Team Awesome 2019

So it begins again!

In 2018 I went out on a limb and I applied to be a social media ambassador for Run Ottawa's Team Awesome!
Guess What?? I got in! Last year I had an amazing experience sharing my training, guest speaking at some Running Room clinics and basically putting myself out on the Internets through Twitter, Facebook and Instagram sharing my training for #RunOttawa2018 with #TeamAwesome2018 I met a lot of great ambassadors who I still communicate through these channels and it was an an adventure of a lifetime. It was like a bucket list item and thought I would not have another opportunity so I seized the day and made the most of it.

My 2018 Team Awesome Family

Synopsis

Let me do a quick recap of last year. 2018 I did the Voyageur Challenge and it was definitely a challenge. Running the 5K and 10K on Saturday and then the 1/2 marathon on Sunday. It would not be a typical Ottawa Race Weekend if the weather wasn't crazy hot and it was. By the time the races started in the afternoon it was probably with the humidex in the 35C range if not muggier. Then the 1/2 on Sunday was different as it was cooler and the plan was to take it easy as I did already two races and just finish. At that time I was only worried about high blood pressure and my heart issue wasn't even known to me at the time so I raced as I normally did and held off for the 1/2 to finish knowing full well that my legs may or may not be with me.
Long story short I did it! I finished all three races for the challenge medal!

Final kick to the finish for the 1/2!

All the bling!

2019

After finishing Army Run this year there was buzz about Team Awesome applications. I wasn't sure if I wanted to devote my time and effort into sharing my running journey again in addition to my new found heart issue. I knew I had one more race and I also knew that I was going to be close to having my procedure, but did not know the date so that was a big factor in my race planning for 2019. I am already committed to helping Eunice out with doing #50b450 but other than that nothing.

I did the hum and haw and was ambivalent and decided if I did do it again I was going to approach it differently and focus on shorter distances as I knew part of the recovery from an ablation would be at least a month. So I would need to focus on a short training cycle to be able to either 1: finish a 10K in sub 1 hour OR 2: come back as a race without having any heart issues at all OR maybe a bit of both. 

So I submitted my application and while I was away in Washington I received the email that I made it in. When you apply to be on Team Awesome you have to choose which social media platform you use the most. It was an easy choice for me so it was Twitter, but I do use the others. IG and then Facebook. 

So this year I get to do this all again and share my journey along with my potential from my heart ablation to doing race weekend. I could have chosen the 5K, but that race is SOOOO busy that the 10K is later and last year I was humbled on that course as it was a twisty course with some elevation and challenged my body to withstand the humidity on the pavement. I've done those on the 1/2 before but my pace was a tad slower, but I want to focus on my speedwork and maybe I will be in condition to actually race. I won't know until the procedure and I won't know what my body will be like when I finish my recovery and begin training so there are zero expectations on myself but I hope everyone does follow along my #RunOttawa2019 journey as yes I am back as a 2nd year ambassador. Putting myself out there for all to see and hope to inspire you to do something that you are proud of. It doesn't matter if you run slow or run fast. You run because you can!

So I look forward to you following me either on social media or along with the other members of Team Awesome for 2019.

 

My Own Personal Avatar

My fellow ambassadors

Also for those on Strava you can follow some of our members here to see some of their training runs!