Angel Island Trail Race

In an attempt to kick off a healthier year and knock out #44, I signed myself up for a 16k trail race with a mild 1,036' elevation. Then I promptly stopped training. (Not that I ever really started...) In typical Clara fashion, I figured a few 3.5 mile jogs and having run a marathon about 3 months ago would suffice. To my surprise and amazement, it actually did! I finished in 1:53:24. While nothing to write home about, it's under 2 hours, and thus exceeded my expectations.

The weather was perfect--cool and slightly foggy. At the start of the race some little miss cunt fellow runner told me I wasn't allowed to wear a headset on single trail races. I looked around, incredulously noting at least seven other runners in our proximity with theirs already in. Instead of punching her in the face, I civilly pocketed my nano, vowing to put it in as soon as we got away from the start line. (I did continue to get disapproving looks from some other runners throughout the race. Their elitism made me glad I was there, polluting the "purity" of their "sport.") The altitude got high really quickly, but the long, fast downhills saved me. Some points along the trail were so foggy it looked like if you stepped off, you'd fall into the clouds. The views of the city line were pretty sweet and would've been truly amazing had the day not been as overcast. Here is one from the summer version of this run:



My strategy was basically to walk the steep parts (I walk quickly though!) and run all the easy descending ones. The last 2 miles my knee cap became furious with me and my right hip joined the protest. Apparently they don't appreciate being forced to participate in such under prepared physical endeavors. I can still hear them cracking, clicking and plotting to make a cripple of me before 30 if I keep it up... Mercifully, Rupa's music kept up my pace long enough to sprint the finish, even passing some people!

We had lunch at Sam's afterwards and then I crashed for 5+ hours. Barring rain, this weekend I am definitely going hiking in Pacifica and next month for the Super Bowl maybe crashing the Kaiser half around Golden Gate Park if Brian and Lindsay are down, mixing delinquency with exercise and saving myself $50 at the same time. Win!