Slow As Molasses
Narrated below is the blog from each team member, narrated in first person. There are a few sections missing, which will be updated when the individuals send me their blog.
A brief summary as to how we did it: Van1 (Anjali, Sumi, Leena, Sharath, Ashok, KarthikV, Amit) drive to the start point at 7AM on Saturday, Apr 19. Anjali completes the registration, gets the bibs, and at 7.30AM, Sumi will be flagged off. Leena is next, followed by the rest in sequence. Van 2 (Sheshu, Ranjeet, Yadhu, Peru, Apurva Chethan, Naveen) awaits the arrival of Van 1 at the Van Exchange Point in Napa. Anjali will drive over, while Amit is running Leg 6, and hand over the bib, and the Caution - Runner Ahead sign. By the time Dumma warms up, Amit arrives to hand off the baton.
Van1 at this point has completed their first leg. They rest in Napa for a few hours. Van2, which is now the active Van, has runners doing their legs. When I run my first leg, which is leg 12, Van 1 has arrived at the Van Exchange Point 2, and await their turn to run their second legs.
Van2 departs to San Francisco, for food, shower and rest. Anjali contacts Van 2 guys when Amit is about to head off to conquer the Golden Gate Bridge. We arrive at Merchant Street, take over from Amit, and at this point, Van 1 goes to La Luna Inn on Lombard for some well deserved rest.
Van 2 completes legs 27 t0 32, and at Canada College, I hand off to Anjali's van for their last leg. Amit hands off to Dumma at the intersection of Hwy 9 and Skyline, and yes, Van 1 has successfully completed running their legs! Cheers to you guys.
Van 2 labors along, and around 5.30PM, I run to the beach by the Boardwalk in Santa Cruz, and accompanied by the entire team, we run across the finish line.
And here it is, as seen and experienced by the runners of Slow As Molasses:
Anjali, Leg 0:
Day 1
We all met at Sports Basement to buy running shoes….Yes, that was officially day 1. Writing about Day 1 to a-hundred-and-something, while very eventful, might take up more space than I’ve been allotted… so I’ll just skip ahead to the juicy stuff.
Relay T-1
I woke up in the morning and began my day with some light stretches of my right foot. I had to hit the accelerator and brakes just right (for the next 36 hours!) so I didn’t want to risk and ill-timed foot cramp. After my foot stretches were done, we packed up our stuff hurriedly – we had to meet Naveen, Karthik & Sheshu at Avis to pick up the mammoth Suburbans. We all met at Naveen’s place around 1pm and began decorating the vans. Van 1 may not have been as fancy as Van 2, but we had people taking pictures of our artwork all weekend, so we were happy :-). After fighting lots of traffic and despite questionable directions from Peter (Van 1 knows him well), we made it to the Calistoga Inn for Dinner with Dean. As it turned out, Dean was delayed so it was just Dinner with….ourselves. No matter – we had fun. Coach even let us get a bottle of wine. That night we hardly slept. The mattresses were awful and Leena and I kept getting irritated with each other for moving around too much (it was mostly her that was causing all the commotion).Relay Day 1 - Saturday, Apr 19
We arrived at the Start point and I was thrilled to see that I would get to drive the Suburban in a bumpy field…I fell in love with the Suburban the minute we hit our second bump. 36 hours in this thing was going to be a blast. Oh yeah…and I was also looking forward to the relay, of course :-) Anyway, I parked the truck and went over to register the team while Amit & Leena took silly pictures of steam coming out of their heads. By the time we finished taking plenty of pictures and everyone got their bibs on, it was time for Sumi to start us off! And…Van 1 was off…hooting and hollering as we passed our runners and blasting music. Before we knew it, our shift was over. Van 1 runners smoked their legs and were ready for some R&R. We’d have a few hours to shower and rest before meeting Van 2 for the next handoff in the evening.
Sumi, Leg 1: Saturday, Apr 19, 7.30AM
No blog
LeenaJ, Leg 2: Saturday, Apr 19
Friday, April 18th: Woke up excited like we were off on a vacation, but remembered soon enough why I had half the day off J We were all packed and ready Thursday night, so finished up some loose ends at work, got a call from Naveen & rushed to his house, STAT. Let loose on the van decoration there, with lots of “healthy competition” between Van1 and Van2. Personally, I think Van1’s graffiti was waayy cooler (OMG WTF ?!). After practicing my lines for my encounter with Dean K all the way, we were in for a big disappointment – his flight was delayed and he was a no-show for dinner! L Finished up dinner anyway, got to our hotel room and downed a beer while listening to some inspiring, no-nonsense tips from Naveen and Coach D. Hydrate, Stretch, Smile. Oh, and Run. All the while under the watchful eyes of Cap’n Anjali.
Saturday, April 19th: 4:30 AM
After a sleepless night spent tossing and turning in bed, which simulated a 6.0 earthquake every time either Anjali or I moved a finger, we woke up and got on the road for our 7:30 AM start. All registration details were magically handled by the Cap’n and Sumi took off on schedule, with a fashionably last-minute entry from Dean K himself! At the exchange point, tried unsuccessfully to warm up in the 30-deg weather and finally took off for my first leg. It was a 4.7M, Easy. To say it was the most amazing experience I’ve had is an understatement. Running among the vineyards, with the sun rising and slowly lighting up the landscape, birds chirping (yes!) – and just a handful of us running – was quite something. I even turned off my music for a bit just to hear the birds. I was on a high quite unlike any before. Was surprised by a couple of little slopes that I didn’t see coming, but managed to pull through them OK. And before I knew it, I was done!! Handed off to Sharath and got some good pampering from Anjali. Ate everything she offered – trail mix, Chutney sandwiches, chocolate cake - you name it, we had it, and I said no to nothing. As expected, the rest of the van also breezed through their legs, with a lot of screaming, loud music and cowbells ringing along the way. We got to Van exchange point 1, where my hubby dearest was (I’m sure) very anxiously awaiting his turn amidst a cacophony of horns, music, clapping and cheering. The energy at the place was unbelievable! We saw a smiling Amit approaching soon and saw Dumma off after they finished their soon-to-be baton exchange ritual. Took a break there for 2-3 hours and got to Exchange point 2 - another huge party and Van2 runners were there, a little beaten up by the incredibly un-cooperative weather, but still smiling and high-fiving.
KarthikV, Leg 4: Saturday, Apr 19 - 7.4 miles, Moderate
It was a crisp morning and couldnt have asked for any better weather to run.
Sumi, Leena and Sharath had smoked their trails and the energy in the van was just out of control. Warmed up and stretched and started off nice and easy on my first mile. The sun was progressively warming up, but so were my muscles, making it easier. Flipped my shuffle on, and i started off with "Nothing Else Matters" by Metallica - my all time favourite. Found my cadence around mile 1.5, where the van was waiting with water/gatorade. The cheering was loud and contagious. Refreshed, still stocked full on my fuel belt. The next 2 miles went by quickly. Looked at my watch and i was clocking 40 mins around the 4 miler. Time for a GU shot. I started sucking the GU and smearing it all over the roof of my mouth. Boy, the chocolate outrage flavour was out of this world. Never been a chocolate fan - but I enjoyed every bit of it. By now, there were some climbs starting to happen, but I tilted my head a tad down not to look up the road ahead, but just about 100 yards. I just wanted to get to the next mailbox/tree/turn. it kept my spirits high. I did notice the sprinkler system on the edge of the road in a vineyard on, and I couldnt resist.
