The 15k showdown was set for the shores of Lake Simcoe in
Orillia at the Youth Leadership Camp of Canada.
The route was an out-and-back that offered 5k, 10k and 15k distances.
First off the staff/volunteers of the YLCC and MEC
were amazing. For a $15 race the MEC races cannot be beat. Great venue, well-marked
route, cops alerting cars to runners, food, beverages, water table every 2.5k, great atmosphere, etc.
I was happy to be running with my pseudo-coach Dave as well as having my MEC Barrie meet-up run Ninjas in
attendance: Patrick, Lewis and Rick. The MEC guys were running the 10k which means no matter how fast they were they weren't faster on 15k on this day!
The attendance at 15k was 30 racers. Which tends to mean a bunch of ringers prepping up for a fall marathon.
What amazes me about races vs. training is that either the
extra rest or adrenaline always helps a ton.
If you love to run but don’t race … sign up. These MEC events are cheap and fun and will
give you the taste of competition. A race is the place to PB. Besides pumping your fists all alone in your front yard after a PB just helps confirm to your neighbors that you are a lunatic.
My plan was to run 6 minute kilometers pace the whole race. In the end I finished at 1:29:38. Hit my goal, made my PB and dispatched 6
unwilling competitors to come in at 24 out of 30.
Special thank you to Patrick who ran in with me for the last
2.5k after he took 3rd in the 10k race and likely circle back out to
make sure I was still alive after waiting for ages.
And an extra special thank you to Dave who helped accompanied
me to finish tied for 1st place as the only 2 competitors having
post-race beers in the rain soaked parking lot after he himself finished 3rd
in the 15k.
This is what 24th
place out of 30 people looks like hustling in after 15k.
