Epilogue: Reflections on a Year of Running

Remembrance Day 2016

During Remembrance Day weekend of 2016, I had shared online a picture of me having returned from a run with a poppy attached to my hat. Little did I know that would mark the start of one solid year of being focused on running, after having given up running for so long.

I came back to the blog, and decided to finish what I had started years ago: to run five marathons. And while I was no longer able to complete "Five by 35," since I'd already passed the age of 35 a few years ago, having to deal with the death of my dad and wanting that loss to mean something definitely gave me the motivation to run one more. It wasn't pretty, but it got done - seems like a theme for my life! But nothing that comes without work is worth having anyway, right?

I hurt my knee during those last few weeks of training for number five and, were it not for desperately wanting to complete that run for my dad and everyone who donated to my fundraising campaign for Diabetes Canada, I likely would not have chosen to run on race day. In hindsight, while I was mentally ready and prepared to complete number five, I knew my knee was not up to running 42.2 km; still, I went out there anyway. Since that time, I've undergone hours of physiotherapy and exercises to help repair the damage I did. 

Well-earned hardware and swag

After a few months, my physiotherapist suggested I join a run club hosted by his clinic. As you may know, I am not, nor have I ever been, a social runner (proof: see posts here, here and here). But this experience was new and - dare I say it? - kind of enjoyable. It was nice to be with other runners of all different skill levels, hearing about their race experiences - and of all manner of running injury they have also endured. 

It was only because of my physiotherapist and the run club that I decided to go for my RUN VAN Hat Trick: running all three Vancouver International Marathon Society-organized running events in one year. Obviously, I'd already done the big one, the BMO Vancouver International Marathon, in May. What followed was the Turkey Trot on Granville Island during Canadian Thanksgiving, then the 5k event at the Fall Classic just this past weekend.

RUN VAN Hat Trick: done!

Truthfully, deep down I'd set my sights on running the 10k - if not the half marathon - at the Fall Classic. But the knee just wouldn't let me. And this time... I listened. As a result, I was able to lure my husband into running with me, given the short distance of the event. This was his first real race, and the first one we have ever - officially [wink] - done together. And I still completed my RUN VAN Hat Trick regardless, so... wins all around, I'd say.

My knee continues to be a work in progress but after the year of running I've had, that's not necessarily a bad thing. This year has really changed my perspectives on running, and in positive, unexpected ways. I've realized there will always be another goal, another race upon which to set my sights. My long distance days may be over for now, but I've learned to never say never. My hope now is that I'll be able to relax, really take the time to listen to my body - and just enjoy each run as it comes.  

Fall Classic 2017: our first official race together
but hopefully not the last. Pic cred: M. Boulton.

Number Five Recap: A Bum Knee, Bad Hip and Blisters (All In a Day's Work)

As it turns out, I didn't have to crawl on my hands and knees to cross the finish line on Sunday... although, it came close to that.

Get ready...
After four-plus months of training, almost five years on the blog and going back nearly eight years to when this crazy marathoning journey started, all I wanted to do was make it to the start line of the BMO Vancouver Marathon healthy and ready to rock. Unfortunately, some problems with my right knee crept up on me during my taper and, even though I spent days resting and icing it, it became a problem that I couldn't ignore.

Thankfully (or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it), I'm stubborn like a mule so that wasn't going to stop me. 

Get set...
Race weekend is normally such a big deal for me; I love the anticipation and excitement of it all. Picking up my race package and being around hundreds or thousands of other runners is normally fun and exhilarating. 

My knee pain, however, kind of sucked all the joy out of race weekend for me. I was hobbling around the Race Expo, super bummed. But by the night before the race, I had somehow managed to calm (steel?) the nerves and put it out of mind. Que sera, sera, as it were.

Go!
As I stood in my corral with the other "slow" runners, I started to feel that rush of being at the start line with the whole morning in front of me. I had decided to pace very conservatively, to give my knee time to warm up and hopefully loosen up. The first few kilometres went by with no issues at all, and I began to gain a little confidence - something I had been lacking all week long. 

At some point, I noticed my knee felt... well, if not good then as good as it was going to get. The problem was actually my right hip. It's just a theory, but I think my hip started to compensate for my knee, which is why the knee felt okay. Overall, this compensation might have been okay over a short distance, but the hip started to really tighten up the further into the race I went.  

