Thanks for the giggles! I am actually looking into volunteering through the RR - I wonder if they'll let me wear my jersey?

early start time for the half ensures that I will beat the elite marathon runners........ My second goal for every half.... 1) finish 2) finish my half before anyone finishes the full. I might be half cut before you guys finish. Jason

Hi guys I certainly haven't trained for a half, but I am toying with the 5k. Tonight I went out and did 5.09 km at 28:24. That gives me a 5:34 pace and it would put me in the top 5 of my age group. Hmmmmm.....I am just worried that I am just starting to feel better - don't want to jinx the recovery but my long term plan remains the half-marathon. And, I'm not sure whether I could get too close to the start - last year it was crazy. And since it's a run/walk the walkers get to the front and walk 3-4 abreast. I hate that. That half looks really tough at the beginning in Hogg's hollow. Who's ran it before?

Hi guys I certainly haven't trained for a half, but I am toying with the 5k. Tonight I went out and did 5.09 km at 28:24. That gives me a 5:34 pace and it would put me in the top 5 of my age group. Hmmmmm.....I am just worried that I am just starting to feel better - don't want to jinx the recovery but my long term plan remains the half-marathon. And, I'm not sure whether I could get too close to the start - last year it was crazy. And since it's a run/walk the walkers get to the front and walk 3-4 abreast. I hate that. That half looks really tough at the beginning in Hogg's hollow. Who's ran it before?

Big race 5ks are rough with the crowds. You must get to the front. I managed to get Cam (8) to the front, still 300 or so in front of us. This allowed him to run pretty free and he ended up 3rd in his age group. Yesterday, his sister paced him and they got stuck behind a mess. their approx splits were 6:00, 6:00, 5:00, 4:15, 4:15. Poor guys was keen to run a 22 - 23 minute 5k and take home some hardware, which he would have even in the 14 and under age group! Last year, I paced him at the Toronto Marathon 5K and we were pretty close to the front and still got caught up in walkers. May be best to hang wayyyyyyy back and run a chip time 10 minutes slower than gun time. To answer your Toronto half marathon question. I have run it. Hoggs Hollow is the toughest part but is over early and is not as big a beast as you might think it would be. Especially if you have trained on hills. The final 2k is a slight but long hill and will pose no problem if you have not yet bonked. Save some for the finish boys!

I hate making time goals public..... but I'm looking to do the half in 1:55 or better..... hopefully better.

Yesterday, his sister paced him and they got stuck behind a mess. their approx splits were 6:00, 6:00, 5:00, 4:15, 4:15. Poor guys was keen to run a 22 - 23 minute 5k and take home some hardware, which he would have even in the 14 and under age group! To answer your Toronto half marathon question. I have run it. Hoggs Hollow is the toughest part but is over early and is not as big a beast as you might think it would be. Especially if you have trained on hills. The final 2k is a slight but long hill and will pose no problem if you have not yet bonked. Save some for the finish boys!

The little guy is gonna kick your ass soon We have a similar hill here in Scarberia I used for training a few times back in June. Looks like I'll have to visit it a couple more times over the next week or so. Darn I hated that thing, but I did manage eight repeats on it, in about 80 degree temps.

Check out this site:http://www.freemyteam.com/teams/107-freemyteam-community You can get free food at Shoeless Joe's. For whatever that's worth.