Sp-rinter Running

Sprinter? Spring+Winter

Ah Springtime in Alberta. Sometimes this means unreal summery temps and sometimes it means a outright blizzard.

Saturday was a blizzard. UGH! Waking up at 6 am for The Big Run... just a nice easy 10km. But in a Spring Blizzard? Oh heavy, heavy wet snow. Naaaaaaaasty.  

But it's gonna be  great run. A good training run. Holy Sh*t its cold.

Good thing I paid for this race, otherwise the covers would have been coming back over my head. But no. I bounce outta bed, get the run gear on. Do all the obligatory pre-race activities.

And get to the race site. Where i get out of the car and promptly think, "What the HELL? It's a tad chilly out here!"

Approaching the finish

Oh wait. I am building character, right?  (Did I say how bloody cold it was out there?). We are all huddled in a very large tent as the half marathoners leave. And they decide due to the inclement weather that 5Km and 10km runners will go together. So 15 minutes we wait. All refusing to face the elements till the last moment.

And out we go. Overall I felt great. But then halfway through I think...hmmm where is a bathroom. Of course I know there isnt one, as I run this pathway regularly. DAMMIT. But the finish is 4km away. Yessssss...i am soaked. My glasses are frosty and fogged. And I am dripping wet. But a good pace. I figure no one is gonna do a slow time, we have to run back to the BIG tent. brrrrrrrr.

And we are done! 

ANd then with less than 2 km to go i HAVE to duck into a bush to GO. Seriously. What is it about this week and not being able to run 10kkm without having to go to the biffie in a serious way.

I am gonna chalk it up to Birthday Week. I ate richer food, drank wine, and ran a tad less this week. In order to yuck it up. Ah...with a Marathon less than 4 weeks away no more wine. But it WAS my birthday. And i didn't really overindulge, so it not that bad. But gawd. I hate it when i have to have a pitstop that close to the finish. grrrrr. Good thing there were lots of leaves around, cause the tissues i always keep in my pocket were SOAKED due to the nasty snow. HA! Oh man.

And with that little stop, i feel lighter and sprint the last kilometre to the finish passing the two runners who were ahead of me. HA! take that you dumb bowels.

I couldn't believe with the crap weather and the bush stop, I completed the 10km in an hour and 5 minutes. Not bad, a bit off my 1:03 PB, but i felt great! Had a great glow on too - behind the sleet accumulated on my face.

Feelin' Fresh! And soaked.