Laurier Loop 2011

So yesterday I raced the Laurier Loop 10k.  It was cold and windy, but thankfully not wet.  The race is a 2.5k loop as a mentioned earlier that runs along the same course as one of the worst races I have ever ran in.  I was a little leery about racing on a course that you had to run four times, but was willing to give it a shot.  

The race itself was very well organized.  The volunteers encouraged the runners and despite the weather seemed quite positive.  I'm not sure if its because I have been doing speed workouts that repeat themselves 4 times (4x800's, 4+ hills, etc.) but the repetition didn't bother me at all.  It could have been because my husband was mid course and two of my friends - Katherine and Gina were at the start/finish line and I saw all of them four times.

I only have one complaint about this race and I'm sure I'm not alone in this.  Laurier's football team walked in the race.  Now I have no issue with walkers in a race, I have walked in a race more than I would like to admit.  However, when you have 50 huge guys walking 5 wide, shoulder to shoulder not moving for anyone who might be passing them - say like a runner who is actually running in the race their actions seemed obnoxious.  These kids clearly did not want to be there.  Kudos to Katherine on behalf of all of the runners who had to run on wet grass to get around them for yelling at them from the stands what we were all thinking "MOVE TO THE RIGHT!" 

So how did I do?  Quite well actually.  I set a 10k pb by 3 seconds (chip time)  52:09 and finished first place in my age group - yippee!  The way I ran the race wasn't the biggest success for me though.  It was how I felt before.  I worked on not freaking out before the race and dealing with the pre-race anxiety I usually feel.  The result - I was actually excited about this race.  Weird?  But I really did enjoy running it and pushing myself through the course.  Do I think I could have done better - of course.  But then that's the beauty of running races... there is always another one.

 I do want to thank  Katherine, Gina and Dan for all standing in the cold for most of the day to cheer me on.  You guys rock! 


Here is the shirt from the race... not bad.

 And in case you ever doubted it...