Category Archives: race reflections

Jun9

Calgary Marathon Weekend-50 km Ultra Race Recap

Posted on June 9, 2015 by mscurlgurl78

I participated in the Calgary full marathon, half marathon, and full marathon (again), in 2009, 2013 and 2014. Calgary is only 2 hours away from Lethbridge, so the ease of access to these events is fantastic. I didn’t want to drive up there and do the same thing again….so when it was announced that they would be having the 50 km Ultra for a second year in a row, I decided WHY NOT?!?! I mean, I would have been only a month off my Vancouver full marathon training, so my body would be set, and I had never done an ultra. And what’s an additional 8 km anyway? So I registered for the race, and put it in the way back of my mind, since Vancouver and qualifying for Boston was what this year was about. I had been so busy with school and coaching in the month of May, that this race weekend snuck up on me. I will be honest—after Vancouver, I didn’t properly keep training for this event. My body was exhausted, and it needed recovery. I did keep up some running in between Vancouver and the Ultra, but it was no where near what it should have been if I was training for the Ultra as my goal race. I knew I would be able to finish the race come Sunday, May 31st…I just wasn’t sure how ugly it would be.

I headed up on Saturday morning and went straight to the expo. The expo is at Stampede Grounds. It is easy to access, with free parking, but the expo itself is small and nothing outstanding. I was able to pick up my race essentials, and purchase a cute tank top, all pretty quickly. I then headed to my hotel to check in. I opted to book on Priceline and got a steal of a deal by ‘naming my own price’ for a 4 star hotel. I lucked out and got the Westin for only $75! They offered a shuttle to the start line on race morning, which was a nice perk. I also took advantage of the rooftop pool later that afternoon. Dan’s best friend Chris lives in Calgary with his girlfriend Ashley, and I walked a measly 3 blocks to meet them for lunch. We threw back a few beers, had some great food, and I lamented how I didn’t really care how tomorrow would go. When we parted and they headed out to a friends’ party, I was sad to be going back to my hotel alone. I wanted to go out, not run! Oh well, I would finish this race some way, some how.

I got up around 4:30 AM, and was on the shuttle at 5:30. I was only about a mile and a half from Stampede grounds, but having this shuttle was a nice bonus. I did my bag check, did my pre-race rituals, and was set to go for the 6:30 am start. The half, full and ultra would all be starting together at 6:30, and the 10km event would begin at 7:30am. There was also a 5 km that would run at noon! So lots going on in the morning! It was comfortable outside right before the race began, but you could tell it was going to get ugly out later on. Ugly as in HOT. I tried not to think about it, and when the race began I was off. I had told myself to try and pace an 8:15 minute mile, as I did 7:49 in Vancouver, but my first mile was just that…7:49. I knew this was too fast for this hilly, high elevation course. I decided to ease on up and just try and enjoy the race. By 10 km, I had to go to the bathroom. Maybe the beer the day before wasn’t a good idea. This would be 1 of 3 bathroom stops on the course. The later ones were more so for also having time to hydrate and eat something. Also around this first bathroom stop I ran into Todd Myers, a teacher at Chinook High School. He was also doing the 50 km, but he has done crazy races before. My goal in my mind was now to just stay ahead of Todd.

A little bit later, a lady was running next to me and chatting away. She looked very intense….I could tell she knew what she was doing and was no rookie at this. I come to find out and realize that this is Dennene Huntley. Now, you may not know the name, I didn’t know the name on paper…but holy crap this woman is impressive. She had come back from doing this 24 hour championship in Italy where she ran 193 km in 24 hours. SERIOUSLY! And, the funny thing about running into her, is that in Edmonton last year I actually ran into her at the end of the race. When I was struggling to finish that full marathon, she came up behind me with her friend and paced her friend in to beat me. She recognized me because I was wearing the same thing I wore in Edmonton, and she had told her friend to ‘catch the purple skirt!’ Her friend was in a similar situation as I was at that race—was trying to qualify for Boston, but didn’t. It was a heartbreak, much like it was for me. But her friend, the one who didn’t qualify last year….she qualified this year. Much like me! Anyway, Dennene and I ran most the race with eachother from about 14 km on. We’d lose eachother for a kilometre or two, but then be back together. She helped me tons complete this race and it was a pleasure getting to know her. Turns out she knows a lot of the same people as me….my run coach for Vancouver, Dean Johnson….she knows him very well! It was great hearing her stories as we ran. I could talk about every mile in this race and what happened, but that’d be boring for most of you. I wasn’t racing this for a record or anything, I was just now on track to really enjoy the experience. The weather was getting progressively warmer, and the sun was shining super hard. If there wasn’t the breeze, I would have had to walk for stretches…I hate the heat! And I have to add, the aid stations saved me this race! There were tons, and since you do a couple loops past the same spot as you head out and back, and do the extra loop for the 50 km turnaround, you pass some of the stations a couple times. They had cold water-soaked sponges at a lot of them, and these were amazing. I think I doused myself in a sponge about 20 times. I was soaking wet by the time I was done!

I felt fairly in control most of the race until the last 10 miles. My right leg started to tighten up, especially near my hip flexor and my hamstring. I wanted to keep on moving because if I stopped, I didn’t know if I would be able to start again. After I had done the second loop of our turnaround, I had rejuvenated energy, as I knew I was on the home stretch. I also had no clue of my time after 27.5 miles because my watch died. We looped back into the city, through East Village a second time, and into the Stampede Grounds. I was sore, warm, sweaty, tired, and numb…all at the same time. I was able to cross the finish line in a time of 4 hours 40 minutes and 34 seconds. The sun was beaming down and I just felt other exhaustion! I also could barely feel my fingers….it took about 5 minutes to do so, but I am not sure why that happened! They were bloated and shaking…..nice. I had put my body through hell and back. I initially had the thought “never doing that again” but we all know how that pans out….

….because a while later I saw the official results and was surprised to find out I took second in my age group! As they would say on “A Christmas Story”…..I WON A MAJOR AWARD! Ok, it wasn’t major…but it is my first trophy ever! Makes me feel pretty bad ass. And It also makes me want to do better at it another time. And how did I celebrate? I found Todd in the beer tent, found out he had placed 2nd in his age group, and we toasted our personal victories! And oh yeah….I beat him!

May19

Montana Spartan Race 2015-The Beast!

