Ultra , Why Not?

I had met a wonderful group of running moms a few years ago and started running with them on and off early last year. At first, I was afraid to run with them as most of them are experienced runners, Boston qualifiers with tons of races under their belts.  I had a lot of self doubt and didn't want to be "that" slow one, or the one that they had to wait for.   But we all had a few things in common, the love of running and love for our family.  When I first met them, we were all training for a range of distances from half marathons to ultra marathons. I was inspired by their many stories and found myself wanting to run with them.

I spent this past year training with alongside them. I was training for my full and they were training for 100 miler and 100 km races. We spent many runs together chatting and getting to know each other. It had become my therapy to meet with these women from all walks of life and just run and forget about all that was going on in our busy lives for that couple of hours we were out for our long runs.

My 2016 racing season did not go as planned. I spent many days after my fall marathon thinking about all that went wrong and how to do it better for 2017. After a few weeks of feeling sorry for myself, I decided to try something new.  They were nothing but supportive when I asked if they would be interested in running my first ultra marathon with me. I had heard all about their previous races and was just dying to try something new. They were both experienced trail runners and had done a few ultras in the past, so I knew that I would be in good hands.

My buddies had given me a criteria for me when I was looking up races. They did not want to train in the Canadian summer which meant I had to find a Spring race, no races that are just in the forest,  they wanted something with breath taking views and nothing in Utah. We decided on the Monument Valley 50 Mile Race for 2017. I have days where I'm super excited, but most days I try not to think about it, because I am freaking out.

So tomorrow we start our training. ....




Thanks for reading...

Have you ever run and Ultra Marathon?

If so where?

Any Tips for this Newbie??

A Slow Comeback

It has been a few months since I have written on my blog.  So, what's new? Things are coming along slowly. I had decided early this year that I was going to run less races this year and focus on my training. I would work on my mental game plan along with the physical part of racing.

My first race of 2016 was the 30K Around the Bay Road Race. I have run this race a few times as it is a very popular race in the run community. I went into the race rather nervous as I wanted to do well, but the weather changed right before the race. It snowed. I had been training through the winter with my little guy in the stroller through some pretty wicked weather.  I was disappointed with the race as I did not do as well has I had last year. I guess there will always be next year.

So Much Fun with Buddies

Have Stroller will Run

In April, we went down to Rochester, New York to celebrate a good girlfriend's birthday as well as run a half marathon together. It was a full family weekend as the kids also were able to participate in their own races. I love running in Rochester. The city is quaint and full of runners. Streets are not crowded and the course is always rolling.... as in hilly. I had run the half a few years ago with the birthday girl for her first half marathon experience but this time I wanted to see if I could do better on the hilly course. I kept a good pace for the first 10km but slowed down quite a bit as this is when the hills started. I was pleased with the race and now looking forward to my next half marathon in August.

I am now training for the Seawheeze Half Marathon in Vancouver with my cousin.  It will be her first ever half marathon. I am super excited for her and also for our getaway weekend. I ran this race 3 years ago when I was on maternity leave and took her out there with my kids. This race is hosted by Lululemon, so needless to say, it's an amazing event. It was one of my most memorable races ever. The course and vibe is like no other. I had told my cousin three years ago that if she was to ever run a half marathon, this one should be it and I promised I would take her and run with her. 

After talking with the coach earlier in the year,  I decided to only run 1 marathon this year and focus on my pacing.  I signed up to run the Wineglass Marathon in the fall. As always, I am going to try to PB. Here's hoping that all goes well.

I have found a great group of ladies that are as excited about running as I am and we get together every Saturday morning at 5:30 for our long runs.  Most of them are experienced runners and training for all sorts of distances from half marathons to ultra marathons. I have learned that I enjoy running in a group setting. The time definitely passes much quicker when there are people to chat with and keep the pace going.  It is always tough when the alarm goes off at 4:30, but I wouldn't miss it at all. It has been a good boost for me to have these strong runners push me when I want to turn around and give up. 

Have a great weekend ! 

