Fabulosi-T: Hot Damn THAT felt GOOD: Melissa's 10k Recap !

Saturday started out EARLY and CHILLY! An hour and a half drive with two potty breaks got me there a bit late. Then another pee break and a jaunt back to the car to get my iPod (affectionately known as doodie - does yours have a name?) Then head to bag check, then start line.

But first a stop to take a picture of the absolutely gorgeous surroundings!!

I had some time to think about this run and to plan...I set an expectation of 70 minutes. That would be slower for me, but this is high elevation and one mother of a hill (see THAT post here) made me say, I want

to push, I want to have a PB, but maybe that is not today.

For now I will take steady pace and strong legs. Focus. Persevere. And it will come. Like my prior post said...Last time I ran this race I was pushing 215 pounds. I was heavy and starting out to do longer distances. This took me over almost an hour and 25 mins to do.

So THIS RACE is about proving a point. CRUSHING fatty voice. And, I am confident that will happen. I take a sec, remember WHY I RUN and say to myself..OK then. LET'S JUST RUN. (in my fave Sparkle Athletic skirt), oh yesss go #teamsparkle!

Then I see Sophia (Check out her race recap @TheMamaRuns) at the 1:10 pace bunny meet area! YAY!! Nice way to start morning. We chat. Then I decide I am running the whole race, not going to run with the pacer, since I am not going to do 10:1s. If it was a half...diff story. But today. No. FORGE ON!

Off we go!! As you can see the views are FREAKING spectacular.

Love the run down the main street looking at Rundle Mountain! .

Honestly, not sure what to recap. I ran. I just ran. I got outta the start area and realize i am running about 6 minute pace. Fast for me. I take a deep breath and think I am gonna do this till we get to the bridge an turn onto main street. I pull back ever slightly, but I feel f'n fantastic and think I am not stopping. Nope. Not slowing down. Keep this pace. Just go until you CAN'T! Less than 15 minutes later a woman in front of me just stops to "fix her watch". I manage to avert a crisis and not ram into her completely. The guy next to me helps steady me and we both stay on course. I hear the boys behind me yell at her to quit barking at me and get the hell over! Nice boys. I keep on pace. I slow down a little...only because the next few kilometres are climbing, climbing. I weave around those who are walking up the incline. I am doing my damnedest not to walk. I am also NOT looking at my watch. I do NOT want to see this time. Just get into the tunes (too big a crowd, only one earbud in!) and feel the steady beat of my feet hitting the pavement.

Every time I want to stop, I push further. I only slow or walk to take some water. Before I know it that 4km climb is pretty much over. And we are cresting the mountain...and it is downhill from there. So I give in an just LET my legs go! The views are amazing and it just makes you smile as you race down the mountain and get a view of the Banff Springs Hotel, the valley and the town site. I wanted to stop an snap a pic...but I can tell from my music I was AHEAD of where I thought I might be at this time, so I decided to push on and not stop to snap a picture. All of a sudden I was at 7km. THEN at 8km when I saw someone who is a WAY faster runner than me (usually 10 or so mins ahead of me in a 10km race) on a turnaround. THAT meant I was less than a kilometre behind! PRESS ON!!! I turn around and know i have less than 2km left, Then I have less than 1km. I feel my legs burning, kinda heavy...but man its good. I don't know my pace, but I know I have to be under 70mins.

And then I run around the corner. Come down the last bit. And push as hard as I can down the last stretch.

I see holy shit 1:05 something. I actually choke up at the finish. A few tears. Because I really show myself WHAT I am made of....WHERE I have come FROM! (and honestly...this is the first really great race in a few months!)

But tell me this:

WHY DO I ALWAYS LOOK LIKE A GD CARP AT THE FINISH LINE??

sooooooo what's the Official time? 1:05:39

*i need to double check but this is only 10sec off my fastest 10km time this year - which was a FLAT race. So hell yeh hot damn. I am pleased!!! Now let's translate THIS run to a halfmara...

The official race photographer DID snap one where I don't look too bad.