Posted on May 19, 2015 by mscurlgurl78

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This is the third year that Spartan Race has offered a Montana event, with the past two years being the Sprint Distance. This year, they kicked it up a notch and added the Spartan Beast on Saturday—12+ miles and 30+ obstacles of fun! Dan and I had done the Sprint the past two years and loved every second of it, so when they made Saturday’s event the Beast, I registered us for it right away! This year, we also decided to go back to where we stayed the 1st time around—Averill’s Flathead Lake Lodge in Big Fork, Montana. This dude ranch has been in operation for 70 years! It is absolutely gorgeous, and as long as we keep doing the Montana Spartan Races, we will always be coming back here! Part of the fun for us during Spartan Race weekend is getting away from Lethbridge for the weekend, and being able to drive 3.5 hours south and be surrounded by such beauty and fun is fantastic. Big Fork is a small vacation “town” (I even think it is unincorporated) but there are a handful of restaurants and bars to enjoy before and after the event. We opted for the new Flathead Lake Brewery for dinner and drinks on Friday, and we’re very happy with our meals. The beer was excellent also! On Saturday, we went into “downtown” and ate at Kiska’s by the Lake, a Cajun restaurant that was also new. Excellent food and drinks all around! My Cajun pot pie was AMAZING! Now that I just gave a lodging, food and drink rundown, onto the race recap….

We had the 9:00 am heat on Saturday, which meant we wanted to be over at the course by 7:30 – 7:45. Ok, I know I said I was done with the lodging and food talk, but the great thing about staying at the lodge is the proximity to the course. It is two miles down the road, and since the lodge is the “host” resort you get a VIP parking pass. If you stay in Kalispell (15-20 minutes drive) or Whitefish (even farther) you are in more of a populated & commercialized area, but you have a farther distance race morning and after the event to travel. They do offer shuttles with parking right outside of Big Fork, which is great, but I like being able to just drive up and park. That way we can leave things in the car to come back to after the race, and since we are so close to the lodge it makes for a nice quick trip back. Also, breakfast is included with your stay at the lodge both mornings, and they started it up in the main building at 5:30 am Saturday. It is buffet style, with eggs, pancakes, bacon, fruit, cereal, toast, bagels and all the beverages you’d expect. Seriously, I cannot rave about the Flathead Lake Lodge enough. They treat the Spartan racers very well and it is worth every penny staying here.

Packet pickup went very quickly on Saturday morning, and this was a relief, as there wasn’t the packet pickup the day before like they offered the past two years. I assume they canned that since now they had events all weekend, and it just makes it easier to do pickup morning of. By the time we got on the grounds, the men’s elite heart had just started, with the women right behind. We were able to watch the men’s elite runners come through the 4 mile area, as it looped right in the main part of the grounds. This was neat as we got to see them do the bucket brigade and Hercules hoist. Dan and I tested out the rope climb station they had to practice on and also messed around with the slosh pipe challenge. Before we knew it, we were checking our bag ($5 bag check) and in the starting gate.

We had an idea what we would be in for with this race, since we had prior experience running the Sprint the past two years. I really like that they change the route up year to year, even though the race site is the same. We started a lot farther back from the main grounds but of course, tackled a hill immediately. This course has a ridiculous amount of elevation changes happening….calves burn so bad going straight up, then your quads kill going straight down. I don’t even know how many times we went up to only go down and repeated this over and over again, many times on single-track trails full of rock and debris. It makes for a good challenge that’s for sure!

Many of the obstacles are the same at all Spartan Race courses….monkey bars, walls to climb, cargo nets to crawl over, rope climb, barbed wire crawl, tire flip, traverse wall, spear throw, sandbag carry….the traverse wall was like how it was in California, where instead of being just a single straight wall, it made the shape of a Z. I was very proud that I was able to make it across this obstacle in Montana all on my own….something I couldn’t do in California!

The unique obstacles in this course we’re ones that were really made from the terrain itself. There was also logs EVERYWHERE! Logs to climb over, logs to climb under, logs to carry back and forth with chain link handles, and two separate log carries. One of the log carries even went out through some mud and water before coming back.

I forgot to mention the injury I faced when Dan and I approached the first log carry, about 2.5 to 3 miles in. After doing an 8 foot wall, I noticed I had blood coming out of the back of my shoe. My heel had been rubbing against the back of my shoe pretty bad, as my sock had fallen. I skipped the blister portion and went straight to open raw wound. We stopped for a good 10 minutes at the medic to try and clean it up, when in the end Dan just spit on his shirt and wiped it off. We put a bandaid on it, but it stayed for about 30 seconds. It hurt like hell the whole race but I wasn’t going to let it stop me.

Dan was in really good spirits for the first 8 miles or so. We were making jokes and having a great time. I even remember Dan saying something crazy along the lines of “I love running on trails compared to roads!” and during all the log carryies “I do this at work every day!!” Once we got to the 10 mile marker, though, Dan hit a wall. 10 miles is the farthest he’s ever run, and that was a few weeks prior at the 10 Mile Road Race. He never got snappy at me (thankfully!) but he was hurting. The elevation changes and the distance on his legs was getting to be too much. We took this photo on my disposable camera at about mile 12 (or so we were told) and then Dan told me to go ahead. I did jog ahead, because cardiovascular-wise I was feeling great. Didn’t matter in the end because Dan caught up to me during the barbed wire crawl that never ended, as I was struggling to figure out how to do it with the water back pack.

In the end, Dan and I finished together in 5 hours and 11 minutes. The pain of the race would hit me hard the next day, but for Dan he just had utter exhaustion on the day of. We picked up our bag and Dan didn’t even bother rinsing off. He put on his layers of clothes and got a ton of food from the food trucks that were set up. After gorging himself, he promptly fell asleep for about 45 minutes on the grass in the food truck area. So I was left to eating and drinking beer by myself. The nap was needed for him though, because he woke up a lot happier and less crabby 🙂

One glitch in the race day was that the Beast finisher shirts had not arrived. So everyone that completed the Beast would have to wait to receive their shirt via mail. We did get an email explaining more about this shortly after, and I was able to confirm our shirt sizes and new mailing address. Once we receive them and they are the correct sizes, I’ll be fine with this mishap, but if there are errors or delays it will be even more frustrating. When you pay fees like this for these events and aren’t even given all of what is included on the day of the event it is unfortunate. Hopefully something like this doesn’t happen again.

That being said, Dan and I will be back next year. For the Beast? Probably. I assume they will have a Beast and a Sprint again, as the Beast was very well attended. The Sprints always have more participants, but I think it is worth their time having both. The location is ideal! Basically, whatever event is offered in the Saturday we will do. And while I have done back to back Saturday & Sunday Spartans before (Sun Peaks Ultra/Sprint, Temecula Super/Sprint and in September the Red Deer Super/Sprint) I don’t think Dan and I will do that for Montana. We enjoy coming down the day before, having great food and beer, taking in the resort before and after the event, and having a great night out on the town Saturday.

Oh yeah….and this race was my Trifecta event! By doing the Super and Sprint in Temecula and now the Beast in Montana, I have completed my first Spartan Race Trifecta of the year! I will be doing my second in September when I do the Red Deer events and then the Sun Peaks Ultra Beast……omg, I signed up for the Ultra Beast. Crap……

May7

Vancouver Marathon Race Recap Part 1….Before the Big Event

Posted on May 7, 2015 by mscurlgurl78

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I registered for the BMO Vancouver Marathon back in about November. I was feeling really frustrated and defeated after my summer marathons (Calgary & Edmonton) as I didn’t come close to qualifying for Boston. I ran 3:46.22 and 3:44.59, respectively, at both of these events….well off the qualifying standard of 3:35.00. So when I decided to give my Boston qualifying attempt one more shot, I wanted to pick a race I hadn’t done before. And a race that was known for being a good course for qualifying. It was suggested to me by many people that Vancouver was the course for me. Sea level, rolling downhills, late Spring, spectator support, large city….I registered, booked a flight, and started thinking about my training.

