2025 Canmore Half Marathon

The Canmore Half Marathon starting line.
At the front with Ron and Kristen.

Race Information

Goals

Goal Description Completed?
A Aiming for a PB, so faster than 1:36 Yes
B Maybe 1:33 Yes

Splits

Kilometer Time
1 4:24
2 4:28
3 4:24
4 4:24
5 4:21
6 4:26
7 4:21
8 4:28
9 4:28
10 4:22
11 4:21
12 4:32
13 4:51
14 4:27
15 4:40
16 4:26
17 4:17
18 4:20
19 4:22
20 4:21
21 4:04

Training

  • Plan: This race fell on week 13 of 16 for my Whitefish 50k training.
  • Equipment: Novablast 3, New Balance Rebel v4, Saucony Endorphin Speed 4
  • Supplements: Huma Gels, Electrolyte Pills, & LMT
  • Total Training Milage: 842 km
  • Total Training Elevation: 11,969 m
  • VO2 Max: 53.7 ml/kg/min

This race fell on week 13 of 16 for my Whitefish 50k training, so I was feeling good. I had factored this race into the plan, treating it as a long run with speed.

My plan was to run this race at progressively higher heart rates, building intensity as the kilometers went on:

• 3 km at 150–155 bpm
• 11 km at 155–160 bpm
• 4 km at 160–165 bpm
• 3 km at 165–175 bpm

Pre-race

  • Accommodations: Home.
  • Race Package: Kristen picked up my race package. I thought the swag was sweet.
  • Dinner: Pasta.
  • Sleep: Great.
  • Breakfast: LMT, coffees, two eggs, bagel with peanut butter, and a banana.
  • Travel to the Start Line: 1 hour drive with Ron Craig.
  • Strategy: Heart rate zones.

I enjoyed a nice anniversary dinner with my wife at Mama Mia. I had a glass of wine and called it a night.

Race

  • Start Time: Sub two hour start was at 8:15am.
  • Shoes: Saucony Endorphin Speed 4.
  • Watch: Garmin Forerunner 255s with Garmin Heart Rate Monitor.
  • Apparel: Ceile hat, Hawaiian shirt, Nike trail shorts, Oakley Frogskin sunglasses.
  • Supplements: (2) Huma gels with an electrolyte pill taped to each one.
  • Hydration: (1) cups of water at each aid station.
  • Aid Stations: I used every aid station!
  • Potty Breaks: None.

I carpooled with Ron Craig, so I was up early and we arrived extra early at the race grounds, snagging great parking. We went for a warm-up jog and later met up with Kristen. This was one of the first races where I was with friends, which made the experience feel new—and I really enjoyed it.

Kristen and Ron wanted to start at the front of the pack, which was unusual for me. It felt strange lining up so close to the front.

When the race started, I stuck to my strategy exactly as planned—and coincidentally, it matched Ron’s pace. We ended up running together for most of the race. On one hilly section, Ron pulled slightly ahead, but he was never far out of reach.

I pushed relatively hard over the last two kilometers and managed to pass two people in the final 50 meters. I crossed the finish line feeling like I still had gas left in the tank, which makes me think I could have gone under 1 hour 30 minutes.

Post-race

  • Finish Time: 01:31:08
  • Average Pace: 04:26/km
  • Overall Placement: 22 of 1365
  • Category Placement: 11 of 261
  • Recovery Meal: Coffee and breakfast bagel at Uprising Bake Shop.

I believe the heart rate strategy was successful, and I plan to use this method for future races.

Strava

Made with a new (slightly modified by me) race report generator created by /u/herumph.