cdn_gal_eeyore
HSBC Calgary Half Marathon - my first ever - 07/08
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2007
- Messages
- 997
Yesterday I ran the St. Patrick's Day 10K:
The weather here has been pretty nice for the last few weeks, but all of a sudden on Saturday night it started to snow. When I woke up Sunday morning to let my dog outside it was like a winter wonderland out there with -13 deg C (8 deg F) temperatures to boot. I got dressed up in pretty well every piece of green running gear I own - green Smartwool socks, my Feeling Lucky tech shirt (because if you can't wear this to a St. Patrick's Day race, when can you?), my green Under Armour zip up hoodie and a green tuque.
One of the main selling features of this race is the opportunity to win your weight in beer from this year's sponsor Mountain Crest. They had all the beer piled on the stage to tease you before the race. I tell you, in the picture above it looks like I was already dipping into the Mountain Crest... Luckily you don't have to win the race to win the beer, they draw for names instead. Whew!
It might have been chilly outside but once I got moving the temperature felt comfortable. Thankfully there was no wind, the only bad part was the ice and slush on the road. The race started and finished at McMahon Stadium and we ran two laps around the University of Calgary. My boyfriend was running his second race ever and and we hung together for the first 5K but after that we parted ways and I was on my own. All of a sudden snow started coming down in buckets. I was happy I'd left my glasses in the car but I kept having to brush the snow off that was clinging to my eyelashes. Given my spotty training I had no illusions of glory and inside I hoped that I could at least come close, or maybe even beat, last year's time of 1:07:03. My pace picked up a bit and I was passing people but it was going to be tough. At least I was feeling half decent on the run - I had a bit of shin pain at the 1 mile mark that quickly faded. I ran across the finish line and turned off the Garmin - 1:07:12. Okay, so I didn't beat last year's time but it was pretty close. I started walking back up the way the runners were coming in and my DBF appeared soon and crossed the finish line maybe 2 minutes after I did. We headed inside the Red and White Club at McMahon Stadium to get our Irish Stew, some rolls and some coffee.
I didn't win my weight in beer, but the event was a lot of fun, plus we got some great race shirts:
The weather here has been pretty nice for the last few weeks, but all of a sudden on Saturday night it started to snow. When I woke up Sunday morning to let my dog outside it was like a winter wonderland out there with -13 deg C (8 deg F) temperatures to boot. I got dressed up in pretty well every piece of green running gear I own - green Smartwool socks, my Feeling Lucky tech shirt (because if you can't wear this to a St. Patrick's Day race, when can you?), my green Under Armour zip up hoodie and a green tuque.
One of the main selling features of this race is the opportunity to win your weight in beer from this year's sponsor Mountain Crest. They had all the beer piled on the stage to tease you before the race. I tell you, in the picture above it looks like I was already dipping into the Mountain Crest... Luckily you don't have to win the race to win the beer, they draw for names instead. Whew!
It might have been chilly outside but once I got moving the temperature felt comfortable. Thankfully there was no wind, the only bad part was the ice and slush on the road. The race started and finished at McMahon Stadium and we ran two laps around the University of Calgary. My boyfriend was running his second race ever and and we hung together for the first 5K but after that we parted ways and I was on my own. All of a sudden snow started coming down in buckets. I was happy I'd left my glasses in the car but I kept having to brush the snow off that was clinging to my eyelashes. Given my spotty training I had no illusions of glory and inside I hoped that I could at least come close, or maybe even beat, last year's time of 1:07:03. My pace picked up a bit and I was passing people but it was going to be tough. At least I was feeling half decent on the run - I had a bit of shin pain at the 1 mile mark that quickly faded. I ran across the finish line and turned off the Garmin - 1:07:12. Okay, so I didn't beat last year's time but it was pretty close. I started walking back up the way the runners were coming in and my DBF appeared soon and crossed the finish line maybe 2 minutes after I did. We headed inside the Red and White Club at McMahon Stadium to get our Irish Stew, some rolls and some coffee.
I didn't win my weight in beer, but the event was a lot of fun, plus we got some great race shirts:
