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.

2009 In Review: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

The second in my year end series takes a look at some of the notable races for the year.  There are also notable training runs, but they do not lend themselves to a year end review.  Those will have to wait for future posts.

THE GOOD

The Waterfront 10 Miler on January 18 was my most satisfying race of the year.  The race starts in Aquatic Park, runs East through Fisherman's Wharf on Jefferson Street which turns into the Embarcadero as the road turns South.  The route goes past the piers on the bay for a little more than two miles and turns left at AT&T Park.  Then it is across the Lefty O'Doul Bridge which, as Cliff P. notes, is one of the bridges built by Joseph Strauss before he did the Golden Gate Bridge.  After the bridge, it is a couple of miles through the former industrial area of the City, mostly being redeveloped as Mission Bay, still hugging the waterfront.  It is a varied and interesting course.  I ran my most consistent pace, keeping my times grouped close to 6:30 for each mile.  This might be the flattest course I ran for the year, which makes that possible.  I finished in 64:44, for a pace of 6:28.  I felt good over distance and thought I was ready for the Kaiser Half-Marathon, two weeks later.

The Rainbow Falls 5K on March 15 was my fastest race with a pace of 6:11 per mile.  I also ran the Great Highway 4 Mile on November 1 at a 6:11 pace, but that course it probably a few hundredths of a mile short. 

The DSE Summer Race Series was a thrill.  I placed second overall, first in the MVP Points competition and won my age group. 

The Run Your Bunny Off 5K in Snow Hill North Carolina was my only out of area race.  It was fun to run in a different location and to see the local support the race received.  It was also nice to finish in third place overall.  Speaking of third overall, that is also how I finished the DSE Double Lake Merced.  So, these two races were my highest single race finish placement of the year. 

A few of the races I enter also have age group awards.  50 - 59 for the DSE events and usually 50 - 54 for the larger events in THE CITY.  At the DSE Waterfront 10 M and Lake Merced Half-Marathon, I took age group firsts.  At the Kaiser Half-Marathon and at the Bridge to Bridge 12K I took age group seconds for each event.  Bay to Breakers was a different story as I finished 14th in my age group.  More on the Bay to Breakers below.

THE BAD

There are no bad runs; some are just better than others.  Life is too short to wallow in the petty annoyances of daily living (or running).

THE UGLY

There may not be any bad runs, but there are some ugly ones.  The top of the list for 2009 has to be the Kaiser Half-Marathon in February.  Following a very satisfying performance two weeks earlier in the DSE Waterfront 10 Miler, I was looking forward to a strong run in the Half.  My primary goal was to get a fully seeded entry to the Bay to Breakers.  That requires a finish of 1:27:00 or better for a masters runner (age 40 and over).  I was reeling off these beautiful miles for the first eight or nine miles.  6:26, 6:16, 6:27, 6:27 (again), 6:23, 6:08 (where did that come from), 6:27 (again), etc.  Then it all fell apart.  6:45, 6:55, 7:01, 7:04, etc.  It went from smooth, beautiful running to a great struggle almost instantly.  I could barely make it to the finish line.  The silver lining was that I got my seeded entry (1:26:59 chip time) and an age group second.  Ah, but what could have been ...  I don't know if this was a training problem, a nutrition problem or that I should not have run the 10 miler two weeks before.  Given the rapid fall in performance, my guess is some type of nutrition, fluid issue.  My body ran out of something and started to shut down to preserve what was left.

Second on the list is The Relay in May.  This year it was a 200 mile (probably more) race from Calistoga, in Napa County, to Davenport, in Santa Cruz County.  Each team has twelve runners who run race legs from 3 to 8.9 miles.  The typical arrangement is to divide the runners between two passenger vans that leap-frog each other on the course.  One van is active for six legs, while the other is resting.  Some legs are flat and some climb up mountains (if you accept 1,000 feet above sea level as the minimum for a mountain).  Each runner runs three legs, for a total of 36 legs.  It was a rainy weekend.  I hate running in the rain.  I asked the team captain, who has been doing this for better that 10 years, what suggestions he had for dealing with the rain.  He said he couldn't tell me.  While it had threatened to rain in prior years, it never actually rained.  So, he had no experience with running a relay in the rain, either. 