I have mentioned before I had Dean Johnson create a training calendar for me. It was a 16 week training plan, which he took into account my previous fitness achievements and levels. Each day had set paces I needed to achieve and unique workouts. Dean went above and beyond and updated my training plan to reflect the success I was having in half marathon and 10 km distances in late winter/early spring. This training plan held me accountable, as I kept a log of how each workout went in a Google Doc, and it really pushed me above and beyond what I thought I was capable of.

So here comes May 1^st. The day I travel to Vancouver. I was nervous, anxious, excited, scared….basically a pile of emotions. I had been training specifically for this event for 16 weeks, but as I drove to the Calgary airport, it occurred to me that I really have been training for this since my first half marathon in May 2004. I wrote about that half marathon here, as it was a race I ran in a daze….it was less than a week after my dad passed away unexpectantly from a heart attack. I have been running long distances ever since.

So this race was important. I have been committed to running long distances for now over 11 years. Some years were low, some have been high. The past two years have been a steady high, with breaking personal records, getting podium at local races, and feeling like I am in the best shape of my life. It was also low when I didn’t get that coveted Boston qualifying time. I was out on this run to prove to myself I was worthy of running in Boston.

The expo was held in Downtown Vancouver at the convention centre next to the Olympic torch. I had stayed with my good friends Alex & Tim in Burnaby the night before, and they were nice enough to drop me off down at my hotel for the night, which was near the expo. This hotel wasn’t originally in the plans, but my cousin Erin is too nice and booked me a room. She would be staying there too! I wandered over to the expo, and this is when I first started getting the chills….the expo was right on the water, it was a gorgeous, crisp and clear day, and the energy was high. Packet pickup was extremely fast, and before I knew it I was on the merchandise floor. There were not tons of vendors, but enough things to look at. I bought a Run Van tanktop, which I know I will wear lots in the summer, and some more Nuun tabs from their vendor table. Included in our race package (which was a drawstring backpack) was a commemorative shirt (which I really liked….a short-sleeved charcoal grey tech shirt), our race bib, and a transit ticket for the race morning.

I ended up going back to the hotel to nap in the afternoon, as I didn’t sleep well the night before and was a bit worn from all my travelling. Actually, before the nap I ordered pasta for lunch via room service. Eating that in bed while watching HGTV was fantastic. I was wide awake then when Erin and her friend Rob were ready to go get food for supper. We went to this sweet market nearby and bought sandwiches and salads, headed to Stanley Park, and had a picnic. The weather was gorgeous and this was a very relaxing way to spend the evening. We were back at the hotel somewhere around 7:30, which gave me tons of time to wind down and get prepared for the big event in the morning. I even was able to head to bed by 10 pm and slept great! Now I just needed the following Sunday to be the best run of my life……

May5

EXCEPTIONAL NEWS!

Posted on May 5, 2015 by mscurlgurl78

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In August 2014, my husband Dan and I were fortunate to travel out East to beautiful St. John’s, Newfoundland. During that time, we attended George Street Festival, an awesome music extravaganza! We were lucky enough to see Dropkick Murphy’s on one of the night’s mid-festival, and had a prime spot….front row of the patio at Rockhouse. The show was awesome, every last bit of it. The crowd was ecstatic. A lot of songs I had not heard before, but many I had. I was patiently waiting for one song to be played, though. And it was almost like a “Name That Tune” moment, when I heard the first chord, I know exactly what it was….Shipping out to Boston!

I recorded a video. I took lots of pictures. I have listened to the song lots. I then I ran the Edmonton Marathon a few weeks and bonked at mile 21. I cried. I cried a lot. I felt defeated. I started training again specifically with the goal of hitting a Boston Qualifying time at the Vancouver marathon in May 2015. I made THAT SONG my ringtone as motivation. I wanted it so bad. I ran Vancouver today as hard as I could. And I finally can say….

I’M SHIPPING UP TO BOSTON!!

I will write a recap very soon. There is a lot to recap. But I wanted to write a general note of sorts to indicate that YES, I reached my goal! And I didn’t just squeak by; I hit it hard! I needed a 3:35.00 to qualify and I ran a 3:24.56! My personal best before that was in fact that Edmonton Marathon, where I ran a 3:44.59. The training paid off and I have so many people to thank.

My dad. What more can I say. Dad, I love you. You were with me this whole race. I know you are so proud. I can’t even put anything more into words right now; I am just smiling. You would be telling everyone you know, and random strangers too, that I qualified for the Boston Marathon. I can’t wait to go to there in April and run for you. For us.

My husband, for handling my crazy schedule and putting up with days I was probably a complete pile or bitchy crap. Yes, I know those happened. I used you as a punching bag many times when I was upset and training days didn’t go as planned. I love you; I hope you still love me after these six months of training!

My mom, who also heard the frustrations and anger sometime, but who was also there to congratulate me….after she would freak out and be anxious before I finished any event, of course. She had never seen me run a distance road until spring of 2013, when I came home to run the Waukesha Trailbreaker Half, and beat my old half marathon best, running a 1:52.53. She said she cried at the start of that race. She is going to be a mess in Massachusetts.

And of course, I love me some local YQL people/organizations/businesses/professionals. Runners Soul Lethbridge, for a fantastic marathon club program and a fantastic store full of support and camaraderie. Shawn & Erin Pinder are fantastic people who will bend over backwards for the running community. And speaking of camaraderie….Bob Higgins, fellow marathon club runner and friend, who ran with my during Vancouver full marathon to help me qualify. Wow! Thank you so much! You my friend are an inspiration.,,.everything you have done over these last years of running is amazing. It was an honour to run with you for 20 miles of the race….until you had to pee. I am proud of the fact you never caught back up!

To Dean Johnson, who wrote me an incredible training plan and edited it partway through to reflect the changes in my race times. Anyone in Lethbridge looking for personal gains in running, please talk to Dean! To my doctors, Dr. Michael Galbraith & Dr. John Power (the best in the sports med business) who have helped me with knee issues and the stride problems over the last year. I am calling you both in the morning and leaving voicemails of me freaking out. So when you hear my Wisconsin accent blubbering, I hope you smile. Or at least laugh. My friends, family, coworkers….you all have handled me obsessing over this quite well. Thank you for still being my friend. Or at least pretending to be. You may have to fake our friendship even longer because the next year leading to Boston I am going to be very, very annoying. Probably close to obnoxious. You may block me on Facebook or unfollow me on Twitter. I won’t be offended. That being said, I am so fortunate, lucky and happy to have moved to a city with such support and love….to have family and friends from all over be by my side. Thank you!

