At least it's not snow!
San Dieguito claims it's one of America's Oldest Half Marathon. During the second week after the Carlsbad Marathon, it began to rain. But at least it was only rain and not a complete white out with upwards of 25+ feet of snow on the east coast! I was only able to get 7 miles out before the race day.
This is live feed of the snow storm from on top of Rockefeller Center.
While doing some last minute spending, at the Laces Running Company in Scripps Ranch: http://lacesrunning.com/ , a friendly sales man at the store, said he liked the San Dieguito Half Marathon because it was affordable, small in comparison to other half marathons, and beautiful. He said there wasn't any really tough hills in the whole course.One of my daughters and her BFF came with me and we did a little carb loading after shopping at China Fun : http://newmychinafun.com/ . The food is hot and delicious.
Sunday morning, Ann and I arrive San Dieguito Park at 0700. The weather about 42 degrees with dark clouds, chilly, and a little breeze. The race starts in the San Dieguito County Park at 0800. We hike DOWN, Down, down a dirt path into the park for about half a mile to the start line. The race is on time. There's no fuss, just the national anthem, and GO! We're off and going down hill for one mile at a 10:15 pace as it begins to sprinkle. In the past, I have read there is an elderly woman at the first water station that runners nicknamed the "Queen", because she wears a tiara. Sadly, she wasn't there this year. The race course takes us out of the park and the rest of the half marathon is in residential area of the life-styles-of-rich. It's quiet with very little wind. There are no spectators except an occasional home owner. At mile around 1.5 miles, it begins to go up hill for 275ft climb for 2 miles.
We are truly dorks and waited for almost 40 minutes in a single line to what we thought was the only bathroom available...it wasn't!Thank you for the kind hearted folks at the chili station for letting us warm ourselves and get out of the rain.
We run our way through the hills. As described the hills are rolling except for mile 5.5 to 6.5 where it's just straight up with quick winding turns. My pace is slow 11:21...like a hippopotamus where Ann is like a gazelle zipping up the hills. I think I heard her singing "tra la la la la laaaaaa"! I thought I took a video but it ended up to be a picture of a runner's butt; DELETE!
Miles 7 and 8 are out towards San Dieguito Reservoir. Unfortunately, before the turn around, a runner was down on the ground with a significant head injury. Facebook page for the San Dieguito race posted: "For those of you who have asked and saw the man taken to the hospital; he is improving and we are checking on his status. Thank you." A few days later posts: "He is home now and he appreciates and thanks everyone for your thoughts and your concern."
Thank you to the runners who stopped and took care of him until the ambulance arrived.
Miles 9, 10, and 11 continue to take us back the way we came. My pace varies from 10:13 to 10:40. At mile 12, we turn and uphill back into the park. It's a steady climb. Ann takes off and I keep going with my pace of10:36 dropping to 11:42.
Ann's time was 2:23:45 and mine was 2:25:06. The hill are definitely something I still need to work on more. Ann tries to soften the reality by saying, "you did good for someone who just ran a marathon two weeks ago!" Thanks Ann!
Ann and I aren't much for post race events. The line for the chili is long and it's starting to sprinkle again.
Hahaha we stop for one last mac cheeeese. Dang it Ann! Try again! The next day Ann sent me this text: Good morning...how ya feeling? Do u know that u turned 45 and San Dieguito celebrated #45 soooo, when u were born they started that race, LOL!
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