Thursday, December 31, 2009

Best and Worst of 2009

This was a non-Olympic year, but there were still a lot of highlights in 2009 as well as some low points. For me the year contained more ups and downs than any other. I got off to a great start before injuries slowed me in July. I had to miss the half marathon of the San Francisco marathon and all of my favorite races in the fall. Maybe my new stretching and strengthening routine will keep me healthier in 2010, although I think injuries will remain a threat. Best wishes, and a healthy 2010 to all.

Best Race: I had hoped to one day be on a team for the Tahoe Relay, and this year a group of friends made it possible. By far this was my favorite race I’ve ever run. Besides the pleasure of competing, I had a great time assembling a team, setting a lineup, preparing logistics before and during the race, and planning activities. Somehow everyone I wanted to run was able to make it, and we won our division in the sixth fastest time in our age group since 2000. I estimated that we could finish the 72-mile course in 9:20. This looked ambitious by past results, but we beat that mark by three minutes. We had four women and three men, took the lead in the third of seven legs, and never let up. It was a first-class weekend, with great accommodations in a cabin large enough for six team members and their entourages. Because I only had to run one-sixth of the race, I was able to experience the race as a spectator as well and enjoy the interaction with familiar faces on other teams. I can’t wait for next year.
Best Pre-Race Meal: Part of the Tahoe experience was terrific food. Mandy made a great entrĂ©e for a large group, pasta with pesto and potatoes. It’s as carbo-loaded as it sounds. Boil one box of penne pasta, steam a bunch of asparagus and cut into bite-sized pieces, then boil and cube three Yukon Gold potatoes after peeling them. Combine the cooked ingredients, add pesto (store bought or homemade), and top with fresh basil. Eat and run at least 10 miles fast the next day.

Best Athletic Performance, Five and Under Division: She earned her white and yellow belts in kung fu, can swim at least 25 meters unassisted, and can skate around an Olympic sized ice rink on her own. Maylee also became adept at the monkey bars after years of Daddy holding her feet. Daddy would like her to join the swim team, but it’s a big commitment and Maylee is probably correct in resisting. Next up: learning to ride a bike.

Best Athletic Performance, Open Division: For the second consecutive year, Usain Bolt broke the world records in the 100 meters and 200 meters, chopping 0.11 seconds off each mark that he set in the Beijing Olympics in 2008. These margins of improvement are the largest since the age of digital timing. The previous record in the 200 meters stood for 12 years. Bolt’s performance at the Berlin world championships in 2009 was so overwhelming that Tyson Gay ran the fastest time ever by an American in the 100 meters and still finished 0.13 seconds, or more than four feet, behind Bolt in a sport where photo finishes are common. Bolt’s iconic lightning pose during competitions will remain prevalent as he is just beginning to dominate his sport. He no longer surprises, although he continues to amaze. Bolt’s 200 record eclipsed that of Michael Johnson, who holds the record for the 400 meters set in 1999. I think Bolt could be the world champion at that distance, but he has indicated that he wants to branch out into the long jump.

Worst Runner: On July 2, I opened my Runner’s World to see Sara Palin profiled. Within a few days she resigned as governor of the second-least populated state in the country. Like everything with Palin, the story had legs, pun intended. Newsweek ran a photo of her from the Runner’s World photo shoot on its cover for its article, ‘What Do You Do with a Problem Like Sarah?’Palin complained that the photo was sexist, about a year after she complained that another Newsweek cover photo of a closeup of her face was unflattering. She was offended as a woman. I was offended as a runner. Runners don’t quit.

Lucky 13 and Nifty 50: Despite my limited activity in the fall, I managed to win 13 medals, eclipsing my previous best of nine, which brought my total since 2004 to 50.Running 5Ks later in the year helped since I didn’t have to train too much for them and was still able to place. I would take health over medals, but I’m thankful for the good luck. Some of my main competitors didn’t appear at a few races, and I managed to take a medal at the Tilden Tough 10 even though I posted my slowest time since 2004.

Best Excuse to Cross-Dress: I received a women’s jacket for completing the California Dreamin’ half/marathon combination this February. Anyone who runs either the half or full marathons at Surf City (Huntington Beach) in February, San Francisco in July and Long Beach in October over two years receives a nice jacket and large medal. The men’s small jacket was too large, so I took the smallest women’s. Other than the zipper being on the opposite side, it’s indistinguishable from a men’s jacket, and it’s the best free clothing item I’ve received in running.

Best Medal: If they ever change the design of the medal, I’ll try to get the California Dreamin’ one again. It’s a trek to go to southern California twice, but we have relatives that we enjoy visiting in the area, and the two races are scenic and well-managed.

Best Running Coverage: St. Louis is not a big running town, but the two races I ran there received extensive media coverage. The St. Louis Post Dispatch gives impressive features on returning champions and race previews of the Go! St. Louis running weekend, does a full writeup on the marathon and half marathon, and then the top five in each age group in both races are listed in the sports page on Monday, along with several stories. Compare this to San Francisco’s coverage of Bay to Breakers, which is a much more prominent race, with several professional runners. The San Francisco Chronicle didn’t even mention the winners of the race, either in print or on its web site, which had a collection of photos of the costumed runners. Amazing that I had to check the race web site to find out what happened, no different than a local 5K.

Worst Magazine Covers: Sex sells, but Runner’s World needs to sprinkle some diversity on its covers. The normal cover for the monthly magazine shows a young woman from southern California running in a jog bra. On occasion the cover will feature a young man from southern California without a shirt, and maybe every other year a running star like Ryan Hall. Runners in general are a pretty decent looking group, so Runner's World should be able to find unlimited subjects of different ages, in all parts of the country, running in a variety of weather conditions, wearing any type of running apparel.

Best Celebrities: I had a brief encounter with Ceci St. Geme, but Jane Watson had her photo taken with Kara Gaucher at the Nike Women’s Marathon. Kids might idolize Peyton Manning or Derrick Jeter, but they will never play catch with either of them, and they will never be on the same field competing with them. That’s not true in running, where everyone lines up with the elites at marathons, and the stars are very accessible. As Jane says of Kara, she’s as nice as she it fast. I saw a video of an interview with the Asics women’s team that won the Bay to Breakers centipede championship as it regularly does. While Heather Gibson and her teammates were answering questions, Deena Kastor jumped into the picture and said she wanted to be part of the next centipede team. The women loved it, and the idea is almost plausible. Kastor genuinely admired the Asics amateurs, and who wouldn’t want an Olympic medalist and the current US marathon champion on their team?

Worst Weather: The normal perfect Bay Area weather deserted me on several races, as I slogged through four downpours and one brief heat wave. Prior to this year I dealt with rain once in five years. The weather didn’t affect my outcomes in terms of placement, but the heat slowed me considerably.

Injury of the Year: Eli Manning’s got it, so does Kobe Bryant and Albert Pujols. I thought I got rid of it in 2008, but plantar fasciitis helped keep me on the sidelines for most of the latter part of 2009. Six years of running and the advance of middle age have made this a persistent pain in the foot. I’m not cured, but only rarely do I feel any discomfort. It seems that certain injuries become fashionable. Remember pulled hamstrings from the 1970s and the high-ankle sprain from a few years ago? Now plantar fasciitis is 'in' injury. This one is persistent, as I write this with a stinger in my heel.

Best Non-Running Workout: When I was injured swimming didn’t do it for me, nor did the stair master elliptical machine, or spinning class. I’m not good enough at swimming to exhaust myself, the stair master and elliptical are too easy, and I don’t know how hard to push myself in spinning. For me the stationary bike is the best substitute for running. Forty minutes at the maximum setting on a hill course challenges my legs and gives a pretty good cardio workout.

