Coyote Hills...check!

Just finished the Coyote Hills Half-Marathon in Fremont, CA and it went very well.  I stayed in Fremont last night at a small and kinda crappy hotel but worth it for only $45.  The race was only about a 15 minute drive from the hotel but everyone had to park a good mile or so away.  I had picked up my packet/bib #1217 on my way to the hotel so this morning all I had to do was pick up my timing chip.  I rolled up to the tents around 8:30 with the race starting at 9:00.  I got my warmup run in on the way over so I stretched and was ready to rock.

The start was delayed about 10 minutes because of how far away everyone had to park.  All the Californians were a bit cold in the 50 degree overcast weather we were experiencing.  I thought it was a perfect day for a run.  The course was somewhat challenging but also fun.  It wasn't too scenic but it had some great views of the bay, some marshes and one HUGE quarry!  It was a 2-loop course meaning we had just over 6 miles the first loop and then did it all over again.  Just at the 6 mile mark was a very annoying half-mile uphill that brought everyone to a standstill.  I kept cruising along keeping a 7:00-7:35 pace on the flats but anywhere between 8-8:45 on the uphills.

This was a rude awakening for what I'm going to be experiencing at the Big Sur Marathon.  My legs do NOT like uphills and are not strong enough yet to really cruise up them like some other very strong runners were doing.  The first half of the race I was running with one guy that kept passing me on the ups and I would pass him on the downs.  He told me he does a lot of hills so I need to start really working the ups in the area.

The same hill we went up just after mile 6 was of course there just after mile 12 but I knew it was coming and even though that didn't make me go up it any faster I was prepared for it mentally.  I did a good job before the steep incline working hard to get up the gradual incline that preceded it and I knew that once I was over this brutal climb the race was pretty much over.  I separated myself from this dbag that was drafting on me throughout miles 11/12 and then as I got to the top I spotted two more guys to overtake on the downhill.

The last tenth of the race was literally straight downhill on rocky terrain and I cruised right past both of them.  The downhill turned to a straight finish and I finished with a classic C Payne sprint to the end.  1:38:07!  I didn't hit my PR but I was still pretty psyched because the course I set my PR on was very flat and I know that if this course had been flat I would have easily beat it.  I was also happy with how I finished and mentally I was strong throughout the entire race.  Physically I felt pretty good and the only issues I was having was a numb right foot (not sure what was going on there) and the occasional pain in the balls of my feet from running on the trails/small rocks.  The shin issues I have been having all week were non-existent.

Along with a great time I also finished 2nd in my age group (25-29).  I'm only in this age bracket for a few more months so I have to take advantage of it.  It's the next step up that is where all of the elite runners are so it'll be tough to medal once I turn the big 3-0 in April.

Good race overall...next one up is a 7-miler at Stinson Beach on Feb. 12.  Hope to see you there!!!