When I registered for the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation 5k run back on June 11th, they never advertised it as a sunset race. I assumed that it would be another morning race. Even though I was unable to run the race tomorrow, I decided to go pick up my race packet since it included a Corey Seager bobblehead. So after lunch, I made the drive out to Dodger Stadium. It has been a while since I've made this drive. Per the usual, there was a ton of traffic and highway construction around the downtown area. I ended up exiting the freeway at Vignes St and making my way over to the Sunset entrance.
Once past the gates, the cars were directed to the parking lot just outside of the newly renovated Centerfield Plaza. It was pretty nice to see the much needed facelift for Dodger Stadium. After I parked my car, it was a really quick process to pick up my race shirt, bib, some swag, and the bobblehead. Then it was time to hop back in the car and head back home for some more work.
It's good to be back!
Race shirt
Back of race shirt
Swag
Bib and Corey Seager bobble head
Saturday 8/14
I got dropped off at the Fullerton Station to catch a morning Amtrak train down to San Diego. Normally, the southbound train would require me to cross over to the southern platform. However, when the train was approaching they announced that we would be boarding the train from the northern platform. I had to scamper up the stairs and across the bridge to get back to the other side.
The train ride down to San Diego was pretty uneventful and took just a little over 2 hours to roll into the Santa Fe Depot. From there, it was a pretty long walk over to the Sheraton on Harbor Island. During that walk, I came across a lot of homeless all along the embarcadero. It just seems like the problem is only getting worse with each visit.
Once I got there, I first used the restroom in the hotel before making my way back to the pavilion, the normal venue location for the race expo. After I picked up the bibs for me and my friends, I made my way to the other end of the pavilion to pick up our race shirts and tote bags. My local friends were there as volunteers. I hung with them for a little bit after I did a quick walkthrough with the rest of the expo.
Race shirt
Back of race shirt
Sturdy tote bag
QURE water
It was then time to go get lunch. My friend gave me his MTS Compass card to use when he found out that I was going to take the light rail over to National City for lunch. Soon they're going to switch over to PRONTO so that card needed to be used up. From the Sheraton, I walked over to the America Plaza Station to catch the blue line. From there, I took the light rail down to the 24th St Station. Along the way, there was a bunch of drama in the car that I was riding. It would seem as if a guy in a wheelchair needed to get off at 12th and Imperial to switch over to the orange line, but there was some big confusion among two other passengers. They ended up getting in a silly but quite heated argument.
Once I got to my station, I couldn't wait to get off and get to Chick-fil-A. I ordered the usual cobb salad with grilled nuggets and a frosted lemonade. When my food was ready, I found a small table near the back to enjoy my food.
Cobb salad with grilled nuggets and frosted lemonade
Once I was done with my lunch, I walked back to the light rail station to get a ride over to my timeshare property. While waiting at the station, I noticed a rather big dead roach on the ground. With the warmer weather, I've been seeing a lot of these roaches in the downtown San Diego area!
Dead roach!
I got off of the trolley at the City College station and walked a couple blocks north over to the WorldMark San Diego Balboa Park property. Although I was a couple of hours early, fortunately, my room was ready and I was able to check-in. I was assigned to room #117. More often than not I get a room facing the McDonald's across the street.
View from my room
Once I got settled into my room, I messaged my friends just to check on them to see when and where they want to pick up their race packet. We need our race bib in order to ride the shuttles up to the start line over at the Cabrillo National Monument. It would turn out that they decided to skip running the Beaver Canyon Marathon this morning out in Utah and had just arrived in San Diego. So I grabbed their race packet and hoofed it over to their hotel, the nearby Doubletree. On the way back to my room, I stopped by the McDonald's to pick up dinner. Per the usual, I ordered on the mobile app. I used the buy one, get one free deal to get two Quarter Pounders with cheese.
Quarter Pounder with cheese x2, BOGO deal
So Star Wars: The Last Jedi was on. I sat down and tried watching it. I mean, the Prequels weren't that great, but eventually I warmed up to them. I made it through maybe 10 minutes of TLJ. No thank you. Just absolute garbage. The only thing worse that I've seen recently has been Wonder Women 1984.
