I found an old file folder last week that held results from my first 5K race - back in 1986.
My most recent race was last weekend up in Monterey for the Big Sur Half Marathon. Of all the run races, in all the years, this one stands at the top.
The pre-race expo had vendors that actually had a reason to be there and not just to get our attention and hand us some worthless trinket to remember their brand by. The staff was dressed in sport coats with the venerable Big Sur logo. The race - with a little rain before and a little rain after - was amazing. I have gone for workouts near the ocean in dozens of places here and abroad and I was mesmerized by the coastline on Sunday.
I would highly recommend you put this race on you calendar for next year. If you have a good training regimen in place consider the full which runs from Big Sur into Monterey. Sunday went so smooth I left the Central Coast with a profound respect for the organizers. I saw a lot of staffers that loved what they were doing. The start had all the pomp and circumstance one might expect of an older race. In the early miles the race heads into a long highway tunnel and at the end stood a bag pipe player that filled the tunnel with fantastic music. Brilliant. Energy drinks and water were placed in wise positions and staffed well. The turnaround area had so much energy from the water bottle filling gang that I gained momentum out of it. And after all of these high notes there was the finish. Unlike the LA Marathon family and friends can actually watch runners finish the race. And after you wave to friends, pickup your small children and carry them across the finish line you are met by race staffers there to help - not just push you through the funnel. I know I am excited but I was speechless when my wife and I walked thorough the food line. There was so much fresh fare I could barely stand it, muffins, apples, strawberries, cookies and even pineapple juice. Many thanks are owed by all of us to the race organizers for serving up a great race.
I think the advertisers in this race owe a lot to the organizers as well. Saab didn’t rename the race or graffiti the event shirt with their logo - but they did have cars on display, did have the pace car and did get a lot of positive attention. Kudos to all parties for having class.
And now for a recap of the LA South Bay crew in Monterey:
C. Daniels 1:36:43
M. Smart 1:51:39
B. Smart 1:53:20
D. Michaelis 1:53:15
K. Hart 1:53:50
J. Miller 1:55:55
N. Smith 2:10:16
A. Pregizer 2:20:11
…or else you might end up like this woman, with no one to pry a rabid fox from your arm! Gnarly story! Wish they had pictures! (But I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t be better than the images I have generated in my head)
PRESCOTT, Ariz. (AP) - With a fox locked onto her arm, an Arizona jogger ran a mile to her car, where she was able to dislodge the animal, throw it into the trunk and drive to a Prescott hospital. The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office said the fox, which later attacked an animal control officer, tested positive for rabies.The unidentified Chino Valley resident told deputies she was on a trail Monday at the base of Granite Mountain when the fox attacked, biting her foot. The woman said she grabbed it by the neck when it went for her leg and it latched onto her arm…
Eco-Sportfest ‘08 5k Cross Run Series begins 11/2 in Ventura
2008 SoCalCross Prestige Series is proud to introduce ECO-SPORTFEST ‘08: Each event will take place in a scenic park or lake front setting - making it a welcoming atmosphere for the entire family and begins at 8am with a 5k ‘Cross Trail Run on the cyclocross course followed up by a full day of cyclocross racing action!
-Read more: Eco Sports Fest Press Release
To accommodate an ever-growing interest in the half marathon distance, organizers of the Big Sur Half Marathon increased the field by 1,000 runners for the 2008 event. Capped and already sold out at 5,800 registrants, the race will institute “wave starts” to prevent course crowding along with a slightly revised course that includes a new start line and additional mileage along Del Monte Avenue. This year’s event will also feature the largest number of elite runners for the Big Sur Half and may see new course records set.
The race organization’s move towards sustainability will be evident on the course with recycle containers and a special aid station that allows runners to fill their own bottles. “It’s BYOB – Bring Your Own Bottle,” stated Brian Robinson, aid station coordinator and Big Sur Marathon board member. “We’re the first half marathon that I know of that offers this.” Robinson is an ultra-marathoner who borrowed the concept from several 50+ mile races that he has completed.
