Race Report: Vancouver First Half 2019

Last Sunday, February 10th, 2019, which happened to be one of Vancouver's coldest days of the year so far, we ran the Vancouver First Half half marathon. And it was fantastic!

But before I get to race day, I am going to back up a little bit. I had a couple issues in my training build-up for this race. Firstly, the Achilles problems I had from September and October, while drastically improving, are still causing some minor discomfort. The pain is gone, but there is still some tightness. I am careful to stretch and ice as much as possible, and it is improving overall - probably 75% recovered - but it is still there. Secondly, and possibly as a result of my Achilles, I strained my right calf about two weeks before race day.

In general, I was far more consistent with my training for this race than I have ever been before. I stayed with my training plan, almost never missed an activity in the past 12 weeks building up and I stuck to my long run plan.

When I strained my right calf, it was right after the Steveston Icebreaker (my review HERE). As a result, I had to take a solid seven days off running. To substitute without losing any fitness, I road my bicycle instead. To keep the same level of intensity, I added around 25-50% more time to my workouts (so what would have been a 40 minute run was a 60 minute bike ride). My peak long run as well had to be on the bike. But I had a full 7 days before the race to get back to running.

Further, because of my disappointment with my performance at the Fall Classic (my review HERE), I was determined to break 1 hour and 45 minutes at the First Half.

Now to race day. The First Half route is one of my absolute favourites. It's flat. It's fast. And it's beautiful. Starting in front of Yaletown Roundhouse Community Centre, the race starts heading east for a quick lap around BC Place. Back across the start line, the race then moves under the Burrard Bridge and down onto the seawall. From there, following the seawall into Stanley Park, the route crosses south of Lost Lagoon and does a counter-clockwise loop around Stanley Park, on the seawall the whole time. Before the Second Beach Swimming Pool, the route leaves the seawall briefly for a clockwise lap of Lost Lagoon. Then, rejoining the seawall, the route follows the same path along the water, a quick hill climb under the Burrard Bridge, and back along Pacific Blvd towards the Yaletown Roundhouse and the finish line.

I did my usual pre-race routine, breakfast at home (cereal, banana, milk, and lots of water), and headed downtown Vancouver on the Canada Line. To avoid any gastro problems, I've been making sure that I eat at least 90 minutes ahead of my run.

When I got to the Yaletown Roundhouse, it was a cool -5C. And, given the seawall's exposure to the elements, it was forecast to hit wind chills of -10C on parts of the route. So, at the last minute, I added a full base layer under my running pants and shirt to ensure warmth.

As we lined up in the starting corral, it seems almost everyone was solely focused on staying warm. As such, most were swinging their arms, moving their legs, jumping in the spot, etc. And I think this created a lot more space - i.e. folks were far less bunched up compared to past races I have done. This meant that once the race started, it was easier to spread out and find my own pace. Almost immediately, I settled into my target pace for the race - 5:00 / km.

For some reason, this race just felt right for me. Everything clicked. The first 5 km went very smooth, and I managed an average 4:56 / km. Heading out onto the seawall for the next 5 km, I felt even better. I was completely comfortable with my pace, but I was hesitant to push any harder because I wanted to have enough left to maintain that for the full distance. However, I did improve to a 4:45 / km from 5 through 10 km.

Coming around the north and west of Stanley Park is where the cold hit. Now up until this point, I was completely comfortable but was almost concerned that my extra base layer would cause me to overheat. But holy moly, was I glad to have it through this stretch. During this stretch from 11 through 15 km, I dropped to an average 4:52 / km - still strong and within my target range.

During the loop of Lost Lagoon, I was starting to fatigue slightly. But I still felt strong. I was tempted to slow down and rest, but forced myself to maintain pace, stay with the pack I was running with, and push hard through the finish. From 16 through 20 km, I did drop slightly again to an average 4:55 / km - again, still within my goal. But at this point, I started to realize that I was trending well ahead of my 1 hour and 45 minute goal time. Those extra 5-10 seconds shaved off of my 5:00 / km target pace each kilometre were adding up. I tried to run the calculations in my head and figured I could get close to 1 hour and 43 minutes.

For the final few kilometres, my sole focus was to maintain my pace. I was getting tired, but even more so, I was determined. As I came around the final turn, I put it all out. I crossed the finish line, glancing at the clock I saw I was just under 1 hour and 43 minutes. My final gun time was 1:42:59. Even better, my chip time was 1:42:35 - a large new PB for me! I shaved nearly 3.5 minutes off my previous PB!!
Overall, I am absolutely elated! I felt strong throughout and I am incredibly happy with my result. I exceeded my own expectations. Proving to myself that as long as I keep running and executing on my training plan, I will keep improving.

