CARS standings
1 day ago
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Race 10-114 Northstar Resort Snow Race 10k
December 18th, 2010
10k - 1:28:08 - 8th/14
This year due to a change in the United States Snowshoe Association National Qualifier schedule, I found myself entered in the Northstar at Tahoe Series. There is a race in December, January, and February. 5 of us made the trip from the Bay area - me, Tina (who volunteered to drive her 4 wheel drive vehicle), Erika, Rachel, and Enrique. We left Friday night at 6:30PM and drove to the North Lake Tahoe condo that we were staying at. We arrived late, but the race started Saturday at 11AM so we still got a good night's sleep.
We got to the race over an hour before the race but used most of the time taking a bus from the parking to the main area, finding the hidden location where we were to confirm out entry to get Gondola passes to the top, and then riding the Gondola. We all got split up a little due to restroom trips, some people having to rent snoeshoes, etc but we ended up checking in a little before the race start. They delayed the race long enough to give everyone an opportunity to get fully registered.
The course was a 5k loop and there was a 5k race and a 10k race, with the 10k going around the loop twice.
10k - 1:28:08 - 8th/14
This year due to a change in the United States Snowshoe Association National Qualifier schedule, I found myself entered in the Northstar at Tahoe Series. There is a race in December, January, and February. 5 of us made the trip from the Bay area - me, Tina (who volunteered to drive her 4 wheel drive vehicle), Erika, Rachel, and Enrique. We left Friday night at 6:30PM and drove to the North Lake Tahoe condo that we were staying at. We arrived late, but the race started Saturday at 11AM so we still got a good night's sleep.
We got to the race over an hour before the race but used most of the time taking a bus from the parking to the main area, finding the hidden location where we were to confirm out entry to get Gondola passes to the top, and then riding the Gondola. We all got split up a little due to restroom trips, some people having to rent snoeshoes, etc but we ended up checking in a little before the race start. They delayed the race long enough to give everyone an opportunity to get fully registered.
The course was a 5k loop and there was a 5k race and a 10k race, with the 10k going around the loop twice.
Race 10-113 Arts and Sciences 5k
December 12th, 2010
5k - 19:01 (chip), 22:08 (gun) - 43rd/185
This was one of the most uneventful races I've ever run. Many local fast people were at the Christmas relays at Lake Merced. It didn't look like my team New Balance Excelsior was going to field a team there, I still had an outside shot at winning my age group for the year in the DSE series, I had just run a 4 hour event the previous day, and the DSE race is cheap ($3 for members) so I decided to run the low-key DSE race.
I woke up late, got my stuff together as quick as possible and drove to the race as fast as possible. I got there late so I didn't start until 3:07 into the race. I spent the whole race catching people which is fun (I've done this before) but i didn't know how I was doing because i didn't know how late I started and I didn't wear a watch. After a mile I started passing people regularly and after 2 i was getting to the middle of the pack. As I was running I was thinking of people who wouldn't let me forget if they finished in front of me.
I didn't have to worry about Joe Connelly because he was the director, although I'm not sure if I remembered that. I caught Amy almost 2 miles in and figured she was running 23 or 24 minutes. I thought I saw Erika a little after the 2 mile mark and thought if she finished in front of me I'd never hear the end of it (either from her or Chikara), so I didn my best to catch up. I caught her with only a couple tenths left and passed another 4 more people before the finish line crept up on us. Mike Gulli and Noriko Brazely were not far in front but there was just no room to catch them.
There aren't many races I'd call forgetable, but this is certainly one of them. My time was mediocre at best, even with the long race the day before. My only hope is that this wasn't lifetime race 100. I know I'll cross that achievement within a few weeks of Christmas, but due to some previous years' results not entered into my master race list, I don't have an accurate running total. When i add them all in (later) I'll end up going back to find out what race turned out to be #100. After the race I went to Lake Merced to find out we didn't field a team, and my showing up wouldn't have helped enough, so I talked with some friends there who were competing.
5k - 19:01 (chip), 22:08 (gun) - 43rd/185
This was one of the most uneventful races I've ever run. Many local fast people were at the Christmas relays at Lake Merced. It didn't look like my team New Balance Excelsior was going to field a team there, I still had an outside shot at winning my age group for the year in the DSE series, I had just run a 4 hour event the previous day, and the DSE race is cheap ($3 for members) so I decided to run the low-key DSE race.
I woke up late, got my stuff together as quick as possible and drove to the race as fast as possible. I got there late so I didn't start until 3:07 into the race. I spent the whole race catching people which is fun (I've done this before) but i didn't know how I was doing because i didn't know how late I started and I didn't wear a watch. After a mile I started passing people regularly and after 2 i was getting to the middle of the pack. As I was running I was thinking of people who wouldn't let me forget if they finished in front of me.
