Okay, this is really old (like over 2 months old), but I'd still love to share this wonderful day trip. We took this the day before we went on our (successful) home buying trip, as a farewell to east bay.

The main event was for this guy:

Ed had a 30k race that he'd signed up for with Coastal Trail Runs, which he was pretty excited about. It was super cold at the start, which is generally a good thing, since it means it won't get to hot. We didn't have that long to wait until the runners were off!

In just a few minutes, they were all gone, leaving us spectators to ourselves. I enjoyed walking down the race trail, taking in the morning sunlight, and glad to not be in a rush.

However, I'd be remiss if I neglected to go on my own run of one of my favorite haunts. So, up I headed to the lookout point in Tilden. Up here is a nice paved trail with excellent views and easy running, or so I'd remembered. 

Piece of advice: when going on a run you haven't done in 5 years, that you last did when you were in incredible shape, don't take your memory at face value.

Yes, the views were wonderful, but it was a bit more rolling than I'd remembered (the flat that my 2 weeks post marathon legs were counting on wasn't quite there), and my favorite chunk ended up closer to 4 miles out, much further than I'd wanted to go.

I also discounted my very real phobia of solo running. In fact, I turned around not once, not twice, but three times during this run out of fear, only to turn back around when another person went past. I have this slightly embarrassing, but incredibly helpful habit of "tagging" along with unsuspecting runners on trails. I give them a head start and then hang behind them as long as I can (pace permitting). One wonderful gentleman got me from 0.8 miles to 1.5 miles and another from 2ish miles to 3. 

An equally lovely (but unfortunately faster) runner (the figure in the picture above) got me from the turn around to about 4.5, at which point there were enough people out that I just dealt with it :).

At least I had the views to keep me company! And, even though I almost gave up so many times, I still got in my 6 miles :).

I got back just in time to catch Ed at the turn around, and again at the ending.

Ed had a great race, despite getting a little lost! It was definitely challenging, but a very fun course. 

From there, we headed down to Berkeley to tour the campus and say "goodbye" to this beautiful place (for now anyways).

If you'd like to read about the non running part of the day, visit here later this week!

Double Dipsea

Hi Everyone! (All 3 of you :) ). Ed and I are here safely in Arizona, though not a lot of running is going on, as we're having lovely 114 degree days here, with it close to 100 when we wake up in the morning. I've run once, Ed's gone 2 or 3 times. Compounding that, I accidentally caught my big toe nail on a recliner that I was moving in our new home and completely detached the nail from the nail bed. That poor foot seems to have something bad happen to it just about every year. I'm hoping that keeping it clean and bandaged will get it back to normal (or at least healed?) sometime soon.

In any event, it's a good thing I have lots of adventures to recount on here from before we moved!

Almost a month ago at this point (gosh, how can it have been that long?), Ed checked something off on his Bay Area bucket list - the Double Dipsea!

For those not in the know, this is the doubled version of the famous Dipsea race, a 7ish mile footrace from Mill Valley to Stinson Beach. Like that race, this one follows the Dipsea trail. However, this one starts at Stinson Beach. It still features about a million stairs, and the option to take shortcuts and one other special feature.

Guys like Ed? They start over an hour after the race begins! 

First ones to start the race (if there are any) are 80 year old and up women. Our first starters were 10 minutes later, at 70-74 year old women. From there on, every 3-5 minutes, a new wave of runners started.

The winner is whoever crosses the finish line first!

Ed promised he wouldn't push too hard (seeing as how we were starting our backpacking adventure that afternoon). After an hour of waiting, he (and the other 39 and under men) was off!

Meanwhile, I went to my "usual" spot - a nice little breakfast spot right next to Stinson Beach. I spent a lovely hour with my oatmeal, pot of tea, and book.

Apparently I usually come during off season, as about an hour in, I was not too gently encouraged to clear out to give them back their table. I was a little put off by that, but I understood.

Since I still had a little under two hours left, I headed to the beach to take in some beautiful views like this:

Being a Northern California beach, though, so I had to deal with this:

Beautiful but very chilly fog. I put on an extra jacket but was still too cold, so I headed back up to the race. About 15 minutes later, the winner came in! I had a great time cheering along as the runners poured in, while I looked for my guy.

Finally, I saw him (coming in behind the guy with the hat) flying in with a smile on his face.

Ed had a great time, and I had an equally great time spectating.