What races to you have planned?

What keeps you motivated to keep on training? 

Hong Kong or Bust !

Hubby and I had decided in early 2015 that we would end our year partying it up in Hong Kong. My parents decided to join as well as a few of our close friends. Our last family trip out that way was Christmas of 2013.  It was a rough trip as hubby and the kids all got sick.  I spent most of the holiday nursing them all back to health. Hubby was very nervous before heading out, but was excited as now our kids were 2 years older and our friends were going to be joining us there.

Mom and My Princess

It's always a surprise when travelling standby, but were were all lucky to get on the first flight we tried. The route to Hong Kong is one that I am familiar with as I work it all year round. I am used to the long flight, but not as a passenger. I'm usually asking if you want the chicken or the beef :)

15 hours to go

My post 2 years ago has a few suggestions for travelling with kids.  My kids have been very fortunate to have started travelling at a very early age. My hubby and I love to travel and always take our kids with us. With that being said, I still suggest bringing lots of bribes and goodies to keep the kids entertained for hours. Bring comfort items as well and always keep in mind all the things you take out during your flight at the beginning because it will be a frantic end of the flight searching for all the stuff you took out at the beginning.

After 20 hours of travelling we made it to our final destination.  Hong Kong is one of my favourite cities.  It should be on everyone's top 10 places to visit. Here are some of the many highlights of our trip.

Posing in Front of Bruce Lee's home

Hubby is a huge Bruce Lee fan and found out that we could actually see it. It was sold after his death and turned into a 'love hotel'. It now stands empty, but was still cool to see.

Disneyland

One of the best things about Hong Kong is their public transit system called the MTR. It can get you to pretty much anywhere in and out of the city. It even brings you to the boarder crossing at Shenzhen.  There is even an app that you can load to help you with schedules of the trains and busses. We took it it everywhere even to Disneyland to surprise the kids for Christmas day.

Mom and Dad with the Kids

Running with Hubs

My parents joined us on this trip which allowed us to squeeze in a few quick runs. Hong Kong is not just big city, but has many gorgeous nature reserves and hiking trails. We stayed at an apartment nestled in the many hills of HK and was schooled by these hills.

Views from The Peak

We also did many touristy things as it had been a few years since our friends had visited HK. The Peak is a must do for any visitor. It has the most spectacular views of the city. There are also hiking trails nearby with the Pok Fu Lam Reservoir right there.

Cable Car ride at Ocean Park

We love HK

Ocean Park is part aquarium, part theme park nestled into one of the many mountains.  It was one of my fondest memories of HK. My parents had taken me there on my first visit to HK in 1983. I am told that much of it has changed, but their signature cable car still remains the same. It spans 1.5 km one way and offers AMAZING views of the surrounding area, the park and the sea. It connects you to the other part of the park where most of the new rides and shows are. 

HK Railway Museum

My son is currently a huge train enthusiast and when I found out that there was a Railway Museum, I knew I had to take him there. Both the kids had a blast seeing old engines and trains from the past.

Frozen Beer

Here's to an amazing finish to 2015 for me. We survived the trip and no one got sick this time. I was able to squeeze in a few runs and saw new places that I had never seen. As, I mentioned earlier Hong Kong is a fantastic city. It is busy and crowded yet peaceful and free. There are many things to do and sites to see. The food is incredible. Many of the restaurant chains in North America can be found there. All signs are in both English and Chinese and their transportation system is top notch.

We are looking forward to visiting again on day.... after we recover from the crazy jet lag.

Thanks for reading.

Where are you top places to visit in the world?

Have you been to Hong Kong? What are your favourite memories?

Happy New Year. Looking Ahead to 2016

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Year Holiday. I was very fortunate to have spent the last few weeks of 2015 in Hong Kong with my family and friends. I was also forced to take a break from my training due to our busy schedule and to be honest, it was supposed to be a vacation.

Hong Kong Skyline

I know that I have been very absent from my blog and I can't really  nail down the reason. I guess it was part laziness, but I have a feeling the main reason was that 2015 was a tough year with my running life. I had no PB's (personal bests) and was pretty down on myself.

