| Author |
Topic: Ilene's 10K Race Report |
Ileneforward
Cool Runner |
 posted Mar-27-2007 07:17 AM
  
Just a short sweet race report for a short sweet race. The race benefits children’s programs in Orange County and is held each year at Fashion Island, an uber trendy shopping center with a circular layout enmarbled with parking lots and concentric streets.
They offer almost back to back 10K and 5K races and last year with SLOJim, I ran both. This year I am recovering from a bout of the flu and still in the process of clearing my sinuses and lungs of detritus, so I opted to only run the 10K. They also have a 1 mile kids run with age divisions running from 4 year olds, and then each year up to 12 year olds. I love watching that race; the grim determination on some of the kids faces and the flying elbows and feet as they sprint madly for the finish line, is awe inspiring. In fact, I learned my go-for-broke finishing kick from watching them.It was cold and cloudy, 48 degrees at the start and soaring to 52 by the end. The 10K starts at 7:15, so I had risen at 5 am, and dresses in thigh long black tights sans fug, a red short sleeve technical top, swooped my luxurious shoulder length hair into a ponytail with a black hair scrunchy, topped it with my SF marathon white hat, and finished my ensemble with anklet white socks, NB blue and white shoes and my garmin 205. We all lined up on one of the inner roads of the Fashion Island and waited for Steve Scott, the guest starter of the race, to send us off. I love the cross section of runners this race brings out, young and old, big and small, and every conceivable outfit as well.  I didn’t run into any SoCal boomers or even any of the runners from my club. I was just a quiet observer feeling pretty withdrawn. Of course some of that might be the muffling effect having a stuffed up nose and stuffed ears has.  This is an excellent venue for a race as the course dips in and out of three different streets and curves enough so that you only see the leaders briefly along one stretch and you cannot see more than a few blocks ahead. It also is a deceptively hilly course as well, although it has a nice downhill. The 10K is 2 loops of the course and I discovered during the first one that my deep throaty cough which sounded like a 70 year old cigar smoker with a megaphone, cleared my path quite well. But my usual sluggish speed wasn’t there to take full advantage of this.
,
I slogged through the 2nd loop making as much of the downhills as I could, especially the downhill finish. My time was 2 minutes slower than last year but I still came in first in my AG. It was still very chilly so I went to my car and changed my shirt, so I could be warmer while I waited around for the awards ceremony. To my delight, not only did I get a 1st place medal on a blue ribbon, but it came with a gift certificate for a pair of Asics shoes. Who says racing a lot isn't good for you?
IP: Logged |
SueT48
Cool Runner |
posted Mar-27-2007 07:27 AM
Woohoo! Congratulations on the age group win! And free shoes to boot - that is fantastic. Sorry to hear you weren't feeling well, but you still did very well. Nice race report - thanks for sharing. ------------------
Sue
IP: Logged |
hollys4874
Cool Runner |
posted Mar-27-2007 07:36 AM
Ilene, I always love your race reports – you include all the coolest details! Sorry you weren’t feeling your best, but how awesome is it that you still managed to win your AG and get a prize, too. Well done!
------------------
Holly
IP: Logged |
lyndenrunner
Cool Runner |
posted Mar-27-2007 07:52 AM
Wow!! What a great runner you are,and quite a fashionable dresser as well.Congratulations on your AG win and all the spoils that go along with it. ------------------
Gordon
My Profile
IP: Logged |
henrun
Cool Runner |
posted Mar-27-2007 08:07 AM
Ilene, you continue to astound me with your racing feats. Congrats-even though you weren't at your best you did well-yes, it is nice to win shoes. I believe I did that 10K at Fashion Island when I lived in the L.A. area.
Keep that racing going.
IP: Logged |
timlooney
Cool Runner |
posted Mar-27-2007 08:19 AM
Wow Ilene! Great race and report. You should post pics of you in your fashionable outfit. Most of the time people who win their age group get ugly early. Not only did you win you did it looking fab.Way to go!
IP: Logged |
millbot
Cool Runner |
posted Mar-27-2007 08:20 AM
Ilene, congratulations on the AG win. Cracking! I like these UK words but don't know what they all mean. I think cracking is good, right?If you don't wear Asics, I'd be pleased to relieve you of that gift certificate.
IP: Logged |
tomwhite
Cool Runner |
posted Mar-27-2007 08:30 AM
..........nice running ilene//..........sounds like a good race for your not feeling 100%............nice job.....
IP: Logged |
DaveinAA
Cool Runner |
posted Mar-27-2007 08:39 AM
Race early and race often, say I.
Well-written and fun to read as always. Congratulations on the AG win and the shoes!
