Calgary 50K Ultra Marathon 2017
It was a set plan, run a sub 3hours marathon and then survive for an extra 7.8kms... at the time of registration it sounds like a good idea, but certainly wasn't... I thought that it would be fun to hammer a sub 3 marathon pace and then take it easy in the last bit. I put in a solid training plan (just my plan) like running 32k on Sunday mornings, run some tempos at race pace, do some speed workout drills, etc. I have a few friends doing similar training plans so in some case it was easy to hookup with them and have some company.
On race day I waked up early (5:00am) had the usual race meals, oat meal, waffles, peanut butter, bananas and plenty of coffee. I drove to downtown at around 5:30 to have plenty of time. Once at race start by 6:30 and with half an hour to spare I was with chatting with friends and trying to think about the race and how it was going to unfold.
The start was at 7:00, lots of people as we were starting with the half, the full and the ultra.
I started as planned at race pace, 4:15 minute per km, it was actually a bit faster, but I was feeling good and I knew there were lots of hills to climb in the first 20k. Initially I wanted to run with a few friends that were aiming for the same time, however I felt that making up some time in case things went wrong wound't be a bad idea, so I kept a hard pace and was feeling great in the first 10k. My mental game gas 14k in 59min (and it was achieved), then I wanted to be at 28 in 1:58 and it was achieve again.. when I passed the 30k mark a young girl was running besides me and told me that she was a 100k (so I thought she had already ran 100k with the previous group and was on the last 50k with me.. WTF???) I wasn't sure what kind of animal she was and was really surprise to see such a fast pace. I stayed with her for about 10k and it was HARD ! From 37k to 42k was all heart, I was in the game and the real race just was starting at that point. I dropped the pace from 4:15 to 4:25 and couldn't pick it up again, it was tough.. I focused on my main goal (sub 3 marathon) and for the last k or so I was just looking at my stop watch for the timer, I made a huge effort to cross the timing mat in just under 2:59:50 and was the happiest kid on the race !!! Immediately after that my legs shut down and all I wanted to do was sit, however with little less than 8k to go I knew that the faster the sooner I was going to be done :-) easier said than done ! those were the hardest and toughest 8k of the day. I managed to sustain 5min pace and was able to cross the finish line at 3:40:37. Finished 5th place overall in the men category of 156 or so and 1st place in the age group of 40-49.
With a sub 3 in Calgary I think I feel that I have accomplished a great goal, Calgary sits at 1,200+mts above the sea level and the elevation gain of the course was not a joke. Mito Canada was there too, with a guines records for the first marathon with 113 runners linked to each other. There was another record set by 10 girls linked to each other and many other personal records that I bet would have their own story. In the end, I was creating my own story, my own path in trying to influence other people....
Some reflections after such a great personal accomplishment..
1. the sky is the limit !
2. think BIG !
3. think YES I can
4. have fun training
5. enjoy the journey
6. make friends that share the same passion
7. embrace change, as it will be there all the time...
8. stay focus !!
9. don't give up
On race day I waked up early (5:00am) had the usual race meals, oat meal, waffles, peanut butter, bananas and plenty of coffee. I drove to downtown at around 5:30 to have plenty of time. Once at race start by 6:30 and with half an hour to spare I was with chatting with friends and trying to think about the race and how it was going to unfold.
The start was at 7:00, lots of people as we were starting with the half, the full and the ultra.
I started as planned at race pace, 4:15 minute per km, it was actually a bit faster, but I was feeling good and I knew there were lots of hills to climb in the first 20k. Initially I wanted to run with a few friends that were aiming for the same time, however I felt that making up some time in case things went wrong wound't be a bad idea, so I kept a hard pace and was feeling great in the first 10k. My mental game gas 14k in 59min (and it was achieved), then I wanted to be at 28 in 1:58 and it was achieve again.. when I passed the 30k mark a young girl was running besides me and told me that she was a 100k (so I thought she had already ran 100k with the previous group and was on the last 50k with me.. WTF???) I wasn't sure what kind of animal she was and was really surprise to see such a fast pace. I stayed with her for about 10k and it was HARD ! From 37k to 42k was all heart, I was in the game and the real race just was starting at that point. I dropped the pace from 4:15 to 4:25 and couldn't pick it up again, it was tough.. I focused on my main goal (sub 3 marathon) and for the last k or so I was just looking at my stop watch for the timer, I made a huge effort to cross the timing mat in just under 2:59:50 and was the happiest kid on the race !!! Immediately after that my legs shut down and all I wanted to do was sit, however with little less than 8k to go I knew that the faster the sooner I was going to be done :-) easier said than done ! those were the hardest and toughest 8k of the day. I managed to sustain 5min pace and was able to cross the finish line at 3:40:37. Finished 5th place overall in the men category of 156 or so and 1st place in the age group of 40-49.
With a sub 3 in Calgary I think I feel that I have accomplished a great goal, Calgary sits at 1,200+mts above the sea level and the elevation gain of the course was not a joke. Mito Canada was there too, with a guines records for the first marathon with 113 runners linked to each other. There was another record set by 10 girls linked to each other and many other personal records that I bet would have their own story. In the end, I was creating my own story, my own path in trying to influence other people....
Some reflections after such a great personal accomplishment..
1. the sky is the limit !
2. think BIG !
3. think YES I can
4. have fun training
5. enjoy the journey
6. make friends that share the same passion
7. embrace change, as it will be there all the time...
8. stay focus !!
9. don't give up
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