"...In the end, people either have excuses or experiences; reasons or results; buts or
brilliance. They either have what they wanted or they have a detailed list of all the rational reasons why not."

~ Anonymous
(taken from Matt Erbele's, It Takes Time to Get Good)

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Race Report : Dammit Run 2008

Race Report: Dammit Run 2008. Los Gatos, CA

Today my dad and I ran the Dammit Run. It is our second year running this race together. It is a tough 5 mile trail run that is a benefit for a local high school track program.

Picture : Race schwag. How cute is that shirt?!

My dad and I have had a complicated relationship. It very cool that we are able to do this together.

This race starts on the high school's track and you do one lap and then head out on the trail. After a 2 mile gradual uphill trail there are two climbs in this race. Usually the first is a diagonal cut up the face of the dam, but they are doing construction on the dam so we had to go up a MUCH steeper billy goat trail along the side of the dam. and then across the dam and up the dreaded (by me anyway), just as steep, but longer climb up another billy goat trail. Then back down the hill back to the high school.

Picture: Alternate trail we had to run. This picture was taken during my 20 miler before San Diego.


Since I was wearing my Garmin (which my dad, the engineering nerd, was VERY impressed with. $20 says he bought one on his way home) I could tell that the mile markers were off by 1/4 mile. He really wanted to beat our time from last year. I was skeptical because I had a little race a week ago that I was still recovering from.

He runs much faster than me and and always tells me to set the pace and then ends up pushing me a little faster. The timers calling out times that included an extra 1/4 mile made him push faster. Today, I couldn't cut the mustard. At that pace I couldn't adequately explain to my uber-competitive dad that we were ahead of pace.


Picture: Dad still running up the billy goat trail. RBR WAAAAY in the back walking (jeez, is this a new trend?) looking like a lumberjack. Why do I look so damn wide?!

When we reached the top I caught up. Ok, at the top he realized I wasn't there next to him and he slowed down.

Whatever. You say To-may-to, I say to-mah-to


And I tried again, as he picked up the pace, to explain that even after the tougher climb, we would be faster than last year, but he ran on. Hmmm, at that pace I can't talk and he can't hear! Here is the elevation chart for our run:

Our splits for last year: 2007

total time: 59:47
pace: 11:57/mi for 5 miles

Mile 1: 12:04
Mile 2: 11:55
Mile 3: 15:09 two hills
Mile 4: 10:21 top of the hill but most downhill
Mile 5: 9: 51 downhill



Our splits for this year: 2008

total time: 59:10
pace: 11:16/mi for 5.25 miles

Mile 1: 10:33
Mile 2: 10:45
Mile 3: 15:16 two hills (one much tougher than last year)
Mile 4: 10:50 top of the hill, but most downhill
Mile 5: 9: 42 downhill

Go us!













18 comments:

Aka Alice said...

You and your dad are so CUUUUTE!

Billy goat trail just cracked me UP!

Unknown said...

How awesome that you and your dad ran this together (two years in a row). And you did great on a tough course. Wooot!!

Love the race shirt too.

SWTrigal said...

That is so cool that you could do a run with your dad!! How fun..

Stef0115 said...

Sweet!!! Looks like a beautiful race and that is so cool you run with your dad.

Wish I could run with my dad but he would NEVER take up running -- although he does exercise.

You do NOT look wide in that photo.

Anonymous said...

That's so cool you and your dad do this race together! What a great picture of ya'll, too :)

If my dad did a race with me, he'd be saying..."ya know, Cindy, we are ruining our knees"...the whole time ;)

Great pace on a tough course!!!

Stef0115 said...

Oh yeah (back again), I absolutely covet your RBR bag. It is the coolest.

Unknown said...

Damn it, Wow !!! Those hills are a killer. I am glad you were able to do this with your Dad. Great pix!

Anonymous said...

VERY COOL.
I can see my husband doing something like that w/our daughter some day (hopefully minus the complicated piece :))

such a cute photo.

ShirleyPerly said...

How cool to do the race with your dad! And that is a hell of a hill!! CONGRATS to both of you.

Erin Leigh said...

Those hills are SCARY. Ted and I live near each other so his reaction isn't surprising, lol.

Great pics!!!

Lou said...

Nice job! Sounds like it was a rough race and a week after your half iron... pretty impressive :)

E said...

That's really great that you were able to run with your dad! Great job to both of you!

Jaime said...

congrats on kicking the shit out of last years time!!!

Jane said...

Toby says hi. You don't look "wide." Actually, I have a beef with you calling yourself "slightly round" somewhere on this blog. you don't look round to me. Currently I am calling myself "athletic but not toned" So it
s called Dammit Run because that's what you say the whole time? There are worse words I could find to say.

JenZen said...

OMG - look at that elevation!!! I would have died. I'm terrible at hills of any kind. (we don't really have too many of those things in the Louisiana swamps.) GREAT JOB to both of you!

That shirt is the cutest.

ryc: HILARIOUS!! My garmin lies a lot too.

Anonymous said...

So totally "Go you!"

You are a crazed race woman now - look at that schedule! What a woman to keep up with.

I've been MIA and plan not to be anymore. Have my sites on Sac Int'l Tri next year again.

So...if I am in town on 12/7 when you run CIM here in Sacto, I'll be cheering you at the finish line.

And you....IRONMAN 2009?!?!? WOOO HOOO.

Rockon.

~ TAra

Go Mom Go said...

I have the best times with my Dad.
We don't run together but ride together, he is the whole reason behind my crazy ideas!

Peace!

Calyx Meredith said...

Great job! What a terrific thing to do with your dad. (And as a lingering comment - don't let the IL's get you down! You are in fabulous shape doing what you love with a hot husband backing you 100%. The critics? They can jump.)