No Shame in Progress – My First Triathlon

"WE DON'T GROW WHEN THINGS ARE EASY; WE GROW WHEN WE FACE CHALLENGES"

I can’t remember the exact time when I knew I wanted to train for triathlon. I remember telling my running buddy Jeannine in 2014 that my future goal was to become a triathlete. I had learned from social media that Sheri Fraser in London, Ontario was famous for training top notch athletes. In 2015, a friend of mine who was an ironman and had trained with Sheri Fraser provided me some sound advice after hearing I wanted to sign up for some triathlon races. Obviously, I was totally clueless how much more training is involved compare to training for marathon. We had coffee and he talked about his experience training with Sheri and how much that had helped him to accomplish his goals. He knew I was not a swimmer and suggested to visit the Aquatic Centre to find out how much I can swim!

I went to the Aquatic Centre with my son and my friend Jeannine who had already trained that year and had signed up for some triathlon races. I had never put my face in the water and had doggy pedaled during our summer visit to the beach! Jeannine started swimming some fast impressive laps and I jumped in too. I started swimming but got only to the middle of the pool and felt I was drowning. Wait! I was drowning! It was really embarrassing as the life guard jumped in to rescue me. Up to this day my son thinks that was the most embarrassing moment of HIS life!

In the fall of 2015, I registered with the YMCA triathlon. I learned how to blow bubbles but life took over and I didn’t continue with swim lessons. Later in the fall of 2016, I contacted Sheri expressing interest that I wanted to sign up for her coaching program. In February 2017, I started training with Scott Mallory, one of Sheri’s coaches.

I wrote in my email to Scott, I’m a runner but can’t swim and don’t know how to clip/unclip on the bike! That’s how the training got started. There were many moments in the pool that I felt frustrated, embarrassed, and panicked. But I was determined to learn and improve.

Learning how to swim with proper technique has not been easy. I’m very aware of everything that I do wrong but still, improvement is taking place very slowly. Swimmers and coaches at the Y have been very supportive.
The first night I rode with my clipless pedals, I fell many times and got lots of bruises.

I injured my left knee and even to this day I can’t really sit in one position too long with the knee bent. I need to constantly change position and massage my leg. The first night I was clueless and fearless. After those falls, I was a bit fearful. I had some practice here and there. Scott kept asking me if I was getting out on my bike practicing on the grass. I told him I had some practice but I knew it wasn’t enough. Finally, I did what I’ve always done. Talking myself out of fear and into believing that I CAN. I had to face my fear. I went to my son’s school yard and rode on the grass. I clipped and unclipped many times. Then slowly, I went to the pavement. I clipped and unclipped. I was really happy knowing I could do it without falling. I kept reminding myself I’m learning lots of new things at age 49. As long as I’m learning, it doesn’t matter how fast or how slow I’m learning it. The point is to tell your mind to shut up and face your fear. I was excited for me. That meant no more staying behind in the parking lot practicing clipping and unclipping. That meant, I could ride with the group.

On May 31, 2017, I went to my first Splash N Dash practice to learn how to swim in open water. There is always a 5K run following the swim. The weather was cloudy, the dark lake looked darker under clouds, the wind created choppy conditions or little waves. I was in the water wearing my wetsuit. All the swimmers started swimming and were gone. I really couldn’t swim. Scott was in his kayak beside me providing encouragement. He reminded me of the drills we had done in the pool, he said it’s a beautiful outdoor setting with all the nature around us, .…but I couldn’t breathe…I was panicking, the suit felt tight on my chest, I was overwhelmed. All I saw in the water was darkness…I headed back to the shore…I only swam 100 m…I couldn’t even do the full run after that swim, I just ran and walked 2.5K. I felt my chest was still heavy. That night, I had nightmares and woke up feeling like I couldn’t breathe.

Talking to Scott after my first open water swim disaster!

I told coach Sheri "I sucked!" She replied " "Each week you'll suck less!" :)

I had to face my fear. I sent an email out saying who wanted to go for a swim at the lake on Saturday. Shelley said she could. I’m forever grateful to Shelley for showing up. I told her what had happened. She is a great swimmer and a more experienced triathlete. She had started training with Scott in July 2016. When we got to the lake she coached me slowly and gave me lots of good tips. The weather was perfect. It was sunny and the water was calm. Shelley and I ended up swimming 500 meters closer to the shore. I was more comfortable although still the panic would kick in once in a while when I couldn’t breathe. But I wasn’t afraid of the lake and the open water. I was so happy she was there with me. Afterwards, we ran a short 2.5K and had a great time doing it.

Thank you Shelley!

My First Triathlon Race

Multisport Canada Race Series

I prepared for my first triathlon race (Give-It-A-Try) as I have done in the past for my running races. Scott had prepared our group for racing and had given us lots of instructions and information. But I still needed to do my own race preparation. A week prior to the race, I visited the Multisport Canada’s website and read everything I could from how to get there, what to do on the race day, and most important of all, I studied the race course and the maps. They had lots of good information from how to rack your bike, race etiquette, rules, and even the water temperature! 

In a triathlon, there are two transitions; one is from swimming to biking (T1) and the other is from biking to running (T2). The proper and efficient way of setting up one’s transition area can greatly impact the overall success of the race. Despite the fact that I had learned how to set up my transition area during training; and habitually being super fast at getting ready; I still read articles to learn more about the transition, and practiced in my living room how I wanted my transition to look like.  I set up my transition area, laid down all my race gear, took a picture, and reviewed it again making sure I had everything before I packed them up.

I have 3 little bags labeled “Swimming”, “Biking”, and “Running”. Organized packing means when setting up your transition area on race day, you are not flustered looking for items and you’ll save time opening each bag and placing them on the towel in your transition area the way you will be using them during T1 and T2. I packed everything by midday on Friday.

 

As an athlete, eating healthy and hydrating properly gets incorporated into everyday life and not just the day before a race. I kept drinking and ate 4 or 5 small portions of food as usual. I don’t eat anything after 7 pm. Every morning I have my oatmeal (with cinnamon, walnut, raisin, milk, and maple syrup). Nothing changes on race day. No special diet except if I’m racing a half or full marathon with some serious carbloading the week before my race.

"Athletes EAT and TRAIN, they don't diet and exercise."

