5K that is….

Jesse and I drove down to Ventura to do the 5k. My goal, or should I say, my hope was to win my age division and score some points for the HDR Grand Prix Contest. Some friends were there with loftier goals.

1. Lance Close and Erik Ruble were doing the full marathon trying to PR and qualify for Boston.
2. Krysti Ruble was also running the marathon and hoping for a PR.
3. Eric Dombrowski, Deborah Petty, Bev O Neal and Joe Heflin were doing the half marathon, and hoping to PR.
4. Jesse, well his goal was the same as mine, I suppose.

Most of the above goals were accomplished. At 6 the half marathon and the full marathon began at separate locations. I called Chuck, who had driven Lance to the race and was providing water and encouragement as he had done for me last year, and had received a report that Lance and Erik were off to strong sensible starts.  As the race was about to begin they announced that former 2 time National marathon champion – Gary Tuttle. I turned to see him right behind me. Now I had another goal. I started as quickly as I could and ran as steady as I could. He remained behind me. The fast half marathons were starting to pass me on the last mile.  About a mile out Rosamond Runner – Ervin Velasquez went by.  I finished in 22:16.8, and won my age group. I got a chance to talk with Gary Tuttle for a while after the race.  Jesse came in around 25 minutes and won his age group as well.

I watched as Eric Dombrowski finished in 1:36 knocking 8 minutes off his PR. A while later I caught an excited Joe Heflin who knocked a similar amount from his PR! I missed Bev and Deborah, but they PRd as well!

I ran a little more than a mile up the marathon course to the area where the bike path goes under the freeway. There I awaited Erik and Lance. I spotted Erik and ran up beside him saying “Let’s do this!” He let me know later I gave him a good scare. When I found him he was 20 or 30 meters ahead of the 3:25 pace group and moving farther ahead little by little. He looked strong! After a mile or so I dropped back to check on Lance. He was 20 or so meters behind the pace group and starting to fade back. I tried to encourage him and rally him to catch up, but we faded ever so slowly farther behind the group. After a while I stopped and left him to continue with a little more than 4 to go.

Eric came storming to the finish in 3:21! He obliterated his PR and qualified for Boston. Congrats Erik!

I found out that Chuck joined Lance not to long after I left him and stayed with him till about 25 1/2.  Lance finished in just under 3:29.  This is a very respectable, high quality race for him, though I know he is disappointed in not qualifying for Boston. You ran a VERY good race Lance.  Jesse and I waited for Krysti to finish. She PRd coming in at around 4:01!

GREAT JOB EVERYONE!

oh, Erik was very thrilled to learn that my 1st place age group scored me 6 points in the GRAND PRIX contest. His Personal Record smashing Boston Qualifying marathon effort scored him 3.   🙂   Doesn’t seem fair does it.