What would make so many people want to run/walk a marathon? The challenge of course….being able to say you did the training and complete a marathon is a big thing for many of us. Ok so may be we are a little bit crazy since it takes a lot of discipline and the willingness to train even in -28C.

The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon had some 20,000 participants doing either a 5k, 1/2 marathon or the marathon and it was a sight to behold so many people on the road.

Yesterday I finally completed my first marathon and if I am crazy then I will continue to be crazy since I want to do it again After 8 months of training I completed my first marathon yesterday and I have the blisters to prove it :)

Leading up to the big day, I couldn’t decide if I wanted to run it or walk, but then I decided that since I mostly train as a power walker and also because I wanted to know what my time would be like, I would walk.

The weather people had forecast rain for most of the day but lucky for us it was just which is ideal for a marathon.

I can’t say it was easy or it was my best walk but I am very glad I did it and completed it under the time I had in mind. I figured I would do it in 6 hours and 30 minutes but if possible work towards 6:00 which is ambitious given my hip problems.

I actually finished in 6 hours 22 minutes and would have done better if I didn’t suffer from severe dehydration at about 18K. I got so dehydrated that I almost keeled over 3 times. When it first started, I noticed that my heart rate would go up, I would get dizzy and start to lose focus. I would slow to almost a crawl, just putting one foot in front of the other until the dizzy spell passed, then I would try to go speed up again. Only each time I try the same thing would happen.

So I ended up walking at a very slow pace for several Ks until I saw a paramedic. I decided to tell him my symptom and get his help. He asked me some questions about how often and how much I was drinking water and Gatorade. He then explained that even though it was an overcast day I was dehydrated and needed to drink more of each. I did as he told me and sure enough it helped quite a bit.

The one thing I learned from after is that I wasn’t drinking enough leading up to race day. I was told that I should drink lots of water and at least 1 bottle of Gatorade the week before the race. Just when I think I have a good idea of what I need to do I realize that there is still more to learn.

Most important though is the support and encouragement you get from fellow athletes. Here are some of my experiences that makes what we do so much fun:

1. When I went to pick up my race packet, I found a beautiful card inside from one of the people I trained with offering me encouragement and support.
2. About 400m away from the 38K point, I saw another of our walking group waving and cheering. Even though I was so far away and couldn’t see her face I immediately knew who she was. She had completed the 1/2 marathon earlier on and then came to meet at the 38K point to walked 4.2k just so she could walk with me back to the finishing line…another 4.2K.
3. Some of the members who did not participate in the race and those who did but finish a head were all there to cheer me on.
4. Along the way other athletes who you don’t know were also shouting encouragement to each other.
5. At 33K zone, there was a man from a veggie and fruit shop offering water melon.
6. The people that came out just to watch us go by would look at for our names on the bibs and shout out encouragement. One lady shouted at me that she brought her kids out just to cheer for us.

Those are just a few of the wonderful experiences I had yesterday and I have had many since I started this journey. Such display of great human spirit makes it worth the effort of getting up at 5:30 am, sometimes in extremely cold weather to do the training it takes to be able to say I completed a marathon.

To everyone who helped to make this event happened, from the organisers of this event, those who volunteered or just came out to cheers us on, a big thank you. 

Just a bit of info about the race:

1. Through this event they raised $1.8M which will support 99 charities.
2. Kenneth Mungara of Kenya broke the record he set last year 2:08:31.9…making it the fastest record on Canadian Soil.
3. Amane Gobena of Ethiopia set a new record of 2:28:31 which was previously held by countrywoman Mulu Seboka

Congratulations to the top finishers:

Overall Male — Top Finishers

Mungara, Kenneth, Age 36, Kenya — 2:08:31.9
Lemi, Chala, Age 22, Ethiopia — 2:08:48.4
Asfaw, Gashaw Melese, Age 31, Ethiopia — 2:09: 22.8

Overall Female — Top Finishers

Gobena, Amane, Age 23, Ethiopia — 2:28:30.4
Seboka, Mulu, Age 25, Ethiopia — 2:29:37.2
Kebebush, Haile, Age 25, Ethiopia — 2:30:47.9

Top Canadian Finishers

Men's

Jackson, David, Age 33, Victoria, British Columbia — 2:24:03.3
Loutitt, Jason, Age 35, Calgary, Alberta — 2:28:12.3
Gehl, Terry, Age 40, St-Charles, Quebec — 2:32:46.4
Enfield, Jeff, Age 31, Toronto, Ontario — 2:39:22.9
Alley, Andrew, Age 27, Toronto, Ontario — 2:42:19.3

Women's

Duchene, Krista, Age 32, Brantford, Ontario — 2:50:36.9
Goyer, Nathalie, Age 41, St-Bruno, Quebec — 2:55:29.8
Bakker, Grace, Age 27, St.Thomas, Ontario — 2:59:49.5
Purdy, Tammy, Age 43, Mississauga, Ontario — 3:03:33.0
Patten, Rebecca, Age 35, Toronto, Ontario — 3:06:07.2

What a race this was…I just finished the 1/2 marathon a few hours ago and I have to say this is toughest race I have ever done. This is the first year they held it and it was in a really beautiful location…Beamsville, Ontario where the wine estates are, hence the name.