I was runner 11.  I had to sit and wait for a long time to start running.  My first leg, through Petaluma, came at sunset on Saturday.  It was rated as "hard," probably due to a combination of distance and hills.  I pulled my hamstrings and they were irritated for the rest of the race.  My second leg, in San Mateo County along the Crystal Springs Reservoir, came in the middle of the night.  It was easy: flat and short.  With my tender hamstrings and generally lethargic legs, I ran a really crappy time.  It rained off and on throughout the race.  So far, I had been lucky.  It had not rained while I was actually running.  My third and final leg came mid-day on Sunday.  It rained all morning with no sign of let-up.  The leg before this came out of Felton to the entrance of a quarry.  All of the rain had caused a small landslide on the road leading to the quarry.  The poor guy ahead of me had to run a detour of an extra mile or two.  

Then it happened, the zen came over me.  I prepared with a two shot canned espresso (false energy), two ibuprofen (to dull the pain) and two pieces of sugary coffee cake (readily available carbohydrate).  I was going to run through the rain.  It was OK.  My legs hurt.  It was OK.  I had to climb out of the quarry and then through some steep inclines and declines through the Santa Cruz Mountains to the coast.  It was OK.  I was going to have a good run.  Rather than run in a soaked shirt, I took it off.  I almost never run without a shirt.  I pinned my race number to my shorts, grabbed the "baton" as runner 10 approached and took off.  I ran through a relatively warm rain through the mountain woods.  I did not care what my time was.  It was a good run through a beautiful setting in an ugly race.  Our team came in 12th out of 227 teams and we were the first place masters team. 

So, what happened?  I probably was not as well prepared as I thought I was.  I needed a better plan of long runs and tempo workouts.  Second, I sat too long, especially riding in the van, and did not warm-up enough.  At a minimum, I should have started my first leg slower and built up to the pace I wanted over a longer distance.

Finally, there was the Bay to Breakers, in May just two weeks after The Relay.  I knew this was not going to be a good race.  I was still hobbled from The Relay.  Then race day came and it was unusually hot and humid for San Francisco.  I decided to simply survive the race and aimed for a pace around 7:00 per mile.  Since I ran the race just to finish, it was enjoyable.  When I was done, my pace was 6:55.  What went wrong?  Actually, nothing.  I anticipated and adjusted for my condition and the weather. 

Here is hoping for a equally exciting 2010 with lots of running, some exciting races and lots to talk about.

2009 In Review: What's On the iPod?

Working Hard and Going Nowhere
I do about half of my training on a treadmill in the fitness room of the building where I live.  Treadmills are B O R I N G.  During the week, I usually run in the evening, after work.  At first, I was listening to NPR.  It is not enough to keep my attention for a whole workout.  Then I received an iPod as a gift.  I loaded it with music and that was much more successful. 

The first thing I learned is that the music needs to be loud with a strong beat.  I like classical music, but it does not cut it on the treadmill.  So, for me, that means classic rock and blues.  As the first of my year-end series, here is what was active on my iPod this year.  This is strictly treadmill music since I do not wear headphones running outdoors or use the iPod at other times.

Rock of the Middle Ages: Best Survivor of a Previous Decade

I have come to the conclusion that the classic rock album that has survived the best is Derek and the Dominos' Layla.  Aside from the title song, it did not get overplayed.  It is long and has good variety.  I can listen to this over and over -- and I did in 2009.  Who's Next is also a great album, but it is too familiar.  I listen to it now and then, but not over and over.  The same with the Hendrix albums.  At my local used record store, I found a copy of Derek and the Dominoes Live at the Fillmore.  This is early 70's performance excess by a band that does not have it together.  I actually like the early 70's excesses and the album that shows how it can be done well by a tight band is the Allman Brothers at the Fillmore East.

Got Live If You Want It
Considering the Allman Brothers and live albums, One Way Out, Live at the Beacon Theatre was my favorite new discovery for this year.  Two disks, some old songs and some new (to me) ones.  Derek Trucks and Warren Haynes on guitars.  Continuing with the new live albums, late in the year it has been Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood Live From Madison Square Garden.  They do a great cover of the Buddy Miles song "Them Changes."  I was listening to the beat on "Forever Man" and realized it is a bit of a disco beat.  This may be only disco song by a classic rock act that is not a complete embarrassment.  Remember Rod Stewart?  I also love the way they adapted the Traffic tune "Glad" to the instrumentation they have.  To show real kahunas, they do the Jimi Hendrix piece "Voodoo Chile."  Not slight return, the real piece.  As Eric points out in a video clip, Steve Winwood is actually on the original.  So, it is part of his catalog.  Two disks, but it does have a few places where it drags.  Still, a big favorite for the year.

