My anticipation for this event had been mounting from the day we booked our flights to LAX in early April. For the next three months, I decided, my training would be focused solely on this run and achieving a degree of fitness which would allow me to perform at my very best level. Amazingly, life cooperated nicely during those 90 days so that I was able to follow through on my training program pretty well as designed. By the time training was over, I actually felt like a runner.
The day before the race we walked with my aunt to the local sporting goods retailer to collect our bibs and then around the community to sort of get the lay of the land and a feel for the course itself. As workers were erecting the start and finish structures, my aunt was showing us how deep the crowd would be gathered at the starting line in the morning. It became clear to me this would be the largest race in which I had ever participated.
Setting up the day before the race
The morning of the race was cool and overcast. Thank goodness! We made our way through the field of entrants, and I settled in the 7-8 minute per mile grouping. Unfortunately, my aunt had to sit this year's race out, and the rest of my family felt more comfortable starting a little deeper in the pack. With a crowd this size, it was certainly wise not attempting to run in pairs or as a group. After a sterling rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner, the starting gun sounded and the mass of people slowly began moving forward.
Participants gather before the race
The beginning of the race was a cluster, of course. Slower runners, including parents pushing strollers and some very young children who had no business up front, were causing many folks to jump the curbs and run on the sidewalks. The first half-mile or so was spent running more or less a zigzag pattern, simply trying to find space enough in which to settle into a good pace. Fortunately, this part was all downhill. Everything frustrating about running is easier to deal with when going downhill.
A walker's perspective
Somewhere around 1.2 miles, the Pacific Ocean came into view and the course transitioned from downhill to uphill. For the next 1.5 miles or so, we would climb 120 feet. This was it. This is what I had been training for months to conquer. If I could get to the top of this hill in good shape, the rest of the course would be easy peasy. As homeowners waved from their front lawns, shouting words of encouragement to all of the runners, I felt like pulling up a chair and doing the same. Instead, I kept plugging away until I somehow made it to the top. Though I wouldn't necessarily classify my condition as "good" at this point and the remainder of the course certainly wasn't easy peasy for me, I knew I had enough in the tank to see it through and finish with a respectable time.
The bulk of the climb was over by mile 2
On the ascension I eclipsed several people, many of whom had slowed to a walk. Heading down the homestretch, I gave back a few of those gains to smarter, better conditioned runners. Running harder downhill to the finish line which was now within sight, I observed a boy in front of me determined not to let me pass. As he increased his pace to a sprint, so did I, and we crossed the finish line neck and neck, though I do believe his chip time was faster than mine.
I finished with a pace of 8:05 per mile, 10th out of 74 participants in my division. Though I had entertained notions of breaking the 8-minute mile, I felt satisfied with my time, particularly given the inevitable slow start due to the sheer number of participants in this popular event. My family and I rendezvoused beyond the finish line at the Palisades Park and Recreation Center to review our times and collect our shirts. The opinion among us was unanimous: the Palisades 5k was everything we hoped it to be - a great way to celebrate the 4th and a perfect beginning to our week in California.
Rested and ready for the 4th of July parade to begin
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