I didn't have to worry about Joe Connelly because he was the director, although I'm not sure if I remembered that. I caught Amy almost 2 miles in and figured she was running 23 or 24 minutes. I thought I saw Erika a little after the 2 mile mark and thought if she finished in front of me I'd never hear the end of it (either from her or Chikara), so I didn my best to catch up. I caught her with only a couple tenths left and passed another 4 more people before the finish line crept up on us. Mike Gulli and Noriko Brazely were not far in front but there was just no room to catch them.
There aren't many races I'd call forgetable, but this is certainly one of them. My time was mediocre at best, even with the long race the day before. My only hope is that this wasn't lifetime race 100. I know I'll cross that achievement within a few weeks of Christmas, but due to some previous years' results not entered into my master race list, I don't have an accurate running total. When i add them all in (later) I'll end up going back to find out what race turned out to be #100. After the race I went to Lake Merced to find out we didn't field a team, and my showing up wouldn't have helped enough, so I talked with some friends there who were competing.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Race 10-112 Get Lost in Henry Coe 4 Hour Rogaine
December 11th, 2010
13.12mi. - 3:55:57 - 15th/34
Garmin Tracking here.
On Saturday I went with several friends to my 4th orienteering event. This was my first Rogaine, which is a type of orienteering where there are a number of controls spread out on the course and each participant has a given time to get to as many of them as possible. Each control is worth a different number of points, from 20-90, which further added to the strategy. The group consisted of me (4th orienteering race), Chikara Omine (2nd), Erika Kikuchi (2nd), Evan Sparling (1st), and Evan's girlfriend .There was a 4 hour event and an hour event - we all competed in the 4 hour event. The weather was sunny and warm - perfect for wandering around a huge dry state park.
We had to park at a dirt lot a ways down the road from the start and take a shuttle van to the start. We had plenty of time at the start which was good because we are all novices at orienteering and needed the time to study the map. There were about a few dozen people at the start, although people were allowed to be on teams up to 4 people so we didn't know how many teams there would be (who run together and get a single place of finish). The 5 of us ran individually.
As we started Chikara, Evan, and I all headed out on the same trail. It appeared the women went in another direction and I didn't see them again until the finish. We ran together for a mile on a wide fire road and then hit some single track. We meandered up that trail, cutting some corners (allowed in orienteering) and began to look for the first control. I found it first because I couldn't help but notice some other people on the course who had just found it. Chikara found it the same way, because of me, and shortly after Evan got it.
Chikara and I ran together for a while toward the control we both decided to hit 2nd. Periodically we could see Evan behind us. When we started to climb a significant hill we split up - me opting for a more direct route and he taking a longer route trying to stay on less dense trail. I lost sight of Evan. Chikara got to the top quicker and I saw him get to the easily visible trail a few minutes before me.
From there were followed the ridge and eventually I lost sight of Chikara, who as it turned out spent the next 3 hours off course getting only 1 additional control on his way back to the start. I Got to where i thought the next control would be and spent 40 minutes looking for it but couldn't find it. I eventually learned Evan had the same experience around the time I was there although we didn't see each other.
Eventually I gave up on it and moved on having little difficulty getting a control next to a pond, one next to a thicket, one atop a hill, and one at some large loose rocks on the side of a hill. Coming back to a main trail from the rocks I saw Evan again going to the same control. We exchanged point totals and it sounded like we had about the same score. I figured there was time for only 2 more controls. There was a fairly easy one to get on the way back worth 20 points and 2 other viable options on the way to the 20 pointer - one worth 30 points and one a little more out of the way worth 40. I went to the 40 not sure if I'd still have time for the 20, thinking if i could pick up the 40 and 20 I'd pick up 10 points on Evan if he went for the 30 then 20. In the end the decision worked out as I got both 40 and 0, Evan went for 30 and 20, and I edged his final score 360 to 350 (not that I was really concerned with beating anyone in particular). It also got me another place higher because the extra 10 pushed me into a tie with another person with whom I won the tiebreaker (first person back wins).
I ended up in 16th place (360 points), Evan finished in 18th (350 points), Kara in 20th (300 points - and found the control neither Evan nor I could find), Chikara in 28th (140 points), and Erika in 30th (190 points minus 140 penalty for finish 14 minutes late = 50 points). There were 32 official finishers plus 3 teams DQed for finishing more than 15 minutes over 4 hours. Chikara was sweating out Erika's finish because of their developing rivalry, knowing his point total was lower than it should have been and not knowing how many points she had gotten. It turned out Erika also only hit 3 controls due to trying to go to a control too far from the start/finish for the allotted time. Everyone was happy with the event as it was run well and they had good food at the finish.
13.12mi. - 3:55:57 - 15th/34
Garmin Tracking here.
