Race: Run Ajax – Half Marathon (also 5k)
Honorable Mention: Oshawa Airport 5k
Date: September 23, 2012.
Today was the Leduc Bros’ annual Run Ajax Half and 5k, yours truly signed in for the half. This hopefully would be my return to 2010 form. My training since the Endurrun marathon had progressed well; I was looking for 1:20:00 or better.
As expected, the Leduc’s had encouraged a few of their fast friends to join the half. I was not sure how fast until the horn went off then it was clear I would not be keeping up. Any chances of lucking into a top three finish quickly vanished, as did the top three males, over the first two kms and only straight stretch of road down to the lake front. I only saw them once more, at the 12.5k turnaround.
This is a challenging but fair course. A runner’s course for sure, just maybe not a racer’s course. Beautiful views and scenery, mainly along the Lake Ontario waterfront trail system. I remember the trail well from the WIN marathon – meandering and rolling and quite lonely. Sight lines rarely exceeding 200 m, you quickly lose your quarry.
I did get a sniff of the third place finisher. He was obviously hurting from the early sub-6 per mile pace and I thought him catchable after the turnaround. I pushed yet could not get him in sight and eventually lost motivation. If he was not too far ahead I would reel him when we hit the straightaway back up Harwood to the finish. Alas once I hit Harwood there was nothing but empty road to myself. Fourth overall (and first for 40-49 age) it was, in a disappointing 1:22:10.
My performance today was a culmination of many inputs. My sleep was a bit dodgy. My digestion a bit more active than usual. My left piroformis started to tighten earlier than hoped. No one to chase after the lead group disappeared and no one chasing me. A lonely run, racing against my own will, the occasional stiff head wind and worries my ass would cramp. This was just a test race. In hindsight a 1:20:00 would have been a great result for me on this course. All inputs considered, my result today was a safe and conservative effort, somewhat of a comfortable performance. It may not have been where I wanted to be today but will hopefully deliver me better and healthier to a future race.
