Race Report: RBC Run for the Kids 15km

Me ready to rock
(and breaking the rule about
not wearing the race shirt
before you run the race)

That went really well!  I wasn't expecting much, stepped on the scale this morning and 194lbs met me (first time I've been that high in ages) - so I figured this wasn't going to go well.

Final result: 1:14:01 (4:57/km)

Not bad!

No pressure, maybe it helped.  I felt my pacing was spot on - I was getting passed uphill near the start, but didn't panic and just let my pace drop.  Made it up on the downhills, passed quite a few people that way.

The course was pretty hilly, we went down into a ravine and back up, then into a park and down into the same ravine, and back up!  Pacing and patience, 15km is not so short that you can go balls-out and not pay for it later.

At the halfway point I was averaging about 5:01/km and was still feeling well within myself, so figured a sub-5:00/km was possible.  Steadily increased the effort until the last kilometer, then let it all out.  In the end I finished at 1:14:01 and a 4:57/km pace, which is really good for my current fitness.

Traffic

People are so ridiculously impatient... one road crossing, there were people honking and honking, I could hear them from a kilometer away.  When I finally got there I saw a lady almost drive over the cop signalling her to stop - he slammed his hands on her hood, presumably partially to get her to not run him over (although partially in frustration I'm sure!).  

Just no love for events that close roads in our car city, even ones that raise millions of dollars for a good cause... ah well, that's life in the big city!  It actually got my heart rate up and probably helped me finish off with a good kick, so thanks. :)

The Race

My overall impression was very good - lots of drink stations, fully stocked with water/Gatorade.  Course was interesting and fun.  Vibe was super positive.

The only thing I didn't love was joining up with the 7km folks for the last kilometer... the timing wasn't great, we joined the slower people in the 7km race (people who had taken 40 minutes to get to their 6km point...) so there was a lot of weaving around to keep up to pace.  It was really wide, though, we had the entire southbound lanes of Yonge street (3 lanes?) so it wasn't that bad, but if they could push that 7km start back about 15 minutes it would have been perfect.

All in all a good time, will probably be back next year.