Chilly 1/2 Marathon Race Report

The Chilly 1/2 Marathon 2007 is now history. This was my 4th Chilly and my 11th half-marthon since I started running 4 and a bit years ago.

I got to the race at 8:30 so I could pick up my race kit early. The race itself didn't start until 10:05. It was completely sold out ... so there were TONS of runners hanging around the Travelodge hotel in downtown Burlington.

I got a cup of coffee (the race sponsor was Tim Horton's the patron saint of Canadian caffeine) and tried to stay warm(ish). I talked to a few people and then headed to the start line at 9:40. I really and truly wasn't expecting much ... just a finish. I was hoping for maybe a 2:30 finish but really not sure if I could do it.

My training had been rather lackluster ... not getting in the weekday runs but getting in the long runs on the weekend. Plus I'd been taking it easy on my long runs ... R5/W1 or even R3/W1 when the wind was up. And ... to add insult to injury I had my period.

So ... we start. I saw a few pace bunnies but decided I was going to run on my own using an R5/W1 strategy. I'm going along at a good pace feeling pretty good ... and I pass the 2:20 pace bunny. I hit 5K mark and I'm 2 1/2 minutes ahead of a 2:30 finish pace. But I'm feeling good .... so I say to myself ... okay try and slow it down a bit since you don't want to overdo it.Then I hit 10K and I'm 6 minutes ahead of pace ... and still feeling good. Now the funny thing is I usually have 2 gels with me on a 1/2 and I didn't check how many I had at home ... so the morning of the race I find I have one Tangerine Powergel with extra caffiene. I usually use Cliffshots Chocolate ... at around 11K i do the gel ... but I don't do all of it since it's not my usual gel.

I hit 16K ... and I'm 10 minutes ahead, still going and still feeling good ... and I STILL haven't seen the 2:20 bunny ... I realize I'm going to beat my 2:30 time ... I continue on ... 18K and i'm still going ... legs starting to feel a little tired but okay ... 19K ... look at my time and I'm at 2:05 ... I push on ... and finished in 2:20:49. Last year I ran with a bunny to pace me at R10/W1 and finished in 2:21:38 ... and I'm sure I was better trained last year.

The race gods smiled down on me ... so now ... bring on the ATB!

Shirley