It wasn’t the worst week I’ve ever had, but the week before
I ran the Goodlife Fitness Victoria Marathon was definitely high on stress. I’m on faculty at Red Deer College,
where I teach English literature and writing in the Bachelor of Arts program.
I’m also the mom of an 8 year old girl and 6 year old boy-girl twins. Things
are busy. That week at work, I had a whole pile of papers to mark; meetings to
attend; four courses to teach; and research projects to complete.
I ran the Goodlife Fitness Victoria Marathon was definitely high on stress. I’m on faculty at Red Deer College,
where I teach English literature and writing in the Bachelor of Arts program.
I’m also the mom of an 8 year old girl and 6 year old boy-girl twins. Things
are busy. That week at work, I had a whole pile of papers to mark; meetings to
attend; four courses to teach; and research projects to complete.
At home, I
hosted an early Thanksgiving dinner and was busy with my kids and their various
activities—dance, skating, and gymnastics. Trying to eat well that week was a
chore, and I forgot to eat lunch two days before I left. I slept for only four
hours the night before I had to catch my plane, a 5:30 AM departure. Not a good thing.
Enter my race weekend.
I arrived in Victoria on Saturday at
8:30 AM. My parents—who live in Victoria—picked me up from the airport and took
me to ReBar for breakfast, a fab
vegetarian restaurant. Organic oatmeal, yoghurt, and coffee fueled me the day
before the race. Back at my parents’ place, I took a three hour nap, a real
luxury that I think did me well the next day. At 4:00 PM, I met Noga Liron at
the race expo, Victoria Convention Centre. Noga was my training buddy when I
lived in Edmonton three years ago. A psychologist, life coach, and overall
wonderful person, Noga is the perfect running partner and friend. I was excited
to see her. After spending some money at Denise Relke’s Sporty Jewels at the expo, we
headed out to El Terrazo to
carb load. What an awesome
8:30 AM. My parents—who live in Victoria—picked me up from the airport and took
me to ReBar for breakfast, a fab
vegetarian restaurant. Organic oatmeal, yoghurt, and coffee fueled me the day
before the race. Back at my parents’ place, I took a three hour nap, a real
luxury that I think did me well the next day. At 4:00 PM, I met Noga Liron at
the race expo, Victoria Convention Centre. Noga was my training buddy when I
lived in Edmonton three years ago. A psychologist, life coach, and overall
wonderful person, Noga is the perfect running partner and friend. I was excited
to see her. After spending some money at Denise Relke’s Sporty Jewels at the expo, we
headed out to El Terrazo to
carb load. What an awesome
dinner. A great day all around.
Finally, race day arrived. Since Noga’s race, the half
marathon, started an hour before mine, we arrived early. It was a beautiful
walk to the start line: we past the parliament buildings, all lit up, as the
sun began to rise.
marathon, started an hour before mine, we arrived early. It was a beautiful
walk to the start line: we past the parliament buildings, all lit up, as the
sun began to rise.
I was inspired to watch Noga and thousands of others start
the half marathon. After cheering the runners at the start, I walked to a
coffee shop, Facetimed my husband and kids, and relaxed before the race. An
hour later, I started the marathon. My goal was to be healthy and enjoy myself.
I felt good. The temperature was perfect and the scenery was exquisite. But it
was the people that made this race: they lined the streets, often in their pjs
and housecoats, holding their coffees, cheering on the runners. We runners
encouraged each other too. I don’t know what it was. Maybe by osmosis I was
affected by Noga’s positive thinking. In any case, I was all smiles. I settled
into a steady pace. I relaxed into the setting and breathed the cool ocean air.
Running is a meditative practice for me, and in this regard the setting definitely
enhanced my experience.
the half marathon. After cheering the runners at the start, I walked to a
coffee shop, Facetimed my husband and kids, and relaxed before the race. An
hour later, I started the marathon. My goal was to be healthy and enjoy myself.
I felt good. The temperature was perfect and the scenery was exquisite. But it
was the people that made this race: they lined the streets, often in their pjs
and housecoats, holding their coffees, cheering on the runners. We runners
encouraged each other too. I don’t know what it was. Maybe by osmosis I was
affected by Noga’s positive thinking. In any case, I was all smiles. I settled
into a steady pace. I relaxed into the setting and breathed the cool ocean air.
Running is a meditative practice for me, and in this regard the setting definitely
enhanced my experience.