In addition, the Big Sur organization encourages online registration and has eliminated some of its printed products, including the race results book, since runners can now retrieve their times online race day afternoon. With many of the runners residing in the San Francisco Bay Area, the organization is also offering a new online carpooling system, PickUpPal, through its website.
Runners will notice a difference in the timing system used — no longer will they need to scan and attach a plastic chip to their shoe. The new ChronoTrack system offers a disposable, lighter, less intrusive tag that is easier to attach and offers accurate timing as well as split timing. There are no fees for lost or unreturned chips. The ChronoTrack system was introduced at the Los Angeles Marathon in March and used successfully at the recent San Francisco and Portland Marathons.
A new race weekend schedule has been implemented this year. The Big Sur Half Marathon Health & Fitness Expo will be held on two days, November 7 and 8, and two family-oriented runs will take place on Saturday morning. The JUST RUN! ® Just Kids 3K will begin at 8 a.m. followed by the Run Forrest Run 5K at 9 a.m. Both races begin and end on Cannery Row, with a new race course run along the Pacific Grove shoreline on Saturday morning. Finish line food will be provided by Bubba Gump Shrimp Company and post-race entertainment provided by the Cannery Row Company.
The Big Sur Half Marathon has long been known for its contributions to local charities, but this year is serving as a goal race for one local group, Pancreatica. Headquartered in Pacific Grove, where runners enjoy nearly eight miles of scenic coastal views, this non-profit organization is focused on raising awareness and funding for Pancreatic Cancer. Additional charities are on board for the Half Marathon as well.
Offering “something for everyone”, the Big Sur Half Marathon on Monterey Bay has added shorter distance runs for kids, families and recreational runners on Saturday, November 8, as a supplement to Sunday’s main event.
The JUST RUN!® Just Kids 3K sponsored by CHOMP and the City of Monterey, and the Run Forrest Run 5K sponsored by Bubba Gump Shrimp Company will begin and end on Cannery Row and will travel along the scenic Pacific Grove shoreline. The 3K fun run starts at 8 a.m. with the 5K following at 9 a.m.
“With the addition of these Saturday events, we’re able to offer something for everyone in the community. We’re hoping that our half marathoners bring their families and run together on Saturday as a warm up to Sunday’s race,” said race director Wally Kastner. “Even if you don’t plan to participate in one of the runs or walks, you can visit the Health and Fitness Expo at the Monterey Conference Center on Friday or Saturday.”
The two shorter distance races were previously featured events in the Half Marathon weekend, but the pairing of the two on a different day is new for 2008. The move was prompted by the need to lessen congestion during Sunday’s main event in addition to providing half marathoners the opportunity for a final training run that they can share with their friends and families.
3K and 5K participants will be treated to finish line food provided by Bubba Gump and entertainment provided by the Cannery Row Company. Post race festivities held at Cannery Row’s Steinbeck Plaza will include music, a magician, balloon maker, and exhibits from MY Museum and CHOMP. All participants will receive an event t-shirt, finishers ribbon or medallion, and a 2-for-1 ticket to the IMAX Theater. Entrants in the JUST RUN! Just Kids 3K also receive a complimentary pass to the Monterey Bay Aquarium (with a paying adult) and will be part of a random prize drawing for bicycles and other surprises.
Pre-registration is ongoing for the 3K and 5K races online at www.bigsurhalfmarathon.org through November 3. It will re-open at the Health & Fitness Expo on Friday, November 7 between noon and 5:00 PM, or on race morning at Bubba Gump restaurant beginning at 6:30 AM. Prices for the 3K are $5 for children (5-17) and $10 for adults 18 and older. Prices for the Run Forrest Run 5K are $17 for ages 5-17 and $27 for adults 18 and older.
For more information, visit Big Sur Half Marathon contact info@bsim.org or 831-625-6226.
MISSION VIEJO — Sally Boles ran for her life — without question. She felt a warm breeze, the sun against her back, and a whole lot of love when she set out to run around Lake Mission Viejo on her 40th birthday Thursday. “I didn’t want a party,” Boles said. The 5-feet-8, 128-pound mother of three just wanted to run 40 miles. Boles, of Mission Viejo, began at 5:15 a.m. with friends who had decorated signs with words of encouragement and had posted them along the course of the lake.
