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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.
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