The 25th Annual Vancouver Sun Run.

A few days ago, I had gone to the BC Place stadium to register Echo, Emma, and myself for the annual Vancouver Sun Run. I tried to interest George into joining us, who accompanied me to the registration, but he changed his mind at the last minute fearing that he may not have the stamina to run the ten kilometres. The Sun Run is the largest timed race in Canada and the second largest in North America!

I got up early this morning to give myself ample time to prepare and exercise before the run at nine. Mel and Sameer were also participating in the run and were supposed to join me at the start of the race, but came late and so we weren’t able to group. Donned in my new New Balance running shoes I bought from the day before with a timing chip to track my finish time and my runner number pinned to my new Vancouver Sun Run 2009 t-shirt, I walked into the Tim Hortons just outside the starting line for a doughnut.

The run started at nine o’clock sharp and the first wave of runners (of the competing sort) dashed off towards the finish line at BC Place Stadium. Groups of people based on their expected times of completion at registration were dispersed by a series of waves along the ten-kilometre run around the city. I was in with the third wave which weren’t dispersed until closer to ten, an hour after the first wave took off!

55, 858 runners turned out for the run this year, and I was glad to be part of it. After alternating from running and jogging throughout the course, I came in at one hour, eighteen minutes, and fifty-two seconds. My first ever Sun Run! Now that I’d created a baseline, I have higher expectations for myself for next year’s run. It was exhilarating!