I looked around to see if the landlord was outside with a gun. didnt see anyone, so quickly took a detour around that one sprinkler. Was refreshed !! Van 1 was waiting for me again around mile 5.5, with water. Had a few sips, was great to see people you know on that lone road. I was told i've got a mile or so left. Time Check - 59 mins. Anjali, Amit were there at my first and only turn to yountville road. I turned right and asked them to go to the exchange point. I was on this road, which was a straight line. remembered the shot from Forest Gump, where he is running somewhere in Utah. By this time, the GU had checked itself in, and I was bursting with a new shot of enerdy. I could see the road end in the horizon, a mile or so more, with someone standing there shooting pictures. I recognized the L series "white" lens and realised it was our own Van 2 captain/driver - Sheshu. I knew the exchange couldnt be far enough. I fired up the last cylinder on the 0.5 mile and handed off to Ashok and he flew away! 7.4 miles, 71 mins. Time to stretch now!!
Ashok, Leg 5: Saturday, Apr 19
The relay was a truly memorable experience! It was always going to be interesting to see how a group of novice runners would fare against what is arguably the most difficult group run. We had wind in our sails thanks to the effusive support of friend and family and the fact that we were amongst the biggest fund-raisers for Organs R Us. We stepped into our FlexFuel Suburbans anxious with excitement, with little inkling that the next couple of days would be as eventful and fun-filled. We would see Leena's optimism and cheer rub off on all of us, Anjali's extraordinary off-road driving abilities, Amit's quick wit, Karthik's carefree running, Sumi's quibbling about malfunctioning body parts with Sharath's diligent support which all made our van a heady mix of diverse experiences. The morning runs by Silverado Trail through the Napa Valley vineyards were exhilarating, punctuated by the constant camaraderie of teams cheering each other on. My first couple of miles were run at above-average pace by the vineyards and through Yountville, before the afternoon sun overhead forced a mild slowdown and the couple of runners I had passed caught up. At the Van exchange point, California's longest party was in full swing. A nap in the gym and hot showers helped us catch up on the previous night's sleep deficit.
Amit, Leg 6: Saturday, Apr 19
Saturday morning started off bright and early at 5:30 AM for Van 1. All of us nervously got in the van and started driving towards the starting point. It was cold and dark and we were full of nervous energy. As we drove, the sun slowly rose. We arrived at the starting point and started with our activities. Anjali registered the team and got the signs for us to put on our van. Where would we find duct tape for the Caution sign. We eventually had to borrow it from two other teams, because the first van didn’t have enough!
Just as Sumi got ready to start off the relay, a camper pulls up to the start line and a figure in a white shirt and black shorts jumps out. It’s Dean Karnazes. He quickly runs to the start line, high 5s the runners and starts running with the group. The rest of us get into the van and start driving towards the first exchange point. The next few hours were spent pacing the runners.
Ranjeet, Leg 7: Saturday, April 19, 1:30pm.
Van2 got to the van exchange point a good hour before Amit (runner 6) was scheduled to arrive. I was a little nervous, which is nothing new. I am the kinda guy who gets nervous even on a weekend getaway which was meant to be relaxing! Changed into my running gear, went for my customary potty break, got all vaselined up & was ready to rumble. I had coined a name for my style of running, I call myself the “rolling Brahmin” & I sure was ready to roll now. Van1 arrived as I was stretching which meant Amit was just a few minutes behind them. I got to the exchange point & waited for a few minutes. Amit came roaring towards the finish line, he even managed a few dance moves while running. The baton exchange was a whole series of un-choreographed moves, which took a good 2-3minutes. Now I was finally on my way. This was a moderate leg of 6.9 miles. I crossed the street light & was running on Freeway drive & suddenly came across a strip mall. The nervous Ranjeet reared his head again..I wasn’t sure if I had take a wrong turn - then again, there wasn’t any turn to take. As I was telling myself to calm down, I saw the relay signs. Phew, life was back to normal, birds were chirping (not really), I could smell the grapes(not true)! So, I took the right turn on Old Sonoma road & was running on the side walk through a residential neighborhood. Nothing scenic just a regular street & lo and behold - I saw my first climb. It didn’t look pretty. But before I could start my incline I heard cow bells. That only meant one thing - my compadres were waiting to cheer me on. Its amazing how its like a shot of Gu to see your friends & family cheer you on. I waved at them & got back to business. I saw the Suburban vanish behind the hills. I made it over the climb & was feeling great, but not for long because I felt this sudden gust of wind. I am a well fed boy & a normal wind gust would ruffle my feathers but this wasn’t a normal wind gust..it was roaring. I even missed my footing once! Un-freakin-believable! I knew this wasn’t going to be a regular run in the park anymore. So, I slowed my pace down a little bit, put my head down & started running. Every couple of miles I would see my captain with his bazooka (his 40D camera, with his zoom lens which could see from here to Mysore!), the rest of the gang would be standing outside with cold water & cheering me on. It would put a 1cm bounce in my step..which is a lot for me. So, this went on for a while, I ran along some vineyards. I enjoyed the scenery for exactly 1sec. A few runners passed me by. One of the runners even asked me to run with her, but before I could say yes she was a good 20 yards in front of me.I thought that was pretty rude J I knew I was getting close to the exchange point & then I heard the wild roar from the crowd. Sweeeet..I made it. I saw Yadhu - our flying Desi - gave him the baton & high-fived the team. Cooled down for a few minutes, got back in the van. 1 down..2 to go.
Yadhu, Leg8 (7.4 miles/Moderate/70min) 1:30pm
The relay marathon training and running has been a great experience to me. I have never run long distances in my life. When I ran, I could barely complete half a mile before puffing for more O2. But now, after all the training provided by coach'd, team spirit and enthusiasm from fellow runners and motivation from my family, I am past the 0.5 mile barrier.
For the first time, I ran 7.4 miles! Here is more on my legs of the marathon.
http://therelay.com/co_maps_08.htm
The starting point of this leg was congested due to a narrow road. Van2's el capitan dropped me at the vineyard gate and drove up to make a u-turn. I relieved myself in the porter potty and started to warm up and stretch. As our el capitan was scanning through his bazookas Dumma was rolling in. I got the band from him and officially began my first marathon run. I would be off radar for first 2.9 miles as I run though the vineyard. The temperature was good enough for me and the grape vines. But the crosswind from NW kept trying to steal my cap. Ten min into the leg, the trail's gradient became steep with no warning. I had to stop a few times before reaching the top. Few minutes later I turned back and saw 2 runners and felt happy. The second half of this vineyard trail was really along the grape vines. The path was very rough and I had to slow down or risk an ankle sprain. I passed another runner and headed outside the vineyard gate. I was glad to see my fellow runners and thought it was funny when some lady told them that I was lost in the vineyard. The reminder of this leg was just facing the headwind and chugging along the Napa road as other runners breezed by me. At the finishing point I gave the band to Peru and headed over the mama-ship to stretch and cool down.
KarthikR, Leg 9 - Saturday, Apr 19
Slow As Molasses...?