Best Use of TARP Funds: I felt obligated to run this race because I was my office’s team captain, but I was still battling recurring pain in my right leg and foot when I ran the JP MorganChase Corporate Challenge in September. I hadn’t run fast for two months, and was pleased to discover that my leg didn’t snap off at the knee when I managed to complete the 3.5 mile course in a 6:15 pace. This race made me realize that I still could compete without seriously injuring myself. I knew that I had to get healthier, but I wasn’t ready to quit. I managed to race three more 5Ks, which was a limited schedule, but very gratifying. Sure, JP MorganChase didn’t use its TARP infusion to stage the race, but the TARP funds kept JP in business so that they could host it.

Best New Running Locale: Unfortunately I injured myself on a glorious 12-mile run on this wonder in mid-July. The Chicago Waterfront boasts a network of paths that pass the museums, aquarium, Soldier’s Field, yacht clubs, and parks. I was most impressed by the packs of runners. Some were sponsored by running stores, and others were independent running clubs. Running in groups of 20 or 30, their enthusiasm helped dull my pain and lifted my spirit on that day. I eagerly await my next visit to Chicago and opportunity to run without injuring myself.

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Perfect Carma

"Your backpack's got naked people on it!"

Someone from my party at the Run Wild for a Child race has called me out for something that I realized this morning. The backpack that I received for running the 2008 Napa Marathon has a bottle of wine with a coed couple streaking on the label. The backpack was the right size for today's race, and it elicits a string of comments about stripping, going green by going nude, and Bay to Breakers.
We stay fully clothed, but reluctantly peel off our long outerwear in the brisk morning air. The weather is beautiful but enjoyed better with more layers. With 25 miles to be run between the five of us, shoulders, arms and legs are exposed twenty minutes before race time.

Suzette Smith (at left) drove the group of us, which includes her son Tim, Jane Watson (second from right), Debra Cramer (on the right) and myself. We carpooled in Suzette's Prius, which must give our fivesome one of the smallest carbon footprints at the race. Thanks to Suzette I was able to enjoy what I consider one of the most spectacular entrances to any city, the westbound Bay Bridge emerging from the Treasure Island Tunnel. I've made this commute daily for 10 years. I tried to include a clip of it here, but the video file was too large.

The girls run the 10K and the guys the 5K. This is a tough field, and I finished fifth last year when I was in better shape. I would have placed in last year's 5K, and given that I haven't run anything longer in four months, I decide not to torture myself. Tim has run once in the previous three weeks, so he's not going to exert himself either.

I start fast and pass two Impalas whom I planned to pace against. As with most 5Ks there's not much to talk about. Fatigue hits about halfway through the race and one of the Impalas, Liz Gottlieb (F334), passes me and wins the women's race in 18:05. I finish in 18:30, 17 seconds slower than at the Primo's 5K in October, but good enough for third in my age group. I never seem to run well in Golden Gate Park, which is a shame since it's such a great setting.

The course may be a bit more difficult here, and last year's 10K was only six seconds better when adjusting for the distance. My knee and foot held up better than in any race since the Run to the Lake in July, and I ran the first mile only five seconds slower than normal. My main problem is that I am a bit out of shape, and can't sustain a max effort over much more than a mile.

My brother Martin greets me at the finish line. His wife Kathy is running the 5K as well. The last time I saw Kathy was at the St. Michael's Day Dash in St. Louis on September 27. This time Kathy has different attire, as she's dressed as a Lego block for the costume contest.

The women in our group clean up in the 1oK. Jane (F45) takes third in her age group in 43:56, Suzette (F54) is second in 46:21 and Debra (F52) is right behind Suzette in third. The medal winners all had pretty similar performances when adjusting for age and gender. Suzette's run ranked 76% (of the world record) in the age-grade scale, and the other three of us were within 3% percent of her. We're pictured below with our medals. Tim, the glue that holds us together, is right in the middle.

My medal was the 13th of the year, a new high. It was also the 50th since I resumed running in 2004. The big winner was Kathy. She won two nights at a swanky hotel for finishing fourth, first among individual competitors, in the costume contest.

Great weather, friends and family, great place for a race, and tons of fun. Perfect carma.

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Learning to Run

Physical therapy, that was the answer. Rest, orthotics, swimming, stationary cycling, wearing a sock that pulled my toes toward my ankle while I slept, acupuncture and consultation with an orthopedic specialist didn't work. Physical therapy has been very effective. The other methods have their strenths, and I would suggest that anyone with an injury pursue any of these methods to see what's effective. Cycling and to a lesser extent swimming helped maintain a floor of running fitness. Acupuncture brought the most immediate relief, but didn't sustain. My podiatrist and orthopedic specialist recommended physical therapy, so their suggestion proved correct.

My first visit was not unlike those with other medical professionals. I described my symptoms, which the practitioner found puzzling, and then I was given a hypothesis. In my case my physical therapist Imee said the muscles in my legs were too tight and she observed that when I walked my foot didn't rest on my heel as much as with most people. She suggested that I focus on landing on my heel, advice that I have not followed, at least consciously. I figure I know how to walk.

A lot of research indicates that stretching brings no health or performance benefits, although there is not a consensus on the topic. I followed the practice of avoiding stretching for more than five years, and felt that soreness and tightness in my legs indicated that I was working hard and getting fit. Assuming that tight muscles equaled strong muscles, I only stretched after really lng runs when I made time for it, or before some races.

Other than changing my walking gait, I strictly follow everything Imie says. I'm a very good patient, and motivated to get better. She prescribed some stretching exercises at first and said that I should not expect to run for five weeks. My second visit she massaged the back of my right knee. She was looking for the source of my pain, and she found more pain than I could by myself. This ordeal feels like nails in the soft tissue below the knee. The shoots of pain caused me to break out in sweat, a response that she still triggers whenever she tells me to lie on my stomach.

On my second visit Imee prescribed strength training, including leg lifts and clamshells, both while lying on my side, and leg presses and hamstring curls at the gym. My third visit was an epiphany. Imee observed me running on a treadmill. It was my first run in several weeks, and I really enjoyed it. More importantly, I ran two miles with no pain. Imee discovered that I was not following through on my right leg. I was speeding through the right side, almost like running on a crutch. She also noted that I seemed stiff as opposed to fluid, and that my back kick was abbreviated on both legs.

The session went so well that she said I could run five miles at a time. She said I should focus on her observations. Even better she said that I could skip my next semiweekly sessions with her. That week I ran three five-mile sessions 100% pain free. The next week was three six milers.

I reported back to Imee at my next visit. It was amazing to not expect pain while running. I do have some residual sensations of injury in the knee, so I know I have to ease back into my routine. Imee said my plan to increase mileage about three miles a week seems reasonable, but to back off if it hurts. She gave me another break from visits, and I'll see her the week after next. That will give me a respite from breaking into a cold sweat.

I have to give credit to my colleague Anne Selting for suggesting Physiotherapy Associates, where I get my treatment. They are very close to the office, which eliminates the biggest obstacle to my frequent visits for therapy.

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Family Ties

Encouraged by my decent showing at the corporate challenge on September 16, I decided to run a 5K while visiting my family in St. Louis. It’s the St. Michael’s Day Dash, a race to honor the patron saint of firefighters and police officers. I had no idea that St. Michael held this position, but I suppose that St. Louis looks for the Catholic connection whenever possible. My siblings and I all attended Catholic grade school and high school, and my sister Diane met her husband at a Catholic university. Not until I moved from St. Louis did I realize that most cities don’t have a lot of Catholic schools, and the schools they have are small and relatively insignificant in athletics.