Mentally, I visualized myself many times being happy and confident. I visualized my race from start to finish. Many things could go wrong but I didn’t think of all that but rather saw myself smiling, having fun, and being happy with the result. It is important to arrive at the race confident and prepared.

On the day of the race, I woke up at 5:30, left London at 7:00 a.m. and arrived in Welland at 9:00 a.m. My race was scheduled for 11:30. I had plenty of time to look for parking space, register, get my age written on my calf, my bib number on my arm, to get my coloured race cap based on my age group, find my designated area based on my bib number, go for a short jog to check out the race course, chat with a volunteer to get confirmation about the bike route which I already had studied, chat with those who were chatty, and to keep my distance from those who showed they didn’t want to chat…I had enough time to find a perfect spot for me and set up my transition area quickly and efficiently. I didn’t need to question or doubt myself.

Thanks Wilma for this memorable picture!

During our training, we were taught to warm up properly prior to start of the race. As a group we went for a short run, a short ride, and we swam just before the start of the race. It was a great feeling being with our group. We had trained together, we were warming up together and in a short time we would be competing together. For a few of us, this was our first ever triathlon. Some of our group members were seasoned triathletes with many accomplishments.

Scott gave us last minute instructions about the buoys and where we would start and where we would exit the water. We entered the water and I felt how it was colder than Lake Whittaker where we practice. It was much clearer than Lake Whittaker as well.  But rather than the soft sand I was used to, we had to step on slippery, slimy stones to get to the deep end. The sun was shining. It was a gorgeous and beautiful day. I wasn’t nervous. I just wanted the race to get under way.  

Fear or Courage?

Swim: 400 m - 13:47.6

During our training at Lake Whittaker, I always took my place at the very back since I was the slowest swimmer and also swimming in the middle of the pack wasn’t my thing. I did not have the necessary skills to maneuver my way between the waves and the limbs! Unfortunately, in this race, swimmers were sent out in waves based on their age group (your age as of December of 2017). I was in the 3rd wave which meant even if I positioned myself at the back, some very fast swimmers from the 4th and the last wave would swim over and around me. Swimmers were treading in the water waiting for our wave to start. Somehow I found myself right in the middle and at the front. I knew this was not where I wanted to be, but immediately I started talking to myself by saying don’t panic, everyone will pass you by and you’ll find your quiet place. Before I knew it, the horn sounded and the race began. Swimmers were all around me and the waves were hitting me left and right.

For the past 5 months at the Y, coaches have been working with me to teach me all there is to know about swimming. Yes, I have learned to swim, I have learned bilateral breathing, and just recently I started rotating my body (when I remember it!), but there are lots of technique that need correction and fine tuning. The most important element that would help me swim faster and more comfortably is my head position and breathing that I have not mastered yet. I have read many articles, watched many videos, and yes my coaches and many other swimmers have told me how I should do it but I still do it wrong. What can I say? I’m not a fast learner when it comes to swimming.

There I was in the middle of the lake with all my non efficient techniques trying to finish 400 meters of swimming. I got a severe case of vertigo and had experienced it on the lake a couple of times during our training. I had looked at the blue sky or the shorelines and top of trees to make myself feel better. But the vertigo that just happened in the middle of my race was the worst case ever. Looking up I could see the stands, the spectators were sitting but everything was still spinning. I put my face back in the water and it seemed to help. I kept swimming and kept talking to myself, “Don’t raise your head to look up again, just keep swimming and push through”. In life, we find ourselves in some very tight and uncomfortable situations, and the only way to survive is to push through and keep moving forward. Since 2014, I have used hashtag #movingforwad on my Instagram. I’m not just saying it, I’m doing it every day. I keep moving forward.

There were swimmers backstroking in my path and I had to move around them. I was slow as I kept lifting my head up, which would drop my body lower and I’d end up doing breast stroke before switching again to freestyle. I lost some time that way. I kept swimming towards the last buoy. I made the last turn and was between two other swimmers. I told myself just keep swimming and maybe a bit of drafting will help you to get to the finish line faster. For a bit I kept with them, but they were fast and gone. I did get to the finish and two race volunteers were right there to help us out by holding our hands on those slippery stones. As I was standing up, I heard my coach’s voice. Scott had the camera saying here’s Mahnaz. I was glad he was there but I wished he had not witnessed my awful swimming. As I ran in front of the spectators to go up the stairs to get back to the transition area, I told the two volunteers “This is my first race! I just finished my swim!” I realized that despite my incorrect techniques, I had overcome my fear and from a non-swimmer I was in the middle of a triathlon race!

Transition from Swim to Bike: T1 = 1:57

I quickly took off my wetsuit. I like socks, despite recommendations that it would be best for short distances to go without them. I was fast getting ready but made several mistakes here:

• I should have included electrolytes as part of my transition practice. Based on experience, I have learned that during physical activities and races I sweat more than regular people. I take salt tablets for half or full marathons. I need to hydrate even for a short 5K distance when most people even don’t need to drink or drink only a bit. I had not included hydration in my transit area and I should have. Moving forward, there will be quick sip of my electrolyte. 
• I wanted to use Strava to record my ride and run. I grabbed my phone as I had done during our training and tried to get Strava started but it was too slow! I was wasting time here.
• I had not practiced riding my bike while my phone was tucked in the pocket of my race jersey. As I headed out towards the “Bike Exit” the phone fell. I picked up the phone and as I looked up, I saw Abe, a trusted community friend, an accomplished athlete who had competed in Sprint distance that morning and not to mention he’s very fast too! With no hesitation I asked him if he could hold on to my phone and gave it to him and quickly ran with my bike to start my ride.
  

I was already flustered when I heard Scott saying “Mahnaz, you have your phone?” I replied that I wanted Strava to record. I couldn’t clip as my frustration was oozing out from head to toe. I started talking out loud saying “take a deep breath, calm down” and I clipped and off I went. T1 will be much faster for the future races!

