The sun has now officially set on the Maritime Race Weekend Sunset 5km and my summer season. Here’s my race recap of this event. When I finished the race, I wasn’t sure what kind of recap would be. I now think that it’s a post about the seasons in your running life and choices available when you don’t meet your goals.
I entered this sixth 5km Race of my summer season with optimism and belief in myself. After a full summer of no work, the beach almost every day and a very light training load, I finally had a reasonably solid 3 week training block behind me. In my last mile repeat workout of 4 x 1 mile, I felt that sought after “fitness click” where you think, “ah, there you are, speed. Welcome back.”
Here are the 5km times I have put up this summer:
- Blue Nose 5km on a few runs post Big Sur Marathon: 19:43
- #chasethepacehfx 5000m: 19:42
- Cox and Palmer 5km: 19:09
- Windsor 5km: 19:26
- Gold Cup Trot 5km: 19:07 on a widely rumoured to be long course. Garmin pace 3:47/km = 18:53. But I need that to be official!!
Maritime Race Weekend: would it be the official sub-19 effort that I’ve been chasing since I ran fast over 5km for the first time at the 2013 Lung Run with a 19:09 under Coach Cliff Matthews?
I go into each of my 5km races being hopeful that “today is the day.” I went into MRW thinking that this would be it. I was also chasing the money prizes as there would be cash 5 places deep ($250, $200, $100, $75, $50) in both the men’s and women’s field.
A Friday eve race can be tricky for freshness after a full workday and getting my 4 and 6 year old home and settled. I make it happen. I make a post to my Love Training More Team saying I’m ready and all in on #fearless. And bonus: I have enough time to meet longtime training pal Nick McBride to drive out together. A race is more fun when you’re with your people.
Another longtime friend and training partner Jer was out there too. I was collecting my last minute strategy pointers. Jer, having already run the course before assuming photography duties, said there was a headwind and to tuck in behind a guy on the 2.5km out. Nick left me at the car to complete warm up and told me to get my game face on. I did. I was uncharacteristically fierce at the start line with little chatter.
I stand right on the line.
Gun. Go.
First km: Relaxed. Strong. Smart. Dodging men who went out too hard. Split 3:47. Exactly per plan
Second km: Relaxed. Strong. Smart. Catch Nevitt and Mooy. Nevitt was my target to tuck behind. Opps, they are not going fast enough. I leave them. Split 3:48.
Third km: I am awesome coming off the pylon for once. I am in the second female spot and Paula in first place is absolutely flying. I have the second best money spot. I take 5 or 6 quick steps coming off the pylon and I get my groove back and I love the wall of humanity coming at me on their way out. If you yelled, I thank you. I saw and felt it, just without looking at or acknowledging you: fierce. I am strong. I order myself to be fearless over and over and my stride attacks the pavement. Split 3:48.
Fourth km: I am flooding with lactic acid. My left arm is on fire, at the elbow. I don’t need arms. Do it anyway. Be fearless. Pump arms harder. I glance at my watch and it isn’t good. The average pace for this lap is high 3:50s. I wonder if I don’t have the fitness or training base to close this out. Is the training physiology not on my side? That’s on me. But I tell myself that I will be so mad if I give up so I actively do not give up and try to grind harder. I’m all alone. I hear nothing behind me. There’s no one within reach ahead. I see the sunset and have a grateful thought about it. I try to grind more. Split 3:56 (ouch).
Fifth km: Giving self cues. Push. Pop. Push. Pop. I’m closing it out. There’s no give up. I might still have it. I have a random thought from an Alex Hutchinson podcast: “if someone drops a lion on the course, even at the end, everyone will just faster.” I drop my mental lion. I round the corner and the clock comes into view. It’s already at 19:02 at first glimpse. Split 3:51
Finish: 19:17. 3:49/km average. 12th overall. 2nd female. Winner of $200 prize money.
I enjoy the post-race camaraderie with friends and Halifax Road Hammer Teammates as the sun sets the rest of the way.
I can’t believe that I have to tell Nicky that I let go yet another sub 19. But I won $200!
“My fee for driving you here is $200,” he says.
I hug my athletes who I coach.
I did not meet my goal of this elusive sub-19. I met my prize money goal. Above all, I enjoyed this race experience. And more above all: my training journey has fit happily in my summer life and has been happy.
And what to do about the not-meeting of the sub-19 race goal?
Nothing.
I just plain old love to run and race. In this season of my running life, I choose to love the sport too much to let that be dragged down with disappointment over seconds on the clock.
I am enough. I am fast enough. I am enough just the way I am.
Big Sur to this Maritime Race Weekend moment has been enough.
What should you do if you didn’t meet your time goal? I don’t know. You gotta figure that out for your own self but work on figuring it out. I do suggest to keep the reason you run, the love of it, at the forefront.
Thanks as always to race director extraordinaire Michelle Kempton and her crew for a fantastic event. The elite bibs here and at Natal Day Road Races are some of the highlights of my summer season. The hype was amazing at the Sunset Race- the atmosphere was positive and electric.
I loved cheering on my Love Training More athletes and Halifax Road Hammer teammates on Saturday morning. It was a Run Happy weekend.
