Sunday, April 18, 2010

Miracle Miles for Kids 04/18/2010

This Saturday I ran a 10k event for the first time in almost a year. I have ran some 10k routes here on my own this season. But this was my first organized event of the season. 
The one thing I’m not fond of in running is that races are always scheduled in the morning. I prefer to sleep in. But the fun and excitement of an event is enough to get me out of bed....at the last minute.
The race was to start at 8:30 and we made it to the registration line a little after 8am. That normally would have been plenty of time. But today, was different. When we showed up, there was an unusually large mass of people lined up at the registration table.  
Knowing that most of the registrants must already be through the registration process, I was stunned at the number of runners who must have signed up for this race! I couldn’t even find the line for my last name because the lines were so thick they were just melding into each other. 

I also noticed that the lines weren’t moving at all. Luckily, it was a chipped race. So it didn’t matter what time we took off. 
Word spread that the computers had gone down and they would start the race late. I managed to get through the line before Kris did. So I had my timing chip and race bib in place which allowed me to be ready with safety pins and zip ties to help Kris with his as soon as he made it through the line. 
While I was waiting I watched the activity. There were  a ton of people here! All levels of fitness. There were centipede groups that ran tethered together and many families pushing strollers. This was a super hard course not only because it was on sand the whole way. But there were several places you had to climb over rock out-croppings. I couldn’t imagine how the stroller brigades were going to make it through!
People started to congregate near the start line ready to go. There was a Coast Guard patrol boat sitting just off shore which was poised to start up the coast with the runners. I knew it would make it from the start line in Morro Bay to the Cayucus Pier before any of us. 
Also, there was a CHP helicopter hovering above us. You can see it above Kris’ head in the picture above. I was comforted to see that as I knew help would come fast if I collapsed halfway through the course. 


They started the race while Kris was still waiting to get registered. So I took off without him. Just kidding. I hung out until Kris got his chip and bib. I helped him get them on to save time so we could get started. 
Then he needed to find some sun block. Then he had to put some on. Then he had to go to the bathroom. Then he decided it had gotten too hot and had to take off his jacket. Then fold it up and put it in its pouch to clip onto his belt loop. THEN we finally started our walk down to the beach and the start line. 
OMG! I run slow, I had to get started soon or else I wouldn’t finish until after dark! 
We stepped over the starting mats together and Kris was off. It took 2.6 seconds until he was so far ahead I could no longer see him. I am so proud of him! He is a great runner. In fact, a 10k wasn’t enough for him. Once he hit the finish line, he planned to turn around and run the course back to the start line. This would be a half-marathon for him today. 
I knew I could expect to see him on his way back in about 10 minutes. Kris runs fast. He’s 6’2”, 160 pounds of pure muscles (all in his legs). Even the Kenyans are afraid of him. 
More on the story tomorrow. I’ll tell you how the stroller brigades did on the rock climbing, how I swam across two inlets and saved a senior lady from drowning. Be sure to check back! 

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