Race Number Nine (91 to go)
Next to Disneyland, this was my favorite race out of the first nine that I have run. What a great city and venue to hold a marathon and two half marathons.
The last time I was in San Francisco, my boys and I stumbled on to the largest gay pride parade in San Francisco and world history. Therefore, you can imagine that I was a bit concerned that I was going to have similar “luck” this time around. Not so, thank goodness! I was not up to running into grown men and women dressed up as angels, unicorns and ladies/men of the night. My fear of getting a slap on the butt-tocks (read that as if Forrest Gump was saying it. One of my dear friends has posted a comment calling me Forrest, as I think she thinks I am an idiot to be doing all this running-“Stupid is as stupid does!”-just kidding, Terry) was also decreased knowing we did not come to SF on the wrong weekend. Cam (my oldest son) and I were up at 3:30 am and Cam dropped me off at the start line by 4:30. The race started at 5:30 in the morning and nearly 14,000 marathoners and half-marathoners gathered on the Embarcadero.
With a temperature at race time of 56 degrees and the standard issue SF fog and mist, it was almost perfect weather for a marathon. I have never been to London, but I imagined it might be like this on certain days. I got to my wave 3 line up point and began to loosen up. Now a quick TRUE story before I tell you a bit about the race.
As I was standing in my wave three corral, waiting for the start gun, I overheard two men conversing behind me. One fellow says to the other that he was really looking forward to the race but he had a BRIDGE PHOBIA. Well, you can imagine what crossed my cynical, twisted and very practical mind. Why in God’s precious and holy name (and I guess Buddha, Allah, and Krishna, too-after all I am in San Francisco) would a person CHOOSE to run the San Francisco Marathon who KNEW, well in advance, that he would be running over the most famous suspension bridge in the world, the Golden Gate!!! I could hardly contain myself from busting out in laughter. Now, I can anticipate many of your reactions to my comments. ‘But Mike, he probably signed up to conquer a fear or at least address it. Have some compassion, Forrest!’ My response to you: When is comes to athletics and competitive events, I generally leave my compassion in the locker room, on the bench, or in this case, in the porta-potty. In addition, how would YOU like to be one of the runners who runs smack dab into this person at mile 5.5 as he freezes in his running tracks at the base of the huge Golden Gate Bridge? Can you picture this guy looking up at the first tower, trebling, with hundreds of runners trying to get around him? Take a glimpse through the eye of a classic motion picture director like Spielberg or Hitchcock. Imagine this scene at the end of a very depressing movie with the camera panning back from our runner’s horrified face and then the camera moves back at medium speed as our runner’s “frozen-with-fear” body fades and you begin to see hundreds, then thousands of runners coming into the picture and then the orange bridge and then the surrounding SF area. I would edit the film to show just enough of our stalwart runner to make it appear that thousands of runners are streaming around what appears to be a pole in the middle of the course. I would name the film, “Waiting for Deliverance” as I am quite sure our runner was waiting for one of the aforementioned gods (or the SF fire department or sanitation crew, for obvious reasons) to get him out of this mess (no pun intended). What a moment, huh? Maybe I should sign up for the UCLA (NOT USC) film school!
FOCUS, Munier, you have a race to share with a somewhat interested public (notice I did not say entourage).
The race took us through the Embarcadero, Fisherman’s Wharf, Mason Street (MAJOR HILL, oh my god), the Golden Gate Bridge and then up and down (mostly up) into Golden Gate Park. The four major hills or climbs were quite challenging. Very much-expected in SF, though. Hydration was easy. All you had to do was breath in all the mist and fog!
I ran the race in honor of Shania Crumrine, one of my student’s at Jefferson Academy. At each mile marker, I sent up a prayer for her. She had a liver transplant this spring and is still battling some continuing and major complications due to the surgery. We love you sweetie!!!
My humble statistics:
Finishing time: 2:15:25 Pace 10:20 per mile
Placed 2,429th out of 4,924 overall first half runners (second half had about 2,500 runners)
Placed 1,310th out of 2,157 Males in the first half
Placed 116th out of 237 50-59 Year olds
Compensating for my advancing age, I would have placed 1,711th out of 4,924 runners or in the top 35%.
After a cold and hot shower and an overdose of Aleve and Mannatech Sport, Cam and I headed to Napa Valley for some wine tasting for the balance of the afternoon. Numb probably describes my condition at about 4 pm. This race may be a regular on my calendar…… as long as it is not on gay pride weekend!
San Francisco Half Marathon July 29, 2007
Victorville River Walk Half Marathon-July 14, 2007 (Race #8)
Race Number 8: (California)
Ok, you have to bear with me for a moment. If you signed up for a race that had the title, “River Walk Half Marathon,” would you have not expected the following?
