This was the first race I had where I went in with an injury and had decided to run it “for fun” (unlike when I was recovering from an injury in October’s half marathon and I still raced it, trying to hit a PB). I was pretty excited for the TYS10K because the day before, it was 15 degrees in the morning! 15! But unlucky for us… it dropped back to 8 degrees the morning of the race. Mother nature can be cruel!
It was also the first time I used baggage check with Canada Running Series. The volunteers were very efficient and everything went smoothly. Canada Running Series definitely deserves some props as this race was run very smoothly and everything from the packet pick up to the baggage pick up was flawless.
The Training
My oh my… to be very honest with you, life has gotten in the way of running for me in the months leading up to this. If you’ve gone through my Monday on the Runs, you would notice the trend of me missing my training runs or having them shifted. Another thing was my shins were just not happy with my throughout the training season so for a while. I wasn’t very consistent. Some Sundays I was able to knock out a 15k long run but others, 12k was difficult. So after a week of hemming and hawing, I changed my goal from a sub 53 PR to a sub 60. My coach from Longboat, Steve, had fielded multiple emails from a panicked me so props to him haha. He suggested that I go the first 5k at 5:30 pace and just go from there with would have put me at 55 minutes which I was fine with.
Race Day
This year, I was able to get there nice and early because as an digital champions for the race, we had to be there early to get our group photo. It was very fun meeting up with my fellow digital champions and finally meeting my Twitter friends for the first time! Ladies like Cathy, Melly, and Karyn! It was quite fun being able to squeal, hug, and selfie before a race for once instead of pacing anxiously back and forth while questioning my race plan. It was also fun as we were all able to hang out together at the start line (and all finish within a few minutes of each other!)
First 5K
Anyways, when the race started, I felt pretty good (that or because it was totally downhill right away so we were all just zooming down)! Nothing was hurting but holy smokes was it windy! I was blown left, then right, then went against some headwind. There was a point where the wind hit us all so hard that the large group around me all like out a resounding “whooooooa!” I totally tried to draft off people but it didn’t work. Wind was hitting me from all around so I gave up on that pretty quick.
Second 5K
This part is actually a little embarrassing haha… by the 2nd half of the race, my right side was starting to feel funny. There was a good chance that it was due to my shoe being on for too tight. I’m not too sure but my right foot started to feel numb/tingly and it spread up to my calf. Of course, I didn’t want to stop and adjust because I’m stubborn and in my mind it was “only 5 more k, suck it up girly.” So I powered through… I mean, it wasn’t going to kill me right?! Yes. I’m crazy haha.
Anyways, when my watch told me I was 9k, I decided that it was time to book it. I still had quite a lot left in me at that point so I picked it up. I was so happy when my watch beeped 10k and it said 52:5x which would have been a PB for me on the course but as I looked up, I saw that there was quite a bit more to go! I saw the bridge and I was like “oh crap… we are nowhere near doneeeeee” and I didn’t want to drop my pace so I kept going (less enthusiastic because my watch said 10k! I should have been done! I want my banana! Haha). However, my mood was lifted as Karyn came up behind me and wanted to finish together. I was totally onboard since Karyn had wanted to run a hard race so there was no way she was going to take it easy at the finish – just what I needed to keep going.
So we gunned it. I saw the finish line, called out to Karyn, and we sprinted to that beautiful chip timer mat! Woo! It was over! It took me a minute to kick off my shoe and my right foot and calf was so happy to be free!
According to my Polar M400, it said I had just completed 10.5k with my splits being 5:17, 5:15, 5:30, 5:14, 5:36, 5:34, 5:23, 5:23, 4:58, 4:44, (0.5k) 2:57. I was pleasantly surprised at my splits as despite the net downhill course, I was slower but more prepared last year.
Post-race thoughts
I was happy. I was surrounded by runners who I had gotten to know over the last few months online and a lot of them had PB-ed and their afterglow was amazing. Despite not going for a PB, I kind of got one so that made my day too. An unexpected PB is still a PB in my books! It mades me wonder how I would have done if I was able to run hard throughout the whole thing and now I’m excited to work hard for next year to be injury free so I can leave everything I have on the course.
[Tweet “#TYS10K recap via @runcarmyrun #runTO”]
So were you one of the thousands of runners sprinting down Yonge Street last week? Or were you running elsewhere?
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<3 Carmy
Amber says
Ah so frustrating when it’s a PB per your watch, but not based on the course! I tend to shut down at the end of races after I’ve hit the official distance, so lately I’ve tried not to look at my watch in the last mile since I’m always well above the official race distance :)
I’m glad you still enjoyed your “just for fun” race though! And nice splits at the end! :D
Carmy says
haha I was so maddddd! I was like I DON’T CARE WHAT SPORT STATS SAYS! I PBED! on facebook and posted my splits from my watch LOL! It was quite the nice surprise! Those splits cost me an extra day off though LOL! My calf got real tight the next day!
