Race Briefs - A quick note on some recent events. 

BUMR 2008 - February 2008 - Greg and Loa are awesome hosts for this event. Their RVing nature came out as they laid out an amazing spread.  Hot Dogs, sausages, great cookies, sodas, and tons of assorted munchies greeted the finishing runners.  My $5 entry fee bought better post race goodies than most major marathons offer for $100.  This doesn't even get to the aid stations which sported not only the water and gatorade, but also gummi bears, pretzels, and other stuff (I remember seeing several different items, but I focused on the two above and everything else is a haze in my memory).  Greg's ROTC students did a great job manning the stations.  At least except for the 3 who ran the marathon for themselves.  Great job Underwood's, I'm glad to hear you want to repeat next year.

Run/Walk for Peace - May 2007 - Fifty-seven persons participated in this year’s event helping us to raise $1107 for Heifer International (HI), and as in previous years, the (HI) mugs, caps, and books were offered as prizes to top finishers.  We thank the HI Southwest Regional Office for donating these prizes, HI promotional materials, and for other ways that it has encouraged and helped make possible our venture.  We are proud that we can contribute to the worthy efforts that HI is carrying out. (Scott Lecrone)

BUMR - February 2007 - A passer-by stopped at the 6 mile aide station and asked “what’s a BUMR?” David Baker, cross-country coach/English Dept. chair at Golden Valley H.S., and 3rd year BUMR aide station worker, could have replied in several ways: “Well, getting a flat tire on the way to work…that would be a bummer!; or driving home from Taco Bell and then realizing you didn’t get the right order, that would be a bummer!; but really, running any length and time all the way up to a total of 26.6 miles….now that’s a BUMR!” And that’s what 41 people did this year….they ran all kinds of distances and times…with several completing their first ever marathon distance (and some going even farther than our own 26.6 marathon distance)!! Fun was had by all, and for those that completed their first marathon….a hardy “way to go…you did it!” to them. But to all that came and participated, thank you for coming out and supporting the BUMR event, running or walking for your health, making new friends, or simply enjoying the outdoors. Good food, good friends, and a good time was had by all…and I will be donating proceeds from the event in the form of dog food to the Alpha Canine program (since I am a dog owner and lover, several runners/walkers brought their “kids” and this is a fantastic program to donate too!) In conclusion, this was also my “swan-song” as director of the BUMR. I will be turning over the event to a director/s as yet unnamed (right Greg and Loa!?) to carry on the BUMR tradition. I would like to thank several people: first and foremost my wife Kathy whom I could not have done this event for 3 years were it not for ALL the help she gave me; secondly as mentioned earlier David Baker for his 3 years of aide station devotion to our club event; to David’s parents who helped at the 10 mile aide station for 2 years; this years 10 mile aide station volunteers Frank and Priscilla Bacús; Susan James who dropped off the drop bags at miles 4 and 12.5 (though she dropped them off the night before so we’re lucky they were still there for the race the next morning! J ); Mike Marler for helping with the flier and newsletter info and his friend for the new design; Jonathan Wykoff for help with the website info.; the Bakersfield Track club et al for help with the supply of t-shirts and medals; and finally to all of you who came out and supported the BUMR over the last 3 years of my tenure as director. Thank you all again and lets have a BUMR of a time next year!

CSUB PEAK Valentines Run - February 2007 - We had great weather this morning.  About a dozen drops of rain hit as registration was happening, but it never actually rained.  Overcast sky with temperatures in the low 50's.  Jeff couldn't have requested better.  It seemed like the field was a little faster overall this year. (especially with the addition of Galvin to make us all feel really slow).  Jeff puts together probably one of the best post race raffles in town with restaurant gift certificates to Woody's and P.F. Changs, and game tickets to the Condors, the Jam, and to CSUB Basket Ball games.  Also, this year's course was a little updated ( I like it better), I don't know its accuracy as I don't wear my Garmin when I race. - Jonathan

Fog Run - January 2007 - Mic Hall - As I have done in the past, I will start this article about Fog Run XVIII by apologizing for the lack of fog.  When we started the event almost two decades ago, fog formed more frequently and much thicker then what we see now.  We just assumed we’d have fog for a run in January.  Hope springs eternal so maybe next year………

We hope everything else was satisfactory to all the participants.  Our committee tried to build on the successful elements and improve or get rid of the less successful ones.  To help us do a better job with race results, please fill out your registration forms thoroughly and legibly.  Following are the results of this year’s event.  (Thanks to the BTC for listing our results again this year.)  If your name is misspelled, in the wrong group or you have any positive criticisms/ suggestions for improving our event for next year, send them to me at michall@bak.rr.com.

We hope you participate in many more BTC supported runs this year and to see you back at the next Fog Run, tentatively planned for January 12, 2008.  And remember, Life…Run for It.

Volkslauf X - October 14, 2006 - Well, that makes a decade of mud!!  And what better way to cap off the 10th Volkslauf than with mud for the entire 6.2 miles thanks to a Friday thunderstorm.  The mud between the obstacles wasn't that bad, but my shoes were a bit heavier than usual with the inch or so of clay they were continually replacing.  It was great. 

