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Comments: The horn sounded and we all started moving forward to the start line. I was able to start running as soon as I crossed the start and felt pretty comfortable running with the 2:30 pace rabbit. For the first 5 km I kept up with the group but I wanted to hit a porta-potty but each one I came to had a lineup that I wasn't prepared to wait for so I carried on. I was running faster than 7:00/ km but I was falling behind my rabbit. I stayed with the group as we passed the halfway point where my wife was waiting to cheer me on and I was able to pass her my gloves as I was warming up - finally. I was running a pretty steady pace and mostly feeling pretty good in general. Just past halfway we run through a tunnel under a bridge and then carried on. Just after the bridge I finally found a porta-potty without a lineup so I took advantage but I now lost track of the rabbit and her group so I just kept going on my own hoping I'd catch up. At each AID station I drank what they called, "Gatorade". I wished they'd put more into each cup but I only stopped long enough to chug the cup and then started running again. About 15km into the race I was breathing hard Zn 3 or 4 but maintaining my pace and feeling like I was running faster. I was even slowly catching and passing other runners. Then I started passing other stragglers from my pace group that I had started with. I passed a couple training friends from Penticton which was a good boost to my spirits and the kilometres were passing quickly. Then I came around a corner and ran under the bridge again and a volunteer said,"300m to the finish push hard!" and I did run faster. The chute was fairly long but it felt great with people on either side cheering me on by name and I crossed the finish line feeling good. What would you do differently?: I want to run faster and already I am looking at how many minutes I could have shaved from my time. I'll have to come back again next year.  Post race
Warm down: Across the finish line I got my medal and started looking for my wife and friends. I found them in the Expo tent keeping warm. I got some cookies, juice and banana. I didn't feel hungry but I was thirsty. Fairly quickly I was cooling off and needed to change out of my sweaty clothes. I also realized I was really tired. So much so that all I wanted was to get home and I knew it would be unwise for me to drive home so I asked my wife to drive us home. What limited your ability to perform faster: I started running in April 2011 when I was 61. I'm not a strong runner but strangely to me, I seem to enjoy it. Especially when I run faster so I'm just enjoying finding out how far I can go with this. Event comments: The half marathon course is considered flat and fast (and a BQ for anyone interested). For me it was perfect. I will likely do this run again next year. Last updated: 2017-10-09 12:00 AM
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Canada
BMO Okanagan Marathon
5C / 41F
Overcast
Overall Rank = 686/1028
Age Group = M60-69
Age Group Rank = 28/33
Up at 5:00am and had a quick breakfast. The weather was cool and windy so I wore an old sweatshirt that I could "dispose of" on the run. Headed out at 5:45 to drive the 60km to Kelowna for the race.
It was quite cold so we were huddled in the expo tent to keep warm. We went outside to watch the full marathon runners start their race and we then had 30 minutes before our start.
Ran into my training buddy Lisa and a couple of her friends which made the time go by fast. Then as we crowded into the start chute I picked a pace rabbit that was saying she was going to run at 7:00/ km for the full distance.