I still have a bunch of race reports to write up from 2015 and promised myself that I will get to it.  There are many days where I just want to shut down and completely stop writing.  I'm not much of a writer and there are many blogs out there that are way better than mine. I know because I follow many of them.

I started my blog as a way for me to talk about my passion for running and hope to inspire people. It has been therapeutic for me and also emotional for me.   It was an outlet for me as many people around me were sick and tired from listening to me talk about running, training, racing and all things related to the sport. 

Looking back at my New Year's post 2015, I had set out goals which I can sadly say I didn't accomplish. I feel like I completely let myself and any readers out there down. I obsessed over social media following fellow bloggers and runners and saw all their successes which made it even harder for me. Many were inspiring, but at the same time can be a huge downer when I was not where I wanted to be with my journey.  I found myself comparing myself to them. 

As I am still getting over the jet lag from my fabulous holiday and typing away at 4am, I look forward to 2016.  I am not going to set lofty goals for myself. I AM going to stop being so hard on myself and enjoy the training this year. Of course I will be aiming for PB's and always chasing down the unicorn. I will continue to train as hard as I can and run each race with all I have. I want to start the year with a clean slate and a clear mind.  If 2015 taught me anything, it's that running is 95 % mental and the rest is physical.

Happy Hump Day and Thanks for Reading

What did 2015 teach you?

Do you have goals for 2016? What are they?

Taper Week

So this is taper week. It's not the first time I've been here, and definitely not my last.  This training cycle for marathon #5 has been a tough go for me. I'm not sure why I've had such a tough go, but I am not going to dwell on it.

I have been following a customized training plan and completed almost all the training plan that was given to me. However, as my training progressed, I realized that I wasn't getting any faster.  It had seemed as if I had hit a plateau. My plan had me running less mileage, but more frequently.

I ran some races during this training cycle and all of them I crashed. I couldn't seem to pick it up. With each race, I started to doubt myself and my abilities. I felt beaten before every run.

Other than running with my little guy in the stroller, it has been a lonely training cycle.  I don't really talk to people about my running anymore other than posting on Instagram and blogging.  I am always inspired and motivated when seeing other runners post about their successes, but I wonder if it's making me feel worse about myself.  I was able to get out on a few runs with a friend and was able to push myself to run harder than I had in any previous runs. These runs boosted my confidence a bit, but also helped me understand that I may perform better if I had other runners to help push me.

My running buddy and I

I am looking forward to the upcoming marathon just so that I can get it over with and start over again with the next marathon.  I know it sounds crazy, but I am actually looking for another marathon to run next year.  I am almost certain that I will not run a personal best, but I will finish. Finishing is an accomplishment on its own, but I am not going to give up my dreams. I will continue to train and chase down a BQ (Boston Qualifier).

One Step at a Time

Do you have a race coming up?

Have you ever had to deal with self doubts ? If so, how did you deal with it?

Thank you for reading

29 Days to Go to Marathon #5

I cannot believe that it is already October.  I feel as if I was just doing back to school shopping the other day for my kid and now I'm already looking out for Halloween costumes.

It seems like things are falling back to place with my princess back in school, I only have my crazy toddler son at home with me. We are back to running in the stroller and looking forward to my fall marathon. I had hoped that I would do well and PR on this upcoming marathon, but as I do not think it is going to happen.

I started a new training plan which has been more time based than distance. I do like knowing how long I will be out on the road, but at the same time it has been challenging planning the routes. I know that running is a process and there are highs and lows. This training cycle has proven to really challenge me. I have been battling self doubt as my training has not seemed to have paid off. I have been sluggish and running slower than before.

I don't want to be one of those people that blame it on age, but heck I was hoping 40 would be my new 30. A friend sent over some articles about overtraining. I didn't think it really applied to me as I am training rather conservatively, with reasonable mileage. I think it maybe the fact that I'm over thinking now.