#BOSTON2016 !!!!!!

Apr29

Medicine Hat “Rattler Run” 10km 2015-Race Recap

Posted on April 29, 2015 by mscurlgurl78

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On Saturday, April 25^th, 2015, I participated in the Medicine Hat College Rattler Run 10km. This is the second time I have ran this event, the first being in 2013. Back in 2013, I set a personal best of 48:39. I remember being so elated at that moment of setting this time, and being able to place 1^st in my division. Since then, I have been able to bring my 10 km time down to a 43:47 at the Moonlight Run in Lethbridge this past March. I was anxious to run this race in Medicine Hat, as I was familiar with the course, and hoping for another personal best.

This day also held importance to me going into the race as the 11^th anniversary of my dad’s passing. When I registered for the event a few weeks prior, I knew it was fitting to be running a race on this day. I would have him in my mind all day and be running this race in memory of him. I stated on my Facebook page the day prior to the event how the event’s motto is “I Run for Me” and to promote healthy and active lifestyles for everyone. My dad lived a healthy and active lifestyle and was a fitness role model for myself, and while I would be running this race for ME, I was more so going to be running this race for HIM.

Medicine Hat is about 1 hour and 45 minutes away from where I live in Lethbridge. I have driven this distance before for races, usually to Calgary though, but the unique thing about this race is that the start time is 11 am. I could sleep ‘in’ to a normal time, and still do the drive and make it to race packet pickup and warmup with plenty of time to spare. I made it to Medicine Hat College at around 10 am. Packet pickup was a breeze and it was of course great to see Randy and the crew from Racepro working the timing! I also had enough time to do a good warmup, so I headed out for a 2 mile warmup at an 8:34 average pace.

The events offered on race day were the 10 km, the 5 km and the 3 km distances. The 10 km would begin first, with the 3 km following shortly thereafter, and finishing with the 5 km runners. I was getting anxious at about 10 minutes prior to race start so I just milled around aimlessly outside doing skips and high knees. When the announcer called for the 10 km runners to assemble, about 5 minutes before start, I headed right up to the front to get in good position. I actually ended up standing next to a local runner from the Lethbridge area (Taber to be exact) Billie-Jo. She recognized me and then I immediately recognized her. It was great to chat before the race start and she left me with the words to “Go chase those boys!”

We were off and I headed out with the mindset of trying to get a 6:45-6:50 pace per mile. With my interval running I had been doing lately, I knew this was possible….if I was on flat surfaces, with no hills and no wind. I held a 1^st place female position for the first mile, which took us over an overpass and onto the trail system. The trail system is VERY curvy and lots of ups and downs! The “Ups” were never that steep, and the “Downs” weren’t either, but there was enough of them to really get you! At mile 1, a female runner passed me. OK, I thought….since I was not in Lethbridge, I did not know who this runner was, so I really had no idea what she was capable of. I kept her in my sight for the next mile and I was able to overtake her by the end of mile 2. I kept telling myself to never look back, and to only wait until the turnaround to see how close she really was. I could hear her breathing pattern initially, and then when I couldn’t hear her breathing I knew I was far enough ahead, for now. I just would keep on trucking. I ran mile 1 in 6:34 and mile 2 in 7:08. I did not like that 7:08.

The turnaround was near mile 2.5 and I was still in the lead. 2^nd place female was not far behind, but there was a pretty good gap between me and three. Since this next portion was just heading back on the same route, I knew what was coming ahead. It was motivating running towards other runners and seeing people I recognized from Lethbridge races. I ran miles 3 and 4 in 7:01 and 6:52.

By this time, we were back to the overpass, and instead of heading back where we started, we looped around the backside of the college. This was a very sparse area of the course, with no spectators and no other runners heading past you in the opposite direction. I knew I just needed to keep pace. There was an aboriginal gentleman who I was running behind the whole race who I caught up to, and stayed about a few steps ahead. His cadence was the same as mine, so I decided to keep with him. The crazy thing about this man, though, was he was running the event in SANDALS! Very thin sandals with a strap around the heel and then through the toes. I don’t know if he normally trains barefoot, or just always with sandals, but it was a sight to see!

I was able to keep pace for mile 5 and then I knew I wanted to kick it in for the last mile. We were heading towards people finishing the 5 km and would be hooking up with them for the final straightaway. Seeing more runners ahead motivated me and I was able to push hard for that last mile. I also never looked behind me to see where that 2^nd place female was, which I will never know if that was a good thing or a bad thing….but it doesn’t really matter….because I finished ahead of her in a time of 41:30! My final two miles had been 7:03 and 6:45….it was just what I needed! I stopped shortly after the finish line and was shaking, grabbing my quads….I turned around and saw female #2 finish right after me. She was right on my tail! Turns out, my chip time only beat hers by 9 seconds! Gun time was only 12 seconds! I thought she was farther back, but apparently not. I had won the female division in the 10 km—-a first for me!

I was so excited about this win but I knew I needed to keep moving so I didn’t tighten up. I ran a 2 mile cool down at an 8:55 average pace to total my mileage to 10 miles that day. Heading back in to the college, a nice spread of post-race refreshments were set up. I immediately zeroed in on the chocolate milk and bananas! I had brought clothes to change in to, as I didn’t want to be sitting in disgusting race clothes during awards and more importantly, my drive back to Lethbridge. They held the awards in the College cafeteria, which was a great setting for the 10 km awards (which were last) but it seemed a bit crowded for the 3 km and 5 km awards, as there were a TON of young kids there and their families. It emptied out quite a bit for the 10 km awards, which made it nice for us runners, as before it was too hard to hear or see what was going on.

I sat with the Lethbridge contingency of us who were out at the race, which was nice since a few of us were called up for awards….so we had a cheering section! I first went up when they called for the 26-35 age group for women (I know, weird age groupings!) and then again at the end when they announced overall in each gender. This was my “Olympian” moment I guess, as I have never earned a 1^st female overall in such a large event…I think this is my third 1^st female overall ever, with the last two being from smaller 5 km races. I am also really proud that my time was a personal best….not just by a little, but by a lot. So I know personally I worked as hard as I could! If I had been able to get 1^st overall with a time slower than my personal best, I wouldn’t have honestly have been as proud. Another sweet thing was the prize money—-$200!!! That cash is coming with me this weekend when I fly to Vancouver for my main event!

