The G Running Diary

The Day of Many Races: 4/18/04

Previous  |  Next  |  Index

April 17th was a big day for Northern California ultra races. There were three to choose from: Diablo 50 Mile, Ruth Anderson 100K, and Pony Express 50 Mile. All three had shorter options, too. At first Don and I decided on the one with the most elevation change, Diablo, but then we realized that maybe we didn't need to run that course twice in one week, and we'd rather run it with Sarah than with the race. This year. So we chose Ruth Anderson for the 17th. This meant we could give Steve Jaber some help with the race, run the 50K, and then do some promotion for our ZombieRunner business.

The Ruth Anderson race is a 4.45-mile loop around Lake Merced. It attracts a small group, but there is often at least one runner with a goal of setting some kind of record. Age group awards are given, so it's kind of nice that it's a small group. If you are a decent runner, you will probably win something. The choice of distances is 100K, 50M, and 50K. You can choose while you are running. The course is a certified road course, so the numbers count.

I figured I would take it easy round the lake, but still keep a decent pace so that I wasn't last in the 50K. The sooner I was done, the sooner I could start selling gear! We arrived early and did what we could to help set up the start/finish aid station. I gave Succeed! Caps to Steve for the two aid stations. The other one was at the halfway point around the lake. For the start, everyone walks about a half mile around the lake to gather at the official point. Steve asked me and Don to start a couple of the timers each--there had to be six of them for official race times. Record setting is serious business. Then we were off.

The first loop was uneventful. Don and I chatted. We were close to the back as usual. On the second loop, Don seemed to have a burst of speed. I was keeping up (foolish me). I don't think that was the pace I meant to go. On the third loop, he was off. I guess he felt good. I just maintained. I wasn't all that comfortable on the hard surface, but I was finding my groove and it was ok. I was wearing the new Asics Kayanos, and I thought they were pretty cushy. Still, the cushy shoes couldn't make up for the pounding of repetitive motion, and some things started to hurt. My hips were most noticeable.

The odd part was, it was all over so fast. A 50K is only 7 loops of the lake. With two loops left I asked the lap counters how many, just to be sure I was right that I was more than half done. They said I had three left. I shook my head and ran on, doing bad runner math as I finished one more loop. Next time around I got it all straightened out (my loops were consistent enough to make it fairly obvious) and went on to my last loop. Don had finished before me, and waited at the finishing place for 50K, which was just a little ways past the start/finish. I was glad to be done, and glad that the weather wasn't bad. It was cool and breezy at this point. It had showered a little on the south side of the lake--not on the north. The cloudbursts weren't annoying at all. They were kind of refreshing.

We set up our ZombieRunner table and told people about our products. It was fun encouraging the runners as they kept coming around. Some of the fast guys stopped at 50 mile. I was impressed with Scott St. John because his stride just looked so smooth. I told him so after he was done. Mike Sweeney was out there too. He ended up buying some of our products. What a guy!

We provided ZombieRunner awards for the runners who made the most of the course--the ones who were out there the longest.

We stayed out there as long as we could, joking about strategies to get the last runners to stop at 50M rather than continuing to 100K. Then we drove over to the other side of the Bay to see how the Diablo 50M and marathon was going on. We wanted to know how our friends did! It looked like Karen had a great time in the marathon, taking an easy pace and finishing in a better time than she expected. Steve was still hanging out, even though he had to stop early due to some foot troubles. Jeffery was just on his way out after the 50. Catra had finished the 50. Glen had finished the marathon. Sarah was handling everything well. We all chatted for a while and then Don and I left. It was a full day. Too bad we couldn't have made it over to Pony Express as well!

Ruth Anderson photos by Don