Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon Round 4.

Race Recap, Yo.

This took a while because I didn't really have much to say that was all that interesting.  It was a good race.  Perfect weather. I actually enjoyed bit of scenery.

Before the race, I excitedly exchanged Twitter with Rob Watson.  I think this was the highlight of the race and I wasn't even running.

All weekend, I OD'ed on nooodles.  Toronto has a really good ramen scene going on, and since it wasn't subzero weather, we lined up for noodles at Santouka. I had the shoyu ramen and it was deep in flavor and totally delicious. I declared it one of the best noodle joints in Toronto.  But then it turns out there's one of these right in NJ.  Not sure how I feel about it.

Anyways, yes, the race.  First, I get interviewed by not one, but two Canadian TV (CBC & CityTV) networks, while hopping around in the corrals doing my dynamic stretches.  Maybe my weird moves got their attention?  Or maybe it was my appropriate red-white outfit?  I was the token Asian chick that they needed?  They asked about my pre-race superstitions.  Kids, I'm more superstitious than a hockey player - I mean, right down to the lucky sports bra and panty combo.

Then right before the start horn, I experienced something you rarely see in Canada.  RUDE Canadians.  A controversial person related to an even more controversial politician was there to start the horn and this resulted in the loudest collective, "booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo".  Wow.  They really don't like this dude.  I wonder why...

The race started and I decided to follow the 3:25 pace bunny, as that was my dream goal.  As usual, folks following the pace bunny turns into a giant 8X8, plowing through the crowds.  I ditch him at mile 1, since I can't deal with a guy in Skns Zentai with a Camelbak, overstriding.  I fall back and decide it's all on me.

Toronto is a weird race.  It has a giant half marathon portion of 20,000+ folks, then a smaller full marathon portion of 5000 or so peeps.  If you get sucked in some strange competition with a random dude that's running the half, your full is done.  That guy only has 13.1 to go, you have a whole 26.2 to go.  He's going to go all out, while your objective should be to save until the last 4 miles...I've got sucked into this 3 years in a row, so this year, I was determined not to compete with anyone until all the Halfers broke off. 

By the way, the only good thing about the Halfers is that they shield the headwind for you once you get o the Lakeshore.  There's always a headwind here either going out west or coming back east.  With the Halfers, I can always find a giant dude to duck behind. 

Once I get to the Lakeshore, I keep on looking for the elites.  This is the most exciting part of the race because it's so fun to see them just fly through air.  And this year, I was determined to cheer Rob Watson.  Now traditionally, he has worn a black singlet.  I'm looking and looking for a tall dude with black singlet.  I see a tall dude in a red and white Canadian singlet zoom away.  OMG, that's him, that's him, that's him and before I could get a breathe in to say something, he's gone.  WTF.

The rest of the course was uneventful.  I rode the legs of three Quebecois who had their own cheering dude/coach person.  At around mile 15, the trio started to falter so I said "Merci Beaucoup" and moved on.  I didn't find anyone my pace so I just kept on going steady, passing one person after next.

By the time I got in to Beaches area where all the hills are, my Central Park legs were so glad to get a break from the flatness.  I plowed uphill, passing one sad dude after another.  I put myself in low gear, using my bum muscles for this and boy, it felt so good.  I knew this had been a trouble spot in the past, and I was determined to get through smoothly this year.  I felt a little victorious as I headed into mile 20.

Here I was almost by myself and I started facing that headwind from the west.  I pushed to catch up to a taller guy to duck behind, but then I instantly felt bad.  This guy was suffering and I just couldn't ride him.  I passed him and decided to take on the wind full force.  I should've trained more along the Hudson in prep for headwind running...

As I turned into the odd bit along Don Valley Parkway, at mile 22 or so, my legs were no longer into this.  I broke into my emergency stash of gels which I immediately regretted, cuz I got nauseous.  I had to dig deep here.  I tried to talk to myself about all the sad Wednesday 5AM alarms to run the 10M after a tough speed workout in 90F weather.  I recalled the heavy feet going up the subways stairs every Saturday AM.  All those summer days where I had to turn down boozy Fridays cuz I had to do a long run the next day. YOU TRAINED FOR THIS, I said.  I know, it's cheesy.  It's so cliche.  But man, I had to use every trick in the book to get through it!

Then at the turnaound point on the Don Valley thing, the dude in front of me suddenly stops.  CRASH.

I'm enraged.  I channel my sister who runs angry, "OUT OF MY WAY DUDE!".

As I go through the last mile, I dig even deeper and decide that I shall pass every younger and skinnier chick. I find a chick in a Mexico Tri Top.  All skinny and pretty.  I rhino her down.  Then it's dudes, dudes, dudes.  I then see the Zentai dude from earlier!  I pass his ass.  He aint overstriding no more.  ha!

I pass some people that were doing the 8X8 with the 3:25 bunny so I'm feeling good.  Maybe I'll catch up to him? (Spoiler:  No)  The last mile is really hard, but I try to imagine it as a track workout and push it out.  I swear,  I'm using all the trick in the book!! At final 400m, I try to imagine Coach Terry at the corner of the track, all smiling and waiting.  I am determined to pass this one last chick in a pink shirt. 

And I'm in!  3:27:14.  And here's the Garmin.

Not a PR, but it was a good strong run and for the first time in four tries, I didn't walk...not one step.  I'm 11th in my age group and since the 10th person has a time of 3:23, I think I did really well for where I am.
And I was feeling really good about it.  I got goofy pic to prove it. 

One thing about this round that was different from the last 3 was that I was conscious all the time of my form, condition, speed, people around me, thoughts.  I didn't lose myself in that weird haze where I can't think at all.  Maybe it was the colder weather?  Maybe it was the caffeinated gels?  Maybe because it was my fourth damn attempt? I don't know...but hopefully I can have this clear state of mind all the way into Boston 2014.

Next stop, California Int'l Marathon.  5 WEEKS TO GO!