On Saturday I went with several friends to my 4th orienteering event. This was my first Rogaine, which is a type of orienteering where there are a number of controls spread out on the course and each participant has a given time to get to as many of them as possible. Each control is worth a different number of points, from 20-90, which further added to the strategy. The group consisted of me (4th orienteering race), Chikara Omine (2nd), Erika Kikuchi (2nd), Evan Sparling (1st), and Evan's girlfriend .There was a 4 hour event and an hour event - we all competed in the 4 hour event. The weather was sunny and warm - perfect for wandering around a huge dry state park.
We had to park at a dirt lot a ways down the road from the start and take a shuttle van to the start. We had plenty of time at the start which was good because we are all novices at orienteering and needed the time to study the map. There were about a few dozen people at the start, although people were allowed to be on teams up to 4 people so we didn't know how many teams there would be (who run together and get a single place of finish). The 5 of us ran individually.
As we started Chikara, Evan, and I all headed out on the same trail. It appeared the women went in another direction and I didn't see them again until the finish. We ran together for a mile on a wide fire road and then hit some single track. We meandered up that trail, cutting some corners (allowed in orienteering) and began to look for the first control. I found it first because I couldn't help but notice some other people on the course who had just found it. Chikara found it the same way, because of me, and shortly after Evan got it.
Chikara and I ran together for a while toward the control we both decided to hit 2nd. Periodically we could see Evan behind us. When we started to climb a significant hill we split up - me opting for a more direct route and he taking a longer route trying to stay on less dense trail. I lost sight of Evan. Chikara got to the top quicker and I saw him get to the easily visible trail a few minutes before me.
From there were followed the ridge and eventually I lost sight of Chikara, who as it turned out spent the next 3 hours off course getting only 1 additional control on his way back to the start. I Got to where i thought the next control would be and spent 40 minutes looking for it but couldn't find it. I eventually learned Evan had the same experience around the time I was there although we didn't see each other.
Eventually I gave up on it and moved on having little difficulty getting a control next to a pond, one next to a thicket, one atop a hill, and one at some large loose rocks on the side of a hill. Coming back to a main trail from the rocks I saw Evan again going to the same control. We exchanged point totals and it sounded like we had about the same score. I figured there was time for only 2 more controls. There was a fairly easy one to get on the way back worth 20 points and 2 other viable options on the way to the 20 pointer - one worth 30 points and one a little more out of the way worth 40. I went to the 40 not sure if I'd still have time for the 20, thinking if i could pick up the 40 and 20 I'd pick up 10 points on Evan if he went for the 30 then 20. In the end the decision worked out as I got both 40 and 0, Evan went for 30 and 20, and I edged his final score 360 to 350 (not that I was really concerned with beating anyone in particular). It also got me another place higher because the extra 10 pushed me into a tie with another person with whom I won the tiebreaker (first person back wins).
I ended up in 16th place (360 points), Evan finished in 18th (350 points), Kara in 20th (300 points - and found the control neither Evan nor I could find), Chikara in 28th (140 points), and Erika in 30th (190 points minus 140 penalty for finish 14 minutes late = 50 points). There were 32 official finishers plus 3 teams DQed for finishing more than 15 minutes over 4 hours. Chikara was sweating out Erika's finish because of their developing rivalry, knowing his point total was lower than it should have been and not knowing how many points she had gotten. It turned out Erika also only hit 3 controls due to trying to go to a control too far from the start/finish for the allotted time. Everyone was happy with the event as it was run well and they had good food at the finish.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Race 10-111 California International Marathon
December 5th, 2010
Marathon - 2:49:46 - 150th/5879
Garmin Tracking here.
I ran the California International Marathon (CIM) for the first time ever this year. This was a change from the previous 4 years where my events of choice were the PCTR Woodside races (50k in 2009 and 2008, 35k in 2007 and 2006). This year I decided to change it up, a little because I wanted to focus on faster courses this year and partly because I wanted to run more (different) races.
I picked up my number at the expo the day before and went to dinner with several friends the night before at Il Fornaio in Sacramento. I order a pasta dish with shrimp, mussels, clams, and shrimp. I stayed overnight the night before the race in the Hilton which turned out to be an excellent choice because of the breakfast the hotel gave us, the free bus ride from the finish back to the hotel, and the late 1:30 check out.
On race day morning I had 2 bagels with cream cheese and 4 cups of cranberry juice at the hotel. Sean Pont told me all about how he couldmnm't run due to injury but his wife YiOu (who I know) was in the race as one of the elite women. I packed small vitamin energy drink that I ended up drinking between miles 4-8 and 2 GUs which I didn't end up using. There was a small delay in getting a bus to the race because initially they didn't have enough to pick up all the people at the hotel. They quickly found 2 more buses and we were on our way.
We got to the start at 6:30 which gave me a half hour to get ready. The bathroom line wasn't long so I used it, and then put my sweat check bag on the truck. I had plenty of time to get to the starting line but only started in about the 10th or 12th row.
