Angus Glen Half Marathon,Nov 7th 2010 Markham,On.
Seeing as how the Goodlife Toronto Half had gone so well and having no lingering after effects from the race,I signed up for the Angus Glen Half 2 days after Toronto.
I have heard many great stories about the awesome prizez given out at the race and of course the challenging terrain in the area of Markham where the Angus Glen Golf course is situated was enticing.Nothing like a few hills in a race to keep you interested!
Parking is in a field adjacent to the golf course so I arrived way too early to avoid long lines and waiting at this perenially sold out event.A nice long sleeve technical shirt as well as some extravagant goodies(mainly for the ladies) filled the race packet and the staff and volunteers were helpful and numerous.
Race day conditions were nearly perfect,cool,but still shorts weather and a little sun to take the early morning chill out of the air.The race starts and ends at the front doors of the clubhouse,which was convenient for the wife and baby and by the looks of things,a lot of others had brought the family for a day out.
The course took us south into the sprawling residential homes that border the southern part of the course before turning north back past the entrance to the course on Kennedy Rd and into farm country.I had started fast and actually led the field for the first kilometre or so but I knew this was not going to last.As we hit the 5k mark or so,I was sitting comfortably in 6th place knowing I had to reserve a little for the rollers to come.West on Elgin Mills for a couple of k’s then north on McCowan to 19th.Just prior to 10k we head west toward Warden Ave with a series if hills to keep our quads working hard.The gradual downhill as we head south on Warden is welcomed and as we hit 16k just north of a turn eastward on Elgin Mills I decide to pick it up a little as the gap the runner ahead of me has shrunk considerably.For the last 5k or so I have been shoulder to shoulder with Marc Duench and we are starting to set a torrid finishing pace.I mutter something to him about getting in under 1:19 and he grunts his approval.
With the hills behind us we head south on Kennedy Rd toward the clubhouse and we are flying!The only drawback is that we have to weave our way thru the mid pack of the 10k race!Regardless of this our pace doesn’t slow and as we enter the grounds I crank it up a 1/4 of a notch, as this is all I have left, and put a little gap between myself and my worthy adversary.I cross the finish,happy with a 1:18:37 and thank Marc a few moments later for a great stretch drive.
The post-race food lives up to its hype as one of the better spreads put on and the Citizen Eco drive watch I pick up for winning my age group is well impressive!
Overall,a great race course,venue,meal,prize and event.Will be hard not to return next year!
Cheers
