tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12011565444907365012024-02-19T07:05:50.487-08:00Embrace the OutdoorsHiking, Running, Biking, Camping, in the San Francisco Bay AreaEmbrace the Outdoorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11679285778468170720noreply@blogger.comBlogger166125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201156544490736501.post-24041682975812576752013-03-30T20:19:00.000-07:002013-04-04T20:21:20.441-07:00Lagoon Valley Park<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF5sSoovqpFu0jh5jtDYjTpTrzErBqH_5qRLHzypDPfDCyi-UDm52LvLE_ghnNWMftN-Le459CFCLDEarZFCJuf3LQBRkyI7dvckuAULhpXqrEQ-BfpBptoJXp0XLcFcGdfPL6Qia0RS-R/s1600/IMG_4332.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF5sSoovqpFu0jh5jtDYjTpTrzErBqH_5qRLHzypDPfDCyi-UDm52LvLE_ghnNWMftN-Le459CFCLDEarZFCJuf3LQBRkyI7dvckuAULhpXqrEQ-BfpBptoJXp0XLcFcGdfPL6Qia0RS-R/s320/IMG_4332.JPG" width="320" /></a>We had a chance to visit a park this weekend that we didn't know existed until a few months ago. Lagoon Valley Park is just a few minutes off of Highway 80 in Vacaville, CA on Pena Adobe Road. Entrance fee is $3 and there is ample parking. We were there for a trail race which was based out of the Rotary Grove Group Area. Aside from several group areas there is also an enclosed dog park, BBQ pits, trails for hiking/running/biking and of course a lagoon for fishing and non-motorized boating. We were there for the Lagoon Valley trail race by Brazen Racing which took us on a loop around the lagoon as well as high into the parks hills. Of note none of the parks trails are named so it is really important to have a map with you to find your way back. We were lucky in that we were there with a large group of runners doing the race and the race organizers temporarily named the trails for the event so as to match with the maps they provided. The loop around the lagoon is about two miles and flat, making it a great place for a walk. There are single track and wide fire roads leading into and out of the surrounding hills for people up for a more challenging tour of the park. We were lucky in that the race course took us up into the hills providing some great views of the lagoon and surrounding area. With the park being so easily accessible from the freeway we definitely plan on going back for some more exploring.<br />
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<a href="http://brazenracing.com/lagoonvalley.html">Lagoon Valley Trail Race</a>Embrace the Outdoorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11679285778468170720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201156544490736501.post-92148960784235933792013-03-24T21:53:00.000-07:002013-04-12T20:07:59.661-07:00Sunol Regional Wilderness<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYlVQgRAFz7pIAKDoZ3SjzSNBtPCrzE4G2kCLX-6t_ADbkOeGA5wBgxctCb04Oiqix_qR04t9VQEGJk7LCCPIdt_n9CezvPlVBMkT4mnD-3JndaQHMv93Zx0On2oVD7Qew_EBSNBukch5r/s1600/IMG_1220.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYlVQgRAFz7pIAKDoZ3SjzSNBtPCrzE4G2kCLX-6t_ADbkOeGA5wBgxctCb04Oiqix_qR04t9VQEGJk7LCCPIdt_n9CezvPlVBMkT4mnD-3JndaQHMv93Zx0On2oVD7Qew_EBSNBukch5r/s320/IMG_1220.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.26px;">We headed out to Sunol Regional Wilderness for a trail run and also to pick up our 2013 Trails Challenge T-Shirts. This is our fourth year doing the challenge. It's also it's 20th anniversary. The shirts are cotton and gray in color this year with their 20th anniversary logo on the front. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.26px;">The East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) Trails Challenge is a self guided hiking program with the purpose to encourage people to get outdoors and enjoy their regional parks. The program is free for Alameda and Contra Costa County residents. It is also free for Kaiser Permanente employees who reside in Northern California. Upon registration you will be able to download the guidebook and pick up your free t-shirt at select park visitor centers. To complete the challenge you either travel five of the trails or travel 26.2 miles of the featured trails from the guidebook. Upon completion you submit a trail log and will receive a commemorative pin. Remember t-shirts and pins are available while supplies last.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9blQfp2OJ19H_83vRu5GqfdOruJ3DWq-VeNtKg4xLrjqrFypl6zk77lBbWWdqyCe7H-dVKoul35H4VSqb5_2i9XODhgVSlW5Bk7G4ee62uH7ISCayWdJ_TzRNrkbXZEhFosaqsB17w9-/s1600/IMG_1223.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9blQfp2OJ19H_83vRu5GqfdOruJ3DWq-VeNtKg4xLrjqrFypl6zk77lBbWWdqyCe7H-dVKoul35H4VSqb5_2i9XODhgVSlW5Bk7G4ee62uH7ISCayWdJ_TzRNrkbXZEhFosaqsB17w9-/s320/IMG_1223.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.26px;">As for our run we started off at the Visitor Center on Geary Road and climbed up Indian Joe Nature Trail and Canyon View Trail. We passed close to Little Yosemite before enjoying the relatively flat Camp Ohlone Road, a fire road. We took a moment to enjoy the "W" tree, then it was more climbing on Backpack Road, McCorkle Trail and Cave Rocks Road. We passed by the group camping area and got a little closer to some cows than we would have liked to. Then it was downhill from there back to the visitor center via Hayfield Road and Indian Joe Nature Trail. The tough loop was about 8 miles. It was a clear day and we got some great views but it did start to heat up near the end so we were glad we went out there early and took our hydration packs.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 17.26px;"><a href="http://www.ebparks.org/parks/sunol">Sunol Regional Wilderness</a></span><br />
<a href="http://www.regionalparksfoundation.org/page.aspx?pid=582" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 17.26px;">EBRPD Trails Challenge 2013</a><br />
<a href="http://www.embracetheoutdoors.com/2011/03/sunol-regional-wilderness-hike.html"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sunol Flag Hill Hike</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.embracetheoutdoors.com/2010/03/sunol-regional-wilderness-hike.html"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sunol Hik</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">e</span></a>Embrace the Outdoorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11679285778468170720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201156544490736501.post-72435914822070789552012-10-01T20:38:00.002-07:002012-10-01T20:38:38.917-07:00October Events<span style="background-color: white;">Here are a few things going on in October:</span><br />
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10/6 <a href="http://wolfpackevents.com/calendar/139">Fall Showdown</a> 5k, 10k, Half Marathon in Orinda<br />
10/6 <a href="http://www.mermaidseries.com/capitola#!__capitola">Mermaid</a> Triathlon and Duathlon in Capitola<br />
10/6 <a href="http://neonnightrun.com/">Neon Night Run</a> 5k in Tracy<br />
<span style="background-color: white;">10/7 </span><span style="background-color: white;"> <a href="http://runrocknroll.competitor.com/san-jose">RNR San Jose</a> Half Marathon and 5k in San Jose</span><br />
10/7 <a href="http://www.tbfracing.com/events/goldenstate.html">Golden State Triathlon</a> in Sacramento<br />
10/13 <a href="http://www.goldenhillsmarathon.com/Default.aspx">Golden Hills Trail Marathon</a> at Lake Chabot<br />
10/13 <a href="http://www.recreationconnectioninc.com/#/Pt_Pinole_Park/">Run in the Park</a> 5k and 10k at Point Pinole<br />
10/14 <a href="http://www.cvtdv.org/Tour_de_Valley/Welcome.html">Tour De Valley</a> bike event in Castro Valley<br />
10/14 <a href="http://inside.nike.com/blogs/nikerunning_events-en_US/?tags=nike_womens_marathon_2011+half_marathon/tagOperator=AND">Nike Womens Marathon</a> and Half Marathon in San Francisco<br />
10/14 <a href="http://www.insidetrail.com/ai1ec_event/briones-crest-trail-run/">Briones Crest Trail Run</a> 10k, Half Marathon and Marathon<br />
10/14 <a href="http://www.primosrun.com/">Primo's Run for Education</a> 5k and Half Marathon in San Ramon<br />
10/14 <a href="http://princesspromenade.com/">Princess Promenade</a> Women's Bike Festival in Sacramento<br />
10/20 <a href="http://www.tbfracing.com/events/sierratrailhalf.html">Sierra Trial</a> 5k and Half Marathon at Folsom Lake<br />
10/20 <a href="http://brazenracing.com/brazenchampionship.html">Rocky Ridge Trail</a> 5k, 10k, half Marathon at Las Trampas<br />
10/20 <a href="http://onyourmarkevents.com/Applications/Tarantula2012.pdf">Tarantula Run</a> 5k, 10k, Half Marathon at Los Vaqueros<br />
10/20 <a href="http://wolfpackevents.com/calendar/140">DU the Bears</a> 3.6 mile run and Duathlon in Orinda<br />
10/20 <a href="http://www.mudblast.org/sanjoaquin/">Mud Blast</a> 3.6 mile mud run in Modesto<br />
10/20 <a href="https://www.wheelsformealsride.com/">Wheels for Meals</a> Ride in Livermore Valley<br />
10/21 <a href="http://www.sundaystreetssf.com/">SF Sunday Streets</a><span id="goog_1405642393"></span><span id="goog_1405642394"></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a> bike event<br />
10/21 <a href="http://www.finishlineproduction.com/events/running/GrapeStomp/GrapeStomp.html">Grape Stomp</a> 5k, 10k, Half Marathon in Livermore<br />
10/21 <a href="http://onyourmarkevents.com/Applications/FinalStJoes.pdf">St. Joseph's</a> 5k and Half Marathon in Stockton<br />
10/27 <a href="http://onyourmarkevents.com/Applications/Pump2012.pdf">PUMP It Up</a> 5k and 10k in Lodi<br />
10/27 <a href="http://www.sacramentozombierun.com/">Zombie Run</a> 5k in Sacramento<br />
10/27 <a href="http://www.warriordash.com/register2012_norcal.php">Warrior Dash</a> 3.21 obstacle run in Hollister<br />
10/27 <a href="http://www.downanddirtymudrun.com/event-cities/sacramento/">Down and Dirty</a> 5k and 10k obstacle runs in Folsom<br />
10/28 <a href="http://www.downanddirtymudrun.com/event-cities/sacramento/">Down and Dirty</a> 5k and 10k obstacle runs in Folsom<br />
10/28 <a href="http://www.mhmarathon.com/">Morgan Hill Marathon</a>, 5k and Half Marathon<br />
10/28 <a href="http://www.insidetrail.com/ai1ec_event/falcon-crest-trail-run/?instance_id=">Falcon Crest Trail Run</a> 10k, Half Marathon and Marathon in Folsom<br />
10/28 <a href="http://www.fourbridgeshalf.org/">Four Bridges</a> Half Marathon in Folsom<br />
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REI Free Clinics (all at 7pm)<br />
Climb Kilimanjaro<br />
10/16 Saratoga<br />
10/17 San Francisco<br />
Zombie Preparedness<br />
10/25 Saratoga<br />
10/29 Berkeley<br />
10/30 Stockton<br />
Peru: Hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu<br />
10/2 Fremont<br />
10/17 Corte Madera<br />
10/18 Dublin<br />
10/23 Saratoga<br />
Starry Night: A Remarkable Story of Survival in the Andes<br />
10/25 Mountain View<br />
10/26 Berkeley<br />
10/31 San Francisco<br />
Minimalist Running Basics Class<br />
10/11 Berkeley<br />
Just Ride: How to Have More Fun on Your Bike<br />
10/3 Berkeley<br />
10/10 Concord<br />
10/24 San Francisco<br />
Trail Running Basics<br />
10/11 Brentwood<br />
Classic Hikes of North America<br />
10/30 Saratoga<br />
10/31 Corte Madera<br />
<br />
REI Used Gear Sales (all at 10am)<br />
10/6 Berkeley<br />
10/6 Concord<br />
10/6 Mountain View<br />
10/6 San Francisco<br />
10/6 Saratoga<br />
10/7 Fremont<br />
10/13 Brentwood<br />
<br />Embrace the Outdoorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11679285778468170720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201156544490736501.post-38893978079938993462012-08-11T20:05:00.000-07:002012-08-12T21:14:17.246-07:00Los Gatos Creek Trail<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Kvz0DTSbUu7SwWHKdBxKlHuBeg0f2xKYKSGXA2ftQ25v9ELwXbBYuKV0CZkETQbYqQ1nRfUGWSY0iO5KLPDI9m0Nu7QcgnCGDm9PE2Z4lvbstSKG2eKeTIDCoLETGJa-tJmlU5yS9Dns/s1600/los+gatos+creek+trail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Kvz0DTSbUu7SwWHKdBxKlHuBeg0f2xKYKSGXA2ftQ25v9ELwXbBYuKV0CZkETQbYqQ1nRfUGWSY0iO5KLPDI9m0Nu7QcgnCGDm9PE2Z4lvbstSKG2eKeTIDCoLETGJa-tJmlU5yS9Dns/s320/los+gatos+creek+trail.jpg" width="320" /></a>We are always looking for new places to run in the Bay Area and this time we headed to the South Bay to Los Gatos Creek Trail. We had seen part of this trail in the past when driving by on the nearby CA-17 freeway and finally got around to going. It's a paved path in Santa Clara County about eleven miles long that goes through San Jose, Campbell and Los Gatos. There are several access points for the trail as it passes through several different parks. We decided to start at Campbell Park. We had read online that the trail does get crowded but were not prepared for how crowded it really was. The two small lots for the park were full and parking on the adjacent street was full as well. We ended up parking a few blocks away. Next time we will probably try a different park. There were several people milling around from a yoga class that had just ended and what appeared to be a running group with a table set up for their members at the start of the path. We made our way through and started on the trail. It was just as busy on the trail with lots of people walking, running, walking dogs, biking, etc. Most people did a good job of being mindful about others out on the trail but it did get a bit messy at times when there were large groups taking up the whole path although this is not unique to this particular trail. The first few miles were exposed and there was a water station manned by some junior high aged kids at about 2.5 miles. Not sure if they were for one of the several running groups/clubs we saw out there or for everyone but they did offer us aid-water and energy gels. It was a nice gesture. Over the next few miles we passed dog parks and local parks such as Los Gatos Creek County Park, Vasona County Park and Oak Meadow Park. Each with public restrooms, picnic areas, water fountains and benches in the shade. There were some rolling hills on the path but nothing major. Once further from Campbell park there were some shaded areas and easy access to the creek. After 5.5 miles we headed back. It was definitely warming up and there were fewer people on the trail. We made it back to Campbell Park and it was a little less crowded but still lots of families enjoying the day. The trail is great but definitely crowded. With lots of exposed areas be sure to get there early if you are going on a summer day like we did.<br />