Would I do this event again? YES. It is extremely well organized and well worth the commute to Medicine Hat. If you are looking for a competitive 10 km, this seems to be a good one, for both the male and female divisions. This is also a unique event in that the whole family really can participate….if one parent wants to do the 10km, an older kid do the 5 km, and the other parent and small child do the 3 km, that would totally work. The registration was also very reasonable. The early bird pricing for race registration was $20 for race registration, and the late registration (after April 7^th) was $30. You could also pay with cash day of for $40. This was the same price for ALL RACE DISTANCES! This did not include a shirt, however-a shirt would have cost an additional $15. The Rattler Run was in its 35^th year, and I totalled the finishers in the 10km, 5km, and 3 km by looking at the Racepro.ca website- there were 754 participants. This race reminds me much of Lethbridge’s own “Moonlight Run” in that it is a “tradition.” Albeit, smaller in scale, but still recognized in the community, appreciated, and thriving. This was a great event for myself, not just because of my personal accomplishment, but because of the significance that the date April 25th holds. That date does not need to be a sad day; it needs to be celebrated. And I am more than grateful that I could celebrate by doing something my dad would have been proud to watch me do.

Apr19

Coaldale Family Fun Run 5km 2015-Recap

Posted on April 19, 2015 by mscurlgurl78

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This past weekend I participated in a local 5km race, the Coaldale Family Fun Run. It is the fifth year of this event being run, and my second year in a row participating. Originally, I was planning on running most of my Saturday workout before e event, and then ending with the 5km. I had a 14 mile long run to do, with the last 6 at my goal pace for my marathon, or faster. As it got closer to the day of the event, I knew I didn’t want to be trying to race a 5km after already doing 11 miles. So, I decided to reorder my workout, still get the 14 miles in, but do it in reverse. I would do a warmup and cool down at marathon race pace in Coaldale, push as much as I could during the race, and then finish the workout when back in Lethbridge.

My last timed 5km race had been in November, and I wanted to see if I could beat that personal best. I ran the Mustache Dache in a 21:07 back in Milwaukee, which broke my 5km personal best that I had held since I was 18. Now, I don’t train for racing in 5km races,but I know that I have been doing more speed work than ever this winter and spring as I train for the Vancouver Marathon. So it would have to count for something?

The race was slated to start at 10am. I arrived at around 9:20, which gave me more than enough time to pick up my race bib, do a 1.75 mile warmup, and meet up with four of my Waterton to Glacier buddies-Julia, Emma, Danny and Ryan. I even snapped this photo of Julia, Emma and Ryan doing their warmup down the rural road we would be heading down during the last mile of the race. This shows the terrain and road conditions we would face for about 85% of the course.

I got lined up with a few minutes to spare. My race plan-push hard the first mile and hold on. I really had no other strategy. The temperature was ideal, so I knew I would be comfortable. I was a bit worried about the muddy mix of gravel and sand and dirt we would be running on, as I remembered from last year that my feet feeling like sandbags. The race began and a bunch of us plowed over the kids who were lined up in front. Ok, I know it is a Family Fun Run, but I mean, I was out to make a statement….so I didn’t feel bad dodging through children.

I found myself in a comfortable position right away, and I knew I was the lead female. I wasn’t going to look over my shoulder at all during the race, and just wait until the turnaround point near mile two. At that point I’d be able to see how close any other women were and tackle the last mile. My first mile was a fast 6:13. I was feeling good though, and it wasn’t too muddy. I needed to weave a bit on the rural Range Road to find the least mucky spots, but it helped with my shoes not getting full of junk. Mile two was slower (I knew it would be because I wasn’t trying to necessarily get even splits) with a 6:36. This was past the turnaround and up a slight hill. It was also straight into the wind. I started feeling sluggish here, and I saw the second female probably 30-45 seconds behind me. If I bonked on the last mile she would catch me. The last mile was a solid straightaway to Coaldale Christian School. It was wet on this portion and I made a mistake of stepping in a pile of mud and gravel, so for a few seconds I had rocks and mud flying from under my shoes. I was able to hold my position and finish as the first female! I finished my last mile in 6:57, and finished the race in a 20:42! I beat my previous personal best by 25 seconds!

I did a cool down and milled around until awards, which were held in the gym. The race organizers did a great job at having lots of post race refreshments—-more than I would expect for a 5km! They do a great job at recognizing the kids who participated, as each kid gets a finisher ribbon, and they do 5 year age group awards for under 19. So lots of kids get recognized this way. They even gave a prize to the youngest runner—I think it was a Toys R Us gift card. I know I would have been stoked about that if I was a kid! They got to the adult awards and each of us in our Waterton to Glacier group medalled! Ryan got 3rd overall and 2nd in his age group, Danny got 1st in his age group, and Julia & Emma earned 3rd and 1st in theirs, respectively. Along with my gold medal for 1st in the 30-39 female category, I was also awarded a $50 gift certificate to Runners Soul!

I was really excited to be able to run this race at the pace that I did. I even was able to do the rest of my workout later that day all within my training pace required, so I did total 14 miles! While 5km races aren’t my focus, they are still fun to do every once in a while! I know the next one I do I will be aiming for a 20:30 or faster. I know my training has helped lots, as this was not only a personal best, but I beat my time from last years’ event by over two minutes. Last year, I ran a 22:59. Seeing that improvement is what is most important to me. Up next is a 10km in Medicine Hat (Saturday) and then the big one….Vancouver Marathon is now just two weeks away….

Mar9

Moonlight Run 2015 – 10km Race Recap

Posted on March 9, 2015 by mscurlgurl78

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The Moonlight Run in Lethbridge, Alberta, is the largest running event of the year. They offer a 6km and a 10km event-the 6 km had 1739 participants and the 10km had 526. The unique factor about the race is in its name—it starts at 8 pm at night and you run down in the river bottom with the light of the moon marking your path. This year would be my fourth time running the Moonlight Run, and I had set some high expectations for myself. Ultimately, I wanted to beat my previous Moonlight Run time from last year (47:27) but I also wanted to place well. While I wasn’t training specifically for a 10km, as I am now right in the middle of my Vancouver Marathon training, I had been getting in lots of speed work and was feeling strong. Only time would tell.

I was nervous and anxious all day. That’s part of the trouble with a night race—-you have all day to think about it and get worked up! I had my clothes picked out even the night before, and I was getting antsy by 6 pm. I even attempted a nap earlier, but I just laid in bed and played on my phone. My husband was also going to participate in the run (he said this was to show his support for my craziness) and I somehow managed to get him to leave the house around 7 pm. We live a whopping five minutes from the race start by car, so we got there real early (but at least had a great parking spot!). I wanted time to calm my nerves—I would find some of my running friends from marathon club and chat, and I would also find students and teachers from my school who were at the event. Our music department volunteers every year at Moonlight Run and the kids do a great job at the tasks they are given! I also needed to find the kids who had signed up to run, as while I was nervous and anxious, I knew they would be even more so!

I eventually did my warmup and got settled into the starting corral. It was self-seeded so I wormed my way up to the second row of people…right near the front. I knew I wanted to head out strong and by being at the front this would help out. Plus, your gun time would be used for placings, so I wanted to be near the starting mat.

After the national anthems, the horn went off, and the 10km had begun. The first 1/4 of a mile was a blur, as I just had my focus finding my pace and finding a space in the pack. I knew I was going out pretty fast, plus this first mile stretch was all downhill. Hopefully this wouldn’t come back to bite me.