I would recommend it to anyone and in fact would like to return for a visit. If you get the chance to go you should do the wine tour and sample the wines and food there. Better yet, spend a weekend so you don’t have to rush in and out.

So back to the race…in the beginning it all seemed very simple and at the start area there were cars still coming and going which was a surprised. Based on this I wasn’t sure what to expect. However it turned out to be well planned for the most part. There were few minor hitches…the start and the time of day which I will explain later.

They started by raising the banner and then they had someone sung the national anthem which I thought was very nice.

The race itself was hard, especially if you are not trained for hills. It was a tough not only because of the hills but also because of the time of day they held it. It started at 11:15AM in the middle of the day when it’s bright and hot. To make it even more challenging, we climbed about 8 hills or more…I am not sure because I stop counting after the first few.

These hills were no picnic either…they were steep and there was one particular one that was long 500m. What was funny is that just before we finished 16K, one of the volunteers told us at one of the hills we had just completed,  that it was the last one and that it was all downhill from there. That particular hill was the steepest of the lot so you can imagine how happy I was to hear that.

I got to 17K and the next thing I saw was a sign saying there was a hill a head and it is 500m long. Of course I couldn’t believe my eyes. I thought, oh well what’s another hill…this has to be the last of it, I will just take my time. So instead of jogging up I walked…huffing and puffing away. Finally I got to the top, feeling very happy and proud that I made it.

At this point I had to cross the street and go around the corner…as I turned the corner what did I see? Another hill of course….at this point I am wondering will it never end? Anyway I kept plodding away and finally I got to the supposedly downhill course that we should have gotten to several kilometres ago.

This reminds me of Jamaica when you are in the rural area or as we would say in the country. If you ever ask a local for direction they would tell you…”oh it’s just down the road and around the corner.” I must warn you that if you ever go to Jamaica and they tell you that, expect that “down the road and around the corner” is another 10 miles or more.

To continue…even though the race was tough and I whined and moan, I had a lot of fun. Most of it was very well organized. They had the most water stations I have ever seen at any race and they even had people driving around with water. There were a few locals who had their hoses out to spray us and I can tell you it was needed. They also had paramedics in several locations and a few riding around on bicycles.

There were several wine tasting stations too. I tried only one since alcohol makes me sleepy and I couldn’t afford to be drinking the stuff, plus I am not very big on it anyway. Nevertheless it was nice that it was there for those who wanted to try it.

What’s great about racing is that you always meet a lot of very supportive people and on this one I met a few who were just wonderful and generous. There was a lady who ran beside me for a while and she offered me some gel which I told her I didn’t need because I had several in my pouch. I mentioned to her though that what I really needed was some salt since I forgot to take some with me. She said she had some and offered me some sodium & electrolyte tablets and told me if I needed more I should feel free to ask because she had lots.

The end of the race was amazing, seeing yourself on the big screen TV, your name being announced and the crowd cheering you on as you reached the finish line. The finisher's medal is really cool too and the logo very nice. I would like to do this race again but I am hoping they will chose another time of day.

I spoke with one of the volunteers who mentioned that they received a lot of feedback from the athletes who suggested that they started early in the morning, but I suggested a Saturday afternoon. The reason I did was because in Ontario, the shops are not allowed to serve alcohol before 11:00AM and this is a method of advertising so it made sense to do it in the afternoon and on a Saturday so that those who participate could have Sunday to recuperate.

Anyhoo…I am exhausted so its time for me to go rest my weary self. Hope you all have a great week a head.

Take care and walk good!

Sometimes you think you can’t accomplish something but you try nevertheless and then surprise yourself with the fact that you can. Well so it was for me. Yesterday I reached the point in my marathon training where we were supposed to do 21K. The truth be told…I thought I couldn’t do it.

The day before the walk I thought about doing the 21K and  it seemed very daunting. I wondered to myself if I really could walk so the distance. I decided I wouldn't think about it too much but to just go out and give it my best.

Also, one as someone say to me, just trust the program but even though I have been training and walking longer distances, I still had my doubts. Well I no longer need to doubt that I can walk the 21K because I did. What was even more amazing was that I had a great walk and after I had the energy to go help a friend and fellow walker in her garden raking leaves and planting flowers.

We did it in about 3 hours too, which for me is good, since it was the first time and to top if off I enjoyed it. I didn’t beginning to feel tired until I had done about 18K and just when I thought I couldn’t do anymore I heard that we had done 20.5K.

What also surprised me was that into 14K I heard I was doing about 8:04 min / K. Of course I can’t sustain that speed over the entire distance, but if I can continue do the first 14K at 8:04/K, then I am very happy indeed.

So now I am feeling more confident that I will be ok for the ½ marathon I am doing in June. I just hope that I have as good a day as I did yesterday. Now my only doubt is the marathon and I said as much. Again my fellow walker said to me just trust the program.

