Devil's Slide Track Club - The Relay 2010

The Beginning

"YOU MAY NOT REMEMBER ME, but we met at a DSE race."  It was 2006 and Steve N., the Captain of the Devil's Slide Track Club, needed to replace a runner for The Relay.  In fact, it was the second runner he needed to find in the week before the race.  With the race starting on Saturday, Steve was working the phones looking for a replacement.  We had worked the finish line together the first time I volunteered at a DSE race.  Since it was already Thursday, Steve was trying any connection he had.

In 2006, I was splitting my time between Los Angeles and THE CITY.  Most weekends were in Los Angeles.  This was one of the few I was planning to be in THE CITY.  Steve is low key as a sales guy.  He told me about the race, gave me a couple of websites to look at and asked me to think about it.  I don't remember if I decided on the spot or took time to think about it, but I was in.  It was something new and sounded fun. 

This year is the fourth time in the last five races that I have run.  I was runner 1 in 2006, runner 3 in 2008 and runner 11 in 2009.  In 2007 I had an injury that prevented me from running, much less racing.  The injury was, in part, a result of over-training for The Relay. 

At this relay race, a team is made up of 12 runners who each run three legs.  This year I will be runner 4. That means I will run legs 4, 16 and 28 for a total of 17.8 miles.  Runners 1 - 6 are in van one and runners 7 -12 are in van two.  Runner 1 starts and then the van moves to each runner exchange point where the "baton" (actually a large rubber-band-like wrist band) is exchanged and the next runner in order proceeds.  The van usually stops at one or two locations between the runner exchanges to provide water and encouragement to the active runner.  Once the first six runners have done their legs, there is a van exchange.  At that point, runner 7 takes over, the second van goes into service and the first van goes out of service.  While out of service, the runners rest, eat, sleep and sometimes shower.  This continues until 36 legs are completed and runner 12 crosses the finish line. 

Devil's Slide Track Club 2010

Start: Calistoga 5/1/10 1:00 PM

The Devil's Slide Track Club exists to run The Relay.  It is whatever team Steve N. happens to put together for the race that year.  The "club" does not function otherwise.  The first eight or nine runners, usually a core from the prior year, fall into place fairly easy. It is the last three or four, along with the injury replacements, that are the struggle.  Steve has the endless Rolodex and is perfectly suited to the task.  This is the thirteenth year for the Devil's Slide Track Club in The Relay.  One member, Ken R., completed the cycle of all twelve legs this year.

Starting times for the race are staggered to even out the runners on the course and to provide a shorter window during which different locations along the course need to be staffed.  Teams start in waves on every hour and most half hours beginning at 7 AM and finishing at 3 PM on Saturday.  Our team would be slotted at 3 PM, but we pay extra for a 1 PM start time.  This allows us to get runner 10 off of a dirt trail over a mountain and across a ranch before dark.  It also allows us the best chance to get the vans back to the rental agency on Sunday and avoid an extra day of charges.

First Leg: Napa Valley 5/1/10 2:40 - 3:30 PM
Distance: 7.4 Miles
Difficulty: Moderate

My first run, leg 4, is along the Silverado Trail in the Napa Valley from St. Helena to Yountville, North of the City of Napa, in Napa County.  The Silverado Trail was originally built in the mid-1800's and was the first permanent route between Calistoga and Napa.  It transported agricultural products initially.  A few years later, mining took hold at the base of the near-by mountains and silver was discovered.  The silver played out after a few years, but other mining and activities, like wine making, continued.  The trail became an important trade route.  In the 1880's, Charles Bolles, a highway robber known as "Black Bart" plagued travelers and targeted mining payrolls until his eventual capture.  The trail was a dangerous place until the early 20th Century when motorized bus service improved security.  Today, the trail provides a scenic drive and boasts many fine wineries. 

If you think agricultural area, you will picture the open rolling land and the exposed roadway with a few scattered wooded patches.  Exposed was the story for this leg.  The sky was clear, the sun was high and temperature may have been as high as 80 degrees.  When it is that hot, a runner needs to adjust the pace and adapt to the conditions.  Owing to the heat, I was not able to set and hold the pace I wanted.  I finished in 49:27, a pace of 6:40 and one second off of the team's all time leader board for this leg.   

