Maniacs = http://www.runningmania.com
I missed a few mile makers but here is how it went down:
2:09:34 chip time
29:20 - 9:53 - 10:25 - 9:51 - 9:43 - 10:05 - 9:43 - 9:59 - 19:59 - 10:36 (1.1 mile @ 9:30min/mile) 174/238 (40-49) Go me!
I hope there aren't too many mistakes in there. I'm not sure what happened with that 10:25 on mile 5. I wanted to run this race in a very controled and deliberate fashion and I managed that.
The first time I ran a half, 18 months ago I had a ridiculously large negative split to finish in 2:20. This time I feel like I went out there to see what the day had to offer. I found it in a cold day with fairly low humidity. It's a difficult time of year for me as I suffer from allergies as spring comes on. I set out to try and make some inroads there this year and managed that well I think.
I am really pleased to have been able to share the day with so many maniacs. Everyone is so supportive that it's tough to fall down. The veterans were sage afterward with some being pleased and some not, but the grace with which they handle their highs and lows is of tremendous value to me.
I changed a bunch of things for this race, although I know better not to do that. I took no fuel or liquid with me. The first drink of Gatorade I got was a little later than expected so I stopped running to drink it and ensure I could down two servings of that without spillage and did the same at the next stop and by that time I was less concerned about liquid, but a little apprehensive about fuel.
I had not thought to bring breakfast with me for the stay in Winnipeg overnight. Usually I drive into the city in the morning for any early event. Breakfast was a little lighter than I wanted it to be ideally and by mile ten I had twinges that left me thinking about such things. As it turned out I'd taken in enough Gatorade on the course to see me though.
I had a great time at the pre-race dinner and the post race BBQ. Karen and Steve are amazing contributors to the power of orange. They were great fun as hosts and I think Karen did the organising for the pre-race dinner too. Everyone pitched in on some fine food for the BBQ and Steve albeit with his pants on, did duty on the grill. His veggie kabobs were brilliant. The onions were perfectly done, large and as sweet as they get. Nicely done Steve!
My sights are set on gaining some more racing experience this summer.
Sorry the shots I had to choose from were lame.
I should have taken a shot of the pattern that the hair left. It covered an area about 20cm in diameter and was very lightly patterned in the way it had spread out from the body of the mouse. There was a single larva left eating or starving. I love how the lower jaw being mostly made up of the two teeth and the molars are so fine!
The trap was between the floor of the upstairs and the ceiling of the downstairs. The access had been sealed so we had missed all the nasty smell that must have been part of the process. Housekeeping 101 rule #861 - Deal with it earlier rather than later.
