Events Recap

Well, my blogging has been difficult to keep up with, but not my events! Below is a list of events completed over the last year since I turned 30. 26 events to date, with #27 happening this weekend: The San Francisco Marathon.

Thanks to all who have donated to my cause, Youth Run4Fun, for this event. If you haven't had a chance to pitch in, here's my fundraising page. $482 raised so far for a great cause!

-Jesse

1	8/15/2009	22nd Annual Tri For Fun #3	Sprint Triathlon
2	8/23/2009	Lake Merritt Joggers and Striders "Time is on Your Side" 10K+	10K Run
3	9/20/2009	5K Heart Walk in Danville, CA	5K Run
4	10/4/2009	2009 Portland Marathon	Marathon
5	10/11/2009	2009 Primo's Run for Education 5K	5K Run
6	10/25/2009	17th Annual Lafayette Reservoir Run	10K Run
7	11/8/2009	50 in 50 in 50 10K+ Trail Run	10K Run
8	11/15/2009	SkirtChaser5K	5K Run
9	11/26/2009	Walnut Creek Sports & Fitness Club Turkey Trot	10K Run
10	2/21/2010	MovRun Golden Gate 5K	5K Run
11	2/27/2010	Run w/ Darren at Lake Merritt	20K Run
12	2/28/2010	32nd Annual Couples Relay	10K Run
13	3/14/2010	Run w/ Darren at Lake Merritt	20K Run
14	3/28/2010	Oakland Running Festival Half-Marathon	Half Marathon
15	4/11/2010	US Half Marathon 2	Half Marathon
16	4/17/2010	Run w/ Darren @ Lake Merritt	20K Run
17	4/24/2010	Run w/ Darren @ Lake Merritt	20K Run
18	5/2/2010	Bike ride w/ Jen & Chris	Bike Ride
19	5/16/2010	ING Bay to Breakers 12K	12K Run
20	5/23/2010	Lake Merritt Joggers & Striders 4th Sunday Race 5K +	5K Run
21	5/30/2010	Dolphin South End Runners Mission Bay 5K	5K Run
22	6/5/2010	2010 Kase Family Fun Run/Walk 5K+/10K+	10K Run
23	6/13/2010	Hy-Vee Triathlon	Sprint Triathlon
24	6/20/2010	2010 Dick Houston Memorial Woodminster XC Race	Trail Run
25	6/27/2010	Lake Merritt Joggers and Striders 4th Sunday Run (10K)	10K Run
26	7/11/2010	Dolphin South End Runners Rainbow Falls 5K+	5K Run

Event #15 of 30 - US Half Marathon 2

I remember running the fall version of this race in 2005. But I didn't remember that it was this challenging. Yes, I'm about 5 years older, so that might be part of it, but the weather conditions this time were quite different and I'll blame it on that. My time was consistent with 5 years ago: 1:47:03 on Sunday vs. 1:45:00 in 2005.

The course was beautiful-- sweeping views of San Francisco and the Bay, while running through Chrissy Field, Ft. Mason, through parts of the Presidio, and over the Golden Gate Bridge and back. The hills, the strong wind gusts, and running through gravel/sand near the end of this course made it a challenge to remember.

I considered slowing down to a walk at about the 10 mile mark, but my iPod pushed me further. "Uprising," by Muse, which was a last minute addition to the running playlist, fired me up to finish running the whole thing.



One more song played after "Uprising," but then my iPod ran out of juice! Oh well, I shook it off and started chatting with a runner next to me. He told me near the 11 mile mark that he was breaking a personal record of the longest distance he had ever run. I remember that feeling and actually experienced that in the same spot on the same course 5 years ago. I congratulated him and we ran for a mile or so together.

Since the weather was crummy, there weren't too many spectators at the end of the race, but the organizers put on a good reception with organic hot dogs and beer. That was a good combo at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, after finishing half of my 30 events for my 30th year.