Bike Ride – 10K (25:28)

During my ride, my head was a jumble of thoughts when I heard someone saying: “Move Over! MAHNAZ, MOVE OVER!” It was Irene, one of my teammates. Evidently, she had been trying to pass me and I was in the middle of the road drowned in my jumbled thoughts. I moved to the right and she zoomed by... I refocused and made sure to stay on the right and not in the middle. I saw familiar faces and kept telling them good job. Some were really focused, but others smiled back and said good job, Mahnaz. I was feeling my quads and wished I had hydrated. I have not mastered drinking on my borrowed Cannondale race bike. I will be practicing drinking and riding for July and August as I want to be able to ride longer and faster. I rode my indoor trainer using Zwift for a few months in the fall. I put in some good mileage and speed. I know I can reach a speed of 30 km/h and have the muscles to push faster for longer distances.

It’s just a matter of improving some basic skills like hydrating while riding! My speed could certainly improve with proper hydration and more practice on the road.  

Transition from Bike to Run – T2 = 1:10

I got to the finish line, and had told my coach that I’d rather lift my bike on my shoulder and run to the transit rather than holding on to the bike with one hand and run. But when I lifted my bike the officials told me to put it down and keep hands on your bike. So, I ran fast and told the racer in front of me “ON YOUR LEFT” and I kept running.

I racked my bike quickly, took my helmet and biking shoes, put running shoes on, and had a sip of very warm water from my bottle. There will be a small bottle of electrolyte on my towel next time!  

Run – 2.5 K – 14:37

I had set goals to run fast with a time of 12 min or less, but my run was pathetic. My legs were heavy and it felt more like I was jogging than running. I was too slow. I was thirsty and dehydrated and started having sharp pain in my left ovary. Yes, very specific! Such are the delights of being 49 and menopausal! At 1K I saw the hydration station. I took my time to drink electrolytes and wash it down with water. I saw teammates heading back saying “Great job” as we ran past each other. At the turn around I grabbed another water, drank a bit, and dumped it on my head as I was overheating (not weather related just hot flashes!) I zoomed toward the finish line and I heard Scott again saying “Great form or great run…not sure but I’m so glad he couldn’t read all my thoughts being angry with myself for my run!

Thank you Scott for capturing this!

I dashed to the finish line, and just like that the race was over! I got a handshake with I’m not sure …was that John Salt? Or someone else? I got my medal…I heard my team calling my name saying “Way to go Mahnaz”. It was nice having them there… they were cooling off in the lake…it looked like so much fun!

Then I saw Abe. It was so nice of him to stand and cheer us on after he had finished his sprint race early that morning. Then I saw Laura Wall, one of our coaches, who is also an amazing athlete and competitor herself and had raced with us that morning. She is super-fast! She asked me what I thought of the triathlon. I told her I had mix feelings and that I have lots to improve on. She smiled saying meaning you’ll do it again and I said yes.  

My plan A was to get my first triathlon race done within 45 minutes. I did not have my phone, I don’t have a watch and therefore, I did not know how I’ve done till heading back on my run I saw 12:20 something. That’s when I knew I had to run a bit faster to achieve plan B which was to finish under 1 hour.

 First Triathlon Race at age 49! -  00:56:59.1

I turned around to congratulate Shelley as she finished her race. We had exchanged a few words on the course while running and I wanted to give her a hug. We walked on the deck towards the team, I took my shoes and medal off and jumped in the water!

All the first timers had their picture taken together. It was an amazing feeling to stand there as a newbie and a first timer. A gorgeous sunny day with lots of friends and smiling faces. Many of my teammates got placed in their age group. They did amazing! I was so proud to be sitting there knowing I trained with these amazing and inspiring athletes. 

Multisport Canada: This was a great venue with many great volunteers, an awesome race shirt, and a finisher’s medal which is a huge bonus to remember your first triathlon race! The gorgeous weather made the whole experience even better. I will definitely go back next year for a race at Welland. My next race with MSC is at Lakeside in September. You can still sign up for their races this summer! 

Driving on the back roads was peaceful. I thought about the whole experience. From talking to my friend Stephan to crossing the finish line. Many people had inspired, helped, supported, encouraged, and motivated me. I was thankful to all of them for this great experience.

My coach, Scott Mallory, for being patient, supportive, and encouraging from training to racing. The fact that he was there in the early hours of the morning to cheer, support, and perhaps make notes (hahah) says that he’s one dedicated coach.

My teammates who have supported me every day knowing I was struggling with my swim. Everyone has been kind, non-judgmental, and has helped me with my swim by offering tips and sharing their knowledge. My teammates are inspiring individuals who are dedicated to their training, work hard, and support one another.

Sheri Fraser Coaching

I’m so glad I got connected with Sheri Fraser. I have attended one of her Swim Clinics and I also attend her Splash N Dash once a week for open water swim and a 5K run. She is an accomplished ironman athlete with a wealth of knowledge and experience. Listening to her, you can pick up little tips that can have major effect on how you will move forward. One of the things she mentioned at one of her clinics was an example of some international ironman who’s strokes are not that great but they have amazing strength in their kicks and therefore achieve some unbelievable fast times. When she shared this, she didn’t mean to say you don’t have to improve your stroke, rather she meant you can still finish the swim despite all the imperfections in your technique and in some cases athletes are able to finish well. That gave me hope. A twinkle of light. I am self-conscious about how I swim and I had this fear that I’d be the slowest person on the race course. Listening to her, I found a glimmer of hope that I may finish my swim with some decent time. I practiced more at the Y by myself and kept timing myself. I’m sure my technique was not proper but I practiced anyway and saw a drop in my time. Thank you Sheri for being a great mentor, developing your athletes, and providing the opportunity for all of us to achieve our goals.

"Set your goals high, and don't stop till you get there." Bo Jackson

Next? Back to the training with the tri family!

My times in all three sports were not fast by any means. But I'm happy with MY FIRST TRIATHLON race result.

 

There is no shame in progress!

~ Moving Forward ~

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram: Nomadicrunner45
on Strava: Nomadic Runner

Climbing My Own Mount Everest - My Marathon Story

Everybody has their own Mount Everest they were put on this earth to climb." - Seth Godin

As I walked my way through the crowd to reach my corral, I was strangely calm knowing that during the night I had made peace with myself and had decided just to complete the race.  I saw people chatting, laughing, excited, some jumping up and down, some dancing to the music, some extremely nervous, some pushing their way to the very front. I stayed in my spot and thought about the finish line. I had battled a cold for the last five days and had not had much sleep and a lot had happened in the past 24 hours that was out of my control (details maybe in another blog!)

