Race report: Sporting Life 10k 2012
Yesterday morning I ran the Sporting Life 10k. 10k — not a big deal in the normal scheme of things as I usually run that at least once a week, but this is just one week after my first marathon (a marathon is 42.2 kilometres for the non-runners reading this).
The few marathoners I told I was planning on running the 10k race just one week after my first marathon usually reacted by first looking at me like I’d lost my mind, and then saying that I’d be tired and that I should run it easy. One person just plain told me I was crazy. (Non-marathoners usually replied by saying how short I’d find the race and how easy it would be for me.)
So I was a little anxious about the race, about possibly injuring myself. I’d hobbled about for the first two days after the marathon, but after that I felt that my body felt mostly recovered, but all I had on my mind were the microtears that I know are still in my muscles.
I should mention that it was Nike who offered me the chance to run in the race (I didn’t set out and go on my own accord to purposely run a 10k one week after my marathon) — with it being a sponsored spot, well, it was hard for me to turn down a chance to run a race… So I ignored everything I’ve read about race recovery (including this recent article in the New York Times about how long it takes to recocver from a marathon — as long as a month mentally!) and I stuck to running the race.
I basically ran it comfortably fast. I could tell almost immediately that my body still had some healing to do (my legs felt tight). I ran comfortably fast for the first 6k and then a bit uncomfortably so (got slightly side stitches) for the last 4k. And I finished with a PB for a 10k, 49:50 (much faster than I expected — I thought I’d finish around 52 minutes if I felt good and 56 minutes if I’d taken on too much post-marathon and was hurting). I essentially had an even split (ie. I ran the first half and second half in almost the same time, less than 30 seconds different), so that’s good (although a negative split at some point in my running endeavours would be sweet).
Post-10k, I kicked back at the Nike VIP lounge where there were virgin mimosas, waffles, cupcakes, bagels and lox and more. Best buffet spread I’ve enjoyed post-race.
Thanks Nike Canada and Apex PR for the chance to run this race!
Now, for a couple of weeks of R&R!
Sporting Life 10k. Let’s do this.
Another Sunday, another race. Tomorrow, I run the Sporting Life 10k. It’s only the second time I’ve run this race (something usually comes up the weekend it’s on) and it’s only the third 10k race I’ve ever done. I will try to run it slow and easy (rather than race it) since I really should recuperating from the marathon last weekend. Even slow and easy will likely be a personal best time, though, as I’m much faster than I used to be (oh yeah, I also don’t have a pesky overactive thyroid anymore tiring me out).
My message on the Nike “Never stop…” sticker ($1 will be donated to Camp Ooch for each one collected)? Never stop trying — I took it from Coach Taylor’s playbook. “But you gotta try. That’s what character is. It’s in the trying.” (sigh, miss that show)
Thanks for the opportunity to run this fun race, Nike Canada!
P.S. My nails for the Sl10k? I’ve still got my chevron-dot marathon mani.
Cupcake truths
(I would love a dedicated shoe or handbag closet, but sometimes I dream of having a cupcake closet just like at Prairie Girl Bakery)
I share this information since I can never enjoy a Prairie Girl Bakery cupcake in the same way ever again — and misery loves company and all:
In an article in the Toronto Star yesterday, they revealed that a chocolate cupcake from this bakery (it’s one of of my favourite cupcake shops) contains nearly 700 CALORIES and 30 GRAMS OF FAT.
YIKES.
I obviously didn’t think they were nutritious or low-cal, but those ginormous numbers were astounding to me.
If you haven’t been scared off by this info, and want to try them (they are indeed delicious), here’s what I think this shop does right (I’m very picky when it comes to cupcakes):
- They offer tons of different frosting and cake combinations and the options are clearly marked on the wall making it easy to decide and order. (I’m partial to the chocolate cupcake with peanut butter frosting.)
- Their cupcakes are large (although I guess this adds to the calorie and fat numbers…but hey, go big or go home).
- Their sliding shelves of cupcakes are mesmerizing. The very first time I walked into check out the bakery for sweetspot.ca (sigh, a site that is no longer, but if I talk about that I’ll need 10 cupcakes to drown my sorrows) the vision of rows upon rows of cupcakes stopped me in my tracks.
- They have proper cupcake boxes (with a base that holds each cupcake place so they don’t get all tossed around in the box) for however many cupcakes you buy.
Will I stop eating them? Hellz no. I only have one every three months at most. And I’ll just make sure I run an extra hour or two the week that I do :)
Prairie Girl Bakery; two locations, 18 King St. East and First Canadian Place.
The power of books
I’m thinking I need to find novels about a woman who become super rich and successful, or an average runner who somehow becomes a crazy good runner, or a girl who meets her dream boy-band member and lives happily ever after…
Why?
A new study from Ohio State University found that when you lose yourself in a book, you start to identify with the fictional character, so much so it can affect your real life. You start to think and feel like the character as if it’s actually you, and it can translate into changes in behaviour in real life. In one experiment, when reading about a character who had to overcome obstacles to vote, those readers were more likely to vote in real life in an election a few days afterwards.
Hence my new reading list.