1. The race would be by a river
2. The term “walk” might suggest that you were going to run on a walking path.
3. You might assume that the “walking path” was a hard surface or at least a hard packed surface.
Well, as Gomer Pyle used to say, “Surprise, surprise, surprise!” The Victorville River Walk Half Marathon was run by a RIVER BED that was completely dry and has been dry for a million years! Additionally, SIX of the 13 miles were on the river walk which was all sand or loose dirt and would be GREAT for horses, large dogs (small ones would have sunk into the sand and never be seen again) and maybe camels!!!. If you are training for beach volleyball, I suppose you would have enjoyed this experience in mid-eighty degree heat, but this “not a volleyball player and never will be” guy (volleyball is for girls anyway) found the run to be a real painful experience. It was nearly the slowest race I have clocked and I could not get enough water in me or on me. The race medal was a cheesy one, bought from a catalog of running medals and did not even note the event name and date on it. My magic marker will have to help enshrine it for generations to come.
So much for a small town half in sunny Victorville, California. Oh, I forgot to mention that they actually ran out of water at the water stations at the latter part of the race! OH MY GOSH! They are lucky there was not a case or two of heat stroke.
Upon completion of the race I drove two hours to get my sore, browned body into the Pacific Ocean for the last time. I have spent two solid, special, and glorious weeks surfing (mostly boogie boarding) Hermosa, Manhattan, Newport, Dana Point and Doheny beaches. I needed to get in the water to wash away the sins of Victorville and the high desert. The cleansing was successful!
One major positive: It was my eighth race in eleven months! Only ninety-two races and twenty-two states to go!! Next race: The San Francisco Half Marathon over the Golden Gate Bridge on July 29th.
Ok, you have to bear with me for a moment. If you signed up for a race that had the title, “River Walk Half Marathon,” would you have not expected the following?
1. The race would be by a river
2. The term “walk” might suggest that you were going to run on a walking path.
3. You might assume that the “walking path” was a hard surface or at least a hard packed surface.
Well, as Gomer Pyle used to say, “Surprise, surprise, surprise!” The Victorville River Walk Half Marathon was run by a RIVER BED that was completely dry and has been dry for a million years! Additionally, SIX of the 13 miles were on the river walk which was all sand or loose dirt and would be GREAT for horses, large dogs (small ones would have sunk into the sand and never be seen again) and maybe camels!!!. If you are training for beach volleyball, I suppose you would have enjoyed this experience in mid-eighty degree heat, but this “not a volleyball player and never will be” guy (volleyball is for girls anyway) found the run to be a real painful experience. It was nearly the slowest race I have clocked and I could not get enough water in me or on me. The race medal was a cheesy one, bought from a catalog of running medals and did not even note the event name and date on it. My magic marker will have to help enshrine it for generations to come.
So much for a small town half in sunny Victorville, California. Oh, I forgot to mention that they actually ran out of water at the water stations at the latter part of the race! OH MY GOSH! They are lucky there was not a case or two of heat stroke.
Upon completion of the race I drove two hours to get my sore, browned body into the Pacific Ocean for the last time. I have spent two solid, special, and glorious weeks surfing (mostly boogie boarding) Hermosa, Manhattan, Newport, Dana Point and Doheny beaches. I needed to get in the water to wash away the sins of Victorville and the high desert. The cleansing was successful!
One major positive: It was my eighth race in eleven months! Only ninety-two races and twenty-two states to go!! Next race: The San Francisco Half Marathon over the Golden Gate Bridge on July 29th.
Thoughts on the First Seven Races
1. Disneyland Half-2006-California
My very first race and still my personal best (PB) time. I guess I was pretty pumped up for this one. I was fortunate to run with one of my parents from school. She is good runner and about 24 years younger than me. She kept me moving. The amazing thing was her ability to TALK the whole time we were running!!!! I just grunted my answers as I gasped for air and strength. She left me in the dust after mile eight and finished seven minutes ahead of me. We are going to run together again in 2007. Maybe I can stay with her a little longer. At each mile I sent up a prayer for a pre-determined list of people. That was inspiring for me!
2. Denver Half-2006-Colorado
This was my first half marathon at altitude and it was not easy. Going up Gaylord street was brutal (I will use that word A LOT in future notes). This race was flatter than Colfax, so I may run it again.
3. OC Half-2007-California
Ahh, going home is so great. I LOVE running in Calli-for-nee-a (that is Arnold for California). Sea level gets you 20% more oxygen and sets well with me and probably most of civilization. It was kind of warm but a soft sea breeze made it tolerable. The slow, upward grade at the end was demoralizing but I still finished in 2:11.
