Kaitlyn is one of two new guest bloggers who will be writing for 42.2 for the 2016 marathon training season. She will be writing monthly blogs, updating us on the ups and downs of her journey from 0 to 42.2.

By Kaitlyn Fulton 

The past month has been filled with both nerves and excitement. I had the opportunity to participate in my first two races of the season. The first race was the Calgary Scotiabank Marathon 10 km on May 28 (my first race since 2011!) and the second was the Banff Jasper Relay (BJR) on June 4.

Here is how they went:

She might have been feeling the burn, but Kaitlyn powered through this race like a champ! (And learned an important lesson about pacing on the way, we've ALL been there) – Justina
She might have been feeling the burn, but Kaitlyn powered through this race like a champ! (And learned an important lesson about pacing on the way, we’ve ALL been there) – Justina

Calgary Scotiabank Marathon 10 km

To be honest, this was a really tough race for me. I think it was the combination of a lack of sleep and improper nutrition in the weeks before the race and starting out the race too fast that made it feel so long. I made the mistake of joining Justina at her pace, which I found was hard to sustain given the conditions I was under. Once we got to the 3 km mark, the race could have been done – that’s how tired I was! But somehow I held that pace till 8.5 km where I had to dial back while Justina powered through and continued ahead. I managed to keep running (despite feeling wiped) until I reached the finish line, completing my 10 km in 56:10!

Banff Jasper Relay, 14.0 km Leg

This race had so many amazing views! There were periods of my leg that I briefly forgot about the 28 degree sun that I was baking in because of the beautiful scenery that surrounded me. I started out the race with a slower pace (a lesson I learned during the Calgary Marathon 10k) and eventually began passing people… one by one. It felt so good to be passing people rather than being passed this time around (funny how proper pacing works!). I finished my 14km leg in 1:30:05 and I have never been so excited to drink as much water, as fast as I could in my life! Without the help of my boyfriend who was driving as a support vehicle for me, keeping me cool and hydrated, I am sure my experience would have been much different! I definitely recommend this race – the experience was unforgettable.

Next up is the Kamloops Half Marathon on July 24th – I can’t wait, stay tuned!