Sun Run 2008

Well this years race was a good one. the skies were clear, and it was not raining or snowing. I just hoped it was a little warmer. It was definitely a two shirt race. Burrrrr.

I got there early enough to warm up in the lobby of one of the hotels. I sat back and ate my Cliff Blocks and my Carb Boom gel in leisure. I managed to find my last package this morning. After getting all my warm up gear off, I saw the gear truck roll up across the street. So off I went to check my gear bag. Then it off for a warm up jog, around the block a couple of times. Just enough to work out the kinks, and to get the old muscles loosened up. I watched the elite runners warming up as well. Man they look fast just standing there.

Once I had stretched, it was time to go to my starting area for my group, which was yellow this year. The yellow group is the third group to go. The first group was the elite wheelchair, and the second group was the world class elite group.

As we were waiting for the start there was a live band playing, and a fitness group leading a warm up. There were beach balls being hit around and the atmosphere was pretty exciting. Everyone there was itching to get the show on the road. There was a little movement after the wheelchair athletes started and the whole crowd surged forward, only to be stopped after three or four feet.

Then we could hear the elite runners starting, and it was on. The crowd started moving forward, and this was it. I had deliberately started in the middle of the group, to prevent me from taking off from the start. This way the crowd would regulate my pace for the first 500 to 1000 meters. I had start my watch too early, so I had to stop it and restart it at the actual starting line. Everyone is wearing timing chips, but I needed to know my pace after each kilometer. As we started to pick up speed I started to pass a few runners, and a few had passed me.

As we ran down Georgia the road slopes down, so the pace had increase accordingly. I was expecting this and just went with the flow of things. As we got to the bottom of the slope, there is a 90 degree corner to the left, and then a block later another 90 degree to the right.

Yee Haw one kilometer down, nine more to go. Off to Stanley Park and Beach Ave. This section is very tight, with no where to go to get around people, except on the side walks or the grass, which both were being used. There was a lot of elbowing and squeezing to get though the traffic jam. I managed to stay on the right hand side of the road, and had straight sailing all the way to Beach. Once we hit Beach the road widens right up, and so did the crowd. Remember this is 59,000+ runners here.

I stayed on the right hand side of the road all the way down Beach because I knew the water stations are on that side. I decided that this year I would take a little water at each station. This would make sure that I stayed hydrated and not get cramps. Kilometers two and three breezed by, and on pace to break 50 minutes. now I could see in the distance the wave of runners taking a hard left. This is the dreaded hill before the Burrard Street bridge. Last year I did not have any problems going up the hill, and I hoped this year would be the same.
As I got to the corner, I went wide to the right where the road was clear. I managed to keep a good pace up the hill, but it was definitely harder than last year. I could really feel it in my legs. As I got to the top of the hill and started the sweeping turn to the left to go on to the bridge, I glanced over at the 5 kilometer sign. I looked at my watch and i was surprised that I was still on pace to break 50 minutes (24:43), but the hill must have took it to me, because on the bridge I could feel my pace starting to change for the worse. I started to slow down and things started to hurt. What was happening, this was not suppose to start until kilometer seven, and I had not got to number six yet.

We turned onto 2nd Ave., and I was hurting. For a second there I could feel every hair on my head stand up. So I had to start using mind games on myself. I started to tell myself, I have come this for I cannot give up, and if all these people can do it, so can I. I told myself I did it last year, I know I can do it now, just keep the feet moving, do not stop to walk. If positive thinking was working. I was feeling better, not great but better. I scooted over to the drink station, and got some much needed water form one of the volunteers. I drank some and poured the rest over my head and neck. This helped as well.

From here it was a short distance to 4th Ave, and the long straight away as the road curves onto 6th Ave. leading to the Cambie street bridge. This is where I really had to start concentrating on my running technique. As we were heading down the road, I must have missed the 7 kilometer sign, because I did not see it to do a time check, and then I saw it. Man I was choked I thought I had passed it already. Got to the sign, and checked my watch, 36:43. Now I was really behind the pace I had set. I needed to do something, so I started to lengthen my stride a little, and concentrate on a smooth run.

This managed to maintain my speed, but did not make me go any faster. At least I stopped losing time now. 6th Ave. is a really long straight stretch, that I was starting to wonder if there was going to be another water station coming up. After a few minutes, I could see it on the other side of the road. I made a radical cut across the road, to the other side, and lined myself up for the last pass of water. Another sip and a splash on the head, and I was off for the last 1-1/2 kilometers to the finish.

As I was approaching the bridge, I thought that this was a good idea to get to this side of the road. The turn onto the bridge ramp was going to be a left hander, and it looked fairly clear as everyone seemed to be going wide for some reason. So I went up the left hand side with little difficultly. As I got to the bridge deck it self, the lane opens right up to the whole width of the north bound traffic lanes. I shot to the left side and started to increase my speed.

I was being to feel not good, but kept going. It never fails, as you get closer to the finish it seem to get that much harder. Go figure. Then I could see it, the down ramp to Pacific and the finish section. Now was the time to decide when to go for it. Too far out and I will completely die, too late and I will kick myself until next year. I quickly decided that at the bottom of the ramp was the spot to hit it. As the ramp curved down to the right and then straight onto Pacific, the pace of the crowd just shot up. I thought this is good, less dodging runners who have slowed down too much in the last 150 meters.

I hit the flat with some good speed, and bang off I went. First down the left side, which was open, and then angling towards the middle. I learned last year that being in the middle at the finish line, is the best place for the official pictures. Yes I admit, even though I was dieing, I still wanted a good picture of it. lol. As I ran up to the finish clock, I looked at my watch I knew that I did not get my goal of a sub 50 minute race, but I had smashed my last years time by over 5 minutes. So I raised my hands up and cheered my own victory over myself.

Now it was time to find a place to roll over and die. As I slowed down and found a place off to the side, so I could take off my timing chip, I looked at my watch. 51:35.59. was my unofficial time. Wow that felt great, beat my last year's time by that much. I was pumped.

The time may seem average to most, but for me it was a huge victory. I can't wait for next year's race. Which will be the 25th anniversary of the Sun Run, and most likely over 60,000 runners.