4. Palm Springs-2007-California
Going home to Palm Desert/Palm Springs (I grew up there from four years old through fourth grade) was also exciting but I BOMBED in this race. Out of the thirteen miles, 5.5 miles was a steady 2-3% climb towards Mount San Jacinto. OH MY GOD!!!! Running by Elvis and Marilyn Monroe’s homes were of little consolation. After the race, I headed to Keedy’s Café and Soda Fountain for a chocolate coke, chocolate malt and a BLT. I ran this race in honor of my mom and dad, mom and dad Lapeere and my brother John. John is still alive, by the way!
5. Eisenhower Half-2007-Kansas
I should have known better. Yes, Ike is one of my heroes, but…….. Remember how Dorothy got to Oz? Wind, and lots of it. Add to that a 20 degree temperature at start time and you are running in a NINE degree wind chill factor. Guess which runner in the contest did not pack a wool cap, gloves AND no long running pants? Yep, the Lebanese boy! I think I was one of three runners running in shorts. Now the term BRUTAL, really describes this experience. I hung around to see if I medaled, but I placed fourth in my age division. Frankly, I was happy to finish the darn thing! Ike would have been proud of me!
6. Colorado Colfax Half-2007-Colorado
BRUTAL, JUST PLAIN BRUTAL. The last six miles was a climb to the foothills. I want them to flip this race around and run it down hill every other year. If they don’t, I will enlist my own medical team the next time I attempt this race.
7. Arby’s Rocky Mountain Half-2007-Colorado
Hot, nasty and hilly. “Marine Hill” was an 8% grade with Marines lined up yelling at you (yelling encouragements, of course). Now being an ex-Army infantry grunt, I probably did not endear myself to these guys when I yelled “Black Knights Rule.” If I had eaten an Arby’s roast beef prior to the race, I can guarantee you it would have ended up frying on the pavement around mile six or seven! This was my slowest race and reminded me of why marathons are run in the fall and early spring-HEAT!
My very first race and still my personal best (PB) time. I guess I was pretty pumped up for this one. I was fortunate to run with one of my parents from school. She is good runner and about 24 years younger than me. She kept me moving. The amazing thing was her ability to TALK the whole time we were running!!!! I just grunted my answers as I gasped for air and strength. She left me in the dust after mile eight and finished seven minutes ahead of me. We are going to run together again in 2007. Maybe I can stay with her a little longer. At each mile I sent up a prayer for a pre-determined list of people. That was inspiring for me!
2. Denver Half-2006-Colorado
This was my first half marathon at altitude and it was not easy. Going up Gaylord street was brutal (I will use that word A LOT in future notes). This race was flatter than Colfax, so I may run it again.
3. OC Half-2007-California
Ahh, going home is so great. I LOVE running in Calli-for-nee-a (that is Arnold for California). Sea level gets you 20% more oxygen and sets well with me and probably most of civilization. It was kind of warm but a soft sea breeze made it tolerable. The slow, upward grade at the end was demoralizing but I still finished in 2:11.
4. Palm Springs-2007-California
Going home to Palm Desert/Palm Springs (I grew up there from four years old through fourth grade) was also exciting but I BOMBED in this race. Out of the thirteen miles, 5.5 miles was a steady 2-3% climb towards Mount San Jacinto. OH MY GOD!!!! Running by Elvis and Marilyn Monroe’s homes were of little consolation. After the race, I headed to Keedy’s Café and Soda Fountain for a chocolate coke, chocolate malt and a BLT. I ran this race in honor of my mom and dad, mom and dad Lapeere and my brother John. John is still alive, by the way!
5. Eisenhower Half-2007-Kansas
I should have known better. Yes, Ike is one of my heroes, but…….. Remember how Dorothy got to Oz? Wind, and lots of it. Add to that a 20 degree temperature at start time and you are running in a NINE degree wind chill factor. Guess which runner in the contest did not pack a wool cap, gloves AND no long running pants? Yep, the Lebanese boy! I think I was one of three runners running in shorts. Now the term BRUTAL, really describes this experience. I hung around to see if I medaled, but I placed fourth in my age division. Frankly, I was happy to finish the darn thing! Ike would have been proud of me!
6. Colorado Colfax Half-2007-Colorado
BRUTAL, JUST PLAIN BRUTAL. The last six miles was a climb to the foothills. I want them to flip this race around and run it down hill every other year. If they don’t, I will enlist my own medical team the next time I attempt this race.