IP: Logged |
StarrRuns
Cool Runner |
posted Mar-27-2007 08:41 AM
Ilene, I loved your report! Thanks for sharing all the cool details, and congratulations on the AG win and the new shoes too. Did you a running tabulation of all your entry fees and winnings? That would be interesting.
IP: Logged |
MarkGuy
Cool Runner |
posted Mar-27-2007 08:55 AM
Nice job on the AG win and the shoes. That's pretty good under normal conditions but even better since you're still recovering.Mark
IP: Logged |
Barefoot Rick
Cool Runner |
posted Mar-27-2007 08:59 AM
Way to go, Ilene! Congrats on your AG win! And you didn't even have to run as fast as last year.48 degrees is cold, I suppose to you SOCALers  ! Also, I was thinking about the free shoes. Hmmmm .. I guess folks that use shoes responsibly (like yourself, of course), the gift is a blessing. For me, of course, they would be like giving this recovering boozer a beer or something. Wouldn't be a good idea :O! ------------------
"Do something remarkable, every day. In time, your life will become remarkable!" - Barefoot Rick @ www.barefootrunner.org
IP: Logged |
kameele
Cool Runner |
posted Mar-27-2007 09:23 AM
Ilene--great race and great spoils for running under the weather. I'm some how guessing that for you shy and retiring is a relative term The poor SoCal'ers must have been all shades of blue and purple at that temp.
IP: Logged |
piejones
Cool Runner |
posted Mar-27-2007 09:24 AM
Thatsa good racing. Sounds like a fun event, even under "stuffy" conditions. Nice job.
IP: Logged |
WillRunForBeer
Cool Runner |
posted Mar-27-2007 09:34 AM
Some more hardware and even some footwear for you, Ilene. Fantastic!Lou
IP: Logged |
choover
Cool Runner |
posted Mar-27-2007 09:41 AM
Hi Ilene,
I'm impressed you ran this race given the residual problems from the flu. And as usual, you ran it with flair! I love the image of the "grim determination on some of the kids faces...flying elbows and feet as they sprint madly for the finish..." Congrats on your AG award and winning new shoes. How cool is that? Great RR. ------------------
choover
IP: Logged |
Lil Engine
Cool Runner |
posted Mar-27-2007 10:04 AM
Smashing, Ilene! (yeah, I like the British lingo too!)------------------
My Profile
"I think I can, I think I can"
IP: Logged |
Ileneforward
Cool Runner |
posted Mar-27-2007 10:12 AM
Sorry, millbot, Mr. Forward has already become the happy recipient of my gift certificate.
IP: Logged |
jdmom3
Cool Runner |
posted Mar-27-2007 10:16 AM
Hmmm, sans FUG huh? Not sure I could do that, but congrats Ilene on a great race when you were still recovering from the flu. This one was definitely worth it for the nice medal and free shoes! Woot! Way to go Ilene!Meg
IP: Logged |
nighthawk42
Cool Runner |
posted Mar-27-2007 10:27 AM
I'll give you a double woot for just getting out in such bitter cold conditions and throw in a huzzahfor the hardware and an atta girl for the new kicks. Put them together and you have..... woot woot huzzah atta girl Mike
IP: Logged |
TammyM
Cool Runner |
posted Mar-27-2007 10:28 AM
what?? no lipstick report?? Ilene, you are slipping ! Congrats on your AG placement! Wow -even feeling under the weather you blow them all away! Great racing and like others have said, I always enjoy your reports, your attention to detail and your mastery of adjectives! I'll be down in OC in less than a couple months. I wish I had the time to scope out a local race while I was there  ------------------
Tamalina
IP: Logged |
Arrojo
Cool Runner |
posted Mar-27-2007 10:29 AM
First in your age group??!! OMG, that is so hot! Beautiful and fast. 
IP: Logged |
Econo
Cool Runner |
posted Mar-27-2007 10:47 AM
Mahvelous, dahling! Brava, brava! Now PLEASE take it easy and rest for a few days. No relapse of the flu for you. OK? Promise? [This message has been edited by Econo (edited Mar-27-2007).]
IP: Logged |
bigapplepie
Cool Runner |
posted Mar-27-2007 10:47 AM
Proud of you Ilene!
IP: Logged |
smpankowski
Cool Runner |
posted Mar-27-2007 10:49 AM
This race report is great!! I've always wanted to run a back to back race. Are we mentally ill??? New shoes too!!!! Sweet. When races have a little kid's race, it's a blast to watch.------------------
Never regret anything that made you smile, SteveP My User Profile
IP: Logged |
