Tips for the Tely 10 (plus a Mews 8k Recap)

Well, it's almost that time of year again; just two short weeks until the Tely 10! While the Tely isn't my personal favourite race (that would be the Cape to Cabot), it is an event that is unrivaled in size and public interest here locally, which makes it a special day on the running calendar every year. And I think no matter how many times I run it, I'll always feel a little like a kid on Christmas when I walk down McNamara Drive and hear the music blaring and thousands of people anxiously awaiting the starting gun.

This year will be my 6th Tely, and while I'm far from an expert, I guess at this point I am a veteran of the race. When I started out, I was very fortunate to have friends and family members who had run the race before and who gave me great advice that helped me manage my early experiences. As the years have passed and I joined a running club, I've managed to put together a list of tips that may be useful to those who are a little less experienced when it comes to this race.

Before I start the list, I want to make a couple of caveats. First, I can't take credit for most of these. I am simply the one who collected them and put them in this form. So thanks to anyone who contributed any of these tips. Second, not every tip will apply to everyone, so read through them, and try to pick out the ones you feel will prove useful for you.

With that, here is the list of Tely 10 tips. It's broken into two sections, Practical Tips and Motivational Tips, which are pretty self-explanatory. :)


Practical Tips

(1) Fill out the medical info on the back of your bib. This is essential. You never know what could happen, and there are some very scary Tely stories out there. Don't take this for granted; if something happens the emergency personnel rely on this info.

(2) Dress lighter than you think you will need. I wore a tank top and shorts the year it was around 10 degrees and I was fine. Obviously judge for yourself, but you'll be surprised how quickly it gets warm.

(3) Don't forget your sunscreen. It's easy to overlook, but you can burn pretty badly in the time it takes to complete the race.

(4) Know the signs of heat exhaustion. A quick google search will help. One I learned a few years back that I didn't know and is completely counter-intuitive is goose bumps, or a tingling pins and needles type feeling. It's important to slow down and cool down if you start feeling any signs. Once it progresses, your brain loses the ability to make good decisions. [Don't mean to be scary with this one, but 2014 saw some bad scenarios, so better to be proactive. And remember tip (1).]

(5) It's better to be early at the start than late, especially if you need to get in line for the toilets. You don't want to be rushed and frazzled when the race is starting.

(6) Be patient at the start. It can be a bit hectic, but remember that the first km is uphill, so try not to get too caught up and go too fast.

(7) There are two schools of thought as to where in the lane to run. Running near the centre line is generally shorter on average. But once you pass the half way point, running to the right generally gives you more shade if it's really hot. So you can run a little shorter distance in the heat, or a little longer in the shade. Personal choice really.

(8) If it's a hot day, I would advise you not to skip a water station. If you aren't thirsty, just take a little bit. In the heat, you'll regret a skipped water station late in the race.

(9) Water being sprayed on you is nice (there are usually hoses at the fire stations). But wet feet can cause blisters. So be careful, and if you chose to run through the spray, try to avoid your feet getting wet.

(10) Everyone talks about the hill at Cornwall Avenue, just after the 7 mile marker. That is the most notable climb on the course. But the section from around St. Clare's up to the RNC Headquarters is a climb as well. So ignore all the people saying "It's all downhill from here!" after Cornwall!

(11) Once you get around the Rooms, it really is pretty much all downhill, and there are lots of fans. This is the time to run hard if you've got anything left. But beware: there is still about 800m left, so not too hard. Even when you make the turn on to Bannerman Road you'll be surprised how far away the finish line can look!

(12) Chip time vs. Gun time. This doesn't have any impact on your actual running, but just in case you weren't sure (some new runners aren't) everybody cites their chip time as their result.

(13) 10 miles does not equal 16 kilometers, it is 16.1. That may sound pedantic, but if you have a goal time and are calculating an average pace, that 0.1 km will equate to a 2-3 second difference per km. If you run right at the pace you calculate for 16 kilometers, you'll find yourself 25 seconds or more above your goal, and very disappointed!

Motivational Tips

(1) Some say it's really an 8 mile race. The first mile is so hectic you don't notice, and the last mile is pure adrenaline from the crowd. Mentally that makes it seem shorter.

(2) Enjoy the crowds. It's an awesome event for the community, with tons of people out. Take it in as much as you can.

(3) Thank the volunteers. They deserve it, and I find it helps break the race up a bit as well.

(4) Count down the miles not up. Some find this easier. (I'm not one of them Haha)

(5) "In the first half of your race, don't be an idiot. In the second half, don't be a wimp."

(6) Smile for the cameras! :)

(7) Punch anyone who says "Almost there!" when you are nowhere near the finish! (Warning: I can't promise this one won't lead to you ending up in a police car)

(8) If you are into goals, set 2 or 3. I always do a personal gold/silver/bronze. This way if plan A doesn't work out, you've got a fall back.

So, that is the list. I hope that there are a few tidbits in there that can be helpful to some. And if you've got a good tip of your own, feel free to leave a comment so I can add it to my list for next year!

