So I Was Wondering....

Well, it was simply a wonderful day for a race.? The sun was shinning and by the time I made it to the track in Sydenham there was a slight breeze happening.? For the first race for Spafford Health and Adventure there was a good turn out.? 92 runners in all.? The start was uneventfull.? I found what I thought would be a good pace and tried to stick to it.? I watched several people fly by me chatting all the way but I held stead fast.? There are probably few of you that may know that I start every race like a jack rabbit.? Out of the gate and running full tilt. This is obviously not a good thing.? I burn out to quick. So I am trying to find a starting pace that I can hold throughout.? Today I was much better at that.?

I had been trying to decide before the start of the race if I should take off my coat or not.? I thought that being along the lake and with the breeze that I might be cool so I left it on.? Well before the first .5k was up I already had my coat off and my sleeves rolled up and was even to hot at that.? I should have freaked them all out and worn my new "SKIRT"

Most of the race was ran on the Cataraqui Trail.? What a lovely spot.? The trail runs along the banks of Sydenham Lake,? Very picturesque.? About 2 k out there was a turn around through a group of cottages and up a small hill with a water station in the middle of this .6k loop and then back onto the trail.? I was thankful for turning around because the wind had really picked up quite alot and for the first half my hair was all over my face making it hard to see as well as having to sspend time to pull it out of my mouth.? (Sandy do you have any running hats that have a chin strap on them???? My baseball hats just don't stay on my head when it is windy. I should try a power stapler)? I seemed to be fairing pretty well, my time looked OK and the big thing was that I felt pretty good.? Then at the 3.5 my left calf started to cramp up.? What a bummer.? I tried to stretch my legs and feet as I ran and also reduced my speed a bit and it soon passed.? Now the wind was really blowing.? The home stretch was ahead of me and the road that we started from near the track was all pulled up.? Usual time of year road maintenance.? Dust blowing everywhere.? But the gates to the track were before me.? I hit the track a running.? As I neared the finish I glanced to my left.? One of the girls that had been in front of me the whole way and I had passed walking just before the gates was coming up on me fast.? I just can't cross gracefully I had to increase speed when I see her. (I usually sprint to the finish line anyways although I am not sure why I just can't run "that" sprint for the whole race. Da ...... might be out of shape and old age (but I'm working on that)? So on a full tilt I headed off the for home stretch and just as I got there from my right another girl came like a rocket past me.? Scared me to death.....................?

The finishline was a clamour of people all standing around eating, drinking and having a good time.? They had coffee from a local shop that was supposed to be really great, muffins, donuts, bagles of every kind, bananas, tubes, and Sweet Morning cereal bars.? As well someone must have been baking for Christmas because there was 2 huge trays of any kind of cookie and square that you can think of.? I love the endings.?

Anyways that's about it except that CKWS was there and the race is supposed to be on tomorrow at 6:00 on CKWS for anyone who might be interested. Boy, this could be scarey. And I can't even watch it.?

So that's all folks.

Cathy

P.S. Did I make the word count??????????????????

And it sounded like you guys had a great run this morning. Sure was prime weather. Missed you all.