The race’s connection to public safety means that it features an array fire and police icons like fire trucks and a bagpipe ensemble that leads us to the starting line. Maylee would have loved it, but she and Mandy are back in California.

I haven’t run since the 3.5 mile corporate challenge 11 days earlier. Yesterday I ran around the block to test my knee, which responded favorably. I’m not in great shape, but I think I can run under 20 minutes, which would be two minutes slower than the last 5K I ran on July 4. I want to finish in 19:21, which will require the 6:15 pace that I ran the shorter corporate challenge. This course is hilly and has eight turns, whole the corporate challenge is flat with long straightaways.

The start of the race is marked by a race volunteer who had to avoid us like a dodgeball target when he forgot to get out of the starting lane, and then a car that crossed the course 20 feet from the start, missing the lead runners by about five feet. Once we navigate these two hazards, we’re on our way.

I’m somewhere in the top 10 as the race begins, feeling pretty good. About a mile and a half in, a runner catches up to me and I instinctively slow down, so subtly that it’s almost imperceptible.
“Stay with me,” he says. His name is Don Kueneke (M53) of Kirkwood, Mo.

I barely pick up my pace and run alongside. “Nice job,” he says.

It occurs to me that in this relatively small field I have the luck of running not only with a pacer, but also a very supportive one, if only I can keep up with him. I ask him his goal time. He says 18:40, to which I respond that’s probably going to be too fast for me. He replies anything under 19 minutes would be good, and I indicate that we’re on pace for that time. I consider telling him that I’m injured and not in the best of shape, that my PR is under 18 but that was on a flat course, and if my lungs don’t give out my foot might wither, but I’d rather run than talk, and he surely feels the same. I spare him my drama and figure he and I will find out the level of my fitness in about 10 minutes.

We hit the second mile in 12 minutes, comfortably within reach of a 19 minute finish. The third mile has a series of hills, and I take the lead for most of it. I’m going full speed and he’s cruising, so he passes me before the last turn. I finish in 19:10, eighth overall. I would have placed in the top three in any age group other than my own (M40-49) in which I finish fourth. Fortunately for me, the race gives masters awards to the guys in my age group who were ahead of me, and because the race doesn’t allow double-dipping it declares me as the winner of my group. The generous $20 gift certificate covers my registration fee.

The men’s winner is Seth Kelly, who works at the running store that I will visit later today to redeem my gift certificate. The women’s winner is not a woman at all, but a 13-year-old girl named Sophia Racette, who I thought was no older than eight years old. She’s about four and a half feet tall. Looking like a mini Kara Gaucher, she sported professional running attire that included form-fitting shorts and singlet, aerodynamic sunglasses and arm warmers, and had her hair in a ponytail. She reminds me of kids who wear full football pads in Pop Warner leagues or for Halloween, as if she was wearing a costume or the clothes are for grownups. Her time of 20:13 proved her ability matches her clothes, and undoubtedly she’ll make some high school and perhaps college coach thrilled to have her on the team. I later learned she’s posted one of the top 20 times for 3000 meters among girls nationwide in her age group.


After the race I meet up with my brother Andy and sister in law Kathy. They finished in 27:07 and 28:28, helping us set a record for the most Wittes in a race. I meet with other runners as well, including Don Kueneke and James Marino (M30), who raved about the San Francisco Marathon that I missed a few months ago when my foot screamed in pain. So many friendly people. I’m having a great time.

I love St. Louis races. In the three that I’ve run, I’ve won prizes and money, and tonight I made the evening news. Channel 5 did a story on the race, and featured my finishing kick as its running clip. Above is a still shot from the newscast. I even met Fredbird, the mascot of the St. Louis Cardinals, who had clinched a playoff spot the night before.


That’s a lot of activity for a small and short race. My hope is to run three times a week for 20 miles. If everything goes well, I’ll run the 5K at the Primo’s race in two weeks.

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Which Doctor

Acupuncture doesn’t sound like a bad idea. More than two months since my breakdown in Chicago, I’m still looking for answers to my injuries. My regimen has shifted to no-impact non-competitive training, but I’ve noticed no improvement in my feet or knee. Actually the problems seem to be increasing. The plantar fasciitis that exploded in my right foot has crept into my left foot. When I ran the Corporate Challenge last week I nearly dropped out of the race after the first third of a mile after the start, but then my right knee and then left hamstring improved during the run.

Last year’s miracle cure of orthotics didn’t work. My feet still hurt and I’m probably putting more stress on the knee as I favor the feet, whichever one is hurting.

The symptoms are weird and the diagnosis is unclear. I saw Dr. Gordon Lundy, orthopedic specialist, on Wednesday, who had no explanation for my injuries. He stretched my legs and knees and said of my knee that “It’s a rock’. There is no obvious damage or weakness in the joint. He prescribed six weeks of physical therapy, describing my condition as a strained hamstring and tendinitis. If my condition doesn’t improve then we’ll do an MRI.

I'm not one to go beyond the traditional medical establishment, but the lack of progress has me searching input from non-western medical sources. Among the suggestions I’ve received:
  • Kat, the spinning instructor at the gym and triathlete, and Hillary, a very fit gym member, swear by their acupuncturist. I plan to make an appointment.
  • Suzette says that when her and Tony’s high school athletes get inexplicable maladies, ice sometimes does the trick. I purchased an ice wrap that I’ll try to use while visiting my family in St. Louis this weekend.

So what does a hobbled runner do? I think there are tips for coping. First, be patient. I have paid attention to the pain. I had hoped to run the Banana Chase 5K two weeks ago, and then the Primo’s half marathon next month. I missed the Banana Chase and will skip Primo’s. I felt obligated to run the corporate challenge, and I’m glad I did since I managed to complete it in a respectable time with no lingering effects. I’ve registered for a 5K in my brother’s town of Kirkwood tomorrow. Basically I’m limited to three-mile races. Even though I can’t train hard and can run only minimal distances, my training regimen has kept my cardio vascular system strong. I never thought I would be running so little so suddenly, but there’s no use forcing it when the outcome will disappoint.

Second, be happy for what you have. I belong to a great gym close to the house. The gym has all types of cardio equipment, weights and resistance equipment, a pool, a variety of classes, and very nice people who have been encouraging me. I’ve experimented and found that swimming is great but doesn’t stress my cardio vascular system as much as I would like. Spinning is surprisingly easy. I probably need a tougher instructor than Kat, or maybe I need to figure out what resistance I can tolerate. Stairmasters are too easy, and Nordic track is even easier. I put all the machines on their highest level and get bored. The only workout that comes close to my typical run is the stationary bike. I choose a preset routine, Kilimanjaro or Cascades, put it on the highest setting of 25, watch CNN, or ESPN and pedal for 40 minutes. If the corporate challenge is any indication, the cycling maintains a high level of fitness without any impact.

Third, don’t have any expectations. I thought I’d be training hard in September, but now I have no timetable. I hope I can run in the spring, I’d like to do the Tahoe Relay again, and I’d like to run some distance at the Oakland Running Festival in March and return to St. Louis for the Go! St. Louis half marathon. All this is up in the air. These are all worthy goals, but maybe it won’t happen.

Fourth, stay involved. This one I have to work on, but there are a lot of opportunities to help and stay active in running without racing. Maylee’s getting close to the age that she could volunteer at a race with me, and I should do it regardless. Plus, it’s also a way to stay in touch with running friends and their success.

