Some Are Just Better than Others: NorCal 10 Miler March 5, 2011

THERE ARE NO BAD RUNS, some are just better than others.  This year's NorCal John Frank Memorial 10 Mile was one of the best. 

The NorCal is the first race in the Pacific Association - USA Track & Field (PA/USATF) Grand Prix Series.  Based on my masters placement (age 40 and over) in last year's Grand Prix Series for the long course (12K and above) I am a comped athlete for this year's long Grand Prix races.  I was determined to use my free race entry for this race.  Last year the NorCal was my worst competitive race of the year.  I was also determined to return to this course to do better.  Last year's report is HERE.

DSE Embarcadero 10K (6.2 Miles) - 02/27/11

On the Sunday before NorCal, I decided to run the DSE Embarcadero 10K.  It looked like a fun race and I thought it would give me a good idea where my fitness stood leading into the NorCal.  In addition, DSE has moved all of their races at Fisherman's Wharf and on the Embarcadero to 8:00 AM, reducing conflicts with cars, bikes and pedestrians.  I like the earlier start time much better.

I ran from home to the start, paid my $3 member's entry fee and was ready to race.  This was intended to be a fun race.  Go out and see how I feel, stick around 6:25 and do nothing that will impair the NorCal race.  This is an out and back course on flat, hard sidewalks.  It goes from Aquatic Park, through Fisherman's Wharf, onto the Embarcadero and turns around a little short of AT&T Park.  Mile 1 is 6:14, probably a little fast.  Miles 2 and 3 are 6:26 and 6:29, OK with me.  There is a turn around arrow at the three mile mark.  At the time it did not look right to me, it should have been .1 farther unless the finish line was moved farther into Aquatic Park.  However, everyone was turning at this point and I did not know if there would be a 3.1 mark up ahead.  I also wanted to be able to compare my time to the others around me.  So, I followed the crowd.

I reached the Mile 4 mark at 4:53 and knew that the race would be .2 short.  I was now on the return and could afford to push the pace.  Miles 5 and 6 were 6:09 and 6:14.  I was feeling good in Mile 6 and thought about trying to catch the runner in front of me.  I kept telling myself: this is not the main event, save it for NorCal.  My finish time was 37:39 for six miles, an average pace of 6:16.  I calculated that if this had been a true 10K, I would have been flirting with my 10K PR of 38:54.  A really good sign for next weekend.

NorCal 10 Miler - 03/05/11

My support crew and I left The CITY mid-day on Friday for the roughly four hour trip to Redding. After the first hour traveling Northeast, the route heads North through scenic agricultural terrain.  The weather started nice, but clouded up during the trip, with the possibility of rain on Saturday.  We took this as a leisurely drive.

When we reached Redding, we went straight to the local Fleet Feet store to pick up my race number.  When possible, I prefer to have everything ready to go on race day.  We then checked into our hotel and went for an early dinner at Logan's Roadhouse. 

Logan's is a corporate chain trying to be a funky local dive.  They have a barrel of peanuts at the door and buckets on each table.  You can throw the shells on the floor, if you are so inclined.  They have steaks, ribs, hamburgers (the choice of my support crew), sandwiches (the Porkies BBQ sandwich was my choice), seafood, dinners, combos and more.  The burgers and sandwiches are served with homemade potato chips.  Everything is loaded with salt, sugar and fat -- the staples of corporate chains.  As a once in a while experience, it is pretty tasty.

This race starts at 10:00, which gives those hearty enough time to drive up on race morning from the bay area and Sacramento.  It gave us plenty of time to have a normal breakfast with time for it to settle before the race.  Having run this race before, I am familiar with the course, layout and routine.  That is all pretty helpful.

As race time approached, it was chilly and rainy.  My support crew was decked out with umbrella and rain coat.  I encountered a few sprinkles, but nothing significant on my warm up.  The race is on a paved path along the Sacramento River.  The gun went off.  Just like last year, the start was a crowded jumble. 

In the first mile, I tried to find open space on the path and set a solid pace.  There were a few sprinkles, but nothing more.  It was good running weather.  We came to a one mile marker, but I knew from my warm-up the marker was for a companion 3 Mile race.  Many runners became confused.  There was no marker for 1 Mile in this race, but I saw a wooden trail marker in the grass that looked like it was about a mile from the start at the trail head.  I came in at 6:09.  That was a little fast, but after the race a week earlier, I was not too concerned.  Mile 2 was 6:25, a better pace.  I was slowly gaining on people and passing them. 

A little before the 2 Mile mark I noticed that a woman had slipped in behind me and was either pacing or drafting off of me.  There is a modern footbridge that crosses from the South side of the River to North side at about 2 1/2 miles.  I made the turn and slowed so that I did not slip on the wet surface.  Once I was sure of my footing I upped the pace on the dip to the middle of the bridge and up the other side.  The woman was not able to keep the same pace.  There are no mile markers or trail markers on the North side of the river.  This is also the section of the course with rolling hills.  They are short hills that can be attacked.  I tried to run them as comfortably fast as I could and let the pace be what it is. 

Just after Mile 4 we entered a subdivision.  The course follows a shape that is something between a loop and a triangle before re-entering the trail a little after Mile 5.  Mile 5 is the next marker I see.  At 18:56, that is a 6:18 average for miles 3, 4 & 5.  This race is going very well.  It was just after mile 5 that I started my crash and burn in 2010.  This year, I feel strong.

On the outbound I saw the Mile 6 marker and made a note that the last long hill on the return ends there.  I pace myself up the hill and had a 6:31 at the 6 Mile marker.  After that, it is short rollers back to the bridge.  I put in a steady pace and slowly pass a couple of runners who are spent after the hill.  Mile 7 is at the bridge and clocked in at 6:16.  After the bridge there are a couple of times when runners tried to stick to the back of me, but ended up falling away after a quarter mile or so.

The return to the finish is a slight up hill.  Mile 8 was 6:27.  Every time there is a challenge and I need a surge to deal with the terrain or to pass a runner, it is there.  At this point in the race, that is amazing.  I am passing a couple of people per mile.  Mile 9 is 6:20.  Instead of fading, it seems I am getting stronger.  A race like this is rare.

About three quarters of a mile past Mile 9, the course crosses the start, heads through a small parking lot and then over an old bridge.  Around Mile 9 I see a bridge in the distance.  It is high up in the air and I think it is going to be tough to climb onto that bridge at the end of the race.  As I get closer, I realize the bridge I see is a railroad bridge and not the one I will run on.  Although there is a small climb to the bridge, I am relieved when I get there.  I am over the bridge to the North side, down the other side and make the turn into a City park for the finish.  My last mile is 6:16.

My finish time is 1:03:22, an average pace of about 6:20.  This is my fastest 10 Miler ever, by more than one minute.  I finish 57 out of 250 finishers and 3 of 7 in the 55 - 59 age group.  My age graded score is 83.02.  Probably my highest age grade ever.

After the race, I met up with my support crew.  I retrieved my recovery food and jacket.  Except for those sprinkles at the start, no rain for the race.  I wait to see if it looks like the results will be posted soon.  It does not look promising.  So, my support crew and I return to the hotel.  I take a quick shower before we get on the road. 

On the way back, we looked for lunch in several places and ended up in the small town of Winters.  My support crew and I stopped at Chuy's Taqueria.  We both ordered the Chicken Soft Taco special of the day.  The food and service were great.  A wonderful way to end the trip.