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...I beg to differ! Thats our team name for The-Relay 2008? We must be kidding ourselves. We sandbagged on our team name, for sure!
What a way to re-kindle friendship, work hard for a genuine cause and above all.... lose weight! Thanks to our good fellas: Naveen for cheering us into it and supporting the team through all the logistics and Dumma (a.k.a Ranjeet, a.k.a Coach'D) for being our free personal trainer. Without these two gentlemen this race would have been tad awkward and we would have certainly done justice to our team name.
Leg 9(5.9mi) - easy (Around 2:30pm) - Napa road
Capt'n Sheshu on the wheel of a Suburban, a bunch of very hard leg runners, a tender knee, lots of food and drinks in the back and Graffiti on the windows. What a beautiful day it was on Saturday the 19th of April. I was a bit nervous for I did not know how my knee would respond. At exchange point 9, Dumma waited for Yadhu to show up in the distance and he ushered me as soon as he did. In a few minutes, I got the green band and whoosh! I started to run. It was through Napa Valley Road (or Leveroni Road) for about 3 miles. I began to feel good about my knee, the brace seemed to help. At around 2 miles, the wind started to push me in the opposite direction. The gust (of about 30mi/hr) became stronger and stronger until I ducked into some narrow suburban areas. Van2 stopped at regular intervals and not to mention I got good motivation from the boys and some obscene displays (thanks Naveen :-) to make me motion sick. I chugged along to the corner of Arnold Rd where Naveen and D were waiting. Ah! thats it? It seemed all too easy... well it was the easy leg. Half a mile later Appu was throttling his legs. Appu took off and we list sight of him within a few seconds. I quickly stretched and got back into the back-seat, sprayed a lot of deoderant (Sheshu called it insecticide)
Apurva, Leg 10: Saturday, Apr 19 - 8.9 miles, Very Hard
Being the youngest member of the "Slow as Molasses" team, I was volunteered to be "Runner 10". This entailed this first leg that included an incline of over 1100 feet in the first 3 miles. Gulp.
On race day, after waiting around for most of the day, I was eager to get started. Once Peru approached the checkpoint, I felt like I was prepared for the horrors that lay ahead. I got the wristband and began my approach.
I originally estimated that I would finish the first 3 uphill miles in 30 minutes total and the following 6 in 48, so I began pacing myself accordingly. During the first mile, the incline was originally gradual, then picked up significantly. I kept grinding away and told myself that I would not walk under any circumstances. After going at it for what seemed like a while, I looked at my watch and saw that I had been at it for 15 minutes - not bad. Must be halfway there, just grind it out for another 15 and I'll be done. At that moment, I saw a yellow VW beetle drive up ahead of me and see a guy with curly hair jump out. Wait..is that Dean Karnazes? Is he coming to cheer me on? Once I got closer, I realized that it wasn't him (more on him later). Instead it was one of the race organizers. He started trotting next to me and our ensuing conversation went something like this:
Guy: Hey! You're doin great.
Me: ...yea..h..i'm try...ing
Guy: You're runner 10! runner 10 rocks!
Me: ...yea..h...we do
Guy: Have you ever been runner 10 before?
Me: ..huh?..10?..uh..no
Guy: Ok..when you get to the top you're going to have a beautiful view of the Petaluma valley. Keep focused on that. You're doing great. You're about a 1/3 of the way there.
Wait what?? I waited for him to leave before I said a few four-letter words and renewed my vow not to walk under any circumstances. But the road kept getting steeper, and as an added bonus a heavy headwind started up. This just isn't right. Our van wasn't allowed up these streets for obvious reasons - and I wasn't sure if this road would end. 10 minutes later, the same VW beetle zoomed past me and the guy beeped and gave me a thumbs-up sign. Jerk.
15 minutes later my calves are screaming, my shins don't know what they've done to deserve this pain, and I finally see the road I'm supposed to make a left on. My temporary excitement is tempered when I realize that this just means an even more steep hill - but wait, this seems different. My pace quickens a bit, and I see a gate. Beyond the gate, is our curly-haired friend who just smiles and says "You've made it". I imagine this is what it's like for people in stories who climb mountains to seek an old wise man. My old wise man was at a table and didn't have much to offer in terms of wisdom - other than a plastic dixie cup filled with water.
I zoomed past the sage and beheld an amazing sight. The entire Petaluma valley lay below me, and if I had a camera I would have stopped and admired the view. Since I didn't, I attacked the downhill slope with reckless abandon. I blew past older folks who apparently respected their knees more than I did and even avoided a stray snake. At this pace I was probably doing 6 minute miles.
A while down the path, I saw an extremely well-built guy chugging along with a guy next to him. He looked familiar and I decided to push a little harder and catch up with him. Sure enough, it was the ultra marathon man himself, Dean Karnazes. I slowed down a bit and chatted with him for 5 minutes about his book, how he talked at a work event a few years back, some of his past and future adventures, and how I could blame American Airlines for him not being able to attend dinner the night before.
It was fun running with Dean for a while - but he was holding me back. I felt rude about not saying anything to him, and just taking off, but I had places to be. We soon got off the trail, and back to streets where vans were permitted. I saw Peru standing there with water waiting for me, but I waved him off. I was having too much fun. I later found out that he was standing there for 25 minutes by himself waiting for me - poor guy.
I rounded the corner and kept up a pace I never could have kept up for a long time - probably because "List of Demands" came on my iPod and I got carried away. With half a mile to go, it was a sprint to the finish at the Casa Grande High School, where Chet was waiting. I took off the bracelet and handed it to him and was in a daze as he sped away.
Tackling the three-mile hill at the beginning was maybe the most demanding physical thing I've ever done. The last 6 downhill miles was the most fun I've ever had running...and more adventures lay ahead.
Chethan, Leg 11: Saturday, Apr 19,
It was a looong wait, but finally my turn to help the team out and start running. The anticipation was peaking and I was sooo ready to get stepping. My segment would carry me through the quaint town of Petaluma and through the countryside, as well. It was a 'Hard' leg....so that meant a few uphill climbs would be mixed in.....to the tune of 300 feet. One element that caught me by surprise, however, was the headwind. As Appu was finishing his leg, I was literally getting blown away as I stretched and warmed up. I was picturing myself fighting the hills and howling winds.....what did I sign up for???
We got an update...Appu is already on the way!! I ran out of the van and positioned myself at the exchange point. I was tickled with excitement. Our team started the relay over 11 hours ago and finally I get to do my part. I took the wristband and raced forward. Coach D and Coach N warned me about starting out too fast. I heard them, but not sure I listened. I bolted out like a caged animal and immediately passed a couple guys. Then, I realized that this was going be 7.1 miles of 'non-flat, windy' conditions. I slowed down.....and got passed by a girl who was absolutely flying. I mean...she was like a gazelle. After gritting my teeth, I told myself to stay within myself and keep a steady pace.