Remembering my conversation with the Team Diabetes staff a few days earlier, I listened to my body and made concessions. At first, I decided to switch from running 10 minutes/walking one minute, to running five minutes/walking one minute i.e. five and ones instead of 10 and ones, hoping to give my hip a rest and a bit of a "walking stretch". I also told myself, "Get to the halfway mark." 

Pausing at the top of the hill

Sure enough, I made it past the halfway marker on this strategy. But by this point, the race had circled around to the top of Pacific Spirit Park heading into Spanish Banks/Point Grey... all downhill. Normally, this would be great - a nice chance to recover. But not this time. This long downhill stretch was bad on the hip. Real bad. 

Wait. Abort?
Once I got down the hill I had to change my strategy again and, instead of running five and ones, I had to switch to running every two minutes... and then every other minute. 

I set a new target: get to Spanish Banks, which was about 23 km in. I figured, that's a reasonable goal... and if I could make it there, I'd be back on "home turf" i.e. one of my regular running neighbourhoods. Maybe - just maybe - by telling myself these things, I could trick my body into going a little further each time. 

At Spanish Banks, another new target: make it to 32 km. "At least at 32 km", I told myself, "that will match my longest long run. Make it to 32 km and walk from there." 

© The Oatmeal

Sadly, the hip gave up well before then - at around 26 km, as a matter of fact. If my hip could talk, it was basically saying, "Fuck you, lady. Did you hear me? NOPE."

So... I walked. 

And then, right at Cornwall and Yew in Kitsilano, at about 27 km - I'll never forget it, because I run this area all the time - I started to cry. I tried to hold the tears back, but they came anyway. All I could think about was that I was so far from the end ohmigod I'll never make it what do I do I don't know what to do I don't think I can make it. 

One foot in front of the other. I put one foot in front of the other for one more block - and there was my husband, standing at the next corner. 

When I got close enough, I didn't hold back anymore. I started sobbing. I'm so far from the end ohmigod I'll never make it what do I do I don't know what to do I don't think I can make it.

We started walking together a little, so I could try and calm down. And then we saw it: the 28 km marker. 

My brain: 14 km. 14 km left. 

Me: "14 km. There's 14 km left." [pause - then, to my husband:] "Wanna walk 14 km with me?"

My husband: "Sure."

And just like that, my husband saved my marathon.

"How much further?" "It's a little, tiny... 9 miles."
Wow, Simon Pegg. I can SO relate.

Nothing like a beautiful stroll on a Sunday afternoon
That's how I finished number five. Walking 14 km with my husband, on a Sunday afternoon, over the Burrard Street bridge, along English Bay and around the whole of Stanley Park. 

It may not have been stunning "running" (as BMO Vancouver Marathon runners know it). It was definitely not how I'd imagined my day would go. But for something so unexpected, it could have been so much worse. 

Some of the MarathonFoto pics from the event are available and, while I can't share any of them on the blog (because I haven't bought any), let me tell you: I looked a sad sack in so many - but not in the pics with my husband next to me. I'm actually smiling in those. Which, considering how badly this marathon was turning out performance-wise, was surprising. 

I asked for a miracle, didn't I? Turns out, I got one. 

Unofficial results

The result
The full marathon started at 8:30 am. I crossed the finish line at 2:46 pm. My gun time was 6 hours and 16 minutes, chip time 6 hours and 8 minutes. 

Overall, I placed at 3,479 out of 4,696 full marathoners. In my category of F35-39, 204 out of 284. Out of all females, I was number 1,347 out of 1,866. 

New personal bests worsts in a lot of ways but - you know something? Who cares? A finish is a finish is a finish. Right? As a friend told me post-marathon, "It's never about the measure or time but always about the journey and process. You showed perseverance, resilience and heart. Never forget that you are a fighter. Unreal job."

So - how does it feel? To quote the (IMHO) inimitable movie, Bring It On: "Feels like first."

War wounds
I really wanted to mention my "war wounds" from the day, because they were (are) significant... ly painful. 

Posterior knee pain (left). Since my right hip gave out completely and the left side of my body had to do so much work to compensate, I ended up with a hella lot of pain at the back of my left knee. A little research, and it turns out - there's a muscle back there! The internet tells me this is called the popliteus. Who knew? Walking is now an issue but hopefully only a temporary setback.