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<a href="http://www.sccgov.org/sites/parks/Maps%20Here/Pages/Los-Gatos-Creek-Trail.aspx">Los Gatos Creek Trail Website</a>Embrace the Outdoorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11679285778468170720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201156544490736501.post-70570226306938249622012-08-05T20:14:00.000-07:002012-08-12T21:15:42.135-07:00Fast and Furious 5k<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNW2fUdsorDDNpbaMpn759Afz18hyphenhyphen6OLQkhnL-ljRbh8DH-cDJ9l_rYJc2V-CzLn_6vqcOM9-yjCdO90i3DKHutKf3OdsQ07tm76Gofl3BF6V8T-pRwIsmNEQO187wdaepXBCmY2yUp_Jj/s1600/fast+&+furious+5k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNW2fUdsorDDNpbaMpn759Afz18hyphenhyphen6OLQkhnL-ljRbh8DH-cDJ9l_rYJc2V-CzLn_6vqcOM9-yjCdO90i3DKHutKf3OdsQ07tm76Gofl3BF6V8T-pRwIsmNEQO187wdaepXBCmY2yUp_Jj/s320/fast+&+furious+5k.jpg" width="320" /></a>It was the second annual Fast and Furious 5k this year and we decided to participate. It takes place in downtown Pleasanton and also includes a festival, mile race ("Mile of Truth") and criterium. A portion of the proceeds go to fight ALS. We heard good things about it last year so wanted to check it out for ourselves this year. We ended up registering for it months in advance when a discount was offered. We got a technical shirt included with our race entry so it was a great deal. Early bib pick up was at Fleet Feet Pleasanton the two days prior to the race so we took advantage of that. Aside from the technical shirts we also got a reusable shopping bag. There was plenty of parking in the downtown area-street parking and public lots. There were road closures for the days events, mainly the cycling events but we didn't experience any delays getting to the race. There were the usual booths for race day bib pick up and race day registration. Plenty of porta potties scattered throughout which made for shorter lines than usual. A good portion of Main Street was closed off so there was plenty of room for us to warm-up. The race start and finish were on Main Street and about ten minutes before the race we were directed up the street to the start. There was plenty of room on the street for the just over 600 participants. Although there was a timing chip attached to our bib there was no timing mat at the start so everyone got the same start time. This was a bit disappointing but nothing we could do about it. It did cause some chaos for the start though because there were people lined up near the front that probably should have been further back but they probably wanted to lose as little time as possible. The gun went off and we were off. The race course was a loop through and around downtown. There was at least one water station, possibly 2. The race course was easy to follow and the last segment had us running south on Main Street before making a turn to run on a street parallel to Main Street. Then it was a couple of more turns before we were back on Main Street and headed north to the finish. Across the finish there were water, fruit and nuts. There were booths set up for sports related products and some freebies like Clif Bar. There was also a local CrossFit club hosting a competition. We made our way through downtown and had breakfast before watching the kids races and then part of the first Criterium bike race. There were activities going on all day including bike races through the evening. It was a great event and we will definitely be back.<br />
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<a href="http://www.fastandfuriouspleasanton.com/">Race Website</a>Embrace the Outdoorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11679285778468170720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201156544490736501.post-60086553479722140402012-07-03T07:39:00.000-07:002012-07-04T07:41:47.532-07:00July Events<span style="background-color: white;">Here are a few things going on in July:</span><br />
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7/7 <a href="http://brazenracing.com/dirtydozen.html">Dirty Dozen</a> 5k, 10k, 6 hour and 12 hour events at Point Pinole<br />
7/7 <a href="http://www.tbfracing.com/events/tri4fun2.html">Tri for Fun</a> Triathlon and Duathlon in Rancho Seco<br />
7/7 <a href="http://wolfpackevents.com/calendar/136">DU-TOES</a> 3.6 mile run, Duathlon and Triathlon in Orinda<br />
<span style="background-color: white;">7/8 </span><span style="background-color: white;"> <a href="http://www.tbfracing.com/events/tri4real2.html">Tri for Real</a> Triathlon in Rancho Seco</span><br />
7/8 <a href="http://www.edenmedicalcenter.org/events/run.html">Run to the Lake</a> 5k and 10k races in Castro Valley<br />
7/14 <a href="http://thecolorrun.com/sanfrancisco/#race_info">Color Run</a> 5k in San Francisco<br />
7/14 <a href="http://onyourmarkevents.com/Applications/GoodCompany.pdf">Run in Good Company</a> 5k in Pleasanton<br />
7/15 <a href="http://onyourmarkevents.com/Applications/GoodCompany.pdf">Crazy Eights</a> 8k Trail Race at Lake Commanche<br />
7/15 <a href="http://www.napa2sonoma.com/">Napa to Sonoma Half Marathon</a> and 5k<br />
7/22 <a href="http://www.sundaystreetssf.com/">SF Sunday Streets</a> bike event<br />
7/22 <a href="http://wharftowharf.com/">Wharf to Wharf</a> race in Santa Cruz<br />
7/22 <a href="http://www.tbfracing.com/events/sacintl.html">Sacramento International Triathlon</a><br />
7/22 <a href="http://onyourmarkevents.com/Applications/JailBreakRun2012.pdf">Jail Break</a> 5k and 10k at the Alameda County Sheriff Training Center in Dublin<br />
7/28 <a href="http://brazenracing.com/badbass.html">Bad Bass</a> 5k, 10k, Half Marathon at Lake Chabot<br />
7/28 <a href="http://www.runintheparkseries.com/index.php/briones_5k_10k/http://www.runintheparkseries.com/index.php/briones_5k_10k/">Run in the Park</a> 5k, 10k at Briones Regional Park<br />
7/29 <a href="http://www.citysolveurbanrace.com/2012/san-francisco-2-urban-adventure-race.html">City Solve</a> Urban Adventure Race in San Francisco<br />
7/29 <a href="http://www.thesfmarathon.com/the-race/">San Francisco Marathon</a> and Half Marathons<br />
<br />
<br />
REI Free Clinics (all at 7pm)<br />
Camping Basics<br />
7/18 San Franciso<br />
Camp Cooking Basics<br />
7/10 Saratoga<br />
7/12 Brentwood<br />
7/12 Dublin<br />
7/17 Fremont<br />
7/18 San Francisco<br />
7/19 Berkeley<br />
7/19 Mountain View<br />
7/25 Concord<br />
Half Dome in a Day<br />
7/10 Fremont<br />
7/11 Berkeley<br />
7/26 Dublin<br />
Hiking the Camino de Santiago in Spain<br />
7/24 Saratoga<br />
7/26 Berkeley<br />
Introduction to Sports Food<br />
7/10 Stockton<br />
Introduction to Hiking<br />
7/17 Brentwood<br />
<br />
REI Used Gear Sales (all at 10am)<br />
7/7 Brentwood<br />
7/7 Concord<br />
7/7 Mountain View<br />
7/7 San Francisco<br />
7/21 BerkeleyEmbrace the Outdoorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11679285778468170720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201156544490736501.post-85967446790344989672012-07-02T17:24:00.000-07:002012-07-02T17:24:00.616-07:00Gear - Garmin Forerunner 405<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_sOAkzFP6DWD9iVGvt6f0N_OApK32-kPj6XhWC1otBp8FcuokSh_5KQ-65BkBvk2P7PpnT_nhmn5yjg97NgvhLYTbgA601r45qfnAwHUe8brhrzcyhbZV8x66G6COFIi7spVGatIP77hR/s1600/img1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_sOAkzFP6DWD9iVGvt6f0N_OApK32-kPj6XhWC1otBp8FcuokSh_5KQ-65BkBvk2P7PpnT_nhmn5yjg97NgvhLYTbgA601r45qfnAwHUe8brhrzcyhbZV8x66G6COFIi7spVGatIP77hR/s200/img1.jpg" width="200" /></a>I had been thinking about getting a new GPS to run with for some time. I had used the Garmin Forerunner 101 for hiking and running for a while, then switched to the Garmin Forerunner 205 and was glad that it was smaller but still wanted something even smaller for my wrist. I made a quick decision to get the Garmin Forerunner 405 after finding it for a good price online. As soon as it arrived in the mail I put it on and noticed how good it felt on my wrist in comparison to the previous GPS units I had used. It didn't arrive with a users manual so I ended up having to use the internet and my intuition to figure out how to use it. After charging it fully I took it on a short run around the neighborhood. I had read reviews about the bezel on the GPS being really sensitive when it gets wet like with sweat or rain. Mine got sweaty and I didn't have any problems with the bezel. I've since taken it on several runs in varying weather including light rain and have never had a problem with the bezel being too sensitive. Actually I've had more of a difficult time with the bezel not being sensitive enough when I'm running. The unit has been so comfortable that I've taken it on several hikes and some bike rides. There are a few perks with the 405 that I didn't have with the previous GPS units like having the screen light up by double tapping the bezel. I like that it shows the time as well and can be used as a watch if I choose. The plain black color is nice and I have been pleased with its smaller size. It can be set to beep at a designated interval, I've set my interval to be one mile so it beeps every mile and briefly shows me the overall pace for that mile. Unfortunately it doesn't show me my current pace which I had been used to with the other units nor does it show my overall pace for the entire run up to that point. It does have a display that shows battery percentage but I've found it to be inaccurate as the percentage gets lower. For example, I've had it display 30% or more and have the unit die on me just a few minutes into my run. It did take me a few tries before I figured out how to turn off the satellites after my run to save the battery and I can see that being a problem for others. It did come with a heart monitor but I don't use it so I don't have anything good or bad to say about that. After several training runs and races with the Garmin Forerunner 205, I am convinced that it was a good purchase.<br />
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<a href="https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=142&pID=11039">Garmin 405</a>Embrace the Outdoorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11679285778468170720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201156544490736501.post-62743072004583243542012-06-22T20:10:00.000-07:002012-07-31T20:11:09.535-07:00Yosemite Hike - Cathedral Lakes<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHpszAxsF6aT0eT0_uoN4l1t4aKAyidKYWazxTmhVDDYWhsdfTYGmT_HdElWSSnp34SAbECnhf26ulQI6rOPp7dUQoJF9GopJL5Ia03Y_p3pOBGEwKnlSsgP8nvsxmy9LFiAVZvHTUTUwF/s1600/cathedral+peak.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHpszAxsF6aT0eT0_uoN4l1t4aKAyidKYWazxTmhVDDYWhsdfTYGmT_HdElWSSnp34SAbECnhf26ulQI6rOPp7dUQoJF9GopJL5Ia03Y_p3pOBGEwKnlSsgP8nvsxmy9LFiAVZvHTUTUwF/s320/cathedral+peak.jpg" width="213" /></a>We try to visit Yosemite National Park at least once a year. This year we camped at Lower Pines Campground again and did some hiking as well as some trail running. On our second day at the park we made the hour plus drive up to the high country to do some hiking. We've done a couple of hikes up in the Tuolumne Meadows area but this was our first time hiking to Cathedral Lakes. This hike is eight miles long to visit both lakes with an elevation gain of 1,040 feet. The trail head is off of Tioga Pass. There aren't any designated parking lot so cars just park on either side of the road, which is what we did. There were a couple of portapotties and bear lockers at the trail head but no running water so be prepared. Hiking in Yosemite's high country is always beautiful (hiking anywhere in Yosemite is beautiful) but one thing to keep in mind is the elevation at which you are hiking and making sure you give yourself enough time to acclimate to it prior. The trail head for this hike is at around 8,600 feet. With our packs and plenty of water we headed out on the trail. It was mid morning by this time and it was a little cold so we were glad we hadn't started any earlier. The trail was fairly flat for the beginning then it climbed for about two miles. There were some switchbacks and some fairly rocky and uneven areas. We definitely felt short of breath early on from the elevation. Most of the trail was exposed but there were a few shaded areas, usually by some creeks we had to cross. There were several people on the trail including lots of backpackers since this trail is part of the John Muir trail and leads all the way down to Yosemite Valley 21 miles away. It connects with other trails as well. After about three miles we got to the turnoff for Lower Cathedral Lake. It was on this trail that we got some good views of Cathedral Peak. The trail became sandy and soon it opened up into a great big open space and we were in a meadow. More great views of the peak here. Through the meadow and after some rock scrambling we were right at the edge of the lake. Although it had gotten warmer it was windy here and had to put some layers back on that we had shed along the way. With the lake in view we took a break before heading back. Once back at the junction to the main trail we took the main trail to Upper Cathedral Lake. We were climbing again when we heard some rustling and saw a couple of deer. A trip to Yosemite is not complete until we see some deer. We could see Cathedral Peak from here too. We couldn't get too close to Upper Cathedral Lake because there was some trail maintenance going on so we took some pictures from afar and headed back. We retraced our steps back to the main trail and made our way back, glad that it was mostly downhill. There were less people on the trail now but still some were heading out. Four hours and 40 minutes after we started our hike we were back at our car. It was a short drive to the Tuolumne Meadows Grill so we headed there for early dinner, knowing that it would be over an hour back to the valley floor. It was a good way to end the day. If you are spending some time in Yosemite's high country this hike is a great one to include on your trip.<br />
