SAR Bigfoot Race, Shaver Lake, CA: Race Report #17

    On August 12, 2017, Robin and I headed North to Clovis, CA to check in for the Search and Rescue Bigfoot Runs to be held the following day at beautiful Shaver Lake. We were meeting our friends Trevor, Andrea, Mark, and Joan at the Fleet Feet Fresno store across the street from the famed Woodward Park cross country course. We arrived, checked in, got our bibs, shirts, and swag. We did purchase some nice socks from the store that were on sale while we waited a few minutes for everyone else to show up. We left there and headed out for a quick bite for lunch before settling in at Mark and Joan's house for the night.

Everyone enjoying an awesome lunch at Westwoods Barbecue

     Mark and Joan's house was headquarters for everyone getting ready for the race the following morning. Robin and I were treated to locally grown Fresno State corn from Gibson's market that was fantastic. After dinner and a few beers, we all got a good nights sleep before getting up and heading out in the dark for Shaver Lake. Most of the drive was on rural two-lane roads culminating in a steep climb into the western Sierra Nevada mountains. I hadn't been here since my high school days in the 70's and the roads haven't changed in 40 years. 

     We paid extra for "preferred parking" at the race. Most of the runners parked miles away and were brought in by buses. The preferred parking got us close enough that we only had to walk about 3/4 of a mile to the start/finish area. The race seemed to be held at a logging site. We parked around logging equipment, and the start/finish was just a wide spot on some logging trail where the organizers did a great job of erecting tents, porta-potties, and everything else necessary for putting on a great race. 

The starting line one hour prior to race time

There was plenty of cold water for everyone after the race

Krei brought out portable changing rooms for anyone that had to change before or after the race

     The race started on time. I was doing the 10k. There was also a 5k, 1/2 marathon, and 2-mile family walk. The races all used the same starting point, but when we got to the bottom of the starting hill, each race went a different direction. The course was mostly on soft dirt for the first mile or so. 

The downhill start at the SAR Bigfoot Race

    The first mile was downhill, then we hit some steep short uphills, before heading downhill even more. Unfortunately, all this downhill at the start only meant one thing. It would be uphill going back to the finish.

The turns were well marked when one was faced with a fork in the road

I was glad I wore my Nike Wildhorse Trail Shoes

    I had no problem walking some of the steep parts. My hike and running format combined with the fact I ran the downhill in the soft stuff early at an easy pace found me passing people that had gone out too hard during the early portions of the race. I also found the trail full of runners from the 5k and the 2-mile family hike as I pushed towards the finish.   

The view of the uphill finish at the SAR Bigfoot Race

  The race featured 645 feet of climbing. There were search and rescue personnel stationed around the course in case there were any issues. We were all given whistles before the race which we were supposed to carry in case we got lost. The races were sold out, and I was lucky enough to finish 14th overall, and 1st in the 50-59 age group. The races were really fun, and I would really like to go back, maybe try a different distance next time.

My brass Moscow mule 1st place cup and Bigfoot

    The post-race party was great. Tioga Sequoia Brewing had some tasty beers along with Michelob Ultras. We also got some burgers and ice cream. Everyone had a really good time, even those that ran the 1/2 marathon. Now I had to recover quickly as the COC finals were just four days away. 

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.

 

College of the Canyons Summer Series Race #4; Race Report #13

     I arrived at COC ready for the fourth race of the summer series with high hopes. The previous Tuesday I had been at the same exact place for a track workout and felt surprisingly good. This week there was no race in Bakersfield so I was excited to see what I could do. I went through my usual warm-ups and drills, hung out with Keith, Ethan, and Robin, then did some strides right before the race. The air temperature was a balmy 90 degrees, not bad for July 27th in Santa Clarita.
     When the gun sounded I took off and tried to get ahead of as many of the slow high school kids as possible since they all think they must run three wide for some reason.

The view after the first turn at the COC Summer Series

     I felt pretty good, so I kept the pace up as we did the first small hill through campus. When we hit the first downhill I tried to pick up the pace and something strange happened. I could feel myself peeing into my custom depends. I slowed a little but kept up with those around me. I went through the first mile in 6:56, not great, but on pace for a decent time if I survived the big hills ahead. The peeing thing was strange though. When we started the downhill along the freeway I felt the same sensation. I was peeing myself while I ran. This was something I had never had happen to me before. By the time I got to the big hill, my pad was overflowing and I had pee running down my legs. I stopped running and started to walk, looking for a way down the side of the mountain. Since there wasn't a way that looked like something I could navigate without falling, I continued to walk the course. I went through the second mile in 10:14, but the peeing had abated. I tried running slowly and things did not get any worse. Either the easier running was slowing down my problem or my bladder had emptied itself. I cruised to the finish in a 26:06 on a night when I had hoped to run my fastest time so far this season.  