Sorry gang, had to include a pic. This blister is so weird!

Blisters. The bum knee, bad hip and painful popliteus all resulted in poor "running" (I use the term loosely) form... which translated into crazy blisters. Which - for one - is unusual because I don't normally get blisters. But the blisters were also strangely placed: right at the base of my third and fourth toes on my left foot, and on the bottoms of the fourth toe on both feet. 

Inner thigh chafing. This one could probably have been avoided but - my bad. I chose to wear running shorts that I knew sometimes chafed along the inner thigh. Thankfully, the chafing was relatively minimal and nothing that a warm shower and a little antibiotic ointment couldn't handle. 

Sunday night, I couldn't use my right hip flexor at all. I was sitting on the floor with my legs straight out in front of me, and my right hip refused to lift my right leg up. It was kind of like it drank too much and passed out - no reaction, whatsoever. 

Ironically, the right knee that had bothered me all last week is now completely pain-free. I just don't get it. Maybe I'm not meant to.

Honourable mentions
Shitty day aside, running this marathon in Vancouver was pretty amazing. There's a reason why this event has been going strong for decades: the Vancouver International Marathon Society knows what they're doing. Like, for real. A well-organized course, fun entertainment stations, a highly engaged and mobilized volunteer force... who could ask for more?

I also saw so many friends on the course, which I never experienced before in previous marathons because none of them were in my city! Thank you so much Kirsten, Kathy P., Hecel, Christina S. and Fay. Seeing you ladies really helped put a smile on my face and keep my spirits up. 

Hanging out at the start line before
the corrals get too crowded

Of course, I would be absolutely remiss to not give my husband HUGE PROPS here. I genuinely believe I would not have crossed the finish line without his love and support. So, thank you Matt! for literally being by my side and metaphorically carrying me for 14 km. You salvaged this race for me. As with so many things in this life, I could not have done this without you. I love you.

Good job, running friends!
I'd also like to congratulate everyone else who ran either the full or half marathon on Sunday: Jeny, Christina S. and her sister, Jim, Jen T. and Samantha (sorry if I've inadvertently missed anyone). Hope you all had great races! 

Fundraising update

Good job, friends!

Thanks to a few (somewhat forgetful and/or tardy) friends, a few more donations for my fundraising campaign in memory of my dad came in at the 11th hour to put the campaign at $3,681! This total was a team effort from 80 donors giving anywhere between $10 and $100. You guys made this happen. Thank you so much. 

If you'd still like to give, please do so at my Team Diabetes personal page! Donations can be made for two more months following the marathon, so there is still time. All proceeds go towards diabetes research, education and advocacy. Tax receipts are issued for donations of $15 or more.

And... relax
What happens now? I dunno. For now, I'm just gonna bask in the glory that is finally finishing number five. I have slayed the proverbial dragon. That's good enough for me.

Chillin' with John Stanton from the
Running Room post-marathon. No big.

Number 5... Still Alive!

Done and dusted, bitches. This has been a loooooong time coming. 

Number five is in the bag, friends! 

Sooooo much to say about this run (ahem, walk) but for now, all I want to do is ice my sore bits... because there's a lot of them. And post a picture of my badass medal. 

Recap, kudos and more to come. Soon. Stay tuned.

Friday Fun Run

Happy Friday, friends! 

For once, we experienced bonafide, grade A sunshine in Vancouver today. Yippee! Unfortunately, it's back to rain tomorrow. Sad face! 

Wowza, if I do say so myself. Look at this daaaayy!

Knowing this, I went out for a random little run this afternoon - in shorts! - to soak up some vitamin D. I also decided to skip the regular routes and run just for fun. The result: a view I don't normally see from on foot, which always helps to keep the running fresh. After nearly four months of running largely the same routes from week to week, anything new and interesting at this stage is a welcome change.

Journal entry 
Today's run: 7 km. Weather: sunny. Beautiful. Glorious. Feeling: pretty darn good. Glad for the change of scenery. 

Good luck to everyone taking part in races this weekend, including the Vancouver Sun Run and London Marathon. Have fun out there!

Looking Into the LSD

LSD. No, not that, or even "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds". I'm talking about the long slow distance run, like the one I did today. I've always wondered why marathon training programs typically top out at 32 km, so I looked into it. Here's what I found out.

