Hello Beautiful Runners!
Another race down and another report to write. I'm pleased to announce that training is coming along nicely and I am now prepared after
today to take on a heavy training workload in the following weeks. The Squamish 10k is a flat and fast 10k course with only a small hill over a bridge. It's an out and back course on
flat pavement. I ran this course last year in 34:15, a 1 second PR over my Sun Run time and for the year. It was hotter than hell as well last year so I was hoping to have a bit of relief from that this year.
The previous night was spent enjoying less than healthy food and beverages accompanied by a great fireworks and even better friends. It seems hard for a night owl such as myself to call it an early night on these fabulous summer evenings. None the less I put a cap on my alcoholic intake and was in bed at a decent hour. It was an early morning feeling once again. I had company this morning as my best friend and his girl were in town from Calgary so I didn't have to worry about the drive. As we stopped off for our morning coffee at Davie and Denman Starbucks, I realized I had forgotten my race number and chip in my truck. I hate back tracking on race day. I must constantly remind myself to relax as I know we will get there with plenty of time for me to get organised and warm up. The weather this morning was perfect for a race. Cloud covered sky with a cool damp feel about the air made me thankful. The break in the heat was just what I needed to take advantage of this fast course.
We arrived in good time and I changed into my race uniform and began my warm up preparations. My stomach had been giving me severe disagreements since the moment I awoke, and I spent more time than usual in the mens room. I thought for sure it was going to pass once I started moving, but it only got worse. "Hmm," I thought. "I've had this feeling before." I am currently warming up in front of my two friends sitting in their car. Moments later I am vomiting in the field in front of my friends. "Uuugggh, not feeling my warm up all that much
today." I decide. After that I ran past my friends to the start line and said jokingly, "Thats how the pro's warm up!" On my way there I bump into my team mate Graeme Wilson who wasn't set to be there. Well I guess I have a shot at 3rd place then because I knew Tristan and Graeme are currently both faster than I am. On the line I bump into Yue-Ch
ing, a guy I raced last year in a 5k who put up a good fight and I only just beat. I asked him what time he was planning on running and he said low 33's so I knew there would be a good battle.
On your marks, get set, go! As the wave of runners splash forward we file into our set order of paces. It's always great during the first few hundred meters running side by side with the race leaders. I am only able to hold their pace for a short time before settling into my pace. I pass the first km marker just behind Yue in 3:17. Slightly quick on the pace, and about a half percen
t more exerted than I'd like to be, I decide to hold back just a bit. The last time I raced Yue he went hard too early and I think he might do the same again here so I allow him to grow a bit of a gap. I could hear a runners footsteps behind me as I focused on refining my technique and relaxing my body and breath. I kept hard on the pace and felt the comfort of knowing that this was only a 10k race. The following few kms were very smooth and I felt strong. At the turnaround I was more concerned with keeping my speed up and taking the turn in the most efficient manner than I was with my 5k split time. So I don't really know what my split was. Also I hadn't written down my splits and was running on pure feeling. It seemed to me as though I was doing alright. There was a short section of road that had been torn up for construction. We were instructed before the race to run on the gravel. I was worried about this because my racing flats have gravel sized holes in the sole for breath-ability and weight reduction that may pic
k up a painful rock. It was very hard pac
ked and most of the gravel was very fine and caused no problems. The ground was a little
uneven and I thought briefly about jumping back onto the pavement. I didn't want to brea
k the rules or collide with any oncoming runners so I stayed on the gravel. This was I suppose,
a good cha
nce for the body to be relieved from the pavement pounding but I wasn't able to get the perfect grip here on the gravel. Now that the gravel is over and I'm over the bridge, I have now a section about 1km which is slightly downhill going into the eighth km. at this point I am feeling very good and strong. I haven't lost any ground on Yue, and the thought of a comeback is coming into my head. U to this point, I was waiting for him to slow down, but he showed no sign. It wa
s
now my turn to make it happen. If I have any chance of catching him, it must be done now or it will be too late. For the last two kms of this race I increased my tempo substantially. I could s
ee Yue getting closer and closer and I was getting very close with one km to go. As we entered
the finish chute I was in good shape to pour it all on and take him but he fought very hard. This was not the sam
e competitor whom I had raced last year, he had been working hard and came prepared to this race today! I was so close I could almost touch him and he out kicked me with 20 meters to go! 4th place overall by three seconds in a time of 33:41.
The award ceremony was a great success again this year as I won another sweet draw prize. This year I won a pizza party for 10 at Boston Pizza in Squamish. It was great because I had all my team mates and even a few more runners right there that I could invite out for lunch. I sure enjoyed everyone's company and to win something that I could share with so many nice people was even better.
I must now train even harder for the Richmond 10k on August 15th because I will not Be out kicked on the line and I deserve a spot on that podium and will fight until my legs blowup to get one! See you all there.
Things I hate: Working hard for 10k to be beat by 3 seconds.
Things I love: Knowing there's more in the tank next time.