Weekly Summary (June 25-July 1)

Mon.: Off

Tue. (Lunch): 10 min warmup, 2 x 5 min (4:00/km / 4:08/km) w/ 1 min rest, 10 min cooldown (Workout total: 6.1 km, 30:00, 4:55/km pace) [treadmill]

Wed. (Lunch): 9.5 min warmup, 9 x 400 m (87s / 88s / 92s / 95s / 93s / 94s / 94s/ 96s/ 94s) w/ 1 min recovery, 8.5 min cooldown (Workout total: 8.2 km, 40:02, 4:52/km pace)

Thu. (Lunch): 6.0 km, 29:29, 4:54/km pace

Fri..: Off

Sat. (Morning): 16.1 km, 1:28:35, 5:30/km pace

Sun. (Afternoon): 5.8 km, 29:30, 5:00/km pace


Total: 42.2 km


Weekly Summary (July 2-8) w/ Mews 8k Recap

Mon. (Lunch): 11.4 km, 1:05:43, 5:45/km pace

Tue. (Lunch): 10 min warmup, 20 min tempo (4:24/km, 8.5 min cooldown (Workout total: 8.0 km, 38:18, 4:47/km pace)

Wed. (Lunch): 10 min warmup, 4 x 800 m (3:18 / 3:32 / 3:17 / 3:18) w/ 2 min recovery, 11.5 min cooldown (Workout total: 8.2 km, 41:06, 5:00/km pace)

Thu. (Lunch): 6.0 km, 30:08, 5:01/km pace

Fri.: Off

Sat. (Morning): 4.2 km, 26:54, 6:24/km pace

Sun. (Morning): 2.95 km, 16:25, 5:33/km pace [Mews 8k warmup]
                           8.1 km, 32:32, 4:01/km pace [Mews 8k]
                           4.4 km, 25:16, 5:44/km pace [Mews 8k cooldown]


Total: 53.2 km


The last two weeks have been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster as far as my training, and more importantly my confidence, is concerned.

I've mentioned previously that I have been feeling fatigued lately, and that I haven't been hitting the paces I want in training. Due to some unexpected circumstances, I had to switch up my training these last two weeks, and so I decided to go back to what I did last year, in hopes that it would get me back on track. The main difference here would be less volume during my interval/tempo workouts.

While it was nice to get back to some familiar workouts, my paces did anything but restore my confidence! My 400m intervals were about 2 seconds slower on average than the same time last year; then the next week my 800m intervals were 8 seconds slower. There were some mitigating factors, in particular the 28 degree heat for the 800s, but I was definitely questioning where exactly my fitness was heading into the Mews this morning.

When it comes to races, I am a person who develops a game plan and has all my kilometer splits down in advance (those who know me best will say this is a huge understatement btw Haha). As I sat down to plan out the race last night, I really didn't know what to aim for. Last year I was 34:17, and I came in to 2018 hoping to go under 31:00. I knew 31:00 was out of the question, but my splits in training were saying that even last year's time might be tough to beat.

At the end of the day, I decided to set an aggressive goal, so I split the difference and planned for 32:40. I thought that if I aimed for that and fell apart late, I'd still have a chance at coming in ahead of last year and setting a new PB.

Now that I had my time goal set, I had to plan my race. I like to aim for a negative split, meaning I'll run the second half faster than the first half. Evidence shows this is the best approach to run your fastest times. I take it a step further, and adjust my splits based on the elevation changes, so that my effort is harder in the second half, not just the times on my watch.

With a course like the Mews, which is relatively flat for the first half and quite downhill for the second half, this makes for quite a difference in my planned splits. When I started this morning, my plan was to average around 4:18/km for the first 4 km, and then drop all the way down to 3:53/km for the second 4 km. Based on how I've been running lately, those sub 4:00's looked daunting, but I figured I'd give it a shot.

Right from the start, I felt surprisingly good. I knocked off the first km at 4:03, which was 22 seconds faster than I had planned. Normally, that would prompt me to slow down and try to get back on pace, but since it felt comfortable I decided to roll with it. I knocked off the next three kms at 4:03, 4:09, and 4:12 to finish the first half at an average pace of 4:07, and with about 45 seconds in the bank on my goal.

As I started the second half of the course, I made a conscious decision not to force any splits. Last year at the Mews, I pushed very hard to hit my exact splits on the back half, and I ended up with a stitch/muscle spasm that derailed my race. With time in hand, I just ran whatever felt comfortable. I cranked out the last 4 kms at 3:55/3:56/3:57/3:58 for a 3:56/km average. A little slower than planned, but still enough to bring me in at 32:32. Ahead of my goal, and a 1:45 PB to boot!

It's worth noting here that the race came in at 8.09 km on my watch, and that extra 0.09 added 18 seconds. Pay heed to tip number 13 above! Haha


That covers it for this week. Best of luck to everyone who is running the Tely, whether you are a first-timer or a seasoned vet. I'll be back in two weeks time with a post that will likely be entirely devoted to my own Tely experience. As always, thanks for reading. Cheers!

When you run out of contacts, and therefore can't get the sunscreen out of your eyes!

Did something surprise me at the finish line?

Very fortunate to run with such a great club. Congrats to all on a great race today!