Why 32 km?
The training program I've referenced for all of my marathons comes from the Running Room and, like many other programs, the longest distance to run in training is 32 km (20 mi). But why this distance, specifically, and not something closer to actual marathon distance of 42.2 km? According to the interwebs (Matz, 2014; Runner's World, 2014), the general theory is: anything longer can increase the risk of injury. Recovery also takes longer with any runs over 32 km. 

Hanson’s marathon training method (Humphrey, 2011) also outlines that running for more than three hours means diminishing returns for runners, doing more harm than good by damaging muscles, compromising recovery time, and depleting glycogen stores significantly (Matz, 2014).

At least I'm consistent.

Best to ignore that though, right?
The above, however, I believe does not apply to me. According to a trainer I worked with when I first ran with Diabetes Canada in 2009, the long run pace for those looking "to complete" i.e. no specific finish time goals should be "between 8:30 to 9:30 minutes per kilometer...if you are going faster you stressing [sic] your body to the point that it can not [sic] recover by the next quality workout" (email from Team Diabetes Trainer, 2009). Doing the math, this works out to what is my typical finish time for these long runs which is around four and a half hours.

So... I dunno
In summary, looking at all the information as a whole: I dunno what the right answer is. What I do know is that, until I got the above information from a trainer, I had been running too fast (for me) on my long runs and was well on my way to injury and burnout. Her advice saved me in training for my first marathon, and I successfully finished that marathon without getting hurt. And - looking at my data over the years and having finished three more marathons since then, I'd say that advice has served me well over the years.

If anyone else is slower, I sure haven't seen them
Logically, I know there are slower runners than me out there; finisher information from all of my races has told me that. But where they are? I sure as hell don't know. I don't pass anyone when I'm out there; I am definitely the one getting passed. Sometimes this bothers me, but then I remind myself of the distance I'm running and I usually get over it. 

...but then, what if they're running the same distance, only a lot faster than me? In those instances, I'm gonna guess that advice like Hanson's is for them. 

In conclusion...
With six more weeks of training to go, I'm gonna stick with what I know works. That means, slow long runs, soaking my legs in cold water, foam rolling, rest and shorter runs throughout the week. This way, I know that I can recover adequately from week to week. No pushing past what is realistic for me. No comparing myself to others and what I'm reading on the internet (even though that can be really hard to do). And - if I could - I would run this marathon tomorrow, mainly because I'm sick of training. But since that's not possible, all I can do is stay vigilant, and hope for nice weather and strong runs based on my current fitness level. 

Journal entry for today
Today's run: 32 km. Weather: started out damp, but turned out to be partly sunny (thank you, Mother Nature!). Feeling: good. Confident. Which is freaking me out, a little. Not sure if I should embrace it, or wait for the other shoe to drop. Gonna try to let it go.

No rain looks good on you, Vancouver.

Sources
Humphrey, L. (2011). Hanson’s Marathon Method: The 16 Miler. Hansons Running.
Matz, J. (2014). How long should your longest run of marathon training be? WalkJogRun.
Runner's World (2014). Forums Topic: Marathon training plans stopping at 32K.

Undertrained and Unafraid: My BMO Half Marathon Experience (Guest Blog Post)

Christina (R) with her running buddy Irina (L) before
the race. Already completely soaked, but okay with it.

Guest blogger: Christina! (Author's note: the running advice contained herein is not necessarily endorsed by Angie.)

When Angie asked me before my race if I wanted to write a guest post, I had momentary commitment issues. How could I say yes, when I wasn’t fully confident I would even end up crossing the finish line?  Such indecision! But this, in itself, seems like a good idea for a blog post.

Having signed up for the BMO Vancouver Half Marathon on January 2, along with thousands of other New Year's Resolution-makers, I had one goal in mind: improve on my finish time from my first half marathon in November. So I joined a Running Room clinic as I’d done before, and then promptly never attended. Well, maybe ‘never’ is a strong word. I likely attended 25% of all training runs – which is a solid way to achieve a running goal, amirite?

You see, somewhere between setting my goal and getting to the start line, life in general got in the way. I prioritized many other things over running – including more time with my family when they needed me, and I have no regrets now about slacking in my training. But when it came time to decide on whether to race BMO or not, my thought process was simple: “I haven’t trained enough….this seems like a bad idea….I’ll do it anyway!” 

