Per the usual with a Saturday race, I worked a half day from home. After eating lunch, I made the drive out to the race in Santa Clarita to pick up my race packet. The drive out took about 1.5 hours. In addition to the race bib and a nice race shirt, I also got a sturdy tote bag and a tin cup. That was some nice high quality race swag!
Packet pick up
Race shirt
Back of race shirt
Tote bag
Tin cup
It was a bit too early to get dinner, but I decided to get something at the nearby Chick-fil-A anyways. On the mobile app, I placed my order for 12 pcs grilled chicken nuggets, Greek yogurt parfait with granola, and a large Sunjoy.
After I got my food, I drove over to the Super 8 to check into my room. I was assigned room #225. Similar to my stay at a Ramada for the Mesa Marathon last month, I had to reboot the WiFi gateway in order for the TV to work.
Super 8
About an hour after eating my snack from Chick-fil-A, I decided to get dinner at the nearby Yoshinoya. I placed my order on the app for a large beef bowl, but for some reason it kept declining my stored credit card. I deleted the saved payment info and re-entered it which fixed the problem. That was a pretty annoying glitch if I need to do that every time. I arrived at the restaurant about 5 minutes early for my scheduled pick-up time. It seemed like the employees went out of their way to serve the walk-up orders before getting to my order. That's fine by me since I had just eaten an hour ago.
Large beef bowl
After eating dinner, I took a shower and laid out my flat runner for tomorrow's half marathon. It was going to be a warm day tomorrow, so I had my cooling scarf ready as well as my new white Old Master Q t-shirt. The usual Star Wars weekend marathon was on TNT, so I watched that until I was tired and ready to call it a night.
Flat runner
Chewbacca wants his medal!
Saturday 3/26
I got ready and checked out of my room at about 5 am to head over to the race. I arrived there early enough to snag a roadside parking spot along San Francisquito Canyon Rd just across from the entrance to the race.
I stayed in my car until about 6 am before I got my race stuff in order and went over to the race venue to use one of the portapotties. After I was done taking care of the usual prerace business, I started heading over to the start line where I bumped into a few familiar faces. It was going to be a warm day, so the race director allowed people to take an early start. I opted for the regular 7 am scheduled start.
Time to hit the portapotties before the race!
Beth!
Start line
Sarah!
Course map
After a few last minute instructions from the race director, it was time to run! It was a bit congested at the beginning, but everyone started spreading out once we hit the steep climbs. I was a bit wary of the shin splint that had recently developed in my left leg, but it turned out fine for the most part. It did hurt when I tried to baby it during one steep downhill section. Once I put it out of my mind and ran with my natural stride, it felt fine. Still, I made sure to take it easy and try to keep it to a more subdued effort. I think I did annoy a few runners as I would come up to them, but not pass them until they finally pulled over and had me run by them. I just didn't want to end up overextending myself and being completely trashed for tomorrow's race. As with most trail races, there were some gnarly steep climbs, but they always led up to some beautiful views up at the top.
Climbing!
More climbing!
Dude, they have a bench here!
Finish line
Finish: 2:48:43
Click here for my Garmin data.
After crossing the finish line and getting my awesome finisher medal, I made my way over to the post race food table. I ended up only taking one of the G2G protein bar and a bottle of water. I then found my friend who had taken an early start and traded race stories. I bumped into a couple of good looking dogs on my way to take a post race finisher photo.
Getting my medal
Post race food
I took a bottle of water and protein bar
Nice doggies
I didn't stick around too long after the race. I left shortly after giving away my beer ticket and using one of the portapotties. After hopping in my car, I drove over to the nearby Chick-fil-A to grab lunch. On the mobile app, I ordered the usual Cobb salad with grilled nuggets and my favorite frosted lemonade. After I got my food, I headed over to the nearby Tesla Supercharger station to charge up the car before driving down to San Diego for tomorrow's race. The first stall that I pulled into would not start charging, so I pulled into another stall which thankfully worked. I ate my lunch while I waited for the car to finish charging.
Chick-fil-A curbside mobile order
Frosted lemonade, Cobb salad with grilled nuggets, and finisher medal
First stall was not charging
Pulled into another stall
After the car was done charging, I hopped on the freeway and headed south on the 5 freeway. I exited at Avenida Vista Hermosa in San Clemente to charge the car at the Tesla Supercharger. For the most part that stretch of the drive went okay. It took almost 2.5 hours to cover about 88 miles. After I pulled into a stall and plugged the car in for a charge, I walked over to Target to buy a bag of my favorite beef jerky and a gallon of water.
