Four Bridges Half 2008

The Four Bridges half was today and, all things considered, I am pretty pleased with the results. I picked up Joe a little later this morning than I should have...I was running late...again! Anyhow, we both lamented being more than a little stiff from our work at the school Halloween event the night before. Joe's children attend the same school as mine. He and I helped out the the fourth grade and wound up running around herding fourth graders for almost three hours. We both agreed that the day before the CIM we're going to be velcroed to a couch. 

We made good time getting up to the start at the Folsom Community Center and, through sheer dumb luck, we pick up Rob as Andi dropped him off as well. We found ourselves at the start with about 10 minutes to spare and enjoyed the people watching. Our favorites were the two guys dressed up as Nacho Libre (no joke). The gun went off and we found ourselves thundering down Natoma with the rest of the herd in the first wave.

About the run. The Four Bridges half starts out fast, going downhill for the first mile. It meanders on the bike trail with rolling hills for the next five miles along Lake Natoma before a serious uphill between miles 6 and 7 as the route hits Hazel and then picks up the bike trail again on the other side of the lake. There's another hill at mile 8 and then the course levels for miles 9 and 10. Mile 11 starts with a a$$-kicking climb and then levels out until you cross the old Folsom foot bridge and climb, climb, climb for the last half mile...what a way to finish!!!

I started out too fast (6:39) but I wanted to get ahead of the herd and attributed the speed to the decline. I didn't feel so hot for miles 3 - 7 (go figure), but found another gear for miles 8 - 11. Despite my new gear, Joe caught me at about mile 9 and we ran until the hill at 11 where Joe (who is apparently immune to the effects of gravity) bounded away from this mortal. I was still passing people, but not like Joe. 

When all was said and done, I finished at 1:33:34, about seven seconds slower than Cowtown. Given the course is tougher than Cowtown and the events of the night before, I felt lucky that I finished where I did. Good run.

Roll Call:

1. Joe "Mountain Goat" Cress - 1:32:53. Well off his best finish, but a great run considering how little he's trained.
2. The Hamster - 1:33:34. Not my best ever, but it is my best Four Bridges time by over five minutes.
3. Rob Saint Evens - 1:41:17. He would have broken 1:40, but he had to stop, remove his shoe, and take off the tape that, instead of protecting his blister, made his toe bleed. Ew!! It was also a PR by more than 8 minutes for Rob. Nice.

Notes: 

• Aid stations were well supported, but quiet as a grave. I've never seen people so quiet on a run; the spectators too...with the exception of Andi. At one point Rob was running through an aid station and jokingly asked them to, "...keep it down." I don't think they got it. 
  
• The lemonade offered by Tahoe Joe's at the finish REALLY hit the spot.
• The course was warm for this time of year and the second half of the run is very exposed. Need sunscreen next year. I DON'T need to work on a tan in October!! For that matter, ever.
• I need to work on some strength before the CIM. In addition to the new speed workouts...great.