So if you look at my list of races to the right you should notice that yesterday I should have completed the US Half Marathon, and I did! The weekend couldn't have been more glorious if it tried. We had lovely sunny weather with a nice gentle breeze. Saturday was spent lazily on the grass in Sausalito reading my book while Randall pottered around on the boat. Bliss! The additional joy on Saturday was that Randall took on a "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" attitude and decided to sign up for the race as well.
Then came Sunday morning...we had to be up at 5am! No, not a type-o! All I have to say is thank you for daylight savings time - I was able to convince myself that it was 6am not 5am whatever the clock said. The race itself starts at Aquatic Park in San Francisco - for those of you not local, it's right in front of the Ghiraridelli Chocolate factory and a direct line out to the bay to Alcatraz. The run took us up Van Ness Avenue to Bay street and a sharp right turn down into the Marina for a flat couple of miles to the base of the Golden Gate Bridge (about 4 miles). This is where the trouble in my head started. Ok, I was all ready to haul up the GIANT hill to the bridge. My head had already prepared for that. What happened was worse...we got 1/2 way up the hill and they turned us around to the bottom again, then made us run all the way up the hill again! Torture! Especially when you're not expecting it. Frankly, it wouldn't be so bad but then you have to run the bridge. Now in a car, or walking, the Golden Gate Bridge is a beautiful sight. Running - not so much and let me tell you why.
1. Wind - so the GGB spans the only major inlet between land masses for miles. Wind speeds in the "slot" can sometimes be clocked at 23 mph. Sunday I don't think had those kind of speeds but you certainly felt it.
2. Traffic - most races close the road to the runners so the only noise you hear is the thump thump thump of padding feet and the odd cheer from the crowds. Not on the GGB - you run on the "sidewalk" which means you have cars and trucks (yes, there is a fence) whizzing by you at 45+ mph! Lots of noise and more wind!
3. Hills - yes, the GGB goes up...and from the runner's point of view it goes up forever, then down for about 20 seconds , both ways. How that phenomenon exists I don't know, I'm just telling them how I see it.
With the bridge done we headed back down the big hill (just once this time) and back along the waterfront to the starting line, 13.1 miles in total.
Yes, I'm moaning about this race a little, and my time was on par with my marathon pace (ie not fast enough) but I expected that. It was a good training race for the beginning of my running season and set the bar nice and low so I can beat it as I go on. I'm back pounding the pavement today as the next race is only a couple of weeks away. Viva Las Vegas!
PS. Running with Randall was lovely. :)
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