As the crowd started moving closer to the start line, I tuned everyone out. I focused on my mantra: You’re mental game is strong. You can finish this race. I reminded myself that I have done all the training, my body may decide to fail, but my mind will keep me going. As the gun went off, the rain started coming down.

There was a sea of people running. Some were trying to run the tangents and I got elbowed a few times. I moved to the left side of the road and stayed there. I love running trails more than roads. That’s where I can find peace and tranquility. I realized running with a huge crowd makes me a bit claustrophobic. I need space to breath. I then shifted my thoughts from the racers to the crowd on the side of the road. I settled in to my run and rhythm.  It was impressive to see people of all ages cheering for us. They could have easily stayed home on a rainy Saturday morning. You couldn’t help but smile, nod, give a thumbs up, wave, and say thank you. Thank you Toronto and the unbelievable crowd!

Four New Black Toes!

At 6K I spotted the Black Toe Running crowd cheering station. I had told Mark at the expo I would be wearing my singlet I got from him during the 2014 expo. He promised they’d cheer louder when they saw me and they DID! This gave me a renewed sense of hope that I may actually meet my goal of a sub 4 hour marathon. Thank you Black Toe Running family for cheering louder!

I spotted from afar the Pace and Mind family cheering their hearts out. But as I got closer, they turned around to cheer for the elites who were on their way back. Then I saw the elite athletes coming back and couldn’t help calling their names out and cheering them on too. Seeing female elite runners being so focused and running so hard reminded me of "Everybody has their own Mount Everest they were put on this earth to climb." I felt a bit stronger and kept moving forward.

I saw Andrew, one of the digital champions of the 2014 STWM. I called out his name; he looked up and gave me a big smile. We reached out our hands but alas, were fast moving in different directions, it was more of an act of comradeship and unspoken words of wishing each other good luck.

A bit further down, a volunteer with a megaphone was singing which I couldn’t really understand the words, and then she would inform runners about Gatorade ahead.  Her out of tune singing reminded of me and Sia’s lyrics:

And I don't care if I sing off key

I find myself in my melodies

I sing for love, I sing for me

I shout it out like a bird set free.

I smiled and kept moving forward. I appreciated some quiet moments to re-focus and stay strong. Then I saw a familiar face that I had chatted with the night before. She was cheering with a big smile. I called out here name: "Heather! Heather!" She made eye contact and we smiled. She had run her fast 5K and now was cheering with her tribe! I was happy to have met her in person the night before at the expo! An inspirational athlete.

Then I saw Aries. We had chatted a bit prior to my race. I told him I was struggling and he feast pumped saying “Keep going strong”. I was happy to see him even though he was heading back with his runner. Got a bit of energy and kept going.

I made sure all the cheering stations got a smile and thumbs up. I made sure all the volunteers got a thank you and a smile. It is very hard being a volunteer at a hydration stations with runners splashing and throwing their cups all over the place. Thank you so much for doing one of the hardest volunteer jobs during a race for several hours!

Thank You Toronto!

Along the way saw many runners who were struggling. Some were lying down with paramedics attending to them. Some were holding to whatever they could find and holding on to their cramped muscles cringing with pain. I kept taking my salt tabs and reminding myself that my mental game is stronger than my body. I quickly asked a couple of runners if they needed help and they shook their head. I kept going.

On the bridge, I quickly looked at my phone and saw I had a few text messages. My daughter who was tracking me online seeing I had done well for the first half and offering encouragement. My son had texted me to find out how I was doing. I got teary eyes. I had told him I will text him as soon as I cross the finish line. But now the finish line seemed so far away and I felt I had let him down.

At the super friendly neighborhood of Beaches, kids were handing out small pieces of banana.  It was very satisfying and renewed my energy once again.

I realized I had only 9 more kilometers to go and I remembered my training knowing exactly from my house to where and back would make 9K. I reminded myself I could do this. I’m almost there. 

As I was more focused and not looking around, I heard from behind me someone with excitement calling Jean Paul! JP! I quickly turned around and saw my beautiful friend JP on the opposite side! I turned around and ran back calling out his name. The third time, he heard me and turned around.  I told him give me a hug! We embraced and met face to face for the first time. If you haven’t heard of JP, I suggest visiting his website to learn about his advocacy, activism and relentless effort to increase awareness of childhood sexual abuse and to help survivors finding their voice. We connected in 2014 through running and specifically through the Canadian Running Series, where JP was a digital champion. Like many of you who know JP and have bonded with him, I also share a special bond with him. I told him I love him and with a kiss I started to turn around and I saw Mary-Ann, JP’s faithful partner on a bike smiling. I waved at her saying “I love you!” and kept going. My heart was happy but I had teary eyes while I had smile on my face. I kept going. I reminded myself why I decided to run in the first place!

The last few kilometers were really tough. Then I saw from my corner of eye someone coming close to me calling my name. It was my good friend, Darren. He also was one of digital champions in 2014 I befriended on Twitter. I was so happy to see him. We quickly embraced and I told him I was dying. I had a severe back spasm that I had never had before during any of my runs. He said “YOU’RE F***ING ROCKING IT!” hahaha! Two other tall guys running alongside me echoed Darren’s sentiment! I couldn’t help but smile and say, “Thank you!”. He ran with me for a bit while we chatted. I told him to be mindful of his injury as he’s recovering. He said he was able to track me for a while online. His words of support and encouragement meant a lot to me. I was really dying but him believing in my strength gave me a renewed sense of hope and courage to get my mental game stronger. I parted with my friend and the two tall guys said stick with us, we’re going to cross the finish line together. I said thank you! You keep going; I have my eyes on you. I’m coming. I’m right behind you. 

The last kilometers…loud cheers…..the crowd is pumping people not to give up…and my back…severe pain…my mind: “straighten yourself up; chest forward; smile; you are stronger than your body; you came all this way and your back can’t stop you….then I spotted Brandon, one of my Pace and Mind running friends who I got to know through Twitter. He had the biggest smile, clapping, cheering, and came closer and I said “Brandon! Thank you! OMG!” He was so inspiring that I got a good boost of energy from his genuine cheers. I was so happy to have seen him there. What a big difference familiar faces make.

