The VIRA Island Race Series Hatley Castle 8k took place on February 13, 2022 at 11am. It was a beautiful Sunday morning. The sun was shining and the temperature was absolutely perfect for running. Without a doubt, it was a shorts and tank top kind of day for me. I’m so thrilled to see the weather getting nicer again. It was definitely nicer this year than it was during some of the previous years when this event took place.
Moments before the Hatley Castle 8k finish. Scroll to the end of the post to find out who ended up crossing first. Photo by Pelle Gustavs.
In the morning, my friend and I carpooled to the race. I like to encourage people to carpool to these running events whenever possible because it’s more fun than spending time alone in the car and it’s good for the environment because there are fewer cars on the road that way.
This time, we made it to the event in less than 20 minutes with plenty of time to spare, unlike the Cobble Hill 10k when we got stuck in traffic on the way to the race.
Just like all the other VIRA Island Race Series events I’ve been to, this year’s edition of the Hatley Castle 8k was well-organized. Bib pickup was easy to find, there were plenty of bathrooms and the post-race Endur swag and treats were great.
Prior to starting the race, I ditched my long pants and hoodie. Then, I seeded myself appropriately at the start line based on who was around. That way, I wouldn’t be in the way of people who were faster than me and I avoid starting too fast right out of the gate.
I chose not to wear a watch for this race but I predicted that I would finish between 36 and 38 minutes. I wanted to run it by feel.
Hatley Castle 8k, warm-up with my friend. Photo by Joseph Camilleri.
A part of the first km was along the water, which was absolutely gorgeous. In my Hatley Castle Race preview, I described the big hill between km 3 and 4. With the big hill in mind, I ran the first 3km fairly slow and then steadily made my way up that hill. My goal was to not slow down too much during the ascent. Once I got up the hill, I knew that the most challenging part of the course was over.
Going up the big hill at Hatley Castle 8k. Photo by Stan Budden.
After the big hill, I took advantage of the straight stretch along Wishart Rd. That was definitely my favorite part of the course. I continued running at my steady pace until we hit the trail portion of the race. Admittedly, I’m not a strong trail runner so I always slow down a little bit in this section of the race.
Then, my friend Carlos from the Capital City Run Crew caught up to me and we exchanged a few words of encouragement.
Hatley Castle 8k, the final straight stretch. Photo by Lois DeEll
After that, it was all primarily downhill along the trail towards the finish line. I was focused on controlling my descent so that I don’t wipe out down the hill. The last 500m towards the finish line is flat so that’s where I typically pick up the pace.
Yes, he passed me right in front of the finish line. Photo by Joseph Camilleri.
As I crossed the finish line, I didn’t get a good look at the race clock. Once the results were posted on Race Day Timing, I saw that I finished in 36:20 (average pace 4:32 per km), which was faster than I expected. In fact, my time this year was faster than in 2018, 2019 and 2020 which essentially means that this is the best I’ve run this race since my injury in 2016. I was 6th in my age group again and 21st out of 221 women in the race. I still have a ways to go before I can run as fast as I did prior to 2016 but I look forward to the time when I’m able to do that again.
Hatley Castle 8k, crossing the finish line. Photo by Joseph Camilleri.
I want to congratulate everyone who took part in the Hatley Castle 8k this year. It was a challenging course and you should be proud of yourself for being a part of it and for finishing.
If you missed the Hatley Castle 8k, then you should register for the Harriers Pioneer 8k, which takes place on Sunday, February 27th. Stay tuned for my race preview and tips for the Harriers Pioneer 8k.