College of the Canyons Summer Series Race #6; Race Report #16

     The sixth race of the College of the Canyons Summer Series was my first race of three in a weeks period. My goal was to run easy, get a workout in, and make sure I didn't get too tired as I had a trail race at Shaver Lake the following Sunday, and the COC Finals in just one weeks time. The temperature was a balmy 91 as I went through my warm ups and drills.

     I went out a little easier than I normally do trying to keep the pace slow. the down side of this is getting stuck behind slower high school runners that go out too fast and seem to like to run three wide and chit chat during the race. I ran a comfortable 7:13 first mile, talking to people as I went. The second mile was as tough as always, and I hit it in 7:52. Even though the final mile was downhill, I didn't push it too hard with two more races coming up in the next seven days. 

Following Nigel in the first mile of the College of the Canyons Cross Country Series Race

     My final time was 22:56, a minute and a half slower than the previous week, but hopefully I saved enough of myself for the 10k trail race at Shaver Lake and the finals at College of the Canyons in one weeks time. 

     For the last time we hit Vincenzo's for our post race meal. Next week being finals we will be having sushi to celebrate completing all seven of the College of the Canyons Summer Series races. 

College of the Canyons Summer Series Race #5; Race Report #15

     On August 3, 2017, we went back to College of the Canyons for the fifth race of the annual cross-country summer series. The weather was warm for Santa Clarita being 95 at race time. I was tired from Tuesday night's race in Bakersfield but decided to give it my all since I had peed myself to a stop the week previous.
     I did my normal warm-up and drills and made sure to hit the bathroom multiple times before the start. I think part of my problem is I'm consuming lots of liquids due to the heat, maybe too much liquids. I think I would rather have incontinence issues than risk being dehydrated so I 'm back to wearing a bigger pad.
     When the gun finally went off I took off at a decent clip but my legs felt tired from the effort in Bakersfield. I hit the first mile in 6:54, not great but fast enough on this night with the heat. The second mile is always the toughest at COC and this night was no different. My second mile with the big hill was 7:51. I strode through the downhill last mile in 6:26 feeling surprisingly strong for all of the racing that I have been doing. My time was 21:13 for the race. It was my fastest time of the year and came just 48 hours after pushing myself really hard in 100-degree heat in Bakersfield.
     With two weeks before the finals, I was pretty happy and confident that I may be able to place in the top three again this year even though I have been through a lot physically and mentally with my prostate cancer issues.
     Robin, Keith, Ethan and I headed to Vincenzo's Pizza for our weekly pizza and beer recovery meal, then we hit I-5 north for the 45-minute drive home, reliving our respective races as we went to keep ourselves awake. 

Bakersfield Track Club 2017 Summer Series Final Race; Race Report #14

     On August 1st, Robin and I headed to Bakersfield for the Bakersfield Track Club Summer Series finale. The weather wasn't the worst we had run in, but it was still 100 degrees at race time. We arrived at Hart Park, and soon Trevor and Andrea showed up to complete the summer season with us. I did my usual warm-up and drills while Trevor watched in amazement. The club again had brought out multiple cooling misters, had the music playing, and everyone was amped up to run hard one last time. My race was scheduled to start at 7:08, Robin and Andrea took off minutes earlier for their head start based on the handicap system. I lined up with everyone else old like me and some pretty fast 14-year-olds. I can't wait for some of them to age up. Anyways, when the starter said go, we all went.
     In spite of the heat, I went out on the downhill first mile fairly hard. I was wearing my watered down hat, cooling bandana, and carried my frozen water bottle which I moved from hand to hand to help keep my body cool. Occasionally I squirted some cold water on the back of my neck to assist with the cooling. Being as how it was only a three-mile race there was really no need to drink much so I skipped all of the water stations.
     My first mile was a 6:39 and I caught Andrea before we got there. I felt pretty good. The second mile, which has the only real hill was a 7:08. I didn't work the hill too hard but just tried to be consistent as I chugged up to the water station before turning back onto dirt and a short downhill. The third mile is mostly flat with a slight incline in some softer dirt so to keep the same pace it does require some effort. My third mile was a 6:52 and I sped up to 6:25 pace as I ran to the finish. My final time was a 21:25. It wasn't long before Carl and Joe finished in my age group. I grabbed some watermelon then went back to finish with Robin. Trevor finished in 30:19, Andrea in 37:00, and Robin in 38:54. My finish was good enough to give me 7th overall in the final standings of the summer series.

Yes, it was hot in Bakersfield for the final race of the Bakersfield Track Club Summer Series

The final standings after four races of the Bakersfield Track Club Summer Series

     The top ten got awards, and unlike most races, we got gift certificates to local businesses. My award for seventh place was a 10.00 gift certificate to Sole to Sole, a local running store, and a gel to use on my next long run.

     Since it has become a custom for us to eat and socialize somewhere after we run we headed to Tony's Pizza this time for the all-around runner's favorite of pizza and beer.