OFF to OFSAA BABY

-originally posted Oct 22
HEADING TO OFSAA!!!!!!!!

XC SEASON: Cardinal Carter + YRAA

Last Wed I was at the Cardinal Carter XC meet (Pre-OFSAA) at BOYD Conservation Park. I have to say it was one of the worst races I've ever ran. It took me 23:42.72 to run 5k - yeah I know, slow. Granted the terrain was quite tough - huge hill, many smaller hills, MUD, and just rocky bits over the route. Not to mention I was sick and was blowing my nose every 2 or 3 min - note to self, sticking tissue into the waistband of UA compression shorts = inability to take out the tissue. I just couldn't get my act together that day, I was boxed in the whole race and at the end of the race I had so much energy that I just SPRINTED to the finish - I don't think I have ever sprinted that fast in my life. In the last 100m of the race I passed approx. 30-40 girls - no joke. Overall I placed 113 out of 574 (of those who finished). The placing wasn't amazing but it wasn't bad either but I do wish I had ran a faster race and hadn't been boxed in. Reflecting back I think if I had warmed up a bit more it would have been a faster race - but then I was boxed in the whole race....

Yesterday, I was at the YRAA XC meet which was the meet to qualify for OFSAA. Time wasn't all that great, I was scared I was going to run out of juice so I ran conservatively throughout the race hence 23:18.34. My final sprint could have been alot better, I passed about 5 people in the final 100 m (upon entering the chute) and 2-3 of them were pretty near the finish line by the time I entered the chute. I wish I hadn't been boxed in for the first 5-10s of the race, otherwise I would have been able to run with the lead group and have them set the pace. I have to say, being a distane runner really gives me an advantage both mentally and physically. As I was wrapping up the race I had a side stich but I was able to push myself to run faster simply b/c I kept telling myself not to be a wimp b/c if I can run a half-marathon then I should be able to run a 5k easy. Overall I placed 11th out of 130 (of those who finished). Our team was 3rd in senior girls and b/c YRAA is hosting OFSAA this year they were allowed to have a few extra runners to send to OFSAA (4 teams + 6 individuals instead of 2 teams + 3 individuals / category) hence ST ROBERT RAMS ARE HITTING UP OFSAA BABY!!!! I have to say when I finished and the coaches told me I was heading to OFSAA (as an individual at that time, 8 out of then 11 runners in front of me were from 2 teams) I thought they were mocking me and just joking around. It took them over 10min to convince me that I had made OFSAA. OFSAA is such a big deal and I had never in a million years thought I would actually make it. I can't wait to get one of those cute OFSAA hoodies!

I also ran the guys' 7k race yesterday b/c I didn't have time to run at home and it was amazingly fun. I wasn't allowed to run fast b/c I would "get into the way" of the guys - well technically I wasn't even supposed to run the race. But...I did passed about half of the guys even though I had raced earlier and wasn't even going at a full out pace - each time I passed a guy they were in shock "are you a girl or a guy or a hermaphrodite?" "I'm a chick, sorry to disappoint you babe." I had such an interesting convo on this with this really cute guy (totally would date him if he were faster) none the less he was complimenting me and saying that I must have passed a ton of guys:).

Took my 2nd day off this week, I was planning to run but after yoga my hip started to ache. I have promised myself that after my 10k next week and OFSAA the week after I will take some time off and go see a professional about this b/c I'm really scared it's a stress fracture but..I don't want to know yet b/c my season isn't' over yet.

School is basically killing me right now, let's just say my average dropped over 20% - if anyone is planning to take on IB I suggest you ask yourself if you're ready to take on unwanted stress and huge mark drops.