As we headed down Wendy’s hill, the firefighter pipe and drum band was playing. This is an awesome thing to witness as you are running down into the dark river bottom! At the bottom of Wendy’s hill, after a loss of 203 feet in elevation (according to my Nike app) I hit mile one. I ran my first mile in 5:32….what the F$&K?!? Ok, granted, this was downhill….but this is the FASTEST I have EVER ran a mile in my entire damn life. My high school best in the 1600 m (mile run) was a 5:47. Yes, that was on a flat track….but still. Holy crap. I was screwed. At what point in this race would I fall apart?

The next mile heads out towards the bridge and to Tollestrup construction. As I headed out north before the turnaround, it was very easy to find your spacing in the pack. No one was next to me, you had room to move your elbows, and the darkness didn’t really take a toll, as there was lots of open space and the sky was clear. Mile 2 was hit partway down this path and I ran it in a still ridiculously fast 6:35. The fact I was able to keep up a faster than normal pace after barreling down a deep incline was a shocker to me. There had been a small elevation loss of 66 feet during this stretch, so negligible compared to the first mile. At the turnaround, it got to be a little tougher as now you aren’t running alone on the path. All the other runners in the 10km who are behind you are heading north as you head back south towards the bridge. Many have headlamps that are shining bright in your eyes, so you must look down at the ground. And some people aren’t aware of the runners already heading back so they take up 3 people across the path. I was sure my time would slow greatly at this point, expecting somewhere in the 7:30s. I managed to get to mile 3 in 7:01. I was nearly halfway done and already had a personal record breaking 5km time. I needed to keep it together.

Since mile 1 I had been placed as the 5th female. I knew this for sure as I counted the women ahead of me at the turnaround. During mile 4 I had wanted to gain some ground on runner 4. This proved to be tricky, as while I am knowledgable of this part of the course, it happens to get quite darker in this section. The tree coverage is greater, it is harder to see the sky, and the path has many “gentle” rolls in it. I made some ground on about three or four men, passing them while no one passed me, so that felt good. We were heading toward Whoop Up Drive basically blind, and I was trying to move as quick as I could without freaking out in the dark. By getting to Whoop Up there would be lights on the bridge to illuminate the sky above. I ran mile 4 in 7:16.

Mile 5 was when I knew I had to keep it together. While the hill would be my last battle, this would be where I could either keep it up, or lose it all. My body was feeling great, so I knew this would be a mental battle. I moved on to the next turn around, near the water treatment plant, where then the runners looped back on a gravel/paved road section. This is relatively well lit and would take us to Fort Whoop Up, and the path we needed to take back to the finish. My feet start to feel heavy as I am on this gravel/paved/stone road. I needed to keep it moving but was starting to get worried. I knew I was on pace to get a personal best, and I was scared to lose that. I was running with no one immediately in front of me or beside me…but then I heard a familiar trot behind me. It was my friend Glenn from run club. Glenn has a very distinctive cadence in his run, and Glenn, I mean this kindly, I think it is because you are so short that it is so obvious. I mean, I am short too so I am sure my plodding is distinctive. But I knew it was Glenn coming up behind me as we neared mile 5, and this gave me a huge push. Glenn is a seasoned runner, a veteran, who qualified and ran in the Boston Marathon last year. He works hard and trains hard. We mumbled a couple things to each other as we approached mile 5 (which I ran in 7:27). I knew I needed to “race” Glenn up this mother of a hill for the last mile in order to achieve my goal of a personal best.

Having someone who you know is faster than you at a 10km race run next to you is some motivation, let me tell you. This last hill is adjacent to the steady main road we headed down during mile 1. The 10km runners got to run up this wonky, almost-too-cruel bike path that has so many pitches and switch backs that if you saw it in daylight you would laugh. Every time we hit an incline, I powered my short-ass legs up, passing Glenn each time. I think I pissed him off each time, because then he would pass me when it would level out. This cat and mouse game went on for about three or four cycles as we climbed up this beast. Eventually, Glenn surpassed me once we got to the top and away from the steep inclines, and off he went. I powered all the way up and made it to mile 6, which was right next to Galt Gardens, in 8:36. Not too shabby for doing a 268 feet climb in elevation. The 10km runners were now side by side with 6km runners as we headed to the finish. I again got into a runners’ haze and didn’t pay attention to any faces around me. I rounded that last corner and finish in my personal record smashing time of 43:47.45…beating my Moonlight personal best by nearly 4 minutes 30 seconds, and beating my regular 10km best by 1 minute 50 seconds!

I had never been able to catch any of the women ahead of me. I closed in on number 4, but 1-3 were way too far ahead. While my time this year would have gotten me 1st for women in this same event last year, that was not the case. I placed 5th out of 292 women and 34th out of 526 overall participants in the Moonlight Run 10km 2015. And while I could have been upset about that, I was nothing but ecstatic. I was mainly in a state of shock when I finished, as I couldn’t believe how I ran that time. I then found out shortly thereafter I placed 1st out of 55 in the 30-34 female age category! An age category first place in this big of a race is a huge accomplishment for myself!

I found some of my runner friends after finishing and we were are able to congratulate each other on our accomplishments. I wasn’t the only one who hit a personal best, as Bob and Jeremy also achieved ones of their own. Of the 8 of us who are part of our Waterton to Glacier Relay Team (100 mile relay from Cardston, Alberta, to East Glacier, Montana) 7 of us were at the race that evening. Julia did not run but was an awesome volunteer yelling support as we reached the top of the hill. The other six of us ran the 10km and 5 of us placed in our age categories. Also placing in their age groupings were two of my students, who medaled in the 6km event! They placed 4th and 5th in the 16-19 female group!

Moonlight Run was everything I had hoped it would be and more. Will I run an epic personal best every year at Moonlight? Probably not. But will the race itself keep being as memorable of an evening? I definitely think so. Moonlight Run is a top-notch running event in my “new” hometown, and I look forward to it every year. This was the 28th running of the Moonlight Run and I can only hope that I am able to run in the next 28 Moonlight Runs!

Feb9

Calgary Hypothermic Half-My Muddled Post-Race Thoughts

Posted on February 9, 2015 by mscurlgurl78

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Running a February half marathon in Calgary, Alberta, is slightly crazy. But running one with the mindset of getting a personal best is slightly insane. But, that’s how I went into the 2015 Hypothermic Half Marathon. Go big or why do it, right?

I signed up for the event in November, as I had wanted to find a chip-timed event for my Digital Running “Time of the Season” Challenge (a timed event every month from March 2014 through February 2015. This was the only event I could find somewhat in the area with official timing (other than a 50km!). I have gushed about my love of running Calgary before, as the routes are always pretty and I’ve had pretty consistent race success, so driving up for a quick weekend was something I had no issue with.