My wife and two kids met me at the finish line. Which is always a big motivator for me in the latter part of a long race like this one - to have them cheer me on near the finish.

After I finished, and consumed a few cups of Nuun (which tastes so darn good after a long run like this), we did a lap through the community centre to shake hands with friends and other runners that we knew. As always, the post-run food selection at the First Half is one of my favourites of all the Vancouver-area races. So we spent about 45 minutes chatting, checking the results, and consuming some much needed calories. Then we headed off home.

Now two things I haven't mentioned yet are the swag - the medal and the shirt. The medal was a large improvement from last year's - very RunVan-esque - similar style to the BMO Vancouver and Fall Classic. The shirt I really like as well, while I haven't had a chance to wear it yet. But I do wish that they would give a long-sleeve shirt, similar to the Victoria half marathon, given the time of year it is. As such, I will have to wait to wear a short-sleeve T until it warms up a bit more.

Overall, this has to be my favourite race. I love the smaller crowd, the dedicated runner atmosphere, the pre and post-race festivities, and the route. I will be back again next year.

Race Report: Steveston Icebreaker 8k

A couple of weeks ago, on Sunday, January 20th, Kajaks hosted their annual Steveston Icebreaker 8k. While the event has run for several years now, this was my first time participating. Further, this year the organizers added the New Balance Kids Run 1k - a very welcome addition in my small family. So I signed up for the 8k and both of my kids for the 1k.

Before I start, this event is put on by Kajak's, Richmond's local track & field club. All proceeds, therefore, go to Kajak's. So, rather than a for-profit event like many major running events, this one is a fundraiser. As such, there are no shirts, no medals, no swag. But that's what makes it so pure. Not only is it a fundraiser, it's a fundraiser for an organization that teaches running. 

And because this is in Steveston, the southwest corner of Richmond, it is very close to my home. The route follows along a part of the Richmond dyke system that I run often, especially on my long runs. So, really, it's a wonder that I haven't run the Icebreaker before. I was really pumped to get out there and run it this year.

Further, I had heard that many local elite runners show up for this one. Probably similar to the Eastside 10K, it is likely easier to throw a fun 8k or 10k into one's regular training routine than a longer run.

So let's get down to race day.

We (my wife, our two kids aged 8 and 4, and myself) showed up relatively early, around 7:45am, to make sure we got parking and had time to organize ourselves. We were a bit earlier than necessary, so walked over to Starbucks for a little pre-race R&R.

The Kids Run started at 8:30 and the Icebreaker 8k at 9:00. So, while I was initially a little bit nervous that these were too close together, the timing was actually perfect. Both events used the same Start/Finish, which made the transition from one event to the next extremely easy.

The Kids Run started along the Imperial Landing (the Richmond dyke that runs along the south arm of the Fraser River, starting just east of No 1 Road). It was a 1.15 km loop out around the lagoon and back.

The distance was perfect. Both of my two kids have run similar distances before, so they were eager to participate. My eight-year-old son, really starting to enjoy running and finding his legs, ran alone. We had been training semi-regularly in the weeks leading up, doing 500-1000 m runs around our block, so he was well prepared. He immediately pushed to the front, ending up passing the pacer on a bicycle (who wanted to remain leading the majority of the kids), and ending up winning with about a 100 m lead over second place. The Kids Run wasn't timed, unfortunately, but my son kept his time and is quite happy with it. 

I ran the Kids Run with my four-year-old daughter. Despite a minor tangle and crash at the beginning, she got up and ran the entire race without stopping. She, too, had been doing some training runs and was very excited to enter a race, have a race bib with a number on it, and earn her finisher's ribbon.

After a few minutes of family celebration and congratulations to the kids, I had to lineup for the Icebreaker 8k. Conveniently, I was already at the corral as both events used the same Start/Finish line. I know this sounds minor, but I've been to a few other events where that wasn't the case. This setup made the transition extremely simple.

My wife took the two kids over to the Community Centre, which was hosting the post-event festivities, to do some activities while I ran, and came back to watch me finish.

The 8k started promptly at 9:00. The route started out the same as the Kids Run, but continued much farther along the south dyke. Essentially, it follows the trail along the river all the way to No 3 Road, and then back. A very straight-forward out-and-back route. This year, they also had partially closed Dyke Road to vehicle traffic, so the race course had the gravel trail going out, and the eastbound vehicle lane coming back. I had heard that this was not always the case in past years. So that definitely allowed a safer running environment and more space for the runners.

