2012 Perth Kilit Run, Guinness World Book Attempt

Yesterday evening I participated in the 3rd annual (my 2nd) Kilt Run in the town of Perth, Ontario.  This year's race was an attempt at the Guinness World Book of Records with 2000 kilted runners.  That's right, the kilt was a mandatory part of the run!

I did this event last year and I can tell you it was one of the worst runs/races for me ever... personally.  Not the course itself but the heat and I was so sure this race would be a piece of cake and it wasn't.  It was also wickedly hot!  This year we were about 5 degrees cooler which made a huge difference.  I also didn't set high expectations but to finish, and not feel like crap while doing it!  I also was damned and determined to run the ENTIRE golf course it was hard but I did it!!!!!


Because this year we hoped to set a Guinness Record we had to all pick up our own bibs and sign for them as part of the process to verify this was a legitimate record.  As you can see its quite the lineup.

Surprisingly amongst all the people there it didn't take me long to find my Taekwon-Do buddies who were dong the run as well!  Last year Jason and I ran (and his brother in law Vince who is not in TKD).  Mark our running guru at the Dojang joined us as well this year!  Mark is a great motivator and helped me through the final kilometers of my half marathon last year.

 This fellow was in full gear competing in the Warrior Class which included running with sword and shield and challenges on the golf course!

There is quite a festive air to the town of Perth leading up to the race (the only thing I dislike is we have until 4PM to pick up our kits/bibs and the race doesn't start until 6:30 so you have to sit around and wait).  There was music, highland dancers, vendors, and food... yeah who wants a greasy sausage off of the grill right before doing a 5mi/8K run?  Not I!  It was nice to have friends there to hang out with and just visit!

 L Jason, C Me, R Mark, B Vincent

My favourite part of the whole event?  Its the free BEER afterwards!  Nothing goes down better than a cold beer on a hot day after a long run!  I think I deserved it finishing the 8K in about 59 minutes!!!!

Survived Race Weekend 2012

 Posing with the start line in the distance

This evening I ran the Ottawa Race Weekend 10K, the weather was beautiful... a little warmer than I'd like to run in but that's okay.

 All thumbs up and smiles!!!

Christin almost missed me crossing the start!

I was definitely not as "ready" as I was for last year's race.  Last year I ran the entire 10K without stopping, which was my goal!  I finished it in just over 71 minutes.  This year I made it to about the 5K mark before I needed to start run/walking (run 5min/walk 1 min).  The end result is I'm about 7 minutes slower than last year, I crossed the finish line in about 78 minutes.

OMG look at all of those people waiting to start!!!!  The crowd goes further back than you see!

Lots of people came out to cheer

The elite men taking off (the first person to cross the line was a Kenyan in 22 minutes!)

The elite women!  Crap they can run!!!!

I may not of set a new personal best, but I went, I did, I conquered!

Post-race thumbs up!!!

 

Now to start running a little more often and work in distances more... I'd like to do a half marathon in the fall again!

My friend Marline and I after our respected races (5K for Marline)

A HUGE thanks to Christin for coming along to support and be my "Race Day Sherpa/aka Bitch"!  Thanks C!  All of these pictures were courtsey of Christin.

We celebrated with sundaes!

I Haven't Stitched in TWO Days!

The weather here in my neck of the woods has been just glorious and HOT (we've been in the very high 20's to 30's the last two days).  Beautiful to sit out on a shaded deck or under a tree in a park.  Its a little too hot for an 8K/5mile race in a kilt!

Pearl & Viking

Today was another busy day for us.  Todd and I met his father for breakfast this morning (gosh its my lucky weekend, breakfast out two days in a row!) before heading out to get hay for Todd's Mom's horses.  She's had them for a few years but I never went to meet them.  The horses have recently been moved to a small hobby farm closer to our place so I went along for the drive.

L to R : Vincent (Jason's BIL), Jason holding Logan, Richard, and Me

 At the park before heading up tot he start line

Lookin' all sassy in me kilt!

Later in the afternoon we drove out to Perth, Ontario where at 6PM I'd be running in the 2nd Annual Perth Kilt Run at 6PM.  Also running the race were my buddies from Taekwon-Do Jason (new Daddy!) and Richard.Despite it being a 6PM gun time it was still 30c at that time. Oh my goodness too hot for a good pace!  I had decided to take my time with this run and if necessary to do it at a 5:1 run walk interval.  I made it to the 3.5K mark before I broke down and started my interval timer.  Then at the 6K mark, as luck would have it I got a wicked cramp!  So I started walking until it felt better and running/walking depending on how I felt.  I finished the 8K race in 63 minutes, better than I thought I had but my pace really did suffer today.  It was a really hard race with a lot of elevation changes, especially when we ran through the golf course!

 Waiting for the staring gun (sounded more like a cannon!)

 Piper on the Green as we wound our way though the (hilly) golf course

The finish line (which was the start line too!)

Perth is a gorgeous town and I'll have to make an effort to get back with my camera and capture it for you!  Here are a few shots I did get with my point and shoot camera
.

 Fountain inside the Code Mill

 Also inside the Code Mill

 The Tay River flowing through the park across from the Code Mill

A statute of local horse jumping legend Ian Miller on his Horse Big Ben