The one thing I like about the group I walk with is the way they support each other, always very encouraging and helpful. For example, when I was almost at the end of my walk yesterday I was almost out of water and she insisted on giving me some of hers even though I told her it was ok. This is how we are as a team. We share what we have and we encourage each other. I couldn’t ask for a better group of people to walk with.

Not sure what my distance is next week since I haven’t looked at my schedule. However, I do have a 10K race May 3 and that I am looking forward to. So just remember when you think you can't do something, just try and give it your best. It's all you can do and who knows, you may surprise yourself. As my mom use to remind me, it's better to try and fail than do nothing at all.

So with that thought and attitude, when the time comes for me to do my marathon, I will simple give it my best shot. If I fail it won't be the end of the world. I can always try again. Until next time….have a good Spring and walk good.

This morning I had my first official race of the year since I started training. It was the Harry’s Spring Run-Off 8K. It was a good distance to start my first race of the year, even though this particular course was a bit rough given that it was at High Park. For those of you who wouldn’t know High Park, it has 2 steep hills that we have to go up and down. 

The second hill is right at the end of the race so can you imagine trying to go as fast as you can, up a hill at the end of your race. For me it was tough, because just as I approached the hill, my chest literally closed up. I couldn’t breath and believe me when I say, having never experienced that, it was a bit frightening. 

At first I wondered if I was getting some kind of heart attack, then I wondered about asthma which I don’t suffer from. Eventually I just told myself to take shallow breaths and breath out and it worked, but of course it slowed me down. 

To top it off, we have been having some serious winds today and walking in a head wind doesn’t help your speed. Nevertheless I had a fantastic time. I was particularly happy when I realized that I was passing some of the runners and keeping pace with some. 

My next race, Sporting Life’s 10K, which is in May and I am very much looking forward to it. If all goes well, it should be a very good race, given that it’s a fast course, down Yonge Street. Some of it will be downhill with no hills to climb which I quite like. 

After that race I have 2 races back to back in June, the first a 5K on the Saturday and the second a ½ Marathon. Then after those four, if all goes well, I plan to sign up for four more races, one of which will be a marathon.  Will see how it all plays out. 

In the meantime, have yourself a blessed and happy Easter Holidays and remember to walk good!

Rogge's recent comment on Usain Bolt's performance was not only unfair but extremely harsh and that's putting it mildly. Of all the things that happened at the Olympics, this is what he decided to highlight. According to Rogge:

"I have no problem with him doing a show," Rogge said in an interview with three international news agency reporters. "I think he should show more respect for his competitors and shake hands, give a tap on the shoulder to the other ones immediately after the finish and not make gestures like the one he made in the 100m.

We  Jamaicans have our own way of celebrating, and it has nothing to do with being disrespectful of others. Rogge is either ignorant to that fact, bias or both.

Why didn't he say something when the French 4 x 100 swim team taunted the Americans. Lots of other things happened that he could talked about but didn't. Instead he chose to pick on a young man who brought vitality and life to a sport long plagued by doping scandals.

Watching Bolt's pre and post run performance and listening to his  post-race interviews clearly showed that he is no show off or is he arrogant.

Just listen to his interviews and watch his antics on the field and anyone can see that Bolt is just a very playful and happy kid, not just because he won, but because it is who he is. Many of his fellow competitors have said he is a very nice guy on and off the field.

In my opinion, this Olympic has been of the best I have ever seen for various reasons.

The Opening Ceremony was spectacular irrespective of what some may think regarding what they may perceived as the Chinese deceiving the world, from the lip sync to the fireworks.

Michael Phelp's amazing 8 Gold Medals wins and records were no easy feat either and I doubt will be broken anytime soon.

However; the most memorable events for me were the men's 100m and 200m track and field events.

What made this Olympic so very special wasn't just because Bolt won and broke those records, it was also because of his before and after performances on the field.

It was seeing his joy and honesty in winning. It was seeing the way he drew the crowd in and made them a part of his personal celebration.

And, it was watching him strolled across the 100m line leaving us with something to ponder on...'how fast could he have gone?'

Instead of  acknowledging and celebrating how much Bolt has given back to Track & Field after all the doping scandals, the only thing Rogge can do is public chastise and embarrass him.

I am very happy and thankful to those who came to Bolt's defense and I hope Rogge realize what he did. I would like to hear him apologize to Bolt, but doubt very much that will happen.

So my little homeland of 2.8M people has once again shown the world that we produce some of the best sprinters in the world. First Usain Bolt won the men's 100m track and field event in a world record breaking time of 9.69 and now the women swept the 100m finals. The women didn't just won Gold, Silver & Bronze, oh no, they instead won Gold and tie for silver. You can't get much better than that:)

It would have been even better if Asafa Powell had medalled as expected but it wasn't to be. I am also very disappointed that Tyson Gay of the US didn't make the finals. He is such a humble and talented man, you can't help but liking him.

A big congratulation to the Olympics champions:

1. Usain Bolt - Gold & record holder
2. Shelly-Ann Fraser - Gold
3. Sherone Simpson - Silver
4. Kerron Stewart - Silver

I can't overlook these men since they were finalist and did their best:

1. Asafa Powell - 5th
2. Michael Frater - 6th