Running along the I-5 during the COC Summer Series Race #4

     I really don't know why I had this issue. I used the restroom three times before the race. On Tuesday during the track workout, I didn't have any problems. We all changed, and as has become our custom, drove to Vincenzo's for some post-race pizza and beer. 

College of the Canyons Race #3; Race Report #12

     Just two days after the Bakersfield race we went back down to Santa Clarita for the third race in the College of the Canyons seven race summer series on Thursday nights. We tried to park where we normally do, but some studio types with Napolean complexes forced everyone to park in a tight grid so Nissan could film a commercial in the adjacent parking lot. Eventually, Keith and Ethan joined us along with Aden and Dave.
     We went through our warm-ups and drills, but I could tell tonight wasn't going to be my night. My legs still felt the results of the race just 48 hours earlier. Not as young as I once was. The weather was uncharacteristically cool for this time of year so I was disappointed I wouldn't be able to push the pace. We all lined up on the baseball field to await the starting gun.
     I went out easier than normal since I was feeling fatigued from Tuesday. I cruised through the first mile in 7:19, not fast but I felt within myself at this pace considering my tired legs. The second mile still had all the big hills. Funny, they just don't seem to go away. For over 30 years that hill by the Valencia Blvd. offramp has been there, and it's still just as steep and as long as it was the first time I ran it. I suffered up the hills and my second-mile split was 7:55. With the hills behind me, I powered down the hills to the track as best I could with a third mile split of 6:34. My finishing time was 21:55. I grabbed a quick drink and went back to find Robin. I cheered Keith on as I went backward on the course looking for Robin. I found her about a half mile out and finished with her. We all headed to the parking lot, changed and headed to Vincenzo's for some pizza and beer.

Ethan, myself, Robin and Keith at Vincenzo's

Bakersfield Summer Series Race #4; Race Report #11

     On July 18th Robin and I headed to Bakersfield for what was supposed to be the fourth race in their summer series. The third race was postponed and later cancelled because of a lack of volunteers to help put on the race. In my previous post, I mentioned that a runner suffered from a medical issue during the race, and unfortunately that runner passed away and I think that might have played into the third race being postponed. It's very sad that Benjamin Greene passed away, and its equally sad the Bakersfield Track Club had to put up with the negative diatribes from Mr Greene's family and acquaintances for simply providing us with an opportunity to run.
     This week the weather cooler compared to the last run, only 100 degrees out. The race had the usual misters and this week there was an industrial type cooling center set up. It looked like it was made for someone working in the Sahara desert, or in this case running in Bakersfield during the summer. Honestly, I don't feel much difference between 99 and 108, I think it's mostly mental. I did my warm up, drills, and strides before the race like always. I think I peed at least three times to make sure my bladder was as empty as possible before the race. Even Robin and Andrea did somewhat of a warm up by walking around the park before the start. Trevor did his usual warm up, he watched us. I again wore my hat and bandanna that I soak in water and carried a frozen water bottle to help keep my hands cool. I headed to the start area where I awaited my designated starting time and wished Shane, Joe, and Carl good luck.
     This time when the gun went off I went out faster than before, trying to take advantage of the mostly downhill first mile. I hit the one-mile mark in 6:42. Not too bad for an old fat guy. The second mile consisted of the only hill on the course and saw us go from pavement to dirt trails for most of the rest of the race. My second mile was 7:14 and I kicked it in for a 7:07 third mile and a finishing time of 21:40. I ate a slice of watermelon and filled my water bottle up since I had used my water to squirt on the back of my neck to stay cool during the race and headed out to find Robin to help her on her run in. I only had to go about a quarter of a mile, and there she was. I walked and jogged at her pace back to the finish again as a cool down and to give Robin moral support.
     After we had all cooled down we headed down the road to Ethel's roadhouse bar and grill for some adult beverages and sandwiches. The food there is really good, and the wait staff was prompt and courteous, definitely someplace I would be returning to.

The giant American Indian statue in front of Ethel's