Tag Archive for: McLean Mill 10K

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Holly Pinto: Race recap from McLean Mill 10K

I brought home my best time ever for a 10km. Nothing about this article has to do with that. Just thought you should know. You should also know the McLean Mill 10K was the Kinder Surprise Egg of the series. Y’all, edge of my seat! In reference to my last post about rituals… there was no room for that. So, what do we do when a race goes nothing as planned? 

Step 1: stay warmed up…

Step 2: just run. 

It’s been said before, it’s not the destination, it’s the journey. While I can exaggerate the importance of keeping race day similar to training days, sometimes I don’t have control. It’s going to rain though the forecast said 0% chance of precipitation. It’s going to false start right when the preworkout kicks in. You might cross the finish line just to… cross another? With all that eclipse energy to share, I shouldn’t have been surprised that nothing was how I planned. A gentle reminder that we all came to simply… run. 

Like every race in the series, you can’t help but get lost in the beauty of the course. There’s no hustle and bustle. I zig-zagged the back road forest which canopied the rainfall. That’s why I run. To be lost in amongst trees. I forgot for that moment the stress of this and that and just ran. Yes, race day should have a pressure to play your best. However, the heart in showing up is the love for the run. With the Vancouver Island Run Series, we escape into pockets of the island’s lushest country life. And the McLean Mill 10K was so. As rolling hills take you through the miles you can’t help but feel like a Mario cart driver in the jungle using all gears. The snowcap mountains in the background display you are in fact running at the most beautiful place in the world. And that final stretch UP humbles efforts of going for the fast finish. 

After we cheer Dog Mountain Brewing beer we congratulate each other. Ribbons are handed out while we warm up to the most perfect chilli. A thought I had: I didn’t ask a single person their timing. No one asked mine. You know why? We were all there for the love of running. Our runner’s high didn’t leave space for competition (ok, a little). Rather everyone was smiling and joyously hollering and celebrating. This is the best part of this friendly island cup game. The camaraderie is a balance of chasing goals while catching up with pals. It’s about just running. 

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Ambassador Holly: This is the race I’ve been waiting for (McLean Mill 10K)

Three sleeps until the McLean Mill 10K.

This is the race I’ve been waiting for. I’ve called Port Alberni home for almost a decade. Leading up to race day I had the same nerves as I did pre-Comox — the last race I participated in. Even though any race starts with jitters, I have to credit the Vancouver Island Race Series for routing out incredible backdrops that completely distract me.

The Comox Valley RV Half Marathon did not disappoint. With rolling country backroads and farm animal spectators, my favourite snippets from the last race in Comox will reflect here in Port Alberni. I know the route coming up on Sunday. Like Comox, there will be snow-capped mountains in the distance with old-growth trees lining the course. While My goal for the Comox race was to complete it. This Sunday, I’m hoping to bring home my best time for a 10K. No matter the distance, I like to keep prerace day rituals the same. With three sleeps out here are my go-tos (as an amateur runner):

Go-tos

Sleep. Snack. Stretch. Sip.

Sleep.

Leading up to race day I make sure my sleep schedule is clean. No late nights, no sleeping in. Keeping my rest regimented allows me to know how I’ll feel come race day. There’s nothing worse than a sleep hangover from too much sleeping or exhaustion from not enough. With three days out, I’ll be turning off my phone and hitting the pillow for 8-10 hours sleep. 

Snacks! Snacking is any athlete’s favourite part of training. Leading up to race day I ensure I’m getting in my protein and carbs. No skipping meals or splurging on treats. The value in keeping the gut clean for race day is crucial. There’s nothing worse than showing up for a race after investing in training just to have your gut hold you back. 

Stretching. Movement. Flow. I rest on my weight lifting and running workouts this close to a race while allowing an easy run, like chit-chat pace, to keep routine. Each day leading up I’ll continue to do a classic “warm up” with simple drills and mobility offering my muscle memory to keep in action. In the evenings I’ll do a foam rolling for fascial release and bring blood flow to the spots holding tension. Conserving my endurance for the big day while still keeping my body moving. 

Sip, sip, hurray! An honest mistake I have made as a rookie is chugging all the water 24 hours out from a race and then feeling sluggish. It’s frustrating hitting the course on race day just to be interrupted for a toilet break. Starting now, I’ll make sure I am sipping my water continuously until the race. A couple hours out from the race start, I’ll add my favourite electrolytes in. Supplementing these minerals has me prepped for the first few race kilometres. Like gas in the tank rather than starting on empty. 

Banking on these pre-race rituals helps me feel prepared and eases the pressure leading up to racing. The starting line is close in sight today and I’m ready to see fellow racers. Not just to see ribbons handed out, but also to toast personal bests and some friendly “I did its!” 

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McLean Mill 10K: A guide to quickly running to chowder

With the half marathon behind us, it’s just a 10K and a 5K race left until the end of this year’s series. In Cobble Hill, you have already set a time to beat, and McLean Mill is a fantastic opportunity to see how much you’ve grown into your race routine.

When you look at the elevation profile of the McLean Mill course, it looks relatively flat. That is if you don’t look at the scale. So you’ve been warned: the course will be a bit hilly. However, to reward you for battling all the hills, there will be chowder. So when the gun goes off, your race to chowder begins. The first 200 metres or so, you make your way to the road and downhill you go. The first 4 to 5K are fast. It’s mostly downhill and you need to go give ‘er in this first half. Because think about it: the faster you go here, the sooner you’ll get your hands on chowder. Also, the second half is less forgiving and might make you slow down your pursuit of chowder.

Photo from the first 200m of the 2023 edition of the McLean Mill 10K. Photo credit: Joe Camilleri

After you’ve hit the halfway point though the course will go uphill. The last 2.5K you will be backtracking the first kilometres, so you will be going the same way up as you came down. So while the way out was downhill and fast, the way back will be uphill. Here’s the positive thing about the uphill on the way back: you’re closer to the chowder than you are to the start. So even if the hills feel relentless: don’t give up! Remind yourself that there’s chowder waiting for you at the finish to give yourself that extra bit of motivation to push a little harder.

By the time you hit the point on the road you came on at the start, don’t be fooled. You’re not there yet! You still have half a kilometre to go. Keep going on the road, listen to the kind volunteers that will make you take a 180 turn, run back on the road and then a left turn towards the mill. You go up a little bump and then you can sprint down to the finish. At that point, you can basically smell the chowder.

Port Alberni, bring it on!

Pioneer 8K
Comox Valley Half Marathon
McLean Mill 10K
Bazan Bay 5K
Sooke 10K
Hatley Castle 8K
Cedar 12K
Cobble Hill 10K