During the last 100 meters or so, I heard a loud cheer behind me and I thought to myself, the crowd must have spotted someone they know. That is really nice. And I kept going. I was happy for all the cheers from all the supporters on the street. Later, on Ingstagram I learned the loud cheer was for me from my friends Cathy and Melly!!!! So much love from the running community. I hope you all know how much those cheers meant to me even though sometimes I did not see you or recognized you in the crowd!

Then I saw the bend. I had made it. I relaxed a bit more and smiled. I crossed the finish line. I thanked the tall boys and turned to volunteers saying “You guys are AWESOME!” “ALL OF YOU!” One of the volunteers said “We love you too!” 

I did not have a PB (Personal Best) or a BQ (Boston Qualifying Time). I was much slower than my previous marathon. It was raining. It was humid. I had battled a cold. I was wet. I had two big blisters on the ball of each foot. And oh so many other reasons that made me not go faster! I wish things had worked out that day but some things are not under our control. What mattered was the fact; I completed the race and had done it with lots of support and love from my friends. I had received so much love that day. It humbled me. It was about gratitude and being thankful to have received so much love and courage from all these people today. My heart was filled with love. I was a winner that day.

We all have our own Mount Everest to climb. Running is a common thread that has connected us. We belong. We share. We understand. We support. Runners do this even during grueling marathon races through meaningful eye contact moving at opposite directions, reaching out hands that don’t meet, teary eyes, twinkling eyes, big smiles, triumphant looks, hugs, kisses, and we tell each other how much they mean to us, we are constantly inspired by runners and their stories. They’re not necessarily about paces and times but rather about how they have overcome challenges in their own personal lives. ♥

Running Community ♥ Caring Community 

Thank you Alan Brooks of the Canadian Running Series for making it possible for runners to connect and develop meaningful friendships.

Thank you my Running Room family for your support during our training. We were a great group of runners! A special thank you to Jeff and lovely Karen, the husband and wife team who helped us with fueling and hydration throughout our training this past summer, THANK YOU! You were an integral part of our training and we won’t forget your kindness. Thank you Jeff for texting me saying I was rocking my first half. That meant a lot. 

Thank you my London Community Foundation family for all your love and support during my training, before my race, and during my recovery for past two days. I am really blessed to have great support system in place.

Thank you to all my supporters on Twitter, Instagram and Strava. Thank you to all of my supporters from around the world. I appreciate you and your support.

Special thank you from this mama bear to my cubs for their unconditional love and support.

“Most people run a race to see who is fastest.  I run a race to see who has the most guts.” – Steve Prefontaine

Top Left: My Exhausted Face before the Race!

My Ultramarathon Journey

Right after my first marathon on October 14, 2014 I was setting new goals.

I had fallen in love with trail running and wanted to do an ultra marathon. On November 1, 2014 I registered for the Sulphur Springs 50K and started my training. Unfortunately, due to an ITB injury which occurred in March, I had to switch that race to a 10K.

I decided to register for The North Face Endurance ChallengeSeries for July 18, 2015 at Blue Mountains, Ontario. The online 16 week training program I used indicated I had missed the first 6 weeks of training, during which I had been strength and cross training mostly. I increased my mileage slowly (the 10% rule) and listened to my body. I had built up my long runs up to 32K back in March. It was May 10 and I had 10 weeks to go. I did my training running various trails and roads around London. I continued with cross training doing various activities such as cycling, rowing, elliptical, yoga, and of course weights, kettle bells, and specific core strengthening workouts for runners. The result of my hard work was evident through my long runs as I had no glute, hip or knee issues. Although I was running at a much slower pace than before, running for 2 to 3 hours produced no pain or discomfort.

~ May 2015 - Komoka ~ 

I’ve become very good at trail running since I picked it up in May 2014. Sometimes I feel like a kid running through the playground and just zig-zagging my way through the woods. Getting closer to the race, I knew I could complete the race within 7 hours. But I remained true to my original goals of completing, smiling, and staying injury free.

I got to Blue Mountain Resort Friday afternoon after a 3 hour drive from London. I picked up my bib and had enough time to visit the beach before heading to a friend’s place 17 min away.

~ Northwind Beach ~

Linda, a seasoned trail runner herself had graciously offered a place for me to stay over the weekend. We had been connected through a running friend from London when I had sent an email out to find out if I could share a ride and stay with someone for the race. I had my craft dinner and pretzels to snack on. She offered lots of delicious food but I had to refuse as I did not want to take any chances the night before my race. It was great that she herself as a runner was aware of everyone’s specific routine and regiment. We chatted a bit about food, nutrition, running and London’s running community.

I was ready to hit the sack at 8. Although I knew I would not be able to sleep very well, I decided to call it a night as I was getting anxious a bit. I wanted to meditate and relax. Her place was perfect and quiet. My room backed onto a tennis court and the birds were chirping as I closed my eyes and was thankful for the generosity of this very kind woman. I drifted off and when I woke up I think it was past nine. I got up brushed my teeth and went back to bed again. Till 4 am I woke up many times but I was at peace. I was not anxious.

At 4 am I was foam rolling and did some active isolated stretches. I had breakfast and left the house around 6:15. I had told Linda if I was feeling well I would drive back to London. If I was sick I’d go back to her place for a 2^nd night. We left it at that. She was expecting more guests arriving on Saturday as a number of them along with Linda were racing on Sunday with The North Face Endurance Challenge Series. I thought to myself it would be nice to go back the 2^nd night and socialize and have some fun.

I drove to the race location and was happy to see lots of parking spaces were available despite the fact the 50 miler racers had started at 5 am! I dropped off my backpack at the designated tent which had my change of clothes for after the race. I had enough time to use the bathroom a few times, to relax, take some pictures, and eat my banana.

~ Blue Mountains Village ~ 

I could not drink my coffee and pre-race energizer drink. My throat was shut that morning! I am a coffee drinker but that morning I just could not drink it. My heels were feeling fine and there was no pain what so ever. My cold was masked by medication.

Closer to the start time I walked up to the starting area and there was a very nice photographer that asked me if he could take my picture and I shyly smiled and said yes! He was super nice and several times throughout the race we crossed paths.