I have not run a personal best this year which has been very deflating. I think part of the reason is that I keep beating myself down with every run and also I miss my running buddy terribly. I always thought that I could do it on my own, but running with another person just makes it so much more enjoyable.  My run buddy (my son)  is great company on the short runs, but he's getting big now. I'm pushing 29lbs of toddler plus the stroller and all the bribes I carry to keep him from jumping out.

Fall is my favourite season.  I love the crisp weather and watching the leaves change on each run. This will be the last fall that I will be pushing my little guy with me as he will be starting school next year. I was reflecting on all of this while pushing him today and part of me was sad. I know that I will miss having him tag along on my runs. Until then, I will enjoy every mile that I have with him.

My First Run with the Little Guy - April 18, 2013

I finished September with 166 kms/103 miles. It was a nice easy month.  The mileage will pick up this month as I am now 29 days out from my fall marathon.

Today 

I have decided to not freak out and trust in my training. I have accepted the fact that my upcoming marathon may not be my best, but I will still try my best to to better my previous times.  I often think back to my first marathon and wonder why it was my fastest one to date.  It may have been because I didn't know what I was in for. I was a complete rookie with no previous times to beat. I had no expectations except to finish.  I will look ahead to my last month of training up to the marathon and hope for the best.

Happy October!

How was your September?

Any Fall Races planned?

Toronto Zoo Run and Yorkville 5K Recap Karen's Comeback Run

Training for the upcoming marathon has been a tough go for me. I'm not sure if it is because I turned 40 or if it's all in my head. My legs don't seem to want to move when I lace up and try to go out for a run.

I decided last minute to pick up a bib for the Oasis Toronto Zoo Run. I ran it for the first time last year and had a blast. It is a challenging course through the Toronto Zoo with many undulating hills. A one hour aerobic run was scheduled for the Saturday, so I could use the race a training run.

It was pouring rain Saturday morning and I prayed that it would stop by the time the race was to start. I am fortunate to live fairly close to the zoo, so I was able to stay warm at home until heading out to the race. I arrived a little later than last year, so I was directed to park off site and walk over with my garbage bag rain coat to the event site.  Bag drop off was quick and efficient but had a time cut off as they bags had to be driven to the finish line area.

I got into my coral  and the gun went off shortly after. I had decided to run conservatively and use it as a training run since I was going to be racing again the next day. I was pretty miserable standing in the rain. My cousins wife was a course marshal and it was one of the few things that was motivating me get moving. The course is hilly and challenging, but running through the zoo and seeing the animals is definitely a bonus.

It was another tough race for me as I started to doubt myself. I was hitting the wall and hard. I have run many races, but this feeling of self doubt was really crazy. I had never felt this way ever and I was only 3km into the race. I kept telling myself that it was only 10km, but then I would think about the upcoming marathon and freak out. I started thinking about downgrading to the half marathon. I could barely run this 10km race, how in the world would I run 42.2 km? I battled these demons for almost the entirety of the race. As each person passed me, I would feel worse about myself. It was insane. I had never experience these thoughts before.

I trudged along and finally saw my cousin's wife at one a the last uphills. It was nice to see a familiar face, but I knew I still had about 2 km to go. I had never been so happy to see a finish line. There was no course PB for me today as I did worse than last year. I guess there will always be next year.

Posing with the Giraffes 

After the race, I headed back to the kids and headed out to pick up my buddy Gen who was flying in from Montreal to run the Yorkville 5K. She had run this race last year as her first ever road race with my run buddy.  My run buddy Karen had also registered for this race as her comeback race after her stroke last year. I had been anxiously nervous about this race for many reasons. I knew that Karen would do great as her recovery has been remarkable, but still weary and terrified that something would happen.