My parents and Noga cheered me on at various points
throughout the race. I was always
inspired to see them, and they kept me moving. The race course goes right by my
parents’ place. There, my Dad bicycled alongside me for a while. At a few different
points, my mom ran with me too. There’s nothing like having those you love
cheer you on at a race. My parents are amazing, and their support was
emblematic of the support they’ve given me all my life.
throughout the race. I was always
inspired to see them, and they kept me moving. The race course goes right by my
parents’ place. There, my Dad bicycled alongside me for a while. At a few different
points, my mom ran with me too. There’s nothing like having those you love
cheer you on at a race. My parents are amazing, and their support was
emblematic of the support they’ve given me all my life.
I lived in and am often nostalgic for the city of Victoria.
And as any runner knows, you experience a city in an intimate and unique way
through long distance running. So my heart leapt when I ran through Oak Bay
Avenue, where, when I was a child, my Grandma used to take me to a local shop
to buy hand-made doll clothes. As a graduate student at the University of
Victoria, I shopped Oak Bay and studied at the coffee shops. Beyond my own memories, Oak Bay Ave has
a rich history. Established over a century ago, some of the first homes in the
area were built near the Avenue. The architecture shows Tudor Revival and the
Avenue is filled with local shops, arts and crafts, restaurants, and coffee.
And as any runner knows, you experience a city in an intimate and unique way
through long distance running. So my heart leapt when I ran through Oak Bay
Avenue, where, when I was a child, my Grandma used to take me to a local shop
to buy hand-made doll clothes. As a graduate student at the University of
Victoria, I shopped Oak Bay and studied at the coffee shops. Beyond my own memories, Oak Bay Ave has
a rich history. Established over a century ago, some of the first homes in the
area were built near the Avenue. The architecture shows Tudor Revival and the
Avenue is filled with local shops, arts and crafts, restaurants, and coffee.
At kilometre 39—nearing the end of the race—I ran past the Ogden
Point Breakwater. The Point, a deep water port, is a symbol, it seems, of transitions,
movement from one place to another, journeys and adventures: on its past
converges histories of the Hudson’s Bay Company, the Canadian National Railway,
and the international shipping of prairie grain. Fourteen years ago, my husband
walked me out to the tip of the Breakwater, got down on his knee, and proposed, right out there, with the waves splashing up
at us. When I approached Ogden Point Breakwater during the marathon, I felt
exhausted, my legs like rubber. But looking out at it with that memory in mind
filled me with renewed energy.
Point Breakwater. The Point, a deep water port, is a symbol, it seems, of transitions,
movement from one place to another, journeys and adventures: on its past
converges histories of the Hudson’s Bay Company, the Canadian National Railway,
and the international shipping of prairie grain. Fourteen years ago, my husband
walked me out to the tip of the Breakwater, got down on his knee, and proposed, right out there, with the waves splashing up
at us. When I approached Ogden Point Breakwater during the marathon, I felt
exhausted, my legs like rubber. But looking out at it with that memory in mind
filled me with renewed energy.
Soon after I past the Point, I saw my mom, who began to run
alongside me for the last few kilometres of the race. I was so inspired that I
actually increased my speed. Nearing the end of the race, I felt the runner’s
high, and I heard the crowd cheering all the finishers as I approached and
crossed the finish line.
alongside me for the last few kilometres of the race. I was so inspired that I
actually increased my speed. Nearing the end of the race, I felt the runner’s
high, and I heard the crowd cheering all the finishers as I approached and
crossed the finish line.
My pace remained pretty consistent throughout the marathon,
at approximately 6:22 (6 minutes, 22 seconds per kilometre). While I didn’t get
a negative split, as I would have liked, I was thrilled that I ran a faster 4th
than 3rd quarter. My overall time of 4:30:23 (4 hours, 30 minutes,
23 seconds) was a 20 minute improvement over my personal record of 4:50! Most
importantly, I enjoyed myself and remained injury free, feeling grateful and
lucky. The weekend finale was a tasty Thanksgiving turkey dinner with my
parents, my brother and his family, and my friend Noga. And there you have it: the story of my
fourth marathon.
at approximately 6:22 (6 minutes, 22 seconds per kilometre). While I didn’t get
a negative split, as I would have liked, I was thrilled that I ran a faster 4th
than 3rd quarter. My overall time of 4:30:23 (4 hours, 30 minutes,
23 seconds) was a 20 minute improvement over my personal record of 4:50! Most
importantly, I enjoyed myself and remained injury free, feeling grateful and
lucky. The weekend finale was a tasty Thanksgiving turkey dinner with my
parents, my brother and his family, and my friend Noga. And there you have it: the story of my
fourth marathon.
***
Thanks for sharing, Laura. You’re an inspiration!
Awesome person and runner!