7. Arby’s Rocky Mountain Half-2007-Colorado
Hot, nasty and hilly. “Marine Hill” was an 8% grade with Marines lined up yelling at you (yelling encouragements, of course). Now being an ex-Army infantry grunt, I probably did not endear myself to these guys when I yelled “Black Knights Rule.” If I had eaten an Arby’s roast beef prior to the race, I can guarantee you it would have ended up frying on the pavement around mile six or seven! This was my slowest race and reminded me of why marathons are run in the fall and early spring-HEAT!
My Goal: 100 Half Marathons in the Next Ten Years in Half the States
Well, I decided I would blog my accomplishments in running for as long as I am able to run and write. Actually, the mind might go before the legs, lungs and heart so I will probably have to enlist a scribe to finish the work.
I have run seven half marathons since September of 2006. I decided that I might as well try to run a bunch of them in the next ten years with the ultimate goal of ONE HUNDRED HALF MARATHONS (read that with your pinkie at the corner of your mouth and the Dr. Evil emphasis). Now, that would probably be "easy" so I added that I need to run them in HALF THE STATES IN THIS GLORIOUS UNION (Dr. Evil inflection again and evil laugh).
My goal is to complete this task before September 2017(which is ten years and two and one half months from now). I get to count the ones I have done so far. They are as follows with all the important data. Future postings will include my commentary of each event with a few cuss words, if appropriate.
1. Disneyland Half-2006-California
Placed: 1,313/3,640 Males
Placed: 72/283 (55-59)
Placed: 2,082/9,395 Overall
Time: 2:07:07 Pace: 9:38
2. Denver Half-2006-Colorado
Placed: 520/683 Males
Placed: 17/34 (55-59)
Time: 2:12:38 Pace: 10:07
3. OC Half-2007-California
Placed: 1,399/3,024 Males
Placed: 57/114 (55-59)
Placed: 2,148/6,249 Overall
Time: 2:11:33 Pace: 10:13
4. Palm Springs-2007-California
Placed: 272/350 Males
Placed: 28/44 (55-59)
Placed: 450/652 Overall
Time: 2:12:41 Pace: 10:07
5. Eisenhower Half-2007-Kansas
Placed: 75/155 Overall
Placed: 4/18 (55-59)
Time: 2:07:55 Pace: 9:45
6. Colorado Colfax Half-2007-Colorado
Placed: 897/1,695 Overall
Placed: 496/706 Males
Placed: 25/49 (55-59)
Time: 2:20:07 Pace:10:41
4K= 22:13, 9K=53:14
7. Arby’s Rocky Mountain Half-2007-Colorado
Placed: 482/613 Overall
Placed: 257/291 Males
Placed: 10/16 (55-59)
Time: 2:21:42 Pace: 10:49
So, hopefully you will enjoy the runs (not THOSE runs!)
I have run seven half marathons since September of 2006. I decided that I might as well try to run a bunch of them in the next ten years with the ultimate goal of ONE HUNDRED HALF MARATHONS (read that with your pinkie at the corner of your mouth and the Dr. Evil emphasis). Now, that would probably be "easy" so I added that I need to run them in HALF THE STATES IN THIS GLORIOUS UNION (Dr. Evil inflection again and evil laugh).
My goal is to complete this task before September 2017(which is ten years and two and one half months from now). I get to count the ones I have done so far. They are as follows with all the important data. Future postings will include my commentary of each event with a few cuss words, if appropriate.
1. Disneyland Half-2006-California
Placed: 1,313/3,640 Males
Placed: 72/283 (55-59)
Placed: 2,082/9,395 Overall
Time: 2:07:07 Pace: 9:38
2. Denver Half-2006-Colorado
Placed: 520/683 Males
Placed: 17/34 (55-59)
Time: 2:12:38 Pace: 10:07
3. OC Half-2007-California
Placed: 1,399/3,024 Males
Placed: 57/114 (55-59)
Placed: 2,148/6,249 Overall
Time: 2:11:33 Pace: 10:13
4. Palm Springs-2007-California
Placed: 272/350 Males
Placed: 28/44 (55-59)
Placed: 450/652 Overall
Time: 2:12:41 Pace: 10:07
5. Eisenhower Half-2007-Kansas
Placed: 75/155 Overall
Placed: 4/18 (55-59)
Time: 2:07:55 Pace: 9:45
6. Colorado Colfax Half-2007-Colorado
Placed: 897/1,695 Overall
Placed: 496/706 Males
Placed: 25/49 (55-59)
Time: 2:20:07 Pace:10:41
4K= 22:13, 9K=53:14
7. Arby’s Rocky Mountain Half-2007-Colorado
Placed: 482/613 Overall
Placed: 257/291 Males
Placed: 10/16 (55-59)
Time: 2:21:42 Pace: 10:49
So, hopefully you will enjoy the runs (not THOSE runs!)
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