Tuesday, April 23, 2024 – How was your race? (Carol McFarlane)

Hi Everyone!

Huge congrats to everyone who raced this weekend! Chris Fortin ran the Half Marathon in Montreal in a PB of 1:25! And over in London in the marathon we had a very stellar crew. Amanda (BQ!), Fran (BQ!), Annick (PB and BQ!) and Meagan (fought through an injury and gets the toughy tough award). This weekend we have Colette and Lori running Mississauga! (am I missing anyone? )

Today we have a guest post by Carol McFarlane. Thank-you!

How was your race?”

I love this question, and I love it for many reasons. To start, there is beauty in the openness of it guaranteeing no wrong answer. Those who ask, and why they ask, are seeking an answer that ranges in depth and detail. Let’s be honest, the majority out there despite their love for you, don’t really care about your ‘time’, and if you say in the most matter a fact way, “it was good’, you both ticked some weird social grace box. I also love this question because you control the narrative. It can present itself as being a) a short response like an ‘elevator pitch’ of the race blurted out in fifteen seconds, b) a thirty-minute blow by blow ridiculously detailed novel; or c) something, & anything in between.

Finally, and probably most importantly, I love this question because of how my answer has changed. Not for good or bad, just different. Years ago, I instinctively answered by sharing details of the ‘race’ experience. The number of KMs I traveled; my emotions at the starting line; my race day gear; planned and actual pace; and the ‘do you avert/ not avert’ response to ‘what was your time?’ These days, the race is important, BUT it plays one small piece in the complex, colourful, rewarding when done, beautiful puzzle. All the pieces that make up the experience are part of my response.

Reflecting upon my recent race, when asked, I share the fun in making new connections, the aliveness of a city, the random conversations with strangers all sorting out pre-race nerves, smiling at kindness & compassion along the course, sheer happiness and girl like giggling with unplanned post race meet ups; and post race ‘blips’ that needed to be figured out in the most adult/pragmatic manner. So today, my personal response to ‘how was your race?’ describes, like it or not to the naïve sucker who may ask, and indulge me, the unabridged Soup 2 Nuts adventure.

On to tomorrow’s workout: Let’s do a Fartlek on the spit! (warning, bring your midge goggles). 6:05 meet at Lakeshore and Leslie, usual spot for drills. 6:15 we’ll head down to the spit.

If you’re coming back from Boston or Montreal half or just feel like a social, come and run.

If you’re doing a regular workout: 2 x 5 min w 2 min easy, 5 x 2 min ON, 1 min OFF, 2 min easy, 5 x 1 min ON, 1 min OFF. Start at HM to 10K pace for the 5 minuters. Then see if you can get to 5K pace for the 2 minuters, and a lil faster for the 1 minuters.

If you’re racing Mississauga this weekend: 5 min @ marathon pace, 2-3 min easy, 2-3 x 2 min a lil quicker (w 1-2 min easy).

That is all – see you in the am!

Seanna