Sellers told me he did the same thing when he turned 40, only he ate 40 baked goods from Starbuck’s in 40 minutes instead. See you at the start line on Saturday Greg. Save me a scone for after the race.
Saturday morning I got up early, dressed quietly, made my lunch, grabbed the dog, slipped quietly into the garage to hook the boat up to the truck, and proceeded to back out into a torrential downpour.
The wind was blowing 50 mph. I pulled back into the garage, turned on the radio, and discovered that the weather would be bad throughout the day.
I went back into the house, quietly undressed, and slipped back into bed. There I cuddled up to my wife’s back, now with a different anticipation, and whispered, “The weather out there is terrible.”
My loving wife of 20 years replied, “Can you believe my stupid husband is out fishing in that?”
I still don’t know if she was joking, but I’ve given up fishing.
Runners, walkers and families are invited to join Patagonia, Great Pacific Iron Works, Real Cheap Sports and a long list of co-sponsors for a 5K run/3K walk benefiting Friends of the Santa Clara River. This morning of fun will include great prizes, post-race entertainment, environmental exhibits and refreshments for the whole family.
Where: Patagonia’s upper parking lot (Main and Olive streets), Ventura
What: Certified 5K course along a flat dirt road
Cost: Adult pre-reg. $25; Ages 9-18 pre-reg. $20; Day-of-race reg. $30; Children 8 and under free; (Paid registration includes a beautiful 100% organic cotton Salmon Run T-shirt, runner’s bag and drawing ticket.)
Another Option: A $35 contribution will cover your registration and also pay for your membership in Friends of the Santa Clara River. You’ll get a race T-shirt and runner’s bag, and we’ll kick in another 10 drawing tickets for some great prizes.
Checks To: Make your tax-deductible check payable to Friends of the Santa Clara River.
Registration: Download a registration form (pdf - 640KB)
Deadline: Pre-registration must be received by 5 p.m. on Wed., Nov. 5. Mail it or drop it by:
• Great Pacific Iron Works, 235 W. Santa Clara St., Ventura CA 93001
• Real Cheap Sports, 36 W. Santa Clara St., Ventura, CA 93001
• Inside Track, 38 W. Main St., Ventura CA 93001
Prizes: Patagonia(R) gear awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place finishers in each age & gender category.
Refreshments: A yummy variety.
Drawing: Everyone is eligible to win great prizes after the race. Each registered runner will receive a free drawing ticket.
Silent Auction: An amazing array of offerings!
Information at: Patagonia/Great Pacific Iron Works at 643-6074 or online: www.patagonia.com/salmonrun
This week I was reading the newest issue of Runner’s World and came across an ad for the 2009 Kauai Marathon. It’s a brand new race and Julie is a brand new marathoner. Her plan is to begin base training December thru February and hit a plan in March 09. Seeing as she just had a baby 7 weeks ago and is already back to her original weight I’m giving her a good chance for success for her first marathon. I bet she can’t beat 4:17 though! (I’m guessing she will blow that out of the water which kind of pisses me off.)
The Big Sur Half Marathon is less than a month away so training is in motion - but tonight we just had fun.
I saw my wife grab her running bag as she headed out the door this morning. I gave her a call at 4:30 to see if I could join her and an hour later we were making our way under PCH down the chip trail towards Hermosa. The last quarter mile she picked up the pace and we finished in a flurry but stride for stride. What a blast to run with my favorite running partner. Big Sur will be amazing.
This weekend I’ll be laboring through the 24th annual Army 10-Miler. This is the largest 10-mile race in America with a 2007 registration totaling 26,000. This may be due to the incredible course –it begins and ends at the Pentagon, passes by the Lincoln and the Jefferson Memorials, and crosses right in front of the Capitol building. I’ll admit, my training leading up to this run hasn’t quite been up to par, and I know I won’t be breaking any records. At least I won’t be running in combat boots.