Fifth, diversify. If the running doesn’t return soon, I may have to branch out into other activities. Swimming doesn’t come as naturally as running, but I do have convenient access to a pool. I have no bike, so cycling would be more difficult, but I think I would be pretty good in that sport based on what I’ve done the last two months on the stationary bike. Maybe a bike is in the future.

Sixth, stay interested. I read Runner’s World a few days after it comes in the mail and I do my best to follow track and field. We watched the world championships last month and I recorded the last track meet of the international season. It’s exciting to see Bernard Lagat, Shannon Rowbury, Nick Simmons and others running in big meets.

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Maylee's famous: My sister-in-law Kathy Doan gave me a copy of the Pamakids newsletter that was distributed at the RRCA (Road Runners Club of America) conference in San Francisco in March. Lake Merrit Joggers and Striders (LMJS) was one of the co-sponsoring organizations, descriptions of which were included in the publication. Among the photos from the club is one of Maylee at the starting line of an LMJS kids race, looking up at the kids a head taller than her.

Happy Birthday Mom: Today my mom turns 70. My uncle Jay and aunt Lynn are having a party for her tonight. All of my siblings except Valerie and I are in town for the party. Valerie comes to St. Louis in a few weeks. Mom looks great and is in good health. We're very lucky. thanks Mom, for everything you gave us and continue to shower on us and our children.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Good Company

This year five members of our office represented Standard & Poor’s at the JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge. With three men and two women we had the right mix for one coed team, two males and two females, with one extra runner. Weather was ideal and the stunning scenery made one forget about the pain, or maybe a little of it.
Eighty percent of our team is shown above. It's me, Anne Selting, Jessica Schultz and Chris Morgan. The team results for the 3.5 mile race:
  • Larry Witte: 21:49 (99th among men)*
  • Chris Morgan: 29:10*
  • Paul Dyson: 29:49
  • Anne Selting: 31:46*
  • Jessica Schultz: 38:12*

*Times includes in team scoring.

The combined coed time of 2:00:57 was eight minutes faster than our coed team from 2008. For comparison, our male team from last year was about 20 minutes faster. As a team we finished 54th among coeds, exactly in the middle of the 107-team field in that division.

After the race we held the second annual S&P JPMCCC Awards Ceremony at Amici’s. Awards went to:

  • Chris Morgan: Rookie of the Year for having the fastest time among first-year runners.
  • Paul Dyson: Johnny Kelley Award. (Also ‘AAA’ winner, see below.) Paul has the longest streak for running this race among those in our office. Johnny Kelley ran the Boston Marathon a record 61 times, winning it twice, finishing second seven times, and placing in the top 10 18 times. The marathon was a smaller affair in Kelley’s heyday (there were no Kenyans, Ethiopians, or professionals), but his time of 2:30 in 1945 translates to a pace of 5:45 per mile. He was named Runner of the Century by Runner’s World magazine. Kelley passed away at 97 in 2004.
  • Anne Selting: Most Electrifying Runner. Anne was our first corporate runner ever and she’s a utilities analyst.
  • Jessica Schultz: Oldest Shoes. At least three years old. I'm very proud of Jessica. This was her first race ever. She did well and without her we wouldn't have fielded a team.

Above is our whole team at Amici's. Paul, on the right, joins me, Chris, Jessica and Anne. The day after the race the panel of judges (me) noticed the oversight of not naming the ‘AAA’ Award winner for predicting the closest actual time. Paul won, coming within four seconds of his predicted time. Anne was a very close second, 14 seconds from her predicted time.

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Time Off

Earlier this month I felt soreness in my right knee. The ache came and went, and traveled around the front of my knee to the back of my leg right above the knee. Last week I thought I would stretch the tightness out of my right leg, and when I did I felt a tingle through my calf and heel to my toes.

Something was wrong, but I figured I could run for the rest of the month until tomorrow's half marathon at the San Francisco Marathon. A week ago today I ran 12 miles along the Chicago waterfront. What a great place to run. Unfortunately, the pain that unusually subsides in my knee after a mile or so didn't go away until five miles. Then my right foot hurt. Later that day I found it painful to walk. I was pretty sure I'd miss the half marathon.

I haven't run since. My podiatrist has a cheery prognosis: take a week off and get new orthotics. I'll do him three weeks better and take all of August off, trying to stay in shape by swimming. I also plan to get fitted for shoes, just to see if I should move on from my Adidas Boston Classics that have worked so well for four years.

Sunday, July 12, 2009

They Must Be Angels

Today's Run to the Lake shares the same date on the calendar with Maylee's fifth birthday party. The party is six hours later, but there is a cake to pick up, food to pack up, a 5-year-old girl to dress up, and a party space at Children's Fairyland to fix up. After some lobblying with Mandy, I am able to run the race, and I have a great day thanks to intervening angels.
Age is creeping up on me, as my time was more than half a minute slower than two years ago. On the other hand, today's result gave me 10 medals for 2009, the most in any year. I still have the half marathon at the San Francisco Marathon at the end of the month and then the fall racing season after the August/September hiatus. Seven medals came from races that I usually place in, but then I got lucky at Tilden, returned to the Martinez Brickyard faster than I was four years ago, and captained a team that captured the mixed masters crown at the Lake Tahoe Relay.
  • Mandy: First angel is Mandy, who made it possible. She said I could run the race if I rush home and skip the awards ceremony. I ran six seconds slower than last year, finishing first among master's runners and seventh overall in a time of 39:04. This kept my streak of six races and six medals since 2004 alive. At some point the inevitable conflicts between this race and Maylee's birthday will keep me from running, but not in 2009.

  • Steven Chavez: I finally figured how to finish ahead of Steven Chavez. In his early 50s, Steven runs faster than nearly everyone, and always finishes well ahead of me. As I passed the fourth mile, Steve was dressed in full warmups holding a trash can. "Why aren't you running?", I asked. "I'm volunteering," he replied. I gave him a thumbs up and kept running. By the fourth mile he's usually out of my sight. Maybe I could beat him if he carried the trash can to the finish line.
  • John Notch: Running the fifth mile, I came upon a man with a full beard and head of white hair. Tall, athletic, and looking like Zeus, it was the legendary John Notch. He carried a crossing guard stop sign, running from one intersection to another to direct traffic. I had a chance meeting with John at a dinner party several years ago. He said he was one of the original members of the Lake Merritt Joggers and Striders. The reality is that he founded the club, and recorded several amazing feats, like finishing second in the 72 mile run around Lake Tahoe, a single person event that isn't even held anymore. I said hi as I pass him, and he cheered, "Hey Buddy, looking good!"
  • Tim Smith: I had to get home so I missed the medal distribution. Tim agreed to stay with his mom Suzette and pick up the award for me. That was a very nice gesture. Thank you, Tim.
  • Josh McDonald: A young man approached me and asked how I did. He won the race, and it's pretty unusual for strangers who finish several minutes apart to discuss a race. I told him I was a few seconds slower than last year, but felt good about the run. I then asked him when was his next race, and he responded he would either run the steeplechase at the Junior Olympics or attend Ryan Hall's running camp at Big Bear. Thinking that I may be in the presence of a prodigy, I asked Josh if I heard of him. He said maybe, that he finished first and second in consecutive years in the North Coast Section high school track. Impressed, I asked if he was going to run in college. He said he was going to run for Liberty University, and wanted to run for a Christian school. He's a senior at Redwood Christian High. He has wings, he's fast, and is a person who takes his faith seriously. Josh must be an angel.

