Jingle Bell Rock 5K, December 12
1, 2 in both the mens and womens races for Santa Cruz Endurance.
1, 2 in both the mens and womens races for Santa Cruz Endurance.
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| SCE runners on the front page of the Sentinel |
Race Report by Steve Yatson
Last Wednesday I threw my run gear in a duffle bag and tossed it in the car on the off chance I’d get to run the Jingle Bell 5k on Sunday. As it happened I woke up at 5:45am Sunday morning and the wife and newborn were fast asleep. It took me less time to sneak out of the house than it did to actually run the race. When you have a newborn and opportunity knocks, you answer.
I arrived on site before the volunteers, which was ironic in the fact that I almost missed the start and jumped across the line just as the gun went off. I was in such a daze and having such a good time talking to friends that I didn’t realize they were lining everyone up.
I went out as planned with a mile one split of 5:43. (I wanted to try a new bit of strategy. I’ve come in right around 19 minutes for the last 4 5k’s I’ve run. I typically hang back on the start and run around a 6:30 first mile. ) I figured I’d go out hard and see if it worked. Dan McKinnon went with me and half way through the race we were running well together.
As we hit the turn around I was surprised to see Samantha Forde right on us. She’s Santa Cruz Endurance and those girls are bad. Any one of them can and will chick you given the opportunity so I dropped a pretty good ego driven surge and hit the mile two split at 6:04. It was then that I realized Dan was falling off a bit so I looked back a few times to see if I could pull him back. He’s just coming off some injuries so he wasn’t quit there yet. I was on a PR pace so I didn’t want to slow at all and I was really hoping to come in under 19:00.
The last half-mile or so of the race was long straight and flat. It seemed to go on forever and as I approached the finish I swear it jumped away from me a couple of times. This it where it hit me hard and I took a mental beating that last half mile. So much for the new strategy of going out fast. It wasn’t until the last 200 yards that I realized I was still in the lead and could actually with the thing overall. It’s not often I get that opportunity. There are easily a dozen guys in Santa Cruz that are younger and faster and I should take a moment to thank them for staying in bed on such a beautiful Sunday morning.
As I crossed the line I looked at the time and saw the 19 minutes and something. The time didn’t matter, it wasn’t a PR, I’d won my first 5k in 25 years and the event was for a great cause. Dan crossed just after with 13 year old (and soon to be team mate) Andrew Walgren 3rd and Samantha 4th.
Full results here.
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| Steve takes 1st place overall |
I arrived on site before the volunteers, which was ironic in the fact that I almost missed the start and jumped across the line just as the gun went off. I was in such a daze and having such a good time talking to friends that I didn’t realize they were lining everyone up.
I went out as planned with a mile one split of 5:43. (I wanted to try a new bit of strategy. I’ve come in right around 19 minutes for the last 4 5k’s I’ve run. I typically hang back on the start and run around a 6:30 first mile. ) I figured I’d go out hard and see if it worked. Dan McKinnon went with me and half way through the race we were running well together.
As we hit the turn around I was surprised to see Samantha Forde right on us. She’s Santa Cruz Endurance and those girls are bad. Any one of them can and will chick you given the opportunity so I dropped a pretty good ego driven surge and hit the mile two split at 6:04. It was then that I realized Dan was falling off a bit so I looked back a few times to see if I could pull him back. He’s just coming off some injuries so he wasn’t quit there yet. I was on a PR pace so I didn’t want to slow at all and I was really hoping to come in under 19:00.
The last half-mile or so of the race was long straight and flat. It seemed to go on forever and as I approached the finish I swear it jumped away from me a couple of times. This it where it hit me hard and I took a mental beating that last half mile. So much for the new strategy of going out fast. It wasn’t until the last 200 yards that I realized I was still in the lead and could actually with the thing overall. It’s not often I get that opportunity. There are easily a dozen guys in Santa Cruz that are younger and faster and I should take a moment to thank them for staying in bed on such a beautiful Sunday morning.
As I crossed the line I looked at the time and saw the 19 minutes and something. The time didn’t matter, it wasn’t a PR, I’d won my first 5k in 25 years and the event was for a great cause. Dan crossed just after with 13 year old (and soon to be team mate) Andrew Walgren 3rd and Samantha 4th.
Sam Forde 19:59.9(!), 1st OA, 1st AG
Gaylia Osterlund 20:52, 2nd OA, 1st AG
Laura Reyes Durazo 24:41
Miriam McKinnon 27:17
Steve Yatson, 19:16, 1st OA
Dan McKinnon, 19:24, 2nd OA
Carlos Angobaldo, 23:50, 2nd AG PR
Full results here.
Summit Rock Half Marathon, December 11
Race Report by Jenn Betancourt
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| Age group winners Laura and Jenn sporting their medals |
On December 11, the trails of Saratoga were dominated by SCE’s Laura Reyes-Durazo and Jenn Betancourt (me) at the Brazen Racing’s Summit Rock Half Marathon. Having taken a two week break from running due to some gnarly hip pain, I was a little anxious at what awaited me and seriously contemplated bumping down to the 10K. Were my legs prepared for a rugged 13.1mile trail run complete with a 2900 ft elevation gain? I wasn’t too confident. However, after an entertaining car ride filled with Laura’s ever so encouraging and enthusiastic personality, I was convinced to approach the event as a fun run instead of as a race. “Don’t worry about your time! Just go out there, enjoy the views and have fun,” she kept telling me. As we arrived, we checked in seamlessly, took a few pre-race pics and then headed to the start line. Along with about 150 other half-marathoners, we set off UPHILL into the trails of Sanborn County Park. The weather was ideal with temperatures in the mid 50s and a misty morning fog that lingered around for the first 3 miles was perfectly refreshing. The first four miles were brutal and all uphill but aid stations were fully stocked and dispersed conveniently throughout the course. We ran through lush forest and witnessed amazing views accompanied with- you guessed it- more uphill.
Along the clearly pink-ribbon marked course, we climbed up to the top of summit rock overlooking a thick blanket of white clouds hovering over South Bay, we trampled over mini green apples that had previous fallen from their trees and tested our brevity on the extremely steep downhills, and then finally- the turnaround! Headed back, there was mutual cheering-on and encouragement from runner to runner and this is what I love most about this sport. Approaching the finish line, I could hear motivational music (maybe the theme to Rocky? I am not sure) and the crowd cheering “3rd female! 3rd female!” At the finish I was greeted with friendly volunteers, a medal and of course….tons of food: apple pie, pumpkin pie, hot chocolate, an assortment of snacks, It’s It ice cream, coffee, bagels, bananas and the list goes on. I quickly grabbed some food and a sweater and headed down to cheer on Laura as she finished her race, winning her age division and later informing me that this was her first division win! Way to go Laura!! Full results here. As we drove back over 17, we reminisced about the difficulty and beauty of the course, talked about how much fun we had and discussed signing up for PCTR Angel Island and/or Pacifica. In my head I even entertained the following thought: A 50K at Pacifica! Who’s with me?Silicon Valley Turkey Trot 10K, November 25
Daniel McKinnon 40:11 PR
Adam Blum 41:17
Gaylia Osterlund 41:25 1st AG
Craig Mace 50:45
Miriam McKinnon 54:35 PR
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