Race Report: First 5K Race Sport Chek Mothers Day Run & Walk

The day dawned cold and rainy.  By the time we got to the starting line of the Mother's Day Run and Walk, there were a few fluffier raindrops mixed in.   The twins had managed to add a roadbump to our arriving by both of them getting carsick on the drive into the city and needing new outfits.  Luckilly everything was running a little later than it should so we were still able to line up with plenty of time.  Cam and the girls headed back to the stroller lineup and I seeded myself in with the 7 min/k group (based on my training times)

Finally the girls from Good Life Fitness started a really lame cardio routine that no one back where I was could see and no one followed along to.  We were all jumping or jogging to warm up and stay warm.   At long last, the gun went off and the wheelchairs were on their way.  Then, 3 mins later, the rest of us were set free.   Everything felt like it was in slow motion as we walked slowly to the starting line (why nobody ran is still beyond me, but it's my first race - what do I know?).  Then my feet hit the timing map and I pressed "start" on my Garmin.  

The first thing I noticed was that I seeded myself with too slow of a group.  I was immediately tripping around the slower people.  The thing that annoyed me the most was when families lined up, holding hands, and spread across the street.   By the time we turned onto 5th street, though, I was past the slowpokes and was ready to really take off!  And an immediate downhill was a big help :).   I tried to accellerate through the uphills to keep going.  It wasn't too much further, and a quick glance at my Garmin, that showed I had the potential to get a much better time than the 40 mins I was aiming for!

It was like that thought added wings to my feet and I just started to fly!   When I hit 25th Ave, I zoomed past the water station.  I knew I'd be fine to the end :)   When we turned east on 10th Ave, my right knee complained a bit but quickly shut up as I told myself "only one more kilometre".   By the time I turned north on Macleod - I was giving it all I had.  Under the overpass and then up the hill to the finish line.  When I could see the clock (it read 35:08 from the time the wheelchair gun went off), I put in a good kick to the finish.   When my feet hit the timing mat, I hit "stop" on the Garmin (and missed - it took a second press).  32:24.  I was elated!

They handed me my rose (for being a mom in the race) and I grabbed a banana, a water, a yogourt, a chocolate milk and an apple juice (lol - I was ravenous) and headed off to cool down and stretch while I waited for Cam to come in.  I texted him my time and then had a girl nearby take my picture with my cell phone:

Just after an hour, Cam and the girlies crossed the finish line and we were reunited and could head home to spend the rest of our mother's day together!  (WHen I got home, I checked online to see if my official time was in - yay!  32:13!) 

I love that we spent the morning of my first Mother's Day at the race.   Our twins were born 6 weeks early and had to spend 8 days in the NICU just shy of a year ago.  It made it fairly emotional for me everytime someone came on the loudspeaker, talking about how the race would benefit the NICUs and Special Care Nurseries that the girlies lived in those few days!  I can easilly see this race becoming our first real family tradition!