The first two miles were relatively flat and then the uphill climb began. I asked the guys to wait for me in the van with water at the top of the hill just to give me some sense of when this torture would be over. As I left the city center of Petaluma, the wind became more noticeable as I reached a higher elevation. I opened up my Goo and trudged along at the deliberate pace. This kinda hurt...my quads, my knees, and my psyche. But, alas, I saw the crew.....ready with some water at the top of the hill. I was there....made it!! I got my second wind and screamed forward.....as I changed direction and the wind was at my back. The next 3 miles were mostly downhill and I got some additional support from Van 2 as they got ready for their 2nd round of running. It was great to see the entire team. The wind and steep climb kicked my a$ and the 7.1 miles was longer than I ever ran in one stretch....but, it felt good. As soon as I saw the finish line with hordes of people waiting, I ran as fast a I could and handed the band off to Naveen to start the final Leg in our first round. One done and two to go!!
Naveen, Leg 12: Saturday, Apr 19 - 4.9 miles, Hard
I'll officially complete the first third of the relay when I finish this leg. It isn't a lot of fun being the last runner as I've been sitting in the van, awaiting my turn for almost 12 hours now. A cool Saturday morning turned into a warmer noon, to a windy cool evening. How will the weather be by the time I get my turn ? Whatever it maybe, I'm ready. I've been ready for 5 months now.
Chet hands off to me at 6pm. It is horribly windy now. Van1 guys have caught up with us now, and are cheering for me. Its a 4.8mile hard leg. The first three miles are a climb, and the next 2 are downhill. D hands me cold water twice during the uphill run. Tastes like nectar.
After some huffing and puffing, I got done with the uphills. I descend into the valley, as the Sun sets, and the scene is ethereal. Best run I've ever run in my life.
Amidst cheering and whistling, I hand off to Sumi. Hi-5's and all. The whole team is bursting with energy. Van1 seems excited to conquer the night. Van1 heads to the city. Pasta is devoured at Fuzio on Chestnut St. A couple of hours break at the La Luna Inn, on Lombard St. Pizza was ordered in for the Van1 folks, as they will be here in another 4 hours.
Quick shower, 2 hours sleep, and I wake up at 12.15 AM, Sunday, and call Anjali. Tuppa is running last mile. And Amit will be at the end of the Golden Gate Bridge in roughly an hour. So, we pack up, cleanup the rooms for the Van1 folks, and head to the rendezvous point at the Golden Gate Bridge. Dummy-D will be the first one out. Its about 44 degrees, and the full moon above illuminates the streets.
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LeenaJ, Leg 14: Saturday, Apr, 8:30 PM - 5 miles, Hard
My second leg was a 5M Hard at night, so I was a little nervous. We had just driven past Chethan braving 30mph winds and the temperature was dipping fast, so I had bundled up like a polar bear. Sweatshirt, headband, hat, gloves & glasses (OK, maybe the polar bear would have skipped the glasses). Sumi did a great job with her leg and passed me the headlamp. Add on the reflective vest and I could have survived anywhere. I kicked off with great gusto. In about 500 ft I realized there was no shoulder at all, so I had to run ON the road. And I was so hot I could have cooked an egg in my sweatshirt (ask Anjali!). At the first van stop, I hurled everything I could take off at Anjali and took off. I could finally feel the wind on my face, cooling me down and then I started to enjoy my run. Absolutely deserted, pitch dark, cold – and one of the best times of my life! Luckily, it was so dark I couldn’t see how steep the slopes were. Kept running along quite smoothly, scaring the life out of another runner I passed on the way. The van stopped almost every ¼ mile - they didn’t want to take the chance of losing me in that darkness and not knowing what animal might have swallowed me J One thing that did annoy me through most of that leg was the fact that our van had stopped cheering for me. They’d drive past, windows down, and one of them would softly say “Go Leena” or something like that. Whatever. Couldn’t hear them. WTF? I had been screaming my head off for them, ringing the cowbell with all my might, and this is what I get? Let the next runner start, I’ll show them, I thought. After about 4 miles of cursing them, a light slowly dawned through the fog that was my mind. It’s a Quiet Zone!! Doh. Hope they didn’t notice the scowls I threw their way. Finished my run uneventfully, handed off to Ashok and started stuffing my face. Jambalaya and chips this time.
After almost losing Ashok, we kept a close eye on the rest of the team and managed to finish with no major highlights. Although we did hear on the radio that sightings of a reflective vest flying above GG bridge were reported J Headed off to La Luna Inn around 2AM after seeing Dumma off on his next leg – with some raindrops drizzling down to keep him company.
Ashok, Leg 15: Saturday, Apr 19
The second set of legs from Petaluma culminating past the Golden Gate Bridge were by the full moon, rising as we started and overhead as we finished into the late hours of the night. My second leg was easier than I expected, uphill a couple of miles and downhill through San Anselmo, suiting my running style of starting off strong and coasting later. When we called it a night into the wee hours on Sunday, I couldn't wait for the final leg.
KarthikV, Leg 16: Saturday, Apr 19 - 5.3 miles, Easy
So i started looking at my leg details an hour before i was going to start and noticed that it was an easy run? huh? i thought my first leg was the easy one.
For whatever reason, I had confused the difficulty level on these 2 legs. Blessing in disguise. I thought I was going to run a moderate, but here I am with an easy.
that made things easier mentally for me. Ashok came by pretty quick, and i just had enough time, to get out of the van and pick up the baton and run. My leg was through downtown san anselmo/fairfax. The roads were lit up and the streets were lined up with nice cute little boutiques and stores. Cranked up on Kanye west's Stronger, and started running. It was a very quick window shopping run. I kept myself entertained looking at all the little stores around the town.
This leg wasnt that enjoyable, since there was no place to run on the road. So i had to run on the sidewalk. By the time, I could get some cadence, my leg's would trip on a driveway or an an uneven pavement, almost bringing me to a stop. Frustrating. So my run basically was a collage of short bursts of quick running and slow running. Either ways, I arrived at the exchange point, where Sharath was waiting for me. Our fearless leader/captain/driver Anjali, was helping herself with some nice coffee at Peets, while I stretched. Anjali tells me that I shaved a bunch of time on this run, but I dont think so. My stop watch showed 59 mins, which was MORE than what I had anticipated. Probably a spreadsheet error in estimates - my estimates showed 1:20.
Amit, Leg 17: Sunday, Apr 20 - 5.8 miles, Hard
The next few hours were spent relaxing, eating and a quick hour long power nap at the Church until it was time to run again. As we drove towards the exchange point, we noticed the wind had picked up considerably since before. At this point, we got concerned about van 2 and how difficult their runs would be considering that they were running straight into the wind. After a quick Starbucks stop and a little detour courtesy of Peter we moved to the segment 10-11 exchange point. Along the way we cheared for Chethan and Naveen running their legs.
The next leg was the one I was looking the most forward to and the one I had the most trepidation for. It as a 5.8 mile Hard leg that started in Sausalito, over the Golden Gate Bridge and ended in San Francisco. Sure, the last one was a 1000 foot elevation change, classified as a Very Hard, but it was only 3.1 miles and I could walk a portion of it without too many issues. This one was both long and had a climb towards the end of it.
