A Special Race

For the second consecutive year, Debbie and I were in beautiful Vancouver, to run in the “First Half” Half Marathon (sponsored by RunVan). It was a special weekend. For me, just to compete in the race felt like an achievement. To run with Deb made it even sweeter. We met our goals for the race, after a long winter of training in Calgary. Several of our teammates and training partners were there with us. Even better was to spend the weekend with our son Matt.

As satisfying as the race was for us, it was also a bittersweet weekend. You can read my race report from the 2022 race to find out why. I’ve reproduced it below. You will see why the First Half is a race that has special memories for me.

2022 First Half Race Report

We each have races that hold special meaning. The First Half Half Marathon in Vancouver is one such race for me. In 2011, it was the first race I ran as a new member of my club, Adrenaline Rush. That winter was harsh, even by Alberta standards, but my teammates and I survived some truly epic long runs on the path to race day.

The First Half is hugely popular. It regularly sells out in a day, so I felt lucky to secure an entry in 2013. In 2016, in a steady rain, I put together a solid performance and finished third in my age group. It was one of my best race results ever. My fondness for the race grew.

In 2017, things went from strange to scary. My wife Debbie and I travelled to Vancouver on Valentine’s Day weekend, only to have a freak snowstorm shut the city down. The race was cancelled. Then in July, my life was turned upside down by a series of strokes. Running at all became an open question. It looked unlikely that I would ever run in the First Half again.

But life has continued. And even better, it includes running. My return to the sport has been cautious. It now includes the pleasant option of running often with Debbie. I have started doing solo runs. And in addition to watching my teammates from the sidelines as an assistant coach, I now benefit from our interval training sessions.

Debbie, too, has ramped up her training. The idea of running the 2022 First Half was mostly hers, and while I wasn’t opposed to it, I wasn’t sure I would even make it to the start line. Knowing her as well as I do, I had no doubt she would put in the necessary hard work.

Our confidence grew through another tough winter as our long runs stretched out. We got to that inevitable point where we couldn’t wait for the taper. The weather outlook was for perfect racing conditions.

Finally, race day arrived. My phone rang as we got ready. Our sister-in-law, who had been bravely battling cancer, had passed away a few hours earlier. We knew this day was coming, but it was still hard to hear the news. As we had already put on our race kit, and knowing that Shelley was a great supporter of my brother’s running, we knew we had to carry on.

We got through the unusual rolling start and settled into our target pace. Through 17k, when my watch blacked out, this was a case study in good race execution. We handled the many distractions with ease: turns, fuelling, and traffic. Deb was in great form and running well. I was feeling good too. As always, the scenery in Stanley Park was a welcome diversion.

We felt the pull of the finish line in the last few kilometres. I could tell that both of us were in the same place mentally. I had warned Debbie about a hill in the last kilometre. She overcame it like just one more interval repeat. Our cruise into the finish felt smooth and effortless.

It was amazing to be in Vancouver again for an actual race. Our performance leaves me optimistic about the season ahead. I’m proud of Debbie, who trained diligently and delivered perfectly on her race plan. And me? I was happy just to have another chance at this race that I enjoy so much. Even though I ran with very different goals this time, I can report that the satisfaction is the same. Finally, on a sad day, we had another reason to experience this unique event, buoyed by memories of our late sister-in-law.