Category Archives: Race Recaps

Race Recap: The Starting Block 3km Fun Run

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I’ll start off by being completely honest: The day before I wasn’t even sure if Isla and I were going to do this race! While Kyle had already signed up for the full 10km race, I wasn’t completely feeling up to doing the 3km fun run with Isla the day before. The weather wasn’t really all that great and the roads were going to be icy, but of course after asking Isla if she wanted to run in a race she said yes, and who could deny her? Certainly not me …

So on Sunday off we went to just outside of Vernon for the race. We had a decent drive in but then motion sickness sunk in for Isla and we had just, JUST, parked the truck and got her out of her seat when she barfed in the truck. (Thank goodness for rubber floor mats!) I asked if she still wanted to race and she said yes, so not wanting to disappoint her, I got into my running shoes and she hers and we signed up while Kyle warmed up.

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The 3km fun run started immediately after the 10km runners left the starting line, so Isla was excited to start. She got off to a good pace, but the roads were snowy and icy and her feet eventually got cold and she wasn’t enjoying it. Norah was having a grand ol’ time just being pushed in the stroller, but she eventually grew weary of it all and also started whining. Fun times!

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And she’s off!!

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And she’s spent.

 

There’s one thing that never fails to impress me, and that’s the encouragement that everyone gives one another; Isla was cheered on by the race volunteers and even the other runners to keep going and that she was doing awesome. Even the few 10km runners who were passed us on their way to the finish line told Isla she could do it. (I’d be out of breath and dying if I were running that far!)

I think the big cheering section at the end gave Isla an extra bit of adrenaline, because she managed to run one last time to get through the finish line with a smile on her face. Yay! We managed to finish the 3km run with about 10 minutes to spare before we expected Kyle to finish his 10km, and both girls were excited to cheer him through. :)

Overall, it was a pretty decent start to the 2017 racing season! The cold weather is behind her and Isla’s already looking forward to the next one!

Race Recap: Blackwell Dairy 3km Fun Run

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This race was exactly what it’s titled: Fun! We signed up a week before race day and it twas a family affair, with Isla, Norah and I “running” the 3km fun run and Kyle doing the full 15km race.

While we’ve heard a lot of things about the Blackwell Dairy Race, this is the first time we decided to participate. (Obviously, since Kyle only recently started entering races.) He wasn’t feeling 100% prepared for the 15kms, and I had no idea how Isla would do running in the fun run, but we geared up Sunday morning and hoped for the best!

Kyle headed out to the starting line with his mom ahead of the girls and I so he could pick up our race packages. (We forgot to on Saturday and there was no way I could get myself and the girls out to the race location by the 8:30am pickup deadline.) I met up with them about 15 minutes before the 15km race was going to start, so we got to wish Kyle luck on his run before he lined up for the 9am start.

The 3km fun run didn’t start until 9:15am, so the girls and I hung out with Kyle’s mom until it was time for us to head out.

Like I had mentioned before, I had no idea how Isla was going to handle the run. She’s been asking non-stop to “race with daddy,” so this was the closest thing she could do for the time being. And honestly? She did SO good! She ran her little heart for about half the course until she started to get tired, but she didn’t give up once. (The ice cream promised at the finish line was a HUGE motivator for her, haha!) Once she saw the finish line, she kicked it into high gear for one last sprint and finished with a smile on her face.

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And Norah did awesome as well! She was happy as ever in the stroller and fell asleep around the 1km mark and slept until after we crossed the finish line and got our ice cream, about 40 minutes all together!

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She had to get the ice cream that matched her shirt ;)

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I have no idea what our “official” time was, but I think the girls and I finished in about 35 minutes. We ate our cones while we waited for Kyle to cross the finish line, and Isla cheered loud and proud for him as he finished! My heart most definitely burst when she ran up to him for a celebratory hug. ;)

(Kyle did awesome with an official time of 1:27:07. Not too shabby considering how challenging this course is, and I’m so proud of him!)

Oh, and I got a great little workout pushing Norah along in the stroller and cheering/encouraging Isla on! While Isla ran, I managed to keep up/set the pace by speed walking. At one point I tried to get ahead of her to take a photo but she started sprinting because she though I was going to leave her behind :(

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Norah was the family cheerleader!

We’re already looking forward to running this race again next year! It was a great challenge and like I said before, I’m super proud of how well both Isla and Kyle did! Her dad really is her hero <3

Race Recap: Boogie the Bridge 2016

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What can I say about my very first 5K run, other than the fact that it was an experience to remember?

The Boogie the Bridge is a big deal here in Kamloops, and this year a record-breaking number of people participated. (Over 2,100!) I’ve said to myself a hundred times in the past that someday I’ll do the Boogie, and since Kyle has taken up running, I figured that this year was the year that I’d finally check this off my Bucket List! We signed up together and my fate was sealed ;)

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Kyle’s 10K bib and my 5K one.

I had every intention of doing some training, but with the two girls keeping me busy it was hard for me to find the energy or motivation to train. If I had a spare hour or two where Norah was napping I found myself either being lazy and perfecting the ass dent on my couch or doing chores around the house. I think I put in three running sessions on the treadmill between the time we signed up to race day, so you could imagine the shape I was in …

Obviously, I didn’t really have any expectations for myself as far as finishing times go. I made a vague goal of finishing in less than 40 minutes and then just hoped for the best!

Kyle and I were up early Sunday morning to get ourselves ready for the day. My mom had taken Isla overnight for a sleepover, so we had to drop Norah off before we made our way down to the park where the starting line was. We made it just in time for the opening ceremonies and were soon lining up to race!

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Kyle had his game face one while mine was more nervous laughter ;)

While we lined up together at the start line, Kyle quickly took off ahead of me since he was running the 10K and wanted to finish with a solid time. I tried to pace myself so I didn’t exhaust myself too quickly (my lack of training is totally to blame), and I think I did okay. I switched back and forth between running and speed walking and with no Garmin or anything to keep track of my times I have no idea what my breakdown is, but I think it ended up being about 50/50. The final stretch into the finish line was the most exciting as the cheering and encouragement was the highest, and I gave it my all as I booked it to the end!

My official race time ended up being 33:38.5, way better than I though I was going to do! After catching my breath and grabbing a drink and a snack, I waited at the finish line for Kyle to come through! He finished his 10K in 53:22.1 – a solid time, I say! I didn’t get a chance to get a photo of us together after the race, but I did snag a selfie right after I finished ;)

Obligatory race bling selfie

Obligatory race bling selfie

Fun side story: As I was nearing the finish line and listening to the names being announced over the PA, I heard the name of my 3rd & 4th grade teacher! I crossed the finish line someone slapped my on the back and when I spun around it was her congratulating me on the race! She was my favourite teacher growing up and to see her and have her give me a hug at the end totally made my day!

Overall? This race was FUN and I’m so glad I finally participated! Kyle was a huge inspiration for me to finally take the plunge and do the Boogie after living in Kamloops for 12 years. I’ll totally do it again next year, and maybe I’ll even train a bit harder ;) I don’t know if I’ll take up running on a regular basis; I see myself being a 5K gal for a while, but you never know!