Marathon Recovery - Week 4 - "Run for Light"

I call this a "Fun Run Report" rather than a "Race Report" because the announcer specifically said "this is not a race, it's a fun run".

I think his point was this was meant to be a family-friendly, everyone-welcome, event for a very good cause (BC Blind Sports) not a chance for all of us to stick out our elbows and push the slower people out of our way....

Ok - so I reluctantly checked my elbows at the door.

I had to calm myself down a bit when we arrived because it was very rushed getting there. We had gone for dinner in the West End earlier that evening and spontaneously bought used bikes from one of the bike rental shops.

We rode them the long way home around Stanley Park and left the car to pick up later. It was amazing to ride a bike in the city after not having one for about 15 years! Anyway, it did mean we had to RACE back to get me to the start in time...

When we arrived we found a low-key, festive, friendly atmosphere as he sun set over the North Shore Mountains across Burrard Inlet. Tons of little kids with their parents, Grammas and Grampas, and even people in jeans.

It was so lovely to drive into the park at the edge of the downtown core, through the old-growth forest along the seashore. I am not sure how many people showed up but it was probably under 1000. I just thought the novelty of running around after dark with glow sticks was too much to pass up.

We started off by running across the park, past the petting zoo and down to the seawall on the Coal Harbour side (city side) of the park. One big loop around, past the nine o'clock gun, the lighthouse and back to the start area.

I actually forgot to look at my watch when we started and did not look at it while I ran. I just ran as fast as I thought I could sustain without feeling terrible. I even stopped after a couple of kilometers to take some pictures of the runners running around the curve of the seawall with their lightsticks. It looked so funny - but sadly the pictures didn't turn out. I haven't figured out how to get my crappy little old digital camera to take good night shots. It IS the camera's fault.

Anyway, I didn't feel awesome the last kilometer or so...I should have used the puffer because the air was quite cold and my lungs were feeling kind of stressed.

I passed a lot of people (once we were all spread out and I could do so without being an a$$hole). When I ran in for the finish I passed IB sitting on a bench and heard him shout as I passed "Almost there - run fast" - so I did.

IB says he only saw 2 or 3 women ahead of me which is nice if its true AND he said it took me about 21 minutes.

So what do you know...Maybe I'm in better shape now than I thought. No pain in the knees! Yay!

This week's training:
Monday

1 hr weight training

20 min reclined bike

30 min walking

Tuesday

5 mile (8K) easy run (10:36 pace)

30 min walking

Wednesday

4 mile easy run (11:24 pace)

50 min walking

Thursday

1 hr weight training

30 min cardio

1 hr. 30 min. walking

Friday

30 min walking

4.3 K Race, "Run for Light"

Saturday

60 minute run with IB

Sunday

Rest