I ended up watching Yankees vs. White Sox then followed by the Dodgers vs. Mets. The Dodgers finally won a close 1 run game in the 10th inning with a score of 2-1. During the Dodger game, I laid out my flat runner for tomorrow's race. I realized that I had not packed my race belt. Thankfully, I had some bib clips in my bag.
Flat runner
Sunday 8/15
Per the usual with this race, I got ready and walked over to the corner of Presidents Way and Park Blvd to wait for my friend and to catch the shuttle to the start line. My friend was running late, so I walked over to the post race portapotties and took care of some pre-race business while I waited. Unfortunately, this year, we didn't get to ride in one of those nicer motorcoaches. We rode one of those uncomfortable elementary school buses. Sitting next to us was The Bud Knight! Even with that cumbersome looking get-up, he passed me during the San Diego Half Marathon last month!
The Bud Knight!
Once we arrived and were dropped off at the Cabrillo National Monument, we got in one of the portapotty lines to empty the bladder one last time. Then we met up with our friends, the usual suspects at most of the races in San Diego. We waited near the barrier of the parking lot. Once the last bus had arrived and it was almost time for the race, they let us walk up to the starting line.
Pre-race photo
Ready to run!
At the start line
When the race started at about 6:17 am, I charged out at what I thought was a decent but not-too-hard pace. However, there were rollers throughout those first 3 miles and I was struggling by the time I got to the second mile to maintain that pace. I took a walk break to let my heart rate calm down a bit. Mile 4 was a nice long downhill stretch. However once it flattened out, my legs felt really heavy. By the time I reached mile 5, I knew that my race was done. I still do not have the fitness to handle the heat and humidity combination for this race. As I slowly approached mile 6, my friend, Dan passed me again. Shortly after making that right turn onto Harbor Island Dr, my friend, Robert caught me.
Dan about to pass me... again
Dan!
Latino Heat!
From there, it wasn't much of a race for me. It was just a jog/walk slog-fest to the finish line. During my many walk breaks, I took a picture of some of the local iconic landmarks. The Star of India meant that there was only about 3 miles left, most of which were uphill. It was such a relief to finally reach El Prado after climbing up 6th Ave. Crossing the Cabrillo Bridge meant that there was about only about .1 mile to go for the finish line.
View from Harbor Island
Approaching the Star of India
Finish line
Finish: 2:10:46
Click here for my Garmin data.
It wasn't the result that I wanted, but a finish is still a finish. I really hope to be at the very least back under 2 hours when I run this race again next year! It has been a while since I was able to do that at this race!
After receiving my finisher medal and a bag of post race snacks and drinks, I bumped into a bunch of my fellow Half Fanatics. After snapping a quick pic, Robert and I made our way back to the last stretch of the course to cheer on our friends.
Finisher medal
Post race snacks and drinks
Half Fanatics at the finish
My friend, Tracy, was pacing 2:30
Eviltwin!
After Karen came through, we started making our way back to our respective hotels. My friends were headed home and I was staying for the night. Along the walk back, my friend gave her bag of snacks to one of the homeless on the 5 freeway overpass. Back at my room, I got cleaned up and vegged out for a few hours before crossing the street to McDonald's to get lunch. I went with the usual buy one, get one free deal on the mobile app to get two Quarter Pounders with cheese.
Quarter Pounder with cheese x2, BOGO deal
Later that evening, I watched the Dodgers vs. Mets game. It's always fun when the Dodger bats are alive and home runs are a plenty. It was also nice to see Max Scherzer pitch. The Dodgers won easily, 14-4.
Dodgers vs. Mets, Max Scherzer
Double cheeseburger x2, BOGO deal and large unsweetened iced tea
Monday 8/16
I got ready and packed up my stuff before checking out and making the walk over to the Santa Fe Depot to catch the Amtrak train home. Since I took the day off of work, it was nice to take my time and not have to make the walk in the darkness at o' dark hour of the early morning. My train was scheduled to depart at just before 8:30 am. I had to remind myself to not get off of the train at the Irvine station. I usually get off of there to go into the office. I truly appreciate being able to continue to work from home. After getting picked up at Fullerton station and eating lunch, I went for an afternoon walk around the neighborhood to help loosen up the legs.