Mike @ FitFriend says
Congrats on the PB (whatever time that was. I can’t find it above?).
If you’re really monitoring pace in a race, which let’s face it, most of us do, then it’s only going to be accurate if you take manual splits. That is, to hit the button on your watch or phone whenever you see the km or mile markers.
Just like fueling, this takes practise. But hey, it’s not rocket science. It’s still very easy to hit a button every km or mile. GPS screws up more than we wish to think, but the km/mile signs are measured out usually by someone with a wheel.
Carmy says
My unofficial was 52:5x and official was 55:5x so either one is great as I would have hit 5:30 pace if it was 55!
And for sure, the course vs watch is always a super fun debate haha especially when I had friends say the course was 10.6 and 10.2! Those are pretty big differences just between runners! Since the course is the same yearly, I’m looking forward to doing it again and see what my watch says!
It was actually my first race in a while without a pacer too! So I’m pretty happy my pace was pretty on track :D
Music for Miles says
Congratulations on the PB, even better that it was unexpected and off of sporadic training! Those PB’s are the sweetest :) I’ve never done a 10k before, so that’s on my running bucket list.
Carmy says
Thank you! You’ll love a 10K! Not as hard physically as a 5k but just as mentally challenging :)
Stephanie says
Wow, I would say you did amazing, I can’t believe your split times!!! I try to not look at my watch towards the end of races, I have only ran two half marathons so far but each time the course was longer. My first race I was trying to keep track of splits and I was soooooo frustrated at the end and I hadn’t hit the finish line yet but according to my watch I had ran the distance. Oh well, we learn as we go :) Again awesome job!
Carmy says
Right?! A big race in Toronto, you have to go under a bridge before the last 400m! Everyone’s watches always crap out there and everyone kind of does that frustrated exhale when their watch beeps! I’m hoping to do some smaller races without my watch as I’m seriously glued to it!
Sam @ PancakeWarriors says
horray for injury free running!! That’s an awesome goal!! Hope you continue to get stronger!!
Mar @ Mar on the Run says
congrats on your race!! I focus less on GPS during an event for that reason. Tangents and other factors can screw up the race time vs. my time and I’d rather just go with what ends up in the record books ;) either way – good work!
Carmy says
Haha funny story..every tagent someone would run themselves into my elbow
Margo says
Congrats on the PB. I wish I was in Toronto as it is one of my favorite cities.
Crystal says
Way to get it done! Running for fun never grows old! Glad you’re happy with your splits!
Deborah @ Confessions of a Mother Runner says
Wow impressive! Congrats
Coach Henness says
I love the costumed runners! And I think unplanned PBs are the BEST!
Carmy says
same! these lovely folks were raising money for sick kids hospital! I’m so happy that I know such amazing people
Ange @ Cowgirl Runs says
Congrats on a great time either way! I’m usually slightly over, but I’ve never been 500m over, that’s a lot!
Kathryn @ Dancing to Running says
Its always frustrating when the time and distance on our watches doesn’t match up with the official race distance and time. But great job on your race, especially when you went out there to run it just for fun.
Courtney @ Eat Pray Run DC says
way to go! so fun a friend came up to you near the end and you got to finish together!
Wendy@Taking the Long Way Home says
Great job on the PB. What was your finish time? I always have trouble converting kms to miles…
Carmy says
my chip time was 55:5x!
Marcia says
Congrats on a strong race, even if the course was long! It’s so hard to stay in the game mentally when that happens.
Carmy says
Thanks! I was honestly so done when my watch said 10!
jill conyers says
A PB is a PB. Congrats!
Stan says
awesome race report! how about that wind eh? I don’t ever remember running in that kind of a wind in any of my races. I actually went GPS-less for this race so I can’t complain about the long course :) good job and hope you heal up well for your next race.
Carmy says
I legitimately tried to draft off my friend and kept failing haha. And the weather was SO nice the day before! It was cruel of mother nature to tease us like that LOL! Hope you did well too! I’m going to see if I can go watch free for a small race or two but it’s going to be hard to let go of it.
GinaB @ Mirror Watching says
Great job press through. Awesome idea to think of it as two 5ks.
Toni @runninglovingliving says
Congrats on the PB. I love when those come unexpectantly!
GiselleR @ Diary of an ExSloth says
Congrats on the PB even if it wasn’t ‘official’! Especially since you weren’t expecting it :D
Patty @ Reach Your Peak says
Congrats! I’m running my second 10k on May 30th and have no clue how it will go haha. Way to go on the PB! My 10k “PB” was done on a training run so I look forward to breaking that (hopefully) in my race.
Sandra Laflamme says
Way to go on setting a new PB even if it wasn’t official according to the race clock. This sounds like it was a great race with lots of other great runners!
Lauren @ The Bikini Experiment says
You did so well! Congrats on a great job. :-)