Yee haw!  I love the fall series.

ADULT RACE
I was at the starting area with my girlfriends (May, Tiffany, Candy).  As the pack started, I tried to find a decent pace.  For some reason, there was a log jam right at the start, on the little bridge by the playground.  We stopped and started twice there.

After that, I followed Tiffany and May for a while, as they passed people.  Then I found an opening and went through.  After that I just started going as fast as I could.  I knew there would be a decent log jam coming up around the first mile mark, and I wanted to be in front of as many people I could before we got there. 

I caught up with West Side Dad Chris Alvarez for a short time.  Then he was off.  Then May and Tiffany caught me right at the first log jam.  After we got through that, I wished them a good race and they were off. 

My goal was just to maintain a decent running pace throughout the trails, because I knew that the creek leg would be mostly walking for me.  I stopped just past the water station to re-tie my shoe.

I kept a decent pace through the 2nd mile, but as we approached the 1/4 before the creek, I was petering out.  I kept a running posture until we got to the creek.  Then the fun began.

The water was noticeably higher this year than the last two years.  Over my ankles most of the time, and sometimes up to my calf.  I was splashing myself thigh high as I slogged through – even found a few sandbars and rocky spots to “run” on.  It was brutal.  And seemed so much longer than I remembered.

As I came to the last leg of the creek, I caught up with an 8 year old boy who had stopped to tie his shoe. He started running as I reached him, and I thought, “No way, dude” and sprinted the 12 yards to the bank. 

I slogged up the final hill out of the water and started running as I hit the grassy area towards the finish line, not wanting that boy to catch me before I got there.  Just before I got to the finish, I caught a glimpse of Doug and Zander out of the corner of my eye and half-waved.  I ran through the finish line just over 46 minutes!

As I came around, Tiffany appeared with cup of water for me (thanks, Tif!) and I headed around towards my guys where I was welcomed with hugs.

Tiffany and I sat to change into dry shoes, and by the time we got up, it was about time for Candy to be finishing.  Her goal was to beat her nemesis Ed – a 77 year old gentleman who beat her every race of the fall series last year.

May spotted Candy and Tiffany and I went over to cheer her on, “Candy! Candy! Candy!”  Candy finished just under 55 minutes – beating her last year’s time by nearly 2 minutes!

KID RACES
I checked the posted times –

May Chan       43:08
Tiffany Hauber 43:18
Maida Scott    46:07
(Candy’s time had not been posted yet)

We all hung out under a tree near the stone wall.  It would be over an hour until the kids race.  So we snacked and hydrated and tried to keep the kids occupied until race time.

It was getting sketchy near the end – Zevan took a tumble that resulted in a bloody nose just a few minutes before the kids races started.

I kept looking for Michelle/Jonathan and Amy/Riley/Avery, but never saw them.

Finally it was 1:30 PM.  They started out with the 25 yard toddler run (ages 0-3).  So flipping cute!  Misha was about the 4th kid to finish that race.

Next was the all important preschooler run (agest 4-5).  Francisco (aka Pancho/Paco), Zander, Eli, Zevan and Misha (yes her 2nd race) were at the starting line together.

Ready, set, go!  We all started off great.  Then 20 yards into it, Zevan declared he was too tired and abruptly stopped .  I tried to get him to run, but he was digging his heels in.  I could see Zander and Francisco in the distance in the 2nd pack of kids.  So I scooped up Zevan and cut across the course to cheer Zander on.  I caught him at the trail by the stone wall, then again at the water station.  He was really running great!  Francisco pulled ahead of him at the  water station.  As Zander rounded the last bend towards the finish line, we cheered for him and met him at the finish line.  Doug said that Zander finished about 12th place.  I was SO proud of him!

Shortly after his race, we started packing up to go home.  As we were leaving, Misha was running the next race (ages 6-8)!

Yep, it was a good day.  I *love* the Fall Series!