Ranjeet, Leg 19: Sunday, April 20, 1:24AM
We left La Luna Inn 20mins after Anjali (Van1 captain & cheer leader) called to let us know that Amit had started his leg & should be done in an hours time. Got to the south side of GG Bridge & waited for Amit. It was cold! Amit got there, we did our dance & then I got going again. I was excited about this run because it was in my old neighborhood. It was dark & cold & I love running in these conditions. The first 3 miles were steep but it didn’t bother me as much as I had thought it would. Because I had played this all in my head a few times when I was trying to sleep in La Luna & my guess was that I’ll be struggling the first 3 miles & cruise the next 4. BTW, that & a lot of other thoughts kept me from getting a wink of sleep. Before I knew it, I was running next to the Legion of Honor - this was the 3mile marker. I was amazed that I wasn’t tired & had done pretty damn good. From now on it was 4 miles of easy which I excel in. I ran up Clement street & then got on the Great Highway. My support crew could only meet me at the 4.5 mile marker, because vans were not allowed through the first few miles. I heard the cow bells & their cheers from a distance. I was feeling great - I waved at them, even yelled out for some water. For some reason they thought it a joyous cry & they all got back in the van & drove away. I was puzzled..but heck, I wasn’t in dire need, so it was OK. I knew I had a couple more miles to go. I was chugging along at a decent pace but the road didn’t seem to end. I was getting really tired but I still couldn’t get enough of the full moon over the Pacific Ocean. Oh yeah, I did help a runner who tripped on a sand dune (a small one). But the kicker is that he got up, thanked me & vanished into the darkness. I lost 3-4mins which would have gotten us to 190th position for crying out loud..so not fair! Ok..I am just kidding. So, the second leg finished in a few more minutes, I went back to the van, popped a Zyrtec because I had a sudden episode of hives & looked like ET. Dunno what happened but it took me a few hours to recover.
Yadhu, Leg20: Sunday 2:30AM - 5.9 miles/Hard/60min
http://therelay.com/co_maps_20.htm
On Saturday night, we had a nice pasta dinner at Fuzio's in SF and rested at the La Luna Inn. Later we dropped Dumma at the south end of the Golden Gate and drove toward Pacifica. Dumma reached the exchange point in Pacifica around 2:30am. I got the head light and headed south in multiple layers, beanie and gloves. Minutes later Mama ship passed by me and the boys cheered me. I saw the van's tail light go up the gradient and disappear into the darkness. I knew that they would be waiting for me at the very top of that hill to make sure I cleared it. It was a beautiful full moon night and the Pacific's calm waves were reflecting the moon light. All alone, I was chugging along the Great Hwy and turned into Skyline Blvd ignoring the slight drizzle. Few minutes later I clear the hill and started searching for my mama ship in the darkness. Ship's missing ! I kept running as a few other runners passed by me. I kept thinking 'where are these guys..I asked them to wait at the turns to make sure I make those turns..'. By now, I got very warm and removed the gloves. I kept running with few short stops to take a sip. It was about 55 min into the leg, I started looking for the exchange point as I saw some runners ahead of me..zoom..zoom..Zoooooom..passes the mama ship with the inmates yelling at Peru to get ready. As I reach the exchange point, I realized that the band was missing..I must have dropped when I removed the gloves. Peru started his run and we informed a race official about the band who wasn't too bothered about it. It was one helluva night run with fantastic scenery and one of my best runs.
KarthikR, Leg 21: Sunday, Apr 20 Leg 21(6.7 mi) - moderate (Around 3:30am) - Skyline Blvd
Wow, this one was going to be in the middle of the night. The previous night during dinner, I had sensed that my knee was going to give good amount of trouble since it was hurting as I moved my leg in any which way. I was dreading the worst... not being able to finish the relay. After a good dinner at Fuzio Pasta place, I had a nice hot shower. I had to clean the bathroom to the last drop of water since Naveen was nagging us about keeping it clean for the ladies. Yo ladies! any feedback? I slept for a about 1/2 hour and awakened by Naveen frantically getting everyone to go to the golden gate. "Van1 is almost done".. wait, they just started, didn't they?? Damn, bunch of sandbaggers! We quickly packed up and Sheshu drove us to the golden gate. Amit showed up in style and Dumma started rocking the city soon. It was cold, raining now and then and windy. After Dumma's leg, Yadhu was no less than a bullet train. I am sure someone mentioned the episode where we thought Yadhu was lost but he finished his leg well ahead of schedule. I wanted to badly pee but Yadhu left me no choice but to jump out of the van and start rightaway. I first felt a shooting pain in my right leg. After a steep climb for about 100 yards, I suddenly felt the pain just vanish. Good lord! two things to focus on would have been hard -- pee and knee pain... Now, I had to find a bush at any cost. After about a mile and a half I stopped involuntarily, looked quickly to my left and right and marked my territory by Skyline Blvd. Van2 guys waited for me every half a mile. I was feeling so warm that I had to remove a couple of layers and pass it to the guys. Night time running is very cool. After about 4.5 miles, I had to take a bike trail and let the Van take its own course. I followed other runners through the dark. It was full-moon and I could spot the reflection on a nearby lake. It was a very beautiful sight. I clearly had more energy during the night and ran effortlessly. The girl ahead of me was pacing with me (or, I should say, I was). At the end she almost was running unconciously, for she just missed a signboard pointing to the right for a turn. I quickly yelled and made her go in the right direction. I then passed through an underpass to the exchange point. Van2 guys were all tucked inside the Van because it was too cold. I was glad to see Appu in the crowd. I passed on the head-torch, with sweat dripping all over. All I heard was "Yuck! disgusting!"
Apurva, Leg 22: Sunday, Apr 20 - 4.2 miles from Milbrae to Burlingame
At 4 AM on Sunday morning I was on less than 2 hours of sleep. Dumma got the bracelet from Amit on the other side of the Golden Gate bridge at 1:30 and since then Yadhu and Peru were running through the night. We ordered pizzas earlier, but Naveen wouldn't give us any until after we finished our leg. I was shivering in the cold, windy, drizzly night and couldn't wait for my turn. My left knee was a bit sore, but I was ready to go. At the exchange point, I ran (pun intended) into the guy who was running with Dean and I about 12 hours ago down the slope to the Petaluma Valley. Friendly guy, team came from Texas after a drunken night a few months ago when he got everyone to agree to do it. Fantastic. More on them later.
Running at 4 AM entailed wearing a headband with a light attached to it along with a reflective vest and a reflector light. All was well until Peru came rumbling through and handed me the headlight. This was one of the most disgusting things I've ever had to put on. Quick tangent - in college, after UCLA upset Arizona, one of the UCLA players threw his headband into the stands in celebration. Excited, I reached into the air and grabbed it before anyone else could. I felt really cool for about 0.5 seconds before I realized that the headband was ridiculously sweaty, and I really had no use for it - so I threw it away. Back to the present, that's what I thought about when the light was handed to me. The previous runners were wearing hats of some sort, so the perspiration bled through the cap and accumulated on the band. If I had known this I would have worn my visor, too, but I didn't - so I had to deal with it. Ugh.
Running at night was a really different experience. The roads I ran on were relatively remote, and had a faster runner not passed me earlier, I may have ended up taking an onramp onto 280 South - no kidding. I saw his orange reflector vest on the other side of the road and realized that I was on the wrong side of the road twice. Shortly after the second time he was too far ahead of me to see. Luckily there weren't any other close calls.
Even with the light on top of my head, I really couldn't see all that far ahead of me. This was pretty disconcerting - as was the number of runners who passed me during this relatively easy 4.2 mile leg. The combination of the late night, not being able to see much, and not wearing a watch made it difficult for me to gauge my distance and speed. Since it was so cold and windy, I told our van just to go to the end of the leg because there wasn't a whole lot they could do for me while I was going.
