Saturday July 28 was the 17th Annual Windsor 5km race– a race that I have enjoyed in the past. Saturday July 28 was also the date of my friends and training partners Jennie and Michael’s wedding in Rustico, PEI. I needed to run Windsor in order to jump into the Run Nova Scotia Performance Series (cash prizing for top-5 performances over series) as I missed the first two 5km races and this was the last opportunity. Deciding I could do it all, I raced Windsor, jumped back in the car, drove home to collect my children and arrived on PEI with an entire hour to get ready for the wedding.
This year was the second year that this race was under the new leadership of Race Director Paula James, one of Nova Scotia’s fastest women. Seriously friends, if you want to run a superb 5km race, you want to do this one as planned by her. The course was fast, excellently marked and accurate as it was certified by Athletics Canada. The organization was on point and there were some above and beyond extras: childcare at $5 per family (amazing and affordable and the best idea ever), a free pool party afterwards, right across the street, a great reception with yummy treats. Door prizes already chosen. And my favourite Paula James Signature: the gender equity on the start line. More in a moment. All at the affordable price of $25 for RNS members.
Finally, this race experience had a fun special twist just for me thanks to my husband. My friends Lindsay and Lukas Lamrock are phenomenal photographers. Back in February, for Valentine’s Day, my husband gifted me some time with the Lamrocks at a race and at an easy run. A unique and amazing gift for a runner! Today was the day that I had Lukas in tow at a race.
As usual, I wasn’t sure if I would write a blog recap for this short race. At the finish line, I actually told Lukas that I wouldn’t because I had no words. They eventually came back to me and I didn’t want to lose a chance to showcase these beautiful race photos.
Race Recap:
Warm up: I happily met Maura for warm up and it was easy and fun. The sun was hot and the air was hotter but running friends are fun and we enjoyed it. Running friends are also special. We support each other. We warm up together and may share some race tactics. The gun goes and we become each other’s competition.
Here’s my race break down by kilometer:
1km I stand on the line because I like to, want to and need to for Run Nova Scotia Performance Series where every second counts. Also this start line featured a historic gender equity move by Race Director Paula James and I wanted to be part of that. The start line was split in half: half for men and half for women. In my words: because it’s 2018 and it’s our race too. In Paula’s words: for gender equity “I know many top women contenders won’t put themselves on the start line where they belong, so I’m excited to see how this works,” (as told to Maritime Runner).
So I stood on the split start line and it was awesome.
Gun. Go. I catch myself at 250m going way too fast, all caught up in the hype, so I dialled it way back to what felt like proper first kilometer pace. I wanted to be at 3:50 at the kilometer marker. The coach reading splits at this marker clocked me at 3:40. Damn it. Foolish! Get this under control
2km I get myself under control. I feel good but not as good as I did at PEI Cox and Palmer 2 weeks ago where I ran 19:09. It’s ok, it’s a different day. I have a few thoughts wondering if I want to do this today but when this kilometer rings at 3:51/km, I believe I can have a good one today. I want to do this.
3km. 3:49/km. I have a good one going. I want this. A short mantra is on repeat in my head. I am focused.
After the fact, I knew that I was repeating something to myself, it took me a few hours to remember what the words were. “Strong legs”
We came around a lake. I’m sure it would be beautiful if I looked at it. The trail was paved. I love a paved trail so much for a race. It was so hot. It was like running inside a hot parked vehicle, the kind you are warned not to leave your kids and pets inside.
4km + 5km. Few memories with which to write about except: “I AM Dave Nevitt!!!” and “take a risk” on repeat. I pieced together what happened with the race results and the photos.
I knew that I caught Dave Nevitt (more in a moment about why this is memorable). I didn’t know if I held him off. I knew that Maura pulled up next to me and then ahead of me. I had to no idea when this happened. The kilometer happened both in slow motion and with memory lapse- which is exactly how the last kilometer of 5km should feel. And it was So. Very. Hot. I feel like I finished an eternity behind Maura. It was 2 seconds. She was 19:25. I was 19:27. Nevitt was 19:28.
These last 2km, I was still very much in it. I was running as hard and as aggressive as possible. I was surely paying a debt on my foolish 3:40 opening km. I told myself “No silly!” after my “I am Dave Nevitt” thought. I was giving myself cues. Feet: fast contact. Push ground away. Drive arms. Take a risk, take a risk, take a risk. Nothing bad happens if I monumentally blow up. I was going for the person ahead of Maura, maybe we just ran out of time to catch them. I was confused about where we were, how many turns left (my fault for not running the course). What does 300m mean? The finish chute appeared after the correct corner. I really thought the clock would say 18:50 when it came into view and I would watch it agonizingly click over 19:00. I was surprised when it said 19:10 when it came into view. That’s about the 20 seconds that I bled over the last 2 km when my body just plain old had it’s body temperature jacked like we all did.
I am happy. I’m done with agonizing over seconds in a race. This is what I do because I love it. I left my little family for a well earned morning solo to enjoy what I love. There’s no room left for disappointment.
This photo of Maura and I, in front of the Atlantic Chip sign, a local company who I respect greatly, sums up racing for me. You can battle it out with your training partner who is your competition as soon as the gun fires. You can helped each other run faster: if she runs faster, I run faster. And vice versa. We are better with any competitor but #bettertogether when it’s your friend. Then you celebrate her outcome. Congrats, Maura
Now the Dave Nevitt Story.Now the Dave Nevitt Story. This spring, my goal race was Big Sur Marathon in California and I needed to chat with someone who had run this destination and bucket-list race. So naturally, I reached out to the man, the machine, Dave Nevitt. He gave me really valuable, in-depth knowledge about the course (including splits!) and how to run it and talked about how he prided himself on running one of his best executed marathons here. I share with Coach Lee and we formulate my version of the Big-Sur-Dave-Nevitt plan. And then of course, my Big Sur Marathon expereince was humbling and epic and epically-humbling. My blog recap of that is here. I joked that I walked away having only learned two things: (1) this is how everyone else feels in their marathons. (2) I am not Dave Nevitt. Why did I ever think I was?
In the week leading up to Windsor 5km, Dave Nevitt, in his Race Director Extraordinaire role, was encouraging Run Nova Scotia members to sign up for Windsor 5km because it would allow you to complete the RNS Performance Series in 3 successive weekends: Barrington 21.1km, Windsor 5km and his race, Dartmouth Natal Day 6 miler. Doreen, who I coach, jumped on this challenge and I told her my Big Sur learning story: I am not Dave Nevitt. And I joked that she was about to also learn that she is also not Dave Nevitt. Hehehe. We both had a laugh.
So when I started gaining ground on Dave in Windsor 5km and then was able to pull up to him and pass him, my silly brain was cheering, “I AM DAVE NEVITT!!” I quickly sssshhhh’ed Silly Brain in pursuit of fewer thoughts and more fierce. My last kilometer was so hot-pain-soaked that I thought for sure Nevitt must have passed me back. I laughed when I saw our finish line photo, as did my Doreen because she knew exactly what I would be thinking.
And how about these photos? Lukas and Lindsay Lamrock are seriously talented and my husband is seriously talenting in the gift-giving column. Love a runner? This makes a great gift.
Up next on the RNS Performance Series: Dave Nevitt’s Dartmouth Natal Day 6 Miler. That’s more my distance. May I continue to be Dave Nevitt!
(ps. I asked Dave about titling this blog post and he said yes).