I headed up to Calgary on Saturday afternoon for packet pickup at the Eau Claire Market Running Room. Pickup was easy and seamless-received my race bib, which had the timing chip right on the back, and the swag, which was a pair of winter running gloves and Running Room’s version of a Buff (neck/head warmer piece). All were very nice! The ladies at pickup were also very nice at explaining the map to me, which I had looked at online. I was somewhat familiar with the route, as I have ran parts of it on previous races but I wasn’t completely sure where the turns at the bridges would be (more in that later).

My 7 am alarm came fast and I felt pretty lethargic. I was slow to move, but made it to Tim Horton’s to get my oatmeal and coffee for my breakfast and preparation rituals. I was staying at my friend Cindy’s house which is a two minute drive to a Tim’s, so I was able to go there and get back right away to get prepped. It was COLD out…colder than I thought it would be. I needed to layer correctly so I was warm enough….but not miserable. I hate feeling overheated. I also taped my knees and quads up, as those are always potential issues. I headed out the door at 8:20 am to attempt and find my way to Fort Calgary for the race start.

Not much parking by the Fort, but I was able to finagle a spot for my tiny Pontiac Vibe. I was cutting it a little close as I needed to go to the bathroom and the women’s line was ridiculous. I made it out to the start with about 5 minutes to spare, and I ran out there doing some high knees and other dynamics. I was now set to go and hoping for the best. I lined myself up right in the front center and went out like I was going to own it…

The biggest thing for any race of a half marathon or longer, for me personally, is getting in the pace groove. I had wanted to be hitting 7:25 minute mile paces or faster in order to potentially beat my September 2014 personal best time of 1:37:51. The first three miles were pretty well marked, had an occasional volunteer directing you, and was all located in the south side of the Bow River. I ran these in 7:14, 7:25 and 7:38, respectively. Because of this inconsistency, I honestly wasn’t that sure of myself at that 5km mark. I needed to get on track fast.

The part of the course I was on now was familiar. I had been here before during Run for L’Arche last March. This “comfort zone” factor helped ease me down some. Also, since this is a public trail and local runners were out running, the random runners cheering us “racers” on as we passed was awesome! This helped push me to a 7:19, 7:26 and 7:18 mile 4-6. This brought me to the clearly marked turnaround, which if this had been a 10km race, I would have gotten a personal best. I was feeling strong, so I decided to get on trucking.

Everyone else around me looked like they were freezing, but I was strangely feeling fine. It was about 10F outside and I kept alternating between having my buff covering my mouth to just my neck. So maybe I’m superhuman, I don’t know. I was grateful that I did have my running sunglasses on, though, just to protect from the bright morning sun and wind. With the paths being clear of ice and snow, I was able to keep my pace up during the tough miles of 7-10, where I ran a 7:21, 7:24, 7:25 and 7:25.

Now looking at my GPS tracking after the race, I notice that mile 10 was approximately where we crossed over from the south side of the Bow River on the way out. I was in my own world by this point, but now it all makes sense because I didn’t recognize anything around me from that day (I recognized the road parallel to me from running on it during the Calgary Marathon, but that’s not what mattered). I knew that the last part of the course was going to be on the opposite side of the river as where we started, but I really wasn’t sure for how long. The last volunteer I saw said “go until the St. Patrick’s Bridge!” Well, that’s great, but I don’t live here and don’t know what that bridge is! That is my one complaint about this event-the lack of volunteers in the later part of the race. I asked every random runner/biker/walker/human I went past from mile 10 until the bridge where this bridge was. I was running with a little uncertainty the last 3 miles because I was nervous I would miss my turn and screw up my time!

I did keep pushing because I knew I was on pace to break my personal best. I held up mile 11 and 12 in 7:21 and 7:24. I knew I had to give anything I had left in the fuel tank the last mile to see what I was made of. There was about 1/2 mile left when I turned on that final bridge and I was feeling awesome! I gave the photographer a smile and looked way ahead for the finish. It was a winding path, heading into the Fort a different way than we had came out. I felt the strongest I had ever felt coming into a half marathon, finishing my last mile in 7:03…..7:03! My official finish time was 1:35:41, good enough to best my personal best by 2 minutes and 10 seconds. I placed 1st out of 62 in my age group, 3rd out of 216 in females, and 17 out of 426 overall. And I did this all while running in a February road race in Calgary, Alberta. And it was COLD! I thrive on the cold, I really do!

While I usually never want food immediately after finishing a race, I did today. Maybe the cold had a hunger effect on me, who knows. But let me tell you, I am glad I did want food. The brunch that was included with our race entry was awesome! I sat with some great people—-a guy from Red Deer and some local Calgarians. The food definitely hit the spot and held me over on my drive back to Lethbridge.

Anyone reading this blog for the first time may think that I have always been this fast. Let me stress this—–up until April 2013, my best half marathon time was a 1:54 and change. Finding a plan, finding a motivation within….that’s what I needed. If you read my older posts you will find that I started this blog to honor my dad’s life, and to try and deal with some of the things I had yet to handle since his premature death at age 51 in 2004. I took the thing that caused me so much pain for so many years and found a way to ease that pain-through running, I have found myself. I am also becoming more of an athlete, more of someone who I never though I could be. But I know my dad always thought I could be it. And I know he is proud.

Jan28

Initial Thoughts and Rambles from my Spartan Race Weekend in California

Posted on January 28, 2015 by mscurlgurl78

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I am still not fully recovered from my whirlwind weekend in Southern California. I flew out at 7 pm on Friday, and then was back at LAX on Sunday by 3:30 pm. I drove home and got into my bed by 3 AM Monday morning in Lethbridge. I am tired, my body is tight, I had chaffing marks on my ankles from my calf sleeves, my eyes hurt, I am sunburned, and my number is still etched into my calves with permanent marker. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.

This weekend I ran the Spartan Race So Cal events-Super Spartan (9 miles) on Saturday, Jan. 24th, and the Sprint (approx. 5 miles) on Sunday, Jan. 25th. Both events were held at Vail Lake in Temecula, California. My best friend Ali, her boyfriend, and their dogs picked me up from the airport and we headed to Temecula on Friday night. We were at the race site nice and early for check in and to peruse the site. I also spent a lot of money on merchandise! I would run the Super with Ali and Kevin. This would be Ali and Kevin’s TRIFECTA race weekend (completed the Beast the weekend before, a distance of a half marathon). Heading out at the start of the race, I didn’t think the wind would be to bad, seeing that I am used to Lethbridge winds. I was wrong. These winds were just as strong at winds in Lethbridge, but add the gritty sand and dirt from the course blowing around and the sun, and that makes it a whole different experience.

I enjoyed all the obstacles on the course—some that are the same as previous years’, and many that are new. Seeing that this is my 3rd year doing Spartan Races it is appreciated that they change things up. Like the Traverse Wall—while they still had one, instead of this one going in a straight line, it now zig-zagged. The terrain of Vail Lake also just added new natural obstacles that reminded me of the Montana Sprint. Ali and I finished this race together in a time of 4:40.06. I know I have said this before, but considering this girl wouldn’t even run 900 metres last year at this time and was now doing 9 mile obstacle course races is amazing! I am so proud!