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<br />Embrace the Outdoorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11679285778468170720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201156544490736501.post-26363475926633599692012-05-29T16:30:00.000-07:002012-07-01T16:34:34.109-07:00Anza Borrego Hike - Borrego Palm Canyon Trail<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh0NkUv7BpWCRAVXzWb1sDTzUIBwRKQUIHPlx3F3SxijinRUkz_t02cdJzdFJmjTxly-AliGY6CbGwSkaiC0qcyJi6J2mHeX1mqyn0Wjyy3yODXpaC2ZqO4uLnl2NMvzeOfcY1p0IZanjW/s1600/Anza+Borrego+State+Park.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh0NkUv7BpWCRAVXzWb1sDTzUIBwRKQUIHPlx3F3SxijinRUkz_t02cdJzdFJmjTxly-AliGY6CbGwSkaiC0qcyJi6J2mHeX1mqyn0Wjyy3yODXpaC2ZqO4uLnl2NMvzeOfcY1p0IZanjW/s320/Anza+Borrego+State+Park.jpg" width="320" /></a>We were spending time in the San Diego area prior to running the Rock 'n' Roll San Diego half marathon and had a free day to do some hiking. After doing some searching online we found that a must-do hike in the area is the Borrego Palm Canyon Trail at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. We left our campsite at Carlsbad State Beach early and made the two hour drive to the park. The park website listed the visitor center hours so we expected it to be open so our plan was to go to the visitor center, get a map and suggestions on what other things there are to see there then head out on our hike. When we arrived there was a notice that the visitor center was closed on weekdays for the summer. Luckily we had brought some information with us so we headed over to the park campground where the trail head was. We placed our $5 day use fee in the designated envelope at the campground kiosk and placed the tear-off tag on our dashboard. We drove through the campground to the day use parking lot. We still had not seen a single person in the park. It was a hot day and we thought that maybe people were staying away because of the heat. Still, we thought it was unusual to not see anybody camping at all. We got to the parking lot and were relieved to see a couple of other cars there, as well as a park ranger. She was ticketing cars that did not have the paid tag displayed and made certain we knew it was going to be a hot day and to take plenty of water. We grabbed our packs and water and headed out towards the trail. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1cAvT8baA-v1LSTN8jJnOQE1DJ1WrVyH8qAfrLsbd8YrA0dyVXUcmetDxLvc03QdgkX0eMKIzOdDIVQdrd0CiSOpiu5uoeYid_iCJYHLHeClRo_0a6_RAwea1WHNnaEonHflWBD5xeZNl/s1600/IMG_6128.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1cAvT8baA-v1LSTN8jJnOQE1DJ1WrVyH8qAfrLsbd8YrA0dyVXUcmetDxLvc03QdgkX0eMKIzOdDIVQdrd0CiSOpiu5uoeYid_iCJYHLHeClRo_0a6_RAwea1WHNnaEonHflWBD5xeZNl/s320/IMG_6128.jpg" width="213" /></a>A quick stop to the bathroom ended up being a stop at a stone building without a roof, with two bathroom stalls without doors, hadn't seen one quite like this before so had to take a picture. The trail head was well marked and close to the women's restrooms. There were pamphlets there for the self-guided tour on the Borrego Palm Canyon trail so we took one. Initially the trail was flat with packed dirt and some loose rocks. It was easy to follow the trail out at first then as it became more difficult to follow there were rock cairns to lead the way. The marked numbers that matched up with the pamphlet we picked up at the trail head also reassured us that we were going the right way. We made our way on the exposed trail in the surrounding desert, making sure to hydrate along the way. The pamphlet taught us about the history of the area, about the flora and fauna of the area as well. It even mentioned Peninsular Bighorn Sheep which made us excited and hopeful that we would see some. On our way along the canyon towards the palm oasis we heard something and when we looked it was there-a bighorn sheep! It was walking in the middle of the canyon, going across the dry creek crossing that we had passed several minutes earlier. We always enjoy seeing wildlife on our hikes and with the exception of our trip to Yellowstone National Park, this was the only other time we have seen bighorn sheep. Once it was out of sight we marched on towards the palm trees.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig8QNe3Rt8vuu9rf1g4XkeC1QBVZ07_SpZtp-J3z5s49hKxTWTz8jkxZnoS3Q9wqbiwD-mX89UxrzqMIeN4RxaKVA2ZqNFrdZw_oOnDwcg2CxGPhYUszofIsmr6MDMMZGot9zhUYBH91um/s1600/Anza+Borrego+Nature+Trail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig8QNe3Rt8vuu9rf1g4XkeC1QBVZ07_SpZtp-J3z5s49hKxTWTz8jkxZnoS3Q9wqbiwD-mX89UxrzqMIeN4RxaKVA2ZqNFrdZw_oOnDwcg2CxGPhYUszofIsmr6MDMMZGot9zhUYBH91um/s320/Anza+Borrego+Nature+Trail.jpg" width="320" /></a> The trail became even rockier and a bit more uneven before it turned a corner and led us to water. On the other side of the water was the palm tree oasis. It was a refreshing sight in the desert. The air was cooler here too so we took a few minutes to cool down. We decided not to continue on to the oasis as we could not tell what the ground or trail conditions were from that point. Besides, the view from this side of the water was beautiful already. We snapped pictures then turned around and headed back on the trail. On our way back we kept hoping that we would see the sheep again but knew that we probably wouldn't. Imagine our excitement when we did see it again. There it was-right in the middle of the canyon again but this time standing on a big rock. We got as close to it as the trail allowed and took more pictures. It didn't seem to be bothered by us at all so we took our time before making our way back to the car. On our way up the trail we came across two groups of hikers and with the heat we thought we wouldn't see any on our way back but we actually saw several people heading out on the trail. The temperature was well in the high 90's when we finished our hike and we were glad we had started out in the morning. This hike was three miles round trip with about 600 feet of elevation gain. Driving out of the campground we still didn't see any people camping but realized that it's probably too hot in the summer for people to camp there in the desert. It was a nice hike and definitely a place to go if you are in the area, although it may be better to hike in the park during a cooler time of the year. The park itself is quite large, it is actually the largest state park in California. So there are lots of other trails to hike if you have more than one day in the area, just be sure to bring plenty of water!<br />
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<a href="http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=638">Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Website</a>Embrace the Outdoorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11679285778468170720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201156544490736501.post-59218960718726869592012-05-20T20:20:00.000-07:002012-06-12T20:22:00.526-07:00Avenue of the Vines Half Marathon<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZrxi8h0KfB2qMOzsLqFgsKdqtlkO09mkQBRjunt_87PrTIOJD2sCwqT0_qzDI5IRP6JsjlQom4V4C_Nh5v_4w3nj2DaGHgJUYLsStveOEFjjLIOTqR0floQKCiUFPE4aJg1yP47aSvPmb/s1600/Avenue+of+the+Vines+Lodi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZrxi8h0KfB2qMOzsLqFgsKdqtlkO09mkQBRjunt_87PrTIOJD2sCwqT0_qzDI5IRP6JsjlQom4V4C_Nh5v_4w3nj2DaGHgJUYLsStveOEFjjLIOTqR0floQKCiUFPE4aJg1yP47aSvPmb/s320/Avenue+of+the+Vines+Lodi.jpg" width="320" /></a>Avenue of the Vines is a 5k and half marathon race that takes place in Lodi. It was in its sixth year this year. I have participated in the 5k twice before and enjoyed the flat course. This year a couple of friends decided to do the half marathon so I decided to join in. The race benefits the local emergency food bank and takes place at Woodbridge Winery in Lodi, about 45minutes south of Sacramento. Early bib pick-up was at Fleet Feet Stockton, a local running store. I stopped by the store the day before the race and got my bib, timing chip (disposable D-tag), goodie bag and technical fabric shirt. A couple of great things about the shirt this year were the color-black, which is rare for race shirts and it was gender specific. Included in the goodie bag was a wristband to wear if you are 21 and over. This was required to participate in the wine tasting postrace. It wasn't mentioned that you had to wear the wristband to get the free wine glass included with your entry fee, even if you skipped the drinking itself, so I was glad that I had worn mine even though I hadn't planned on drinking any alcohol. Since the race started and finished at the winery, there was a large parking lot and once it filled up there was plenty of street parking. I had learned in the years prior to get there early enough to park in the lot and did so again this year. There were porta potties close to the race start with a large line. Luckily a few other people and I found the winery's unmarked public bathrooms that were empty and I was in and out quickly. There were a few booths set up, most were informational pre-race but they did have some goodies post race. Race start for the half marathon was 7am and 7:15am for the 5k. The half start was right on time. We headed out on the main road in front of the winery and shortly after turned left to head north. The half marathon course was a loop course through wine country and farmlands. It was on a one lane paved road the entire time and was closed to traffic most of the time.<br />
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It was a well marked course with mile markers at each mile. There were police officers at each major intersection directing traffic as well. The main hazards were dogs in the area that would come out to fences and bark at us. There was one in particular that was running towards a group of runners in front of me but stopped at the edge of his owners property, just shy of the runners. There was an aid station at about 1.5 miles-close to the 5k turnaround point. There were about four or five more aid stations on the half marathon course-all with water and a sports drink but some of the volunteers were very young and didn't notify the runners if they had water or sports drink. Surprisingly there weren't any energy gels or chews offered on the course. After turning east again we passed through some cattle farms and ranches and could really feel the sun beating down on us. It was getting warmer quickly. After a few more turns the course headed south on a road that was lined with large trees that thankfully provided some shaded areas. At about mile 7 or 8 there was a cooling station where cold sponges were handed out. This was the first race I have done where this was provided and it was great. A few more turns and then it was back on the initial street but heading west this time toward the finish. The course was lined with spectators as I got closer to the finish line and their cheering helped me pick up my pace near the end. Once across the finish I was handed my finishers medal and then was ushered to walk around the winery's visitor center to get water. It would have been nice to have the water closer, especially on a warm day. Another stop to get my wine glass and then there were wine tasting booths which I skipped. There was some post race food such as fruit and wraps. There were also a few sponsor booths set-up at the finish line but my favorite booth was one that had free race photos that had already been printed out. Even though I didn't find any of me I thought it was a great idea.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwv57S9j4_lTets4FuDlfKAH5_8MOpU-7KZ-DbqP8m17FQdGVPuQK9SeaUj4XBNrnFXkbvkvKpRwSIOj6QhuDQ3GeGnvyCikNGxc_EArS14n793o7L4epLCZJcIQciypBP3MavhMMSQb_M/s1600/Avenue+of+the+Vines+Expo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwv57S9j4_lTets4FuDlfKAH5_8MOpU-7KZ-DbqP8m17FQdGVPuQK9SeaUj4XBNrnFXkbvkvKpRwSIOj6QhuDQ3GeGnvyCikNGxc_EArS14n793o7L4epLCZJcIQciypBP3MavhMMSQb_M/s400/Avenue+of+the+Vines+Expo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizviClEunhdmru-XUIZuJKAFvFsGtysWenYHlbifU-3OsgvvRloTBgsjqfDzZfBDVCVN7rlDBllWFsimHp4pTs0of7ZGD5ZRQNGBH3K8WocpWnZPyc19Wki5yXcbRKZZJ-HWUr1JKbYP3H/s1600/Avenue+of+the+Vines+Medal+Shirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizviClEunhdmru-XUIZuJKAFvFsGtysWenYHlbifU-3OsgvvRloTBgsjqfDzZfBDVCVN7rlDBllWFsimHp4pTs0of7ZGD5ZRQNGBH3K8WocpWnZPyc19Wki5yXcbRKZZJ-HWUr1JKbYP3H/s400/Avenue+of+the+Vines+Medal+Shirt.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.fleetfeetstockton.com/resources/avenue-of-the-vines">Race Website</a></div>
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<a href="http://results.bazumedia.com/event/results/event/event-756">Race Results</a><br />
