This year I decided to run the Sporting Life 10 KM run in support of Camp Ooch again. However, I was in good company with my mom alongside me. I hadn't ran as far before this race this year slash winter, so I knew what I was in for. But with my mom's recent second foot surgery with this past winter, she was equally out of shape as I was. My dad picked our race kits up on the first day they were available (Tuesday) and we were ready (kind of) for our 10 K.
We left pretty early because we paid for and used the shuttle to the start line before the race. We left our house around 6:00 AM to get there for 7, and get on the bus for 7:00-7:15. My stomach was not up to par in the morning, which may or may not have involved a parking lot pit stop, but we were ready and on the bus by 7:05. The bus ride there took us about a half hour just about. It went on the 401 then down Yonge Street. As we approached the barrier to stop cars from travelling up Yonge Street, one bus pulled to the side to let off their runners. But seconds later it let our bus through and we were thrilled. This gave us almost a kilometre less of walking to do...up hill nonetheless! Anyways, we got off the bus...lined up at the first washrooms we saw (Wait till you get to Sporting life and use them there next time...seriously, there was a ton!) and then we waited. We had about an hour and a half wait between our bus ride and our corral starting (9:15 AM). Coincidentally, my mom's friends were also running and they spotted us amongst the 27'000 other people. I think they need to buy a lottery ticket just about. So we stuck with them and ended up chit chatting, taking selfies, then heading to the start line. It was 8:00 and we were getting bored of waiting, so we skipped up a few corral's and went off with the green corral at 8:40.
Mom and I knew we were going to be doing 4 and 1's due to our recent running capabilities, and it was hot out, so we knew we weren't going for a PB. The goal this time was to complete it. And that was just what we did! I started off with some pretty awesome calf cramps in both my legs that didn't go away until about the 4 KM mark. I drank some water, stretched it out briefly, and had some stingers in hopes that would do the trick. Our 4 and 1 slowed pace seemed to do the trick, even though I still felt pretty rough. It was about the 6 KM mark that mom and I made the executive decision to make a run for the washrooms as a McDonald's we were about to pass. Not worried about our time, we quickly ran in and out and went on our way.
On went our run, and we definitely had to slow our pace down quite a bit. It was about a 7:00 min/km pace to a 7:30 min/km average pace. At about the 8 KM point my mom's friend found us as she was lagging behind the other women, so we kept with her for the rest of the race since we knew we weren't wining the Camp Ooch 1st place medal. We finally got to the final stretch and made our way through the forever winding route of metal fences to get our bling! This year they were nice, big and pretty colourful!
When we got to the field I was starving. They offered us water, banana's, and bagels...look for the food signs next time. It was difficult and seemed a bit disorganized, but i guess that's kind of hard with 27'000 + people. The nice thing was the ample washrooms. I kind of wish there were more at the starting line and less at the finish! Oh well. After the pit stop we walked back to our car at Ontario Place and we made our way home.
Mom and I ended up finishing at about 1:17:42 (chip time of 1:19:06; i guess we spent 2 minutes in the bathroom at McDonalds!), not a PB but we did it and we did it together. That was a lovely mother's day activity we both can remember for later :) I'm lucky I get to do things like running with my mom. I hope to do many more races with her in the years to come!
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