Rattle Me Bones 10k

Today we took part in the fundraiser for the Ottawa Hospital, the great 5 and 10k Rattle Me Bones races. After several years of racing it, I have now become one of the pacers, and this year did the 55 minute pace in the 10k. (Usually I do the 50 minute, but have not been doing enough serious running since the National Capital half marathon in May.)

It was a great fall day, with over 2500 participants in both races, and we raised some $80k for the Hospital. I was right on target at the 5k mark, to the second, but something weird happened in the second half and I ended up completing it in just under 54 minutes, in spite of really slowing down in the final k. My Garmin said I was right on pace the whole way. Anyway, apologies to any who felt they were left behind.

I also host the kid 1k family run; always lots of fun as the little ones go charging out of the gate when I blow the air horn. No one worries about pacing for that event!!

It's a fine event, very well organized by the Hospital. The weather was perfect.

Run for the Cure in our community

For the seventh year, our local community organized another Run for the Cure on October 4. It was a glorious fall day and we set new records: over 200 participants, and a new record of about $25,500 raised. While most of our participants walk the 5k route, this year we had some 20 members of the University of Ottawa section of the Ottawa Lions Track Club take part. The Lions are the largest track club in Canada and have done very well in national and international events. Some of their training takes place at the Louis Riel Dome in our community, the only 400 metre enclosed track in Canada. The Lions of course were way out in front of the rest of us, but they were a real addition to the event.

I get to run it twice; first to mark the 5k course with lots of pink ribbons and chalk, and then run it as well with the rest of the gang.

You can see a lot of great pics by going to our community website, www.blackburnhamlet.ca and go to Events past, where you can scroll down to the Run for the Cure.