<a href="http://www.embracetheoutdoors.com/2011/05/avenue-of-vines-5k.html">Avenue of the Vines 2011</a><br />
<a href="http://www.embracetheoutdoors.com/2010/05/avenue-of-vines-5k.html">Avenue of the Vines 2010</a></div>Embrace the Outdoorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11679285778468170720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201156544490736501.post-26819755329200404682012-05-15T19:39:00.000-07:002012-06-12T19:52:10.720-07:00Tour of California<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoHLkxS0zbFouVeUJY2tJnwoJ-cwlGcZ1zJiQ0yqqyJ2A1lxT9wnUGzdIZN17gZnIDOKcqEpixTteaFDYwEtII42yWVRSVQYKmD52_qz1mwRbQq3qztOYDTz06v65FXZw1V81HjCJsIWsi/s1600/tour+of+CA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoHLkxS0zbFouVeUJY2tJnwoJ-cwlGcZ1zJiQ0yqqyJ2A1lxT9wnUGzdIZN17gZnIDOKcqEpixTteaFDYwEtII42yWVRSVQYKmD52_qz1mwRbQq3qztOYDTz06v65FXZw1V81HjCJsIWsi/s320/tour+of+CA.jpg" width="239" /></a>We were able to catch a stage of the Tour of California again this year. Stage 3 of the tour this year started in San Jose, went up through part of Mt. Diablo and ended in Livermore. People in the area have been waiting for years for the tour to go to Mt. Diablo and although it didn't go all the way up to the summit it was still exciting to have the route go through a place we know well. Mt. Diablo is a State Park with lots of hiking and mountain biking trails and a campground. The road up through the park is always busy with cyclists. We've hiked at the park before (<a href="http://www.embracetheoutdoors.com/2008/03/mount-diablo-hike-balancing-rock.html">Balancing Rock</a>; <a href="http://www.embracetheoutdoors.com/2011/01/mt-diablo-hike-falls-trail.html">Falls Trail</a>) and have camped there as well. When the route for the stage was released we knew we definitely wanted to make it to the finish in downtown Livermore and decided to try to see them on Mt. Diablo as well. We decided to ride to the park from a friends house who lives a few miles away. After about seven miles of riding we starting climbing. Not doing much riding I was a bit concerned about how I would do and got even more worried when my thighs starting burning at the bottom of the climb. Once the climbing began the discomfort continued but I had the reassurance that we would only go as far as I could. I climbed up with a mountain bike but it was very light in weight so that helped. There were tons of other people there as well, lots of them passing me by but I did manage to pass a few. After a few miles we stopped for a break. After water and some energy chews we started climbing again and then we saw signs for the KOM (King of the Mountain). We decided to try to get to that point and after a few more tough miles we made it!! There were lots of other people there; some cycling groups and others who had driven up earlier and set up to watch the tour. At this point we had ridden about 14 miles.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEjfccwoJe2OecjRwozNNJPuWNtrxcW5mtHliwYdkHuDZkHHbV4IySlvmxitm_lFmN03PUNTk5PbVNnc1bdurTw1JnHoYLk6I8FFjKDudgkq5XcQ1IuPsn5qUKXygIO_v9IJsk7PNApcKo/s1600/Tour+of+California.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEjfccwoJe2OecjRwozNNJPuWNtrxcW5mtHliwYdkHuDZkHHbV4IySlvmxitm_lFmN03PUNTk5PbVNnc1bdurTw1JnHoYLk6I8FFjKDudgkq5XcQ1IuPsn5qUKXygIO_v9IJsk7PNApcKo/s320/Tour+of+California.jpg" width="320" /></a>We hung out for a little while and took some pictures. It was getting warm and I was glad that I took my CamelBak. We scouted out a place to wait and watch for the riders and found a section of the shoulder of the road that was empty- we had it all to ourselves. We had our PB&J sandwiches and waited in the heat. We were lucky that someone was giving out free ice cream at that time-they were promoting their product and we had jasmine flavored popsicles that surprisingly tasted really good. After waiting a little longer the breakaway came by, then the peloton. It's amazing how fast they ride. As soon as the road was open to us we started making our way down the mountain. This was a new situation for me-descending. I hadn't really thought about it before since I didn't think we would actually climb that much. I made good use of my brakes as I flew down the mountain. There were a few sketchy curves but I managed to stay upright. It helped that the road had very few cars and was taken over mostly by cyclists who could maneuver around me. Back down at the bottom of the mountain we rode back to the house. After just under 30 miles of riding we were back at our starting point.. I couldn't believe I had ridden that far, and up/down part of Mt. Diablo. We were soon in the car and heading over to Livermore. We parked downtown, just a few blocks from the finish. We made it in time to check out some of the booths before trying to elbow our way to a view of the finish. We didn't have a good view but did see the riders just after they crossed the finish line and as they headed to their team cars. We made our way by the team cars and took some pictures before heading back to our car. The tour riders completed 115.3 miles, but I did my own ride of just under 30 miles in under three hours and it felt great. It was a great day with an amazing ride and great Tour of California stage route. Can't wait until next year!<br />
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<a href="http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/">Amgen Tour of California Website</a><br />
<a href="http://www.embracetheoutdoors.com/2011/05/tour-of-california.html">Our Tour of California 2011 post</a><br />
<a href="http://www.embracetheoutdoors.com/2009/02/tour-of-california.html">Our Tour of California 2009 post</a><br />
<br />Embrace the Outdoorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11679285778468170720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201156544490736501.post-2571879378421973092012-05-01T19:05:00.000-07:002012-05-04T06:15:03.221-07:00May Events<br />
Here are a few things going on in May:<br />
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5/5 <a href="http://www.brazenracing.com/westernpacific.html">Western Pacific</a> 5k, 10k, Half Marathon, Marathon at Quarry Lakes<br />
5/5-5/6 <a href="http://www.therelay.com/">The Relay</a><br />
5/6 <a href="http://www.pomgsc.com/docs/2012.pdf">Peace Officers Memorial</a> 5k, 10k in Modesto<br />
5/6 <a href="http://www.insidetrail.com/ai1ec_event/big-trees-trail-run-spring/">Big Trees Trail</a> 10k, Half Marathon, 30k, 50k at Joaquin Miller<br />
5/6 <a href="http://www.runlikeadiva.com/Half_Marathon_Events/Divas_Half_Marathon_-_San_Francisco__CA.htm">Divas Half Marathon</a> in San Francisco<br />
5/6 <a href="http://www.mermaidseries.com/run#!__east-bay">Mermaid Run</a> 5k, 10k, Half Marathon, 18 mile in Fremont<br />
5/6 <a href="http://www.stocktonbikeclub.org/events.htm">Delta Century Ride</a> in Lodi<br />
5/6 <a href="http://www.sundaystreetssf.com/">SF Sunday Streets</a> bike event<br />
5/12 <a href="http://onyourmarkevents.com/Applications/CPOA2012.pdf">CPOA</a> 5k and 10k in Pleasanton<br />
5/12 <a href="http://www.coastaltrailruns.com/cin_spr_cinderella.html">Cinderella Trail Run</a> 10k, Half Marathon, Marathon, 50k at Joaquin Miller<br />
5/12 <a href="http://www.tbfracing.com/events/folsomlakeintl.html">Folsom Lake Triathlon</a><br />
5/12 <a href="http://rideforareason.dojiggy.com/">Ride for a Reason</a> bike event<br />
5/12 <a href="http://www.rideformom.com/">Ride for Mom</a> bike event in Modesto<br />
5/13 <a href="http://www.tbfracing.com/events/mothersday.html">Mother's Day Duathlon and Triathlon</a> in Folsom<br />
5/13 <a href="http://runlikeamothersacramento.eventbrite.com/">Run Like a Mother</a> 5k in Elk Grove<br />
5/13-20 <a href="http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/#1">Tour of California</a> cycling event<br />
5/19 <a href="http://brazenracing.com/wildcat.html">Wildcat</a> 5k, 10k and Half Marathon at Wildcat Canyon Park<br />
5/19 <a href="http://scavengerdash.com/smf.html">Scavenger Dash</a> in Sacramento<br />
5/19 <a href="http://www.envirosports.com/default.asp?PageID=20877">Golden Gate Headlands</a> 7 mile, Half Marathon and Marathon<br />
5/20 <a href="http://www.fleetfeetstockton.com/resources/avenue-of-the-vines">Avenue of the Vines</a> 5k, Half Marathon in Lodi<br />
5/20 <a href="http://www.finishlineproduction.com/events/duathlon/DaffodilDuathlon/DaffodilDu.html">Daffodil Duathlon</a> in Livermore<br />
5/20 <a href="http://www.ohlone50k.com/ohlone50k.html">Ohlone Wilderness</a> 50k<br />
5/20 <a href="http://zazzlebaytobreakers.com/">Bay to Breakers</a> 12k in San Francisco<br />
5/26 <a href="http://danvillemarathon.hypothermiacs.com/index.html">Danville Half Marathon</a><br />
5/27 <a href="http://www.thememorialweekend.org/5k_Run.html">Wounded Warrior</a> 5k in Manteca<br />
5/27 <a href="http://www.quakeschallenge.com/">Earthquakes Challenge</a> 5k and 10k in San Jose<br />
5/28 <a href="http://www.stocktonrotaryrun.com/">Stockton Rotary Run</a> 5k and 10k<br />
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REI Free Clinics (all at 7pm)<br />
Basic Cycling Basics<br />
5/15 Stockton<br />
Intro to Bike Safety<br />
5/22 Stockton<br />
Cycling Destinations<br />
5/29 Stockton<br />
Bike Maintenance Basics<br />
5/1 Saratoga<br />
5/2 Brentwood<br />
5/2 Concord<br />
5/3 Mountain View<br />
5/31 Dublin<br />
Half Dome in a Day<br />
5/10 Brentwood<br />
5/29 Saratoga<br />
Marsh Creek State Park: A California Treasure<br />
5/3 Brentwood<br />
<br />
REI Used Gear Sales (all at 10am)<br />
5/5 Berkeley<br />
5/5 Concord<br />
5/5 Mountain View<br />
5/5 Saratoga<br />
5/6 FremontEmbrace the Outdoorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11679285778468170720noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201156544490736501.post-86708258761974858232012-04-29T21:19:00.000-07:002012-07-01T21:25:32.078-07:00Pleasanton Half Marathon<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCjWJty1T1YZto_8TOcKlGfYfrc9ZgtdzYSpQ4Wyxn6yxmvS3m8XYDJGkW0QW0zHERUjGg5JZH7bscupeJl8RScX7ydqcLwxKlel7WaRpiYxsaf5-NoBK7u198QnNtcGqheJNX7ZBrsTSQ/s1600/Pleasanton+Half+Marathon+Medal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCjWJty1T1YZto_8TOcKlGfYfrc9ZgtdzYSpQ4Wyxn6yxmvS3m8XYDJGkW0QW0zHERUjGg5JZH7bscupeJl8RScX7ydqcLwxKlel7WaRpiYxsaf5-NoBK7u198QnNtcGqheJNX7ZBrsTSQ/s320/Pleasanton+Half+Marathon+Medal.jpg" width="320" /></a>We ran in the inaugural Pleasanton Half Marathon. There was also a 5k. Start and finish were at the Pleasanton Sports Park although they were actually .75 miles apart. The event was put on by South Valley Endurance. This was our first race put on by SVE and we were impressed. It was very well organized and there were more people than we had anticipated for an inaugural event-1532 participants in the half marathon and 542 in the 5k. It was the first race in a series of three races-all part of the CA Running Series. Early bib pick up was at a local running store. Same day pickup was available for an additional $10-this is the first time we had seen an additional fee at a local race for same day pick up. We went the day before the race to pick up our bibs. There were a lot of people at the store but it was not chaotic. Bibs were picked up inside the store and a re-usable bag and race shirt were picked up outside. The shirts were technical fabric which we always prefer over cotton, and they were black in color which is rare. We realized we were fairly close to the race start/finish so we drove by. It proved to be helpful because we got a preview of where the finish line was going to be and even the parking lay out. On race day we parked in one of the parks lots about halfway between the start and finish. We made our way to the start, looking for our friends that were running it as well. They had a little trouble with parking so they got to the race start just a few minutes before the start, which was right on time. We ran along the parks parking lots before making a u-turn on the residential street that was parallel. It was nice to be able to see other racers on this switchback.<br />
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It wasn't long before we were on a fire road that we ran on for a few miles. <span style="background-color: white;">Some of it was paved, some was gravel. We were warned of there being a few miles of gravel in the course in the pre-race email. It was on to residential and city streets for a few miles before heading back onto the fire road. There were several aid stations along the course with water and sports drink but no gels. At about mile 12 the course was back in the park on the concrete walkway. There were more spectators here and we could hear the cheering, this is always motivating. Coming across the finish line there were already a lot of people enjoying the post race goodies since the 5k participants had already come through. Past the finish line were race medals, cold water and towels soaked in cold water. It was a warm day but not hot, still the wet towels felt great. There were several booths set up, the largest had the free food for participants which included some tasty burritos and fruit. A stop at the coconut water booth was a must. There were a lot of sponsor booths too with gear and food for sale. One of the great things about this race was that we could check our finish time online soon after crossing. There was an option to have your time texted to you as well and they had a live camera at the finish that could be watched online. For an inaugural event it was very well organized and we had a great time. We would definitely do this race again, or maybe another SVE event.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.pleasantonhalf.com/">Pleasanton Half Marathon Website</a><br />
