Update: The race has been run and here’s what happened – 2022 Milk Run Results
It’s not what I’m aiming for with my running. In fact, I’d thought for a while that I would shun running events altogether. However, the allure of entering an event after well over a decade got to me. The first will be the 2022 version of the Lindsay Milk Run on July 17, 2022.
Unfortunately, the half marathon is not being offered this year so I’ve had to settle for the 10km run. With me, the longer the better. I still don’t run very fast but I can certainly outlast. I’m pretty sure I won’t even change anything about my routine running schedule. My runs will still be long leading up to this event and I doubt I’ll add much, if any speedwork.
Why The Lindsay Milk Run?
There are a few reasons why I chose this run. First off, we spend a lot of time at the family trailer in Nogies Creek, about 30 minutes or less from Lindsay, Ontario, Canada. Right there, it gets the convenience vote.
I went to college in Lindsay in 1987 and returned again in the early 1990’s. I even spent a year living the local life after graduation, working a few different jobs in town. I ran cross country for Sir Sanford Fleming College (Frost Campus) and the coaches talked fondly of the Milk Run. But, despite good intentions, I never got around to entering the race. By the looks of it, the course has changed a bit since then. However, it’ll be nice to finally check this one off my list.
The thing that has kept me from entering bigger races in the Greater Toronto Area this spring is cost and capacity limits. For the Mississauga Marathon, for example, when all was said and done, I would have spilled a few hundred dollars or more. For other races, like the Guelph Big Little Run, they were sold out well in advance.
So, why bother? I’m not interested in competing against others. I simply want to go further with each run and not necessarily faster. Why spend hundreds and be restricted to specific start times and courses when I can simply jump on a trail or backroad with a running pack on my back and do what I want to do?
Well, reason number three that convinced me to go in this one was the cost of entry. Even after service fees, this one comes in at under $50. And, you’re guaranteed to walk away with a shirt. Truth be told, the main reason I entered races in my 20’s and 30’s was for the shirt!
What Are My Goals For This Event?
I think it all comes down to spending a morning with people that I share a similar interest with. Running is a lonely pastime. I love that it’s a solitary discipline. But, sometimes, you just want to share it with someone else. No one around me has any interest in running. So, after a three hour trail run, when there’s so many thoughts built up in my little brain, there’s no outlet.
However, there’s part of me, because I am human after all, that will be pushing to finish in a good time. I’ve had a constant battle between Garmin and Fitbit to determine just how fast I actually run. The distances (and therefore pace) of my runs come in quite different between the two watches. Sometimes, it’s quite drastic. For example, a recent trail run was measured at just under 40km by Fitbit but around 32km by Garmin. That’s a difference of eight kilometres on trails that really aren’t measurable by any other means. Entering an official measured event will certainly bring to light which watch is more accurate.
So, what will I be pushing for? Considering the course is fairly flat, I’m looking at something right around the 50 minute mark for 10km. Fitbit has me running anywhere from 5:40 to 6:00 per kilometre on distances between 15km and 30km. I believe with a bit of a push, I can drop down into that sub 50 zone over ten kilometres.
My main goal, as with every single run, is to remain injury free. I have amped up my mileage since restarting my running career in January, 2021 to 200 or more kilometres per month. The rate of increase has been pretty drastic, especially considering I also hike a fair amount and play ice hockey 12 months per year. Recovery is key but so is listening to your body. If I have any kind of tweak or twinge during a run, I instantly slow the pace, adjust my form if needed and monitor. Almost always, things correct themselves and I’m good to go.
Anywho, I’m looking forward to this run and, who knows, I just might see you there!