Scotiabank Half Marathon

My first race!

So the night before I had a gig and it was almost two gigs (including the graveyard shift at the yale 12:30 - 3:00). So I got home at 1:00 and was promptly up at 4:30....ugh. I didn't carb load that much the night before, but in the morning I managed to have a bagel with peanut butter, a banana loaf, and a protein bar along with a steady stream of gatorade and water. So much of this sport is eating.

My brother did the race with me and before it began he asked me if I had any predictions. I said that I'd be happy with 2 hours or less. Well I ended up with 1:47, putting me 524th out of 4000; so needless to say, I was pretty proud. Lee ended up with 1:29, putting him 81st overall. What a freak.

Never being in a race before, I didn't know what to expect. The coolest thing happened after the gun went. Everybody was totally silent, except the sound of shoes on pavement. 4000 pairs. What a crazy sound!

So next up is the Victoria Marathon. 26.2 miles. This race put that number into perspective a little. I feel confident I can do it, but I've got a lot of training over the next 16 weeks.

Thunder Bay

Never running in Ontario before, I was excited to see what Thunder Bay could offer a runner. Earlier that day I visited the local Starbucks/Chapters/Wal-Mart/Future Shop/Warehouse One etc. (you know the strip mall, it's the same one right across the country) and noticed that although friendly, the good people of Thunder Bay didn't seem exactly health concious if you know what I mean. So when I asked the front desk girl at the hotel (who clearly wasn't a runner either....not that there's anything wrong with that) if there was anywhere "cool to run", I was surprised to hear that there was some designated trails and paths close by. It was actually a pretty nice little path cut through some typical 60's style houses that reminded me of my old neighbourhood in Calgary a lot. About halfway through I suddenly got a real "sense" of Ontario. The vegetation, the landscapes, the look...I felt a lot closer to some of the music that I loved from Ontario: Rush, the Tragically Hip, Neil Young, etc. I don't know if that was the endorphins from runner's high or the music in the ipod, but I was moved.

Speaking of ipod, still looking for a decent set of headphones for running. I just bought some digital maxell ear buds, but they keep falling out of my ears. Think I'm gonna have to go for the wrap arounds.

Ipod

I recently bought an ipod. I have been resisting running with music until I can run with ALL of my music. I've been holding off buying an ipod until I can buy the big ass 60 GB that would accomodate my collection. So on Sunday I went for my first run with music. Seems odd doesn't it that someone who's so into running and so into music hadn't found a way to put this peanut butter and chocolate together earlier. Anyways....it has changed everything. Life is different now. Runs were already reflective and epic, but now there is a completely new dimension. So awesome. Here's the first Running Mix:


Running Mix 1:

And You and I.........Yes
I Can See For Miles......The Who
The Kids are Alright.....The Who
Two Hearts Beat as One........U2
Giftshop......The Tragically Hip
Sowing the Seeds of Love.......Tears for Fears
Mother Nature's Son.....Sheryl Crow
People of the Sun.......Rage against the Machine
Fake Plastic Trees......Radiohead
Mull of Kintyre......Wings
B-Boy Stance.....K-os
Take Me Out.......Franz Ferdinand
Badge.......Cream
B Boys Makin' WIth the Freak Freak.....Beastie Boys
Custard Pie.......Led Zeppelin
Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey.......The Beatles
Head over Heels......Tears for Fears
I'm Not Down......The Clash
Immigrant Song.....Led Zeppelin
In My Place.....Coldplay
It's a Long Way to the Top If You Wanna Rock and Roll.....AC/DC
Lilac Wine.....Jeff Buckley
Lucky Man......The Verve
On the Horizon.....Sloan
One Thing....Amerie
Stay Together For the Kids......Blink 182
The Dark of the Matinee......Franz Ferdinand
The Righteous and the Wicked.......Red Hot Chili Peppers
The Scientist......Coldplay
We Can Work it Out.....The Beatles

Running Mix 2:

'It's A Good Life If You Don't Weaken' The Tragically Hip
I've Seen All Good People Yes
And The Cradle Will Rock... Van Halen
Mean Street Van Halen
Trip Through Your Wires U2
Something On The Tragically Hip
If It Feels Good Do It Sloan
Let Down Radiohead
What A Life Juliana Hatfield
Manic Depression Jimi Hendrix
Mojo Pin Jeff Buckley
Is There Something I Should Know Duran Duran
Straight To Hell The Clash
Preaching The End Of The World Chris Cornell
I Bombed Korea Cake
The Distance Cake
Race Car Ya-Yas Cake
Getting Better The Beatles
Lady Madonna The Beatles
Two Of Us The Beatles
I've Got A Feeling The Beatles
Invisible Ink Aimee Mann
Black Market Weather Report
Aja Steely Dan
Run To The Hills Iron Maiden
The Marquee and the Moon Sloan
Delivering Maybes Sloan
Rock The Casbah The Clash
Little Guitars Van Halen
GZ And Hustlas Snoop Dogg
Fight The Power Public Enemy
Float On Modest Mouse
Thugs The Tragically Hip
Inevitability Of Death The Tragically Hip
Titanic Terrarium The Tragically Hip
Impossibilium The Tragically Hip
Super Disco Breakin' The Beastie Boys
The Scoop The Beastie Boys
All Apologies Nirvana
Brain Stew Green Day
The Sound of Settling Death Cab For Cutie
B-Boy Stance k-os
Grindin' Clipse
Tom Sawyer Rush
My Music At Work The Tragically Hip
Money City Maniacs Sloan
In Bloom Nirvana
War Pigs/Luke's Wall Black Sabbath
Looking Down The Barrel Of A Gun The Beastie Boys
Always On The Run Lenny Kravitz
Poses Rufus Wainwright
Pretty Penny Stone Temple Pilots
Fight The Tragically Hip
Saturn Stevie Wonder
Doing It To Death James Brown
Perk Seamus Blake
Square Dance Eminem
The Enemies Of Energy Kurt Rosenwinkel
Transatlanticism Death Cab For Cutie
Lets Stay Engaged The Tragically Hip
Some Days Are Better Than Others U2
Numb U2

The tempos were weird at first, but then I started playing a game of polyrhythms against my running tempo (GEEK!!!!).