2018 COC Summer Series, Race Reports 35-41

     This year was the 45th annual COC Summer Cross Country Series held on the campus of College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, California. I have been running races at COC since an AAU championship meet was held here in the late '70s or early '80s, also known as the glory days of running. The series always starts on the first Thursday after the 4th of July and this year that happened to be July 5th. The series consists of 6 preliminary races followed by a series finale to make 7 weeks of pure cross country fun for the whole family. Unlike the Bakersfield Summer Series, this race consists of mostly serious runners, many of them high schoolers from all over southern California. For this reason, Robin decided she didn't want to compete this year. She would just show up with me, do the course early at her pace, then cheer and take pictures. Good friend Keith Pautz usually comes out for these races even without proper training and fitness along with some Frazier Park buddies I have coaxed into running the series the past few years.
     The weather for the first race was warm by Santa Clarita standards but not for me after running the Bakersfield series. It cooled down to 93 by the time the 7:00 PM start rolled around. I went into the series planning on only running hard at the series finale since recovery seems to be getting tougher as I age. I had run a race only 48 hours earlier so the plan was to take it easy and enjoy the race. My start was fairly quick because old habits die hard. At the COC races, everyone heads out along the baseball field to a gate then a sharp left followed by the course narrowing down as it wound its way through campus. My early 5:30 pace for the first couple of hundred meters slowed as we made the turn and  I  settled into a pace that I felt comfortable with. My first mile was 7:03, followed by an 8:13 during the hilly section, then a downhill 6:49 to the finish on the track. My official time was a 22:18. I got third in my age group for the first night. In years past we have always gone to Vincenzo's Pizza for our post-race nourishment but on this night they were unable to serve us so we headed to Chuy's instead.

 Robin went for the basket of fish at Chuy's.

I opted for the giant burrito

     The following week we were back at COC on Thursday for race number 2 and this week Keith showed up. I did a short warm-up and caught up with Keith and his son Ethan about everything we had been doing in the last year since COC had ended in 2017. The second week of COC I hadn't done any races so I figured I would try a little harder than the week before but still nothing all out until the last race. I hit the first mile a little quicker in 6:57. The second mile I still didn't run hard because of all of the hills and ran an 8:11 split. My final mile downhill was quicker with a 6:38 showing on my watch. My final time was 21:56 good enough for second in my age group behind Nigel Toates on the night. Keith finished in a 35:37 and off we went for food at Vincenzo's Pizza.

 Part of the family meal deal at Vincenzo's.

We opted for a pitcher of beer instead of sodas

     Week number 3 was soon upon us and we all met up in the parking lot at COC to get ready for the nights racing action. Since I had raced on Tuesday before I wouldn't be running hard and the weather was a cool 82 degrees out. I was bummed I wouldn't be able to take advantage of the weather and race hard but I knew if I did I would pay the price down the road with recovery issues. I did the first mile in 7:17 cruising along talking with friends. The second mile with the hills was 7:53 and my last mile downhill to the track and finish was 6:57. My time was 22:17 which was good for 3rd in my age group on the night. Keith took full advantage of the cooler weather and turned in a 33:09. We all headed to Vincenzo's Pizza again for some food and adult beverages to aid in recovering from the night's activities.

    Week number 4 meant we were over half-way through the series and the weather once again turned out to be cool. I decided to just run the middle mile hard, at least harder than I had run it up to this point in the series. Once again we all took off from the baseball field and headed to the middle of campus. I hit the first mile in a comfortable 6:58 then started working the hills with a little more determination than the previous 3 weeks. The hard work paid off and my second mile was a 7:41. I eased off on the last mile to the finish and had a time of 21:36 for the race, good enough for second in my age group on the night. Keith came across the finish line in a 33:37 which was a little slower for him than the previous week. 

     We tried to get to Vincenzo's but it was packed with some meeting so we headed over to Chuy's instead. 

I have a soft spot for the Chuy's burrito

     Week 5 brought us back to COC for the first time in the month of August. This week I decided I would run the last mile harder and go through the first two easy. I did my warm-ups and headed to the starting area. When the gun went off I did start quickly, about 5:30 pace but then I settled into an easy running motion to get through the first two miles. Lucky for me I tucked in behind Phil Howard that runs the Tuesday night track practice and was able to chase him to the finish. My third mile was a 6:22, the quickest of the year so far. I finished with a time of 22:11, good for third in my age group behind Nigel and Phil on the night. Once again, being creatures of habit we headed to Chuy's for dinner after the race.

 Robin had the salmon

I went for something different finally and had the chili

     Week six was the last night for the regular season. Next week would be the finale. This was the last night to get eligible for awards. In order to win an award, a person had to compete in three of the first six races. Anyone could compete in the finals race but only those that had three races in could win awards. 

     The previous Sunday I had competed in a trail half-marathon in Shaver Lake that I hadn't fully recovered from yet(more on that race in the next blog post)so my goal was to run the whole race easy. I went out slow and never ran hard the whole race. I was still tired from the half-marathon and I knew I was going to run hard the next week. My splits were 7:48, 8:49, and 7:00. My official time was a 23:48 which was good for 7th in my age group on the night. Keith, on the other hand, was feeling his oats and cranked out a 31:42 which was his best so far in the series. 

     The real treat for this night occurred at Chuy's. When we arrived Big Bill was there waiting for us. Bill Hines, aka Big Bill, was best man at my wedding and him Keith and I used to do lots of things together before marriage and children. 

Big Bill showed up at Chuy's to eat and reminisce with Keith, Robin, and myself.

     Week seven was here which meant it was finals night at College of the Canyons. The weather was a cool 82 which for mid-August was perfect. I did some extra strides and drills as I got ready. This week I wore my Nike racing XC flats for the race. I had done all of the other races in my Nike Pegasus trainers. The race started a little late which was actually good because it let the sun set behind the hills. My goal all season was to run this race hard. 