Something about running at night was strangely peaceful though. I tried my best to savor the experience as much as I could, because really - how often am I going to be running on a barren road at 4 AM in the morning? Maybe this is what people refer to as a "runner's high". From my experience, if I'm up at 4 AM, I'm probably having a good time - and this was no exception.
Once I approached the 280 overpass, I knew my early morning run was coming to a close. I made the headlight band even sweatier and handed it off to Chet - feeling a little bummed that my journey was over and that I only had one leg left to go.
Believe it or not, I didn't even feel like eating the pizza Naveen offered. There would be time for that later.
Chethan, Leg 23: Sunday, Apr 20
Wow...what an unbelievable race so far. Van1 was doing great and we would carry the race forward with some night running. Doohms, Yadhu, Karthik, Appu all completed their legs in record time. We were absolutely gelling. Captain Sheshu kept us energized through the night and Naveen kept us motivated. Appu had an 'easy' segment....which was nice after his 'very hard' in the afternoon. It was still dark and I was ready to go with my headlamp and reflector jersey. It was going to be a surreal experience running through the wilderness with no street lights. Saw Appu and I was off. Again.....probably jumped out too fast. My run was also going to be an 'Easy' and relatively short - 3.7 miles and mostly downhill. I wasn't sure how my legs would react after the earlier run...but, I was going to test it all out. Going down the hill was pretty fun. I pointed the headlamp slightly downward so that I could get a feel for where I was about to land. I had my headphones on...and just cruising. There were long stretches with no cars / vans....or even other runners. I was hoping that mountain lions would still be sleeping and no deer would jump out. Yes...I was a bit scared. I was faring pretty well and moved quickly through an intersection. The darkness slowed morphed into a mild daylight. I searched for the sunrise, but I was shielded pretty well by the treeline. I pulled off my headlamps and started singing to the beat of Survivor and "Eye of the Tiger". I wasn't sure if I was dizzy-headed or euphoric............didn't matter. I saw the finish and sprinted ahead as Naveen waited to get this run going. Phew....we were almost 2/3 done and began to see the positive effects of all our training come to fruition. The last part of our run was sure to be brutal....the side-winding, up-and-down legs of Santa Cruz aren't for the faint of heart......
Naveen, Leg 24, Apr 20, 6AM - 5.9 miles Moderate
Had run this leg before, so knew what to expect. Chet hands off to me by the port-a-potty by Canada & 92. Sun was raining in the East, and the wind was dying. As I warmed up during the first mile, my shin started bothering me. I'd expected this to pop up sooner rather than later.
10 min miles for the first 3 miles, heart rate hovering around 172. Apurva handed me chocolate flavored Gu. A few seconds later, Preetu drives by blowing me a kiss. This energized me more than the Gu. Pace quickened, and by 7AM, I was celebrating the completion of 2/3rd the relay. Sumi was off and running.
Kisses, hugs, and hi-5's. Preetu drives me to Kshama's place, where the ladies have prepared chocolate chip pancakes, with blackberries, and strawberries. An omelet to make the meal perfect. A quick shower, and I hit the sack for a couple hours.
By noon, I learn Tuppa is running his leg, and we had about an hour to get to the intersection of Skyline and Hwy 9. 20 mins later, Dumma started warming up while the rest of us awaited Amit's arrival at the exchange zone.
Van1 completed their last leg in style, with Amit running up the steep hill of Hwy 9. Way to go, Van 1.
Thanks Kshama, and Preetu, for making the yummy breakfast.
=================================
LeenaJ, Leg 26: Sunday, Apr 20, 7:30 AM - 4.7 miles, Easy
Van exchange point 3 was yet another raucous affair. Preetu managed to make it and cheer Naveen on during his second leg- it was so good to see her there! My run started around 8:40. It was another 4.7M, Easy so I wasn’t too worried about it. Van1 had errands to run –shopping for ice, bathroom stops, etc – so I asked Anjali to just meet me at the end - I’ll be fine, I said. Of course, a mile into the run I was HOT & was looking for the van to play my customary “throw warm clothing at Anjali” game. Van was nowhere in sight - probably waiting in a Port-A-Potty line somewhere, I figured. Bah. I took my windbreaker off at some point, while runners whizzed past me in utter disregard of my effort to make it thru this last leg. Just as I was about to give up and walk the rest of the way, I looked to my right and I see – The Dish! Just knowing that I didn’t have to run up that mountain gave me the last burst of energy I so desperately needed. Managed to push through and was duly rewarded at the finish with a bottle of cold cold Newcastle!! Ahh..good times!
Ashok, Leg 28: Sunday, Apr 20
My final leg was uphill past the Big Basin redwoods, with a brook flowing past with a serenity in strong contrast to the pounding hearts of the runners slogging against the slope. When our legs were done we grabbed lunch at a diners and seeing Reshma and the kids maintained the exhilaration. It was with a strong sense of accomplishment that we ran on the Santa Cruz beach across the finish line. We had started the quest to transform into runners a few months back and had come through with flying colors.
KarthikV, Leg 28: 5.1 miles, Hard.
After an early morning coffee break and baton exchanges, Sumi, Leena and Sharath all came flying by. After a quick pee break at Lucky's and some stretching, I was ready for my last leg. Our team had practiced this leg a couple of times, and I could run this leg with my eyes closed. There was just two bumps in this leg, which were intense and I knew where to conserve energy and where to kick it into higher gear. My legs were still sore, but I knew I had to do this. Anjali told me that a beer will be waiting for me at the end of the run. As if that wasnt enough to get me going, my lovely wife and Son showed up just a couple of mins before I started. Boy, that was some emotional boost. These two had survived my being away from home for the last 5 months, for extended periods of time, and it was my turn to say thank you to both of them, for sacrificing so much to let me chase this dream. I wasnt going to let them down. I told myself, that I'll keep running and not stop or walk - at any cost. At the same time, I was bummed, that the relay was going to be over in an hour. So i decided not to look at my watch, but have loads of fun on my way to the end of the leg. Warmed up for the first mile as it was a gradual climb and then met the van around stevens creek blvd for a water. My son was cheering me saying "way to go dad" and he gave me a High 5! And that did it for me! Ahead of me was the first big bump. I skipped a bunch of songs to get to - Life is a highway - by Rascal Flatts, a fine tune from the movie Cars - my son's favourite. I put my head down and told myself - one foot at a time buddy. The 5 minute song went quickly by , as i arrived to the bottom of the next climb. There was another team's van who was blasting music and cheering me. They asked me if I wanted to join in, to party. I crossed the road to the other side, danced with the bunch for a minute or so and then started running. It was so heart warming to see so many great souls coming out in great numbers to run and celebrate this race. i was done with my two bumps, as I started turning the corner at the reservoir. The next 2.5 miles, was mostly flat and twisty and a lot of shade. I just focussed on the white line at the edge of the shoulder and kept running. 20 mins later, i was there , finishing 17.8 miles of my duties!! That feeling of accomplistment is something I dont know if I can put in words. I was greeted by Amit/Anjali/leena/Sam/Rishon. As promised Anjali poured me a COLD ONE. Ah, the beer never smelt/tasted better ever before!!! Excellent team work by van 1 runners. Last but not the least - Kudos to our fearless leader aka captain aka driver - Anjali. Anjali, you already know this, but here goes again - YOU ROCKKKKKK!!!!
