April 2018 Monthly Running Challenge

Jasper Half Marathon yesterday where I ran into @sarahthes ( see her Race report/pictures on pg 20 ) before the event - glad to read her race report, that she enjoyed it and wasn't discouraged by the conditions. There were a few people I met who this was there first HM and they were miserable and swore they would never do another one. But we all know how that works out , as we see them signing up for new races.

Either I aced the Tangents, the course was short or I started my Garmin late 21.02km, I guess that is only 80m.
Official time 2:15:06. -- 2017 2:13:29 -- 2016 2:12:48 .
Darn that's actually pretty consistent. 2016 conditions were ideal, 2017 not bad.

In comparison to the previous two years that was a tough one this year. Part of the reason I struggled in the back half is I let myself get dragged out by the pack a little faster than I wanted so I paid the price later in the race.

Due to snow/ice conditions on the trail on race morning they changed the course so we did not run the complete loop around Edith Lake but did an out and back on the "good" part of the trail. Would hate to see what the bad part looked like. The first 5km were fine ( some brand new pavement ) then hit a few small ice patch's around the Jasper Park Lodge. I always seem to hit ice just as I catch up to a group and have to slow down or brave passing on the ice. Then it was fine until about km 8.3 where we turned off the main road onto a service road and started to run into ice. The hill at 8.48 (14.3 on return ) km was covered in ice so it involved very careful foot placement on the descent and climb. I had 2 near falls on the descent and climbing back out my toe would break traction and I would kick out. That beat me up pretty badly. The last 3 km were uphill and I struggled this year. The last 0.5 km was brutal - Flat ground but straight into a cold headwind but. When we started there was a slight wind but it picked up as the day went on. About 2 mins slower than last year but I had to take some walk breaks which I did not do last year. Some people were faster than previous years, some slower, situation normal. There are 2 big Stone Pillars at about km 8.3 and this is where I would traditionally meet the elites on the inbound loop. They were a good km off the pace this year when compared to the previous 2 years.
Didn't have my phone so no race pictures to share.
A few of the people who were behind me caught up to me after the finish and said I was a real social butterfly, as I seemed to know so many of the athlete's and would call out to cheer them on. That's what happens when you run similar event rotations you get a Drinking Social club with a Running problem.

Because of the cold wind I was quickly getting chilled after the event so I didn't stay around to cheer in other athlete's or awards, but bailed for the warmth of my hotel. All together our local group took home 5 AG prizes ( Flagon of beer ), not bad for a group of twenty.

04/01 0.0 km – 0.0km – 140.0 km – YTD 233.07km
04/07 21.02km -21.02km -118.8 km - YTD 254.09km



edited multiple times as my brain cells came back to life.

Aaapril....run she will

4/1 11 hrs work/dinner with friends
4/2 4.29
4/3 moped
4/4 4.07
4/5 3.12
4/6 3.03
4/7 4.17

Total 18.68

Ticker is my goal for 2018 and progress to date:

I forgot to mention in my race report that the finish line tried to eat me as I crossed it... fortunately the official photographer caught the whole thing...

Oof my legs are tired from that trail mud yesterday! Another Monday, another coffee crew run.

4/1: 7 miles
4/2: 4.1 miles
4/3: 6.7 miles
4/4: Rest day
4/5: Lazy day
4/6: 5.2 miles
4/7: 10 miles
4/8: 4.5 miles trail demo
4/9: 5 miles

April miles: 42.5
Goal miles: 100

Upcoming Races:
April 29: New Jersey Marathon 4-person relay
May 20: Watershed 10k trail race