We got there early to see the elites run and was once again amazed by their athleticism. The first runner came through in 14:16 (Male), 15:57 (Female).  I ran a few kilometres to warm up and then bid adieu to my buddies to run the race. My buddies had made me promise them that I would race the race and I didn't want to let them down. I told myself that I would run as hard as I could but at the same time once I started running I was cautious and I don't know why. I don't know if it's because I'm afraid I won't have enough fuel to get me through the 5K. It's crazy as I write about it now and thinking back to the race. I always have regrets that I should have pushed harder. I knew the first few kilometres was a nice net downhill and the last few would be a slight uphill. Once I started the uphill, the winds also picked up. I kept thinking positive thoughts to get me to the finish. I finished 27:43. I am happy with the time considering I raced a 10k the day before.

I quickly collected my medal and ran back for my buddies. I'm not sure what I was expecting when I ran back. In my head, I was thinking that I would come up to Gen first or Gen and Karen together, but  I was pleasantly surprised that I found Karen running up to me. I ran up beside her and checked in with her. She said that she was doing good and for me to go back and find Gen. It is so Karen, to ask me to go back for others. She is so selfless. I ran with her for a little bit and went to find Gen who was not far behind. They had just over a kilometre left to run. I pushed Gen to keep on running and to catch up with Karen. We got into view of her and cheered her onto the finish. I ran Gen into the finish area and let her finish on her own. I am so proud of both my friends.

I'm totally losing it after Karen crossed the Finish

She did it!!!

Do you believe in miracles? I thank God everyday for my health and the ability to do what I love. Karen is a true testament to miracles. She had a stroke 9 months ago and was completely immobilized. I was afraid that she would never walk again, let alone run. But with her determination and a lot or prayers she has made and amazing recovery. I am so happy to have my run buddy back and looking forward to running some more races with this amazing woman.

Showing off our Medals

Do you have an amazing story to share?

How do you get yourself through the mental part of training ?

Summer Update

It's been a long time since I posted and I have not been keeping up with my New Year's resolution with blogging more frequently.

I didn't realize how much time it would take from my daily life. And life seems to be so busy ALL THE TIME.

Since my last post about the Barrie Half Marathon, I have raced a few more races which I still need to report on as well as squished in a few family trips.  I just wanted to let whoever is following my blog to know that I am still around and training as hard as I can for my fall marathon. My training has been frustrating for me as I don't seem to be getting the results I was hoping for. I will explain in my race report, which I will be working on as soon as I'm done this post.

The summer has been busy with the kiddies at home and trying to keep them busy. We put our older one in a few camps, but who are we kidding.... camps are expensive. So, for the weeks that I was not flying, I was camp counsellor of fun at our home. Hubs also did a fantastic job of keeping them entertained.

My older one has mastered the art of riding two wheels... YIPEE!! This allows us to get out and run as a family. I still push my little guy in the stroller, but we all get out and get active.

Family Action Shot

How has your summer been?

Do you have little ones, if so, how do you keep them from saying "MOM, I'm Bored!!"?

Have a great weekend !!

San Francisco Weekend - Brazen Summer Breeze Half Marathon 2015

 I decided to surprise my mom with a quick trip to San Francisco for her birthday. We both had at the time off, kids were free and hubby was going out of town with his buddies.

My mom's best friend lives in the San Francisco area and they hadn't seen each other in almost 5 years, so it was going to be a great way to celebrate. I called my cousin last minute and dragged her along to visit our cousins in SF. It was going to be a fun and busy weekend.

We're on our way

We Made it!!!

We weren't quite sure the plan for the weekend, but we were excited to go as it was very last minute.

My cousin and the kids had never been to San Francisco and there were a million things that I wanted to show them.  I also found a half marathon taking place minutes from where we were staying. My cousin decided that she would do the 10K and I the half marathon.

We picked up our rental car and off we went to my mom's best friends' place. They have been friends for over 50 years and it was like watching school girls catch up. They had cake ready for mom.

Happy Birthday Mom!

Since we were only there for the weekend, there was a lot to cram in. I knew that I wasn't going to see it all, so narrowed it down to a few things. We decided to take the kids to California Academy of Sciences as it was inside of the Golden Gate Park and also housed an amazing aquarium. This place is full of things to keep the kids busy and entertained for the day. We spent the entire day there exploring.