Why, you might ask? Because I knew I could do it. This may come as a shock to you: I wasn’t planning on winning the race, so it really only mattered if I could finish it. And as many friends pointed out to me, the distance of the race doesn’t change depending on how fast you might go. So, I decided to go for it. Slowly.

Pre-race nutrition. Obviously.

To get in the zone the day before my race, I did what all great athletes do: I went for afternoon tea and ate tiny sandwiches. Also, ice cream. And pasta. Clearly, I was not really focused on pre-race nutrition. But I slept like a baby and woke up feeling no pressure, and was going to run just for the fun of it.

My decision to go ahead undertrained and unafraid was perhaps the best decision I’ve made about any race. I was relaxed, I didn’t really care about the pace, and I was running one of the most beautiful (and completely rain-soaked) courses you can find.  I loved the rain, I loved the atmosphere, and I loved that the course took me right past my own apartment – where I stopped for a bathroom break between kilometres 10 and 11. Take that, nasty port-a-potties! 

Runners huddling under the awnings before the race.

In the end, I finished at 2 hours 38 minutes 51 seconds. That’s 10 minutes faster than my first race, without even timing myself or caring about my pace. Woohoo! Must have been those tiny sandwiches.

If there’s a lesson to be learned here, I don’t think it’s in my excellent nutritional advice. I would remind any non-runners or almost-thinking-of-starting-to-be-runners reading this that running only SEEMS difficult until you try it a few times, and realize that training really does work.  I was taught in training to break down any race into units of time: each unit consisting of ten minutes of running, followed by one minute of walking. The idea of running 21.1 kilometres can be a little intimidating, but breaking it down can help – and it certainly helped me yesterday.

Next year’s BMO Half Marathon is scheduled for May 3.  It’s on my calendar. Who wants to come for tiny sandwiches with me on May 2?! 

Done, delirious and happy to have a warm 
sweater courtesy of Chelsea!

Non-Race Day Blues a.k.a. Do I Need to Change My Goals?

I'm sad about not being able to run #5 today. But given that I woke up with a sinus headache, a sore throat and not being able to breathe out of my nose -- in addition to not having trained well enough -- I think I made the right call. It was just a disappointing one to make, is all.

Still feeling unwell and unhappy enough about missing out on today's BMO Vancouver Marathon to start thinking about which full I should aim for next. I really had my heart set on finishing up this journey in Vancouver which makes me wonder if I need to re-evaluate my Five by 35 goal. After all, I know I can run a marathon; I've done four. Things I need to ask myself: What are my priorities? Have they changed? What's most important? What am I looking to achieve by setting these running goals for myself? 

Questions I need to ponder in the next little while. Decisions to come. Stay tuned.

Goal setting: is this still working for me? Need to figure that out.

So. Much. Mucus.

It's race weekend in Vancouver! I hit the expo yesterday to pick up my bib and race kit and wander the kiosks.

I've deliberately been keeping mum as I've been trying to decide whether I'd be actually running #5 tomorrow, given that I had to resort to some last minute cramming in my training. A few weeks ago I'd reasoned that I could give it a go, as long as I was okay with running a slower than normal marathon.

Of course, I didn't bargain for the nasty cold I caught which left me exhausted on Tuesday, with no voice on Wednesday, and mouth-breathing the rest of the week. Running a full marathon being undertrained is one thing, but also while not 100% healthy? Tricky decision.

Being at the expo yesterday I felt that familiar race excitement in the air: runners verifying their bib info, checking their race chips are working, talking about their training. Which makes it all the worse that I've decided to forego tomorrow's race, after all. Marathon #5 will just have to wait.

In the meantime, good luck to everyone running this weekend! Have a great race, enjoy, and see you at the finish line.

© 2013 Vancouver International Marathon Society

Nope. Nope. Nope.

Quick update: I've pretty much quit marathon training.

Last year, a friend from my Master's program came to this realization: "To succeed at grad school, I have to fail at everything else in life."

While sad, I've found this to be absolutely true - especially in these last three months before finishing up. Why did I decide to try and train for a marathon at the same time as completing my grad degree? Because I'm stupid, that's why.

