Tourist season

Now that I run almost exclusively downtown on the weekends, it's impossible to ignore that we are at the height of tourist season. Today on the Seawall there were seemingly more people out on rented bikes than there were walkers or runners. Everyone has a folded map in hand or in pocket. Sightseeing buses are are more ubiquitous than public buses, and the public buses seem to run more slowly because the driver is constantly assisting people with the ticket reader, helping them figure out their Canadian coins, asking them to move their luggage from the handicapped seating, and letting them know when their stop is approaching. But overall, it adds an interesting dynamic to the city. I know I feel a little prouder of where I live when I see so many people enjoying it.

I got stopped today during my run by a very touristy-looking family who wanted directions to Robson Street from their hotel. A mistake on their part, because I'm no good at giving directions. I navigate using landmarks and an internal compass. I suppose people see a runner and assume I know where I'm going. I hope this poor family eventually found their way to Pacific Centre Mall and are not currently roaming the Downtown Eastside.

As for the run: It was hot. I ran slowly. Eventually, I stopped. I only got up to 14K today. Honestly, I'm not too pleased with how my marathon training is going. I need to book my accommodations for RVM, but now I'm wondering if I'll be ready for it. I've been feeling sluggish and unmotivated for the past few weeks, though I suspect this is because my iron levels are low.

Then again, I'm excited about the prospect of running a race in a different city. Running tourism is a lifestyle I could get used to.

Turkey Trot

I did the Turkey Trot 10K this morning as sort of a test-run for the half-marathon, since my only competitive race experiences have been at the Sun Run. I'm glad I did it (and skipped my 16K clinic run yesterday to do it) because I figured out some things about my racing strategies (like knowing how to spot old men who will hock loogies into the wind without shoulder-checking).

After the first congested kilometer, I was running two minutes ahead of my goal pace and continued to do negative splits. I went in with low expectations and the understanding that since this wasn't my goal race, I had every right to pull it back a little and just enjoy the experience.

But by the time I hit the last kilometer, I realized I was going to beat my goal time of 1:05 by almost five minutes. It's too bad I didn't realize that a little sooner because I would have pushed myself a little harder so that I could finish in under an hour. As it was, I finished in 1:00:10 minutes--still a personal best for me. I shaved 10 minutes off my Sun Run time from this April (which sounds really impressive but it's difficult to compare my performance in the Turkey Trot, with 1,800 participants to maneuver around, to the Sun Run's 55,000).

One thing I've learned from my clinic training--in particular the tempo runs and seemingly endless hill repeats--is that it's okay to push myself, and that my body can handle it. I read a NYT article recently about how women are generally less competitive in their running and more content to "run easy."

I don't know if I agree with the article's assertions, especially the idea that only older women have the confidence to fully test themselves. I think it's probably more experience than age, which isn't necessarily the same thing. I used to be afraid to go at a pace where I couldn't really carry on a conversation or where I was breathing hard, because I had the idea I was doing something wrong. But I feel like I can trust my body now, and that any momentary panic I have about passing out or feeling like I'm going to throw up will pass. I go in now feeling like an actual runner instead of someone participating in a race. It's a subtle difference but it's given me a lot more confidence.

I'm also starting to take up yoga, mostly because I'm inflexible with poor balance and have no patience for weight training anymore. Wearing Lululemon while running in torrential downpours, I sometimes feel a little too Vancouver for my own good.