DSE Rockaway Beach 5K - 11/15/09

I didn't actually run the DSE Rockaway Beach 5K.  This post is really just an excuse to show a few pretty pictures of the beach and some others where I just happen to be in the frame.  The Beach is located in Pacifica, about a half hour drive South of the CITY.  On a nice day it is gorgeous.  On a bad day it is still pretty good.

The beach is situated in a cove with hills on both sides.  There are large rocks in the water and crashing surf.  I got there about 8:00 a.m.  The sun was still rising over the mountains to the East.  Looking out to West the water was green.  As the sun rose higher, the water shifted to blue.  The surf was active, the sky was clear and it was as beautiful as ever.

I volunteered at the race, rather than run it.  The club needs people to register the runners, monitor the course (to try to avoid wrong turns) and staff the finish line.  I helped set-up and worked the finish line.  Volunteering gives me an excuse to spend Sunday morning at the beach.  Above right, you can see me talking to the race director.  An experienced club member serves as a race director for the day.  Janet N. was today's director.

When the runners register, they get a tag on which they write their name and age.  The club has two timing machines to keep track of the finishing time.  One machine is primary.  The second is a back-up in case of malfunction.  With volunteers and rotating assignments, malfunctions are always a possibility.  Having a race with no results is pretty disappointing.  So, the club tries to avoid that.  Above left, I am talking to George B. in the background.

As runners cross the finish line, a timer pushes a button and the machine keeps track of all the finishing times in order.  At the end of the finishing chute we collect the tags in the same order that people crossed the finish line and put then on a string (lanyard).  The person who does the results matches the times with the tags when preparing the results.  At the end of a race most runners are exhausted and they are not thinking too straight.  The challenge is to keep them in order in the finishing chute, to find the tag in one of the many locations where people pin it and to keep the tags in order on the string. 

The race went smoothly and it was a gorgeous morning.  After the last runner (actually, a walker) crossed the line, we packed up.  I went up to Lake Merced, which I could reach with a minor detour on my way home.  I did three loops and a little more (13.6 miles) to fill out my week.  Next week I run the DSE Single/Double Lake Merced Run.  I will do the double for 9 miles.