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Social Call

The July Fourth Mayor's RACE in Alameda retained its small size and large crowds to see the parade immediately after. It was a chance to see friends: runners and spectators alike. Suzette Smith (2nd F41+), Jane Watson (3rd W41+), Guillermo Cazares (2nd M41+), Tony Fong (3rd M41+) and Neal Rodrigues (3rd M19-40) placed well as expected.

My race was faster than last year by two seconds. I finished 10th overall and first among men 41+ in a time of 17:52. After the race Tony joked about fighting over the first place medal. Turns out my medal was for third place. When I realized this, I asked Tony if he struck a deal with the race organizers. He looked at his medal and laughed, not knowing he had the first place medal. We switched. Better luck next time, Tony.

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Up, Up and Away

My mom, Jane Watson and I are driving to our designated spot, the start of leg 3 that Jane will run, about 17 miles from the start of the 72-mile Lake Tahoe Relay. We listen to the news about the results of the Iranian election on the radio. A few minutes go by as we pass the shops, small businesses, casinos and hotels of South Lake Tahoe.

We continue to drive in search of any sign of the race. At 8:22 AM we get a call from Suzette, who's finished her leg. Later the first runners appear. We've caught the slower runners, and the sight is inspiring. Everyone is pushing themselves to a common destination, like a flock of migratory birds.

The runners become more concentrated and we look for Tony Fong. Leg 2 starts at 6,200 feet altitude, with a finishing climb up to 7,000 feet over the last three and a half miles. As we approach the tunnel on the runners' path we see Tony moving pretty well. I was supposed to run this leg, but Tony wanted to run early in the race, and I had assigned the hardest legs, 2, 4 and 6, to the men. Tony's running the first of them, and I'm glad it's him instead of me.

We pull into the large parking area at the leg 3 handoff and see Suzette. Her time was excellent, 1:17:36, a minute and 24 seconds faster than I scheduled. We're second among mixed masters, 4:14 behind Tahoe Redondo. Suzette reports that her leg wasn't too hard and that she would have run faster if she were more familiar with the course.

Tony, pictured with Suzette above, arrives in 1:04:47, putting us just 23 seconds behind what I planned. He and Suzette put us in great position, and confirm the accuracy of the times I had predicted. At this pace we will record a very fast total time. Tony passed 13 runners, placing us 30th overall. I check the results and see that no other team with a number in the 90s, the coed masters teams, has reached the third starting point. We are first in our division, 2:54 ahead of Tahoe Redondo. The photo below shows Suzette, me and Jane awaiting Jane's start of her leg.


Clinging to the Lead

My mother and I drive a few miles into leg 3, pull off at a scenic overlook and wait for Jane. While there we see Len Goldman, president of the Lake Merritt Joggers and Striders, who gave me many valuable tips regarding the race. Len, pictured below, has run this thing about 14 times. LMJS's men's 60s team has won its age division 11 years in a row. The LMJS women's 50s team and the LMJS men's 60s and 70s team have the course record for their divisions. The club's history with the race goes back more than 30 years, and Jack Zakarian has run it more than anyone on LMJS, nearly every year. Jane approaches afterwards and waves me off for water. She looks strong and relaxed, and is carrying her own water. She tells us to meet her at the end.




I get to the fourth handoff and check the clipboard. No mixed masters team has arrived. Mom and I see Jane run toward me...and then past me when she doesn't realize that her leg ends with a sharp left turn. I yell at her a couple of times, and Jane retraces her steps, finishing in 1:21:18, a mere 18 seconds longer than I predicted. Jane passed five more teams, putting us in 25th place overall, and gaining two more minutes on Tahoe Redondo.

For the second time this year Jane taps me in a relay, and it's my turn to run. Leg 4 is the longest in the race at 12.4 miles. It's not the most difficult, but Len Goldman advised me to put our fastest runner here. With Tony switching with me, we've got Len's alignment. I'm matched with fellow blogger Sarah Lavender Smith of Tahoe Redondo. Sarah's a very good runner who's won Lake Chabot and specializes in trail races and ultras.

I've run at altitude but never raced anywhere higher than St. Louis. Len advised me that the altitude at Lake Tahoe adds 30 seconds per mile. I run the first mile in 6:40 just about the right adjustment from my half marathon pace. The weather is pleasantly cooler than normal, so I don't take any water with me. This is a mistake as the dry and thin air sucks the moisture out of me. Two miles into my leg Jane gives me water. I gulp as much as I can, very appreciative of my teammate's support.

At three miles I approach the only hilly part of my leg. It's a two mile climb with a decline of the same distance. A road sign says that Kings Beach is in four miles, which is where the hill portion ends. As the ascent begins I gain on a runner and eventually pass her. The hill is only 200 feet, but feels much higher with the altitude. I'm looking forward to the end of my leg, but I'm less than halfway done.

As the fatigue grows I consider walking some of the uphill segments, as I did in recent races at Tilden and Lake Chabot. No one is around me, and nobody will know that I've taken a break. But the thought of my teammates and the efforts they are giving keeps me running. Fortunately, whenever my legs tell me so stop I reach the crest of a hill and cruise downhill.

By the time I approach Kings Beach I've run from Nevada into California and have passed another two runners. Running by a cafe, I see Len, who yells, "We're having breakfast!" At first this statement makes no sense to me. I've been up since around 6 AM, have seen Suzette and Tony finish their runs, spent an hour in the car with Jane, and am now halfway through my leg. It feels more like mid-afternoon. Then I realize that it isn't even noon.

My mother enjoys my races, and I'm surprised to discover that this one is probably the best for her to attend. I had expected the opposite since the 120 teams are scattered around the lake, spreading out as the day progresses. Instead, spectators driving the course get to glimpse the runners at several points. In addition, the spectators can even participate as relief volunteers since teams provide their own water. Mom did just that, as Jane captured in this great photo.

Jane and Mom give me water three times, which is more than I'll take in any race other than a marathon or a really hot race. I had been concerned with the forecasts throughout the week of rain during the race. Today's somewhat overcast conditions were better than if we had full sun. As I near the end of my leg I see the flags for the handoff to Diane Dove. Tagging Diane is the best feeling I can remember in a long time. I double over and gasp for air. I am completely gassed, but exhilarated, exhausted and relieved.

I had scheduled the handoff for 12:06 PM. My watch says 12:07 PM. We are running a schedule as tight at German trains. My time of 1:23:52, a pace of 6:48, puts us 14 minutes ahead of Tahoe Redondo, but Cool Cats of Los Gatos, who are now the closest competitors in our division, are just four minutes behind. Tony predicted that I would gain 10 minutes on our division, which didn't happen. Sarah Lavender Smith lost 90 seconds in the bathroom, so my nine-minute advantage over her was only about seven and a half, and Cool Cats ran a few seconds faster than me.

Diane is perhaps our most gifted runner. She races infrequently and never does speed work, but almost always finds herself with an age-group award. Recently she was the women's winner at a turkey trot, and she's in her mid-50s. More relevant to me, she was my teammate at the 2006 Couples Relay that we won. A junior college all-America as a swimmer, she qualified for nationals in track after transferring to San Francisco State. While this is not recent history, I know that having her on the team is a big advantage. Diane runs the longest leg we've assigned to a woman, and does well, finishing in 1:22:18. She outruns everyone in our division except Cool Cats, who ran three minutes faster. I suspect Cool Cats ran a male on this leg, and after more than 50 miles of racing our lead is just 1:01.