Tesla Supercharger San Clemente
My favorite beef jerky and a gallon of water
After the car was done charging, I hopped back on the freeway. My friend had texted me to warn me about the traffic on the 5 freeway heading down to San Diego. Apparently, there had been an accident. It was pretty slow going, but I didn't see any evidence of an accident. It took a little over 2 hours to cover the remaining 60 or so miles. I was feeling pretty tired, so I wasn't in the mood to go hunting for meter parking. I ended up parking at the ABM Parking Services Lot #1035 at First and Island for a flat rate of $10 which was good for 12 hours.
First and Island
$10 parking for 12 hours
After paying for parking at the kiosk, I walked over to the Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter to pick up my race packet. I met up with my friends that had also arrived at about the same time. After I got my bib, I got my race shirt with 3 stars as it was 3rd consecutive year running this race. Then for whatever reason, I was given yet another similar shirt in navy where they heat pressed the number of stars appropriate for my current legacy status. One thing that was missing was the usual sturdy tote bag or even a clear plastic bag. We asked the volunteers, but they didn't know.
Race shirt
Another race shirt
I told my friends that since I had paid for 12 hours of parking that I was going to eat dinner at the nearby Lou & Mickey's. They were more than welcome to join me. I didn't have a reservation, but it was only about 4:30 pm, so they were able to seat us in one of the outside booths right next to the sidewalk. I had been wanting to try this place for quite some time for their aged steaks. I ordered a vine ripened tomato & burrata for my salad and an 18 oz New York cut aged 120 days for my steak. The tomato & burrata was excellent especially if you like burrata cheese. Now for the reason why I came, their aged steak. That was one beefy, nutty, and tender cut of meat! I got it with some horseradish. I definitely will be back the next chance that I get!
Vine ripened tomato & burrata
18 oz New York cut aged 120 days
After taking a quick selfie, we went our separate ways. I hopped in my car and drove down to the Howard Johnson in National City. I've stayed here once before for the San Diego Comic-Con back in late November. When I checked in, I was assigned room #120. I took a shower and laid out my flat runner before calling it a night. For tomorrow's race, I decided that I would make it easy and just wear the race shirt from the Valencia Trail Race.
Latino Heat and Eviltwin
Flat runner
Sunday 3/27
I got ready and checked out of my room just a few minutes before 5 am. I drove over to 8th Ave and parked at a meter spot just to the east of the 7th & Market South parking lot. I stayed in my car for about an hour before I started heading to the race start over on Harbor Dr. Along the way, I saw a fellow race participant that looked a little bit lost. I asked if she was headed to the race and offered to walk with her to the Harbor Drive Pedestrian Bridge. The Downtown area isn't a very nice area these days, so I think she was thankful for the company.
Per the usual, I crossed the bridge and walked over to the Hilton San Diego Bayfront hotel to relax a bit and to use their restroom. As the 7:30 am start of the race approached, I started heading over to the start line corral. Once I got there, I found the usual suspects. I was able sneak up on my friend for a selfie. He's usually the one sneaking up on people with drive-by selfies. :)
Start line
Snuck up on Latino Heat!
Latino Heat and Marcia
Here we go!
I ran fine up through the first 10k at a pace that would've had me reaching the finish line in just under 2 hours. Then my energy level plummeted. I kept plodding along the best that I could, but my pace just kept slowing with each mile. My friends caught me shortly after we had run past the Marine Corps Recruit Depot and was approaching that steep climb up Washington St. When I finally reached the downhill section next to Balboa Park, I found myself not even able to run fast for that descent. Normally, I could always muster up enough strength to run the final stretch with the finish line in sight, but this time I could not. I felt dizzy as I approached the finish line. It ended up being a slow trot across the finish line.
From Steph at about 5k
Almost time for that climb up Washington
Finish line
Finish: 2:06:26
Click here for my Garmin data.
Man, I was glad just to have reached that finish line! It reminded me that I really should stop running doubles. It was a humid day and I had run a race yesterday so it was most likely an electrolyte imbalance. After collecting my finisher medal, I was given that sturdy tote bag that we were looking for yesterday. It turned out to be super convenient to have that bag at the finish line to carry all of the post race snacks, banana, and water bottle. I found Spider-man taking pictures with Team Hoyt. He was the same guy that I saw at the Carlsbad Half Marathon a couple months ago. Today, he passed me around the Marine Corps Recruit Depot.
Finisher medal
Post race tote bag and snacks
Spider-man
Just as I was starting my walk back to my car, I came across the Dunkin' tent where they were passing out free donuts. I took a sample for my walk. Once I got back to my car, it was time to hit the road. I made my usual stop in San Clemente to charge the car. When I arrived, the Tesla ahead me had just pulled into the last vacant stall. I pulled into a regular parking stall and waited. Eventually, a car pulled out. As I drove over to pull in, I saw that a bunch of other Tesla drivers had arrived to also get a charge. They didn't have to wait like I did as other cars were just pulling out.
Free Dunkin'
Full up, waiting for a stall
Pulled in for a charge
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