~ Pre-race Photo ~

Before I knew it, the second wave had started and my dream of becoming an ultra marathoner was becoming a reality. Some of the runners took off really fast but I was in no hurry. I had come to the race believing in my goal that I would complete the 50K trail run and smile at the end. I was not competing with anyone and I wanted to enjoy every moment of my journey. My body took a good 3K to wake up and find its rhythm. I was glad that I took cold meds and was not coughing, sneezing, and did not have a headache. My heels were not aching. Everything was in order. I walked up the hills from the start. And I have to say the hills were right from the start and there was no end!

I passed a woman who was struggling and said “OMG! This is so different from road running” This was her first ever trail run! I wonder how far she got that day! I came across many people who had just decided to come to the race because their friends were coming or they had thought this was another obstacle course and they could just show up, have fun and celebrate with a beer at the end. But I was too polite to make any comments. Who was I to judge anyone? I could hear sometimes breathing on the back of my neck and I swiftly step aside and said please pass by it’s OK, I’m taking my time to go slow. I don’t know how many times I said that.

We got to a downhill and afterwards upon reflection I believe this was where I made a crucial mistake. I wanted to make up for the lost time on all the hills and flew down and used the momentum to glide through some parts of the trail till I got to the next hill.

~ Light and Fast ~ 

The course constantly changed from green lush forest to woods, mountain, rocks, pebbles, gravel, a few roads, muddy areas, areas covered with hay, slippery slopes, and lots and lots of hills! Did I mention the course was hilly?I arrived at the first station and most runners were complaining about the heat. I was totally fine. I love the heat and had trained in the heat. Despite the fact I love the heat, I knew I had to take some measures to stay healthy and comfortable. I asked Josh, one of the volunteers, to dump some water on my head. He was glad to do it! 

~ Josh - One of many wonderful volunteers.~ 

For the rest of the race at every station I got water over my head and washed my face and arms. The flies stayed away as I was less stinky and it kept me cool. I drank Gatorade followed by water. I ate ½ banana followed by 2 more waters. Towards the end I started having Cliff shot blocks, some potatoes, and a few chips. I carried salt tabs, Eload tabs, and gels but I only used two gels. I preferred banana and potatoes. The stations were placed strategically and always showed up in the right place at the right time. The highlight of this event for me was the volunteers. They were the most friendly, happy, helpful, and amazing group of volunteers I have ever seen. They cheered, talked to us, provided support, and they were ready and happy to dump water on me. I just loved them!

~ More Friendly and Happy Volunteers. ~ 

There was a place in the woods where the path opened up and all you could see were tall green trees. The forest looked beautiful in the early hours of the morning with the sun trying to peek through. The fast runners had gone far ahead and the slow runners were way behind. It was just me floating smoothly in the most serene and calm area of the race. I was floating through the forest without a sound from my feet on the soft grass. I felt happy and content the way the journey was shaping up.

~ Photo Credit: With permission from Endurance Challenge, 

Photo by: Remi Bastier ~

I passed a runner at some point that I thought was in distress but learned she was trying to make a video for social media about her journey. I crossed paths with her again at the end under a very different circumstance. I passed her and kept going. I was doing really well. Everything was great. The scenery, the mountain, the views, the ever changing landscape of the Bruce trails, seeing Georgian Bay from high above, the blue sky, the sunshine…

~ Georgian Bay ~ 

I saw many friends who were running their 50 miler and we hi fived wishing each other good luck. I took pictures of racers with their camera and they took my picture too. I stopped and enjoyed the scenery. Although my 10 year old son scolded at me saying maybe next time you should not waste time and just run!

~ Refreshing Cold Crisp Water - Behind me was a water fall! ~ 

 It was around 18K that I started feeling a bit of stiffness around my left knee. It had happened during my training as well but had gone away after a short period of time. Then it happened! My ITB injury was aggravated by all the hills I had climbed. I was in the middle of a flat field on a narrow path that was covered on both sides by long grass and had to stop and catch my breath from the sharp drilling pain on the outside of my left knee. I panicked and started to think, I’m only at 21K! I still have 29K to go. I thought about using my cell to call for help or at the next aid station I will ask them to take me back to the village. I shook my head and immediately wiped off the idea of quitting! I was appalled at myself for thinking of those ideas. The negotiation between mind and body was under way. I took a deep breath to calm myself down. I remembered that morning before starting my car I had seen the bottle of Ibuprofen that had 8 caps in it. I had gone to the trunk to find a small plastic and put them in there and place them in my Jenny Vest just in case of emergency. I was grateful for my decision. I took one cap right away. At this time, I was walking believing that the rest and the pill would work and get me running soon. But deep down I could not believe my own story. Every runner that I had left behind started passing me one by one. I had crossed paths with a French couple a few times. I told them my ITB had flared up and that I was slowing down a lot. The gentleman said to look at it as an adventure. It is not a race. Hearing him was just what I needed to relax and let go of my anxiety.

After I was alone again I started pleading with the higher powers saying I just need to do this for me. Just let me finish. Going home with a DNF is not an option for me. So, the hardest part of my journey began. I was limping even when I was walking. At this time, another runner caught up with me and asked if I needed help. I told her about my situation and she said “Take two pills and take them every hour! YOU ARE GOING TO COMPLETE THIS RACE!” She sounded like she was my coach and was telling me “Quitting is NOT an option!” She left and I was so empowered by her words I took 2 more pills but not every hour. Well, let’s say I took all the 8 pills during the race. Normally, I don’t take Ibuprofen that often. My body is so sensitive that taking one pill makes me dizzy. I’m shocked I did not collapse or get dizzy with an overdose of Ibuprofen that day. I got to the next aid station and said “Am I the last one?” and they said “God no. There are still people coming”

I thanked all the volunteers at every station and told them how much they are valued for their work. They replied thanks for racing and thank you for recognizing our work.

~ Great Volunteers Working Hard To Take Care of US! ~ 

I knew my personal struggle with pain would linger but I couldn’t let it ruin my whole experience. I continued interacting with the racers when it was welcomed. I kept talking to volunteers, I smiled when I was surrounded by people and in my loneliness I reflected and tried not to cry although I came close to tears so many times. I decided to stay strong and enjoy the journey despite the injury. I knew looking back at this day years from now, I wanted to say I’m happy the way I carried myself.   Only if they knew what was going on my head. I kept moving forward.

