I’ve run this Rat Race quite a few times over the years.. I think this was my 6th time running it? This was definitely my first race in absolute pissing down rain though! I’ve never experienced rain like this for a race before (and I was certainly long overdue for a weather event such as this)… the closest I’ve come to something similar was a light, but damp, misting in Reykjavik several years ago.

However… I was so thankful for the rain. SO thankful. I was not even remotely trained for this race. I had come off training and finishing a half marathon last month in England and never switched gears to training for speed for a 5K. I went into this race knowing that I would perform poorly, especially given that the heat in the last few weeks in Toronto had been uncomfortably warm and humid. I operate exceptionally poorly in the heat – I just can’t breathe properly and my body slows down immensely. So when it started to rain the day of the race I got super excited. The rain was cooling down the city and lowering the temperature!

By the time the race started (it’s a weird one – it starts at 7:30 pm on a Thursday), the temperature had dropped to just shy of 18 degrees and it was PISSING down rain. It was the kind of rain that absolutely soaks through all of your clothing. There was SO much rain that I felt like I had peed myself because everything was so, so wet. Luckily I had a ziploc bag to keep my phone safe because absolutely everything else on me was completely drenched.

I started out strong – I was dodging around people to clear out of the pack. This also meant stepping into massive puddles, completely soaking my shoes (ughhhh what a horrible feeling) and socks. The start of the race is a very slow incline up to Bloor Street, which is a great way to get rid of the incline at the start of the race, but it very much sucks when you’re doing it. Thankfully the second half is all downhill down Bay Street!

I had brought water with me, and I vowed not to stop at the water station. I’ve lost so much time there on 5Ks in the past that I resolved to just suck it up and keep moving, using only the tiny water bottle in my thigh pocket. And honestly, I felt really good during this race. I didn’t get an enormous side stitch like I think I developed last year (from eating dinner too late in the day), and I was moving quickly. I was *definitely* pushing myself, because I was approaching lightheadedness which only happens when my heartrate gets really high (around 190 from what I remember), so I know I was doing as best I could given my lack of training.

I crossed the finish line with a time of 26:47! Not my best, but not lightyears off my best either (course record for me on this one is 26:10). Given my lack of speed training, I was over the moon! I had fully expected to come in over 27 minutes, or even potentially over 28. And that always depresses me when I do that because I expect so much better of myself. Honestly, the thing that had the most impact on me was the reduced temperature and conditions. Yes, it was absolutely pouring rain, but that reduced the temperature made it easier for me to breathe, and since the sun wasn’t out either, I also wasn’t having my energy sucked away by the sun.

So, in short, I was really happy with this race! The only let down was that the photography was garbage compared to the year before. I don’t know if that’s because of the rain or what, but yeah not impressed in that regard. What DID impress me, however, was the people who were cheering us on – I couldn’t believe they were still out there in the rain with their noisemakers and signs. Good on you guys!

Race Results

• Finish Time: 26:47
• Pace: 5:21 per kilometer
• Overall placement: 293/1030
• Age group placement (Female 30-39 years): 26/166
• Gender placement (F): 67/448