Club member and LYNX swim Coach, Dana, recently chose the 38th edition of the The Original St. Patrick’s Day Road Race as her re-entry into the running race scene. You can read about her experience below. Thanks for sharing Dana!
Why this Race is Great…
“If you’re looking for a low-key 5K or 10K running event as we emerge out of winter next year, consider participating in the St. Patrick’s Day Road Race put on by the Calgary Road Runners. After several years’ absence from the running race scene, I decided the 10K at this event would be my first one back. The timing of this race is perfect for testing your baseline run fitness before getting ready for summer racing. You can’t really expect to train for it during the snowy/icy winter months (or at least that’s what I told myself), so it naturally becomes a zero-pressure event. The race starts and ends at Central Memorial High School. After the race, there is a short ceremony in the school gym, complete with a warm meal, photo booth, age group awards and a name draw to “win your weight in beer” (a hilarious teeter totter set up determines the size of the prize). Unfortunately, this year’s post-race festivities had to be moved outdoors, which did put a small damper on the usual cheer, but the race organizers and volunteers did a fabulous job of this last-minute pivot.”
Time to Race…
“Although I told myself that I should have no expectations for my time or result, I still felt those familiar pre-race butterflies the night before the race (and seriously considered simply not showing up). When morning arrived with a fresh skiff of snow and temps hovering around -10C and -15C with the wind chill, it became a lot easier to relax and just aim to enjoy the morning by putting in a strong effort and supporting the other athletes around me. Having been away from racing for so long (and leaving my GPS watch at the bottom of a drawer for years), I had to go completely by feel. What kind of pace could I sustain for 10K? I wanted to run strong, yet not risk having my legs turn to lead after 5K. Speaking of the halfway mark, I had forgotten about the incredible amount of positive and encouraging self-talk that is required to keep pushing as the pace starts to feel tougher. Where were my old mantras? Thankfully I did manage to convince my legs and lungs to keep it up and not give in to the ever-increasing desire to slow down to a walk.”
The Outcome…
“I was happy enough with my result, knowing that I had ran as well as I could for the wintery conditions and my current fitness. Instead of focusing on my time, I’ve thought a lot about what else I achieved by running this race. For many athletes (myself included), it takes a amount of bravery to show up at the start line in less than optimal shape. It also takes courage to ignore the demons in your head (I’m sure you’re familiar with them – they’re the voice shouting, “Slow down, you can’t do this!”) and keep pushing all the way to the finish line. In the end, I’ve come to the realization that becoming a better athlete involves a lot more than just going through the motions of training your body and building speed, strength, and endurance – it’s also about choosing to put yourself out of your comfort zone on a regular basis. This is the mindset I am approaching summer race season with. How will YOU choose to break out of your own comfort zone this year?”
You can find Dana on the pool deck coaching the 7:30pm LYNX Group Swim on Tuesday nights. And, in case you’re wondering, she finished 1st in her age group and was the 6th fastest female overall out of 136. Amazing job Dana! 👏