Running and racing news - the funcrunch files

I'd been holding off on posting about this week's 5K race because I was waiting for the official results to be posted, but I want to write up about it while it's still fresh in my mind. (Why does it seem like only the races I'm not in always get their results posted the same day? Grumble...)

Anyway, this Sunday I jogged over the Hyde Street hill to Aquatic Park to run the DSE Waterfront 5K race. Pre-registering indeed saved a bit of time, as this was larger than the usual DSE races; there were bibs with pre-printed race numbers and everything. The weather was overcast and about 45 degrees; I wore gloves for most of the run.

The 10-mile runners started a bit after 8:30, and the 5K race exactly ten minutes later. The flat, familiar route went through Fisherman's Wharf (few tourists were about, thankfully), along the Embarcadero and back. I started out slowly and picked up speed gradually, passing quite a few runners while going at my own pace, not trying to keep up anyone. I only sped up deliberately to pass someone in the last mile. When the finish line was within sight, I really picked up speed, thundering through and crossing in just under 34 minutes. I was huffing and puffing for several minutes afterward, but felt exhilarated.

Rather than leaving immediately as I had after previous races, I hung around to watch the first 10 milers finish (boggling at their sub-60 minute times; I can't even run a 10K that fast), and the 5K award ceremony. A couple of young women asked me to take their photo, and I chatted with them about the club; they were convinced enough to sign up. I took the cable car home, feeling tired but accomplished.

Last night boyziggy surprised me by asking if we could run together this morning. He's always said he's more of a sprinter, so we haven't been able to run together very successfully in the past. So at 9:30 we headed out along my usual 3 mile Aquatic Park route. The rain was coming down steadily, but the weather was a few degrees warmer, so I didn't need to wear gloves. He kept up with me until about halfway up the hill to Fort Mason, at which point I took off. I finished in about 43 minutes (only 34 minutes of which was "moving time" according to my GPS tracker; got stuck at several traffic lights as usual); he came home sometime later.

Tomorrow I'm planning a run along the Embarcadero down to the ballpark and back, about five miles. I'll walk on Thursday and run again on Friday, perhaps out to Crissy Field.