We Came, We Saw, We Had a Blast

Could John hold our lead? Mom, Jane and I checked in with John ahead of his run. John was ready to go, and we told him to take it easy because of the altitude. His leg is the toughest, with a 500-foot climb over the last two miles. John comes through brilliantly, finishing in 1:27:07, the fastest time in our division. John opens an eight-minute lead over Cool Cats and expands the advantage over on Tahoe Redondo to nearly 17 minutes. He hands over a big lead to Holly for the final leg.

We drive back to the cabin to get cleaned up before heading back to see how Holly finishes. The clouds that have hovered for the day start to produce rain. I'm feeling bad for Holly as the rain intensifies. I hope she'll be okay. When we get back to the cabin Jane and I devour the chips and cheese dip that John's wife Cathy brought the night before.

Fully refreshed I return to the finish line around 4 PM. John and others in our party are waiting, reporting that Holly's running well. Off in the distance we see a small figure dressed in white. Diane is running alongside, pacing Holly through the last quarter mile. She finishes in 1:26:40, more than six minutes faster than planned. She holds on to our lead, which is nine minutes faster than Tahoe Redondo, our closest competitors.

Our total time of 9:17:38 is the sixth-fastest mixed masters performance out of 52 recorded teams since 2000. Everyone ran well enough that even if one person had a bad day we still could have won. John said the women saved us, but he's only 4/7 correct. Suzette and Holly ran faster than I predicted, but everyone else improved or held our overall position as we increased our lead over similar teams. The photo below shows Suzette, Diane, me, Jane and Holly with our awards. We weren't able to get the team together after the race, so Tony and John didn't make the photo.

As much as we enjoyed winning, the team had a great time. The common bond that the team had before the relay was that they were friends of mine, but now everyone has made friends with each other. The race was exciting, and the weekend was just as enjoyable. Suzette has run more races than she an remember, going back to the 1980s. She says this was her favorite race. I agree. Doing something I love with great people.

Thanks to Mandy and and everyone who came to Tahoe this weekend. Runners need support and flexibility in their schedules to train and compete. Our support teams gave up a weekend to watch and encourage us, and help with meal preparation and household duties. Just as the seven runners, the people who joined us bonded and established new friendships. This was the best race ever.

Friday, June 12, 2009

Initiation Rites

On the eve of the Lake Tahoe Relay the East Bay Flyers gathered for a celebration of running and bonding. My sister Valerie opened the festivities with two readings of inspiration.

I always loved running... it was something you could do by yourself, and under your own power. You could go in any direction, fast or slow as you wanted, fighting the wind if you felt like it, seeking out new sights just on the strength of your feet and the courage of your lungs. -- Jesse Owens

There are as many reasons for running as there are days in the year, years in my life. But mostly I run because I am an animal and a child, an artist and a saint. So, too, are you. Find your own play, your own self-renewing compulsion, and you will become the person you are meant to be. -- George Sheehan

Following a brief interlude, the Great Wittoni entered the great room of the cabin in South Lake Tahoe. Bearing a great physical resemblance to me, the Great Wittoni explained that pressing a Cliff Bar to his temple would give him visions of wisdom.

He began his presentation with his eyes closed. "This person has the best body in the Bay Area running circuit," said Wittoni. "I would know this because I have hugged this person more than anyone else at races. This person is strong and solid. This person is like a rock. It is John "Rock" Pettinichio.”

John approached the Great Wittoni to receive his inscribed medal. Next, Wittoni bestowed a medal to Holly "Super" Starr, imparting to those gathered that she was also lucky and shooting.

Following those words of wisdom a great wind rushed through the room, knocking the Great Wittoni off balance. "I feel an irresistible force," said Wittoni. "A strong wind, so hard to fight. It's Hurricane Jane Watson!"

Next Wittoni honored Diane "Wings" Dove for her great last name and speed. Tony "Ambassador" Fong was named for his many roles promoting running.

Finally, the Great Wittoni said, "I have saved the best for last. I am watching this person run with thousands of runners. She's running the Boston Marathon...and she's on Heartbreak Hill. In front of her is Bill Rogers, four time Boston Marathon winner. Then she gains on him...and then she passes him. She's passing Bill Rogers on Heartbreak Hill! This medal is for Suzette Smith: "Heartbreaker".

The Great Wittoni announced he was appearing at the Reno Holiday Inn all next week, and then departed. Inspired and bedazzled, the East Bay Flyers retired to bed and rested for the next day's long competition.

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Superfriends

The evening of the Lake Chabot Trail Challenge half marathon I meet with my team that will run the Lake Tahoe Relay next Saturday, June 13. I am so excited to run with this group, running friends old and new. The relay is 72 miles around Lake Tahoe, with each person running about 10 miles. The event takes all day, and even competitive teams will finish in more than nine hours.

Witte's 7

I floated the idea of forming a team last year to John Pettinichio, but didn't get a strong reaction. This year I mentioned it to Jane Watson around the time of the Couples Relay in February. A few days later I ran into Suzette Smith on the running path in Alameda, who said she was interested. I put a feeler out on Facebook for fast masters runners and soon was in contact with Holly Starr. So far, so good with three women. Then I did a little investigation and tracked down Diane Dove on her lunch break at work. I felt a little like Danny Ocean, George Clooney's character who recruits a team of ex-cons to rob three casinos in "Ocean's 11." Diane said she was in.

I then sent John an email. "John, I have four women, I need some guys!" John said he'd run. Needing just one more runner, I hoped to get Tony Fong, envisioning him as our cleanup hitter. After a few emails, phone calls, and requests to Suzette to elicit a response from Tony, he finally sent me an email, "Count me in."

I sent a message to the group: "We have a team!"

I was delighted and surprised how easy it was to assemble the team: all strong runners and among my favorite people on the running circuit. This is my list of the top six people that I hoped would join the team, and they all accepted. There are no weak links.
  • Diane Dove: 2005 Boston Marathon in 3:28, co-winner 2006 Lake Merritt Couples Relay
  • Tony Fong: 2007 Chicago Marathon in 2:44, cross country and track coach at St. Joseph's High School in Alameda
  • John Pettinichio: 2006-2008 East Bay Triple Crown Joe King (50+) Winner
  • Suzette Smith: 2008 and 2009 Boston Marathon qualifier and girls cross country and track coach at St. Joseph's High School
  • Holly Starr: 2006, 2008 East Bay Triple Crown Ruth Anderson (50+) Winner
  • Jane Watson: 2008 and 2009 Boston Marathon qualifier, and my teammate on the 2009 Lake Merritt Couples Relay
  • Larry Witte: other half of Couples Relays with Diane and Jane, big fan of Suzette and Holly, West Valley teammate of Tony, and comrade in legs with John

Scouting Report

I came up with the name East Bay Flyers (four from Alameda, one each from Berkeley, Walnut Creek and Hayward), and entered the team with high hopes. If the women could average nine-minute miles and the men could run seven-minute miles, we would finish in about 9 hours and 48 minutes, very competitive in our division, Mixed Masters. I did more analysis because I wanted runners to arrive at their starting points some time close to when they would take over from the previous runner. This seemed to be the preferable alternative to driving around the lake for nine hours with six of your less aromatic friends.

Based on what I knew of everyone's ability, and adjusting for terrain I came up with a finishing time of 9:20, which would be the sixth-fastest in our division since 2000. I reviewed my estimates a few times and couldn't convince myself to be any more conservative. Our team had more women than men, and our average age was nearly 50, but while most Mixed Masters teams were more male and perhaps younger, I didn't think we were disadvantaged. We had a strong team and I felt there was already cushion in my estimate.