<a href="http://www.racemine.com/Racemine-LLC/events/2012/1st-Annual-Pleasanton-Half-Marathon/results">Race Results</a><br />
<a href="http://www.camarathonseries.com/">CA Running Series Website</a>Embrace the Outdoorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11679285778468170720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201156544490736501.post-61701604416132889412012-04-01T23:58:00.000-07:002012-05-04T06:14:43.735-07:00Santa Cruz Half Marathon<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGTMh4wWyJlusoK5jkhyphenhyphenjAhlrLRsP_dW_BhpO7jLNcDgYztT-vLmVgFnIVZsVBRk3Nn5-giIy9vnVSFOPRUEx3Ep79WBCqGISTOjQAlMDqUS1QTu8VKFVJT2Z_2QpFOlbzB1Zc1pfYL6nd/s1600/IMG_2239.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGTMh4wWyJlusoK5jkhyphenhyphenjAhlrLRsP_dW_BhpO7jLNcDgYztT-vLmVgFnIVZsVBRk3Nn5-giIy9vnVSFOPRUEx3Ep79WBCqGISTOjQAlMDqUS1QTu8VKFVJT2Z_2QpFOlbzB1Zc1pfYL6nd/s320/IMG_2239.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;">We ran the Santa Cruz Half Marathon for the second time. We first ran it in 2010. This year there were nearly 4000 runners that participated. There was a half marathon and a 10k. We picked up our race packet at a local running store two days before but had to wait for the finish before getting our shirts. Two years prior it had been cold and windy with rain welcoming us at the finish. This year it looked like it might be the same or worse. We camped at the nearby New Brighton State Beach the two nights before the race and saw rain on and off during that time. Surprisingly on race morning the sky was clear and there was no rain in sight. We packed up all of our gear and made the 20 minute drive to the race. The start was only a few blocks away from the Boardwalk as it had been in the past so we knew to leave extra time to navigate through the traffic and find parking. We parked in the designated lot for the Boardwalk, paying $12. We made our way towards the start just a short walk away. Although it was a little cold being by the coast, the sun was out and we were hopeful that the rain would stay away. As we approached the start we saw masses of people standing in lines and then realized that they were waiting for porta potties. Unfortunately the porta potties had been placed along the block leading to the start so it was really congested. We waited our turn then tried to get as close to the start line as possible but there were just too many people and there was no organization. Glad it was chip timed. As in years past, t</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;">he course started out on a street along the coast. The street was wide but with the unorganized start it took a while to maneuver around slower people that started ahead of us and walkers. After a couple of miles it quickly narrowed and stayed that way for most of the course. The course had a few rolling hills and was mainly an out and back route with one loop in Wilder Ranch State Park. Once in Wilder Ranch the paved road was replaced by gravel and dirt and we had to be careful not to twist an ankle. The dirt path through the park was the narrowest part of the course making it difficult to pass other runners. There were also several large puddles on the trail since it had rained so much the days before. We could definitely feel the wind when running close to the coast but the views were spectacular. Once out of Wilder Ranch we re-traced our steps back towards the Boardwalk. </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy6u9U3usgMrTg17_eTrD9pT5uWhgLg0bEttWHaCyrK5ZAOkNJ7hfkCBloVmtbwjnP2lBA_zpo33T0NPHfkVNgKzIiGLeI-PSmcTOwsjofQ96h_dY1S1kC40SYUlUFL6j4c2h7_MYGUvBo/s1600/IMG_2251.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy6u9U3usgMrTg17_eTrD9pT5uWhgLg0bEttWHaCyrK5ZAOkNJ7hfkCBloVmtbwjnP2lBA_zpo33T0NPHfkVNgKzIiGLeI-PSmcTOwsjofQ96h_dY1S1kC40SYUlUFL6j4c2h7_MYGUvBo/s320/IMG_2251.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;">Back on the wide street it seemed that it was open to car traffic but there weren't signs or volunteers directing us out of the street so we continued on the street itself. The finish seemed very abrupt as we made a sharp right turn only a few steps from the finish line which is on the beach itself. Having the finish line on the beach is nice in theory but caused us to get sand in our shoes and socks and slowed us down. Once at the finish we received our medals and then picked up our shirts. The race shirt is made of technical fabric which we like much more than the typical regular cotton shirts so it was a pleasant surprise when we picked them up. Water and sports drinks were handed out at the finish line and booths were set up on the beach with food including bagels, granola bars and fruit. Although the ocean breeze kept the area cool, the sun was out the entire time, we didn't get one drop of rain during the race. The course and views are nice but organization at the start could be improved.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.firstwave-events.com/races/Santa-Cruz-Half-Marathon-10k-2013-Santa-Cruz-Beach-Boardwalk.aspx">Race Website</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://firstwave-events.racemine.com/Firstwave/events/2012/Santa-Cruz-Half-Marathon-and-10k/results">Race Results</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.embracerunning.com/2012/04/embrace-running-013-santa-cruz-half.html">Podcast</a></span>Embrace the Outdoorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11679285778468170720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201156544490736501.post-34733163006596972512012-04-01T19:32:00.000-07:002012-04-03T19:33:10.954-07:00April Events<br />
Here are a few things going on in April:<br />
<br />
4/7 <a href="http://www.coastaltrailruns.com/gp_grizzly_peak.html">Grizzly Peak</a> 10k, Half Marathon, 30k, Marathon and 50k at Tilden Park<br />
4/7 <a href="http://ar50mile.com/">American River</a> 50 mile Endurance Run in Sacramento<br />
4/14 <a href="http://www.tbfracing.com/events/gbdu.html">Granite Bay Duathlon</a> in Folsom<br />
4/14 <a href="http://www.cvrunning.com/images/2012-run-for-health.pdf">Run for Health</a> 5k and 10k in Modesto<br />
4/14 <a href="http://www.localfoodbank.org/announcements/hit-the-streets-for-hunger-5k-walk-run">Hit the Streets</a> 5k in Manteca<br />
4/14 <a href="http://finishlineproduction.com/events/running/RunForTheParks/RunForTheParks.html">Run for the Parks</a> 5k and 10k in Livermore<br />
4/14 <a href="http://www.rei.com/event/36532/session/46008">Footwear Festival</a> at REI Berkeley<br />
4/15 <a href="http://www.tbfracing.com/events/icebreakertri.html">Icebreaker Triathlon</a> in Folsom<br />
4/15 <a href="http://www.sundaystreetssf.com/">SF Sunday Streets</a> bike event<br />
4/15 <a href="http://www.brazenracing.com/diablo.html">Diablo Trails Challenge</a> 5k, 10k, Half Marathon, 50k at Mt. Diablo<br />
4/19 thru 4/22 <a href="http://www.seaotterclassic.com/">Sea Otter Classic</a> bike event in Monterey<br />
4/21 thru 4/29 <a href="http://www.nps.gov/npweek/">National Park Week</a>: free entrance to National Parks<br />
4/21 <a href="http://onyourmarkevents.com/Applications/ChallengeFailure2012.pdf">Challenge Failure</a> 5k and 10k in Lodi<br />
4/21 <a href="http://survivormudrun.com/locations/locations_nor_cal.htm">Survivor Mud Run</a> obstacle run in Lathrop<br />
4/21 <a href="http://cycle4sight.com/">Cycle for Sight</a> in Napa Valley<br />
4/22 <a href="http://www.earthday.org/2012">Earth Day</a><br />
4/22 <a href="http://changeofpace.com/capitol_city_classic.html">Capital City Classic</a> 5k, 10k in Sacramento<br />
4/22 <a href="http://www.envirosports.com/default.asp?PageID=21264">Silverado Half Marathon</a> and 5k in Napa Valley<br />
4/28 <a href="http://asparagusfest.com/activities/spear-it-run/">Great Spear-It Run</a> 5k, 10k in Stockton<br />
4/28 <a href="http://www.firstgiving.com/everystepcounts">Every Step Counts</a> 5k, 10k in San Leandro<br />
4/28 <a href="http://www.parkwayhalf.com/service.htm">Parkway Half Marathon</a> in Sacramento<br />
4/28 <a href="http://www.urbanbikeadventure.com/urban_bike_adventure/San_Francisco,_CA_Urban_Bike_Adventure.html">Urban Bike Adventure</a> in San Francisco<br />
4/28 <a href="http://www.tbfracing.com/events/dirtiestdu.html">Dirtiest Duathlon</a> in Folsom<br />
4/28 <a href="http://terrainracing.com/">Terrain Mud Run</a> in San Jose<br />
4/28 <a href="http://www.ridgetrail.org/index.php?option=com_jcalpro&Itemid=75&extmode=view&extid=282">Ridge to Bridge</a> hiking and biking event<br />
4/28 <a href="http://www.insidetrail.com/ai1ec_event/folsom-lake-trail-run/">Folsom Lake</a> 10k, Half Marathon, Marathon and 50k<br />
4/29 <a href="http://www.urbanbikeadventure.com/urban_bike_adventure/Sacramento,_CA_Urban_Bike_Adventure.html">Urban Bike Adventure</a> in Sacramento<br />
4/29 <a href="http://www.pleasantonhalf.com/">Pleasanton Half Marathon</a> and 5k<br />
4/29 <a href="http://www.bsim.org/">Big Sur Marathon</a>, 5k, 9mile, 10.6mile and 21 mile<br />
4/29 <a href="http://sjbike.weebly.com/best-ride-ever-ride.html">Best Ride Ever Ride</a> in Lodi<br />
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<br />
REI Free Clinics (all at 7pm)<br />
Kilimanjaro: "Everyman's Everest"<br />
4/26 Dublin<br />
4/27 Saratoga<br />
Poles for Hiking and Outdoor Exercise<br />
4/11 Concord<br />
4/24 Fremont<br />
Triathlon Basics-Try a Tri?<br />
4/4 Concord<br />
4/5 Dublin<br />
4/11 Corte Madera<br />
4/12 Brentwood<br />
4/13 Berkeley<br />
4/13 Fremont<br />
4/26 Mountain View<br />
Backpacking Basics<br />
4/4 Corte Madera<br />
4/10 Fremont<br />
4/12 Dublin<br />
4/12 Mountain View<br />
4/17 Saratoga<br />
4/18 Concord<br />
4/19 Berkeley<br />
4/26 Brentwood<br />
Climbing Mount Shasta: Tips for the Novice and the Expert<br />
4/24 Saratoga<br />
4/26 Berkeley<br />
<br />
<br />
REI Used Gear Sales (all at 10am)<br />
4/7 Berkeley<br />
4/7 Concord<br />
4/7 Mountain View<br />
4/7 Saratoga<br />
4/14 Brentwood<br />
4/14 Corte MaderaEmbrace the Outdoorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11679285778468170720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201156544490736501.post-5202837226742904082012-03-17T18:54:00.000-07:002012-03-23T18:55:47.526-07:00Badger Cove Trail Race<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLIAxFrImCAxrnnNnX3NcIDvgjPvE9iwUZ1MV8v_gM6zRXh5RdSoDQuPs8R9cHSxGttVPuI15-ccLEFnwhhceUqJO2u4JajOfkYxEaBSt1FM8iAK-dHbY6EPAd3AgaNhdNbLK66LcvPiaA/s1600/badger+cove+del+valle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLIAxFrImCAxrnnNnX3NcIDvgjPvE9iwUZ1MV8v_gM6zRXh5RdSoDQuPs8R9cHSxGttVPuI15-ccLEFnwhhceUqJO2u4JajOfkYxEaBSt1FM8iAK-dHbY6EPAd3AgaNhdNbLK66LcvPiaA/s320/badger+cove+del+valle.jpg" width="320" /></a>We ran the Badger Cove race at Del Valle Park. It was a trail race put on by Brazen Racing and had 5k, 10k and Half Marathon distances, with about 800 people participating. As always, the entry fee for the race depended on the race distance and date you registered but ranged from $29 to $60. As with other Brazen Racing events there was an option to register for $5 less if you did not want the race shirt or pay $6 more for a technical fabric shirt if you registered for the 5k or 10k. If you registered for the Half Marathon the technical fabric shirt was included. We had been to Del Valle Park in the past to camp and hike and knew that there was really only one entry lane to the park so we left with plenty of time. We paid the $6 entry fee and followed the rest of the cars to the designated parking lots for the race. It had rained the entire week leading up to the event so we expected it to be wet and muddy, which it was. There was plenty of parking with some porta potties in one of the parking lots as well as park bathrooms nearby. We had picked up our race bibs, shirt, etc a few days before the race so we got to skip that on race day. But this all seemed very well organized. There was some pre-race food too like coffee and danishes. The most difficult part of the pre-race morning was deciding what to wear for the race-gloves or not? jacket or not? I decided on no gloves, no jacket and hoped that it didn't rain during the half marathon. It was my first trail half marathon so I was nervous to start anyways and the unpredictable weather didn't help. The race was timed using D-tags which I really like because they are easy to use, disposable and not noticeable when I'm running. Races started on time with the half starting at 8am, 10k at 8:30am and 5k at 8:45am. The courses for all three distances were similar.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaMAgjJriQddskv8vmC1ozccAGq9Sb4c5fQkd7O_44pDBfelbp9G6zHflklRzEY86bMdEPNLXpOzP3j9V4cuyOIxLeI-rpOE7ep1S0MF_iDAGg5ZHNiSr40oQvZtJUQFWt-y2gOWkGcC-S/s1600/badger+cove+race.