Forty years. That’s how long it’s been since I last ran a competitive mile (or 1609 meter) race on the track. I considered myself primarily a middle distance track runner back in my college/university days, but road running is mostly about longer distances. Over the years, Ifi has listened to me bemoan the situation: we watch regular track events on TV (such as the Diamond League or the Grand Prix), but there are aren’t many opportunities for adults to participate in track events. So, when I heard about the “all comers” Chase the Pace track event at Ottawa’s best — and pretty much only — running track, it was put-up-or-shut-up time. The event has been around a few years, but this year the mile event was available to adults (as opposed to just the 5K).
The challenge: My fast-twitch fiber running days seemed well past me. I hadn’t even attempted a fast mile in seven years, which was just a one-off attempt using a Garmin watch in our neighborhood. Yes, I’ve run some marathons in recent years, and I’m in good shape, but the mile is altogether different — a pain-filled stew of speed and endurance. So, I had to overcome some fear to get up that starting line against a bunch of young people.
The setting: Terry Fox field in Ottawa. Although there were 40 or so entrants, I was easily the oldest runner attempting the mile; one guy looked in his lower 50s, another in his 40; everyone else looked under 30 to me. M2M and Ottawa Lions were the only clubs I recognized. I was the lone Run K2J representative. Running on the track is different — people were talking about setting PBs after the 5K event. That’s because good tracks have a bit of spring to the them. Supershoes are not needed, and the high stack wouldn’t be helpful around the corners anyway.
The race: Waterfall start — boom, the gun goes, and half a dozen men blow everyone else away by the first turn. Still, I was way too fast at 200 meters, just releasing the nervousness I guess, and I was still too fast at 400 meters. In lap 2, I was caught by a group of four or five young women running in a pack, getting some coaching around the turns. They boxed me in with a perfect box, possibly intentionally (perhaps practicing the strategy?), and then slowed down en masse. But I was thankful because it forced me to slow down and by 800 meters (halfway), I was right on target. I got through the third lap fine, and then was able to pick it up and pass some people on the last lap. Official finishing time was 6:10.0, which I was very happy with. I finished 9th overall, right in the middle of my heat.
The event: The entry fee was $42 after fees, which seems excessive for a single mile event, but all proceeds went to Big Brothers, Big Sisters, so that’s a worthy cause. The event itself was well organized, divided into heats, on schedule, and professionally timed. A water stop was provided at the 200-meter mark, more important for the 5K runners. On the negative side, I found no immediate way to find the official results; if you missed the quickly displayed times on electronic display board, you missed it. Two days later and nothing is posted online, and no information is available on where to find results or event photos. Many photos were taken by a Run Ottawa representative, but a post-race Facebook follow-up provided no results information, and only a few random photos. No further information has appeared on the Run Ottawa, M2M, Terry Fox, or Chase the Pace web sites. So, while I enjoyed the event and would recommend it to anyone looking to PB in the mile or 5K, there is room for improvement in post-race communications.
Editors Note:
Race results found for the whole event on the Ottawa Lions Club site: Chase the Pace 2025. See Randy as he starts his miler: Randy Miler Start.
Run K2J 