Back to Racing - Rose Bowl Half Marathon
There was a race on Sunday in my hometown that started and ended at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. 4 days later and recovered from the event, I am appreciating a week off from running and contemplating the next big event.
Due to the pandemic, this was the first race I participated in since fall of 2019. For some runners, their previous event was in March of 2020. It was the first time in a long time for all of us.
It was a good event, not an overwhelming number of runners and well organized with ample hydration stations and porta potties. Thankful for the volunteers and supportive spectators. One spectator held a homemade sign, unique to these times - “Run as if an anti-vaxxer is chasing you.”
As far as results, I placed better than average for women overall and 21/75 in my age bracket. I used to be much faster but then, I used to train much more diligently. It’s funny that if I stay healthy and in the game, my placement will improve simply to attrition.
The next race is the Ventura Marathon which starts in Ojai and should be downhill pretty much to the coast. For the first time, I will include a half-marathon in the training, the Rose Bowl Half-Marathon. I liked the course even though it’s hilly for the first couple miles.