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaMAgjJriQddskv8vmC1ozccAGq9Sb4c5fQkd7O_44pDBfelbp9G6zHflklRzEY86bMdEPNLXpOzP3j9V4cuyOIxLeI-rpOE7ep1S0MF_iDAGg5ZHNiSr40oQvZtJUQFWt-y2gOWkGcC-S/s320/badger+cove+race.jpg" width="320" /></a>The 5k was an out and back. The 10k was a lollipop course, with the loop being shared with the half marathon except the half marathon course covered the loop twice and had an additional out and back section about two thirds of the way on the loop. The second out and back portion of the half marathon was a last minute change since the original course was not easily accessible by the rangers to disperse aid station supplies after the heavy rain the night before. The first half mile or so of the course was paved road/sidewalks but the rest of the race routes were dirt. The out and back portion shared by all three distances consisted of some rolling hills. All distances passed an aid station twice, the half marathon passed it a third time by doing the loop twice. Initially everyone ran past the aid station and while the 5k participants turned around soon after passing it, the 10k and half marathon participants continued straight on East Shore Trail where the real climbing began. The trail at this point was very muddy making it tough to move at a quick pace and then it turned into single track for a little while with some low hanging trees. Then it was back to a wider trail on Ridgeline Trail where the climbing continued and the mud was on and off. I have hiked in muddy conditions before but hadn't run in this much mud so it was an interesting challenge. It was tough going uphill because my feet would get stuck in the mud and then downhill was a bit slippery and so I had to focus to stay upright. It was a little more climbing to the next aid station that was fully stocked with water, sports drink, GU, candies and salty snacks. Then it was a detour to the out and back section that was added to the route with the course change. More mud, more small rolling hills, and then the turn around to head back to the loop. The rest of the loop back to the first aid station was packed dirt and was overall downhill but there was one slippery muddy portion. Hetch Hetchy Trail led back to the aid station and it was a right turn to get back on the course where we had been before but this time had to share with the 5k walkers. It was a tight fit since the trail was muddy and it seemed like everyone was avoiding the mud. Some quick maneuvering got me past the 5k walkers and onto the loop again. The second time around the loop I was able to push a little more since I knew what was ahead. Some of the muddy areas were better because there was some areas that were packed down after the 10k and half marathon runners had passed through. After the second loop and to the intersection where the main aid station was it was a left turn back towards the finish. There was very little mud for the rest of the route, it was mostly packed dirt with rolling hills and then paved trail back to the finish. Soon after passing through the finish I got my finisher's medal, then water and postrace food. As always with Brazen races there was plenty of post race snacks such as fruit, bagels, coffee, hot chocolate, water, cookies, candy, ice cream, etc. Age group medals could be picked up from the awards table once results were posted. The mud made for a fun and difficult race and the fact that the rain stayed away was great. Hopefully more trail half marathons to come.<br />
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<a href="http://brazenracing.com/badgercoveresults.html">Race Results</a><br />
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/107801830681230323136">Race Photos</a><br />
<a href="http://brazenracing.com/index.html">Brazen Racing Website</a><br />
<a href="http://www.embracerunning.com/2012/03/embrace-running-011-badger-cove.html">Embrace Running Podcast #11: Badger Cove</a>Embrace the Outdoorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11679285778468170720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201156544490736501.post-30598028214839823282012-03-04T22:02:00.000-08:002012-03-04T22:02:18.010-08:00March Events<br />
Here are a few things going on in March:<br />
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3/10 <a href="http://www.envirosports.com/default.asp?PageID=20882">Romancing the Island</a> 12k and 25k at Angel Island<br />
3/11 <a href="http://www.shamrocknhalf.com/">Shamrock'n Half Marathon</a> in Sacramento<br />
3/11 <a href="http://www.ci.union-city.ca.us/leisure/leisure.pdf/FunRun2012.pdf">Union City Fun Run</a> 5k and 10k<br />
3/11 <a href="http://www.sundaystreetssf.com/">SF Sunday Streets</a> bike event<br />
3/17 <a href="http://www.coastaltrailruns.com/cm_wntr_canyon_meadow.html">Canyon Meadow Trail Run</a> 5mile, Half Marathon, 30k, Marathon, 50k<br />
3/17 <a href="http://www.brazenracing.com/badgercove.html">Badger Cove</a> 5k, 10k and Half Marathon at Del Valle Regional Park<br />
3/17 <a href="http://onyourmarkevents.com/Applications/Shamrock2012.pdf">Shamrock Run</a> 5k in Stockton<br />
3/18 <a href="http://dublinca.gov/index.aspx?NID=867">Shamrock Run</a> 5k in Dublin<br />
3/18 <a href="http://www.modestomarathon.com/">Modesto Marathon</a>, 5k, 10k<br />
3/18 <a href="http://rhodyco.com/eab12k-2011.html">Emerald Across the Bay</a> 12k<br />
3/24 <a href="http://www.envirosports.com/default.asp?PageID=20880">Napa Valley Trail</a> 10k, Half Marathon, Marathon<br />
3/25 <a href="http://www.oaklandmarathon.com/Home_Page.htm">Oakland Running Festival</a> 5k, Half Marathon, Marathon<br />
3/25 <a href="http://www.nutritionfuelsfitness.org/race_information.html">Nutrition Fuels Fitness</a> 5k, 10k in Elk Grove<br />
3/31 <a href="http://brazenracing.com/lagoonvalleysponsors.html">Lagoon Valley</a> 5k, 10k, Half Marathon in Vacaville<br />
3/31 <a href="http://www.coastaltrailruns.com/ac_ayala_cove.html">Ayala Cove</a> 5mile, 10mile, 15mile run at Angel Island<br />
3/31 <a href="http://www.insidetrail.com/ai1ec_event/redwood-peak-spring/">Redwood Peak Trail Run</a> 10k, Half Marathon, 30k, 50k<br />
3/31 <a href="http://www.tbfracing.com/events/mtbtriathlon.html">Mountain Bike Triathlon</a> in Folsom<br />
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<br />
REI Free Clinics (all at 7pm)<br />
Intro to Half Dome<br />
3/20 Stockton<br />
Traveling Solo Basics<br />
3/27 Stockton<br />
How to Adjust Bike Breaks & Gears<br />
3/7 Brentwood<br />
Walkabout Northern California: Inn to Inn<br />
3/6 Saratoga<br />
3/15 Brentwood<br />
3/27 Fremont<br />
Lightweight Backpacking Basics<br />
3/12 Saratoga<br />
3/21 Fremont<br />
3/22 Dublin<br />
3/29 Brentwood<br />
3/29 Mountain View<br />
Epic Rows: Across the Atlantic & North Pacific<br />
3/7 Berkeley<br />
Southeast Alaska by Kayak<br />
3/14 Concord<br />
3/20 Saratoga<br />
Exploring Iceland<br />
3/13 Fremont<br />
3/15 Berkeley<br />
3/21 Concord<br />
Bay Area Backpacking Destinations: Ten to Begin<br />
3/29 Berkeley<br />
Backpacking Basics<br />
3/27 Concord<br />
Great Spring Hikes in Contra Costa County<br />
3/7 Concord<br />
3/21 Concord<br />
Great Canyon Hikes of the Colorado Plateau<br />
3/15 Mountain View<br />
3/22 Berkeley<br />
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<br />
REI Used Gear Sales (all at 10am)<br />
3/18 Dublin<br />
3/24 Berkeley<br />
3/25 FremontEmbrace the Outdoorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11679285778468170720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201156544490736501.post-35462409159446705302012-02-26T18:40:00.000-08:002012-02-27T21:58:52.076-08:00Coyote Hills<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuG23sUv20Wg5z9uc2aSsr5O6ZsdlQBzBXCLfPyMPhrAkaVQjpZq46r958L3lWUT8YsjVAuFJBZ2xmRVc1s3sqgnx68bqf2Nzf4MN2xIG8szaK7bS99aCQ84Ri_BzTEXipMf8NJx4qkO_L/s1600/IMG_2640.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuG23sUv20Wg5z9uc2aSsr5O6ZsdlQBzBXCLfPyMPhrAkaVQjpZq46r958L3lWUT8YsjVAuFJBZ2xmRVc1s3sqgnx68bqf2Nzf4MN2xIG8szaK7bS99aCQ84Ri_BzTEXipMf8NJx4qkO_L/s320/IMG_2640.JPG" width="320" /></a>This weekend we got outdoors and spent some time at Coyote Hills Regional Park in Fremont, CA. The trip was two fold. We wanted to do some trail running, and also to pick up our 2012 Trails Challenge T-Shirts. The shirts are light blue this year and not bad looking. See our <a href="http://www.embracetheoutdoors.com/2012/01/trails-challenge-2012.html">previous post</a> for more information about the trails challenge. As for our run we stuck to the Bayview Trail and then tackled the climb up Red Hill Trail. Only had a chance to take a couple quick pictures.<br />
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Trails Challenge Shirt</div>
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Related Information:<br />
<a href="http://www.embracetheoutdoors.com/2012/01/trails-challenge-2012.html">Trails Challenge 2012</a><br />
<a href="http://www.embracetheoutdoors.com/2009/07/coyote-hills-bike-ride.html">Coyote Hills Bike Ride</a><br />
<a href="http://www.ebparks.org/">East Bay Regional Park District Website</a><br />
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<br />Embrace the Outdoorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11679285778468170720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201156544490736501.post-72274405815747690522012-02-19T19:31:00.000-08:002012-03-14T19:33:18.833-07:00Rock 'n' Roll Pasadena Half Marathon<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2-phTGdYbPxas96EZJApxv-HTU_7rgaXUTGwVqL5NmwVl9VQv5d2x70NaPV7q9H85Wtrc5k1brIE7bJDZu0_O8SqjZmkcmEQMElwywXOBfXaFf-bIc4R1lKQx1_edul08WzWhyphenhyphenMtlZ3OC/s1600/IMG_2608.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2-phTGdYbPxas96EZJApxv-HTU_7rgaXUTGwVqL5NmwVl9VQv5d2x70NaPV7q9H85Wtrc5k1brIE7bJDZu0_O8SqjZmkcmEQMElwywXOBfXaFf-bIc4R1lKQx1_edul08WzWhyphenhyphenMtlZ3OC/s320/IMG_2608.JPG" width="239" /></a>We ran in our second Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon. This time it was the inaugural event in Pasadena. We didn't decide to participate until just a few weeks before the race. Having had a good experience at the Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Half Marathon and knowing that we could just drive down to Pasadena over the holiday weekend we decided to register. Knowing we would get a special double medal after completing the two races was a little added motivation. When we registered we had the option to purchase a parking pass for the race for $10, we paid for one parking pass. Since the start and finish were at the Rose Bowl there wouldn't need to be any transportation from one to the other. We had never been to Pasadena so we were looking forward to spending some time there. The day before the race we went to the race expo at the Pasadena Convention Center. We paid for parking at one of the public garages and made a short walk to the expo. Bib, shirt and parking pass pick-up were all very well organized and easy. It was very similar to the set-up in Arizona. We then picked up our race bags that would double as our sweatbags and then walked through the merchandise area. There was race merchandise and Brooks merchandise. After this we made our way into the health and fitness expo itself. When we got to this area we were very surprised. Although there were booths with food samples and gear, there really weren't many. It was about a third of the size of the Arizona expo. There weren't that many giveaways or that many interesting booths. A large portion of the expo was taken up by the Dodge advertisement, Dodge being one of the main sponsors. There was a section advertising future RNR races with computers for people to register for them at a discount. We made it through the expo fairly quickly. We had time after to walk through downtown Pasadena and do some shopping. We headed back to our hotel early and got our gear and food ready for race day.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimj0qRrmj3pGY4m59YdHwRKj_i1A8TjRHlS0aVhrOE_L1Czq__IOiQsP9yDidrCz5KH0pBX_IqTYHCHXVUhS63EqK_mJX3F-5yDzWOuIh0aiPAtA2n8TU-6dBmS5vhlFmmqFgJKS_5A531/s1600/IMG_2604.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimj0qRrmj3pGY4m59YdHwRKj_i1A8TjRHlS0aVhrOE_L1Czq__IOiQsP9yDidrCz5KH0pBX_IqTYHCHXVUhS63EqK_mJX3F-5yDzWOuIh0aiPAtA2n8TU-6dBmS5vhlFmmqFgJKS_5A531/s320/IMG_2604.JPG" width="320" /></a>Race morning we had to get up really early because we had to be parked at<br />
the lot before 6:30am, an hour before the race start. It took us only about 15 minutes to get to the Rose Bowl area from our hotel and we were among many cars making their way to the designated lots. We ended up in a car line that got us to the parking lot closest to the race start. We actually parked very close to the start and the corrals. We could actually see the corral numbers from inside our car. Since it was so early we stayed in the car for a while, and those around us did the same thing. We slowly got our gear ready, ate and made a few bathroom stops before it was time to head to the corrals. It was really great that we were so close that we could just wait in our car longer than usual. As usual with RNR races there were portapotties, prerace food with bagels and water, and UPS trucks for sweatbag check. We had planned to check a bag but didn't since we parked so close. With the Pasadena race being an inaugural event there were only ten start corrals. For comparison RNR Arizona had over twenty. We lined up in our designated areas and got ready for the start. The race began on time. It took us out of the Rose Bowl and into the surrounding neighborhoods. Even though the street was closed it was narrow for a race start and it was difficult to get around people.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbP_H5Rvfkssf8yifRmm_8rNoMTsaRLxdFqgFwaKNjehlVK0KFOg2SJt12pHaqIwTHCqK5MLHMAuu8Wmrqsno0U_HreAYMJjJcPaARP8AEuwZ3IZeqWFV5cgJGI9wmbHVtIqv-e7hsjDvh/s1600/IMG_2616.