The 2009 race has more coed masters teams than every year since 2000, except 2002. There will be plenty of competition. Here is my take with team numbers before each name:
  • 90. Tahoe Redondo: A team of four men and three women who competed in the last six races in the open coed division. They look to be in pretty good shape and have finished under 10 hours each time, although they are getting slower with a 9:52 in 2008. They may be our stiffest competition.
  • 91. Homewood Homie's: New team with goofy name. Not a concern.
  • 92. Slammin'Slugs: Finished in 12:04 last year.
  • 93. East Bay Flyers: Yey!
  • 94. Sundance til Sundown: Finished in 12:20 in 2007.
  • 95. Cool Cats of Los Gatos: New team with a smaller talent base than the East Bay.
  • 96. Graying & Sagging, But Never Lagging: New team. I'm not sure to give greater weight to Graying and Sagging or Never Lagging. They could be bad or good.
  • 97. Team Tipps: Family team that finished in 10:58 last year.
My prediction: we'll finish first or second.

Persuasion by Pam

"Hey, you made it! I'm so proud of you!" Pam Ben Rached then gives me a high-five and a hug as she greets me.

"This race I can handle," I reply. "I'm skipping Woodminster."

My first and only prior interaction with Pam was three weeks ago. Very funny packed with energy, Pam and her husband Mourad own a fitness studio in Castro Valley, Body by Pam. A personal trainer in the Denise Austin mold, Pam doesn't have any reservations about giving praise and opinions. Pam introduces me to her daughter Jasmine and Mourad, and we have a brief and animated discussion about my participation at Woodminster race, the third leg of the East Bay Triple Crown.

Pam wants me to run Woodminster, but it's the site of my worst race since 2004. The course's steep and long hills and single-track downhills caused me to finish 38th overall, 16th in my age group. I never run trails, and I think it's pointless to lose at Woodminster when I can win on the flat course in Pleasanton on the same day.

Pam's not convinced. Why do something you're comfortable with when you could challenge yourself, do something different and improve your fitness? She's got a point, but part of my motivation for being in shape is to win something. It's my reward for running four mile intervals on a treadmill at 5:30 AM. If I don't win a $2 medal I'll sleep later, run less, and then lose interest in the sport.

Right before the race I tell John Pettinichio that we have to stick together today, since we've finished one second apart the past two years. John tells me to run ahead. He's going to take it easy since he's running the Lake Tahoe relay with me the following week.

Weather is perfect. There's no sun, which is important as we climb the fire trails above the lake. The race is uneventful. I reach the Lone Oak trail with a lot of caution. With no real strategy I decide to run until I feel strained, which causes me to walk at least part of every uphill for the next two miles, or what I judge to be that distance. The Castro Valley Track Club organized the race and didn't place mile markers on the course. This is pretty frustrating for those running a half marathon.

I reach the dam toward the end of the race, where I suffered severe side stitches last year. (See "Buddy System", June 2008.) This year I feel very comfortable and finish in 1:37:37. This is only 44 seconds slower than last year, and I ran an easy race. I finished 14th overall and first in my age group (M40-44).

The women's winner was Nancy Morales (F44), now running with the Impalas. I remember Nancy when she won the women's US Half Marathon-San Francisco in 2004. I saw her at another race and tracked her performances on the internet until she disappeared from of the scene. Nancy dropped out of the sport after a very disappointing finish at the 2006 Napa Valley Marathon, but she's making a strong comeback. It's nice to see her happy and running so well.

When my name is announced for my award, Pam says in a voice about three octaves below normal, "WOOD-MIN-STER".

I can't let it go, so I ask her to flex her arm. I squeeze her bicep and say, "I can't compete with that."

"What do you mean?", she says. "You run with your legs, not your arms.

"True," I say, "but you need a strong upper body to balance on trails."

"Come on," she says. "Look at you."



Having no response, I laugh and say goodbye to Pam and her family. Maybe I'll see them at the Run to the Lake in Castro Valley.

John also won his age group (M50-54), 1:19 behind me. He has a four-minute lead in the East Bay Triple Crown Seniors division, named after Alameda's Joe King, meaning that he'll run Chabot, Lake Tahoe and Woodminster on consecutive weekends.

Monday, May 25, 2009

Under Pressure

Today's Marin Memorial Day 10K is another Pacific Association race. As such, I have pretty modest goals. This is a lightning-fast course with runners to match, so I'd like to finish in the top 100 and run under 37:30. My greatest hope is that my club, West Valley Track Club, will field a master's team. I've never run as part of a team even though I've been a member of West Valley since 2006. We never have five runners 40 years of age or older, so my times don't get counted as part of a team score.

A few weeks ago Todd Rose indicated that we would have enough for a master's team. I called Tony Fong (M49) last week, who said he was running as well.

Excited about the team element of today's race, I should be calm and relaxed. I know I won't place in my age group, and the flat course should help my time. As I park my car, however, I feel nervous and intimidated. Everyone seems to wear team colors of some type, either race clothes or warmups, and everyone is so fit. Runners are warming up and taking sports drinks. This shouldn't be a surprise. This is a very competitive race, but I shouldn't let that affect my mind set.

I leave my car and find Tony. He's with Aaron Pierson (M46) from our team. Tony says we'll have six or seven master's runners, including Aaron. I make my way to the registration, noting that today's conditions are perfect: temperature in the mid-50s, no sun or wind, with a monotone cloud cover ensuring cool temperatures throughout the race.

As the race starts I settle down. A huge crowd in front of me fools me into believing that I'm running slow, but my first mile split is 5:40, which is normal. Around the fourth mile Maggie Visser (F40) passes me, cheered on by many of her Impala supporters. She widens the gap, and I figure she'll finish well ahead of me as she did at the Devil Mountain 10K (see "When It Rains, It Pours") three weeks ago.

Eventually I establish equilibrium with her and then start gaining. During the sixth mile I am just a few feet behind. As the end nears some Impalas yell to Maggie, "Track 100 meters ahead!", referring to the track that ends the race. I pass her, looking for the finish. Unfortunately, the track is much further than the distance given by the Impalas, and I've gone in to my kick way too early. I manage to keep my pace and even accelerate a little at the end, finishing in 37:17 (officially 37:22) with Maggie one second behind, as shown in the photo on the right.

It amazes me how close Maggie and I have been over the last three years. Here is a list of races that we have run simultaneously since August 2007:


  • Alameda Run for the Parks 10K, August 2007: Me (36:34), Maggie (36:40)
  • Across the Bay 12K, March 2009: Me (46:36), Maggie (46:39)
  • Devil Mountain 10K, May 2009: Maggie (36:40), Me (37:42)
  • Marin Memorial Day 10K, May 2009: Me (37:22), Maggie (37:23)

I don't have much history to refer to, as I didn't run track in school where I could have routinely matched up with another runner. I am closing in on 80 races, though, and there's no one whose performances resemble mine more than Maggie's.

Maggie is a much superior runner to me. Her performance places her second among women 40-44, while mine ranks 11th for men of the same age category. Maggie wins $55 and her performance is age-graded at 84%, which ranks as a national-class runner. My age-graded performance is 78%, which ranks as a regional-class runner. Eighty-eight runners finished under 37 minutes.

I'm happy with my race. I finished with my third-best 10K and fastest since 2007. I placed just outside of the top 100 at 101. My satisfaction is lessened by the fact that West Valley did not field a masters team. My time was third-best among masters West Valley, but we only had four runners. I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. Even with my sporadic attendance at Pacific Association races, I'm one of the stalwarts of the team in my age group.