Also, similar to my comments on the Eastside 10K, because this was an out-and-back route, it was a lot of fun to pass and cheer on other runners I knew. I enjoy seeing the top runners pass by, seeing how they are positioned near the middle of the race compared to how they finish at the end. And I enjoy watching, waving, and cheering for other runners I know. 

This year did not draw the elite crowd that I had heard would show up though. Despite a strong showing from the Mile 2 Marathon (M2M) crew, the usual elites were running elsewhere. While slightly disappointed, I hope to see more of them return next year.

As for actual race performance, I was aiming to break my previous 8 km PB of 00:35:37, which I set in Victoria back in October (click HERE for my recap on that event). I knew that to run under that time, I would need to average under 4:30 per km. After about 2 km, I knew that I wasn't going to be able to achieve that. I am not sure why, my legs just did not have it on race day. I ended up finishing in 00:36:35. I am still happy with that time and won't dwell on it, but it is my first race event where I did not improve on my PB.

Now, I admit that I missed out on one of the key aspects of this race: the post-race festivities. My son had a soccer tournament shortly afterwards so we had to head home and get ready for that. So I missed out on, what I have heard, is one of the best calorie replenishing displays at a Vancouver-area race. While I would have loved to stuff my face with a couple donuts and bananas, I'll have to save that experience for next year.

Overall, we all had a blast. I loved watching my son embrace his 1k event and love every second of it. I loved running the 1k event with my daughter and watching her enjoy the experience of running. I loved running my own 8k event, despite being a bit slower than I had hoped. I loved the route of both of these events and the smaller "community" feeling of this event. And I also loved to support our local Kajak's Track & Field Club. I will be back next year.

Gear: New Balance Fresh Foam Zante v3

A few months ago, I purchased a pair of New Balance Zante v3's.

Wait... let me back up.

For the past few years, I have purchased all of my running gear at the Running Room. However, the store in Richmond (where I live) closed. So earlier in 2018, I bought a pair of shoes from Sport Chek. Now, the biggest difference between Running Room and Sport Chek is the service that you get. I find that at the Running Room, they look at your feet, how you plant your foot, inquire about the type of running and distance. Then, they recommend a shoe based on your responses. At Sport Chek, you're basically on your own. They will help you fit into a running shoe, but whether they know what neutral and stability means is really up to the individual.

Well, recently a New Balance store opened in Richmond, so I thought I would try it out. And I was pleasantly surprised. The staff was knowledgeable and very helpful. Much more like the Running Room experience I was used to.

However, since I was last properly fitted for running shoes, I have dramatically increased my mileage as well. So I was looking for a different type of shoe than I had been buying in the past. And that is perhaps where I went wrong.

After trying a few different shoes, I settled on a pair of Zante v3's. I was aware that the v4's were already out but the v3's fit, were very comfortable, reasonably priced, and my son liked the all black colour. I had read several reviews on Zantes and so had a good impression of them before I even tried them on.

At the insistence from my son, I got the all-black (with some white) version. I knew the v4's came in much brighter colours, so I was a bit disappointed with the black - for me, it felt a bit bland for my liking. But my last pair was far too flashy so I was due for a relapse of some sort.

My review of the shoes themselves is great. I was initially very impressed with how smooth and quiet the shoes felt. Evening when tired, there was almost no sound foot slapping on the pavement. With the smooth, less-groovy-style sole pattern, it gave a really smooth, interesting feeling. I loved running in this.

The Zante v3's are very comfortable. Perhaps slightly narrower in the toe area than I normally like and the toe drop feels a bit more dramatic than I am used to, but otherwise very comfortable.

In six months with them, I have logged almost 300 km (note they are not my principal running shoe). I use them mostly for travel (i.e. pack in my suitcase for runs when I'm out of town), treadmills, and shorter runs on dry days. And when I am travelling (for work), I often wear these to and from the airport and as my after-work shoes when I'm out of town - saves me having to bring a pair of shoes for in the office, one for after work, and yet another for running. So I wear these for more than just running. And after all this time, they are still in flawless condition with barely a scuff on them. The knitting is holding up really well and they are as comfortable today as the day I bought them.

My only issue is that with the longer runs and increased mileage I was logging, these shoes just weren't enough cushion for my ankles (mainly my Achilles) and calves. Now I definitely appreciate that this is my own short-coming and nothing to do with the shoes themselves. But this is part of the reason I shifted away from these as my principal running shoe. I have since bought a pair of New Balance 880 v.8's - review on those coming soon - that I use as my main runner, simply for the extra cushioning.

So would I recommend the Zante's - either the v3's or a new version? Absolutely. But if you're logging longer distances (i.e. regularly over 12 km, building to half marathons or more), you may want to consider something with a bit more cushioning.