10K!

I love running. I run for myself. For my brain, and for my body. I don’t need other people to make me run, and I don’t need races to make me run.

But I do love / hate running races.

There’s a lot about them I don’t like. I don’t like the crowds. I don’t like the hustle and bustle before the race. I don’t like how hard it can be to find, and stick to, your own pace when there are others around you all running faster and harder.

I hate how hard it is to get to a bathroom right before a race – because being nervous makes me have to pee, and I’m always a little nervous right before a race.

But, as soon as I’m running, I’m happy.

And, when I’m done, I’m delirious.

OK – maybe not for the first three minutes. Especially the first three minutes after the Wolfe Island Classic 10K. The wind, and hills, and burning-sun-on-hot-asphalt on that run always mean when I’m done I (a) want to die, (b) want to puke, (c) can’t wait to strip off my race bib and go swimming in the river – heaven!

But, very shortly after, I’m happy I’m done. This is what that looks like:

So, this year I’m jumping back in.

I’ve registered for the Ottawa Race Weekend – I got a 10K bib for the Ottawa Race Weekend, which is a bit of a feat in itself! I’m contemplating entering the Wolfe Island Classic again, as well … I don’t have to decide that just yet.

I started training this weekend because my son is going to run the Ottawa Race Weekend 5K, so we have to get him going (I may, or may not be running the 5k with him, first, and then the 10K – it remains to be seen).

I’m also training hard because I’m determined to run a sub-fifty minute 10K. Which shouldn’t be that hard, but I’m hoping it’s not going to be touch-and-go. I’m hoping it’s going to be a clear sub-fifty. So I want to be fit, and ready.

So, I have to train hard and I have to hope I feel good on the day and, now that I’ve declared my sub-fifty goal, I’ll have to report back on what happens.

Watch this space …