That night I realized when we went in the hot tub how sunburned and wind burned my thighs had gotten. It stung like HELL getting in the hot water. Whoops. That being said, I still decided to go out and push myself during the Sprint. Seeing a preview of the course the day before was a huge help, and I was able to tackle those hills just like I would if I were in the Coulees in Lethbridge. I even nailed the Spear Throw obstacle!— a Spartan Race FIRST for me, and this was my 9th Spartan Race ever! I still move quite slow over any height obstacle, as my fear sets in, but I made them. I fell on the Monkey Bars, Rope Climb and also made it 3/4 of the way on the Traverse Wall….so 90 burpees for me. Even with those burpee penalties, I finished in a 1:21.52, which was good for 33/1655 females in the Open Division! My running came in handy for my lack of upper body strength!I knew what to expect coming into a Spartan Race, but I am very happy to say that I feel the organization is back bigger and better in 2015. The obstacles did not disappoint, the race swag was new and improved (finisher shirts that are specific for each distance, instead of a general shirt!), and incredible medals! I am very excited for my Spartan Beast in Montana this May so I can become a member of the USA Trifecta Tribe! AROO, AROO, AROO!!!!

Jan4

First Run of 2015-Not What I Expected

Posted on January 4, 2015 by mscurlgurl78

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My 67 day RunStreak ended January 1, 2015. I am happy that I kept with it, because I like staying with goals I set, but I was also glad to wake up New Years Day and not run! I had ran the night before at the Red Deer Resolution Run 5km, a nationwide run put on by Running Room. It is not a chip-timed event, and the draw is mainly to get in a final run before the new year. You also get a really nice jacket as part of your registration fee (I’d say the registration fee basically just pays for the jacket). The weather was VERY cold, barely in the teens (Fahrenheit) and the race started at 6 pm. I had forgotten my head lamp in Lethbridge, so I was hoping someone in the group of 150 plus runners would be near me with a lamp. Well, we took off and three guys sped on out ahead. In retrospect, I could have maybe been able to stay with them given the proper footwear (more in that later) but I stuck at a comfortable pace and ran pretty much solo (well, not pretty much, I was alone!) for all 5km. I finished in a comfortable 24:25 and was the first female to finish. I was happy with how I did, especially since the Bower Pond trails had negligible lighting. The thing, though, that I took away from this event was how at peace I was with myself.

Now, I am not going to go on and on about how I had some crazy-ass personal revelation on the year 2014, or how 2015 is going to play out, but as I approached mile 1 and realized I was alone….I smiled. I was in a “race” but I was pushing just myself. With no one nearby, I couldn’t see or hear anyone ahead or behind me. The sun was long gone, the moon was behind a hazy, cloudy sky, but the bright white snow of central Alberta lit the path. The sound of feet moving through this crunching snow was mesmerizing. Occasionally, runners would hit turnoffs up onto sidewalks, but then would be led back onto the trail along the river. Whenever I was along the river, I was alone…but so incredibly happy. When the race finished, while I didn’t have anywhere close to a personal best, I was happy.

So I took two days off after the Resolution Run. We were back in Lethbridge after a whirlwind of holiday travels. It felt great to be back in our own house. I knew I wanted to head out and run Saturday morning, but it was COLD, not just cold, but downright miserable. It was -1 F or so when I woke up, and by the time I got set to go on my run around noon it was a mere 2F. With four inches or so of snow freshly fallen in Lethbridge, which was on top of some older snow and ice, I decided to try out my new INOV-8 X-Talon 212 trail shoes. I had ordered these shoes in Amazon in November after Ali told me how awesome they worked for her during the Rugged Maniac obstacle race. I wanted these for Spartan Races. But, I knew I could use them on the trails in Lethbridge.

I drove over to Bull Park Trail on the Westside with the goal in mind to run down into the valley to the bridge and back. With it so cold out I didn’t know if my phone would cooperate when I wanted to take photos. I packed it away deep in my pockets and set out. As I jogged from where I parked my car in a nearby neighborhood (wasn’t sure if my car would make it into the not-yet-plowed trailhead parking lot) to the trai, I could tell right away these shoes were different. I was just running through snow, but my feet were flying. I hit the trail, which has shale below the snow, and was still moving so fluidly. These were great! The wind was quite cold on my face, but my body felt good and my feet weren’t even cold.

Before descending into the river bottom, I had to watch my footing as I could see ice below the snow, especially noticeable in areas where drifts had occurred. But the shoes gripped these areas so well too! Even descending into the river was easier than what it would have been had I worn my New Balance!

I made it down to the river and could see foot prints. I was not the only crazy person out there running today. I did never actually see anyone on the paths during my jaunt, but I knew people had gone the same route as me! I headed north in the trail with the river parallel to the trail. Roughly parallel, actually, as this path is more of a goat trail. I have done this path before, and it is now probably my favorite stretch in Lethbridge. Running it in the snow, in these shoes, was a completely different experience. I stopped for a bit (didn’t bother stopping my watch whenever I stopped) to try to get a photo. Frozen. Well, not frozen, but it gave the “extreme temperature” message. I putzed with it a little more, but ended up putting it in my sports bra (heat against my body would help???) and went toward the bridge.

I had to stop and pause and take in the surroundings as I reached the bridge. While I had seen Lethbridge from this vantage point before, I had not seen it covered in snow and almost frozen in time. It was awesome.
As I headed back, I checked my phone again. It cooperated! I stopped a couple spots to take photos before heading back up the coulee. Below are some of the shots I was able to get. These were all down in the river bottom, as once I headed back up the coulee, it stopped working again.

By the time I made it back to my car, I had completed a cold, yet extremely satisfying, 4 miles. Extremely satisfying doesn’t even begin to hit how awesome it was. Yes, I stopped a lot to take in the sights and did not run 4 miles hard, per say. But I felt like I was running in a cloud when I was moving. Much like my run on New Years Eve, I had a smile on my face. I also realized part way through this run that if it had been two years earlier, I would have never set foot outside in these conditions, in this cold, in this snow, in this river valley. But now, I wouldn’t trade it for anything else. That is good enough for me, and I call that a successful first run of 2015.

Je Me Souviens-To Infinity & Beyond!

Running, Disney & Dad–My Journey Continues…

Category Archives: race reflections

Calgary Marathon Weekend-50 km Ultra Race Recap

Montana Spartan Race 2015-The Beast!

Vancouver Marathon Race Recap Part 1….Before the Big Event

EXCEPTIONAL NEWS!

Medicine Hat “Rattler Run” 10km 2015-Race Recap

Coaldale Family Fun Run 5km 2015-Recap

Moonlight Run 2015 – 10km Race Recap

Calgary Hypothermic Half-My Muddled Post-Race Thoughts

Initial Thoughts and Rambles from my Spartan Race Weekend in California

First Run of 2015-Not What I Expected

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