In relays there is a decidedly un-sportsmanlike practice of counting "road kill."  A runner counts one road kill for every competing runner passed and subtracts one if passed by another team.  I pass ten runners on this leg and do not get passed by anyone, a net ten road kill.

After our legs are complete, the van goes to Marie Calendar for dinner.  I study the menu and a nutritional facts binder.  I eliminate everything fried or high in fat.  To my surprise, the pasta is high in fat and probably too high in calories.  I end up with the soup and sandwich - vegetable soup and turkey sandwich.  Not my first choice, but the best choice on the menu for racing.  After that we go to the next van exchange at the Marin French Cheese Company.  After some fussing around, I try to snooze in the van.

Second Leg: Southern Marin 5/2/10 12:15 - 12:50 AM
Distance: 5.3 Miles
Difficulty: Easy

My second run, leg 16, is in Southern Marin County, about a half hour drive North of The CITY.  It includes a tour of small towns, starting in San Anselmo, going through Ross, Kentfield and Larkspur, before finishing in Corte Madera.  Think wooded suburban area with a couple of small towns along the way.  I start at a shopping center and end at a bank.

On the map, this appears to be a twisty leg.  So, I went out the weekend before to drive it and to run it (with the assistance of my always supportive support crew).  Once I did that, it was pretty simple.  Run two miles, turn right at College Avenue, run another two and half miles, turn left at Redwood Avenue, put down the hammer to the finish.  Ignore all the other twists, turns and street name changes.  On the ground, they do not matter.  I finish in 34:04, a 6:25 pace and a new team record for this leg.

I pass ten people.  The third or fourth person I pass tried to keep with me.  As I pass he compliments my pace.  After that, I can hear him sticking off my shoulder.  This is only a mile to a mile and half into the leg.  Unless he was dogging it before I passed, he can't hold that pace for the rest of the leg.  I push the pace a couple of seconds faster.  He sticks with me for around 20 seconds and then I hear him fade back.  I do not get passed by anyone.  Another net ten road kill.

The next van exchange is on the South side of the Golden Gate Bridge.  Runner 6 gets to run the bridge under a full moon.  We head to La Canada College.  I take a shower, buy a bagel and head back to the van for some sleep.  Last year I started using ear plugs and it was very effective in helping me fall asleep.  The hardest part is waking up after only a couple hours of real sleep when you are still tired.  It takes about a half hour for me to regain my wits.  There is a Starbucks at the end of leg 25.  I will be running within an hour.  Do I risk stomach upset and get the coffee or play it safe and wait?  I get the coffee.

Third Leg: Santa Cruz Mountains 5/2/10 8:35 - 9:10 AM
Distance: 5.1 Miles
Difficulty: Hard

My third run, Leg 28, starts in Los Altos, proceeds into the Santa Cruz Mountains and past the Stevens Creek Reservoir.  At this point in the race, we have passed most of the other teams -- the porta johns are clean and well stocked and there are fewer competing runners on the road.  I pass five and do not get passed by anyone.  A net five road kill and a total of 25 for the weekend.  I finish in 35:49, 7:01 pace and also a new team record for this leg.  No upset stomach.  The coffee was OK -- probably even helpful.

Our van finishes its legs and we head toward the finish to meet the other half of the team when they arrive.  We stop in Scotts Valley along the way to get coffee and bagels. 

Finish: Davenport 5/2/10 3:00 PM

The finish is at the Swanton Berry Farm on the coast, just north of the town of Davenport.  When we get there, the wind is screaming and it is cold.  So, we opted for shelter in the van or in the small berry shop.   Our team finished at a few seconds after 3:00 PM.  The tradition is that the whole team crosses the finish line together, behind runner 12.  Our time was 26:00:17.  In the final results, that was good for 13th place out of 212 teams and first place masters team (fifth year in a row) out of five masters teams. 

Photos

1.  Devil's Slide Track Club logo from team website.
2.  Race Map from event website.
3.  Devil's Slide Track Club team photo by Janet N.
4.  Me leaving an exchange on the Silverado Trail in 2008.  Photo by Alex Dutro.
5.  Scenery from Silverado Trail.  Photo credit unknown.
6.  Event logo from event website.
7.  Me on Stevens Canyon Road (Leg 28) about to rack up another road kill.  Photo probably by Mike S.
8.  2010 team headed to the finish line in Davenport.  Photo probably by Janet N.
9.  Team photo at the finish line.  Photo probably by Janet N.