Book Read:
9. Son of a Trickster — Eden Robinson
Kilometres Ran:
week nine — 30.2
To date: 302 KM
Another book that I picked up and read because all of social media yet no one in particular wouldn’t stop telling me to get a copy and read it. So I did. I did not read about it, except for the sticker on the dust jacket (I hate that they do that BTW, FFS) with the tulip! and Giller! I definitely did not read that this is the first book of a trilogy. Which would have helped because for the front two-thirds I was wondering where the tricker stuff was (it comes later, much later). Aside from all the waiting for the supernatural, I really liked the book. I found the characters compelling and the descriptions vivid, albeit rather raw. It does seem a bit long drawn out, which makes sense if the plan is for two more books. But it seems unnecessary. It seems the main plot point comes entirely too late in spite of it being the title of the book. Which makes sense from a Field’s Paradigm point of view as this is apparently meant to be read as Act One of Three. So I don’t know how I feel about the trilogy bit is I guess what I’m trying to say. But I liked this act enough to hang around for Act Two. Probably.
I’ve been behaving and by behaving I mean following my physiotherapist’s instructions and not running too much but riding my bike and things were feeling pretty good so when I went in on Wednesday for my electroshock treatment we chatted about the West Van 10K and she said that if I didn’t run the rest of the week (but I can bicycle at will) then I am allowed to run but not race the race. So I behaved and then this morning I ran and didn’t really race but maybe raced a little bit. I wanted to be better than my best Sun Run. That was my unadvertised goal going into this morning. Basically this goal entailed not getting passed by the 50 minute pacer. My plan was to try to hang around the 45 minute pacer and just see how everything feels and roll across the finish with him in sight. It was a decent plan, and it worked out pretty well. Two things: (1) I’ve never run this race or course before, and (2) the race had zero-nadda-zilch distance markers. I started a bit too quick and then backed off. The pacer passed me around 3 KM (I’m guessing based on my splits) and I settled into a just slightly barely uncomfortable pace. Not race pace, but not a Sunday jog either. I kept Mr. 45 in sight and then at what I thought was about 8 KM I picked it up a bit. But it was not 8 KM. Kilometres eight and nine were fine but when I was starting to pique expecting the finish the finish was still another kilometre away. I was pulling up on the pacer when I saw the finish line clock. He crossed at 44 minutes and I crossed six seconds behind. I have no idea what would have happened if I’d raced. I don’t know if my knee would have cooperated, and I don’t believe I currently have the gas to challenge my personal best. But I ended up 12/73 in my group and set a new personal second-best. And I can walk right now, unlike post First Half.
This was my first West Van Run and I would definitely do it again. The course is flat and fast (except for a kinda cruel hill between 3 and 4 KM). I thought it was well organized and good value — nice tee and medal. I won a box of TeffX Energy Bars on a social media giveaway that I’m looking forward to giving a try, so shout out to Teff, too. I’ll be back next year.