Amit, Leg 29: Sunday, Apr 20 - 3.1 miles, Very Hard
My last leg followed Ashok’s 3 Mile Very Hard with a similar leg. A 1000 ft elevation change in 3 miles along Highway 9. The leg did not have a flat section in it, never mind a downhill section! The van came alongside for a brief period of time, blasting Chaiya Chaiya. My pace improved considerably for a short period of time, but the elevation change made it difficult to keep up the running pace for long. I got passed a couple of times, once by an older lady that didn’t make me feel good, but I continued. Finally I made the turn on the scenic highway and saw the whole team waiting for me. High 5s were exchanged and I was done – almost! Dumma made me run to the other end of the cones before I was done, but I paid him back by playing keep-away with the wrist band until I was ready to hand it off. Finally, I was done! J
Anjali: Relay Day 2
Van 2 breezed through their 2nd legs fast! They were up against cold rain and brutal winds. It was amazing to see their determination and energy…despite the tough running conditions, they were still smiling and cheering when we met them at the Van exchange at 6am Sunday. Naveen handed off to Sumi, and with that, Van 1 was embarking on it’s last legs! Sumi, Leena, Sharath, Karthik, Ashok, and Amit. Each one conquered their last leg amidst cheers and high-fives. And what would make it better…each runner celebrated with an ice cold beer at the end of their runs! Now it was the home stretch, Van 2 still had some tough runs to get through and all our focus was on awaiting their arrival in Santa Cruz. Peter guided us down to Santa Cruz where we reunited with Van 2…as Naveen came running, the rest of the team joined him. It was a beautiful sight to see the team running through the sand across the finish line.
This has been a truly amazing experience. It was so much fun…I’m still on an adrenaline rush from all the energy and excitement! Oh and our favorite van quote that we saw this weekend: “If this race was easy, it’d be called Your Mom”. Ha! Loved it!
Ranjeet, Leg 31: Sunday April 20th, 1:00PMWe left Kshama’s place after a couple of hours of rest & some awesome pancakes. She was a gracious host & took really good care of us.
This was going to be my favorite leg for more reason than one. It was a moderate leg of 6.2 miles but it was all downhill. I love downhills - my momentum carries me down at a pretty good paceJ There is no stopping even if I wanted to! Also, this was the last leg & all I could think about was the keg party on Monday & partying with some of my best friends. I don’t remember much of this run..all I remember is the exchange point & Yadhu’s bald head shinning at the end. There was indeed a light at the end of this tunnel! I finished strong, cooled down & had a smoke! Not the right thing to do..but then again, I have never done the right thing other than running this relay for a great cause & with a awesome bunch of friends.
High Points: Watching the team pulling off such a difficult feat with big smiles on their faces. Appu finishing the VH & overtaking Dean K. All the camaraderie in van2. The mostly R rated jokes ( I initiate most of them)
Low points: Not getting to see Leena run. I missed her. (She asked me to put this in there)
Yadhu, Leg32: Sunday Apr 20, 12:30PM - 4.7 miles/Easy/38min
http://therelay.com/co_maps_32.htm
This was the last and easy part after refueling. (Our ship had temporarily docked at the Waxwing port for pancak'ing that morning). It was a pleasant run in the shade going downhill. I saw many runners go past me as most tend to speed up going downhill. I finished the run and my part of the marathon the Redwood Elementary School. K&S met me on hwy 9 to cheer me up. We went to the Santa Cruz beach together with the Mama ship.
Sometimes it is hard to 'write' what you feel or experience. But here are some good memories from the past 6 months..
..early morning runs in baylands..a guy in a van parked (starring at us?) in the baylands parking lot..coffee after saturday runs..duck walks....the garage sales....post-run stretching with shloka...how many dishes for lunch today?...the drive to calistoga..sheshu always engaging the reverse gear and going backward first....van2 runners getting so excited to cheer the active runner that they forget to get him water....chicken s/w soaked in water overnight.. happy cows (face facing us) and happy cows (butt facing us)....the happy chinese cheese runner.. chet's nightly involuntary movements.. Peru's nightly vibrations....some lady reporting me as lost in the vineyard.. van2 loosing me while searching for bananas in the trunk during the night leg....peru, who "got to do it maan"..the debate about the 'flex'fuel..dumma's windy experience inside porter potty..and so on..
I cannot express how thankful I am to my loving wify and sweetie daughter for motivating and supporting me through the training period and the actual marathon. Their dedication and contribution kept me going miles. And it has been proved again that there is nothing that is impossible.
KarthikR, Leg 33: (Easy) - 6.5 miles (Around 2:30pm)- Hwy 9, Boulder Creek
Yup! This was it! The Last Leg. I was waiting with Naveen at the exchange point. I was again caught-up in standing in line in front of the porta-potty. I was already 4th in the line and each person was taking an hour to get out. To my dismay a lady came by and requested to preempt us since she had some ultimate urgency. There you go! Yadhu again showed up way ahead of time and I had to take off. After about a mile, my knee started to act up. Even a degree of gradient was enough to send a shooting pain up through my leg. But, I had to finish this leg. I managed by walking uphills and almost sprinting down-hills. Running through Boulder Creek was a challenge by itself. There isn't a well defined bike path. So, often one is running with vehicular traffic. Since it was a bright day it was fine. Van2 guys stopped every mile to cheer and Sheshu as usual had his bazooka out to shoot pictures. Now, family members started to show up. Kshama was happily riding in her Murano and cheering me along the way. As I was limping my way along, I spotted a chiseled runner just whiz past me. I heard her saying "Catch-up".. I tried! And, then I spotted another Texan go by me and say "Where the f*** are those cones!?!" -- I thought he read my mind. Just when I was about to start crying, Van2 showed up and ensured that I had only a mile and a half to go. I said "Orange Cones or Bust!" and chugged along. I got an peeled orange from someone who was waiting for their runner -- how the hell was I supposed to eat an orange and run?! I looked back after around a corner and chucked the orange into someone's back-yard -- yes, there were houses next to each other all the way. I spotted Dumma somewhere saying "Finish with a smile" and I broke one instantly. It was an ecstatic moment (for lack of a better word?) to pass on my baton to Appu. Yes! I had made it and apparently with the best timing.
Apruva, Leg 34: Sunday Apr 20 - 6.2 miles, Hard
After my early morning run, my left knee started to act up again. Lucky for me, my van went to Yadhu and Kshama's house in between runs. There, I devoured 6 pancakes and an omelet - along with taking a shower and a short nap. Perhaps more importantly, I was able to ice my knee. Ok, who am I kidding, the chocolate chip pancakes were the highlight of this interlude.
While waiting for Dumma, Yadhu, and Peru to finish their last legs on Route 9, I made every effort not to put weight on my left knee. I knew there would be pain, but I just wanted to limit it as much as possible. It was wrapped up and I took some Motrin and I felt like I was ready to go.
With the guys coming in after their final legs, I felt pretty bummed knowing that this would be my last run of the relay. I also knew that the last 3 miles of this portion involved a 600 ft climb, so I had to make sure I had enough energy left at the end to make that final ascent.