I started the race with Brian Cooke who should be able to run a 2:40 but hadn't been under 3 hours yet. He had had some issues with crashing in his previous couple marathons so he was making a conscious effort not to start too fast. I was hoping for a 2:46 but was realistically shooting for 2:50 to match my Boston Marathon time earlier in the year. After a couple miles I pulled away and started to close on the 2:45 pace pack of women trying for the Olympic Trials. I starting falling back again around mile 7 and shortly after Brian caught up.
He went by me and I wondered if I was starting an eventual slowdown already. I ran a couple miles over 6:30 and he continued his pace in the 6:20s. The miles leading up to mile 15 were especially grueling as the sun came out and there was a long gradual uphill that seemed to sap my energy. I hit the half in 1:23:55 and ruled out a 2:46, or even a PR of low 2:47s. I guessed Brian had a minute on me by mile 15 - not that I was racing hum, but because we had similar race goals. It turned out he hit the half in :59 before me.
After cresting the hill I started getting a second wind and I broke down the remaining course in my mind into segments. I hoped to hold until 18, then run a couple miles well, and finally finish the last 10k fairly strong. I ended up going by Brian with about 13k left. He looked like he was on the verge of crashing, but still moving. I went by YiOu Wang of Tamalpa with about 12k to go. I mentioned to her that "We have a Bay to Breakers left" and she just gave me a grimacing smile. I didn't see her name in the finishing results but judging by her online post it was a more of a voluntary and less of an incapable DNF.
I recalculated the pace I'd need to run to be under 2:50 as it appeared possible when I crossed the 20 mile mark in 2:09:08. At various points I thought I needed 6:30 to 6:40 per mile and I was fully expecting to be a little behind pace with a mile left and needing a strong end kick to get under. That's how I envisioned it playing out.
I knew almost for sure at mile 25 that I'd be under and I was fresh with confidence after passing at least a dozen people in the last 5k, many of them women who I'm guessing were fading from their Olympic Trial paces. I ran a strong last mile and got a good sprint at the end turnover-wise, although photos confirmed my form struggled.
My chip time turned out to be 2:49:46, my watch showed 2:24:29 because I didn't stop it right at the finish, and my gun time was 2:49:56. Brian finished in a PR 2:57, less than a minute in front of my friends Peter Hsia and Kenley Gaffke. After the race I quickly got in the massage line which still took long to get my turn, but the massage by Sheryl from Monsters of Massage was excellent. The food was OK - pancakes and tomato soup, but nothing great. I found some other people I knew and we ate and talked a while before heading back to the hotel.
The ride home was rainy but I stopped at a produce place in Dixon I like and picked up
3 heads of lettuce, 2 artichokes, 7 ears of corn, 2 cucumbers, 1 cantaloupe, a bag with about 25 Brussels sprouts, 3 kiwis, and a bag of 8 tomatoes for only $12.63
In some Non-news that I'm sure people will ask me about between now and June - The WS100 lottery drawing was Saturday. I didn't get selected because I didn't enter the lottery. I have no interest in running that race in 2011. I've offered my pacing services to Chikara Omine if he wishes to use them again. Of course I'm sure I'll run the Double Dipsea that morning as well.
Marathon - 2:49:46 - 150th/5879
Garmin Tracking here.
I ran the California International Marathon (CIM) for the first time ever this year. This was a change from the previous 4 years where my events of choice were the PCTR Woodside races (50k in 2009 and 2008, 35k in 2007 and 2006). This year I decided to change it up, a little because I wanted to focus on faster courses this year and partly because I wanted to run more (different) races.
I picked up my number at the expo the day before and went to dinner with several friends the night before at Il Fornaio in Sacramento. I order a pasta dish with shrimp, mussels, clams, and shrimp. I stayed overnight the night before the race in the Hilton which turned out to be an excellent choice because of the breakfast the hotel gave us, the free bus ride from the finish back to the hotel, and the late 1:30 check out.
On race day morning I had 2 bagels with cream cheese and 4 cups of cranberry juice at the hotel. Sean Pont told me all about how he couldmnm't run due to injury but his wife YiOu (who I know) was in the race as one of the elite women. I packed small vitamin energy drink that I ended up drinking between miles 4-8 and 2 GUs which I didn't end up using. There was a small delay in getting a bus to the race because initially they didn't have enough to pick up all the people at the hotel. They quickly found 2 more buses and we were on our way.
We got to the start at 6:30 which gave me a half hour to get ready. The bathroom line wasn't long so I used it, and then put my sweat check bag on the truck. I had plenty of time to get to the starting line but only started in about the 10th or 12th row.
