I have only run this race once before and that was last year. I came into this 2014 season with the goal of doing the City Park Runners marathon and half marathon clinic to train for the Fargo full marathon. But the Winnipeg Police Services Half Marathon event and what it represents is something I believe in, as I have known many people who have succumbed to cancer and every little bit of support counts. Tapering is the least of my worries.
As the Fargo marathon is six days after this one, and there is always that risk of injury...I came into this race thinking of it as a dress rehearsal for the full in Fargo. I had a couple of goals, and that was pace and energy management, learning how to drink on the
I was in wave 1 start for 8:00 am. And I walked with Erick and Roberto over the bridge from CPR to the start line. I went in the 2:00 corral as I didn't want to get into the flurry of the faster corrals which Erick, Ted, Tracy, Joshua, coach Dan, Travis, Roberto and Yves stationed themselves in.
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| Photo courtesy of Judy Otto |
And the Police sirens go off. I can't say I've raced a lot, this will be my 5th half marathon and you start to learn from past experiences. And this one was that emotional surge at the start line and being surrounded by all these people, its easy to start picking up the pace and finding yourself running faster than you're normally used too and fading out when you least expect it, as I've experienced that a couple of times.
The first mile felt just right, but I had to pee...dammit. I know I had the advantage of months of training, while I know many around me haven't put in the mileage as me and my training partners have. The other advantage I had was the first 5 miles were in very familiar territory. Running down Wellington was like having home field advantage. I knew where the inclines and declines were and you get a good feel for a course after putting in many miles. I didn't take the first water station at mile 2 as I've trained to run 6km (3mi) without water, so why start now? And the course had aid stations roughly every mile after (best to check before your race). I got to see Dr. Phil and Lori cheering all the runners on at the Wellington turn off which we head back into Sir John Franklin Park over the bridge by the cementary on Wolseley avenue. It was at that aid station I took water and then stopped to see if the porta potty was free (it wasn't) which cost me about 10 seconds, so I carried on and kept my pace even.
The way I was thinking of doing the aid stations was water then gatorade and then alternate and carry on until mile 10. As I approached the aid station, I would call out what I wanted so the volunteer would hold out the right cup to me, thank them, garbage it (as I didn't want to be a dick about chucking the cup) and carry on. Drinking on the run is kind of an art in itself, and when I got to my second aid station I called out for gatorade and it was a bit over-filled. What I would do is crush the cup so the lip corners and I'd sip a little of a mouthful and swallow and then drink a bit more, trying not to get it all spilled on me.
It was on Parkside Drive where I found an empty porta potty and just did my business. It cost me another 20 seconds (yea it was a fast drain) but I wanted to be comfortable in this race and having to hold my pee was kind of bothersome and like I said, I wasn't stressing over the run. I was actually enjoying it.
The crowd was great on Portage Avenue, especially when you cross by the entrance of Assiniboine park. I was still going strong at the 6.5 mile mark and I didn't realize it until I saw the picture, but I was running alongside Art, who had bib number 1 which I thought was really cool...in a nerdy, running kind of way.
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| Photo courtesy Kevin Kowalchuk |
The only thoughts that were going through my mind was a Beatles song "What You're Doing" that had a catchy melody and let my glutes start the kinetic chain that would get me through a deceptively long stretch of Portage to Olive street then to Moray where I came upon a runner who looked like he was struggling. I asked him if he was okay, and he told me his muscles were cramping up since mile 3...ouch. I offered him my gummis and told him he's probably got no glycogen in his system I thought maybe it's time for me to take some and just keep them in the side of my mouth and take water from here on out. I suggested to the gentleman to not eat and swallow them and to just let them melt in his mouth as I didn't want the guy to get sick. He thanked me and I carried on.
Last year the infamous 9 mile turn was horrible for me...I thought I was literally going to puke. This year, I was met with a bunch of Filipino volunteers handing out at the aid station. I used what little Tagalog I knew asking for water (tubig) and they responded in kind Mabuhay which literally means live. I was feeling good, my pacing was good (8:43/mi) and I was able to run the inclines with little difficulty. As I was heading back over the Moray bridge into Westwood, I still had the gummis in my mouth, and I found myself alone. I saw the mark that I was looking for...(guy in yellow shirt, red hat and black shorts) who was about 100m ahead of me, when another runner came ambling up besides me...I looked at him, smiled and asked him if he was following me...guy was all "what?" I asked if he was following me, because I have no idea where I'm going...and he burst out laughing! We ran for another half mile before he trailed off...but my mark was still ahead of me.
After the 10th mile, it was when I started to get serious. My mark was still ahead of me, and I did a systems and diagnostics check on myself and found I was still in the green. Someone on the course was handing out orange slices so I spit out my gummis and took one (maybe a bad idea..) and had my last water. I came over the park bridge on Assiniboine crescent and into the mile 11 marker, I was met with Becky a fellow clinic runner! Her smile totally made my day and I told myself that now was the time to go...
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| Photo courtsey of Judy Otto |
When I got onto the last mile on Portage Avenue I thought back to all of the training runs I've done. All of the cold winters when it would have been better to stay in bed but I got up and ran...my talks with coach Dan, Erick, Osty, Tyler, watching ALL of my clinic friends run and them cheering me on during our interval training, I thought about my aunt, Tita Norming who died from cancer, and one of my best friends Marina Vitelli who died from cancer to the liver before her 40th...and suddenly the running didn't matter. What mattered was the belief people had in me and the honor of knowing such great people who have passed before their time. My mark was now 50m ahead of me...and I was suddenly passing about 20 runners that was between me and my mark. And when I got to Assiniboine park, I heard my name being shouted, RUBEN! I didn't want to turn my head as I found the stride I wanted...I was thinking of Meb and the video of his pacing and cadence and I was passing runners and chasing. My mark was now over the bridge and I could hear the course marshal saying "You did it! Just over the bridge and you're home!" But my mark was now 20m ahead and I knew I couldn't catch him...but what the hell...I knew in my heart of hearts I was giving it everything. I could have turned it on earlier...but it is what it is...but what was even better than being able to catch my mark was seeing my daughter Mackenzie waiting for me at the finish line...yep...And I was tapering.
After the race, and eating pancakes and taking a long hot shower and a nap...I ate McDonalds number 3 combo (Quarter Pounder BLT combo) and hung out with my girls. Did some foam rolling went bed early and finally started my taper...
...next up Fargo.
WPS Half Marathon Mile splits:
Split
|
Time
|
Distance
|
Avg Pace
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | 1:52:48.0 | 13.17 | 8:34 |
| 1 | 9:24.7 | 1.00 | 9:25 |
| 2 | 8:45.8 | 1.00 | 8:46 |
| 3 | 8:31.3 | 1.00 | 8:31 |
| 4 | 8:42.2 | 1.00 | 8:42 |
| 5 | 8:38.8 | 1.00 | 8:39 |
| 6 | 8:35.9 | 1.00 | 8:36 |
| 7 | 8:26.3 | 1.00 | 8:26 |
| 8 | 8:43.9 | 1.00 | 8:44 |
| 9 | 8:43.1 | 1.00 | 8:43 |
| 10 | 8:35.2 | 1.00 | 8:35 |
| 11 | 8:35.5 | 1.00 | 8:35 |
| 12 | 8:23.8 | 1.00 | 8:24 |
| 13 | 7:28.9 | 1.00 | 7:29 |
| 14 | 1:13.0 | 0.17 | 7:05 |
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