Musicianship Over Dazzle
I saw Joe Satriani a few years ago on a bill with Deep Purple.  I decided he is all technique and no music.  Robin Trower is the opposite.  He has the benefit of great technique and musical insight.  He is another performer who I think has survived the passage of time well.  I still enjoy the old albums.  A compilation under the title Day of the Eagle came out last year and it has been in this year's heavy rotation.  For a live album, Living Out of Time has been my favorite.  Trower continues to tour and I have seen him at the Fillmore the last couple of years.  He also continues to put out albums and the new ones are on the iPod, including Seven Moons (with Jack Bruce) and What Lies Beneath (a different approach than his normal style).

That'll Go Over Like a Lead Zeppelin

When it comes to loud, heavy and with a beat there is Led Zeppelin.  I received the Mothership compilation a couple of years ago.  I have most of the individual albums, but the compilation is a nice compact way to hear a variety of Led Zeppelin.  I think it is probably the best music for turning the volume to 11 and distracting myself from the pain of a tempo workout.

The Blues is Just a Blessing from a Long Time Ago

In recent releases of traditional blues, there is Elvin Bishop, The Blues Rolls On.  It includes a great collection of guest artists on various tracks.  My favorites are "Struttin' My Stuff" with Derek Trucks and Warren Haynes and "Keep a Dollar in Your Pocket" with B.B. King.  "Struttin' My Stuff" is more a performance platform than a great song, but the guitar work is impressive.  This album was nominated for a Grammy and could have won if it was not for my other favorite, B.B. King's One Kind Favor.  As one reviewer stated, this is a late career masterpiece.  Another brilliant album produced by T. Bone Burnett.  This is the best album B.B. King has put out in years.  Which is not to say others are not entertaining, but this one is great.  This is the album that won the Grammy, beating out Elvin Bishop.

My First Album Release

Bob Seeger is also a good choice on the treadmill and Live Bullet is my favorite.  This is the first album on which I appear -- in the crowd -- at Cobo Arena.  (My second release is Eric Clapton's One More Car, One More Rider, recorded at Staples Center in Los Angeles.)  The Who's Live At Leeds is arguably the best live rock album ever, but this one has to be on the list.  It also plays better on the treadmill, probably because it has more variety.  It is long, which is helpful for long workouts.  I like Bob Seeger's last release, Face the Promise, but Smokin' O.P.'s is even better for a shorter workout.

Is Contemporary Temporary?

Susan Tedeschi's Back to the River is a good contemporary blues recording.  It was released late last year and I have been playing it all this year.  Like several of the contemporary albums above, it has great guests, like Derek Trucks and Doyle Bramhall II. 

The Beano Album

Finally, among the old albums I newly discovered in the last few years there is John Mayall's Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton.  These recordings were revolutionary in 1966.  This is the album that presented the rock and blues guitar sound that we know today (a Gibson Les Paul through an overdriven Marshall amp).  As far as I am concerned, everything in blues based rock before Hendrix was simply leading up to him and everything after is derivative.  When it comes to tone, technique and attitude, Eric Clapton in 1966 was as revolutionary.

Offended?  Perplexed?  Inspired?  Hit the comment button and have at it.

DSE Double/Single Lake Merced Run - 11/22/09

IT WAS A COLD AND RAINY MORNING as I pulled the car out of the garage and onto Jones Street.  With San Francisco's micro-climates, the conditions change every few blocks.  It was windy and a little wet on Nob Hill.  Off the hill, the wind died down, but on Geary Boulevard through the Richmond District there was a steady drizzle requiring the windshield wipers.  I hate running in the rain.  I had to hope that the conditions would be better at Lake Merced.  I made the series of turns needed to get onto Park Presidio Boulevard, headed South.  With San Franciso's no-turns, no-lefts, no-rights and one-way streets it is rarely the case that you get directly to where you want to be.  Park Presidio Boulevard goes into Golden Gate Park, merges with Crossover Drive and emerges at 19th Avenue, headed into the Sunset District. 

