever going to run further than 10km (I had signed up for the 12km race!) It was ambitious. It was doable, but I had butterflies. I finished in a respectable 1 hour 31 minutes.

This year was going to be different. I weigh almost 40 pounds less than I did a year ago. In that year I have ran 7 half marathons, and am two weeks out of doing my first marathon. I am in WAY better shape. I am much more of a runner than I was.

So yeh, I was getting somewhat cocky knowing I would CRUSH my time. And show myself how MUCH better I was. And then last week happened. A week of terrible GI Tract upsets, terrible runs and self doubting/loathing. My hip hurt. Turns out my Sacroiliac is the issue. Its pained me to run for over a week. I had awful dreadful runs while running. oh Joy.

So by Thursday I was panicked. Could I do this? Or would my hip/glutes give way? Would this just show me that training for a Marathon WAS too ambitious?

After stopping in at a FAVE running store - Strides - to pick up a Bday pressie (a Moving Comfort dress they special ordered for me), I spoke with Allen, who is la runner guru. He gave me somewhat of a peptalk, and I left feeling better. Then Calli called. Who promptly kicked my ass via a long distance call. Feeling Pepped, I went off to volunteer at the RMS bib pick up. Where I gave out  few hundred bibs to a few hundred very excited women. And I left with a new perspective. Just run it. Soak in the scenery. Let it be just another training run. So, a few nose breathes and one nagging doubtful moment that I let creep in, I thought...dammit, I CAN!

So Back to Saturday. And Canmore.

It's a gorgeous day. I am so ready. I feel good. Damn I feel great. Even stretching my SI Joint wasn't aching or twinging. Hmmm.

Jenn and I wearing sparkle
to celebrate the run! 

Gun goes and I am off with a few hundred women. Bit of a gong show to start, but I dodge and weave my way to the front third of the pack (um holy shit...I am usually in the last quarter). I feel great. And then I see that the trails, which are compromised of paved and unpaved tracks of the Canmore Nordic Centre, are rather hilly. Well, there genius, you ARE in the mountains....

Anyhoo. I say to myself, just giver. I don't stop a faster than usual pace until after 3km where i grab some water. Throughout the whole first little bit my iPod keeps stopping and starting. P me O! So i yank it out, and restart it only with tunes. Sod it. This is gonna be a fun run, I just want some tunes to go with the amazing scenery. And off I go back down the trail. Then it 6km for a loop back up to that first water station. And i keep thinking to myself, I am not very tired. Or winded. Odd cause the elevation is even higher than what I am used to. Then I hit the 3rd and final water station. And realize I have 3 more Ks to go. And I am kicking ass and taking names.

During the last few kilometres I realize something. THIS is THE RACE. The ONE. The one where it's easy. It feels amazing. There has not been one moment where I wanted to stop or slow down or walk. I am running relatively fast for me. I feel free. I feel fabulous. THIS is what running is SUPPOSED to BE!!! Holy Shit. I have arrived. Wait. How did I get here. At this point i tell myself to shut the hell up and ENJOY the ride. I mean this is something. I feel amazing. Smart, Fabulous. Ah hell. I even feel graceful.

The.  Best.  Run. of. the. Year.

Honestly, I am not sure I have ever felt this good running. EVER.

And then i realize I have run the last incline and I have less than 500m to go. I let er rip and finish. I am not sure of my time, but I know it is way better than last years. And then I almost start to cry. Not for any other reason but because for the first time in a year since I have lost all this stupid weight, I am actually swelling with pride. And I have done something awesome. And I let out a whoop. Hell yeh. I have arrived. And not cause i crushed my time by more than 15 minutes. But because of how I ran, and how I felt while running the entire course.

Oh, and by the way, I didn't have one twinge or pinch or pain the entire race. Maybe endorphins, maybe my mind is starting to do what I want it to do and not be distracted. But now more than 12 hours after finishing, I still feel great and don't really feel any discomfort. I am looking forward to relaxing and enjoying my first marathon. Taking in the grandeur of the city sights and revelling where I have come from. And THAT is what my Marathon should be about.

I haven't had a smile like this in a LONG time...this was a hellova race!
No wonder running is addictive.