EPIC Canadian 5k Recap

Race 1 of 2 for the weekend is over!!  And it was a soggy, wet one for sure.  It's Nova Scotia weather and it seems that we've had heavy rainfall warnings all most every week.  Tomorrow is no different.  Luckily the temperature/wind is warm or it would be very unpleasant.

Yesterday I was able to grab the race kits for Heather and myself.  I have to admit it was a little disorganized and made me wonder what today's race would bring.  Oh...I should mention...this was the 1st year for the Epic 5k/10k run.

I had to do the nails a fun Canadian color....so racing stripes it was.  (don't judge...maybe it would make me run faster.  LOL)

I told Heather I'd pick her up at 7am this morning.  Luckily I arrived at 6:45 as she was still sleeping.  Yep....all snug in her warm bed until we started yelling her name (her husband had just gotten home from a 16k run...he's an early bird).  She jumped out of bed, grabbed her stuff, and we were out the door by 7:05!  And it was POURING!  I mean....it could not have rained any harder at the start line if it had tried!!!  Once you are wet...you are wet...can't do anything about it.

The route ran around a very pretty part of Dartmouth, with a duck pond, a suspension bridge, and a beautiful lake.  I wish it had been sunny to really enjoy it and take pictures.  The kilometers were marked with pictures of Epic Canadians which I thought was a very nice touch!  The actual run was hard....up hill for a bit in the beginning and I went out way too fast...ending up with a nagging side stitch for the final 2k.  I had my fingers jammed so far up my rib cage for the last km that I couldn't feel anything.  I finished in under 30 minutes which is decent for walking parts and came 11th in my age class which worked out to the top 20%. (can you tell I'm a numbers gal)?  Poor Heather....because she was late, she ate a banana quickly on the drive over which did not sit well during the race.  She ended up puking at 2.3miles and again at the finish line. :-(  She did however come in 3rd in her age class.  GREAT JOB!

I have to say that the finish line was a bit confusing. (a) there was no water immediately at the finish (b) no garbage cans for pukers (c) no signage to say where we were to go for our medals.  I would suggest next year that there be better signage and to have volunteers point people in the correct directions when finishing.(not that I'm a pro event organizer or anything).

This pic is of the final bling, race bib, and t-shirt.  Last night at 9pm I actually decided to cut off the sleeves and make it a tank top.

Tomorrow is race #2, the Bedford 5k for Lung Cancer.  Heather and I have done this race in the past and know what to expect.  One change though, I am calling Heather tomorrow morning to make sure she is awake!!! You know you are a runner when you have 3 days off for a long weekend and you wake at 6am 2 of those days to complete races.  We are a crazy bunch!!