I say "allegedly," because similar to my recent B2B finish, my watch disagrees with the result. This time though, it was entirely in my favor: i'm not sure if i just ran the tangents too well (inadvertently "cheating"), or they measured the course incorrectly, but my watch reports that i only completed around 12.8 miles. I suspect it was the latter. Same as my previous race, i don't really care enough about the "official" time to let the organizers know. At least everyone was equally affected, and i honestly don't think anyone is fooled.
(To avoid confusion, i am categorically stating that i am a chip time believer.)
Whether i finished in 2:08:38 or 2:10 and change, it's still faster than my recent finish at Napa. This continues to validate my 3:1 run-walk-run strategy, wherein i keep the ratio consistent but try to do the 3 minute run at "tempo pace." I had enough gas in the tank to see it through until the end, but i wonder how well the strategy will hold up for the full 26.2. We'll see.
Around my second walk break (not even a mile in), a guy passed me while condescendingly tapping on my shoulder and saying "You can do it, boss!" I easily passed him on my subsequent running interval, but he caught up with me when i slowed down to walk. This went on a few more times, with each time taking him longer to catch up. By the time we got to mile 4, he was nowhere to be seen. Run-walk-run FTW!
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| Game face during a 3-minute run interval |
I may be moving up in the world, too: my results reflect that i finished in the top 50% in my age group, my division, and overall - and on chip time, to boot. Or... maybe most of the runners were just there for the view...
RACE NOTES:
1. No expo. The bibs were mailed out. It would have been nice to have had more pre-race communication from the organizers, since i wasn't even sure that the race was pushing through until i got my bib around 3 weeks prior to the event. In lieu of an expo, we just wandered around the boardwalk and consumed unhealthy fried snacks the day before.
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| "Carb-loading" with a deep-fried Oreo |
2. The weather was great, starting out in the mid-40s and ending in the mid-50s. It was pretty cloudy, too. Perfect.
3. It was easy to get to the start from our hotel 15 minutes away, and there was ample parking close to the Santa Cruz Boardwalk. Since it was a small race, security wasn't tight, and Gianina accompanied me up until the gun went off.
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| Start line in the background |
4. The course is an out-and-back, heading east to Capitola and then turning right back around and heading back to Santa Cruz (route details here). There were a decent amount of hills, but short and not too steep, with a total elevation gain of 375 feet. I'm a little hazy on why there is a net elevation gain if it's an out-and-back, but then again i'm just a lung doctor. The views of Monterey Bay were great, and even better in the second half. Aid stations were placed roughly every 2-3 miles, starting around 1.5 miles in. No gels, just water and "electrolytes."
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| The ambulance "sweeping" at the end of the race. Thankfully i was headed in the opposite direction |
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| Elevation chart |
5. At close to 1400 participants, it was a small event, and never felt crowded. As an aside, i never wear headphones during a race and was quite entertained by the ongoing conversation of the ladies i intermittently caught up with. Some snippets: "So is he your boyfriend?" "He wants to be," and "You just don't understand the fragile state i'm in right now... i mean, emotionally." I wasn't even eavesdropping, they were just talking really loud.
6. Gianina was able to meet me right at the finish line. Shirts were handed out at a booth, but since the race was much smaller than B2B, there was virtually no queue, and i got mine immediately. There was a "goodie bag" containing a banana, an orange, a bag of chips, a Kind Bar, a can of Bubly, and a bottle of water. Not bad. I believe there were "free" massages as well, but i didn't partake.
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| Santa Cruz wharf in the background |
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| That's a breakfast burrito... not included in the finisher bag |
Lack of communication aside, i liked it, and would definitely do it again.
Next, back to the full marathon: Santa Rosa.
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| At least i got a shirt this time |
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