I arrived at the Pershing Square parking lot at about 1 pm and proceeded down to the second floor. I found a spot near the escalators and walked across the street to the Millennium Biltmore Hotel to pick up my race packet for me and my friend. Just as with prior years, I went downstairs to the Regency Room to pick up my race packet. I had to show my ID and sign the waiver. Then I picked up 3 shirts for running the Doubleheader Challenge. It was actually 1 neon yellow short sleeve tech shirt for the 10k, 1 gray long sleeve half zip for the half marathon, and 1 black hoodie for the challenge. I really don't need any more race shirts and I still wonder if it's a viable option for race organizers to give us a discount if we choose not to have a shirt. To pick up my friend's packet, I just had to show them his ID. Apparently he had already signed his waiver when he registered.
Red Bull Mini
Expo at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel
Next it was the expo at the Biltmore Bowl ballroom. There weren't too many booths, so I was done with the expo within a couple of minutes. I hung out a bit with one of my good friends at the Renegade Racing booth. I ended up registering for the Laguna Hills Memorial Day Half Marathon. How could I say no to my friend especially since they were giving a 15% expo reg discount. I'm not sure that that was a good idea since I have a half marathon 2 days prior and the Rock n' Roll San Diego Marathon on Sunday. Oh well, I'll deal with it when June rolls around.
I was pretty hungry, so after I dropped off the race stuff at my car, I made my way over to the Sixth Street Tavern to eat lunch. I grabbed a seat at the bar and started with a Left Hand Milk Stout, one of favorite beers. I thought about getting a burger, but I ended up ordering their Steak & Fries Plate. I ate it while watching the Seahawks v. Cardinals game. Damn, those Hawks are heating up at the right time again! The bartender and I got into talking about stouts, so he gave me a taster of the Victory Java Cask coffee bourbon stout. It was good, but definitely a palate wrecker.
Left Hand Milk Stout
Steak and Fries Plate
After I was done with lunch, I walked back to the expo to hang out and charge my phone. I ran into a couple of friends. At about 4:30 pm, I walked over to my car to get ready for the 10k that was to start at 6 pm. I made the walk over to the starting area at Grand Park and checked in my friend's timing chip and held on to his bib. The person in charge of the gear check area said that my friend wouldn't be able to get his bag without the bib. I didn't want the timing mat to ruin his chip timing when I ran the 10k.
I started with my friend in corral 1. It was a pretty hilly course for the 10k. I put a little bit of a lead on her from the first mile or so. There were many short out and backs. With every out and back, she cut a little bit into my lead. The left foot started to get sore during the 2nd 5k. She caught me before we got to mile 5 and went ahead. I tried to stay within reach of her for as long as I could. Then as we reached the 2nd St tunnel, I somehow convinced myself to power through the discomfort during the last mile just to get the race over with ASAP.
Start line
10k: 51:58 (8:23)
Click here for my Garmin data.
That was a little bit off from my original goal of about 50:00 mins, but I was pleased that I was able to crank out a few descent miles. I just was not ready for such a hilly course. I had to keep things in check knowing that I have another half marathon to run as well as the Dopey Challenge looming next week.
After the race, we went over to gear check to meet up with my friend and to give him his bib. It turned out that he knew the gear check volunteer, so they were looking for the bib inside the bag. After we got that all squared away, we made our way to the starting corral. We found the portapotties near the end of the corrals. I used them one last time before we headed up to corral 1. There I noticed one of the ABC7 reporters, Amy Powell. My friends made it on the news, but I didn't make the cut. Click here for the news piece. I guess I should've said how much I love this and that instead of how crazy it was to run the Doubleheader.
Waiting for the Half Marathon start. Pic from Robert.
Shoe lights!
The half marathon did not go well at all for me. My left foot was trashed from the 10k. I was only able to run with a decent stride for about 1 mile. I started walking as soon as I hit the first steep climb at about mile 2. It was pretty cool that we took a route similar to the LA Chinatown Firecracker 10k, but it was a steady uphill climb up to about mile 4 where we were treated to a nice nighttime view of Dodger Stadium. However I had to endure a lot of hills and rollers until about mile 8, where we finally turned towards Dodger Stadium. There we got to run the warning track and see ourselves on the DodgerVision screen. From that point on, it was a run up to the top deck before we made our way down to the finish line back at Grand Park. I found it funny that during the last out and back, they were handing out cans of Red Bull. I grabbed one and carried it with me since I knew a few friends that love that drink.
Dodger Stadium from mile 4
2nd St tunnel
Half Marathon: 2:53:45 (13:16)
Click here for my Garmin data.
2013: 1:59:41
2014: 1:58:02
2015: 1:54:58
Well, before this year I was slowly improving each year or was the course getting easier? Anyways, this year was pretty much a disaster of a race because of my ailing foot. You're only as strong as your weakest link! Every year, the course has changed and they all involved hills. If you've done the training and you're not injured, they're not that bad.
Finish line
My friends had all finished way before me and had headed home since they all pretty much had to work early next day. After picking up the Doubleheader Challenge medal, I stopped by the beer garden to get my free beer. Right as I was about done, they started to clear out the beer garden. I guess I had barely finished in time to even get that free beer.
Medals
