all in
maybe it was a belated april fools day joke but the second of april looked more like winter than spring. snow was falling and accumulating as a slushy mix while a strong wind blew from the west.
we stood at the start of the trailbreaker half marathon and after the national anthem we were sent on our way with an air horn. within a few strides it seemed to me that no one had pushed forward to set the pace.
something clicked in my head and i surged to see what would happen.
no one went with me.
just past a mile i shouted to a friend who was watching the race WHERE ARE THEY and he shouted back that they weren’t close.
i couldn’t believe it.
over a snow covered bridge in the second mile. still in front.
in the third mile, turning onto the glacial drumlin bike trail.
still in front. running against the wind.
four miles. relax.
five miles. breathe.
six miles. focus.
just past seven miles i was approaching the aid station and the turnaround.
the volunteers were cheering and then there’s a flash from someone’s smartphone as they take a picture.
rounding the orange cone there’s someone right behind me. a few strides later he’s in front of me, and then a second runner.
they’re running side by side just ahead of me.
eight miles. stay in contact. use the tailwind.
nine miles. they’re talking to each other. are you kidding me?
ten miles. my pace slows while they pull further away.
eleven miles. twelve miles. hold steady. no one else passes.
back into the city. finish line in sight. one last push.
my watch stops with one hour, twenty seven minutes and change on the display then a volunteer kindly presents me with a finishers medal.
i get to say hello to another friend and we struck up a conversation with the two guys who finished ahead of me. they’re nice and i told them that i could see them talking back and forth while i was busting my rear end out there. turns out they were indeed racing but they were just working together.
to be honest, i was still smarting a bit from not being able to hold on for the win. that feeling eased after getting some dry clothes on and hanging out with them while we waited for our awards. both guys were in their twenties which meant that i had claimed the master’s title.
after we received our certificates we said goodbye and i shook the hand of the guy who finished second.
“see you next year” he said.
with a bit of a smirk, i replied.
“yep. we’ll see. next year.”
Finish – 1:27:08
3rd/168 Overall & 1st Master
————————————–
2/14 – 10.25 miles
2/15 – 7 miles
2/16 – 7 miles
2/17 – 7 miles
2/18 – 7 miles
2/19 – 7 miles
2/20 – 10 miles
2/21 – 7 miles
2/22 – 7 miles
2/23 – 7 miles
2/24 – 7 miles
2/25 – 7 miles
2/26 – 7 miles
2/27 – 15 miles
2/28 – 11 miles
2/29 – 7 miles
February Totals: 235 miles (29/29 Days, 33 Hours & 38 Minutes)
3/1 – 7 miles
3/2 – 7 miles
3/3 – 7 miles
3/4 – 7 miles
3/5 – 14 miles
3/6 – 16 miles
3/7 – 7 miles
3/8 – 7 miles
3/9 – 7 miles
3/10 – 7 miles
3/11 – 7 miles
3/12 – 9 miles
3/13 – 11 miles
3/14 – 7 miles
3/15 – 7 miles
3/16 – off
3/17 – 7 miles
3/18 – 7 miles
3/19 – 13 miles
3/20 – 13 miles
3/21 – 7 miles
3/22 – 7 miles
3/23 – 7 miles
3/24 – 7 miles
3/25 – 7 miles
3/26 – 10 miles
3/27 – 7 miles
3/28 – 12 miles
3/29 – 7 miles
3/30 – 7 miles
3/31 – 5 miles
March Totals: 250 miles (30/31 Days, 34 Hours and 30 Minutes)
4/1 – off
4/2 – 13.1 in 1:27:08 with 1.2 mile w/u
4/3 – 8 miles
4/4 – 7 miles
4/5 – 7 miles
4/6 – off
4/7 – 7 miles
4/8 – 7 miles
MTD – 50.25 miles (5/7 Days, 6 Hours & 56 Minutes)
YTD – 766.5 miles (96/99 Days, 110 Hours & 3 Minutes)
Odometer – 43,716.5 miles