I started the race with Brian Cooke who should be able to run a 2:40 but hadn't been under 3 hours yet. He had had some issues with crashing in his previous couple marathons so he was making a conscious effort not to start too fast. I was hoping for a 2:46 but was realistically shooting for 2:50 to match my Boston Marathon time earlier in the year. After a couple miles I pulled away and started to close on the 2:45 pace pack of women trying for the Olympic Trials. I starting falling back again around mile 7 and shortly after Brian caught up.
He went by me and I wondered if I was starting an eventual slowdown already. I ran a couple miles over 6:30 and he continued his pace in the 6:20s. The miles leading up to mile 15 were especially grueling as the sun came out and there was a long gradual uphill that seemed to sap my energy. I hit the half in 1:23:55 and ruled out a 2:46, or even a PR of low 2:47s. I guessed Brian had a minute on me by mile 15 - not that I was racing hum, but because we had similar race goals. It turned out he hit the half in :59 before me.
After cresting the hill I started getting a second wind and I broke down the remaining course in my mind into segments. I hoped to hold until 18, then run a couple miles well, and finally finish the last 10k fairly strong. I ended up going by Brian with about 13k left. He looked like he was on the verge of crashing, but still moving. I went by YiOu Wang of Tamalpa with about 12k to go. I mentioned to her that "We have a Bay to Breakers left" and she just gave me a grimacing smile. I didn't see her name in the finishing results but judging by her online post it was a more of a voluntary and less of an incapable DNF.
I recalculated the pace I'd need to run to be under 2:50 as it appeared possible when I crossed the 20 mile mark in 2:09:08. At various points I thought I needed 6:30 to 6:40 per mile and I was fully expecting to be a little behind pace with a mile left and needing a strong end kick to get under. That's how I envisioned it playing out.
I knew almost for sure at mile 25 that I'd be under and I was fresh with confidence after passing at least a dozen people in the last 5k, many of them women who I'm guessing were fading from their Olympic Trial paces. I ran a strong last mile and got a good sprint at the end turnover-wise, although photos confirmed my form struggled.
My chip time turned out to be 2:49:46, my watch showed 2:24:29 because I didn't stop it right at the finish, and my gun time was 2:49:56. Brian finished in a PR 2:57, less than a minute in front of my friends Peter Hsia and Kenley Gaffke. After the race I quickly got in the massage line which still took long to get my turn, but the massage by Sheryl from Monsters of Massage was excellent. The food was OK - pancakes and tomato soup, but nothing great. I found some other people I knew and we ate and talked a while before heading back to the hotel.
The ride home was rainy but I stopped at a produce place in Dixon I like and picked up
3 heads of lettuce, 2 artichokes, 7 ears of corn, 2 cucumbers, 1 cantaloupe, a bag with about 25 Brussels sprouts, 3 kiwis, and a bag of 8 tomatoes for only $12.63
In some Non-news that I'm sure people will ask me about between now and June - The WS100 lottery drawing was Saturday. I didn't get selected because I didn't enter the lottery. I have no interest in running that race in 2011. I've offered my pacing services to Chikara Omine if he wishes to use them again. Of course I'm sure I'll run the Double Dipsea that morning as well.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Race 10-110 LMJS 4th Sunday 10k
November 28, 2010
10k - 39:20 - 1st/35?
Garmin tracking here.
The biggest race in the Bay Area the Sunday after Thanksgiving is the Run Wild 5k and 10k in San Francisco. However, since I ran the Quad Dipsea Saturday I wasn't expecting a great performance Sunday so I made the cost conscious decison to run the smaller 4th Sunday Race which is put on by the Lake Merritt Joggers and Striders on the 4th Sunday of every month. The $5 price tag for non-members saved about $25, and the LMJS race had 5k, 10k, and 15k options - 1, 2, or 3 loops around Lake Merritt in Oakland.
I chose to run the 10k because I didn't feel I'd have fast enough turnover for the 5k and I thought if I ran the 15k I'd run out of steam before the end. I got there just in time yet again and finished entering as they were explaining course instructions. I guess I just count on it starting a little late for that at some of these races.
The start was a little different than anything I've ever seen. The loop is just shy of 5k so there's about 20 yards extra to run after completing a complete loop to make a 5k. This means 10k runners run an extra 40 yards and 15k runners run an extra 60 yards, more or less. Usually everyone starts together and they have multiple finish lines. This time they had multiple starting lines and a single finish line. It looked like a corral system at the start since there were 3 groups over people at 3 start lines with some open space between them.
When the gun went off I almost immediately caught up to most of the 5k runners. I also tried to keep track of where the 10k runners were in relation to me. It looked to me that 2 10k runners made it through the 5k crown in front of me. As we got to the first 90 degree turn I saw a fast guy in an almost glowing green shirt cruising along in the lead pack who was not one of the 2 people. I thought he must be in the 5k to be moving that fast.