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbP_H5Rvfkssf8yifRmm_8rNoMTsaRLxdFqgFwaKNjehlVK0KFOg2SJt12pHaqIwTHCqK5MLHMAuu8Wmrqsno0U_HreAYMJjJcPaARP8AEuwZ3IZeqWFV5cgJGI9wmbHVtIqv-e7hsjDvh/s320/IMG_2616.JPG" width="320" /></a>The street went uphill so many people slowed down. The course then went out of the residential area and into Old Pasadena via a more significant uphill . We crossed a bridge and went onto Colorado Blvd, a main street through town. We had driven through some of this area the day before when exploring the town so it was nice to see it from a different perspective. Miles three through nine took us up and then back down the main street with three out and backs along the way. When we first saw the race course we weren't excited about the shorter out and backs, it just seemed like an easy way to add mileage to the course. When we actually ran the race we ended up really liking the out and backs since we were able to see several other fellow runners that we wouldn't have had the chance to see otherwise. When we were headed out on the main street we were able to see the race leaders coming back on the opposite side of the street. It's rare in a half marathon that you get to see the leaders and it was very exciting and motivating. We definitely liked that about the course. Right after the last out and back the route led us back onto the main street where we were able to see even more runners. These several miles were rolling hills, nothing too steep. We ran across the beautiful Colorado Bridge, which is on our finishers medal. Then it was a short steep climb before a steep downhill where we went under an overpass. We were then back to the residential area before we got back to the Rose Bowl area. The last few miles consisted of a loop around the Rose Bowl. These last few miles seemed to be the toughest. RNR races typically have bands along the course but I don't remember seeing any in the last few miles and there really weren't many spectators here either. Plus the first mile by the stadium was a consistent incline before we got to go downhill towards the finish. Finally we could hear the music from the finish line.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh04yLQyLuEoiyIhT0MQZ6SrTMuVaOVqwTZL3HR7ZYb0sguRkhEyaAfv7UMczh9no3deymlkZLIattngxatE2Dgi8C0AylVP39gA_imIZgf19WoD5lpdpsig9DkYeRwILWf5wInaLPyhPwT/s1600/IMG_2617.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh04yLQyLuEoiyIhT0MQZ6SrTMuVaOVqwTZL3HR7ZYb0sguRkhEyaAfv7UMczh9no3deymlkZLIattngxatE2Dgi8C0AylVP39gA_imIZgf19WoD5lpdpsig9DkYeRwILWf5wInaLPyhPwT/s320/IMG_2617.JPG" width="320" /></a>There was great crowd support as we crossed the finish line. There were volunteers giving us our finishers medal along with water and gatorade too. Then we were all divided into different chutes to take our official finisher photo before getting to the postrace food. Here was another obvious difference between this race and Arizona. While there were energy bars, bagels and fruit, it was much more limited than the Arizona race. Maybe in several years it will match what is offered postrace at Arizona. There was a medical tent just after the food that was clearly marked with volunteers ready to help. Then there were more volunteers handing out mylar blankets to those that wanted them, one perk that was not done in Arizona. The area with the mylar blankets marked the end of the runner only area and once we walked out there was no re-entering. The course had several water stations, some with sports drinks and one with GU. Medical booths were clearly marked along the course and there were several bikes going up and down the route checking on runners. The gathering area past the finish line was on a big grassy area. There were merchandise and food booths as well as a stage for the race headliner which was Sugar Ray. On the grass there were signs with the letters of the alphabet so that people could plan to meet up with family/friends at a designated letter. After the busy Arizona race we did pick a specific letter to meet up at after this race but since there weren't as many people as we had planned for we didn't actually need it.<br />
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The sun was out and it was just slightly warm which was perfect for a race, couldn't have asked for better weather for a February race. We took advantage of the nice weather and sat on the lawn to enjoy Sugar Ray for a few songs before we made the very short walk back to our car and headed out. The Pasadena race was a good race but much smaller than expected which wasn't necessarily a bad thing but it did feel like we missed out on some typical RNR perks. It was well organized and the weather was great but not sure if we would make the drive back down there for this race again. However, with it being our second RNR race, we should be getting a special medal in the mail in a couple of months, can't wait for that.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJIz8Ye3CwEcHeRUSR9sH0bKGGW5g69pAZsDRaUV0YlgMvdxcnN59rRBlVGPk3CzJX7hZ9YBt6bl8ZAeGWYZrxsrPK5o0gEfUN_2NZTsbXxj3srTQtMzn1YDPli003L0-W9iEvJMdzbQNy/s1600/IMG_2633.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJIz8Ye3CwEcHeRUSR9sH0bKGGW5g69pAZsDRaUV0YlgMvdxcnN59rRBlVGPk3CzJX7hZ9YBt6bl8ZAeGWYZrxsrPK5o0gEfUN_2NZTsbXxj3srTQtMzn1YDPli003L0-W9iEvJMdzbQNy/s400/IMG_2633.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />Embrace the Outdoorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11679285778468170720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201156544490736501.post-56273965625605398622012-02-05T21:31:00.000-08:002012-02-15T21:32:37.002-08:00Davis Stampede<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKcBuigewwppIyMzXzW5NPQSISrxSTnT4IgA_ci9wscBmODJDB9GkS8U64hgBPdXh6Etg0gLxc6ZwtAyUPr1_jwsCiIWuskUX7j-d4Xxh9JArwDJP7xuQWFZ_17A_Vx54FVp5hBI94_buR/s1600/IMG_2107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKcBuigewwppIyMzXzW5NPQSISrxSTnT4IgA_ci9wscBmODJDB9GkS8U64hgBPdXh6Etg0gLxc6ZwtAyUPr1_jwsCiIWuskUX7j-d4Xxh9JArwDJP7xuQWFZ_17A_Vx54FVp5hBI94_buR/s320/IMG_2107.JPG" width="320" /></a>We participated in the Davis Stampede for the first time. There was a 5k, 10k and half marathon. It was the 30th annual event so there were a few special perks. They included a finishers medal for all three distances, age group medals that were 5 deep instead of the usual 3, post race pancake breakfast, post race beer, personalized bib numbers for those who registered by a certain date and pacers for the half marathon. The half marathon is part of the California Half Marathon Series where you complete 4 of the half marathons in the series including the championship race in Walnut Creek in order to receive a special series medal. Anyways back to the race. We participated in the 5k and the half marathon. All three courses were flat. Race registration fees ranged from $27 to $55 depending on the distance and registration deadlines. There was also an option to upgrade from the typical cotton shirt to a technical fabric t-shirt for $5. We opted for upgrade. More on the shirts later. There was early bib pickup for a few days leading up to the race at the local Fleet Feet. There was also race day pick up starting at 7am. The event was based at Central Park which is downtown, with parking available on the streets and on in a few public parking lots in the area. We made sure we left with plenty of time to look for parking and glad we did because we had just enough time to do everything we needed to do before the race. As we drove to the race and got close to the freeway exit we found cars were backed up onto the freeway.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH6jd2zh312q5P_xkzOSSJDdm3_r-VkdoE_PBoKDFBanYidQwoSheKBuW40-pgl1UMCkKbhv0MoGrW4q8Jo5fDvgue0xHQvsXTCAJ06TwKASdEAbVZn-Y6Dks6nNDVYVIJv4XeyDUMplAd/s1600/IMG_2108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH6jd2zh312q5P_xkzOSSJDdm3_r-VkdoE_PBoKDFBanYidQwoSheKBuW40-pgl1UMCkKbhv0MoGrW4q8Jo5fDvgue0xHQvsXTCAJ06TwKASdEAbVZn-Y6Dks6nNDVYVIJv4XeyDUMplAd/s320/IMG_2108.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
There is really only one exit off of the freeway to get to downtown Davis so we just sat and waited. It was stop and go but traffic moved a bit quicker than we had expected. Once off of the freeway there wasn't a back up on the city streets so we drove through some of the downtown streets and found parking a few blocks away from the race. Once at Central Park we picked up or bibs which contained the disposable timing chip attached to the back of the bib. Shirt pick up had a long line so we split up, one took the bibs to pick up our shirts and the one with the earlier race start stood in the bathroom line. There were several portapotties but there should have been more. We had heard in the days leading up to the race that the technical shirts were way too small. The race did offer shirt exchanges on race day as available. When we picked up the shirts we noticed that the womens shirt defnitely ran small. I had to exchange mine to a men's size because the women's larger sizes were out, probably because so many people were exchanging for the larger sizes. Unfortunately we assumed that the mens sizes were fine until we got home and realized that the mens ran small too, darn it, too late to exchange. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg72GZVkzPgzpQpqp3GVvg9N1Cz7BMrffLpNRXWhIes9NFRnn4Ru8g5uCTP9fjhtqIl5UJcn-Mhgp667GLiSL7-YHu51ntGvhlOgBDa6oywMJDTvbfyAa1YFC8542iugngBsKjIL9F2USIx/s1600/IMG_2566.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg72GZVkzPgzpQpqp3GVvg9N1Cz7BMrffLpNRXWhIes9NFRnn4Ru8g5uCTP9fjhtqIl5UJcn-Mhgp667GLiSL7-YHu51ntGvhlOgBDa6oywMJDTvbfyAa1YFC8542iugngBsKjIL9F2USIx/s320/IMG_2566.JPG" width="320" /></a>The start line was right by the park and the 10k and half marathon races started together at 8am, although we started a few minutes late because of some problems with the timing system. There were pacers for the half marathon and I lined up between the two that I thought I would finish between. We took off on the downtown streets of Davis and at first had a tough time maneuvering around people that really should have started further back. It took about a mile and a half for people to really spread out. At about half a mile we went right and saw a sign where the 5k runners were to turn left. We ran alongside railroad tracks through an industrial area of Davis. Not a great view but I've have gotten used to these sights on half marathons. There wasn't a mile marker at mile one but there was one at every mile after that. Just after mile two we turned left and the 10k participants had to make a sharp turn to go across an overpass while I continued straight before turning onto a gravel path. The course took us on a loop around some parks and schools on concrete, which I was happy to be off of when we did a loop on loose gravel around a golf course. After this the course took us back to where we split from the 10k participants and then it was my turn to climb up the overpass. The rest of the half marathon course was the same as the 10k course, heading back onto a bike path before being back in downtown and the finish. This bike path was my favorite part of the course because it was paved, flat and had some shaded areas. Once back in downtown it was just a few turns before crossing the finish line. There were water stations about every 2 miles on the half marathon course with one having cliff bars and sports beans. There were also a few portapotties along the course. The course was well marked with many ROTC volunteers keeping us on course.<br />
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The 5k course was basically a big loop around the downtown area. There was one water stop which seemed a little early as compared to other races.<br />
Finishers medals were handed out right after the finish line. After the race there was water, gatorade and fruit. The pancake breakfast was a short walk from the finish but just like everything else there was a long line. The pancakes were fresh and good. There was a booth with coconut water-my favorite. Needless to say I made several stops at that booth. There were a few other booths as well, typical of what you see at other races. The 5k race results were up but results for 10k and half marathon were still missing so we made the walk towards our car, stopping at Fleet Feet. We made the stop at the store because they were having a New Balance giveaway. We got a pair of socks and a plastic cup. We made our way to the car and parked about a block from the event and checked the half marathon results before heading home.<br />
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<a href="http://changeofpace.com/ds_past_results.html">Race Results</a><br />
<a href="http://changeofpace.com/davis_stampede.html">Race Website</a><br />
<a href="http://calhalfseries.com/">California Half Marathon Series</a>Embrace the Outdoorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11679285778468170720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201156544490736501.post-59429702422797144442012-02-01T10:00:00.000-08:002012-02-01T10:00:06.041-08:00February Events<br />
Here are a few things going on in February:<br />
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2/4 <a href="http://www.tbfracing.com/events/sactrailrun1.html">Gumby</a> 5k and 10 in Folsom<br />
2/4 <a href="http://www.tbfracing.com/events/dirtydu.html">Dirty Duathlon</a> in Folsom<br />
2/5 <a href="http://xnet.kp.org/sanfrancisco/index.html">Kaiser Permanente</a> 5k and Half Marathon in San Francisco<br />
2/5 <a href="http://www.superbowlrun.org/page/show/212565-are-you-ready-">Super Bowl Sunday Run</a> 10k in Sacramento<br />
2/5 <a href="http://www.cvrunning.com/super_sunday.htm">Super Sunday Relay</a> in Modesto<br />
2/11 <a href="http://www.lsncrun.info/">Valentine Run</a> 1.8 mile and 4 mile in Sacramento<br />
2/18 <a href="http://www.brazenracing.com/baybreeze.html">Bay Breeze</a> 5k, 10k and Half Marathon in San Leandro<br />
2/18 <a href="http://tbfracing.com/events/sactrailrun2.html">Escape from Folsom Run</a> 5k and 10 mile<br />
2/18 <a href="http://www.tbfracing.com/events/doubledu.html">Double Duathlon</a> in Folsom<br />
2/25 <a href="http://shadowchase.org/documents/2012_Almond_Blossom_Run_Registration.pdf">Almond Blossom Run</a> 1mile and 8k<br />
