The Gorilla Run:Pre and Post race

Every time I sign up for a race, I am super excited at the possible outcome and love the challenges that we all face along the way! Anyone who knows me at all, will know that I am not much of a morning person. The pre race anxiety sets in 1-2 days prior to the event, and before I go to bed at night I am hating the fact that I have to get up Early the next day. Whether it is a 5 km run to 1/2 ironman, I am plagued with the same uneasiness. I went through the same ritual this weekend. I am getting better, but 6 am is waaaay too early for me. Race day came and went, and I realize as I crossed the finish line that the feeling of accomplishment and tiredness is a great one.

The Gorilla run is a great race, smaller than what I am used to, but we had fun nonetheless. Chad and I ran together for the first 2.5 km which is through the Zoo. It was neat to see all of the animals up and active (not laying around and sleeping like they often are at the Zoo:). Once we left the Zoo Chad took off ahead of me. I began to settle into my race and was feeling pretty good. Runs along the bow river during the fall are beautiful; I enjoyed the scenery and the crisp cool air. I have cut back my training a little bit since the summer, and I could definitely feel it! The burn in my legs and my lungs was all to familiar and by 15 km I was ready to be done! The good news is that 1.5 km later I was. I ran across the finish line happy to have dragged myself out of bed to participate in the race.My brother and Chad were there waiting for me, no doubt wondering how I was feeling. Chad and I chatted about the race, how it went, when it was hard, when it was good, etc. We waited a little longer for Tracy to come across the finish line, it was her first race and she did 16.5 km!

All in all the Gorilla Run was a success. I wanted to run this race as a hard training run, which I think I accomplished. We didn't end up walking around the Zoo after the race. With 5 hours of sleep and tired feet I was more than ready to relax and visit with my brother before he went home!