My first Half-Marathon

Scotiabank Half-MarathonDate: Sunday September 26, 2010Location: TorontoEvent: Scotiabank Marathon, ½ Marathon, 5kmDistance: 21.1kmThis was my first 1/2 marathon race and I have to admit I had no idea what I was in store for.  I normally favour the 5km races or sprint distance triathlons but I must have had a random bit of spontaneity mixed in with Vegetarian pride when someone asked me to run for the Toronto Vegetarian Association.  There several reasons whey I joined:1)    I wanted to prove that you could be a strong, healthy, and athletic Vegetarian (many are under the impression that Vegetarians are often malnourished or weak)2)    I wanted to raise money for the Toronto Vegetarian Association (their mission is to encourage a greener, more peaceful, and healthy lifestyle)3)    I’ve never done this distance before and my buddy told me it would help me with my triathlon training4)    I wanted to represent Running Free at the raceFor the weeks leading up to the race; my buddy Derek Virgo drafted a detailed training plan that consisted of 3 weekly runs: 1 tempo run (e.g. steady/quick 45min run), 1 fartlek (e.g. 1 minute steady, 2 minutes race pace), 1 long distance (e.g. 18km at a super slow pace).  It was a lot more challenging than I thought since I was still trying to fit in multiple swims, bikes, weight training, work, and school.  I had to organize my schedule very well but it kept me disciplined and all the running sessions helped clear my head.  I was often fatigued or sore (or both!) but the morning finally came for the race.  I had the usual butterflies in my stomach and I wondered whether or not I’d be able to finish the race.  I had a relative pass away the night before so I stayed up late at the hospital with my family.  I had almost thought about skipping this race but decided to do it since a lot of people had supported me in the fundraising initiatives and I knew that I would feel much better if I completed it.My goal was to complete the ½ marathon within 2 hours.  I was really impressed by how organized the whole race was.  Tens of thousands of people were participating but everyone was separated into different coloured “corals” based on their anticipated finish time.  There were several pace bunnies throughout the racecourse.  I packed 3 packages of gels in my pocket and ate one 15min before the start of the race, 45min into the race, and another one 90min into the race.  This strategy worked well since I never bonked in the race (as I usually do during my training runs).  It was a beautiful day and I had one of the most enjoyable races ever.  I felt strong being on the road amongst the runners and sped a little faster than my 2 hour goal time.  Throughout the racecourse, there were many stations entertaining the runners (one area even had a band playing Bob Marley songs).  I met a lot of interesting runners along the way – one was visually impaired and ran with a partner who guided him using a t-shirt that both of them held onto, another pair dressed up in 80’s retro outfits complete with big Afros, one ran with a prosthetic, another had a cool tattoo, another dressed up as a fairy etc.As I ran, I gave as many high 5’s I could to the volunteers and the random strangers who had the zeal to wake up early on a Sunday morning to cheer for runners.  Every high-5 I gave seemed to give me a constant charge as I powered on 5km…10km… 13km… 16km… 17km… 18km… 20km… 21km… and the last 100m stretch!  I finished with a cartwheel and felt completely exhilarated!My final time was 1:50:15.  Significantly faster than my goal time (and on only 3 hours of sleep!)I wasn’t able to walk for a few days after the race but I was glad I did it!I also told myself “never again”.… Ok, well after the next ½ marathon in Mississauga in May… then, never again!