I pass Judah Street where the tracks of the light rail system are being replaced.  Northbound is closed, but Southbound is open.  I make a note not to return Northbound on 19th.  Good fortune continues to smile on me.  There is a 76 station with gas at $2.75 (cash price).  The standard price on Geary is $3.03.  Even the no-brand cash price on 19th is $2.95.  Gas is almost always cheaper South of Golden Gate Park.  Zone pricing.  I am getting wet as I pump gas.  I turn on Sloat Boulevard and then make the turns to get onto Sunset Boulevard.  The windshield wipers are off and the pavement looks relatively dry.  I pull into the Sunset Boulevard parking lot at Lake Merced.  No rain.  Yea.

I pay the $3 fee and sign-up for the Double Lake Merced Run (9 miles).  It may seem that I run at Lake Merced a lot.  With the Summer Race Series, it is probably true.  Although, I have run more at Lake Merced this year than all my other years in San Francisco combined.  I know the course pretty well and have an idea of how I want to race it today.  I also want a good, even effort throughout the distance.  George B. (to the right) is the race director this week and I talk to him for a few minutes.  As I am leaving for a warm-up run, I see Steve N. and stop to say "Hi." 

After my run last weekend, I decided that a full loop is too much warm-up when combined with the two loop race.  So, I run to the one mile mark and back for my warm-up.  George B., a retired police office, gathers everyone for the start.  He delivers the pre-race announcements and instructions with authority.  Both the double and single loop races start at the same time.  We are off.

With nine miles to run, I start conservatively.  I generally stick to the dirt strip along the inside of the paved bike path to pass the initial surge.  I see one runner who I normally pass in the first quarter to half mile.  At a half mile, he is still solidly ahead of me.  He is running the single loop, so I am not concerned.  If I pass him eventually, good.  If not, it does not matter.

I also see the guy who had a big gap on me at the Great Highway Run.  As you may recall, he eventually came back to me and I passed him at the middle to the end of the second mile. He is running the Double and I decide I need to keep an eye on him.  Even though he may start fast and fade, he still places high in the finish results.  I run steady and slowly gain on him.  I pass at about the one mile mark.  A short time later, he passes me.  Up and over a short hill, I slowly pull ahead.  After that is the biggest downhill of the course.  He comes bombing down the hill, passes me and starts to open a decent gap.  I have picked-up my pace down the hill, but I decide not to match him.  We have a little better than seven miles to run and he will come back to me. 

We complete the hill and I start to close the gap on the guy as we approach the South end of the lake.  Starting up the West side, I pass him again at about the two mile mark.  There are a couple of small overflow channels on this side that cause the path to dip. One of these comes shortly after I pass.  I decide to put in a surge climbing out of the back side to try to open a gap and discourage the guy from sticking with me.  The dip is not that big, but the tendency of most people is to let up a little as they hit the incline or at the crest.  The third mile is a gradual up hill.  I have my gap out of the dip and push a solid pace up the hill.  If he is going to pass me, it will have to be on the incline.  That will require a significant effort.  It works and I don't see him again for the rest of the race. 

Miles three and four are pretty uneventful.  I pass some people, but it is hard to tell which race they are in.  In fact, they may not even be in the races.  It is an open course.  I pass the parking lot and start area, beginning the second loop.

As I am going down the East side I notice an obvious racer up ahead.  I am very slowly closing the gap on him.  I keep a steady pace.  The gap is closing and I pass him just before the one mile mark.  Just after the one mile mark another runner passes me.  He looks to be in his 30's running comfortably.  It is obvious his strategy was to run easy for the first loop and open it up for the second.  I figure I can't match him and let him go.  Also, I am still concerned about the guy I just passed.  At about this point there is a short incline to the top of the hill just before the downhill.  I put in a surge to the top of the hill and then bomb down the hill.  This is the second loop and I can afford to push the pace.  I actually run this stretch slower than the first loop.  With fatigue, it feels faster.  Whether tactics or his own fatigue, I do not see the guy I passed again. 

That is pretty much the end of the racing.  I work to keep my concentration and keep a solid pace up the hill on the West side.   At the end, there is about a minute and a half to the guy in front of me (the one who passed me one mile into the second loop) and about a minute to the guy behind me (neither of the ones above).  So, I am running by myself.