While waiting at the baton exchange, I noticed our Texas friends once more. They might have already started drinking at this point, because I couldn't understand much of what they were saying. At least it took my mind off of my knee.
Once I got the bracelet from Peru, I was off. The wrap was off of my knee and it almost instantly started tingling. I hoped that I would just become numb to it after a while, and that's exactly what happened. As I entered the town of Ben Lomond, it didn't seem like the townies were overly impressed by the relay. We went through the heart of downtown (I think), and I would have thought more people would have looked at us or acknowledged us, but maybe they were just tired of having so many people come through and wanted to ignore us. I felt the same way about my knee anyway, so no hard feelings.
During my previous runs I wasn't ever particularly concerned about staying on the side of the road away from cars because I either had a wide shoulder to work with or there were no cars around. This time, though, I was running in fairly populated areas with a steady stream of traffic and about a foot of shoulder to work with (in some areas less). This was a little disconcerting, but so was the fact that I needed to use the restroom. Instead of adding another thing to worry about I just increased the volume on my iPod and plodded along.
Around mile 3 I got some water from Naveen and realized that I needed to go to the bathroom even more. In addition, I was now carrying a plastic water bottle and didn't know what to do with it. I passed a sign that said something to the effect of "No Littering - $1000 fine". Uh-oh. Luckily I ran by a house that had a recycling bin on their driveway. I deftly opened the lid and threw the bottle in the can without missing a stride. This drew applause from our friends in the Texas van that drove by.
Once I got through downtown (this might have been downtown Felton at this point - I don't remember), I made a sudden right and saw the hill I had to climb. As an added bonus, Sheshu was taking pictures of me as I ran by and a townie on his bike rode right up to him and chewed him out because he thought he was taking unauthorized pictures of him. I would've liked to see how this turned out, but I didn't really have to worry about Sheshu defending himself.
Going up the incline I decided to open a GU packet I had with me (basically a gel-like packet filled with electrolytes and salt). Well, I opned it wrong and it exploded all over my hands. Now I had sticky, espresso-flavored GU all over my hands. Fantastic. So I began licking my hands and churning my legs when the Texas van drove up again and asked me which way the trail went. I was confused because I thought the Texas guy was ahead of me, but apparently I passed him somewhere along the way using the 1 foot shoulder. I said that I hoped the trail veered left, because that's where I was headed.
As we climbed further, my van was stopped on the side and told me that I had a mile to go. "Really?..ok" I said as I approached the steepest part of the climb. My mind veered off course as I stopped thinking about the bathroom at the end of the run, my espresso tasting hands, the pain in my knee, and the post-race keg party. This was it for me. The end of the relay. Six months of training was coming to a close - and I wanted to keep going.
I entered the quarry at the very end, handed the bracelet off to Chet and kept running for the bathroom.
Later we hopped in the van and cheered on Chet as he finished his last leg. Naveen then jumped out and we headed to the beach. Once we saw the ocean we all screamed out. While waiting on the beach our families and friends all joined us as we took pictures and soaked in the views. Naveen soon came charging down the final hill and we all joined him on the beach and crossed the finish line as a team.
What followed later was numerous pictures, hugs, high-fives, and general euphoria. Amongst all of this, we were reminded of our inspriation to run this race when Arnav's parents (Sanjay and Shikha) presented all of our team members with flowers for our accomplishment. This was a touching moment, and I didn't know how to respond. They had gone through so much with the loss of their son, and coming to an event like this must have only reminded them of his memory. Yet they still drove an hour from San Jose and waited for us to cross the finish line because we raised money for Organs 'R Us in his memory.
Still in a daze from this and the end of the race, the Texas guys called us over for a group picture. When this was over, one of them yelled out.."Hey, see you guys next year!"..."Count on it", I replied.
Chethan, Leg 35: Sunday, Apr 20, 3:00PM
Dare we say that the 199 mile relay is almost done? After watching Appu run up his last hill near Felton Quarry Rd, I was agonizing just from the van. I was glaring at the map for my last run and saw the 350 foot climb right at the onset. Ouch. My legs were already feeling like jello and my knees were scaring me. Oh well.....let's just run and see what happens. I couldn't really jump out to a fast start on this one....mainly b/c it was uphill. So, I was forced to pace myself for the first bit. As soon as I made it over the hill....the majority of the mileage left was downhill. At one point, I was running so fast that I had to put my arms up to help brace my forward momentum. I sucked on my goo as if my life depended on it. The guys were great....stopping often....to hand out water and cheer me on. As I hit level ground, I steadied up a bit and resumed a comfortable pace. My legs were weary and my feet started to ache a bit. But, this part was all mind over matter. I saw the ocean on my right and anxiously waited for that finish line. I looked down at my wristwatch and realized that I was due to see Naveen and the rest of the gang very shortly. During the last couple miles, I remembered the weekdays since November that i woke up at 5:30 just to go running at Baylands with the crew. We were only running 2 miles at that time and my body was hurting. Running was different than baseball or basketball. Different types of aches and soreness. Then, I thought of the days leading up to our first long run at Sawyer Creek Trail. 7 miles?? Are you kidding me? But, we did it. The 10K at Campbell. No problem. We went to India and I tried training as best I could. Probably regressed a bit there...but, held up ok at The Dish upon returning. This was all so great. The camaraderie. The bonding. Definitely stretched ourselves to new heights, here. This weekend was all about having fun. Finishing what we started months ago. Everyone was great....from volunteers to coach N & D. Soon after those reflections, I saw some commotion. The end was near. Naveen had his cowbell and ready to take this one home to the beach. I couldn't sprint to this finish...but, let go of the band and exhaled. What a rush. I'll be feeling the pain for a few days....but, remembering the memories foreva!!!
Naveen, Leg 36, Sunday, Apr 20 - 4.7 miles Easy
This is it, the last leg, and we are gonna be done with it. Van1 folks were already at the boardwalk, awaiting us, Preetu, Ajji, Amma, Aanya, and Dad were there too, and so were plenty of families of my friends.
This was an easy leg, with 12 turns, in the city of Santa Cruz. The only thing I should note for was to not get lost in the streets. My leg started hurting as soon as I started running, but the adrenaline had me all fired up. After running thru' a maze of streets, I arrived at the Ocean St. And yes, I was welcomed by a lovely view of the ocean, the clear blue skies, and a very helpful tail wind. Ringing the cow-bell that I had carried with me, I ran by this last 2 miles of the run, and arrived by the Boardwalk. My entire team was waiting for me, they chest-bumped me, and with me leading, we ran as a team across the finish line.
34 hours after we started our journey in Calistoga, we had arrived. Our team had come together to face the challenge, and emerged victorious. It was over whelming to see the families. Aanya was there to receive me with her smile, and Preetu with a hug, and lots of love from the rest of the family and friends.
Arnav's energy and spirit, was represented by his parents, Sanjay and Shikha. They had managed to show up at the beach, waited for us, and gave us roses. Hats off to them, for having done this. Such lovely people. Thanks Shikha and Sanjay.
After turning in the time sheets, we collected the medals, I presented it to each of the team members, spent a few minutes having our pictures taken.
Alls well, that ends well.
Slow As Molasses. We did it!
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