Silver Strand Half Marathon-San Diego, California - November 11, 2007

Race Number 14 on my 40th High School Reunion Weekend

I was sitting at my desk at school, after waking from a long nap, (yea right) and I began getting very excited about going to my 40th high school reunion in Costa Mesa, California. All of a sudden, some very disturbing thoughts entered my mind:
1. What if…..no one shows up cuz they are all dead?
2. What if…..no one recognizes me or even worse;
3. What if .....No one cares I am even there!

Well, I’ll be darned if I was going to allow the trip to be a total bust if the above happened. So I figured I ought to at least run in a half marathon while I am in “smoky” California. It is just too tempting to run when you get the advantage of 20% more oxygen and you get the extra benefit of running by the ocean especially if you are a surfer boy like yours truly. The sea salt kinda gets my blood pressure hyped up!

So, I signed up for the Silver Strand Half Marathon in San Diego which takes place on Silver Strand Blvd and basically runs the entire length of San Diego Bay starting at Sunset Park in Coronado and finishing at Imperial Beach Pier.

The above “what if” scenarios did not occur, thank goodness. I had a very full Friday and Saturday with old friends. I am proud to say that many of them said that I had not changed (we wore our senior pictures around our necks). I think it was the fact that I still have hair (and the same dorky haircut) and my hair is only partially gray. Plus, the cellulite demon has not invaded my face and body (yet)! You can imagine those positive comments made me feel like Adonis when I woke up on Sunday morning to head to San Diego.

I did everything wrong in preparing for this race. I ate BBQ ribs and chicken on Saturday night as well as drank two large glasses of wine and had my share of cheap beer. I did not get wasted, like in high school (I used to worshiped the porcelain god in my mom’s bathroom on a semi-regular basis), but I would not call my “pre-race” meal something Olympic hopefuls should consider. Add to that that I got only five hours of sleep, I figured I was headed for a gut wrenching experience (porcelain god visions popped into my head, except in a porta-potty-GROSS)!

Now the super good news: No barfing, lots of energy and a 2:08:58 time!!! Do you believe that?!!! It was my third fastest time EVER! So much for pre-race traditions and protocol. Maybe Bud Light really is an energy drink!

The race had a one percent incline for about eight miles with a 6-7 knot wind blowing in my face. I ran past the Hotel Del Coronado, two BIG aircraft carriers and actually saw a whale surface around mile seven!!! After finishing at the pier, I entered the 62 degree water up to my knees to sooth my sore feet and calves. I could not go any further without my wet suit (yes, I am a bit wimpy when it comes to cold water). I stopped in San Clemente at my favorite taco place and drove by my mom’s old duplex that I wish I had bought from her (it is worth over $ 600,000 now and is walking distance from some good surfing at the San Clemente Pier).

Prayer List: My veteran friends from high school. Some of them made it back, some did not. Some are not the same after Vietnam.

Next race: Gosh, I don’t know. I will have to check my Greek God Social Calendar and decide where I should make an appearance for the benefit of all the mortals out there!