Maritime Race Weekend 2014

Arrrrr Matey! This past weekend I be dressing like a pirate and running around Eastern Passage for the Maritime Race Weekend Tartan Twosome!

My pirate face needs some work.

Since I’ve had to almost completely give up running this year (I’m running the races I was registered for when I decided I needed a break, but no training runs to prepare for any of those races) I had no reason to expect for any PR’s this weekend (though I would have gladly taken one 😉 ) so my main goal was to finish uninjured and without complicating my adrenal/hormone issues any further <– the reason I’m abstaining from running these days.

I participated in the tartan twosome last year as well, so I knew what I was in for course wise. Last year I did the sunset 5K followed by the sunrise 10K, and that is what I was registered to do this year, but a few weeks ago I decided it was best if I dropped down to the sunrise 5K. It’s better not to push it when you’re not really suppose to be doing something to begin with…

Compared to last year, the weather was amazing. When we got to the race site and went to line up the corral was already jam packed with no real way to get to the wave I was suppose to be in as there were gates all the way along (on the site I was on anyway). We tried to make our way through but it just wasn’t happening. In the end we popped on of the gates of it’s peg and made our way into the 30-35min 5K group – but not before seeing Laura and getting a pre-rade pic together!

Thankfully I was in my wave with a few minutes to spare. This was the first year they staggered the start times, which I thought was a great idea and worked pretty well. The only problem is the people who don’t seem to understand how to put themselves in the right wave. I shouldn’t have had to spend the first 10+ minutes of the race trying to weave in and out around people who were walking right from the start. I think it’s great that people enter races and don’t run at all – just walk, I just wish they would follow the signs and line up with the walkers instead of the runners.

Aside from the fabulous weather, there was one other special thing about the sunset race for me – my socks!

I had been sent a pair of Stable 26 socks to try out and had decided to wear them Friday night. From their website:

Stable 26 footgear allows you to make even your best-fitting athletic footwear fit even better. Offering an entirely new approach to attaining the perfect fit, Stable 26 footgear uses silicone pads in anatomically targeted locations to provide improved support and an enhanced connection between your foot and your footwear.footgear allows you to make even your best-fitting athletic footwear fit even better. Offering an entirely new approach to attaining the perfect fit, Stable 26 footgear uses silicone pads in anatomically targeted locations to provide improved support and an enhanced connection between your foot and your footwear.

I had given them a test run during a 6K fun run I participated in the week before so I knew that they fit well, but this would be my first time running at any kind of speed in them so I was interested to see how they made my feet feel.

You can see that the silicone pads are located right around your ankle joint, and when you have your foot in your sneaker you really don’t even notice it is there. I did notice the next morning when I went back to running in my regular socks that my ankle/foot  moved around a lot more in my shoe than I previously realized. I felt the socks were comfortable and I feel like they would be great for someone who has ankle issues (especially if you are prone to rolling your ankle while running). As I don’t usually have ankle issues I’m not sure I will go out and by additional pairs of Stable 26 socks, but I will certainly continue to use the pair I have when running as they do offer nice additional support.

But back to the race…

The first probably 2K I spent trying to weave in and out around people like I mentioned above, by the time I hit the turn around point we had thinned out enough to make it comfortable. Considering just how little running I’ve done since the Bluenose, I was happy with my pace during the run. After the Bluenose I ran Sole Sisters 5K in June (with a GPS time of 30:52 – that wasn’t a chip timed race), ran/walked two other fun runs with a friend, and ran the Natal Day 2 mile race in August with a chip time of 19:38. Getting a sub-30 5K time wasn’t out of the question, but I knew probably wouldn’t happen. By the last km I was losing steam. I had taught 5 fitness classes the day before, and another Friday morning and I was just plainly tired. I finished the race in 32:07 which I was happy with all considered.

And my glow in the dark bling was nothing to complain about either!

Afterwards we hung around and watched the fireworks over the harbour which were fab (sorry there are no pictures, I was too busy eating chocolate 😉 ), and then headed back to the hotel.

Saturday morning came much too early (As it always does) and before I knew it I was tutu’d up and back to run again!

I went into the Saturday 5K fully expecting a slower time. My goal for this race (besides finishing uninjured) was to run a negative split, and to have enough energy left to go shopping that afternoon. Overall I preferred the morning race to the evening, mostly because at the turnaround point the majority of participants continued on for the 10K, HM or FM and the pack thinned out considerably making the run back rally nice. I tried to pick up the pace for the second half, and at times I did but it wasn’t consistent enough to say I was successful in y attempt of a negative split (if I was, it was only by a couple seconds). One thing I do know is that I finished stronger in that race than I had the night before so yay for small victories! My official finish time was 33:15.

 And double yay for awesome bling!

And triple yay for being back at the hotel before breakfast was over and getting to eat some bacon!

So another race weekend is in the books. No PR’s and no injuries – I’ll take it. Next up is the Valley Harvest 5K Thanksgiving weekend. That is my PR course (on multiple occasions) so once again, I have no right hoping for a new PR this year, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not…

Disclosure: I was sent the Stable 26 socks free of charge for the purpose of reviewing them. All opinions are 100% my own.