So, no. No more running right now. I don't have time. It's not an excuse. It's just the way life is at the moment. C'est la friggin' vie.

I don't know if this means whether number 5 in May is a complete bust. At this point, nothing is certain. Will update again when I can.

P.S. If you don't hear from me, just assume I've suffocated under the soul-crushing weight of my thesis.

Running Round-Up: New Year, New Marathon Edition

Happy New Year, friends! I hope all of you had a chance to wind down, sleep in and de-stress over the holidays. And now, here we are: 2014! I've had a lot on my mind but no single topics that warrant their own blog post, so here's another round-up for you on what I think about when I think about running (or, when I'm actually running). Hopefully my mind will stop wandering all over the place when classes start again on Monday.

Marathon Training
I've signed up for marathon #5 and realized this week that I've never before run a marathon in May. I realized this, when I went to work out my marathon training schedule earlier this week only to discover that I should have started training last weekend. Oooops. No matter... having missed the first two runs in the first week out of 18 total weeks of training is not a big deal. It just made me chuckle, is all.

My last ever marathon training schedule??

What a Difference a Day Makes
As per my schedule for this week, I ran 6 km yesterday and another 6 km today, which is more mileage in one week than I've run since October. And yesterday was a great day to start as well, as it was raining and cold...which most people would find depressing, but I find rather glorious: fewer people around the seawall, that certain aura of mystery that only rain and fog can bring i.e. you know, like X-Files' style. That cool quiet is part of the reason I fell in love with the west coast in the first place. Today was also glorious, but for other reasons. The city started its day enveloped in a thick, pea soup-like fog, but opened up to filtered sunshine and dry weather. Two very different days, but both amazing. Rain or shine, I guess I just have a love affair with this place. 

Vancouver fog: late 2013
© Alexis Birkill

Bit of Worry
Having let my fitness lapse a bit since marathon #4 at the end of September, and likely having put on a little turkey weight over the holidays, I'm definitely feeling a bit sluggish out there. The past few runs have been slow and plodding, and have pretty much taken up my entire morning. Being a slower long-distance runner than most (that's not being humble, it's fact) means that other runners are knocking off higher mileage in less amounts of time. Given that I have to commit more time to training because I'm a slower runner, deciding to train for a May marathon in my last semester of my graduate degree with three months to go before I have to defend my thesis makes me worry whether I've bitten off more than I can chew. I must be nuts, right? At the very least, it will be a good experiment in time management. We'll just have to see.

Slow and Steady
Speaking of plodding, on December 31, John Stanton's page on Facebook posted this status update: "Enjoy your run today...there is someone out there that is more happy than you...running a lot slower." Me being me, I commented with this: "I'm the slow one! No one is slower than me so, you're welcome, everybody!" The nice thing was, I got six likes and a few encouraging replies. Not a bad way to end the year.

Hope 2014 has been good to you all so far! What races are on your list for this year?

Running Round-Up: Arctic Outflow Edition

Hello friends! And merry (early) holidays to you all. My apologies for being MIA: insert usual school and end of term excuses here. Let's get to it, shall we?

Baby, It's Cold Outside
Canada is in a deep freeze right now courtesy of some cold Arctic air that's been pushing into the region. Unlike our prairie neighbours to the east, the west coast is thankfully not experiencing wind chill values below -40°C, although -14°C with wind chill is certainly much colder than us fair-weather Vancouverites are accustomed to. The one good thing about all this? Clear, sunny skies, and brisk running. Check out these gorgeous shots I captured on this morning's 5 km run (all unfiltered).

Science World and downtown Vancouver

Looking northward on the Cambie Street bridge

False Creek, downtown and mountains

Really? Really?
Whoever is writing the status updates on John Stanton's Facebook page has been a little preachy as of late when it comes to food and, quite frankly, it's getting annoying. For example:

• As a runner your food is your fuel…select your choices wisely
• Reward yourself with a run…rather than with food
• Think of your food as fuel for your performance …make your choices wisely
• As a runner you eat for performance … a non athletic person eats for pleasure …make your choices wisely

Don't get me wrong. I understand how important it is to make smart and healthy food decisions. But everything in moderation, right? Perhaps that includes reading these Facebook updates as well.

