Bonita Stampede 8K September 10, 2016

@ Sweetwater Regional Park, Bonita CA is described as "... a challenging European style race through scenic Bonita trails. Includes rolling hills, hay bales and cheering support along the way!

Uh... I clocked the first mile at a comfortable 6:08 pace. Then the fun began....

We woke early and enjoyed a couple of espressos in the warm Murrieta morning. The drive down took over an hour, including some wait time due to an auto accident on I15. We luckily grabbed a parking spot close to the start area. Running a bit late I jogged over to the registration tent and picked up my bib. It was 35 minutes to the start, so I quickly laced up my spikes and headed out for a warm-up. This was a single start race, both masters and open in the same race, and everyone was on the trails. It was low 60's with overcast skies, a perfect morning.

I headed back to the start area and found a spot on the left outside of the crowd as the first turn was a hard right about 50 meters out. The starter gave the instructions "if you miss a turn...it's your own fault." Then we were off and running.



Bonita Stampede 8K Start

Mile 1 was comfortable although I was breathing dust from the front runners. The course was a mix of sand, and loose dirt. About a quarter mile in was a wash created to control rain runoff. It was a bit shaky as everyone was stuffed through the short and narrow dip in the trail. At mile 2 an almost imperceptible rise began. At 1.9 miles it was "welcome" to the sandy zig-zaggy uphill. I clocked mile 2 at about 6:35. From mile 1.9 to 2.15 was a climb of about 100 feet. At the top of the rise I could see the leaders climbing a second hill and I knew this was going to be fun. The first climb was followed by a drop of 40 or so feet followed by another 90 or so foot climb. Cheering HS age kids were providing support along the way. Mile 3 was a 7:15ish, and I was ok with that!  Mile 4 was a rolling down-hillish run that I covered in 6:36 and I gathered myself enough to finish mile 5 in 6:22! I almost forgot...somewhere between mile 4 and 5 was the last of 3 hay bale jumps, I hurdled the 1st with grace, stepped on the 2nd, and cursed on the 3rd. Feeling pretty good overall I held the last mile together. This XC stuff takes some getting used to, and I feel stronger running on sandy trails.



Finish Line In Sight

The gory details...: 
Overall 53 of 154
6th in 50-59 year old age group
4th in 55-59 year old age group

We, SDTC, had enough runners to score in the Dirt Dog CX Series but the standings have not yet been posted. And I think(hope) my position (currently 3rd) in the 50-59AG will not change.

JoAnne and I then took a short drive over to old town San Diego for brunch and refreshments.

Refreshments at Old Town Mexican Café

Next stop Crazy 8's 5k at Rancho Bernardo Park on September 24, 2016

52nd Annual Balboa 4-Miler September 3, 2016

Waking early we headed out to San Diego's Balboa Park, home of the San Diego Zoo, Food Truck Friday, and the Footlocker Cross Country National Championships.

Arriving fashionably early, parking was easy, we strolled over to the registration tent for bib pick-up. I had not previewed the course so I warmed up by running an out and back over the final mile. A portion of this included the infamous zig-zag hill. Feeling appropriately warm I headed over to the start area which was a large grassy field.

Greeting a few runners, I have not obtained a San Diego Track Club singlet yet, I received a few strange looks and questions about my Dahlberg-Kourtz Distance Project singlet.

Then after a few instructions from the starter, we were off and running. I clocked a flat mile 1 at 6:25, at the bottom end of Amanda's suggested opening pace. Suddenly there was a 100 foot drop over the next quarter. It would not have been so bad except that it was concrete covered with loose sand and leaves and a hard right turn at the bottom. I somehow survived and was now running on loose sand and dirt parallel to RT 163. Mile 1.9 to 2.0 was a rather arduous, and unexpected, 100 foot climb and my pace dropped to 6:42. And then just before mile 2.5 was a steep 50 foot drop. Then began a looping mild upgrade until mile 3.5, at which point I returned to the top of that aforementioned 100 foot climb. Now it was a 100 foot drop. Good times. After the downhill it was a short flat and sandy run to the start of the zig-zag hill and about a 1/3 of a mile to the finish. I managed to pass a couple of runners on the hill and one on the home stretch. Mile 3 was tough at 6:53 and mile 4 was a humbling 7:14. One runner easily passed me just before the chute. I once again handed over the tear-off portion of my bib. Tough course. I'll do better next year.
 
Our team, SDTC, took the win and the lead in the Dirt Dog Series lead after 2 races.

The gory details:
27th Overall Master Runner
4th in the 50-59 AG
1st in the 55-59 year olds.

AG Bling

JoAnne and I headed out to Old town San Diego for brunch and refreshments.



Refreshments at Fiesta De Reyes

Next stop and the third race of the series...the Bonita Stampede 8k, European Style XC, on September 10.