Rodeo Beach, Sausalito, CA

Rodeo Beach is my favorite course to run anywhere. Last year I had won the short course here. And earlier this year I had run the Golden Gate Headlands Marathon there and had a great race. And of course had a great run last week at Muir Beach 50K along much of the same course. So despite having pulled my calf last week, I showed up here to try to do a lowkey run for my last ultra of the season. I had had some training runs during the week, running the flats from downtown Los Gatos to my office in Cupertino. So I thought I might be able to pull off the race after all.


Walking to the start

Heading up that first hill from the beach on the Coastal Trail, my calf was twinging the whole way. Once I hit Wolf Ridge the downhills were fine. Up the hill on Miwok fireroad my calf was getting tighter and tighter. Down Old Springs trail to the Tennesse Valley aid station, I realized that I wouldn't be able to do the 50K after all. Not unless I wanted to walk all the uphills and make my finish time a few hours longer. Probably not a good idea since Rebecca was waiting for me. I told the aid station volunteers there that I would do the 20K, and headed up the Marincello Trail.



I still had to walk all of the uphills, whereas I was able to run the downhills and the flats, despite the pain. I finished in just over two hours. Rebecca had run the 8K and was helping Sarah set up the finish line food. We headed off early for a weeklong trip to Squaw Valley at Tahoe: no running, just snowboarding. Probably just the right cure for my injury.