The Ryndex

I went to a dinner party the night before the first race of 2008, but I only ate plain pasta and bread, and I went home to bed before dessert. A half marathon isn’t really a big deal. I’d already ran three or four equivalent or longer runs around le jardin du Luxembourg (or the Luco, as I’ve never ever heard the locals call it).

But running the Semi-marathon de Paris 2008 is the best way to practice for the Marathon de Paris 2008. I wanted to test out my pre-race routine.

I got up two hours early, showered and ate a bowl of fromage frais (between yogurt and cottage cheese), an orange and a half Litre of water. I got dressed, pinned my race bib on, pinned my metro pass to my pocket, strapped my timing chip to my shoe. It was chilly out, so I grabbed a sweater from my “to donate” pile (it was my nice, warm green sweater that had slightly discoloured in the sun).

Even at my station, the metro was filling with runners, and it became more and more full as we approached the Château de Vincenne. My first stop, of course, was the open air urinal. The line is usually very short, especially in comparison with the portables.

Then I went to my cage. They separate runners into classes, and verify your bib as you arrive. Last year, I signed up for the slowest class and arrived at the last minute so I was at the end of the crowd — it took me about 12 minutes just to arrive at the starting line after the race had begun!

They play Chariots of Fire in a loop during this little purgatory between firing the pistol and when your timing chip actually crosses the starting line.

This year, I self-classed myself into the 1h40 group, so there were only four “Chariots of Fire” minutes. I threw my sweater to the side of the road while waiting.

I kept my first few kilometres deliberately slow while the crowd thinned out. I skipped the 5km water break and passed the first 1h40 pacer soon after. These pacers, or lièvres (literally hares) run the race carrying huge flags or balloons, and help you run consistently.

At 10km, I had made up my first slow kilometres with just a bit extra to spare. I took a little bottle of water at this station, and drank about half of it over the next two kilometres, then threw it to the side of the road. I’ll pick up litter during the year to compensate, or at least tut disapprovingly when I see it.

I skipped water and sponges at 15km. About this time, I passed the second 1h40 lièvre. This means that I had worked my way from the back to the front of the group, and I was going faster than I had planned.

At 16km, I had a stitch in my side. I haven’t had a stitch since the beginning of my training. Ow, my organs! I kept my pace, stretched and breathed and it went away. At 18km, it happened again, and I had to slow down… so many people were passing me it felt like I was going backwards.

Then I realized that with a bit of a push, I could break a new milestone… and I really pushed. The stitch went away, but the sky turned pink and sparkly.

My official time was just under 1h39… but remember the four minutes of purgatory? That was foreshadowing and you’ll see all that and more when I get my book deal (“Petit Canadien: In Paris, In stitches, In Vino Veritas”). In fact, my chip time broke 1h35! I came in the top 15% of finishers! Overall, it wasn’t easy, but it was mostly painless and I enjoyed myself more this second time around.

I haven’t set my goal for the marathon yet, but my goal for the next semi-marathon is (a) 1h33 minutes and/or (b) not look like Timmy’s pet turkey in my official picture(s).