The goal we had been in training for had finally arrived - the Ottawa Tamarack Marathon! TPWs arried by train, plane and automobile during the day on Friday and we met up for a happy and excited hour at our hotel at 5 pm.Thanks to our tremendous organizers (BD and EM), we all knew where we needed to be and at what time. The weather was perfect, a little cool but with the sun breaking through. We picked up our bibs, prepared ourselves and divided up into our groups. On Saturday, LB entered the 5 km race and we cheered her on from the sidelines with my cowbell. Another group entered the 10 km early Saturday evening and we waited for them to arrive afterwards at the restaurant so we could congratulate them. And then Sunday morning, another group did the 21 km race, including BM who was stellar!
The course was beautiful, tracking the side of the canal and beside parks overflowing with blooming lilac bushes and wild roses, past the parliament buildings and back to Confederation Park. It was a wonderful experience being in Ottawa together and an interesting, if bittersweet, one to learn from too. We didn't all end up racing. Some had previous injuries that had not cleared up sufficiently and, out of caution, withdrew from their race. Another had a difficult time as we neared the 21 km finish line and needed to slow down. All good decisions to be made. Anyone can be injured but at our ages, recovery takes so much longer and so, as competitive(!) as we can and want to be, it's always best to acknowledge and respect what your body is telling you and do the right thing. And so we have all returned home, upright and smiling.