stival half marathon. My masseuse April had everything under control until she bent my legs at the knee after loosening my hamstrings. When she did this, my right calf calcified into a fist of pain. April has done what the course could not: put me in a state of complete submission.This is a much different condition that I was in a few minutes earlier.
Here's Larry Witte from Alameda. He's 45! Believe me, running keeps you young," said the public address announcer as I crossed the finish line. It was a strong race for me. I finished 13th overall in 1:22:08, my best time in 11 months and my highest age-graded performance since the Long Beach half marathon in October 2008.
The result was not expected since I had a digestive illness early in the week that limited my eating and caused me to drop four pounds in three days. The ailment prevented me from following up the previous Sunday's run at the Emerald 12K Across the Bay until Wednesday, and then rain on Thursday eliminated a training session. I ran less than 25 miles the week leading into today's run.
The course was flat and fast, which worked in my favor. It was also one of the most anticipated races I've ever run. Oakland hadn't hosted a major race in more than two decades. As one who returned to running in Oakland after a 16-year layoff, I wanted to run a race in the East Bay's biggest city. Oakland has a mix of natural beauty and urban grittiness, along with great weather and challenging hills. It's a great place to run, but the running community has always had to travel to Pleasanton, Danville, San Ramon, and other cities including Alameda for races in the East Bay.
The absence of races probably let the San Francisco Chronicle to devote significant coverage to the marathon, even more than it gives to its city's own marathon. Nice features before the race included a mention of Len Goldman, president of the Lake Merritt Joggers and Striders (LMJS).
Back in the massage tent April gets assistance on my calf, which has tightened into a ball the hardness of an orange. After several minutes of therapy, my leg loosens up and I relax my death grip on the cushioned table. I've been lying down there way more than my allotted nine minutes. Having recovered, I proceed to the post-race activities.
To my surprise, Debra Cramer (F52), my carpooling companion for the second race in a row, calls my name as she approaches me. I thought I'd be waiting for her, but Debra ran a very strong 1:40:26, another PR. Debra is the only friend in my age range who is getting faster, and she's knocking off significant time over the months. It's quite amazing. Debra has been running for many years, but only now is she reaching her potential. She's getting close to a score of 80% on the age-graded scale, which is a national-class standard. No one knows how fast Debra can run, and it's fun to watch her progress.
Results haven't been posted and Debra and I decide to use our drink tickets and get a beer.
The race itself was fast, but lacking in scenery. The half marathon course missed the recognizable parts of Oakland. We ran past the Fruitvale neighborhood, but not on its main drag, International Boulevard. The course went no further east than uptown, so we didn't hit Piedmont Avenue. We avoided the heart of Chinatown and ran several blocks away from Jack London Square. The course avoided the busy parts of town to limit disruption of commerce and recreation. The result was a race that did not showcase much of Oakland's charm and provided a visitor with little opportunity to appreciate its unique characteristics.
Nevertheless, there were highlights. An arch with flames broke up the monotony at mile six. This work was a creation of the Crucible, a collaborative community arts and industrial center that features heat-related art like glass making and metalworking. Even though the arch was on fire, it was the coolest mile marker I'd ever seen.
The absence of races probably let the San Francisco Chronicle to devote significant coverage to the marathon, even more than it gives to its city's own marathon. Nice features before the race included a mention of Len Goldman, president of the Lake Merritt Joggers and Striders (LMJS).
Back in the massage tent April gets assistance on my calf, which has tightened into a ball the hardness of an orange. After several minutes of therapy, my leg loosens up and I relax my death grip on the cushioned table. I've been lying down there way more than my allotted nine minutes. Having recovered, I proceed to the post-race activities.
To my surprise, Debra Cramer (F52), my carpooling companion for the second race in a row, calls my name as she approaches me. I thought I'd be waiting for her, but Debra ran a very strong 1:40:26, another PR. Debra is the only friend in my age range who is getting faster, and she's knocking off significant time over the months. It's quite amazing. Debra has been running for many years, but only now is she reaching her potential. She's getting close to a score of 80% on the age-graded scale, which is a national-class standard. No one knows how fast Debra can run, and it's fun to watch her progress.
Results haven't been posted and Debra and I decide to use our drink tickets and get a beer.
The race itself was fast, but lacking in scenery. The half marathon course missed the recognizable parts of Oakland. We ran past the Fruitvale neighborhood, but not on its main drag, International Boulevard. The course went no further east than uptown, so we didn't hit Piedmont Avenue. We avoided the heart of Chinatown and ran several blocks away from Jack London Square. The course avoided the busy parts of town to limit disruption of commerce and recreation. The result was a race that did not showcase much of Oakland's charm and provided a visitor with little opportunity to appreciate its unique characteristics.
Nevertheless, there were highlights. An arch with flames broke up the monotony at mile six. This work was a creation of the Crucible, a collaborative community arts and industrial center that features heat-related art like glass making and metalworking. Even though the arch was on fire, it was the coolest mile marker I'd ever seen.
There was no question which singlet I would wear. It was my new LMJS jersey, which has the club's logo on the front and back. The double exposure may be a mistake. It makes me look like a running sandwich board.
The race ended with a loop around Lake Merritt and a final leg back to downtown. Lake Merritt is my Yankee Stadium, Augusta, Wimbledon and Hayward Field. This is where I soaked up the natural setting a brief stretch from the cottage Mandy and I rented in the late 1990s. Lake Merritt inspired me to run many afternoons before I began to race. Here I ram a few LMJS 10Ks and 15Ks, and four Couples Relays. But this is the first time running around the lake in a big race. Anticipating the lap around the lake, I almost lose control of my emotions. This is a big deal for me, but I take couple of deeper breaths--if that is possible on the tenth mile of a half marathon--and return to the present.
There were a few more spectators around the lake than at other sections of the race, many cheering for me based on my LMJS top. I needed every bit of encouragement. At mile 11 I saw Tony Fong (M50), who rant the marathon in a blistering three hours on a hilly course. I could never have run that fast. Tony is definitely in good enough shape for out Tahoe Relay team, and a few days after the race he says he'll run the relay with us in June.
There were a few more spectators around the lake than at other sections of the race, many cheering for me based on my LMJS top. I needed every bit of encouragement. At mile 11 I saw Tony Fong (M50), who rant the marathon in a blistering three hours on a hilly course. I could never have run that fast. Tony is definitely in good enough shape for out Tahoe Relay team, and a few days after the race he says he'll run the relay with us in June.Debra and I continue to wait for our results, passing more time than we spent running the race. We are enjoying the beer and the sun, but the beer is Miller Genuine Draft and we want to return to our real lives. A 20-foot sign spelling RESULTS in vertical letters overshadows a four-sided display that is completely blank at 12:30 p.m., three and a half hours after the race started. This is inexcusable. The race is chip-timed, and generating results requires nothing more than pushing a button on a computer to print the outcome. Apparently no one can do this.
With the information booth being no help at all, Debra and I leave, not knowing whether we won an age-group award. We're a little frustrated and a little miffed that we waited two hours after the race and don't know how we fared.
After getting home, I find out from the race web site that Debra and I both won our age groups, Debra by more than a minute and me by more than three. We're satisfied with the results. Even better, the next day the San Francisco Chronicle published the above photo of Debra and several runners at the start. Debra's famous! Seems like the paper has an eye for talent.
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