  "I walk slowly but I never walk backwards." Abraham Lincoln

I came across Mark who had come to this race with his friend but severe leg cramps had slowed him down. I offered him salt tabs but he said he got some salty stuff in at the aid station. I told him I have them if he needs them. I asked him if he had Ibuprofen as I may need them towards the end. He said he had one. We walked together through the woods for a while and then he took off. For the rest of the race we saw each other many times. And yes, I did take his only Ibuprofen.

I was running on pure determination. A lot of runners gave me encouraging words saying you’re doing great, keep it up, looking good, and you’ve got this. It meant a lot to hear those words, even though I was in a lot of pain. I also provided encouragement to other runners. Throughout the race, many runners asked me if I needed help but I quickly would say “It’s just my ITB. I’m going slow”. I saw a few runners who were sitting down to take a rest due to the heat. Their faces were red and they were panting. I’d ask them if they needed help and they’d say no thanks, just taking a break.

I had no fuel or hydration issues. I was fine with the heat and as a matter of fact, it wasn’t on my mind at all. My focus was how to maneuver through the course with my injured knee. I quickly learned how to use my whole body to carry my left leg. Downhills were the toughest part of the course for me as the pressure was too much on my leg. At some point, I became very emotional and I wanted to cry but the strong and tough side of me would take over and say “Mahnaz, you have a choice here to cry and be weak and let them come carry you away OR toughen up and pull that damn leg down the hill!” I pulled it down. I learned to go down side ways hopping short steps with the right leg and pulling myself down. One runner said lie down and roll yourself to the bottom of the hill. I don’t think I wanted to have other sorts of injuries! It works in the movies though! I started walking faster pumping my arms. I am a very good walker. Sometimes for relaxation I backpack through my town all day. My son says mom your walking is faster than my jogging! I started feeling a bit of pain between my shoulder blades. The vest I was wearing was comfortable but after hours of climbing even that was too much on my back.

 "You may encounter many defeats but you must not be defeated." Maya Angelou 

At 44K I was in a group of 5 walkers including myself. I don’t know if it was the ibuprofen or just sheer will and determination, I felt stronger and I pulled away from them. I kept walking faster and faster. I hopped and even jogged a bit. At 45K my Garmin beeped and went black. I work with MEC as their event staff. When I had told them my Garmin Forerunner 10 was not ideal for an ultramarathon, and asked for help they generously offered me a brand new Garmin 220 to test! I had no time to figure out what was going on with the watch. As I was going for a 2^nd loop I started panicking. There was nobody in the woods. It was just me. I was sure I had followed the flags. Every distance was marked by a specific colour. 50K racers bib colour was blue and we had followed it all the way. But being the only one with not a sound in the creepy quiet woods, I was beginning to think I must have gone the wrong way. Why weren’t the other guys behind me? Then I saw a volunteer sitting on a chair and he had a red arrow pointing up for the 50milers and a blue arrow to the right for the 50Ks. I told him am I going the right way? He said “yes.” I told him I should be done by now my watch died and it seems I should have been at the finish line by now. He said only 3K down the hill and up. I continued on but got really scared.

~ Bruce Trails - Majestic and Humbling ~ 

Then I saw the same woman who was trying to make a video during the early hours of the morning. I asked her if she knew what kilometer we were at and she didn’t know. I told her this is dragging on and we should be done by now. She said we are on the right track and that soon we will come to the aid station. The aid station was at the top of a very steep hill. We both pushed on. She was a bit ahead of me. I saw her stop with her hands on her knees bending over looking completely exhausted. I was in the same boat as her. I had my hands on my knees bent over and exhausted. I padded her on the back saying we can do it. You’re doing great, let’s go. The volunteers were encouraging us to keep moving and not to stop. One of them came down a bit to hold her hands. The other guy was telling me to pump my arms. I had no energy to talk back telling him I had pumped my arms all day and there was nothing left to pump any more at this point. There was a young girl she must have been 11 or 12 came with a cold face wash and ice. That was heavenly. I told her thank you and how proud of her I was for doing such a great job in a hot day like this. I got ready to face the hardest last 2K through winding and narrow wooden steps and steep downward hills in the wooded area that led to an open field at the end towards the finish line.

~ Most visited station and most wonderful volunteers! ~

As I got to the woods I saw the French couple going down. I got close to them and said “here you are my friends. We meet again.” I noticed the woman had slowed down and they were quiet. I got behind her and slowed down but she shifted telling me she didn’t want to slip. I nodded and moved sideways. The first time going down these steps it had taken me a long time while everyone was gliding through the air. This time I was using short quick steps to get through it as fast as I could. I kept pushing forward and I came to the opening. I told myself this is it. 

"If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment." Marcus Aurelius 

The mind over body negotiation intensified. I had imagined myself many times running through the finish line with a big smile. Something else took over. I started walking faster, I started to jog, and I started to run short quick steps. I was feeling no pain. I knew I was going to make it. Then a 50 miler zoomed by me saying “great job!” I said thank you & got faster. I saw the spectators to the right cheering. They cheered louder as another 50 miler zoomed by me. I got even faster…I felt tall…happy, ecstatic…I had told myself SMILE! You’re almost there! I crossed the finish line! No matter the pain and what I had gone through, this was a moment to be celebrated and be proud of! I raised my hands and yelled from top of my longs “I DID IT!”

~ Mind Over Body ~ 

I high fived a group racers who had gathered right at the finish line and I could not stop smiling. One of the officials checked my bib quickly making sure I had completed the race and I had all the permanent markers from all the aid stations.  I saw Adam my friend who had completed his 80K! I had randomly cheered him at Springbank a month ago and we became friends. We congratulated each other. His dad took a picture of us. I was overwhelmed with emotions. I was limping again but I didn’t care. I went to get a massage but they wanted me to wait around as there was a wait list and only four people were giving massages. I opted to go and place my feet in the ice cold water. There were some runners who had fallen a few times and they were covered in mud. Then I turned to the guy next to me and I saw his medal and remembered nobody gave me my medal! All I wanted was to sit there and not to move but I got on my feet again and went back to the start line and asked the photographer who’s going to give me my medal. She found someone and he gave it to me. She apologized but I said no worries, I have it now.

