Exploring Dave’s Backyard

Morning Run

Morning Moonlight

Marco’s White Sand Beaches

After the Quad Dipsea on November 30, I kept my weekly mileage in check and stuck to easy runs. My goals for this race were simple:
	•	Stay on my feet.
	•	Run consistently.
	•	Eat and drink enough.

Due to a fallen tree, the course turned into three big loops, one medium loop, and one small loop. The upside? I got familiar with the route. The downside? Being halfway through a climb, knowing I’d have to tackle it again. I also didn’t have a clear sense of what a “good” time would be.

The race started with drizzle, but the canopy made it manageable. I was surprised to see people running in jackets—I went with just a shirt, though a singlet might have been better.

The 50K and 35K started together, so I wasn’t sure who was in which race. I let others go ahead and got stuck behind a pack on the single track. No worries—I reminded myself it’s a long race.

When the trail opened up, I found runners at a similar pace to grind up the hill with. Everyone had their own strategy: walk, jog, or run. The climb felt never-ending, and my mantra became:
	•	One foot after the other.
	•	Jogging is better than walking.
	•	I’ll keep jogging until that tree…then I’ll jog again.

Once I reached the top, I had no idea how many runners were ahead. But the reward was a long, winding descent. I focused on keeping a solid pace without wrecking my legs.

Most of the race, I ran near two others:
	1.	A 29-year-old firefighter from Bakersfield (built like a tank).
	2.	A 19-year-old from San Francisco (seriously, 19?).

We’d swap spots throughout—sometimes on a climb, descent, at an aid station, or during a bathroom stop. Other times, we just chatted, killing time while mentally preparing for the real race: the last 10K. Who would have the legs for that final push?

The Final 10K
Heading into the last section, I had a slight lead. The firefighter passed me near the top of the hill, pushing hard enough to stretch the gap. My legs were cooked, but I kept moving, knowing anything was better than walking.

At the final aid station, I waterfalled Coke from a 2-liter bottle (and spilled half of it on myself). Hustling out, I focused on protecting my lead.

One mile later, the SF runner passed me at the bottom of the hill. He looked fresh and took off on the flats—where did he find that energy? At that point, my goal was simple: jog as much as I could. A 9-minute mile beats a 20-minute walk any day.

The final two miles were unfamiliar and included more climbing. I walked some of it, but eventually crossed the finish line, learning I’d taken 4th overall:
	•	#1: 20 minutes ahead of everyone.
	•	#2 and #3: Just a few minutes ahead of me.

I was thrilled to learn I took 1st in my age group (40-49). In fact, the top four runners each won their respective AGs (Under 20, 20-29, 30-39, and 40-49).

Reflection
I’m happy with how I executed this race—it felt strong and steady.

Room for Improvement:
	•	Weight training to build stronger legs for climbs and descents.
	•	More long runs to prepare for the grind.


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Exploring Dave’s Backyard

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