WPS Half Marathon Relay

This poor blog has been sorrowfully neglected but I wanted to post something so that you all know I am still alive!

Last weekend brought a new milestone to me. I participated in the Winnipeg Police Services Half Marathon and ran the relay with a friend. What does that mean? It means I ran 6.55 (1/4 of a marathon)! Woohoo!

My initial intention was really just to run it. No expectations regarding time, just do it! But as the race got closer and my training progressed, I began wondering what my time could be (I also sort of needed to figure out where to begin the race based on a half marathon finishing time).

At first, my goal was to be in under an hour and a half. Not speedy (by any standards!) but respectable enough for me. Then I began to set my sites a little bit higher and secretly hoped to be in under 1:15. Could I? I wasn't so sure but thought it might be possible.

The morning of the race was cool and overcast, with a light drizzle on and off as I got ready to start. This race was extra meaningful, as it is a fundraiser for the Canadian Cancer Society, which is near and dear to me, having lost so many important people to that despicable disease.

And then....we were off. With so many runners starting at the same time, it took me a while to find my groove but a little past mile one, I finally fell into my pace and felt good.

Because of the less than hospitable weather, there weren't too many spectators, but those that were out provided great motivation to keep going. So grateful for those that come out to cheer runners on...whether they know them or not! What a gift!

Around mile 2, I saw bagpipes up ahead and decided I should take off one of my earphones to give my full attention to them in honor of my Scottish grandfather (he being one of the many lost to cancer). As I take my earphone off, I feel my earring fall as well! Oh no! This earring was not just any old earring, but my beautiful diamond earring bought for me by my husband that I never. take. off. What to do?

I stopped in my tracks and started looking for it. What are the odds I'll find it? In the middle of a street? With runners all around me? (Sorry to anyone that had to dodge around me. Oops!) All I could think was "time is a tickin'" and "I'll likely never find it" "How long can I possibly justify looking for it?" when suddenly...there it was! Amazing!! Someone must have been looking out for me :)

I picked it up and started running again...all while trying to get my earring back into my ear (yup...that's right. Straight off the ground and back into my ear. Yuck! But what else could I do?!)

As the run progressed, the crowd of runners thinned more and more and things were feeling a little lonely. Then...there it was! The relay hand off! What a thrill to see my relay partner smiling and cheering me on as I approached her! Fantastic motivation to run hard right to the end. I can't believe I did it!

After the relay exchange, I pulled off to the side to make my way slowly back to the park to wait for my partner to near the finish line so I could join her to run the last few meters. Just as I neared the path to the park the fourth place man finisher ran past me! That's right! He (and three others) ran the entire half marathon in about the same time as I ran half of it. That is incredible!!

But like I said, I set out to a.) finish and b.) do "okay" My official chip time was 1:13:41 so, even with my earring adventure, I still beat my 1:15 goal! Woohoo!

Here is a race photo from the WPS website...taken at around mile 5-ish, if I remember correctly.



I still can hardly believe it!