My favourite race - The Burlington Bunny Run

Well the recovery from ATB has gone pretty well. I am back running again and it feels great to be back at the spinning classes. I am pleased to say that there is no long term damage and with each day that passses come the realization that I am running that race again next year for sure.

Last Easter I ran my second 5km race. This was the first one that the family came to support and to make it even better Emma ran in her first race ever. It was decided that this year both girls were going to run in the race and I was going to do the 5km race again. It is the greatest thing to see the girls have an interest in running and to help them with their "training" and "preparing" for the race is so much fun.

So with the bunny ears picked out race day was finally here. To make it extra cool we knew another family that were running the bunny run (and congrats to Alison on her PB in the 5km race!). The girls had an large cheering section including Grandma and Grandpa, and their cousins. I took Emma to the starting area and she didn't really want me to stay - and either did Kloe!! Kloe did ask that I meet here just after the starting line. The horn sounded and the girls were off. They did so awesome and pretty much ran the whole way. I jogged beside them on the sidewalk just to make sure all was going well. Although tired, Kloe's look of excitement when she was handed her medal at the finish line was priceless. Emma was really excited as she did run the km in under 7 minutes which is the goal she set and because she met her goal she is going to allow herself to run the 5km Toronto Zoo run in the fall. Training for that starts next week.

As for my race I was standing around the starting area chatting with some people I know. I lost track of time and then bam - there goes the horn. I frantically started the watch, and took off. It is a challenging 5km course as there are 3 hills - including one of the bigger ones of ATB. I did not train at all (speed training) and it had been a year since I ran a 5km so I had no idea of what to expect. I was running pretty good, under a 5 minute pace but I was feeling it. I hit the 4km marker at just over 19 minutes so I knew I had a chance at my PB. As I approached the finish (which is downhill) I really did give everything I had. I was able to get my PB and finished in 23:30. As a side note it was disappointing that there was no water at the end, no medals, no signage nothing. I believe it might have been in the gym but have no idea - last year there was those things as soon as you finished.

The race is such a great family day. There are so many kids running and loving it and it is so cool to see you kids crossing the finish line. I totally would recommend every trying this next year. I might even do the 10 mile race...