Oh my, I don’t even know where to start!
First off, I signed up the Wednesday before the race. What was I thinking? Clearly it would be a fun thing to do!
Second off, I did not train for this race. I have maintained running between 5-11k and a few soccer games. Clearly, I wasn’t in top form.
Third, I hated it, almost every second of the 10k! Clearly, this race wasn’t meant for me! However, I can laugh when I say that now.
~~~~~
Krystol and I headed into the city sans kiddies. Both of our husbands were taking the kids to soccer and the afternoon was there’s to do whatever with. We were both running 10k in this small, well-organized event. Race kit pick up – short and sweet! Race package: bib #, running hat and coupon for froyo – perfect.
Everything was great. I was having a good time with Krystol and chatting with some other TTP runners (the running group I occasionally run with) – they were dressed up as awesome super hero’s. I also go to chat with a friend of mine I played soccer with for years (and this past summer).
Happy Piper Pre Race
We lined up and off we went. Up the first hill. The first hill of many hills. It was nuts and I normally don’t mind hills. Well Sunday, I hated them. Actually, I hated the route! I’m sorry, but I really hated it. It was up this hill, down that hill; side walk, subdivision running past numerous parked cars with oncoming traffic (hello – unsafe), then on a main road where you rain in gravel/pot holes until you could safely run on the main highway again.
I swear one of the kilometers was over one full kilometer long … just running uphill for 1000 meters. It was ugly.
Foggy photo because I had it in a bag. It wasn’t actually foggy.
This is the rough breakdown of my 10k:
Temperature: 0 degrees Celsius (32F) but felt like -4c (24.8F)
1 – 2 km: I wanted to die. My lungs hurt from my head cold and my body was cold. I actually remember thinking “I hate running, why am I doing this and how could I have run a half marathon a month ago”.
2-4.76 km I was hating the course and thought I was dead last – motivation super low.
4.76 km – 6km Saw some people behind me and felt better about my pace. I was comfortable running. I may have cut a few corners because it wasn’t clear where I was to run.
6-8 km – The hate returned.
8-9.79 km I just wanted to be done and every time I saw someone walking I wanted to walk but didn’t.
9.79 km – Done. My Garmin read 9.79 as I crossed the finish line! Krystol’s phone said she ran over 10 km. Weird, eh!
I wasn’t even happy when I crossed the finish line but just thankful to be done running. Krystol absolutely rocked her run (53:xx), another PB!!! My time was 56:43 which is actually pretty great but my run was so terrible I couldn’t even be happy about it. #DebbyDowner.
Krystol & I Post Race (happy to be finished)
I don’t like being negative or say negative things about a race, especially when I didn’t do my research on the course and signed up last-minute. However, that run was a terrible experience for me, can’t say I’ll sign up for it again next year.
I do want to Thank the organizers as I know it takes time and energy putting on such an event. The volunteers (6-8) along the course held fun signs and directed us where to go. Thanks for the prizes, I won a gym bag 🙂 I’m sorry I didn’t enjoy your event more.
It’s me…not you.
Have you ever run a race and just disliked it from the moment you started running?
Ever feel bad for not enjoying the race/event?
Piper's Run 
Without a doubt there were more hills than all our other races combined this year!!
At least you know where to go if you ever want to do some serious hill training!
It was a lot of hills!!! Yes, next time I want to do hill training I will go there 😉
Oh yes, Sackville has plenty of hills, I run out there quite frequently and have to say I curse those hills every time lol But awesome time none the less for you!
It’s hilly in the Valley too, but this course was rough! It was an awesome time for me but mentally and physically not so good!
Yes that’s for sure about the valley! But totally get what you’re saying, I had one of those races last year at the lucky 7… just hated it lol
Did you do Lucky 7 this year?
Nope after last year I said I wasn’t doing it lol 4 laps was bad enought I can’t imagine 7 haha
Sometimes? You just have to hate the run. Like when you want to throw your kids out the window.
It’s been a long time since I’ve hate my run so I guess it was coming 😉 Ha ha, sometimes I want to throw my kids out the window……or at least go to the bathroom by myself one day – that would be ah-MAY-zing!
YES. I ran my first trail race this summer and, despite it being a lovely, well-organized race, I hated it. I felt ill, it was unseasonably hot and humid, and I was just a miserable debbie downer the whole time. And I felt SO bad for hating it because the race organizers were so cool. I guess we’re bound to have races/runs we hate at some point, right? (Great job conquering those hills though!!)
It’s funny, I wanted to write this post but surely didn’t want to offed the organizers. They put time into it and it was well organized. It was me – I had the bad experience. I kinda feel crappy about hating it and writing this post but it’s real.
Thanks 🙂
LOL, I appreciate your honesty! And that time is fab! And that you won a gym bag, too.
I don’t like running against parked cars. Ever. Especially at a race. Or on the sidewalk. Blah!
Hmmm. Yeah, I did one half that sucked from the get go. I had to walk it, instead of run, cause I had three stress fractures, and it just… yeah, sucked! 😛
Thanks 😉 My time was great but I just couldn’t get over my physical and mental experience, I guess. It was a lot of dodging parked cars and a few cases of on-coming traffic WITH parked cards – kinda dangerous and it was too late to run on someone’s property. Three stress fractures – oh my, ouch!
I’ve definitely had races where my brain wasn’t in the game and that makes it really tough. I can see how a lot of hills and running through subdivisions may take some of the fun out of things. Yay for winning a prize though!
I guess we have to have the bad runs to have the good runs 😉
I have absolutely experienced this – some races just aren’t meant to be.
I’ve definitely run in races where my head or heart wasn’t into it and I wanted it to be over. :S I understood every word you just wrote as I can totally relate. I have to commend you for sticking with it and still having a great time! Congrats 🙂
Thanks Heather. I don’t know why I kept running, I guess because I wanted to get my km in for my bigger goal this year and because I paid for it. I also felt unsure about writing this post but really it was nothing the organizers did – they did great. I however, just didn’t!
I actually just experienced this too! Too funny!
Glad I’m not the only one!
I’ve run a couple of races I had no business running and I knew that going in but still tried. I really should listen to my body more but instead I forced myself through the miles. That’s still a great time for a rough race!
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