3 Races one report

This is just going to be a super short summary of my recent races. I have been too busy with school lately to post on any regular basis.


Thetis Lake 20k Relay. Nov. 11, 2009

I had planned to run the whole race solo but I had not been feeling great that morning. Luckily I met up with my brother and the group he was running with. So instead of running really hard and making myself feel worse I ran each loop (approx 4.25km) with each runner of my brothers relay team. I had an easy warm up lap with Dawn. Emily set what felt like a good comfortable pace and Andrew gave me a run for my money. It took about a km before I was running with him rather than behind. Interesting Personal Note: It may not be good for me to start a run slow to conserve energy because it was very difficult to convince myself to go faster despite chasing someone I knew I could run with. Sarah Ghans finished off the run with a consistant pace.

All in all an enjoyable day, and I think I learned a very important race lesson for longer races.


Bear Mountain 10k Nov. 21, 2009

I learned two important lessons this race.

#1 Despite feeling good at the time it is not worth it to roll over and go back to sleep rather that getting up early to eat. I felt awful for a good half of the run from having my breakfast sloshing around in my gut.

#2 Always register for races you plan on running. I had planned on registering for this run, but unfortunately the registration (online) closed the day before the race, and race day registration was 50 bucks! So instead of registering I ran anyway. Two problems with this: one you are not supporting the races that you enjoy so much, and not helping to grow the sport, and two there is so much less motivation to run hard.

All in all this was not one of my better races. It was fun, and I will certainly do this one again, but next year I will both register early and get up early!

My time was 40:02


Gunner Shaw XC Nov. 28, 2009

This is the first race I ever competed so this race marks the beginning of my 4th year of racing. For the forth year in a row the course for this race has been changed. This years course however may be my favourite so far. It was a shorter course this year than last, being only a little over 8.5km this year. However this year a second "puddle" was added, and the course took a loop that was further out than what the past years have done taking the us, the runners, over rougher and tougher terrain. The last km also had 3 steep hills to climb before a final slog through the lake to the finish line.

I started strong (and was leading the race for a few short seconds) but was feeling a little sick/off almost immediately and for the next few km. My HR was very high until about 3.5 km but I seemed to get into some sort of rythm after that point. People were no longer passing me. And I started to slowly pull back the positions I lost. At about 5km I passed a guy in orange who I had been following for a long time only to be passed again by him with about 1.5km to go... but wait this runner was not him, it was Bruce Martell (A guy who I've been in friendly competition with for the past couple years at this race). I knew I had to keep up with Bruce. He was gaining on me on the down hills, but I knew I had a chance with the 3 big hill climbs before the finish. I managed to re-pass on the first of the last three hills and then gain enough on the other 2 to hold my lead for the finish.

I managed to place 12 OA, I have been hoping for a top 10, but placings are very dependent on who shows up as well as how well you race. All the same I was very happy with my race.

My time: 36:14

New name

Well,it's been a long time since I've posted, and even longer since I have had a look over my blog page. Seeing as how worlds is long said and done I thought that I should change the name of my blog. "Road to Worlds 2009" just didn't seem fitting anymore.

As for training I have finally started to get back into it after a week and a half inactivity binge after the RVM. I have been running to and from school (4km each direction). Running has been going well I just had my fastest run home yet (14:31 which was an average pace of 3:35/km). Biking has been terrible tho, I have only been on my bike a handful of times since worlds and I feel very weak when riding. Oh well, I know that biking will come back quickly. Swimming on the other hand need work. I miss coming home from "The Gardens" and going for a swim in the lake. I need to work swimming into my school routine as I have yet to have a training swim since Australia.

That's it for now. Next posting will likely be after the Thetis 20k relay.