Race: Chilly Half, Burlington
When: March 4, 2012
Half PB: 1:18:26 (Toronto 2010)
Result: 1:22:16 (51st overall, 20th master)
Happy Birthday Predrag! Masters racers of the GTA bid Mr. Mladenovic a hearty welcome to our ranks, and a reluctant “adieu” to any chances of ever securing another master’s category prize for our own. Your birthday could not have been better timed, having missed the top 3 (doesn’t happen often for you) only to find top master’s prize falling into your waiting hands at Chilly. We all hope you can secure some top three placings in future races, to give us another chance at glory in the races you run with us. After watching Predrag happily bounce up onto the awards stage to collect his prize, with hugs and kisses along the way to overall winner Matt Leduc, there could not have been a more grateful, deserving and joyful master’s winner today.
Such is the life of master’s racing. Ever faster young bucks joining the ranks, each year the legs not quite so limber. Yet the scene that unfolded ahead of me today provided ample proof that many masters runners are already in great shape, and that I have much work to do. Just four minutes shy of my PB, and with that small shortcoming, so many masters took their place ahead of me. But this was my first race in over six months. These things take time. Patience and smart training will get me back into the thick of it. Maybe even catch Predrag (nice dream it is).
Reading Phaedra’s report, I realized that I was also somewhat clueless on my expected performance level. This was to be expected after a mostly disastrous 2011 where I got injured leading up to almost every race I had entered. By November of last year (finally taking Mike’s advice to heart) I had packed it in to recover fully, and then started a gradual rebuilding process which is by no means complete. I was planning on a 1:24:00 or so, however a better than expected tempo run (10 k in 39:00) just before Chilly indicated that 1:22:00 should be possible. And better news: I am healthy again.
A pair of Ajax RF men (John Gardener, Nathan Mahan) were taking aim at sub 1:20:00, with Jeff Fyfe joining in as pacer. I felt I could take a bit of a gamble with their pace and joined them at the start line. I couldn’t resist. All those RF shirts running together makes a bold statement, and running in a pack can carry you farther and faster than any solo effort. With the headwinds after the turn back, anyone running in a pack held a great advantage. And the results show bunches crossed the finish line within seconds of each other. One notable bunch was led in by our own Ryan Babcock (a huge PB of 1:18:24), with eight runners crossing behind him in 12 seconds! The crowds lining the finish chute must have enjoyed some dandy horse races.
At the 5k marker I had to let my group go as my legs weren’t up for the pace. It had been a long time between races. I bided my time, hoping that my legs would acclimatize and I could pick it back up. However, solo it was to be as I watched my Ajax RF pals fade ahead. Damn they were a machine today! John Gardener in particular, who secured a PB and first age category. And ahead of THEM was yet another rabid pack of contenders. The turn back (13k) brought those headwinds, and because I was running solo any opportunity to rejoin them evaporated. By 16k my legs were done, and the Ajax RF men had dropped the hammer, blowing by Scott McDonnell (RF Markham) without even a “how-do?”
There would be no late race surge for me, just suck it up to the finish with some help from the second overall female Amy Schneeberg who joined me at about 16k. Those last 5k could have been hell all alone. I think the misery and encouragement we shared took us to the line a bit faster than we expected. I told her I kind of wished I was a woman and that she was probably glad that I wasn’t. That would be a nice PB for Amy. We hit the finish chute side by side but feeling generous, I let her take the glory. Next time, though, I may think twice about getting chicked.
As I have written in previous reports, something great is going on at Ajax Running Free. Good runners are inspiring others to be better. It keeps rubbing off and I think it has reached the tipping point. How else can we explain so many PB’s and age places in an early spring race? For example: 7 of the top 50 finishers train with Ajax RF, and 13 of 17 Ajax RF runners (this includes APTC) in the top 400 scored a new PB from 1st place overall finisher Matt Leduc through to Todd McCall.
These runners are all not old pro’s either. One just needs to look at Pasi Maatta’s PB of 1:35:55, and think back to the spring of 2010 where Mike and I almost killed him on a very easy 30k (the longest run of his life at that point, and still likely remembered as his hardest). Now he gets giddy when his Thursday includes hill repeats! These results are simply wonderful news. Join us and be part of it! We promise not to hurt you.
And if all that wasn’t enough, Matt, Jeff, Ryan, Nathan and Mindy went out two weeks later and simply SMOKED the St. Patty’s 5k with another round of PB’s.
Sooner, rather than later, we are all going to have to give owners Steve and Garth proper thanks for what they have created in Ajax. Until then, gentlemen, well done!
This was my first Chilly. A satisfying result, leaving me wanting more. My only regret was taking a second round of chili and beer, the consequences of that poor decision hanging in the air long after the race was over. Car windows were rolled down all the way back to Pickering, yet I still can’t get that funk out of my car.