Announcement: Number 5!
I am officially registered for marathon #5 and I'm super excited! On Sunday, May 4, I will be alongside thousands of other walkers and runners at the BMO Vancouver Marathon as I endeavour to complete this "marathon" journey (ha, get it?). It's the marathon I've always wanted to run, in the best city on earth, in my own backyard. I cannot wait.

I'm planning to be on the blog more in the next few weeks, once I'm finished with everything for term. If you're in town and want to join me on a run, followed by a delicious, rewarding and satisfying meal of our own choosing (take that, Stanton), hit me up! 

Happy Thanksgiving!

It's the long weekend and am neither running nor stuffing my face with bird. Some big sections for my thesis are due on Thursday, which I am well behind on, so I'm spending this beautiful holiday chained to my desk. C'est la vie.

But I would like to spend a moment to give thanks, since this is what this weekend (in Canada) is about. Thanks to my husband, family and friends who have supported my crazy running habit since I really got into it four years ago, and to all of my readers! 

I'm also, of course, grateful for my health and for being able to run. That being said... it's flashback time! Three years ago during Thanksgiving weekend, I ran marathon #2: the BMO Okanagan Marathon. And this morning, runners in Kelowna are setting off on their own Okanagan journeys. Here's my Facebook note entry and images from my second full marathon. Enjoy!

--
Hello from Kelowna, and Happy Thanksgiving!

The results are in, and it's official... I'm under five hours!

Gun Time: 4 hours 56 minutes 40 seconds
Chip Time: 4 hours 55 minutes 27 seconds
Overall: 406 out of 471
F Group: 167 out of 204
F 30-39 Division: 60 out of 71

I've always said I was a slow runner, but this is still a big accomplishment for me. After last year's marathon in Victoria (read: 5 hours 27 minutes 54 seconds), I never thought I'd break the five-hour mark. Take that, marathon!

Overall, it was a nice race. The day started out a bit windy and soggy, but after about an hour in, the weather was perfect. There were sections in City Park that weren't blocked off so well, but the volunteers and traffic control on the course were great - and a deer even ran past at one point, less than 10 feet away, going in the opposite direction! 

Kudos to the husband for being so supportive in my running endeavours, and for being such a great spectator! Who else would be willing to get up at the crack of dawn to stand outside for five hours, just waiting for his wife to run by a few times?? Thank you, Matt ... I love you!

Screen shot of my Garmin data from the run on October 10, 2010.

Surrey is Done!

Marathon number 4: check! 

It's been more than a week since the Surrey International World Music Marathon (sorry for the delay, loyal blog followers) and I'm still pretty pumped for the finish. Here are the details from the weekend.

Spot the Five by 35-er!
© Surrey International World Music Marathon 2013

For those not from 'round these parts, Surrey is about an hour from where my husband and I live in Vancouver. We'd planned to stay in a hotel close to the start line, so we could sleep in a bit and save on travel time the morning of the race. But a friend from the area had offered up his place to my husband and I for the night before and as a base for race day, and we were more than happy to accept - particularly since the marathon was scheduled to start at 7:30 am and transit was not running early enough to get full marathoners to the Central City start line in time. 

© Global BC 2013

It wasn't a great day, weather-wise. The entire weekend saw wind and rainfall warnings for the entire lower mainland, which made me very nervous right up until I crossed the start line. Even though it was gusting and cold when everyone started to line up in the race corrals, it warmed up almost immediately, and it stayed that way except for the last hour or so when it started to come down in buckets. I mean, who doesn't love torrential rain?

Having been sick and out of commission for most of September, I'd decided to pace this race quite more conservatively than the other marathons. As a result, I ran a slow race - yes, even slower than usual! - but I finished smiling, so that decision couldn't have been all bad. In hindsight, I think I'd subconsciously set two goals for myself, based on last year's outing in Saint John:

1. Minimize the possibility of mental breakdowns on the marathon route; and 
2. No ugly crying after crossing the finish line.

And I managed to achieve both, so... well done, me! 

The race itself was two loops: an urban run winding through Central Surrey, which took runners through residential districts, as well as green and woodland areas such as Holland Park and Green Timbers Urban Forest. 