Inside the Rainforest

It is definitely worth a visit, the kids and adults enjoyed all the exhibits and shows. The kids were wiped so I headed home with mom and the kids and sent my cousins off to explore San Fran on their own.

The half marathon was the next morning and was literally minutes away. We arrived early to register and was able to get a parking spot right next to the start/finish line.  The race was set along the San Leandro Marina.  Registration was quick and simple. We both registered for our races and headed back to the car to set up and eat some goodies. I was going to use this a a training race for my marathon training and hoped to break through some mental barriers.

Carb Loading before the Race

The course was and out and back route which took you on grass, gravel and paved paths along the beautiful marina shoreline. It was a nice a small race which offered a 5K, 10K and half marathon distance.  There were 408 participating in the half distance which made it a nice small group which was great as the race was on a path.  I started out keeping a pretty steady pace, but eventually lost wind. I can't say it was my greatest race, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.  The scenery was beautiful and the weather was great. I was also thrilled to have my cousin there with me.

Still smiling !

The food afterwards was also super with your standard bananas and bagels, but there were also ice cream cookie bars and sweet pastries.  With the race being so close to where we were staying, we were able to make it home by lunch and head out for another day of exploring San Francisco.

Showing off our Bling

I have to admit that I do always look up races in any city that I will be visiting.  It gives me a chance to see parts of a city that I may have never seen or had planned to visit. I definitely suggest it to you all, if your schedule allows it.

Hanging out

We spent the rest last of our time catching up with my cousins, keeping the kids busy and my mom enjoying every moment with her best friends. They have been friends since their teens which means that they their friendship has spanned over 50 years.  I remember receiving letters from them as a child before there was internet and before long distance calls were much more affordable. They were at my wedding and my parents attended their children's weddings. It was pretty amazing to watch them catch up and chat as if no time had past.

I was so thrilled to see how happy my mom was that we were all able to be there with her for her birthday. It was a memorable weekend for all of us.

Weekend is Done!

 

Barrie Waterfront Half Marathon Recap

Hubby ran this race last year and had a blast and convinced me to join him this year. I haven't raced this distance for a while now and was looking forward to running this distance.

This is a very small race that has a 5K, 10K, kids fun run as well as the half marathon. We were allowed to pick up our kits on race day as we live out of town. It was super convenient as the packet pickup was steps from the start/finish line. Parking was free and plentiful. Hubby decided last minute not to run this year as he has not been able to train properly and didn't want to injure himself.

I had a busy week leading up to race day. I had a trip to Hong Kong and tried to get in all my workouts according to the plan. But training in 85% humidity and temperatures of 36 degrees Celsius can be tough.  It was nice to have hubby drive up to the race even though he had decided not to run. I was able to relax and chill in the car.  We stopped to pick up a buddy who was going to run the half as well and headed up to Barrie.

After picking up our race kits. We headed to the potties, which were plentiful and right at the start/finish area.  The half marathon runners are the first wave to go followed by the 10K and then the 5K runners. There were a total of 333 people that finished the half marathon which indicates how small the race was. It was a nice change to the big races. There was space for everyone to pass and run at their own pace. There was no bumping or impatient people grunting from behind.

It seemed like it was going to be a perfect day for a race. I was pumped and also a bit nervous. I was going to aim for a personal best.  The national anthem was sung and we were off.   I started at a comfortable pace for the first few metres but my legs didn't seem to want to pick up the pace.  It was a first for me. It was as if my legs and my brain were not communicating. It was the strangest feeling. I kept trying to keep up with the people around me, but I seemed to be falling behind. I had left my phone in the car because I wanted to focus on the race and just run.

This race ended up being quite a tough race for me. I couldn't figure out for the life of me why my legs wouldn't work. Every time I looked down at the watch, my pace seemed to be slower than then previous time I looked down. I would try to look ahead and try to catch up to the person that past me, but it just wasn't happening.

