Tues - 30min: still fairly sore and tired.
Wed - 45+min: 2xHill (87, 91), coming around. Realizing how tiring everything last week was.
Thurs - 60min: nice easy run
Fri - Off: Compulsory day before the day before race day, off day.
Sat - Off: Not-so-compulsory day before race day off.
Sun - 42.2km in 2h42min and change for the W. Tough day. Race report forthcoming.
Well, it certainly wasn't very fast but a satisfying win nevertheless. For whatever reason my guts were really acting up today so it made for a rough day out there. Off the gun Hans Aaybe headed out pretty quick as per usual so I didn't think to much of it and had assumed he was running the half marathon. I ran with Rick Brewster, also doing the half marathon for about 10k till he mentioned Hans was doing the full marathon. Although my legs weren't feeling fantastic at that point I had to start thinking about how I was going to manage to win this thing. I continued to run with Rick for a while until we made it around The Dunes golf course out Westsyde then picked it up. Unfortunately this was short lived and around 19k my guts exploded and I needed to make a pit-stop asap. There were just houses around so I had to slow right down and hope to make it to the next port-a-john at about 20k or so, so Rick and the other two guys passed me and Hans would get further and further away (although at this point I had seen Hans was not going any faster than us; I was able to see him on the long straights). Anyway, things got really bad and I found some bushes. Once I got back on the road I got around the corner and sure enough there were port-a-johns...SO, feeling better I put the hammer down and started reeling those other guys in which was no easy task. for about 10k I pushed it pretty hard eventually seeing them in the distance, then closer, and closer. Fortunately Hans had slowed and the other two guys were bringing him in as well. Once I reached the crest of the bridge crossing the Thompson River I was able to see all three of them within about 250m. At this point I figured there was a good chance I had the race in the bag because I was feeling OK, and it is very unlikely that in the last 15k of a race they would be able to pick up their pace much. With this in mind I eased up a bit and slowly reeled each one in and passed them, Hans being the last, not long before the turnaround. From here I was feeling happy with my accomplishment of coming from way behind and just tried to enjoy the rest of the race. Unfortunately at about 35k my guts started aching again so I stopped drinking any water or eating any gels, which didn't help energy-wise but kept my guts intact. As things got tough I just concentrated on my form and driving forward, cruising home in a not so fast time but a good solid effort. No complaints here. Defended my title on Secwepemc land, righteous.
I was also making a political statement. I am 100% against the proposed AJAX mine just outside of Kamloops. The main complaint from many Kamloops residents is centred around air quality however between this mine and the existing New Gold mine enormous amount of water will be pulled out of Kamloops lake (Thomson River system) putting pressure on already struggling salmon populations. Additionally, there will be a huge, highly toxic tailings facility as there is with mining operations which will last indefinitely. Tailings facilities are far from fool proof and subject to leeching and breaching due to unpredictable environmental events over the next hundred-odd years, with the only place to go but downhill into the Thompson watershed which drains into the Fraser River. This is an unacceptable level of risk to future generations of human and non-human life.
Good race, Ryan! Good message, too! Keep it up! The politicians are not easily convinced of the dangers inherent in the Ajax mine. The risks they are willing to take (on our behalf) are based on pleasing those who will benefit from the mine - not on protecting the environment or the people.
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