Finished the Hypothermic Half... (Read 377 times)

Hey guys, I posted a couple of days ago that I was running The Hypothermic Half today in Regina, I said I would like to finish in 1:45. Anyway the Race lived up to it's name... -34 C (-29 F) with the windchill down to -48 C (-54F) Well my day started out in an ominous way. I went to start my car, to let it warm up, I left my spare key in the car and locked the doors, afterall I had my other key... So I decided just to try to unlock the door...found out the locks were frozen!! So at this point it's 08:15 and the race starts at 09:00, my hotel is about 20 mins away from the start line!! So I run into the hotel and ask the desk clerk if he could call a lock smith for me, which he did after about 5 mins of messing around, which seemed like an eternity. I talked to the lock smith company, explained the situation, and they said they would be right there. I wasn't too hopeful as it was sunday morning, so I ran back outside to try the doors again...nothing!!...went back to wait inside...couldn't wait any more so I tried the doors again...the passenger door finally opened!! So I was off to the races!! Before all this happened though, I had woken up with a very sore neck!!...damn hotel pillows!...lesson learned...I will take my own pillow in future. To top all this off I was unable to drop my pre race dooky, so I thought "This should be fun!" So I turn up with about 10 mins to spare. So quite a few lessons learned even before the race started. There were 150 people registered, but I am doubtful that many turned up...I mean what kind of an idiot would run in that weather? But I would say there was probably around 120 - 130 people starting. Then we were off, I thought to myself "Self" and I knew it was me because i recognized the voice... don't set off too fast, get a nice easy pace going and slowly pick it up, after all it is 13.1 miles. So I'm off with the lead pack and feeling good, the miles went by and still feeling good, I had the feeling back in my fingers and toes at around the 3 mile point, so all systems go. Reached the first aid station, but all the water and Gatorade was frozen, so I figured suck it up and just run! Just kept running a little behind the leaders, I pick up the pace slightly, and leave the 2 guys who were with my in my dust!! At around the 10 mile point and a bunch of snow drifts and black ice, one of the people ahead of me was running back to the last aid station, as he approaced me I saw he wasn't wearing any face protection and that his face was badly frost bitten!! He had to drop out!! So then I felt myself start to slow a little and decided to HTFU and dig in...I finished the race in 1:38:13!! 7 mins ahead of my goal and best of all I came 4th and I felt good after, which is a good sign for my marathon in May!

Thanks, I'm fairly happy with myself...can you tell?