Well folks here’s a first I had to add 2018 to the title since I’ve done the tire trot last year too. See I’m all experienced at this racing and blogging about it shiz. I’m like a tire trot OG all the way back to year one! I’ve done it every year since it started, which is to say I’ve done it twice now. Now that might be twice more than you’ve done it and that’s why you’re here right? Well pull up a chair and have a read. This really truly is a free race that’s right it costs nothing to participate in and you can even win a set of four tiers!
A bit about the race: Michelin is one of the bigger employers in a few smaller Nova Scotia towns. In those towns they do a lot to give back to the communities and the tire trot is just a small part of that. Officially it’s part of the plant’s health and safety week. Michelin walks the walk in Bridgewater since they were a big part of building the new sports and recreation facility there Lunenburg County Lifestyle Centre (LCLC) which is where the race starts and is a beautiful facility. There is a 5k and a 1k kid’s race and it’s on the trail in town. Its part of the Trans Canada Trail so it’s nice and groomed and crusher dust not roots and rocks. You don’t even need to have trail shoes for this one.
Parking and weather: The race takes place leaving from the lower corner of the parking lot and far away from the building which means there are tonnes of spots. This year there were a lot more allowed to register than last year so there was an overflow parking lot down the road. We got there about 45 minutes before the start time and we got one of the last spots at the LCLC. This year the weather was amazing about 16 C and sunny with little wind so we couldn’t have asked for a better day. But I do think the trainees are about due to line up in some rain!
Course: Last year I didn’t get a GPS plot of the course because it rained like a mofo and I left my phone in the car. 95% plus is on the trail again this year and I had lamented the lack of a water station out there last year, there was one this year! Maybe getwifed is having an impact! I did get a race map this year, yeah and I can say the course is really true to length and there are virtually no hills.
Cheer squad: Umm I guess that’s me. I strongly suggested that my trainees and I do it for three reasons mostly at that point my mom was full pout about being behind schedule in her c25k training due to a little knee injury for a couple of weeks. I wanted her to have the opportunity to do a full 5k and not put so much pressure on herself for the 5k at Bluenose. Two it’s freaking free and three I wanted them to experience a little, not so shiny running event after said Bluenose which is decidedly shiny! Once she found out she could win tires there was ho holding her back. PS if any of us win she called dibs on the tiers. She was also all like I don’t want to hold you back so you can run on your own but I already know that’s not going to happen. Honey didn’t come since we’re behind schedule still and this time I didn’t even miss him. My mom had the great idea to cross the finish line all holding hands and if by chance one of you tire trotters has a picture of that moment please, pleas share!
Logistics and Support:
There were a few volunteers on the course once again and a water station at the turn around point which was great. I ran with my mom and stepdad the whole time and they did great and didn’t struggle at all, plus I had water for them too if they needed it. Honestly I think they could both go a bit faster at these things, I pushed them the last km a bit and they lived through it. Last year I suggested runners that were not as strong might really appreciate/need the water station. That is to say this year there were a few runners around us in the 9 min per km club that well I don’t want to say struggling but I will say were having a hard time of it. I’m sure they appreciated the addition this year! Great work organizers! Actually I thought about offering one of them a sip of my water, would that have been the wrong thing to do? Here are some images from that bridge I droned on about last year, pretty stunning right!
Race goals: Finish and have fun. I’ll be running with the trainees so perhaps for them to run their tastes 5k ever. But that comes from me and not from them. Since Bluenose they’ve registered for 5k’s at valley harvest and PEI Marathon weekend which are both big fancy races. I have a love for the people who organize and small charitable races over big shiny ones which you can read about here and I’m happy they will get to see the other side at this one so to speak. Personally this is just a 5k in triathlon training for me and I have a 20k bike ride planned later in the day.
Swag: My mom picked up out bibs early and they came with chips attached again and some aerobics first coupons. The medals were just as nice, ie the same as last year save for new 2018 ribbons!
Results:
Time: 44:02
Overall: 237/293
Category (F 30 -39): 39/49
Shoes: Asics Gel Trail 6
Looking back and forward: I’d like to see my mom and stepdad work to get a little faster not because they have to, just because I think they’d love to beat their own records and enjoy the challenge. They registered for two 5k’s back to back at the beginning of October and I suggested heavily that they might like to training to the next level on the drive down. Long storey short they agreed to let me put together a get faster training plan. I know my stepdad is really not loving that last km of the 5k days and I think the solution might be to get them going a hair further than that 5k race distance.
As for me my next race will be the triathlon I recently started dedicated training for towards the end of July. Depending on how the schedule shakes out I might do Sole Sister’s with my mom only in October. I think she’d really enjoy the vibe there. I also might let the birdies fly on their own at the next one we do if it’s not a fun run, I have goals or they are just getting it done that day. That being said maybe the better solution is to just schedule a few 5k’s for myself in between. Although 5k isn’t my favourite distance, I always feel like I’m just getting started at the end. Perhaps I’m just antsy about not going all out on race day, it does feel weird. I think I might join then at valley harvest but I might line up with the 10k racers and leave the 5k to them.
Sweat Sweetly 