May 20, 2007
Time: 1:44:20
Pace: 7:57.9 min/mi

Summary

If you want a course to hit a PR, this could be it. 13.1 miles of absolutely flat, widely paved, closed roads with nothing in between you and the finish line but other races. For me, well, this was only my second race, and I’ve only been running for seven months, and my first race was at four, so I’d hope I’d improve between then and now, even if just a little.

Venue

“This 13.1 mile, flat, fast course, will take place on county roads through the grape vines of Lodi. Enjoy the beautiful scenery with the mustard seed in full bloom.”

Sounds appealing, and the start of the race was at Woodbridge Winery, a promising start. The honest truth, though, is that this course ran by more dairy farms than wineries. In fact, I believe Woodbridge is the only winery I actually remember from the course. Those with hay allergies are strongly advised to use their claritin that morning!

The Race

Not nearly as many rooters-on as Shamrock’n, the course was a bit dull in its square corners and long country blocks. The only thing to watch are the backs of the runners passing you, or of those you’re working your way to pass. Still, I can think of worse venues and worse ways to spend my time. I enjoy running, and having people with me is encouraging. If you’re reading this looking at whether to run this race, my suggestion is that you use it as a nice training race, and not think of it as a key goal. It’s a fun place to be, makes for a good long course, and I’ll likely do it again, if it fits within my schedule, but I won’t go out of my way to make it.

The Post-Party

Starting with a few glasses of wine from some fun race-bling — nice stemless glasses, we travelled through a series of wineries to wind down the afternoon, then headed out to Rubicon for a bit more relaxation. There’s no better way to finish a race than with the friends and buddies who help me get there. This is part of why I do this, to spend time with friends in healthy and fun ways. Thank you Harry, Amanda, Gabe, and to our supporters Josh and Ruby!