M.O.R.E.: Women's 5K Today

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Women's 5K Today

Today was the Santa Clarita Runner's "Women's 5K". Since we are women and we are runners we thought it would be a fun race to participate in. Actually our friend "C" claims that we forced her to do it, but that is really not the point. I guess in hindsight the fact that the race was being run at "Central Park" the dustbowl of Santa Clarita, should have warned us away from doing it, but we were still on a runner's high from some semi-successful hillwork, and what we thought was a couple of good "speed" workouts. We figured at any rate we would get a cool shirt, and that the entrance fees were going to a good cause. Well the "cool" shirt looks like it would fit a 12 year old, but is kinda cute, and the money did in fact go to a good cause. The outcome of this race was less than we hoped for, and I speak entirely for myself. "Marathon Mom" as always ran a very respectable 25:52 (correct me if I am wrong), I on the other hand just couldn't keep my legs moving and the plan to run each mile faster than the first, was out the window after the first one! I truly wanted to stop and walk and since there really weren't many runners out there, it seemed like I was running by myself. My time of 27:32 was fine but somehow I had envisioned being just under 27 minutes since it seems like we have really been working on running faster. Our friend "C' came in at 29:17 and I know she wasn't too happy with that time either. I am glad nevertheless that we challenged ourselves to try and that now we have a time to beat for this year. I did my best to crop this picture to flatter us the best but I still look bigger than everyone else (I am going to stop standing in the middle and turn a bit sideways, and maybe stick my hand on my hip or something) Anyway, I promised I would post, so I hope I didn't embarrass my friends by publishing our picture and our times, but I am proud of us! I am off to visit colleges for a couple of days with my 4th son, so the girls will have to run without me. I am going to miss a good hill run on Monday, let me know about the next

4 comments:

marathon mom said...: I thought you were still having computer issues so I posted today's run. I guess I jumped the gun. You did a very nice job of cropping our picture in the appropriate places. And you can tell how windy it got by our hair and the balloons in the background. I'm telling you, Central Park is very deceptive. It looks like an easy course, but it's not. Comparing times of runners from the C.O.C. races to their times at C.P., their C.P. times are almost always a bit slower. I think it's because much of it is in a sand pit and because of the many obstacles one needs to avoid along the trail. BTW, the shirt fits, but a short for my tastes.; April 4, 2009 at 7:27 PM
Patty said...: I think also, there is a point I will reach where I just am not going to get faster, I am closing in on the big "50" and should be glad just to be out there participating. I did get the computer going but it has been a hectic day, have a good run with "C" Monday.; April 4, 2009 at 7:56 PM
Claire said...: I am so impressed with everyone's times, especially considering the wind and difficult course. Truly, you all did an awesome job!; April 5, 2009 at 6:27 AM
Picture Lady said...: Awesome! And Kudos to you all! Great Picture.
I'm proud and jealous! The weather may have been windy , but it was cool. I much prefer cool weather for running. I guess the wearing of the tee shirts with the matching water belts could be problematic though!?
I am am having visions of the "powerpuff girls" http://images-partners.google.com/images?q=tbn:E5gpIrdW6ydnyM:http://web.up.ac.za/sitefiles/image/20/6884/Powerpuff_Girls.jpg; April 5, 2009 at 9:32 AM

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Favorite Trails

South Fork 3.1: Start from dirt parking lot on Magic Mtn Pkway and run to the loop at Wiley Bridge and return the same way.

Tesoro 3.25: Start in Albertson parking lot and take sidewalk/trail until it ends and then enter the water tower road to the top two towers where the ends. Return the same way.

Chesebrough 3.25/4.60: From Chesebrough Park, N. to Copperhill, So. on Bike Trail, turn around at Decoro, back up trail to power lines to bridge at park. Turn around at Heritage will give you 4.6 miles.

Chesebrough 3.5: Chesebrough Park down to McBean, south to Northpark Dr., the paseo trailhead. Take the paseo to Helmers and back. Very hilly.

Bridgeport 4.0: Fairly flat, run toward Lowes and under Bouquet bridge to RiverPark community until you reach the closed gates and return. For a hilly run, go north into Helmers and run up the paseo switchbacks into Northpark where the paseo ends and return the same way.

Chesebrough 4.0: N. to Copperhill to west side of river trail, run S. on Bike Trail past Decoro bridge, across Decoro to the east side of river trail, up back to power lines trail, back to park.

Chesebrough 4.0: From park down power line trail to Heritage Park and back same way.

Bridgeport 4.0: From School, cross McBean via bridge or street and head into industrial center on Ave. Scott Bridge and enter bike trail going south toward the train bridge. Turn around at train bridge and return same way or cross the bridge and head toward Peet's after crossing train bridge and back onto the Lowes Trail.

Heritage 4.0: From park, run up bike trail to Decoro, over McBean Bridge into Helmers, and into Bridgeport through lake trail back to park. Can be done in reverse. Moderately hilly.

Chesebrough 4.25: Chesebrough north to Copperhill, left to Albertson side of bike trail. Run south on trail to Decoro and cross over bridge and head north all the way to Copperhill on east side of river trail and back to the park the same way as started.

Cheese/Decoro/Helmers 4.25: From the park, down dirt trail to bike path, south to Decoro. Leave bike path at Decoro and cross paseo bridge at McBean. Stay on paseo up hill towards Helmers. Run up water tower trail once then continue on to switchbacks and paseos back to park.

Heritage/Bridgeport 3.3: Heritage Park south to McBean Bridge @ Panera. Cross and head toward Lowes bike trail and head east toward Bridgeport Park. Halfway mark is at park bathroom, head back by entering trail along the lake and back onto the bridge.

Lowes 4.25: Lowe's parking lot to McBean, cross the bridge and to South Fork. At Valencia Bridge, enter trail behind Hart Baseball diamonds. Continue on trail to Bouquet and across the bridge on the east side and back under the bridge again towards Lowes.

Peet's & Decoro 5.2: Peet's Coffee to train bridge path; to Decoro and across bridge; back down McBean side of bike trail back to Peete's.

Peet's & Wiley 6.0: Start at Peet's Coffee and head east toward South Fork trail and past the Wiley Bridge. Keep running another 200 yards to where the trail forks left and right. Turn back same way.

Peet's & Copperhill 6.0: From Peet's to bike trail heading north to Copperhill and back.

Albertson 7.0: From the Albertson parking lot on Copperhill, enter the westside bike trail and head south until the train bridge. Return the same way.

Peet's 8.5: Run to Copperhill on east side of river trail and return via train bridge on other side.

Lowes 10: Start in the Lowes parking lot. Enter the bike trail heading west. At McBean, cross the bridge and head east toward SouthFork trail. Continue on trail until you come to the Wiley bridge and head back the same way.

McBean 14: This route can be done from anywhere along the trail route. Starting from McDonald's across the post office, run to the end of the South Fork trail and return the same way, cross the McBean bridge and run on the Lowes trail until you hit Bridgeport Elementary and then cross Newhall Ranch via the bridge or street and run back towards McBean. Continue north on McBean until you hit Copperhill. At Copperhill, cross McBean and enter San Francisquito bike trail and run south on the trail until you are back at McDonalds.