~ Earned it! ~

I was talking to another runner who I had crossed path a few times during the race. He had fallen and had glute pain. I was happy to see he had completed. As I turned around the French woman came to me and said listen I just wanted to say congratulations! You did it! I was overwhelmed with emotion and I said can I hug you and of course she said NO. LOL! We shook hands and I congratulated her as well.

~ During our joureny we crossed path a few times. ~

I got my backpack and headed to the bathroom to change when I saw my friend Patrick. He was the first runner on Twitter to follow me. He looked great after his 50 miler! We took a couple of pictures, chatted for a bit and parted ways. I also saw another great runner from Toronto, Aries.

Then I saw a couple and we smiled and I said congratulations on completing your 50K! She replied “you mean 55K!” I said what? You ran 55K? Why? She said we all did. The light bulb went on! I told her how in the woods I felt I was running more than I was supposed to! When you learn to run without your watch during your training you develop those skills and can guess your mileage. I made a mental note of that. It’s funny when I crossed the finish line I did not pay attention to the timer or the medal. I had achieved two out of three goals. I completed my first ultra marathon. I smiled at the finish line. But I was injured.

I changed in the bathroom and cleaned up. I decided to head home as I knew that the day after I wouldn’t be able to drive for 3 hours. As I sat on the bench to put my shoes on there was a family from India with lots of kids and one of the girls just stared at me and then I heard her telling her parents she has a medal for 50 kilometers. I got up, stopped in front of her and said stay active and start running and when you grow up you can run 50K too. She smiled with a twinkle in her eyes.

The food provided were burgers with side salads. While eating, I ended up talking to a runner from the states who does TNFECS regularly. We walked through the square to figure out where they were giving free beers but there were none. We went looking for Repreeve socks but the person had left a sign saying be back tomorrow. I told the guy well, I’m blogging about my race and I have to be honest on my blog. I went to the area where some of the race officials (volunteers) were answering people’s questions and they said there was no beer and one of them, realizing we were leaving the village, offered to give us our socks. With that I started walking to my car. Evidently the food and drink after the race in the states are lined up and organized really well for the runners after race.

I headed to the tent where the ultramarathoner himself, Dean Karnazes, was interacting with all the race finishers. I told him about my knee injury briefly and he said “Mahnaz, you are a true runner.  You have the mental strength to get you through.  Congratulations!” I was all choked up with emotion and really want to give him a big hug and cry but just ended up shaking his hand and saying thank you.  

"Run when you can, walk if you have to, crawl if you must; just never give up." Dean Karnazes

I drove back another 3 hours as I knew my mobility would be limited and I couldn’t drive the next day. When I got home, I unloaded the car, took a shower, did laundry, ate Edamame and sat on my bed uploading the Garmin. The Garmin showed 54.79 KM!!!

~ 54.79 KM in 9:33 ~

55 kilometers and 9.5 hours later with 3 new black bloody bruised toes, and a knee injury, I was now an ultra marathoner!

Race Review 

Would I recommend this race? Yes. As someone who is part of event planning for races and volunteering with many events in my community, I have some feedback that I hope the organizers will see as an opportunity to make this race one of the best TNF series!

*If you are coming to this race for swag and knick knacks, FORGET IT.  I personally don’t care for stuff as I am a minimalist. I would like to have a great experience after the race rather going home with stuff. The race gives you a decent technical shirt and your medal. There is a virtual race bag with some deals which is fantastic in terms of sustainability and going paperless.

* The volunteers and aid stations were the highlight of this race for me. They were simply the best. They had something for everyone and there was no shortage of fuel and drink. Although more shade for the volunteers and tables would be great.

* More volunteers towards the end during the last loop to reassure runners and provide that mental boost would be fantastic.

*Although things are placed in close proximity for someone who has been running all day it still seems like a huge task to walk around. It would be great to have the ice bath and massage tables closer to the lodge that had restrooms and food.

*A great idea to have massage therapists on site. It would be ideal to have more of them to shorten the wait time for many runners at the end. Especially for those who are headed home right after.

*The ice buckets were great but towards the end the water was dark and muddy. It would be great to give the runners who are coming in at the end of the day the same treatment as those arrived hours earlier. The water should be changed and the buckets kept clean.

*The emails should let the racers know that there is no beer at the end for Ontario and the food is just burger with side salad. This way, the runners can decide to bring their own food for after the race or purchase food. The emails were implying there would be a great option of hot and cold food at the end with a beer.

*Months leading to the race day, informative, supportive and encouraging emails kept coming. They are filled with tips and information. I printed a copy of the race guide and studied it religiously. Preparation and visualization of how you’ll be running on your race day should be a part of any runner’s training.

*Course measurements were way off. On the printed guide it indicates 50K exact. I’m not sure where the inconsistency comes in. I was with a group of 5 people at 44K and I left them behind. When I checked the results one of them had finished 15 min earlier than me. I did not see him passing me at any point after 44K. Did he go back to finish line realizing he was running over 50K? I ran 55K at 9:33. The organizers need to fix this. I had an injury and I was on the course for longer period of time for no reason. It is not fair when some people know when to head back while the rest of us thinking we can’t quit and need to finish 50K while in fact we are running longer. This to me is a serious flaw that needs to be fixed.

*This is a huge race that requires months of preparation and many volunteers to make it a successful race. The volunteers did an amazing job and the officials were super helpful and awesome. I would hope to go back one day to Blue Mountain and run it faster without any injury. If you are healthy, have trained well - train in hot temperatures ;) – you will enjoy this challenge tremendously.

2015-2016 Goals

My top priorities are recovery and healing. I need to get rid of the knee issue for good. I won’t be racing for the rest of the year.

I am going to learn how to swim and prepare for my triathlon next summer. I will continue with cross training, running short distances of trails, and strength workouts.

The next big goal will be an ultra marathon for the Fall of 2016. I will need to figure out where in the States I should book myself for a mini vacation.

~ Thank you to anyone who believed in my dream! I appreciate having you in my life. ~

For those of you who don't know my story, I was size 16 in 2008 and started running July 2013. Anything is possible!

~ Thank you The North Face Challenge Series - Ontario for making my dream a reality! ~