New Legs

The Martinez Brickyard 8-miler is a hilly race that I ran once four years ago. I had avoided running it since because it's 35 miles away, on the edge of what I considered a reasonable distance to travel, and because my age group is very competitive. In 2005 I finished seventh overall, but fifth in my age group (M40-49). I had beaten all the 30-year-old men, but my age kept me from competing against them. This year I think I have a better chance, especially since 51-year-old runner extraordinaire Kevin Searls has graduated from my age class. Kevin owns this race as well as a few track records from his college, but he doesn't race frequently so I rarely encounter him.

At the race I reconnect with John Pettinichio (M52) and Holly Starr (F54), who will be part of my team for the Tahoe Relay in June. John and Holly are going to be great in Tahoe, and I look forward to spending the weekend with them and the rest of the team.

Back to Martinez, the race began in a municipal park and then plunged into a screaming downhill before hitting back with several steadily climbing hills. I managed to break out with the lead pack at the start, avoiding collisions or tripping while running downhill. Once the race reached the trail it wound along a hillside with beautiful views of the Carquinez Straight off to the right. The weather was absolutely perfect, a nice change from my first three races this year.

I was running with a handful of high school runners, and two adult men including Kevin Searls. The hills were challenging, but I didn't feel overwhelmed. The climb up to the Golden Gate Bridge in the Across the Bay 12K a few weeks earl er motivated me to try something different to strengthen my legs, which were exhausted for the rest of that race and days after. The next day I tried to do a wall sit, where I assumed a sitting position with my back pressed against the wall without using a chair. That day I could hold the position for about a minute, half my usual time. I decided to do a two-minute session every day for three weeks, and it seems to have paid off.

At no time did I feel like my legs couldn't take the hills, or that I would develop side splits. My pace held up pretty well. Not everyone felt the same. While returning I saw a young woman lying on the road. She seemed calm and had assistance, so I continued past her. A few minutes later a fire truck approached me and passed me on the way to provide medical support. I learned that the runner was all right and that the fire truck rescue was a frequent event at this race.

I finish my run and feel pretty good about my chances of winning. The awards for this race are unique. Winners receive a brick with a small engraved plate. I'm hoping to get a brick, although I have no place to put any of the smaller medals I have, so this one will present another storage issue. Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall" and "Brick House" by the Commodores.

Results are a long time in coming. This is the first year that the Alhambra High School track team is organizing the race, taking it from the Diablo Road Runners who found it to be too much of a burden. I have strong appreciation for the Alhambra team's efforts in saving this race, but I also have a few quibbles with the race results and confusing turnarounds for the four-mile and eight-mile races. I lost 10 seconds looking back to see if anyone was following me after passing a randomly placed pylon almost four miles from the start. After waiting around for what seems to be an hour, Holly offers to get my brick if I'm fortunate enough to get one and give it to me later. I take advantage of her very nice offer, also saying that I could do the same for her. She's less optimistic than I am about winning something, but she insists that even if she doesn't get a brick, she has a shorter drive home than I do so I should be the one that leaves.

I check the results that day and see that I finished up in a time of 50:50, 6:21 per mile, seventh overall but first in my age group. Holly also finished first in her age group (W50-59), but John placed fourth, victimized by Kevin Searls and an aging pack of fast runners. Searls finished fourth overall in a time of 49:24.