2/26 <a href="http://gettyowl.org/events/run/">Getty Owl Run</a> 5k and 10k in Sacramento<br />
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REI Free Clinics (all at 7pm)<br />
Great Canyon Hikes of the Colorado Plateau<br />
2/7 Fremont<br />
2/9 Brentwood<br />
2/15 Concord<br />
2/23 Dublin<br />
Muir Ramble Route: San Francisco to Yosemite<br />
2/21 Saratoga<br />
2/23 Berkeley<br />
Snowcamping Basics<br />
2/2 Brentwood<br />
2/8 Berkeley<br />
Southeast Alaska by Kayak<br />
2/23 Mountain View<br />
2/29 San Francisco<br />
World Travel 101: Tips for Independent Travel on a Budget<br />
2/8 San Franicsco<br />
2/21 Fremont<br />
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REI Used Gear Sales (all at 10am)<br />
2/4 Berkeley<br />
2/4 Concord<br />
2/4 Mountain View<br />
2/4 San Francisco<br />
2/4 Saratoga<br />
2/5 FremontEmbrace the Outdoorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11679285778468170720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201156544490736501.post-6469173371170920952012-01-24T06:25:00.000-08:002012-01-24T06:25:49.514-08:00Embrace Running<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2YOezyUUoCg8CuRqXLpkS42yxMgf6TRDDtMcXCDryAiKE6A32xYTFotColrzcPEN6lW4EbFgbEnF5MJ78BXjzeXNPl3sGLeznlMSs8VcTfie1NCixFuysXq2LTaKbnV5KS6mgyoxmEu9X/s1600/ERCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2YOezyUUoCg8CuRqXLpkS42yxMgf6TRDDtMcXCDryAiKE6A32xYTFotColrzcPEN6lW4EbFgbEnF5MJ78BXjzeXNPl3sGLeznlMSs8VcTfie1NCixFuysXq2LTaKbnV5KS6mgyoxmEu9X/s200/ERCover.jpg" width="200" /></a>We have spent almost three years blogging about our outdoor adventures, including hiking, camping, running and biking. We are embarking on a new project - podcasting. We have created a podcast called Embrace Running. As you guessed the podcast will be dedicated to everything running, including marathons, 5k's, training, gear, etc. So if you are interested in running then give the podcast a listen and communicate with us on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Embrace-Running/325012040853009">Facebook</a>. The podcast is available on <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/embrace-running/id494562543">iTunes</a> or go directly to the website. Nothing is changing here on Embrace the Outdoors. We will still be blogging about all our hiking, camping, running, and biking adventures here.<br />
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<a href="http://www.embracerunning.com/">Embrace Running Website</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Embrace-Running/325012040853009">Embrace Running Facebook Page</a><br />
<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/embrace-running/id494562543">Embrace Running on iTunes</a>Embrace the Outdoorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11679285778468170720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201156544490736501.post-53542143474775459622012-01-21T15:21:00.000-08:002012-01-21T15:21:15.137-08:00Trails Challenge 2012<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgm_0YoYVnyUBFoZ2S_EKZZKWWIsfrU8GjeblVA75S-oOq5z5fLS2H33_4NQuc5ce5aTgPM4DjMCKIG_S8l8p5nd9hJW8idk0kfjh_9VTxjePIAYFzpUNpYd_4iVztUsq4nN3zWHTjfh2b/s1600/photo721.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgm_0YoYVnyUBFoZ2S_EKZZKWWIsfrU8GjeblVA75S-oOq5z5fLS2H33_4NQuc5ce5aTgPM4DjMCKIG_S8l8p5nd9hJW8idk0kfjh_9VTxjePIAYFzpUNpYd_4iVztUsq4nN3zWHTjfh2b/s320/photo721.jpg" width="320" /></a>The East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) is back with their Trails Challenge for 2012. The self guided hiking program is to encourage people to get outdoors and enjoy their regional parks. The program is free for Alameda and Contra Costa County residents. It is also free for Kaiser Permanente employees who reside in Northern California. Upon registration you will be able to download the guidebook and pick up your free t-shirt at select park visitor centers. There will also be iphone and android apps coming soon that will have the guidebook. To complete the challenge you either travel five of the trails or travel 26.2 miles of the featured trails from the guidebook. Upon completion you submit a trail log and will receive a commemorative pin. Remember t-shirts and pins are available while supplies last. So get out there and embrace the outdoors in the East Bay.<br />
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<a href="http://www.regionalparksfoundation.org/page.aspx?pid=582">EBRPD Trails Challenge</a><br />
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<br />Embrace the Outdoorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11679285778468170720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201156544490736501.post-72895172133305854882012-01-16T09:23:00.000-08:002012-01-22T13:22:56.473-08:00Montezuma Castle National Monument<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKvKQPltP4h6zej1xxtC7jV_JWuZJuh0Pc4eXacfPpPR7wuxLWhW0IYu92GmC2ruUL5A8sWXSTd5YX5ygUiYHXJEWKBW_fLhBlY8L9BEYIM7BbnH1s1DO9g1RbxFYqMWQlVcXmWfX6P6Yi/s1600/montcast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKvKQPltP4h6zej1xxtC7jV_JWuZJuh0Pc4eXacfPpPR7wuxLWhW0IYu92GmC2ruUL5A8sWXSTd5YX5ygUiYHXJEWKBW_fLhBlY8L9BEYIM7BbnH1s1DO9g1RbxFYqMWQlVcXmWfX6P6Yi/s320/montcast.jpg" width="320" /></a>While in Arizona for the Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Half Marathon we took a detour to see Montezuma Castle National Monument. Montezuma Castle is one of the best preserved cliff dwellings in North America. The 1000 year old 20 room dwelling built along a limestone cliff gives a glympse into the lives of the Sinagua people who lived there.<br />
To reach the monument we drove north on 17 from Phoenix for 1.5 hours. We took exit 289 towards Montezuma Castle and after half a mile turned left onto Montezuma Castle Road. We drove another 2 miles to reach the monument. We parked in the lot in front of the visitor center. Upon entering the visitor center we paid the $5 per person entrance fee. We proceeded to the doors on the opposite side of the center and onto the 1/3 mile loop. The loop is completely paved and is handicap accessible. The path loops around a beautiful sycamore grove. On our right there was a great view of the incredible five story cliff dwelling. Along the self guided walk there are several benches allowing people to sit and imagine what life there must have been like 1000 years ago. At the end of the loop trail we got a great up close view of the Springfield Beaver Creek, one of only a few perennial streams in Arizona. We finished our loop by checking out the exhibits at the visitor center before leaving. Ranger programs are offered daily. Montezuma Castle is definitely worth a visit if you're in the area. A great place to stop if like us you're traveling from the Phoenix area to Sedona. Also note the Tuzigoot National Monument is also in the area although we didn't get a chance to go there on this particular trip.<br />
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<a href="http://www.nps.gov/moca/index.htm">Montezuma Castle National Monument</a><br />
<a href="http://www.nps.gov/tuzi/index.htm">Tuzigoot National Monument</a>Embrace the Outdoorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11679285778468170720noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1201156544490736501.post-35875646543393599122012-01-01T22:30:00.000-08:002012-01-02T21:16:23.343-08:00New Years Races<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On New Years weekend I spent my mornings at Lake Chabot Regional Park for back to back new years races. I participated in the New Years Day race at the park on January 2, 2011 (See <a href="http://www.embracetheoutdoors.com/2011/01/new-years-run.html">New Years Race</a> for 2011 post) and was planning on doing the race again on 2012 but in the months leading up to the race I saw that the race organizer (Brazen Racing) was also going to have a New Years Eve race. It was a perfect year to do this since New Years Eve fell on a Saturday and New Years Day on a Sunday. What better days to do back to back races. I was intrigued but wasn't completely convinced about doing back to back races, both at Lake Chabot. Then Brazen announced a special double medal for those participating in both races. At first I thought it would only be for those competing in the half marathon distances both days but like their other race medals they announced that the double medal would go to all who participated in both races, regardless of the distance. This really interested me so now it was just deciding which distance to run. I have really only done a couple of trail races and haven't done much trail running (although it is one of my goals for 2012) so I knew I didn't want to do the half marathons. I decided to do the 10k for New Years Eve and the 5k for New Years Day and managed to convince one of my family members to do the same. Actually I think it was the double medal that convinced him. As with other Brazen races the entry fee depends on how early you register and varies by distance. I registered a few weeks before the races and paid $34 for the 10k and $29 for the 5k. If I had chosen to get race shirts then I would have paid $5 more for each race. Brazen gives the option of deducting $5 from the race fee if you select to not have a t-shirt or paying an additional $6 to get a technical fabric race shirt. Another nice thing about the back to back races is that those competing in the the half marathons on both days ran the same course but in opposite directions. So they ran it counterclockwise on New Years Eve and clockwise on New Years Day. The 5k and 10k courses were the same on both days. Start times were a bit later than usual, which I don't think people minded since it was the holiday weekend. The half marathon started at 8:30am, the 10k at 8:55am and the 5k at 9:05am. Parking fee for Lake Chabot is $5 for the main paved lot and a dirt lot. There is also plenty of street parking just outside of the park on Lake Chabot Road. We got there early enough on both days to park in the paved lot. From the paved lot it was a short walk to the race but some of those who parked on the street had quite a walk. Bib pick-up was easy and was organized into race distances and alphabetical order. They also had course maps to take with you that also reflected the course distances. With it being trail races the distance was not exact, for example the 10k distance was 6.48 miles and the 5k was 3.3 miles. Next stop was to pick up the timing chip, then goodie bag, then race shirt if you ordered one. There were park bathrooms available for use just as last year but this year there were also additional porta potties available. The additional porta potties was a good idea since there were a lot of people, especially for the sold out New Years Eve races.<br />
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The races started on time and were on a grassy area of the park. Even though it did not rain much in the days before the race the grass was muddy. All three courses started on the grass and then headed onto the paved East Shore Trail along the lake. The 5k course stayed on this trail the entire time with the turnaround at 1.65 miles, right after an aid station. The paved part of the course consisted of rolling hills. The 10k continued on the dirt trail past the aid station. It continued on the East Shore Trail crossing a narrow bridge to Live Oak Trail and then quickly climbing. This steep trail is well known to mountain bikers in the area who usually bike down it-we were going to run up and then down it. We climbed for about a mile and most people walked in this section. I tried to run for as long as I could but had to walk in two different areas. Finally after about 500 feet of climbing we hit another aid station and our turnaround point. I was so glad to be going downhill but it was fairly steep so I really had to focus my energy into staying controlled and not tumbling down the trail. I made it down without any mishap and after crossing the bridge again and then the aid station I was back on the paved East Shore Trail. The rolling hills didn't seem as bad now, after surviving Live Oak Trail. The 10k course had a total elevation change of about 658 feet while the 5k had about 165 feet. Back across another short bridge and then it was back on the grass to cross the finish line. Once across I got my finishers medal, gave up my timing chip and got water. On New Years Day there was also a separate booth to pick up the special double medal that would combine with the two separate race medals to form one mega medal. There were 271 people who participated in both races. As always there was plenty of post race snacks such as fruit, bagels, coffee, hot chocolate, water, cookies, candy, ice cream, etc. Age group medals could be picked up from the awards table once results were posted. The course was good, weather was great for this time of the year and the mega medal was awesome. I have enjoyed all of the Brazen races I have done so far and am hoping to do more trail running this year so I am sure I will be participating in more. Maybe I'll even do a trail half marathon by the end of the year<br />
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<a href="http://results.active.com/pages/page.jsp?eventID=1973946&pubID=3">New Years Eve Race Results</a><br />
<a href="http://results.active.com/pages/page.jsp?pubID=3&eventID=1973947">New Years Day Race Results</a><br />
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/107801830681230323136">New Years Race Photos</a><br />
<a href="http://brazenracing.com/index.html">Brazen Racing Website</a>Embrace the Outdoorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11679285778468170720noreply@blogger.com0