Energizer Light Up The Night Race (Photo Source)
This was a unique and fun race. It started at 9:30pm just as the sun was setting and everyone wore headlamps. With over 1,300 runners this looked really cool. The race was 2 loops of a 5km route so you had a few chances to see all the lights bobbing up and down. I must admit that the novelty of running with a headlamp lasted about 2 minutes before the thing kept slipping off my schweaty forehead and knocking me in the nose. I ended up taking off my headlamp and carrying it the rest of the way. I felt great the rest of the run and ran at a steady pace. I was so happy when I saw the finish line and the timmer was at the 45 min. My final time was 45:45.
Pre Race Fuel: This was an odd race to plan for because it was the first one I ever ran at night. I ate how I normally would throughout the day and drank plenty of water. About 2.5 hours before the race I made homemade burgers and salad for dinner. I'm sure this isn't the greatest but I had no inspiration that night to make anything else. I also had one small mouthful of GU in the car to the race but I was too nervous to eat anything else. No matter what, I always get nervous before a race.
Calgary Women's Run (Photo Source)
Last weekend I participated in the Calgary Women's run. I was supposed to run it with my mum but she is nursing a running injury this summer so we couldn't team up for the mother-daughter category. Too bad because we would have killed it (she is faster than me - although I think I'm catching up with these times). Maybe next year.
I ran most of the race all by my lonesome, since the first few girls were super speedy. Well I thought I was by myself but if you look in the pic you see a nice pack behind me to the right (the lady on my left is some random who was running on the path that day). I eyed out that little group behind me at the turnaround point and am pretty sure that's why I ended up running a personal best. My final clock time was 45:09! Nothing like a little competition to push you. Take that previous PB.
Results: Turns out I didn't need my mum on a team to help me place. I was 8th overall and 2nd in my age group! At first I thought I hadn't placed in my age group because the first few finishers were all in my age group, but they actually took the overall winners out of the age category prizes, so I got my little moment of glory (that is a race pet peeve of mine, when the winners get two prizes. Who needs 2 prizes anyway?)
Pre-race fuel: I went with my pre-race staple Oatmeal+PB+Banana. Why change a good thing? Clearly it worked.
And with that, I am officially done all of my races this year. Hockey season is starting up soon! Can't wait.
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