10th Cougar Challenge 8K October 15, 2016

It was a fairly short drive to Cal State San Marcos for the 6th race of the USATF SD-I Association Dirt Dog XC Series. The race is held by the CSUSM XC Team and includes a college race, open race and master's race, with everyone starting together. The men's race was scheduled to start at 8:45am, women's at 8:00am, and this gave me a little sleep in time. This was also a back to back race with last week's Balboa Boogie and I needed the extra sleep!

We arrived at 7:30 and walked up to the track to find the bib-pickup area. The women were warming up and some parents were milling around waiting for the race to start.

Arrival

We found the registration/bib-pickup tent. I filled out the appropriate form and handed it to the student volunteer. She took my cash and while writing my bib, asked for my preferred gender. I look at her with tilted head and replied, "I prefer women!" JoAnne promptly punched me in the arm and everyone had a good chuckle. She then asked if was running the men's or women's race. She checked the little box next to the word MALE and handed me my bib.

By this time the women were lining up and ready to start. We found a spot to watch where I changed into my running shoes and prepared for my warmup.

Ready for my Warmup




Women's Start

I previewed the course which was 3 laps on the campus of the university finding it was a mix of dirt, loose sand, gravel, cement, pavement, and a grassy loop around the track. There was a couple of rises that almost passed for hills and would fully annoy me on lap three. I headed back to start line and lined up behind some college kids along side some other grey bearded fellows.

 

Men's Start

The start was quick and I was soon well behind the front runners. We exited the track area and I could see some of the regular age groupers just ahead of me. They went out well below 6:00 pace for mile one and I stayed behind.  I soon realized that I forgot to reset my watch for auto-lap and was not going to see mile splits and the course was not marked. I was able to close up a bit on lap two but my legs were feeling heavy.  Lap three was again, just an attempt to hold pace. I managed to push the last hill and stride out a bit on the grass loop around the track.

 

Final Loop

Overall, I think I'm holding up ok despite running 6 races in 7 or 8 weeks, thanks mostly to a training schedule, developed by Amanda Kourtz, that gets me to the start line healthy.  

 

My finish time was 31:55, good enough for 3rd in the 55-59 AG and 5th in the 50-59 AG.

 

We headed out and made a brief stop  for refreshments at Stone Brewery in Escondido.

 

Refreshments at Stone

Next stop the Cayamaca 6k, the 7th race in the Dirt Dog Series!

 

 

 

 

Ursula Rains Balboa Boogie 5k XC October 8, 2016

Ursula Rains Balboa Boogie 5K  is the 5th race of the USATF San Diego-Imperial Association's Dirt Dogs Cross Country Series. The race is held at Morley Field, at the north end of Balboa Park in San Diego, and shares some of the same paths on which the Footlocker Cross Country Nationals are run. There is a 1k Kids race, as well, that supports the Second Recess Program.

The race is run and held in honor and memory of Ursula Rains, a standout San Diego Runner.

 Aptly named, the course rolls up and down through the park over the 3.1 miles and consists of some two dozen left and/or right turns that includes a course drop of about 50 feet over the first .85 miles, then begins a climb of 50 feet until 1.15 miles, followed by a drop of 25 feet until 1.3 miles followed by a climb of 30 feet until 1.5 miles followed by a drop a drop of 50 feet until mile 1.65, followed by a climb of 60 feet until 2 miles, followed by a drop of about 35 feet until 2.5 miles, with a gradual rise of about 20 feet to the finish line. How hard can it be?

The master's race was scheduled to start at 8:00 and I wanted to arrive by 6:30 to preview the course. We had guests, my brother and his wife, visiting from NM and found them ready to take the drive to San Diego. We had our customary 3 cups of espresso and jumped in the car at 5:30. Arriving about 6:40 we grabbed a parking spot. The lot was already filling and I was surprised to see runners already prepping for the race. We walked over to the bib pick-up area and was soon ready to preview the course. I spoke briefly with Amy Halseth(PRT), the current series leading female master, about the course layout. Then I headed out and found the course marked with arrows in a somewhat confusing directional arrangement. I jogged what I hoped would be the actual course. It was beginning to warm as I returned to the start area. I had the chance to chat briefly with Dave Spinler(SDTC) and Scott McEntee(PRT) We were called to the start line at the top of a long grassy field. A few instructions and we were off.



Balboa Boogie Masters Start

I was not feeling great, I've found that I don't like running on grass, and was glad when we made the 180 degree turn around some trees and transitioned onto a dirt path. I was around a few familiar faces and they looked way better than I felt. Anyway, Scott passed me at about a half mile in and Amy followed soon after. I could see Sheldon Subith just ahead and tried to keep him in sight. I clocked Mile 1 in just under 6 minutes. It wasn't too quick but I knew the next mile would be a struggle. We entered the desert loop which had ruts from water runoff and lots of round rocks in and out of the trail. Dust was everywhere and on a short uphill the trail narrowed, crowding everyone, and it was difficult to see footing. This was followed by a very sandy section which took the rest of the steam out of my legs. After a circle around the dog park and then the swimming pool Mile 2 arrived. I was sucking wind and was passed by teammate Dave, then a Jamul runner. I repassed Dave and eventually the Jamul runner.

Mile 2

Mile 3 was just a hang on fest. I had nothing and could not respond when I was passed on the final stretch. I got him 2 weeks ago at Escondido, today was his.

 

Final stretch

Despite the fact that I struggled a bit, I did manage to squeeze out 2nd place in the 55-59 year old age group which earned me a bottle of Talmage Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon!

Yummy!
Photo Credit: Doreen Karp-SDTC

 The Gory Details:
Finish Time 20:08
Mile 1: 5:55
Mile 2: 6:29
Mile 3: 6:30
Mile .21: 1:15 (My Garmin had the course long, most runners agreed on .17-.2)
24th of 109 Masters
4th 50-59 AG
2nd 55-59 AG

The awards ceremony was wrapping up so we headed out to Old Town San Diego for some breakfast and refreshments at Fiesta de Reyes.

The next stop in the Dirt Dog Series is the Cougar Challenge at UC San Marcos on October 15th. The race is held on the Sam Marcos campus and is directed by the Cougars XC Coach Steve Scott. Yes, that Steve Scott!