These Kids Ran out for High 5's
Right when I needed it 

The course was very scenic out and back route. It took us along the Barrie waterfront with beautiful view of Lake Simcoe, through some residential areas and part of downtown Barrie. There was plenty of room on the road for all runners. We ran on pavement for the first half of the race and then gravel for the later part.

Struggling for the Finish

There was no bag check for this race, but thank goodness there was plenty of parking nearby and the weather was perfect. Race photos are also complimentary, but had not come out yet for my recap. The  medal is huge. It also serves as a bottle opener and a magnet.

Finally done

Although I did not get a half marathon personal best. I really enjoyed the course and the beautiful day. I was quite upset that my body didn't perform as I had hoped. I kept questioning myself to what happened. Going into the race, I felt strong and ready. Was it the jet lag? Was it too much training leading up to race day?  I'm not sure what happened. What I had thought would be an amazing race for me turned out to be one of my worst.   All I know is that there will be good races and bad. I'm hoping this will be my last bad race. I will try not to dwell on it and move onto the next race and keep training.

Hubby, My Personal Photographer

Have you ever had a bad race? 

How did you deal with it?

Paris Marathon Race Recap

I decided to run the Paris Marathon for my 40th birthday. I dragged my whole family with me to the beautiful city of Paris with me and turned it into a family vacation.

Training was mediocre at best. I was not able to get in many long runs into my training plan and the winter just broke me down. I completed most of my long runs on my layovers with very little sleep, but just thankful that I was able to plug the miles into my legs. With all this in mind, I decided that this race would be a fun run and I would enjoy the race and take in all the sights.

We spent the first few days exploring the city. The expo was HUGE and definitely the largest that I had been to with over 200 vendors.

Lining up for the Expo

The expo was easy to get to by Metro. We headed out bright and early and was only met with a short line, where our bags were checked before we entered the centre.

Did I mention how huge the Expo was

The first thing we had to do once we entered was to drop off our Medical certificates. This was the first race I had ran where I had to get a signed letter from my doctor to confirm that I was fit enough to run the distance. Once it was checked, I was off to pick up my bib.

Getting My Certificate Checked

Course Map

With my bib in hand, I was off to check out the expo.  As much as I wanted to peruse  down each aisle and check out the latest running gear, I knew that my kids would have had a total melt down and likely never accompany to anymore races. And seriously.... do I need anymore running stuff????

Flat Alice all laid out the night before the race. I always tell myself to get some proper sleep leading up to races but it never happens. I happen to be bunking with my little guy and he woke up when my alarm went off at 6am which meant the rest of the family had to wake up.

I quickly got dressed, gobbled up my breakfast, emptied the bladder and got the family set up before I headed out the door.

We were lucky that the apartment was only a few steps from the Metro station. I made it to the starting area in 10 minutes. I quickly found my corral and lined up for the porta potty. The line was already fairly long. One of my biggest complaints was the lack or ports-potties at the start and throughout the race.  It took an hour before it was finally my turn. I had 5 minutes to spare before my corral was to start. Men were starting to just pee into bottles ... GROSS!!

The Start with the Arc de Triomphe

I was in the 9:30 corral and it was already starting to get warm. The sun was out and there were barely any clouds in the sky. The gun went off and I was off.

Hotel de Ville - 4km

We started off running down the Champ-Elysees which is partly paved and part cobblestone then heading past the Jardin Tuileries and the Louvre.

Our apartment was within walking distance of the race course and had mentioned to hubby that if he was so inclined, he could come on down with the kids to look for me. It was at the 4 km mark and I knew that it would be tough for him to get both kids ready and out for that time, but I snapped a shot and still looked out for them. I found out that they had come out but much later on and tried to look out for me, but ended up riding the carousel and hanging out at the Notre Dame.

I had decided to enjoy this race as I knew I wasn't going to be making at PB's with the lack of training I was bringing into the race. First 5K done 29:41. I was pleased, but doubtful that I could keep the pace for the next 35kms.

Place de La Bastille

The course was going to take me through all the major sights of Paris. I was looking forward to seeing parts of Paris that I had never seen and scoping out new places to take the family.