The Big Sur Half Marathon on Monterey Bay is nearing sellout capacity more than a month before the event date of Sunday, November 9. An increase in the number of runners and walkers registered from 5,000 to this year’s limit of 5,800 is expected to produce a record field at the event’s sixth presentation. Additional smaller fun runs for kids and families are scheduled for Saturday, November 8, and an expanded two-day Health and Fitness Expo is planned for November 7 and 8.
The popularity of the half marathon distance and the ongoing success of the Big Sur Half Marathon race prompted race organizers to increase the field by nearly 1,000 participants. A slightly-altered route will allow for wave starts, ensuring the course is runner-friendly throughout the entire race. The half marathon course begins in downtown Monterey, runs through historic Cannery Row, and along the scenic Monterey Bay coastline in Pacific Grove. The out-and-back course finishes near Monterey’s Fisherman’s Wharf with post-race festivities at the Custom House Plaza. Runners are expected from all 50 states as well as 10 additional countries.
The Run Forrest Run 5K sponsored by Bubba Gump, previously held concurrently with the half marathon, is being moved to Saturday to help lessen congestion on Sunday’s half marathon course. Now, Saturday will hold the JUST RUN! Just Kids 3K and the Run Forrest Run 5K, at 8 and 9 a.m. respectively on a course that travels from Cannery Row to the Pacific Grove oceanfront and back again, followed by family fun and entertainment on Cannery Row.
“Our goal is to create an entire running festival for all age groups,” states Wally Kastner, race director for the Big Sur International Marathon. “With everything from a kids’ 3K to a 13.1 mile half marathon, we offer something for everyone.”
A USATF sanctioned and certified half marathon course, the event is expected to again draw a large field of elite runners. Last year’s men’s second place winner, Michael Aish of New Zealand is confirmed, along with a half dozen professional runners. A field of more than 20 elites including Jeff Magallanes, Heather Gibson, Brooke Wells, Mary Coordt, Christine Kennedy, Elissa Reidy and others are expected to compete in the event.
The Big Sur Health and Fitness Expo has been expanded to two days, held on Friday, November 7, from noon to 6 p.m. and Saturday, November 8 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. More than 40 vendors will be showcasing their fitness, nutrition, footwear, apparel and race information products.
Major sponsors of the Big Sur Half Marathon on Monterey Bay include Saab, Asics, Runners World, Rabobank, Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, Granite Construction, KSBW and JetBlue.
For more information on the Big Sur Half Marathon events, contact 831.625-6226 or info@bsim.org.
PERCENTAGE FULL:
Half Marathon 90%
10-Mile Walk 82%
The Sixth Presentation of the Big Sur Half Marathon on Monterey Bay will be held on November 9, 2008. Please join us for a run or walk along the “Edge of the Western World.” Come for the run and then take some time to enjoy the many pleasures of the world-renowned Monterey Peninsula. The Half Marathon offers…
* A gently rolling fast course that winds through historic downtown Monterey, along Cannery Row, and proceeds along Pacific Grove’s coastline with incredible views of the Monterey Bay.
* An unparalleled race destination weekend. After the race, take some time to enjoy world-class golf, a Spa afternoon, whale watching, world-class dining, shopping, wine tasting, a visit to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and more.
* A walker friendly course that features a separate Half Marathon Walk division as well as a 10-Mile Walk. Other weekend events include Saturday’s Run Forrest Run 5K and the JUST RUN!® Just Kids 3K fun run. Join us Sunday, November 9, 2008 for the Half Marathon experience of a lifetime.
Life has been a little hectic lately and blogging has taken the back burner for the last 30 days. My world revolves around family and work and the rest is getting pushed aside. Our newest, Landon turned 30 days old today. Most of the time he’s great but sometimes he’s a pain in my neck. I’ve figured out a trick to calm him down when he is screaming bloody murder in my ear. I place him in the Baby Bjorn and bounce on the exercise ball for as long as necessary. I’m not sure if his is helping my core and my back is killing me!
Speaking of core, the boy’s at Amateur Endurance have an incredible article with full pictures up on a daily stretching routine that looks really legit.
