Anticipating the Year Ahead

San Francisco 2010

In Los Angeles, there were very few races during the summer -- probably due to the summer heat and the abundance of other things to do.  In LA I thought of my running season from fall through spring with the summer off.  In THE CITY, races are available year around.  I no longer think of racing in terms of season.  I look at it in relation to the calendar.  This is the third in my year end series: looking to the promise ahead for another year of running in THE CITY.

January/February

Distance events will be the first order of business.  I have already sent in my money for the DSE Waterfront 10 Miler on January 24 and the Kaiser Half-Marathon two weeks later on February 7.  Rain or shine, I am committed.  Though, I hate running in the rain.  I will skip early January races at Lake Merced and the Great Highway to avoid over-racing in January.  I am running the 10 miler because it was so much fun last year that I want to repeat it again.  If I can get a time below 1:05, all the better.  The goal for the half is the same as last year: to get a qualifying time for a seeded entry to the Bay to Breakers.

Mid-February/March/April

After the half-marathon, I will probably take a down week and then start to prepare for The Relay.  The 27th Across the Bay 12 K is March 21.  I have run it in the past, but skipped it last year because I was afraid it would interfere with my training for The Relay.  I was also lucky I picked last year not to run it because it rained at Fort Baker just before the start and ... well you know.

May

The Relay, May 1-2,  will be my goal event for the spring.  It is set to coincide with a full moon late in April or early in May.  That provides the best opportunity for some light while running at night.  It also means the race date changes from year to year.  I probably will not know for a couple of months which legs I am running.  My approach to the race will depend on what I am running. 

Like this year, that variable date for The Relay means just two weeks to recover before the Bay to Breakers - always the third Sunday in May.  This year is the 99th running of the race.  It was started as one of the ways that civic leaders tried to boost morale and promote the image of a recovering city after the 1906 earthquake.  I am determined to run the race through its 100th anniversary.  Despite the fact that it does not fit my calendar, I am running it again this year.  The goal will probably be to finish without getting hurt.

June/July/August

The DSE Summer Race Series at Lake Merced returns June 10 through August 26.  How often I attend and my goals for the series will depend on my schedule at work.  I will be hard pressed to do better than this year.  So, this is not a firm goal on the schedule.

Fall and Winter

Once fall arrives, the goals are a lot less clear.  The DSE Running Club gives out participation awards.  The small "Mongo" award requires participation in 10 club races, with at least two as a volunteer (the summer race series does not count toward the 10).  Throughout the year I will fill-in with DSE races.  Later in the year, I will probably concentrate on DSE races to fill out the 10 race requirement.  The 34th running of the Bridge to Bridge 12 K will be October 3 and I will probably be up for it when it comes up on the calendar.  Otherwise, I would like to find a couple of half-marathons that work in with the rest of my training and racing goals.  I have to work hard to stay ahead of Cliff P. who is now a half-marathon veteran.

Goal for the Year

The number one goal for the year, like it is for every race, is to have fun.  I would like to keep my race times in the 6:15 to 6:30 range, depending on the distance and remain competitive in my age group.  There is always someone faster than you and you can't control who shows up for a particular race.  So, I am thankful when I eke out an age group win or a high overall placement, but those are not primary goals.  Running injury free.  Now, there is another good goal.  2010 promise to be another great year for running in THE CITY.