As I was nearing the 10K mark, I could see a clearing and realised that I was coming up to Chateau de Vincennes. I had seen it as a stop on the Metro map but had no idea that it was a a CASTLE!!! I thought of my daughter right away. She would have loved to visit a real castle. I felt bad for not doing my research. I snapped a few photos of her and promised to take her back on our next visit.

The one thing I noticed was the awesome crowd support from the start to the end.  There were people all along the way cheering us on and yelling "Bravo, Bravo!!" The Chateau sits at the entrance to  the Bois de Vincennes which is the largest public park in the city.  Crowds died down a bit here, but I had started to notice the lack of port of potties AGAIN!!! People were running off the course into the trees to do there business....men and women. It was so disgusting, but if you have to go, you must go.

20KM into the Race

 You notice the crowds pick up once again when you exit the park. This part of the route was also my favourite because we run along the Seine. It was so incredible. I was in awe of the views and slowed down quite a bit to take photos and take it all in. My pace was not getting any faster and I was burning up with the heat. I had remembered to bring my sponge that they provided in my race kit to soak with water and cool myself down. I guess it must be a European gesture as I have never had sponges except in Athens and now in Paris. Firemen along the way had hoses out to spray runners along the course.

Tunnel where Princess Diana Died

This part of the course also takes you under 2 tunnels, one of which is where Princess Diana had the terrible accident that took her life. It was so hot and stuffy in the tunnels and the smells ...argh....it was awful.  Had these people not heard of deodorant??? There were laser lights and a DJ pumping super LOUD music to keep you moving. I was barely halfway done and I was almost ready to throw in the towel. I missed my run buddy, I started blaming my lack of training for the slow pace and just wanted to cry.

Once out of the tunnels, I was greeted with fresh air, loads of crowd support and amazing views of Paris. I had to stop along the way to take tons of photos, I promise not to load them all.

La Tour Eiffel

The crowds seemed to be everywhere. You can see from my photos below with the runners in front of me as we are trying to all go over the timing mat.  I love having spectators cheer us on, but they were literally on the race course. 

30 km with Spectator Crowding

One of the things that did help me trot along was the constant cheering and bands along the way. Check out the crowds on the bridge in the photo below.

Just Clearing the 30K Mat.

The path before me never cleared, I've never run a race with so many participants. It kept me going even at the 35km timing mat when someone had set up a huge blow up Wall. At first I couldn't figure out what it was, but it was a play on runners hitting the wall :)  I was determined to not hit the wall especially after seeing this. 

Running being a mental sport is so true. I was out there with less than 7 km to go and I just wanted to throw in the towel. People were cruising by me and my legs were getting tired. I stopped at every water station as well as the food stops where there were fresh cut oranges. The only pit fall with this was the orange peels and banana peels thrown all over the cobbled stone roads. It made the roads super slippery and hard to run. Most people had to stop and walk and try to hop over all the fruit peels.

The last part of the race was a blur. All I could think about was finishing and heading back to see my kids. I remember there was some wine offered at a table around the 39km mark. I honestly contemplated it, but decided against it as I just wanted to finish.

Coming in for the Finish

The roads cleared up as we were finishing. I tried to pick up the pace, but my quads wanted none of it.  They were burning, but I didn't care. I saw the Arc de Triomphe and pulled out all the stops.  I knew I had done it. Marathon #4 was in the books.  There was no personal best here, but it was by far the most beautiful marathon I had ever run. It was a dream to be able to run through the streets of Paris. I collected my medal and finishers shirt.  There wasn't much for food after the race, except for water and more oranges and bananas. 

No caption Required  :)

Final thoughts......

The race was top notch. Packet pickup was easy. The expo was HUGE with lots of vendors. The course is amazing. You will run pass the Louvre, Bastille, Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Musee d'Orsay and Arc de Triomphe.  The crowds were fantastic and were plentiful.  My few complaints would be the lack of port-o-potties,  the cobblestone sections of the course, and lack of post race grub.

If you could run a race anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?