I ran the first mile in 6:06 and caught the two guys around the mile mark. I ran 6:14 pace for the next mile as I pulled away. I was very conscious of the possibility they could catch me since I wasn't as fresh as usual. I glanced over my should at every turn and it appeared I was slowly pulling away. As I was completing the first loop I wondered if I was in first or if the bright green shirt was in the 10k. I thought it possible he could run the first 5k in low 17s which would explain the gap. I didn't see him at the finish as I passed through to start my second lap.
It seemed I opened some space on both guys in back of me on the slight uphill leading to the 3 mile mark. I decided that as long as I ran my own race I'd hold them off because if either was going to make a move they wouldn't have let me get so far ahead, maybe 30 seconds by now. I didn't spot green shirt guy on the opposite side of the lake and all but concluded he must have been in the 5k.
I finished my second lap a little slower than the first. Midway through the 2nd lap I was hoping for a time in the 38:s but when I hit the 6 mile mark in just over 38:00 I knew it wouldn't happen. I finished in 39:20 and was told at the finishing chute that I was the first 10k finisher. I asked about the green guy and they told me he was in the 15k! Sure enough, only 53 minutes after we had started! I was also told that the 5k winner ran 18:11 which normally I could do, but not likely with the long race the day before. So I appeared that I entered the easiest race to win.
They only award ribbons for age group place and overall places (what else do you expect for a $5 race?). Overall I was satisfied with my time and the fact that I had a solid road time only 1 day after the Quad Dipsea is making me consider setting an aggressive goal at next week's California International Marathon.
10k - 39:20 - 1st/35?
Garmin tracking here.
The biggest race in the Bay Area the Sunday after Thanksgiving is the Run Wild 5k and 10k in San Francisco. However, since I ran the Quad Dipsea Saturday I wasn't expecting a great performance Sunday so I made the cost conscious decison to run the smaller 4th Sunday Race which is put on by the Lake Merritt Joggers and Striders on the 4th Sunday of every month. The $5 price tag for non-members saved about $25, and the LMJS race had 5k, 10k, and 15k options - 1, 2, or 3 loops around Lake Merritt in Oakland.
I chose to run the 10k because I didn't feel I'd have fast enough turnover for the 5k and I thought if I ran the 15k I'd run out of steam before the end. I got there just in time yet again and finished entering as they were explaining course instructions. I guess I just count on it starting a little late for that at some of these races.
The start was a little different than anything I've ever seen. The loop is just shy of 5k so there's about 20 yards extra to run after completing a complete loop to make a 5k. This means 10k runners run an extra 40 yards and 15k runners run an extra 60 yards, more or less. Usually everyone starts together and they have multiple finish lines. This time they had multiple starting lines and a single finish line. It looked like a corral system at the start since there were 3 groups over people at 3 start lines with some open space between them.
When the gun went off I almost immediately caught up to most of the 5k runners. I also tried to keep track of where the 10k runners were in relation to me. It looked to me that 2 10k runners made it through the 5k crown in front of me. As we got to the first 90 degree turn I saw a fast guy in an almost glowing green shirt cruising along in the lead pack who was not one of the 2 people. I thought he must be in the 5k to be moving that fast.
I ran the first mile in 6:06 and caught the two guys around the mile mark. I ran 6:14 pace for the next mile as I pulled away. I was very conscious of the possibility they could catch me since I wasn't as fresh as usual. I glanced over my should at every turn and it appeared I was slowly pulling away. As I was completing the first loop I wondered if I was in first or if the bright green shirt was in the 10k. I thought it possible he could run the first 5k in low 17s which would explain the gap. I didn't see him at the finish as I passed through to start my second lap.
It seemed I opened some space on both guys in back of me on the slight uphill leading to the 3 mile mark. I decided that as long as I ran my own race I'd hold them off because if either was going to make a move they wouldn't have let me get so far ahead, maybe 30 seconds by now. I didn't spot green shirt guy on the opposite side of the lake and all but concluded he must have been in the 5k.
I finished my second lap a little slower than the first. Midway through the 2nd lap I was hoping for a time in the 38:s but when I hit the 6 mile mark in just over 38:00 I knew it wouldn't happen. I finished in 39:20 and was told at the finishing chute that I was the first 10k finisher. I asked about the green guy and they told me he was in the 15k! Sure enough, only 53 minutes after we had started! I was also told that the 5k winner ran 18:11 which normally I could do, but not likely with the long race the day before. So I appeared that I entered the easiest race to win.
They only award ribbons for age group place and overall places (what else do you expect for a $5 race?). Overall I was satisfied with my time and the fact that I had a solid road time only 1 day after the Quad Dipsea is making me consider setting an aggressive goal at next week's California International Marathon.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Race 10-109 Quad(ruple) Dipsea
November 27, 2010
28.4mi. - 6th/201 - 4:40:29
Today I ran my 4th (total, and consecutive) Quad Dipsea. I had modest expectations due to low (read: non-existent) training and my sub par performances at the Whiskeytown 50k (5:25:53 in the rain) and Morgan Hill Marathon (3:12:56 in the rain). Also, the forecast for today was rain.