     This time when the gun went off I took off with the high school kids at a 4:50 pace and settled in in a good spot for the run through campus. I went through the first mile in 6:33 and attacked the hilly section. I learned to run and ignore pain early in my running career and it paid off in the section. I had a 7:21 mile 2 with all of the big hills. I continued to push the pace remembering last year when I won my age group by only a tenth of a second at the line. My third mile was a 6:19 and my finishing pace heading for the line was 4:30 in my sprint. I think I could have gone a little faster during the race as I had a lot left at the end. My official time was a 20:21, and I was first in my age group. 

Results from my age group at the COC finals

     Keith and the Frazier Park bunch all ran hard. Keith ended up third in his age group with a time of 31:37. After the race, everyone is treated to tacos and a awards ceremony takes place where the medals are handed out. 

My first place medal for winning the 55-59 age group.

     We started a tradition a few years ago of going out for sushi after the finals night and this year was no different. Keith, Ethan, Robin, and I headed to Love's Sushi and had some delicious food after seven weeks of fun running in the heat and dust. I give this race a 5 lager rating. I think it's a little overpriced for what we get but I'll continue to do it as long as I'm capable.

Our sushi after the finals night at COC.

     

Bakersfield Track Club Summer Series Races 2-5, Race Report 30-34

     Even though I did a separate report for the first race, I have decided to lump all of the other races from the summer series into one race port covering the remaining four races.
     The first thing we found out when we arrived for the second race is that the times for some of us were not recorded at the first race. This is significant because we were supposed to start based on our finishing times from the previous race. Everyone who was new to the series and those of us whose times didn't record had to start at 7:15. I think all of us that pre-registered for the series didn't have a timed result from the first race.
     Even though I hadn't worked out much since the first race of the series 2 weeks prior my goal was to beat my previous time. The weather was cool for Bakersfield, a balmy 91 at the start so everyone went out fast. My first mile was a 6:50, backed up by a 7:24 and a 7:36 for a finish time of 22:36. I did beat the time I posted for the first race that didn't count so I was happy. It wasn't long before Trevor, Andrea, and Robin finished. We all had a cold post-race adult beverage and headed out for some food.

Post race sandwich and fries.

   The third race of the series was held on July 3rd, and Trevor and Andrea weren't there as they had headed out of town. Robin and I got there about an hour before the start so I could get in a warm-up, some strides, and hit the bathroom multiple times. I have found that I tend to drink too much water when it's hot out and this leads to my added incontinence when running. I guess I would rather be hydrated and wear a pad for the time being until I get everything figured out. This week was even cooler than the last race, albeit only by a degree. No one in Bakersfield in July complains about 90 degrees when it comes to running. It feels cool compared to most of the summer.
     I went out a little faster than last time. My first mile was a 6:38. Somewhere ahead of me Robin was having fun in the sun since she got a head start. The second mile with the hill I slowed down to a 7:06. I finished the race covering the third mile in 6:58 and catching Robin before the finish line. My time was a 21:30, and Robin finished in 39:35. We both improved on our times from the previous race and went out to celebrate with some sushi after we were done.

Robin and I had some awesome food at Shoyu Sushi on Mt. Vernon in Bakersfield

     Race number 4 for the Bakersfield Track Club Summer Series was held on July 17th, and the cool weather we had enjoyed the previous races was nowhere to be found. Trevor and Andrea were back, and so was the heat. It was a nice 102 degrees at race time. Robin, Andrea, and Trevor took off early to just walk the course because of the heat. I did my usual warm-ups and strides but took the race out a little slower because of the heat. I wore a hat I had soaked in cold water and carried a frozen water bottle that I sprayed down the back of my neck throughout the race. My conservative start resulted in a slow 6:54 first mile. My second and third miles were just a little bit quicker than the last race so I finished with a time of 21:40. Not bad for 102 out. Robin, Trevor, and Andrea came in with a time of 51:40. We all quickly changed and headed down the road to Ethel's for a quick bite and home to air conditioning.

Burger and fries at Ethel's after a blistering hot race.

     July 31st was the final race in the Bakersfield Track Club Summer Series and the race day weather was hot and smokey. The temperature was 100 even and there was quite a bit of smoke in the air from California's wildfires that were burning everywhere. We got there on time and I went through my paces to get ready for the race. I elected to wear the wet hat, bandana, and carry the frozen water bottle again. Due to my finishing time in previous races I was one of the last runners to start in the handicap system. I knew I would be starting close to Shane Goslin so I decided to try to hang with him at the start. We didn't push it too much, my first mile was only a 6:56. When we got to the hill I felt really good so I pushed it a little and dropped Shane, and my mile two split was 6:52, my best ever. I continued to push the pace, hoping to keep Shane behind me. My third mile was 6:42 and I finished the race with a personal best time of 21:14. I actually negative split the race in smokey 100-degree weather. Shane was next across the line in 21:41. Trevor finished in 30:53, Andrea in 37:31, and Robin in 49:09. We quickly changed into some clean clothes and headed to the Loma Linda Mexican Restaraunt in Bakersfield for our post-run nourishment. 

 Running with Shane early in Race #5 of the Bakersfield Track Club Summer Series.

 Robin went all in with some spicy Chili Verde.

I stuck with a more mild meal, opposite of how we usually do things.

     There is a sixth night for the Bakersfield Summer Series, but it consists of a fun run, volleyball, and awards. I did the run and none of us won any awards outside of our series shirts. I'm still not sure how the event was scored but we all had a great time. The series is inexpensive and fun outside of the heat. I give the series a 6 lager rating this year and I'm looking forward to the 2019 Bakersfield Track Club Summer Series.