Race Recaps

THE.FREAKING.BEER.MILE.

chrismalenabLeave a comment

So the whole planning of this started a couple of weeks back with a few text messages that went like … “who’s in for the beer mile?” and then suddenly it was on, we were now getting some waivers and all of that cool crap in our email boxes.

Really, there wasn’t much planning except for making sure to be there and bringing our A game, to drink four beers, and run a mile. For some it would be their first official attempt at this interesting race. So the expectations on time really were uncertain because it didn’t have much to do with the mile itself, it had much to do with the consumption of beer.

So there we were with a couple of hours until it was go time, and folks started showing up to Raley Field in West Sacramento, where the beer mile was about to go down. Before entering the stadium grounds there was some tagging of the shirts … you know NINE.RUN.SIX. style …

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Once through security and check in was completed, the crew of dudes gathered for some pre-race shenanigans and also seriously discussed strategy and walked the course to sort out the beer stations. The dudes that would be partaking in the run included Run BMC, Kev, Brad (who looked like Kenny Powers for the day), Chris, Miller and Brett. Dan was also there but he was in his own zone for the day.

The participants gathered near the stage area, which was nearest the finish line. Here instructions were provided, for us we wanted to know all about the “elite” field … this was the field which all of us were going to jump in on, it was about people who were really trying to race this thing … we are talking for time, with intentions of winning the fucking belt … yes the top male and top female would literally go home with a WWE style championship belt!

After some photos and other blah blah blah stuff … we made our way to the start area for the elite field. Here folks talked to other runners, giving each other some well wishes, and having some fun … if you think trail runners are awesome … beer mile runners are even more awesome …

We were standing around and then boom, we were now off … the first station would be like 20 feet from the start where it was designated to throw down the first of 4 Coor’s Lights in a can …

The first 1/4 mile took us just outside the home run wall of the ball park, where station 2 was for the 2nd beer. This station would also be station 3. After the second beer was consumed we ran along the warning track area of the baseball field, for the second 1/4 mile. We returned to the tables for beer number 3, did another lap around the warning track before exiting near center field for the 4th beer … I happened to take down the warm beer from this table, and it was fucking disgusting! With the fourth beer down only a final 1/4 mile was left to run … This stretch took us back onto the concourse for the finish.

In order of the finish was the winner, Melvin from Yuba City with a time of 5:33 … yes 5:33 … by the way in case you didn’t know it is running clock during the beer stops! The first 9RUN6 dude to cross the line was BMC, followed by Miller … Chris (me) came in at 7:24 … then it was Brad and Brett in the 9’s … last but not least with his beer struggles was Kev in around the the 13 minute mark … it is no joke … the distance is a balance between speed and drinking ability!

After the squad crossed the finish line, it was time to gather and do more fun shit around the event … There might have been some puking involved after the running of the course … I saw some foam coming out of one of our dude’s nose before something spewed from his mouth into a nearby trash bin …

All in all, this was a really fun event! Some of us are already looking at another nearby beer mile event in San Jose this summer … Oh and check out the post race interview with Run BMC.

Santa is Coming!

bmcrillyLeave a comment

Let’s get straight to the business on this one. Almost Christmas? Check!  Registration? Check! Santa Suits? Check! Any particular goal in mind? Nope!

After hearing Chris talk about this race for the past year it seemed like the right way to close out the race calendar for 2015 and celebrate Christmas. So a number of us from @9Run6 showed up on a wet Saturday morning, ready pound out another 5k.  There was talk by Chris of running from his house to the start, smartly he did not. He did get in a good 7 mile warmup (part of his Boston Training) on his way to a top 10 finish.

Myself, I showed up thinking I’d be happy with a top 10 and somewhere around a 6:11 min/mi pace. Well, after working our way to the front of the line the race quickly started in a flurry of snow, er, soap. You know, like those Ibiza night clubs?

We took off a little quick, but anything to get away from the mess of people behind us. The mile 1 marker showed up about 1/4 mile after the actual mile 1. Mile 2 showed up before the actual mile 2, and so I decided to not pay attention and just run. Maybe the finish was going to really be at mile 2.8. The race actually ended at 3.1 and mile 3 was right where it was supposed to be.

5k’s are an odd race. Similar to an Sprint Tri, it may be just long enough for those just starting and short for those whom run longer distances it may be too much effort for a short distance. What I have discovered, and everyone will discover something for themselves, is that given my commitments and schedule this race distance is great. Great meaning that I can put forth effort in weekly mileage with friends and experience results. This race was no different. I set out thinking I’d be happy with a 6:11 min/mi pace and finished 2nd in the 30-39 Age Group and 5th Overall at a 5:57 min/mi pace. The best part is I did it in a Santa Hat and a shirt that read, “Let’s Get Elf’d Up!”

#HappyHolidays

You’re having too much fun out there

chrismalenabLeave a comment

Sunday was the Urban Cow Half Marathon here in Sacramento. For some it is a race they have trained for, for others it is a race that has been used as a training run for the California International Marathon (CIM) in December. While many people run for different reasons and purposes, there is one common connector when it comes to running … YOU F’ING CHOSE IT! Running didn’t pick you, you picked it! You signed up for the race, you buy the shoes, you are the one who committed to getting out and doing this damn thing. So why the long face?

RUN_BMC and I made a last weekend decision to run this specific race for a couple of reasons, 1: it is always more enjoyable to use a race as a training run, I mean let’s be honest 4,000 people on the course with people cheering or running along a somewhat occupied trail … you figure it out, the 2nd: other awesome peeps of 9RUN6 were also doing it, so it gave us a chance to get out and support the pack of awesomeness that was about to take on the course that took runners from Land Park through Downtown Sacramento and back again.

So during the race, I noticed a couple of things … the thing that stood out the most was the unhappy runner face that a high percentage of runners had, not the I’m focused looked, but more of the I’m pissed at the world look… naw scratch that, it was more of the I HATE THIS SHIT look. While some runners had these looks on their faces, the people along the course supporting the event from volunteers to people cheering on the runners had nothing but smiles.

During this specific run Brian, aka Run BMC, and I opted to have some fun along the course while we dropped a fairly decent 1:37:59 for our long run pace. By fun along the course, I mean giving some of our friends like Derrick a sweaty hug during the race, while he was in his nice dry clothing. We stopped to take selfies and fist bump with the FitFam6 crew, who set up a #9RUN6 and #WeRunSocial cheer station along the course. We even stopped to take a selfie with the dude wearing the Harey Tortuga costume. Conversations with other runners even went down with guys like John Blue of Sacramento Running News (http://www.sacramentorunning.com), who by the way threw down a 1:30:xx along the course running a progression run.

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this find of sums up the race!

I mean there are so many opportunities to smile, give high-fives, and thank the volunteers along the course and even thank the people who come out to cheer for random strangers like yourself and us! Remember we signed up for this so quit with the I HATE THIS SHIT look when you’re running a race.

My challenge to you … start having fun on your runs (even if your run isn’t going as planned) or find something else to do that will put a smile on your face when you’re doing it!