I arrived in usual fashion, with just enough time to park, get my bib, and get to the starting line. I saw Leor Pantilat, Gary Gellin, and Victor Ballesteros, all of whom I wouldn't be surprised to see in the top 3.
I started at a fairly normal pace and as things settled in I found myself around 12th place. There were a few guys around me with whom I traded places as the terrain went uphill and downhill. Caren Spore, the first woman by far on her way to a 1 minute course record 4:38, passed me for the last time in the Dynamite Section just after Muir Woods. Other than turnarounds I never saw her again.
For most of the first two legs I traded places with the same couple guys, with me passing going up and them passing going downhill. I entered the half way point in 12th but I left in 10th, I think due to 2 DNFs (Victor was one of the 2, he had a calf problem). I immediately passed 2 more people moving me up to 8th because there first mile from there is all uphill starting with a 676 stair climb. I didn't see them again so by then I was gaining more on the ups than what I was losing on the downs. On the 4th leg I passed a guy in a red shirt within the first mile. It was clear he was having some issues, maybe leg cramps. As I was getting to the Cardiac end of the Gale Scott section I passed Toshi Hosaka, who normally I can't keep up with. This put me in 6th. I ran down Hogsback as fast as I've ever done in this race but I took it easy on Dynamite because the mud there is almost always slippery, and it was extremely slippery by then. Toward the end of the 4th leg I was told Caren was anywhere between 30 seconds and 2 minutes ahead. Not knowing which was correct I didn't make any special effort to try for another place, knowing that 4th place was well ahead and uncatchable. I ran my own race from there, struggling up the non-shortcut way parallel to Suicide (Suicide is off limits in the Quad). I walked some of the road section and the subsequent trail to Windy Gap and then finished the last mile very strong.
My official time was 4:40:29 and shortly after seeing it I wondered whether a quick restroom break on leg 3 cost me a sub 4:40 time (close but I don't think so). Several people were surprised to see my place and/or time as good as they were including me! I came in thinking 4:50 would be tough to beat so i far exceeded expectations.
I felt very happy knowing that the people in front of me were 3 people I'll never catch (Gary, Leor, Mark McManus), plus a guy who finished 3rd (one place in front of Mark), and Caren Spore who set a new women's course record with a 4:38. The old record was 4:39 by Beth Vitalis in 2007. During Beth's race I ran around her most of the way before fading to a 4:47 myself. This year I didn't see Caren after mile 3 and she was more or less 2 minutes in front of me at each of the turnarounds. I get the feeling she was relatively more of a climber (like me) compared to the rest of the field around us, so we didn't really have any back and forth since she gained ground when I gained ground. next year the goal will be 4:35, provided I'm in good shape.
28.4mi. - 6th/201 - 4:40:29
Today I ran my 4th (total, and consecutive) Quad Dipsea. I had modest expectations due to low (read: non-existent) training and my sub par performances at the Whiskeytown 50k (5:25:53 in the rain) and Morgan Hill Marathon (3:12:56 in the rain). Also, the forecast for today was rain.
I arrived in usual fashion, with just enough time to park, get my bib, and get to the starting line. I saw Leor Pantilat, Gary Gellin, and Victor Ballesteros, all of whom I wouldn't be surprised to see in the top 3.
I started at a fairly normal pace and as things settled in I found myself around 12th place. There were a few guys around me with whom I traded places as the terrain went uphill and downhill. Caren Spore, the first woman by far on her way to a 1 minute course record 4:38, passed me for the last time in the Dynamite Section just after Muir Woods. Other than turnarounds I never saw her again.
For most of the first two legs I traded places with the same couple guys, with me passing going up and them passing going downhill. I entered the half way point in 12th but I left in 10th, I think due to 2 DNFs (Victor was one of the 2, he had a calf problem). I immediately passed 2 more people moving me up to 8th because there first mile from there is all uphill starting with a 676 stair climb. I didn't see them again so by then I was gaining more on the ups than what I was losing on the downs. On the 4th leg I passed a guy in a red shirt within the first mile. It was clear he was having some issues, maybe leg cramps. As I was getting to the Cardiac end of the Gale Scott section I passed Toshi Hosaka, who normally I can't keep up with. This put me in 6th. I ran down Hogsback as fast as I've ever done in this race but I took it easy on Dynamite because the mud there is almost always slippery, and it was extremely slippery by then. Toward the end of the 4th leg I was told Caren was anywhere between 30 seconds and 2 minutes ahead. Not knowing which was correct I didn't make any special effort to try for another place, knowing that 4th place was well ahead and uncatchable. I ran my own race from there, struggling up the non-shortcut way parallel to Suicide (Suicide is off limits in the Quad). I walked some of the road section and the subsequent trail to Windy Gap and then finished the last mile very strong.