Here are my stats from the 2010 Us Half Marathon 2, in San Francisco:

Summary
Number of Finishers: 1,438
Number of Females: 743
Number of Males: 695
Average Time: 2:08:15

Jesse Kelsey
bib number: 826
age: 30
gender: M
location: Oakland, CA
overall place: 241 out of 1438
division place: 74 out of 257
gender place: 187 out of 695
time: 1:47:03
pace: 8:11

Now it's time to switch gears and focus my training on the Hy-Vee Triathlon in June with my dad, brother, and two cousins!

Much thanks to Jen and Mike for hosting us for this race!

Quick Recap: Events 11, 12, 13, 14 of 30

The Winter freeze on events has turned into a quickly thawing season of endurance events in March and will continue to heat up for the Spring. Here's a quick recap, before my 15th event, this weekend's inaugural US Half Marathon 2 "The Other Half" takes place:

Event # 11 of 30: The 32nd Annual Couples Relay

Sunday, February 28, 2010
Lake Merritt, Oakland, CA
This was one of the many great running events organized by the Lake Merritt Joggers & Striders running club. Melanie and I were a formidable running team and each of us completed one 5K lap around the lake. Melanie kicked off the relay by pushing Finn in the jogging stroller for the first lap, and then I picked up the rear.

Events 12 and 13 of 30: Regular weekend runs with Darren

March 2010
Lake Merritt, Oakland, CA
Darren and I met while running around Lake Merritt and have been running regularly on weekend mornings. I pick up a lot of training tips from him, and we get into some interesting conversations about all things ranging from real estate development to technology. Darren's first marathon was as an eighth grader when his friend asked him to run the day before the event. He hadn't run more than 7 miles at a time before that, but decided to give it a shot, and has been an avid runner ever since.

While our runs are not supported events with registration fees, t-shirts, posted results, and the like; I think it's fair to include a couple of our longer runs as "events" in my year of 30 events. (It's my year, right?)

With that said, Events 12 and 13 include two 12+ mile runs around Lake Merritt.

Event # 14 of 30: Oakland Running Festival Half-Marathon

March 28th, 2010
Oakland, CA
It was exciting to be a part of this inaugural event, especially since it's on the home field and added a valuable vibrancy to our community. The organizers and fundraisers reported that the event exceeded their expectations. (see this Oakland Tribune article, "City's economic windfall is added benefit to Oakland Running Festival," for more information)

I was recovering from a two-week cold while running the half, but enjoyed the course that wound through a good cross section of Oakland neighborhoods and the crowd support along the way. Melanie and Finn were the best support crew as always, and met me in several places with awesome signage.

Congratulations to my brother-in-law, Gabe on completing the full marathon and finishing faster than he projected!

Event #10 of 30 - MOVRun Golden Gate 5k

1st place in my division! I won!

O.k., so it wasn't that difficult because I was one of two total persons that showed up for this event, and the only person in my division. We actually ran the whole race together, chatted, and admired the view. To Charlene, from Dallas, Texas: thanks for the early morning, misty run across the Golden Gate Bridge and back, and best wishes to you and your fiancee. Congratulations!

Charlene and I were wondering if we had been swindled out of our $15 registration fees as we were the only people to show up for the race yesterday and there was nary a trace of race officials, registration tables, and the like. We did have a great time, though, and I am one step closer to reaching my goal of completing 30 endurance events by August 13th, 2010. The race did live up to it's name as the "greenest race in San Francisco," as there were no t-shirts, no trash from water cups (water was provided courtesy of the drinking fountain near the restrooms in the parking lot at the North end of the bridge), no race bibs, no vendor tables, no race packets, the organizer encouraged everyone to take public transportation, and the registration/payment process was all online.

It was all for a good cause, too: "MOVRun Golden Gate 5k is a non-profit, MOVRun race event, utilizing green, eco-friendly alternatives, while providing free MOVDance lessons for low-income children."

So if you're looking for an innovative, non-traditional, green running event that raises money for a good cause, check out the MOVRun site for a race in your area: http://run.movfitness.com/

And to Charlene, from Dallas, Texas: if you find this post online please send that video clip that your dad took of us near the finish line.