Thank you, Garmin data

It was organized well enough. Although, based on my personal experience and the comments I saw on Facebook and Twitter, it seems as though there's plenty of room for improvement - probably not a surprise, given this is only the second year for this fledging event. The best thing about the race, by far, were the cultural stations lining the course. This race is touted as the "International World Music Marathon," and it certainly lived up to that name. According to the event organizer's website, a total of 34 performance stations encompassing 18 distinct cultures lined the course. All of the entertainment was great! And the variety of music, dancing and cultural aspects was definitely something I've never before experienced in a marathon. Well done to all of the entertainers and volunteers at the music stations! (I think Korea was my favourite; their performance was great each time I ran by. The United Kingdom's highland dancers came in at a close second.)

As for downsides, I hate to say it, but there were plenty...

On the communications side of things for runners, the website was awful. I'd registered online months ago through the marathon's official Running Room registration portal, yet there was no way for me to confirm my registration using the Surrey Marathon's website. Each time I emailed about this, the replies I received did not fully answer my questions. Not being provided with a straight answer left me with some anxiety, since I was never assured whether I'd registered properly after I'd already been training for weeks. 

In terms of logistics and deciding on how to get to the start line, months ago - when I'd first registered - the website indicated that organizers had arranged for TransLink to run one train early enough to get runners to the area on time, which was great. But only days before the race, this changed completely; the website updated with an advisory indicating that no trains would be able to get runners to the start line in time. And while organizers announced that a shuttle service would be provided, shuttles ran only between another train station and the start line, which meant that, unless a runner could get to that particular train station, they were pretty much shit out of luck. So thankful that our friend offered to be our shuttle service! But it leaves me to wonder how and to what degree other runners were inconvenienced.

Then there was the course itself. The route was pretty great, I've gotta say. And there were plenty of very eager and wonderful volunteers, pointing runners in the right direction... except in Green Timbers, the second time around (the second of two loops). A few of us full marathon stragglers were left to fend for ourselves in the park, where we ended up off-route because there was no one stationed at key turn off points to say, "That way." Not that getting lost in the woods after running 36 km isn't exciting, but I can think of better ways to get my kicks, ya know? Thankfully, some kind locals noticed what had happened, pointed us in the right direction, and major crisis was averted. 

Because of the dreadful weather conditions, the marathon also decided last minute to move the recovery area, along with all of the water and food from the finish line, to an indoors area at the nearby SFU Surrey Campus. This would have been fine, except after running 42.2 km the last thing I was going to remember was, "Oh yes, that's right. The recovery area is now indoors!" As a result, I didn't get any food right after the race, and only managed to get a hold of some chocolate milk thanks to my husband and friends who took good care of me after I crossed the finish line. I realize this was an entirely situational decision on the part of race organizers, necessitated by Mother Nature, but it would have been nice to see some signage or a few volunteers at the finish line directing people towards the food.

Based on comments provided on the marathon's Facebook page and the Twitter feed for #WeRunSurrey, Surrey locals did not seem very happy about all of the traffic closures, with comments ranging from mildly annoyed to white-hot rage. Not that I necessarily agree with these unhappy people, but even my friend had trouble getting around - and he's a local who's lived in Surrey a long time who had all of the traffic advisory information. It would therefore appear that the road closures could have been made a lot clearer.

So... yeeahh. Despite the inadequate information, lack of transit service, disgusting weather, getting lost in the forest, and the no-food-at-the-end scenarios, it was a decent enough day, all things considered. Would I run it again? Probably not. But it was cool to have the opportunity to run Surrey and to finish another marathon.

But the volunteers were phenomenal - as always. The entertainment was extraordinary. I got a shout-out at the finish line by legendary race announcer and emcee Steve King. And one of my friends surprised me right at the end of the course, at the 41 km mark! Definitely some great things to be thankful for. 

Special thanks to my pit crew: my husband (of course!), and friend who put us up and kept my husband company while I took five and a half hours to finish. Speaking of which, here are my results...

Gun time: 5 hours 32 minutes 58 seconds
Chip time: 5 hours 32 minutes 33 seconds
Pace: 7.53 minutes per km

Race swag... and dinner plate-sized hardware!

I placed 7 out of 10 in the Female 30-34 category (not 35, yet!), 69 out of 91 females, and 170 out of the 180 who finished the full marathon. I certainly brought up the rear on this race, but hey - it's another one for the books, right? And I'm one more marathon closer to the goal. 

Only one more to go: BMO Vancouver Marathon, here I come!