My official time was 4:40:29 and shortly after seeing it I wondered whether a quick restroom break on leg 3 cost me a sub 4:40 time (close but I don't think so). Several people were surprised to see my place and/or time as good as they were including me! I came in thinking 4:50 would be tough to beat so i far exceeded expectations.
I felt very happy knowing that the people in front of me were 3 people I'll never catch (Gary, Leor, Mark McManus), plus a guy who finished 3rd (one place in front of Mark), and Caren Spore who set a new women's course record with a 4:38. The old record was 4:39 by Beth Vitalis in 2007. During Beth's race I ran around her most of the way before fading to a 4:47 myself. This year I didn't see Caren after mile 3 and she was more or less 2 minutes in front of me at each of the turnarounds. I get the feeling she was relatively more of a climber (like me) compared to the rest of the field around us, so we didn't really have any back and forth since she gained ground when I gained ground. next year the goal will be 4:35, provided I'm in good shape.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Race 10-108 Turkey Trail Trot
November 25, 2010
5mi. - 9th/824 - 30:03
Garmin tracking here.
Wow. It's been a year since I last updated this blog. Things have gotten away from me a little since I've been more focused on updating detailed past records of my race log.
So I ran the Turkey Trail (neé Beach) Trot for the 5th year in a row. The weather overnight was near record lows and early morning reports said the temperature in San Francisco was 44 degrees so I opted for a long sleeve tech shirt. It was a bright sunny days and I arrived 15 minutes before race time.
It was the 4th different course I've run on this race (beach, 5k, double loop, and this one) but I knew it better than I knew any of the others because I spent yesterday afternoon measuring and marking the course. I didn't see any blazing fast people at the starting line, in fact the fastest 2 people I saw were Magdelena Boulet and a several months' pregnant Clara Peterson. For some reason I didn't pay much attention to what place I was in, but I know it was somewhere around 10th. I started near the MacNiders (Ian and Andrew) and commented to Ian that we better not finish behind a pregnant person (we didn't, fortunately because I know several Excelsior Club guys who wouldn't let me forget something like that). Ian and Andrew slowly pulled away and/or I fell off pace around a half mile in but more or less maintained my place after that.
My first mile was under 6 minutes and the second, mostly downhill, was around 6 minutes. After completing the first loop we headed off to a part of the course I had never raced - some trails between Middle Drive and MLK. I traded places with a couple guys and passed a guy who had to stop and walk twice. I finally caught a guy I had been working on catching at mile 4 and tried to catch one more but didn't quite have enough left.
I ended up in 9th or 10th place (I think). I was 3rd in the 30-39 age group which got me a bottle of 2009 Charles Shaw wine, which I'll have to save for a very special occasion. I've been trying to diversify my race schedule over the last couple years but I like the course for this one, it's close to home, and the race atmosphere is great so I'll likely come back to this one every year in the foreseeable future.
5mi. - 9th/824 - 30:03
Garmin tracking here.
Wow. It's been a year since I last updated this blog. Things have gotten away from me a little since I've been more focused on updating detailed past records of my race log.
So I ran the Turkey Trail (neé Beach) Trot for the 5th year in a row. The weather overnight was near record lows and early morning reports said the temperature in San Francisco was 44 degrees so I opted for a long sleeve tech shirt. It was a bright sunny days and I arrived 15 minutes before race time.
It was the 4th different course I've run on this race (beach, 5k, double loop, and this one) but I knew it better than I knew any of the others because I spent yesterday afternoon measuring and marking the course. I didn't see any blazing fast people at the starting line, in fact the fastest 2 people I saw were Magdelena Boulet and a several months' pregnant Clara Peterson. For some reason I didn't pay much attention to what place I was in, but I know it was somewhere around 10th. I started near the MacNiders (Ian and Andrew) and commented to Ian that we better not finish behind a pregnant person (we didn't, fortunately because I know several Excelsior Club guys who wouldn't let me forget something like that). Ian and Andrew slowly pulled away and/or I fell off pace around a half mile in but more or less maintained my place after that.
My first mile was under 6 minutes and the second, mostly downhill, was around 6 minutes. After completing the first loop we headed off to a part of the course I had never raced - some trails between Middle Drive and MLK. I traded places with a couple guys and passed a guy who had to stop and walk twice. I finally caught a guy I had been working on catching at mile 4 and tried to catch one more but didn't quite have enough left.
I ended up in 9th or 10th place (I think). I was 3rd in the 30-39 age group which got me a bottle of 2009 Charles Shaw wine, which I'll have to save for a very special occasion. I've been trying to diversify my race schedule over the last couple years but I like the course for this one, it's close to home, and the race atmosphere is great so I'll likely come back to this one every year in the foreseeable future.
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