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Ed's Sk8toronto Website
NATIONAL CAPITAL MARATHON AND 10K -(OTTAWA) -MAY 2001 The National Capital Race Weekend in Ottawa, each May, is the biggest and best (local) inline event. It's a lot of fun. At one time there were two skating events but now there is only the marathon and half-marathon (which start at the same time). As well as skating, there are other several running and walking events of different lengths. My First Race as a Club Skater After skating the 2000 Niagara Marathon alone for most of the distance and seeing firsthand the benefits of drafting and other tactics I decided to join TISC in 2001. I didn't know what to expect for the Ottawa race. On one hand it seemed way too early in the season to be in top form (I reluctantly took the winter off skating) but on the other hand I was getting valuable experience and some hard skating in the TISC training sessions. Perhaps, with good weather and good luck, I could get a PB. As it turned out the race was a real blast! My big mistake was also the thing that made the race so much fun. As with the Niagara marathon, I was intimidated by all the 5 wheel skates up at the start line. As a result, I lined up way too far back and spent the first couple of kilometers passing a large number of slower skaters. Suddenly I noticed a drafting line up ahead. I caught up but it was going too slowly and I went by quickly hoping not to pick up any tag-alongs. I reeled in a guy from Rochester who was in the 60-64 age group and we decided to co-operate. He wasn't able to lead much but his efforts were certainly appreciated. We picked off a few more stragglers and a 40-45 woman from Ottawa tagged on. She apologized for not being able to lead so that was good enough for me. The 3 of us skated together from around 6K to around 22K and picked up Lanny (who was having bearing problems) for a while before he lost us on a downhill. In the long time that the 3 of us stayed together we made up about 100 meters on a large drafting line in front of us and when the course turned south just past the half way point I decided to try to catch this group. I warned my mates, accelerated slowly, and closed the gap over about a 1 kilometer distance. My mates congratulated me heartily on a "good pull". I let the last guy in the line know he wasn't last anymore and he decided soon after to skate to the front and take the lead. I decided to follow as did at least one of my mates (I need a mirror like the one Lanny has on his helmet). That's when I saw Andres and Shannon who yelled, "go get Ross". I saw another TISC suit 30-40 meters ahead so I just kept going and in no time we had the 3 groups melded into one. At this point we had around 13 skaters. I think we must have dropped a few between 24 and 35K. Only about 4 of us were willing (or able?) to lead and I was a bit disappointed by this fact. At around the 35K point I found myself leading again and suddenly decided that I should save myself for a sprint at the end. I bailed out and went to the end of the line (a position that I am quite familiar with from TISC training sessions). I was hoping to outsprint the whole lot at the end but it was not to be. A few K from the end the pace picked up and 4 skaters made a break. I had to chase down that group from the very back of the line. Now there were only 5 in the group including Andres and Shannon. With only a few hundred meters to go we all put on a push and I was surprised to be out sprinted to the end by Shannon (that little son of a gun). I can't even begin to list the things I learned in that race but I will certainly be making some changes for the next race. My wife and daughter report that I was the first place finisher on rec skates. That is a distinction of which I am proud but at the same time I am hoping to go faster with 5 wheels next time. I did manage to get a PB by over 4 minutes and am now hoping to break the 90 minute barrier this season. My finishing time was 1:33:32. I came 40th overall and 3rd in my age category (men 45-49).
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