We woke to the wind rattling the windows in their cases and the tinkling of the rain against the glass. Unperturbed, we prepped for the race with a proper breakfast (all carbs for me) and dressed in what we thought would be appropriate layers for the weather.
I don't know what I was thinking, but I honestly believed that I would be fine with just a regular running t-shirt under my long-sleeved running top. Then I chose capris length yoga pants rather than my trusty fleece pants from Costco. As we drove into the city where we actually parked in a lot right at Hyde Park, I was huddled in the car with all the vents blasting heat at me and a fleece jacket keeping me from shivering away all of my energy. I left the warmth of the car to head into the park with the fleece still swaddling me, but it was soon time to leave our backpacks filled with dry clothes and towels (because I knew I would be soaked by the end of this event). I had to decide if I would run with the fleece on or if I would brave the elements without it. I tucked it in my bag, handed it over and looked pleadingly at my husband who folded me into a hug to keep me warm. I spent most of the next 30 minutes until the race started looking for a hug to revive me. As other runners were stretching, jogging in place and doing other prerace warm up activities, I was crouched in a ball position trying to keep all warmth from being blown away. I justified this position as "stretching my calf muscles."
I have no idea how many people were in this race, but I know that a lot of them finished it before me. I did finish it. Considering I suggested waiting in the car while my husband ran it, this is a real accomplishment. We didn't run together as I run at a pace at least one minute if not two minutes slower than him. I also impressed upon him how I would not feel encouraged by him cheering me on at the end, but would rather see this as him taunting me. He would be saying things like, "you look great! You are almost there! You can do it!" but I would hear, "Ha Ha! I am done and you aren't!"
As I ran the race, I fell in with a few others running at about the same pace. There was a woman near me who was cheery enough that she was thanking all of the people who had volunteered to Marshall the race. I just tried not to look like I was going to need them to call 999 for an emergency van to rescue me. As the race progressed, so did the wind and the rain. At the far side of the race, you were in the open where the rain felt like an assault. The worse part was that you had to do a 2K loop in the race that meant you went along this particular stretch twice. The one thing that really pushed me to keep up my pace was that I was afraid that at any moment my husband would be lapping me in this outer loop. I was pondering how I would trip him if that did happen; but, fortunately, it didn't come to that.
The last kilometer took us past the Italian Gardens which I had never seen before, lovely even in the crappy weather. Then we had to go up a little hill before heading down under a bridge and then along a long path tracing the edge of the Serpentine lake. There was not big "Finish" sign to let you know how much further. You just saw a group of people and the registration tents and hoped that the line was not much further beyond all of those people. Some of my pacers pushed ahead and some fell behind. I tried to keep it going knowing I was close. My husband did see me cross, from a distance. He told me that I looked like I was in pain. I am not looking forward to seeing the professional photos of the race; I always look a bit strained.
Happy New Year!
10K - 56:35 (PB)