I finish the race feeling I have put forth a solid, even effort for the whole distance.  Some people come over to congratulate me before I have caught my breath. It turns out I came in third.  First place is a 24 year old guy visiting from Germany.  Second is a 35 year old guy, the one who passed me on the second loop.  We all stand around and talk until the ribbon ceremony.  With two concurrent races, some of the faster guys were siphoned off for the other race, helping my finish placement.  I finish in 57:12, about a 6:21 pace.  As they are handing out the ribbons the drizzle starts.  I am cold, getting wet and decide it is time to go. 

I drive up Sunset, skipping 19th Avenue.  When I come to Judah, the Northbound is open and the Southbound is closed.  Good fortune, again.  I drive into Golden Gate Park, along MLK Drive and back to Crossover.  I am back on my route and head home.  The drive may have been wet, but the race was largely dry. 

All Photos by Paul Mosel (c) 2009.
1. Title photo by Paul Mosel based on prior year photo.
2. Race Director George B.
3. Registration tent at this year's race.
4. Me from the Summer Race Series.
5. Finish line at this year's race.

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. 

DSE Great "Halloween" Highway 4M - 11/1/09

The Great Highway is on the Western edge of San Francisco, at the Pacific Ocean.  It is about 3.5 miles long and runs from the Cliff House, at the Northern end, just past the San Francisco Zoo, at the Southern end.  From Lincoln Way, at the Southwest corner of Golden Gate Park, the Great Highway is a divided freeway for about two miles, until it crosses Sloat Boulevard.  There is a bike path along the East side of the road and this is where I joined the DSE running club for its four mile Halloween run.

This is an out-and-back course. It starts at Lincoln Way with the turn-around at Sloat Boulevard.  It is good for a race because there are no cross streets for this two mile stretch.  The course is as flat as any outdoor course.  In fact, I have run on an airbase and even that is not perfectly flat -- all that concrete is poured to allow water to run off.  The path is asphalt with a small dirt strip to the west (ocean) side.  Roughly the first half mile has sand dunes between the road and the ocean.  After that, the view opens up and you can see the ocean.  Like most races, if you are running hard, you don't notice the scenery too much.

I like this course because it is flat, straight and near the ocean.  Some don't like it because it is flat, straight and has limited views, especially where there are sand dunes.  The East side of the path has plants to screen the path and road are from the homes to the East.

I ran the course and a little more before the race as a warm-up and to get more mileage for the day.  Sunday is normally my long run.  If all I run on Sunday is a race, it results in a low mileage week.  If the race is a goal race, that is fine.  If it is just part of my training and weekly running, like this one, I need more miles.

The opening to the bike path is the width of the path, but also has several steel posts to keep vehicles out.  This makes the start fairly restricted and I had to run on the dirt path to pass the initial surge and work myself into position.  I passed people for the first mile and seemed to settle-in.  My first mile was 6:01.  Too fast, again (see my comment on the first mile of the Bridge to Bridge).  I should have been about 6:15.

There was one person in front of me who went out even faster than I did.  He looked to be losing ground.  After I had passed the initial surge at the beginning I could see him far ahead, but I was slowly closing the gap.  At about a mile and a half, I passed him.  Somewhere around the turn around, someone shouted that I was in third place.  That gave me a chance for a top-5 finish, including a top-5 ribbon.  As I commented last year, those have become much harder to get.  So, I was excited.  My second mile was 6:11. 

I was having trouble holding pace in the third mile.  I backed off a little and ran 6:25.  If I had not gone out so fast, I might have been a little faster.  I was passed by one person.  He looked strong and I decided not to try to stay with him.  I was now in fourth and still had one slot to give.  No sense trying to keep with him, only to blow-up in the last mile and risk the top 5 all together.

Last mile and I am anticipating the finish.  There is no one in front of me within striking distance.  As far as I can tell, there is no one behind me close enough to challenge me.  I look for the landmarks to distract me and to tell me I am getting close to the finish.  I know there is a slight rise before the finish.  Rather than be discouraged by it I attack it.  My last mile is 6:07.  Although, as noted below, that is probably misleading.

I finish in 24:47, an average pace of 6:11.  This, too, is probably a little misleading.  I think the truth is that the course is 4 or 5 100ths of a mile short.  That is just the way that the roads are and the only way to get that extra distance would be to go into traffic.  Not a good idea.  So, my last mile was probably more like a 6:20 pace and my average for the race was probably closer to 6:15.  I ran this same race last fall and finished in 24:53.  Comparing apples to apples, I was little faster than last year.  This year, I came in fourth out of 113 finishers. 