As noted in my last article on the (debatable) benefits of stretching, I stretch on a near daily basis to keep things loose. My daily stretch routine usually takes me about 30 minutes, and I try to do it shortly before bed in a quiet room with minimal noises to help relax me before hitting the pillow.
Early this past week I found myself hammering out miles on a tread mill at the Morongo Casino Resort & Spa. 6 miles in one room can seem like forever at race pace. Late in the week I was weaving along the Rio Grande finishing up my weekly mileage. I am determined to hold work at bay while I train for Big Sur.
Many thanks are due to Bosque Youth Conservation Corp who manage the Middle Rio Grande Ecosystem. While I was putting in the trial of miles early Friday morning I was grateful to each of you for your work on the Ecosystem. THANKS.
Focused on my cadence while riding the mountain bike and nearing the top of Palos Verdes back here in LA on Saturday morning James Reilly slowed as he was passing me to offer words of encouragement. Twenty minutes later I had invited him to Tinley’s Extreme Tri in early October and he had shared his knowledge of the trails around PV. Thanks James for sharing your passion about riding.
My wife and I will be joining a bunch of friends up in Monterey for the Big Sur Half Marathon. It will be great to run along the coast and get a great run in before the Thanksgiving weight gain. Join us. And don’t wait to register. Registration is filling up fast.
We are four weekends away from Scott Tinley’s Adventures Weekend and I am so excited it that I think I should get a new bike. Excitement about race = new bike. Is everyone in agreement on this? Well good. Now here are the details for you to join us at Lake Lopez in early October:
Let me set the stage for you. Beautiful sunrise. Breakfast is already digesting. If you have camped at Lake Lopez - you roll out of your bag and walk over to registration. If you put yourself up at the Madonna Inn or another fine Central Coast establishment then you enjoy an amazing drive through the Big Arroyo. Mist on the SLO County Lake. Gear out on your towel. Bike tuned. You are ready to rock.
“The Mother of all Relays” is by far the Nike Hood-to-Coast. This brute of race starts from the top of Mount Hood and ends at Seaside, OR. This is 197 miles of running.
Team Bramley consist of myself, Andy, Anjum, Ashish, Cole, Craig, Dan, Jamie, Julie, Kendra, Karen, Kevin and Pat. Our team was the dream team of runners. Jamie is a track star, Dan and Karen were destroyers, Ashish was a stud, Craig was the mentor, Anjum was Miss Consistent, Julie was brought there for her skills on the hills and comedy, Kevin was the local boy, Andy was Mr. Cool, Kendra was bringing up the rear with a mouth full of gum, Cole the Team Manager and Alex “quick out the gates” Omel.
Needless to say, this was the toughest race that any of us has run. We started the race at the top of Mount Hood at 4pm on Friday, August 22nd. I ran the third leg of the relay. My first leg was 3.98 miles downhill and I came out of the gates fast. I finished my first leg in just over 25 minutes.
This is where the race gets harder. Each of us started at different times, I started my first leg at 5:00pm on Friday. The 12th leg started at 12:00am on Saturday. After each of us finished our first leg we each had to wait roughly 6-7 hours to run again. This is why it is called the “Mother of all Relays”. Your body gets cold, your legs get stiff and you are trying to get as much sleep as you can before the next leg of the race in the back of a minivan.
My second leg was at 2:30am and it was the worst run of my life. 7.98 miles uphill. It took me forever to get my legs. Running in the middle of the night was not fun.
My third leg I was fired up, I wanted to run my heart out. My final leg was 6.54 miles of rolling hills. I ran hard but it was a very tough run because my legs were tired and I was ready for bed by this point.
Kendra ran the final leg of the race cross the finish line for Team Bramley in 26:33:28.
Team Bramley killed it! We averaged 8:05 miles for 197 miles.
Overall this race was the most difficult race I have ever run. The stopping and starting, running at 2:30am in the dark, no sleep for 26 hours takes its toll. This was the most grueling and most enjoyable race I have ever run. If you are a runner this race should be on the top of your list.
