As I sit down to write this recap, it dawns on me that it's fitting that spent race day with my friend Michelle. Why? A year ago I came across a contest on Michelle's blog for an entry to the Tannenbaum 10K which I wound up winning! Funny the way things happen!
Signing up for Tannenbaum again this year was a no-brainer and made even more exciting given that the race was celebrating it's 10th anniversary. Since the Scotia Toronto Waterfront Half Marathon in October, I'd continued running, but running to maintain a base, not really training. I decided that my only goal for race day was to have fun.
Tannenbaum has become one of my favourite races. It is close to home for me, meaning I could still be in my PJs sipping tea at 7:00 am on race day. I know every inch of the course because I run it often. The race is both big enough and small enough. By that I mean that it has a really good following and rating by runners, while still having a small race vibe with a campfire to stay warm and the ease of checking your bag minutes before the race start. I like the fact that the race is in December, just before the major hustle and bustle of the holidays. The race kit is one of the best, offering lots of food goodies and in place of a shirt, runners received a bag in 2014 and a toque in 2015. Race photos are free. Plus, if you don't mind waiting around in the cold for a bit after the race, you are pretty much guaranteed to receive some sort of prize! As you can tell it's easy for me to talk-up this race, which I often did on social media leading up to race day. I guess I considering myself somewhat of a self-appointed-ambassador!
Signing up for Tannenbaum again this year was a no-brainer and made even more exciting given that the race was celebrating it's 10th anniversary. Since the Scotia Toronto Waterfront Half Marathon in October, I'd continued running, but running to maintain a base, not really training. I decided that my only goal for race day was to have fun.
Tannenbaum has become one of my favourite races. It is close to home for me, meaning I could still be in my PJs sipping tea at 7:00 am on race day. I know every inch of the course because I run it often. The race is both big enough and small enough. By that I mean that it has a really good following and rating by runners, while still having a small race vibe with a campfire to stay warm and the ease of checking your bag minutes before the race start. I like the fact that the race is in December, just before the major hustle and bustle of the holidays. The race kit is one of the best, offering lots of food goodies and in place of a shirt, runners received a bag in 2014 and a toque in 2015. Race photos are free. Plus, if you don't mind waiting around in the cold for a bit after the race, you are pretty much guaranteed to receive some sort of prize! As you can tell it's easy for me to talk-up this race, which I often did on social media leading up to race day. I guess I considering myself somewhat of a self-appointed-ambassador!
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December was unseasonably mild, with many runners still wearing shorts, or at least no jackets. The morning of the race was cold by the lake, but definitely milder than last year with no snow or even frost. I've never dressed up for a race, but I decided for this race I would add some subtle Christmas hints to my race kit!
I arrived about 45 minutes before the race started. Wandering around, I had a chance to chat with Paul, give JP a hug before he headed off to play pace-elf and finally meet Melanie and April who ran from the west end to grab a #runchat photo of runners dressed up in Christmas outfits. There were several other runners there that I didn't get the opportunity to say hi to. It was one of those races that everyone seemed to be wearing black and it was hard to pick anyone out of the crowd. I found Michelle who was chatting with a girl she was coaching. We each did a double take and I realized it was Courtney who I knew on social media.
I arrived about 45 minutes before the race started. Wandering around, I had a chance to chat with Paul, give JP a hug before he headed off to play pace-elf and finally meet Melanie and April who ran from the west end to grab a #runchat photo of runners dressed up in Christmas outfits. There were several other runners there that I didn't get the opportunity to say hi to. It was one of those races that everyone seemed to be wearing black and it was hard to pick anyone out of the crowd. I found Michelle who was chatting with a girl she was coaching. We each did a double take and I realized it was Courtney who I knew on social media.
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I started to make my way over to the corrals hearing that there was a minute to go. Oops! Of course in panic mode I tried to get my ear phones into my ears resulting in one cover popping off, my iPhone power button wouldn't work and I still needed to put my mitts on. The race started and I pulled off to the side as each pace elf ran by. Grumbling, I stuffed my phone and earphones into my SpiBelt and took off a ways behind the 70 minute pace elf. The path was crowded, so I took to the grass / packed earth along side, slowly passing runners. At around 500m I realized I hadn't started my FitBit Surge so quickly pressed the start button with an impromptu decision to run primarily by feel. We headed along Lakeshore (literally as the construction of the path with Leslie Barns had not been finished in time for the race) and turned on Leslie towards Tommy Thompson. In the past, the Leslie Street Spit has been somewhat of a bad memory for me. It always seems to be the point that I struggle on races that use it as a part of the route. Without music, I let my mind wander to stay distracted from the route. It worked well and soon I was turning at 5K and heading back. My FitBit buzzed on my arm. I decided to glance at my pace, seeing 5:54. Hmm. That was my Toronto Yonge Street pace. Another kilometer. Another 5:54. I knew it I wouldn't be able to come close to my TYS finish time given my recent lack of speed training, but since I was feeling good, I switched gears and goals from fun to RUN. The stretch from the park entrance to the finish line is always deceiving to me. It feels like it should be just around the corner-- but the section along the beach always seems stretch on the horizon forever. With 300 meters to go, the crowds lining the path increased and I gave it all I had, crossing the finish at 59:40...a course PB and within 5 seconds of my finish time on two 10Ks last year. A good and unexpected achievement!
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I caught up with Michelle and Courtney who were celebrating Courtney's 5K PB! Michelle and I went to get a snack, chatting with a few people including Krista Duchene who had pulled off another first place women't finish. I've met Krista a few times, but the fan girl in me asked for a selfie with her and Michelle which was photobombed by Krista's coach. We stuck around for the awards as people dwindled, leaving only a couple dozen people to snap up the prizes Dave was handing out. Deal!
There are a handful of races I think I will always enjoy and always sign up for, Tannenbaum being one of them. Ten years, ten kilometers and definitely a 10 out of 10!
There are a handful of races I think I will always enjoy and always sign up for, Tannenbaum being one of them. Ten years, ten kilometers and definitely a 10 out of 10!
