Canada Day!

After a few easy days of jogging at the lake, I got up at six to tackle the HBC run for Canada.

I think I got enough sleep...I had some pretty vivid dreams. In the last one, I was opening a locker--and reminding myself that I had to get a new lock because the combination for the present one was etched into it. That wasn't the task at hand, though: I was preparing for a show. The lockers vaguely reminded me of the ones I had at McGill, but everything else was different, probably so wide an amalgam of experience that it was foreign. The production likewise was strange. I had to sing the part of a prehistoric woman. Once it started, though, it was like I was no longer singing, but someone else was, and there was no stage, just a steppe and then some rock walls and a waterfall. The prehistoric woman then sang a song while the light reflecting off the water mottled the cliff. The light played on the rock like water, and the song was like that too, in an old key with each phrase descending into a trickle of melisma. There was no other voice or instrument, just the woman's voice. Very melancholy and I can't remember a note of it now, only the effect.

Then the narrative became clearer--this woman was singing about a man held captive somewhere. She was mourning his absence. Meanwhile, he was working to reduce that. Apparently his guard was a tiger, which he fought off, and at that point I woke up.

I've been having bizarre dreams like this recently, probably because I've been sleeping more than usual. It's terribly deep. I must tell my husband to fight the tiger. LOL

The atmos of this dream hung around for a while, during my jog to the start line. It was still somewhat cool, but I knew that wouldn't last. Still, it was an easy jog, and then I picked up my race shirt (the number was printed on it) and I actually got to a porta potty. Then I went to a water fountain near the museum. Soon after, some members of the running club I'm in found me, which was a really sweet surprise. I had already decided that I wasn't going to try for a PB. Too hot and I ran nearly 60 miles last week. So, what better excuse to take it easy than to chat with friends?

Which I did, and the first 4K were easy. There were a lot of runners, and a not very-well seeded field, but that was fine. I didn't care. 5K was around 27 minutes, and then I suddenly felt hot. This is what happens with me...I could be at a conversational pace, or even slower, hardly breathing in rhythm, and then suddenly I'm hot and uncomfortable. Oh, well. I hung on until about 7.5 km, and then dropped back; either that, or my companions sped up. It was fine. They had dragged me farther than I would have gone, at that pace that day. I don't have much fight. I walked a bit at 8K, then finished it. Saw my mother and the dog all dolled up in red&white near the end, which was neat. I finished barely under 54 minutes. Pretty slow for a race, but I wasn't disappointed. It was nice to put less pressure on myself.

Then I walked back to my mom and the dog, and we went home, then went out walking, hit the museums, the aboriginal experience at Victoria's Island, saw the Snowbirds fly past, saw some of the shows at Major Hill Park...the usual. Now I'm resting at home. It will be nice to go to the fireworks later on.

At any rate, it's pretty obvious that I've lost some speed recently. It could be the heat, but it could also be a lot of slow running. Which is fine. I'm not sure of my fall goal races, yet, but I am craving a more mellow approach, and the resulting base should come in handy.