Later I find that my time was ninth-best among West Valley runners and as a result I'm part of our "B" team. West Valley's second team finished eighth among 12 teams. At least I'm on a team, even though it isn't the one I was expecting to join.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Can't Beat the Heat

"Maybe we should take up golf," I joke to John Pettinichio.

John is keeping me company while I am getting treated for heat exhaustion after the Tilden Tough Ten. Maybe this year's race should be called the Tilden Torch Ten. We're sitting in the shade, staying as cool as possible after climbing Tilden's hills for 70-plus minutes on this 90-ish degree morning.

I must have looked pretty bad when I finished. Lake Merritt Joggers and Striders (LMJS) president Len Goldman immediately had two volunteers escort me to the chair where I now sit. A woman named Candice applied a bag of ice on my shoulders, gave me a couple of bottles of water and told me that I had stopped sweating.

It was a tough race, the hottest since my first at this event in 2000. I have salt patches on my shorts and skin where my perspiration has dried. Since this event runs simultaneously with the more famous Bay to Breakers in San Francisco, news media were full of warnings about taking precautions against the heat. Experts said to hydrate on Saturday and Sunday, but I don't think the nine glasses of water I drank yesterday or the two this morning did much besides make me pee a lot.

I didn't feel the symptoms of heat exhaustion like light-headedness and disorientation. I deliberately took water at every stop, which I rarely do in a race shorter than a marathon. Halfway through the race I think I saw 32 minutes on my watch, which seems fast, but my memory may not be clear. My final time was 71:13, so I ran the second half in 39 minutes.

Heat like this can be dangerous. Around mile eight I came upon one of the lead runners lying on the side of the road. He was much younger than I, somewhere in his 20s. I asked if he needed help, but another runner monitoring him told me that someone else had sent word for assistance.

My time was more than four minutes slower than last year, a common story for many of us. Here are the gaps in times in 2009 compared to 2008 for some notable runners:
  • Roy Rivers (M52): 4:13 slower in 2009
  • Jeff Teeters (M49): 3:47 slower
  • Me (M44): 4:21 slower
  • Jenny Wong (F33): 4:34 slower
  • John Pettinichio (M53): 4:34 slower

The sentiment after the race is less euphoric and more grateful that we are able to withstand these conditions, and also a bit of a reminder that we aren't professional athletes--in many cases we aren't very young either--and sometimes we have to take it easy.

As I recuperate a full contingent of public safety vehicles pulls into the parking lot. Fire vehicles and a police car provide assistance and escorts. Someone tells me a helicopter airlifted someone. I completely missed that. Maybe I'm not so lucid.

My fortunes begin to change. A volunteer hands me three raffle prizes. This is quite a bonanza since I'd never won a raffle prize in the six previous times running this race. I have prizes numbers 22, 28 an 29, and I'm trying to figure out how I won three prizes. My bib number is 298, so maybe they mixed up the digits and gave me all the combinations. I tell Karen Andrews about this, and she checks into it. My hunch is correct. Karen returns with one of the three prizes, which includes a $20 gift certificate.

One person with a better thermostat is Ivan Medina (M22), who wins the race with the first sub-60 time since 2005, 59:29. Ivan has been training around the hills surrounding Lake Chabot, where the Lake Chabot Trail Challenge will take place in three weeks. He'll be the favorite there.

Jenny Wong wins the women's race, which she has dominated more than anyone over the last 10 years. Jenny has run the race eight times this decade, finishing first or second four times each. As refreshed as she looks in this photo, even she says her legs hurt days after the race.

I never left the shade so I didn't get a chance to see the results. I find out that even though my time was my slowest since 2004 I placed third in my age group (M40-49), 13th overall. I'm fortunate because I would have placed fourth in the M50-59 caegory. This is only the second time I've won a medal out of seven races. It has been a good season so far, as I've won six medals in seven races and it isn't even summer.

I have a week to recover before the Marin Memorial Day 10K. It's a flat course and the weather should be much cooler, but I think I'll have to take a few days off and run easy.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

When It Rains, It Pours

"Danville, CA: 8 AM. Chance of precipitation: 15%."

I sit in my car at 7:45 AM, sheltered from the steady rain just before the Devil Mountain 10K in Danville. The above prediction from Weather.com from 6 AM didn't hold true, making this the fourth rainy race out of six this year. Prior to this year I had run 72 races since 2004, only one with significant rainfall.

Most sane people are in bed, and maybe the happier people are in church this Sunday morning, but hundreds of runners will subject themselves to a good soaking while wearing as little clothing as possible and running three to six miles.

The race is a copy of last year, with the exception of the weather, which at least kept the idiot pacer from last year (see "Guy on a Bike," May 2008) off the course. I finish in 37:40, two seconds slower than in 2008. This time I am first in my age group and ninth overall. Two women finish ahead of me in excellent performances, especially Maggie Visser (F40) of the Impalas, who won the women's race in a masterful 36:40. Usually Maggie trails me by a few seconds, includinga three-second deficit at the Emerald Across the Bay 12K in early March. In fact she thanked me for pacing her at the 2007 Alameda Run for the Parks, which I ran in a PR of 36:34. Today she ran faster than I have ever seen her, and I couldn't keep up.



I was fortunate to have a lot of good encounters at the race:



  • Len Goldman: The president of the Lake Merritt Joggers and Striders (LMJS) informed me at the start of the race that I just barely made it into the Tilden Tough 10 in two weeks. This is a relief as Len's blast email earlier in the week said that the race was sold out, and my check hadn't cleared. I'm as giddy as a high school senior finding a fat envelope from a college in the mail.


  • Karen Andrews: The coordinator of the LMJS team for the San Francisco Marathon, Karen introduced herself after recognizing me from my blog. I complimented Karen on her organization and enthusiasm in last year's race. I'd love to run it again, but my vacation plans may conflict this summer.


  • John Pettinichio: As promised, John delivered my brick from the Brickyard 8 Mile race a few weeks earlier. I expected him to leave it in his truck and have me retrieve it, but John carried it around the finish area in a gift bag. John could probably throw the brick about 50 yards, so I wasn't worried about him, but it was more effort than I expected.


  • Brian Collett: Brian finished third overall and in his age group (M18-24) in the 5K in 17:11. He's running and racing all the time, and doing very well. Brian said his job kept him from getting any sleep Saturday night, but he was still getting an adrenaline kick to keep him awake and warm while we spoke. Then he had to get to a warm place as the rush wore off.


  • Carol Turner and Chris Sullivan: Carol took first in her age group (F60-64) and Chris volunteered at the t-shirt booth. Chris ran a very fast 3:24:24 at the Boston Marathon in mid-April. He reports that Kelly Tarkowski (see "Buddy System" June 2008) was somewhat of a celebrity. She ran the 2008 Boston Marathon and Adidas used her photo in large posters to promote the 2009 race. Adidas compensated Kelly with a variety of running gear, including short butt-hugging shorts. We all want to see her wear them, but she assures us we never will.


  • Kelly Clarkson: I didn't meet her at the race, but on my way back home I found her new song "I Do Not Hook Up" on the radio. Her music is a vacuum of meaning and subtext. Green Day she isn't. "Blah, blah, something something, I do not hook up." But as I listen to her, I realize I like it.


  • Jeb Bush, Mitt Romney and Eric Cantor: I'm so pleased to know the GOP had a meeting and all 70 members of the party were able to fit in a pizza parlor in Virginia. The parking lot had several cars with Obama bumper stickers. Maybe next year the survivors can meet for coffee at the Palin house.