Ray Cherenzia Back Road Ramble
Sunday, June 12, 2016
This is the 5th year running of this race, and I'm happy to have run every edition of it.
After they paved the camp portion of the course in Year 2 to the horror of most participants (naturally, Mike B applauded it), I suggested to the Y that they look for a course change the following year, and they in turn asked me to serve as a volunteer on their race committee. Sure, I'll put my money where my mouth is. Many meetings pursued at the Arcadia Y, plus course tweaking and measuring, and voila, a new course with less asphalt and more trails was born.
For 2016, the major change was the edition of a 5-mile option that I had proposed and got approved. I arrived at 6am for an 11am start. Why? To help course mark.
Short race overview: After a warm-up with Jonny Hammett, we were ready to go. I told him I projected to see him as far as the campground playground. After the climb up the amphitheater and exit to Burlingame parking lot, I was in 6th place, just behind Jonny. The top four were 5K and Jonny E leading it out on Sanctuary Road, followed by two kids I didn't know. A half-mile or so in, Jonny (H) went ahead of the two kids and I stayed back. I sensed the two kids were already slowing a bit so just before the trailhead, I sped up to go around them for a better trail position. At 1.25 miles in, the course splits and I followed behind Jonny at a much bigger gap now. When we split off back into single-track (near the Ledge Trail), that would be the last I see of Jonny.
No-mans land: I really enjoyed the next two miles of winding rolling single-track, but was getting hot, and running in no man's land gave me little impetus to push it. Normally I skip the waterstops but was dehydrated and appreciated the water. When we merged back onto the 5K course, it was at the tail end of runners and start of walkers. It was easy passing them on the open field section, and on the single-track I called out "On your left!" and they all politely pulled to the side of the trail.
After the long Sanctuary return, I had a good finish on the downhill and was ready for lunch and a swim. (Actually I was ready for fun on the water trampoline, but it unfortunately it was closed due to whitecaps.)
2nd overall in 34:52.
Sunday, June 12, 2016
This is the 5th year running of this race, and I'm happy to have run every edition of it.
After they paved the camp portion of the course in Year 2 to the horror of most participants (naturally, Mike B applauded it), I suggested to the Y that they look for a course change the following year, and they in turn asked me to serve as a volunteer on their race committee. Sure, I'll put my money where my mouth is. Many meetings pursued at the Arcadia Y, plus course tweaking and measuring, and voila, a new course with less asphalt and more trails was born.
For 2016, the major change was the edition of a 5-mile option that I had proposed and got approved. I arrived at 6am for an 11am start. Why? To help course mark.
 |
| ... and we're off. I'm behind Jonny as we prepare to attack the amphitheater. (Pic by Jana) |
Short race overview: After a warm-up with Jonny Hammett, we were ready to go. I told him I projected to see him as far as the campground playground. After the climb up the amphitheater and exit to Burlingame parking lot, I was in 6th place, just behind Jonny. The top four were 5K and Jonny E leading it out on Sanctuary Road, followed by two kids I didn't know. A half-mile or so in, Jonny (H) went ahead of the two kids and I stayed back. I sensed the two kids were already slowing a bit so just before the trailhead, I sped up to go around them for a better trail position. At 1.25 miles in, the course splits and I followed behind Jonny at a much bigger gap now. When we split off back into single-track (near the Ledge Trail), that would be the last I see of Jonny.
 |
| A mile in, and already the form is slumping? (Pic by Seth) |
No-mans land: I really enjoyed the next two miles of winding rolling single-track, but was getting hot, and running in no man's land gave me little impetus to push it. Normally I skip the waterstops but was dehydrated and appreciated the water. When we merged back onto the 5K course, it was at the tail end of runners and start of walkers. It was easy passing them on the open field section, and on the single-track I called out "On your left!" and they all politely pulled to the side of the trail.
After the long Sanctuary return, I had a good finish on the downhill and was ready for lunch and a swim. (Actually I was ready for fun on the water trampoline, but it unfortunately it was closed due to whitecaps.)
2nd overall in 34:52.
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