I ran two miles after the race.  It was more for the mileage than a cool down, but it served both purposes.  Good run, nice day.  What more could I ask for?

Bridge to Bridge 10/4/09

The Bridge to Bridge 12K is promoted as America's most beautiful race.  It starts in front of the Ferry Building on the Embarcadero.  This is more or less (actually, less) in the shadow of the Bay Bridge.  This race has been run for over 30 years.  It probably started under the Bay Bridge, but the course has changed over time.  Originally, the Embarcadero Freeway was in this location.  It fell down in the Loma Prieta Earthquake 20 years ago (1989).  After a fight, the freeway was not rebuilt and San Francisco regained its waterfront.  In hindsight, a good trade off.

The race proceeds in the direction of the Golden Gate Bridge.  In 1993, the Sixth U.S. Army turned the Presidio of San Francisco over to the National Park Service.  The finish line was moved from the Marina Green (within sight of the Golden Gate Bridge) to the Presidio Parade grounds. 

This is the fifth time I have run this race - every year since I started spending time in San Francisco.  I warmed-up and saw a few people from the DSE Running Club.  Paul M. was there.  So, there are even a couple of pictures of me before the race.

It was a beautiful day.  Clear sky, warm (but not hot) temperature.  There was a stiff breeze that I would feel as we got into the race.  This race includes both a 12K (close to 7.5 miles) and a 7K (a little over 4.3 miles).   Between the two races, there were more than 4,500 people running.  I picked a spot about 10 feet back of the start line.

We started on time and my first mile was just under a 6:00 min./mi. pace.  Too fast, but it still felt comfortable  We were running down the Embarcadero, past a variety of piers.  At Jefferson, we made the turn to the Fishermans' Wharf area.  We had traveled along the East side of the peninsula and were now moving across the North side.  Second mile, at 6:15, was more manageable.  Next, it was into Aquatic Park and over the McDowell Grade at the back of Fort Mason.  The downhill takes the race through The Great Meadow and into the Marina District.  With the hill, turns and such, my next couple of miles were in the 6:30 area.  We went past the Marina Green and into Crissy Fields, turning around at the Fort Point parking lot.  I lost concentration on the Crissy Fields path.  Along with that, running into that stiff breeze and on dirt, I fell off pace for the sixth mile.  After the turn-around, we headed back on Old Mason and I picked-up the pace.  Then it was a right turn into the Presidio, up a hill and to the Parade Grounds.

I finished in 48:55, a pace of 6:34 per mile.  I took second in my age group, out of 164 finishers.  I was 26th overall, out of 2,303 finishers.  Not as good as the Lake Merced Half Marathon a couple of weeks earlier, but still a good result and one of my faster 12k's. 

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DSE Lake Merced Half-Marathon 9/20/09

The Half-Marathon (13.1 miles) is probably my favorite race distance.  It allows a sustained effort but does not require the level of immediate pain that shorter races need.  I returned to Lake Merced on September 20 for the DSE's fourth annual Lake Merced Half-Marathon.  This is the race for which I aimed my training over the summer. 

As far as I am concerned, any half-marathon below an hour and half is good.  Last year I ran this race in 1:28:15 (6:44 average pace).  I was aiming for faster, but realized I did not have the legs for it that day. I backed off to a more manageable pace after the first loop and had an enjoyable race.  I ran the Kaiser Half-Marathon in February of this year aiming to get a qualifying time for a seeded entry to the Bay to Breakers.  For a masters runner (age 40 and over) that was 1:27:00.  I ran a beautiful race until about mile 9 and then the wheels fell off.  It was like a switch clicked and the rest of the race was a real struggle.  I finished at 1:26:59 chip time (6:38 pace) and 1:27:00 gun time (one posting even showed me at 1:27:01 - I ignored that one).  I got my seeded entry, but it was as close as you can cut it. 

So, my goal for this race was to beat my last two half-marathon times.  I also aim for about 6:30 per mile with no individual mile above 7:00.  Some miles may go a little faster, some a little slower.  With hills and fatigue, 6:30 is not possible for every mile.  On a downhill or with the wind at your back, the pace can be a little faster.

There is a 4.5 mile paved bike path around Lake Merced.  The half-marathon is three loops.  The third loop is cut 4/10 of a mile short by taking a bridge at the south end of the chain of lakes.  The race starts and ends at the Sunset Boulevard parking lot at the North end of the lake. 

