Bay to Breakers 12K

Can't find my iPod. Haven't seen it since Thursday. I was absolutely dreading the idea of running B2B without my music. Luckily though, the night before the race and after searching the whole house and both cars, I found it! Woohoo. The race is saved... then again, I went to plug in something behind a dresser and in the process smashed my right foot's big toe ripping the inside corner off. $#^!#@!&%$%*!@ <-ouch. I cleaned it up best I could but I knew it'd still be a bloody mess during the race. Okay, some like it hot... I don't. There's no escape from the heat when you're running. Cold weather, you can bundle up and wear gloves, but when it's hot I find myself zigzagging from shade tree to water stop trying to keep cool.

6:15am: I woke up dehydrated, stretched, slipped into my running gear and repeated the usual morning pre-race ritual.
6:40am: Ken and I get in the car and head over to the city. Some issues with a lazy toll booth operator but otherwise, easy drive.
7:30am: We pulled up on Folsom and I hopped out of the car. After "Oh wait, I forgot I need my sandwich bag to protect my cellphone" and "Oh wait, I don't need my hat", he drove off to the finish and I headed to the start. Unfortunately I couldn't enter from the Folsom side so I had to go down to Embarcadero then come back up Mission to Main to enter the gated area.
7:45am: I made my way through the orange zone A/B gates. Technically I was suppose to go to zone B but since it was obvious I was placed in zone B because I registered late, I gave myself permission to go to zone A and avoid all the crazy, slower runners.
7:52am: With little room to move, I snapped a few pics of the seeded runners and centipedes. There was also this big ape with a Brightroom photography vest on probably as part of some Brightroom vs. Sportsphoto(official photographer for B2B) rivalry.
8:00am: The horn sounded the start of the race. I was up front with some club runners (Tamalpa, Forward Motion, & Asics Aggies) so I knew I was running hot and my mouth unbearably dry as I made my way down Howard St.

I quickly made the Mile 1 marker in under 7 minutes and soon made the first turn on 9th toward Hayes Street. My legs were starting to feel tired already. Uh-oh, something's wrong so I checked my heart-rate monitor. My body wasn't happy with the sub-7 pace as I was already in the danger zone of 183-186bpm. I knew the hill would be brutal now that I over-exerted myself so early in the race. I got mentally prepared for battle with my will.

We came around the corner and I saw the hill stretched out before me littered with runners. Okay, not so bad, I've got 2 blocks before the real incline. I focused on these two women who were running together. I'd spotted them shortly after the Mile 1 marker as I looked for someone to pace. As we made the ascent, one of the two started falling back while the other pushed on ahead. I dug into my quads and passed the trailing runner and focused on her friend. My HR was through the roof at 194bpm.

I couldn't catch the friend and my mind was really crying for a break at the top of the hill. What was three steep blocks is actually four (luckily I forget that every year) and once I got to the top I was able to convince myself it would be a waste of a great decline if I stopped now. I got control of my quads as I ran wide down the back side of Hayes St. arching my back and using my glutes(butt-brakes) to slow me from collapsing on each pounding step.

Finally I ran past the Mile 3 marker just before Fell St. and had a terrible split over 8min/mile. I ran faster now into Golden Gate Park taking water at every station. My Mile 4 split was better as I was able to find shade under the trees. I started thinking about making the halfway mark and again convinced myself I was getting closer to the finish and to press on.

This wasn't very convincing at all until I got to the Mile 5 marker and the underpass at 19th Ave. The ocean breeze was waiting for me at Mile 6 and I hammed it up for the photographers while pacing a Hooters girl. I passed her between 6 & 7 but as I passed some other runners on the inside of a turn she showed up on the outside of the group. It is the worst feeling when you pass someone and you can't drop them. I pushed harder but she obviously was in better shape than me. As we hit the Mile 7 marker and approached Great Highway, she pushed ahead of me.
I focused on now running the last half mile at or greater than my current pace. I pumped my arms and focused on the clock above the finishline. Still to far to read... I then saw it go from 53 to 54 minutes and knew I'd be somewhere in the 54. In the last few meters these two runners ran around me racing each other to the finish at a good clip but I didn't have it in me to chase. I raised my hands as I crossed the finish and then dragged my ass to the nearest water station.

Ken was along the sidelines yelling for me. It took me a few seconds to first find him and then acknowledge him as I was trying to strike the correct balance of more water without throwing it all up.
I took a few pics which I'll post later. I laid down on the side of the road for a few minutes before heading up to Footstock. The walk seemed like some kind of death march. I agreed to meet Ken at 41st & Lincoln as he went to get the car and I walked on to the Polo Fields to get a shirt/goodies for my kids. I called another friend, Yonson, who was running the race as a bandit to see how he did in this heat but got his voicemail as he either didn't run with his phone or wasn't yet finished. Once again, the footstock vendors were pretty weak with the giveaways and charged outrageous prices for something like an ice cream cup so I grabbed all the free water bottles I could and headed back to the rendezvous point.

Ken and I drove south to Great Highway & Moraga where I jumped out of the car and literally hiked out to the beach for a quick "shower".

There is ALOT of sand between the highway and the actual waves. After trekking the sand dunes, I jumped into the frigid Pacific Ocean... twice. Man it was cold but also felt good (once I got back out). The bandage came off my big toe and it was sandy and bloody which really freakin' hurt. Although, I brought all that was needed to get clean, dry and clothed, there was no keeping the sand out of my sandals and my sore. While I was on the beach I spotted a bunch of sand dollar shells, though only 1 was completely intact, and I stashed them in my wet clothes, which then went into a plastic bag, and into my backpack, and back into the car.

The rest of the family met us at Embarcadero after the drive across the city. Yonson called and said he got a 1:10 finish which was great! I quickly devoured a sandwich my wife brought with her. We spent the day walking around on sore feet, doing touristy stuff and left after eating at Steps of Rome. Even the kids were tired from the walk and the heat.

Depending on how I recover, I may or may not race the Oracle Fun Run or Pleasanton 10K before the San Francisco Half Marathon.

Business: Bay to Breakers 12K 7.45 miles in 54:32 @ an average 7:19min/mile pace.

My splits were as follows:
Mile 1.00 - 0:06:45 (0:06:45), 183bpm
Mile 2.00 - 0:07:05 (0:13:50), 184bpm
Mile 3.00 - 0:08:38 (0:22:28), 188bpm
Mile 4.00 - 0:07:39 (0:30:07), 185bpm
Mile 5.00 - 0:07:34 (0:37:41), 182bpm
Mile 6.00 - 0:06:50 (0:44:31), 187bpm
Mile 7.00 - 0:07:06 (0:51:37), 186bpm
Mile 7.45 - 0:02:55 (0:54:32), 188bpm

End-of-Week Summary:
Alot of cycling miles. work-in-progress..

Gut-check
Breakfast: water.
Lunch: Lots of water.
Dinner: .

Run. Eat. Sleep. Repeat.

=RUMBLE