Race: GoodLife Half Marathon (and a bit on the Full)
Date: Sunday May 5, 2013
Result: 1:18:33, 9th of 4475, 3rd master male.
For over two years, my result in the October 2010 Good Life half defined the best race performance of my life, over any distance. My attempt to better it in May 2011 did not go well, and stands as the only Did Not Finish of my career. Then while still on a long journey of recovery, my result in the spring of 2012 was just ordinary.
I hoped this year’s affair would be different! I raised the stakes in Hamilton’s Road2Hope half last November 2012 with a new all-round performance best (1:17:47), and bettered that result yet again two weeks ago in the Yonge St 10k (34:38). This year, the race was also the venue of the Ontario Master’s Championship and, unlike last year, there was going to be stiff competition.
And it just seems every dude my age is getting faster. Could it be we all share the same goal of getting ever faster to 50 and beyond? Knowing the competition I faced, to be called again to the awards stage would be gratifying. Placing third master today was just that.
And speaking of getting faster at 50 years and beyond, the GTA poster boys for decrepitude would be Paul Huyer (54) and Anthony Davey (50). Up until today, I have not been able to catch Davey, and until just recently Huyer has not been able to catch me. Yes, indeed, the tables have turned on us all once again.
Through the early km markers, I kept an eye on the aforementioned Mr. Davey. He was looking strong and on a good pace. Kevin Smith of Marathon Dynamics was also running today, and we all knew none of us would be catching him. At least he kept us company, if only briefly. The early climb up Hogg’s Hollow had the usual effect: I lost ground on about five contestants and another, a very fit Paul Huyer, took the opportunity to move forward on us all.
I saved myself until Broadway which is where Yonge finally tips downward for a good stretch. I had been slowly regaining ground on Davey and caught him before St. Clair. While I could have joined the pack, I decided to surge past. Davey was breathing hard and I sensed his fatigue; Huyer was further ahead with one other and increasing his lead. I knew I had to keep in touch with Huyer for a podium!
Through 13k and Rosedale Valley I was essentially on my own ducking around the slower marathoners who shared this part of the race course with the halfers. Huyer was escaping my clutches and I was beginning to think this was not my day for a PB. I would soon lose him in the crowd. At 14k I caught up with a fellow who said he was in his 40’s, so I told him we were likely running 3rd and 4th for masters. With that he surged ahead. Point made, I was going to have to work hard for this. Very hard.
At the 15k marker I checked my watch. I thought I had been dogging it but the 54:00 staring back indicated I was doing very well. This lifted my spirits and feet. By 16k I had retaken 3rd master. I also recognized that the 15k marker was misplaced: my pace so far was actually around 3:41/k. Time to suck it up: there were at least two masters nipping at my ankles and one of them was Davey. I know his brand of racing, and he would take great satisfaction reeling me in so late in the race.
I did the needful and closed the race as any good competitor should: with Heart Rate pinned to the max! Davey finished just 12 seconds behind, and another three masters not much further behind him. A very close call indeed! Anthony escorted me over to the photographer to take one for the record: MacKinnon had finally gotten the better of Davey! As Davey once said, all is fair in love and war, and racing is war. Next time, I know, Davey’s legs will be fresher and he will be fired up for revenge. Ah, the joy of racing. We will have it no other way.
I closed my day cheering in the marathon racers. The day had turned hot and they were clearly suffering. Nonetheless, Ajax Running Free’s Ryan Babcock was rocking strong, shirt off and thrilling the women with pectorals that do not belong on a marathoner; a 4th overall finish!
I also send my best wishes out to Longboat Runner Julie Hamulecki who up until the 35k marker had been leading the women’s side, but who likely was in big trouble with hydration and the wicked sunshine. As I stood about 1200 m up from the finish, I watched her knees buckle and then her collapse into a fellow Longboater’s arms. So close to glory, yet so far. Such is the drama of marathoning.
Here are my Garmin splits and HR graph:
