Saturday, September 13, 2003

9/13/03 Run for Pasta 10K

Not very often you get an evening race. Since I am going by myself and do not know any runners in town I will not stay for the post race pasta dinner. Wait, I thought you are supposed to carbo load before the race. Still seems like a fun idea though.
Start - At the Farmers Market in Olympia. We will run along the water, then up and through Priest Point park. It is a little warm this evening.
Mile 2.5 - Legs do not feel very fresh, hard to get moving.
Mile 3 - My first ever trail race. I like how they marked the trip hazard roots with white paint or flower. I wish there was a water station.
Mile 4 - First and only water stop. Not having the best time out here.
Mile 6.2 - Glad to be done. Disappointed to be slower than last week. I see a guy with a Bank to Bay T-shirt and he tells me that ran today faster. Guess my legs just were not in it tonight. I stay for the awards on the slight chance that I could get an age group ribbon. Most everyone else is in line or eating dinner. No ribbon for me, so I head home.
51:15
44th of 105
**

Sunday, September 7, 2003

Bank to Bay 10K Tacoma

I don't think I have ever actually been to downtown Tacoma. This race is supposed to showcase the downtown renewal and raise funds for the public schools. Sponsored by Keybank and others we will start "downtown", which is really uphill from the bay. So this race will be downhill to start, flat along the water, then uphill to the finish. Weather is cool, but no rain.
Start - Lots of runners here. I was not expecting such a big event.
Mile 2 - Nice run down the hill and onto Ruston Way where I have driven before.
Mile 3.1 - Turn around at Puget Creek. The creek is underneath a very long culvert here and not visible.
Mile 4 - It has been a good race so far, but now I am tiring and I dread the hill to come.
Mile 5 - Going up the hill, I feel like I am running in slow motion. The 5K race started 30 minutes after the 10K and the leaders of the 5K are zooming past me.
Mile 6.2 - Hit the flats and picked up the speed for the finish. Pleased with time. Stayed for some great raffles, but with so many runners I had little chance of winning.
50:36
190th of 645
***