Loop One:  This was DSE's biggest half-marathon with 216 finishers.  The prior years were 130, 111 and 88, respectively  With that big a group running the width of a bike path, I wanted to get a fast start to try to stay out of as much congestion as I could.  Somewhere toward the end of the first mile I fell in with a group that had a couple of guys from the Olympic Club and one guy with a 7 Oaks Tri Club shirt.  It turns out that the 7 Oaks Triathlon Club is located in England, Southwest of London.  I was able to keep with that group until the first water station.  I took some water and it cost me contact with the group.   Loop one went well with times from 6:34 to 6:12. 

Here is the group finishing the first loop, I am the runner in the middle of path completing the turn behind them. 

Here I am approaching the second water stop, at the end of the first loop.  This photo was taken shortly after the one above.  I was getting ready to pick out my cup of water.

Loop Two:  Last year, the start of loop two was where I realized I could not keep the pace I wanted for two more loops.  This year, I was relieved to feel like I could sustain the pace I wanted and pushed on.  At this point I was mostly running on my own.  I passed a couple of people who were struggling and I was passed by a couple of people who had more than I did at this point in the race.  I came around to the same water station at the end of the loop two.  My times ran 6:22 to 6:39.

Loop Three:  The half-marathon started a little after 8:00 AM.  This race also includes a single loop 4.5 mile race that starts about 9:00 AM.  As I hit the Sunset parking lot and continued on the bike path that is around the perimeter, I could see the 4.5 mile participants lining up and starting.  I came to the start of the third loop just as the last of the starters got to the same point.  I had to work my way through most of the 4.5 mile race participants.  That might seem like a frustrating situation, but it is actually a little helpful on the third loop.  It is distracting and gives you something to think about other than how tired you are.  So, I rose to the challenge and carefully picked my way through the crowd for a mile to a mile and one half.  Splits are harder to figure on the final loop because of the short cut across the bridge.  So, it was little harder to keep track of my times.  I think I was in the 6:35 to 6:45 range for each mile with the last half mile (closing in on the finish line) at 3:11.  

A very successful race.  I finished in 1:25:43, a 6:32 pace.  I was 18th overall and took first place in the 50 - 59 year old division.  The weather predictions had been for the first day of week-long heat wave.  It turned out to be overcast and cool with a light breeze.  The conditions were good for racing and contributed to a good performance.

That is probably the end of racing at Lake Merced for a while.  My next race is the annual Bridge to Bridge on October 4. 

Aerial photo by RoyTennant

Race photos by Paul Mosel (c) 2009

Lake Merced photo from sherwoodsf.wordpress.com

DSE Marina Green 5K 9/6/09

My favorite Sunday long run is from home to Fort Point, at the base of the Golden Gate Bridge, and back.  (That run will have have to wait for a future blog post, though.)  It is pretty much 10 miles.  From the bridge, I can add mileage either running across to Marin County, through the Presido or with a couple of shorter additions.  On this particular day I decided to add the DSE Marina Green 5K (formerly the Walt Stack Memorial 5K), which was along the way.

The race starts at the Marina Green Parking lot, goes along a bike path at the edge of Marina Boulevard and then follows the Golden Gate Promenade (a big dirt path along the shoreline of the bay).  The Marina Green is the long narrow rectangle of grass in the middle of the photo.

It looks much bigger at ground level.  The race proceeded to the right in the photo, made a jog toward the bay at the corner of the marina and continued on the dirt strip at the bottom right of the photo. 

I ran to the Golden Gate Bridge (5 miles) and back to the Marina Green (about 2 1/2 more miles).  Then I waited for the race to start.  The race was well attended with 221 finishers.  This was my last hard workout before the DSE Lake Merced Half-Marathon on September 20.  So, my goal was to run at a steady tempo pace at around 6:25.  I ended up running it in 19:38.  That was a little slow for a 5K, but a little fast for a tempo run at an average of 6:19 per mile.

Next, it is on to the DSE Lake Merced Half Marathon on September 20.  At that point I can evaluate my training to see if it made any difference in the race.  The Bridge to Bridge 12K is after that. 

Fort Point/Golden Gate Bridge Photo: parkconsevacy.org (c) Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy

Marina Green and Downtown San Francisco: Low Altitude San Franciso/Telestar Logistics

Race Photo and Start Line Panorama: Paul Mosel (c) 2009