Running Community Reunited | Race Recap

It happened y’all! The running community gathered live and in-person from various regions, to run a real live race in-person! I’m not going to lie, I did cry a little at the start line and finish line but for two different reasons.

I do believe the last in-person running event, at least in Vancouver, was the hypo-half in February 2020 if I am not mistaken. The Vancouver running community would’ve been in high gear for the Spring races such as the Sun Run, the BMO Marathon and the Scotiabank Half-Marathon when COVID shut everything down. I’ll be running all of these races in 2022 if they do go ahead, and if I am properly healed up in time to train. *cue husband trying to hide my credit card*

Community Running Groups – Let’s go!

In the summer of 2021, the run club that I am a part of started a condensed run clinic for the Victoria Half-Marathon in October 2021. If you read my last post about the lead-up to the in-person race, you’ll know that I signed up as soon as the announcement was made about the race.

Before we all knew it, there were a lot of us signed up and ready to run a race together, and turn it into a nice long weekend away as the race was over the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend.

And you know what? We weren’t the only run club to attend together; it’s safe to say that lots of running communities/clubs were very excited to be back to racing in person. I know that runners were super excited to be back to live races, but the spectators and volunteers gave us a run for the money. Those were some very excited and energetic spectators along the course cheering for everyone. Not just the elites, but E V E R Y O N E. 

But first, we have to make it to Vancouver Island …

Now, because we are still in COVID times, you don’t just go to a race expo willy nilly to get your race packet. You have to register for a time and of course, I chose Friday afternoon so we were on a tight timeline. Worst case, I’d walk on and Jason would sit with Brie for however many sailing waits it would take. Why? Because they cancelled our sailing. If you know, you know.

After getting up and out of the house before dawn broke, we made it to the ferry terminal. I stalked the site on the way to the terminal and saw that the 9 am was sold out as we were approaching, so odds are we’d get the 11 am (since our 10 am sailing was cancelled) so we could start Squid Game (IYKYK).

The booth agent told us we had a slim chance of making the 9 am ferry so we kept our fingers crossed.

Jason grabbed some coffees, I made sure the dog had a walk/pee break right before the 9 am sailing was set to board and messaged back and forth with Instagram running friends who had a reservation for the 9 am sailing. They were boarded quickly as the time came, and so began the nervewracking “will we or will we not make this ferry” and that we’d be on a lower deck, which means we’d have to leave Brie in the car and go up to the passenger areas. This is a huge part of WHY we reserve – it pretty much guarantees you on the top car deck, so you can stay in your car.

We made it onto the ferry and we were finally en route to Victoria. I was excited to see the running community in Victoria as racers trickled onto Vancouver Island for the race.

Race Weekend – Lead Up To Race Day

We checked into our hotel, let Brie sniff around, I started to consume water like no one’s business, and then we headed out on a walk. Jason and Brie went back to the hotel so he could try and get her to eat, and I went to grab my race packet, after providing proof of vaccination of course 🙂

We wandered a little more, grabbed a very late lunch, and then I had to get back to the hotel and start doing my physio mobility stuff I had yet to do that day. Jason ran some errands that were a necessity for the weekend and grabbed pizza for dinner. We started Squid Game (I mean, WTF y’all) and I made sure to get a good night’s rest. I rarely sleep well the night before a race.

The Striderz fam arrived the following day, I did a shakeout run, Brie had Victoria off-leash park zoomies, we grabbed coffee and brunch and spent most of the day relaxing. I headed out for dinner with the run crew, as Jason had to stay with Brie. A time honoured pre-race tradition is to do flat Ashley, and basically make sure I have everything I need for the race; fuel, proper clothes & accessories and race bib. We aren’t just a run club – we’re a community of crazy people that just love to run.

I managed to sleep decently well and awoke on Sunday absolutely buzzing with excitement.

Race Day Y’all – Running Communities Converge in Victoria

My alarm went off, and this had to be one of the fastest leaps out of bed I have ever done. I threw some water on my face, used my inhaler and started to make some oatmeal for breakfast. I drank some plain water – 2 small glasses – with my oatmeal. I did a ton of stretching which was mainly for my shoulder and back, got dressed, filled up my hydration pack and headed out with Jason and Brie to meet the run crew for an active warm-up.

We headed to the start line after a brief warm-up run, and I can’t put my finger on what triggered it, but there were tears. Mainly of happiness and excitement that this was actually happening. I was elbow to elbow with a few thousand people of the running community from near and far. I can’t believe I was about to cross the start line for the first time since May 2019.

Throughout the race, I came across so many people wearing team shirts. You never realize how many run clubs and running communities there are until you attend a large event in person.

 The Race

The first 9/10 KM felt really good and my body wasn’t protesting too much, and the wind wasn’t nearly as bad as anticipated. Cue Mother Nature *hold my beer*. I saw a lot of my Striderz clinic members at the turnaround point and cheered them on. So many were going for PB’s and I was here for it; if I couldn’t I wanted to live vicariously through them. When I was on the way back, I saw Linda who is part of our running club and was running her very first half-marathon. She was smiling and laughing and cheering while soaking up every minute of that race atmosphere. Her spirit gave me a little life, even though my shoulder was starting to hurt.

The wind was fierce AF on the way back. Those gusts of wind made downhills feel like uphills and tested every ounce of mental strength I had. My shoulder was angry by KM 13/14 and I saw any glimmer of even just a sub 2:15 was taken away with the wind. It was from here on out that Laura and I hovered near one another, pushing to get to that finish line. For the last 3KM we were together and pushing each other to run – “let’s run to the guy with his hand out” or “let’s just slow up this hill and then run to the next side street” so we had little goals to focus on.

My shoulder was miserable, and it made me so miserable that I didn’t even realize Jason, Brie and Grant were still waiting at the 17km mark for me to run past them before they hustled to the finish line.

Finish Line Feels

As I came up towards the finish line, I could see people I knew. Randy (Laura’s speedy ass husband) was cheering and he just met me in real life! Then I saw random Striderz crew and I pushed a sprint I honestly didn’t think I had in me at all. The last 300 metres or so was at a 5:00/km pace and that was strictly due to the finish line atmosphere.

I crossed the finish line at 2:21:53 (according to my watch half-marathon time) or 2:23 and change for the chip time which was more than 21.1KM. With time to spare, I turned around and snapped a photo of Laura crossing the finish line. They handed us our medals wrapped in plastic, and then we each hung a medal on each other.

I cried when I found Jason; I know that I said I was prepared to have fun and enjoy the run no matter the pace, but it turns out that was a lie. I was so mad and frustrated that I couldn’t do it. I also knew I had to get the frustration out of my system because I swear Rabih would’ve smacked me – and most of the run clinic honestly lol. Our run club had 6 PB’s and Linda accomplished her very first half-marathon so that’s a PB in and of itself.

Final Thoughts

If you took up running as something to keep you occupied during COVID, I strongly urge you to join in on an upcoming in-person live event and see what the atmosphere is like. The running community is amazing and no one judges you as harshly as you judge yourself. We are our own worst critics, and no one cares what pace you can run at.

I’m coming for that PB in 2022. I’m pretty certain Molly just rolled her eyes and will roll her eyes at me next week when I see her for some ICBC physio follow-up. Next up – the Moustache Miler in November. I won’t 5k PB as I am still recovering from the accident, but you never know.

Yep, I’m going to be in trouble next week.