Is it just me, or did the Volkslauf committee outdo themselves again this year?  I liked the new course with more obstacles, more mud, and less pavement.  The fact that this event has grown from 194 runners in 1997 to the over 2000 brave souls wading through mire and scaling walls of wood is testament to the quality of planning and work that goes into making this thing happen. 

The addition of the 5K seemed to be a success as it brought several souls out to the fun who might not have come out otherwise.  (Note for next year, please don't start them first.  Most of them are not trying to move very fast, and it got very crowded in Devil Dog Ditch.)

Thank you again for all of the hard work that goes into this unique event.  I personally can't get enough of this race.  As a personal note, with 10 Volkslaufs under my jersey now, I have finally found the shoes that don't fill up with sand in the toe box.  Oh the joy of mud running without curled toes!!

-Jonathan

Disneyland 1/2 Marathon - September 17, 2006 - I hope Greg understands that it is partially his own fault.  The first thing he said to me after the run was, "Sandbagger!"  Of course, I could say the same thing to him.  He was referring back to our starting line conversation where we both said we were looking to run between 1:32 and 1:35 for the 13.1 mile course.  We ran together for the first 4 miles, and I spent about half of that right behind Greg with him pushing the pace.  Miles 2,3, and 4 were all below 6:50, so I had a decision to make.... Do I feel well enough to keep up this pace (or even a little faster) to try to break 1:30, or do I simply ease up a bit and drop back to a more comfortable pace which will keep me at my goal.  Any of you who know me would probably ask if there was any question, obviously the only choice is to go for it -- so I did.  I finished in 1:27:51 with a big smile on my face, and Greg finished in 1:30.  Both of us were under our goal paces.
     Disney puts on a great event.  The course winds its way through California Adventure and Disneyland before crossing I-5 to run around through residential areas on the way past the Pond (Home of the Ducks), where a youth ice hockey team was cheering us on by pounding the pavement with their sticks (what a great sound when you are wavering).  From there we ran along the river (yes, some off pavement running) towards Angels Stadium.  In the parking lot we ran under the big "A" before running into the stadium and around the warning track.  Somewhere between 1st and Home (we ran in along the 1st base line and then out along the 3rd base line), our names were called out, "Jonathan Wykoff of Bakersfield."  When that happens, look up to see yourself on the Jumbotron!!! Very cool.  From here it is just 5K back to the theme parks and finish line.  If you want to know what it is like to finish a marathon without going the entire 26.2, this is a great event.  From the 12,000 runners to the pre-race expo, large aid stations, bands along the course, crowds at the finish line, getting wrapped in foil, draped with a finisher's medal, and tons of food afterward, this has all of the feel of a marathon except the absolute leg fatigue.  Definitely a fun event in the "Happiest Place on Earth."
     One more thought, I want to know how many runners tripped near where the hula dancers were.

Kern River Trail Run - April 1, 2006 - We had 319 register to run, and 286 actually finish.  For those of you who stayed home because of a little rain, you definitely missed a great event.  Good shirts, finisher medals, and pancake breakfast for everyone.  Also, 5K age group winners received a short sleeve technical running shirt by Mizuno.  10 mile and 20 mile age group winners each received a pair of running shoes (I got some Mizuno Alchemy 5's which I can't wait to try out.  The course was marked great with orange paint and little flags.  Yeah, sure, there was mud, sheep, hills, mud electric fences, and a little mud, but that's the stuff memories are made from.  At the finish line there were unending smiles (and pancakes) to reflect the great morning everyone seemed to have.  Oh, and you snivelers who don't like rain, it didn't rain once during the actual race!  So there!

Catalina Marathon - March 18, 2006

CSUB PEAK Valentine Run - February 11, 2006 - What a great turnout of runners on a great day!!  The best turnout they have ever had.  Race director Jeff Moffitt's sense of humor was evident during the raffle as "couples" prizes such as a pair of movie tickets and chap stick or a dinner gift certificate with breath mints were awarded.  The course marking could be a little better as several of the 10K runners got off course, but I really enjoyed the course layout.

Volkslauf -October 2005 -  What can I say, the local mud run was a sloppy good time yet again.  More obstacles, deeper mud, but new course records were still set.  Definitely looking forward to next year's 10th running. (Jonathan Wykoff)

Springville Apple Run - October 2005 - A great trail 10K, complete with single-track climbs, and descents that will make the hair stand up on your neck.  The water bottle fanny pack in place of a t-shirt this year was cool.  Keep an eye on 8 year old Christopher Nickell. He won the .5 mile kids race with an impressive 3:17. (Jonathan Wykoff)

Montana de Oro Trail Run - October 2005 - I can't speak for the 50K or 37K events, but the 23K was killer fun.  Start off running uphill on a sandy (deep sand) single-track, and keep going up for 1500 feet of climbing.  Great coastal weather, run on top of the cliffs overlooking the pacific, and the best stocked aid stations I have ever seen.  They have a 14K too - all of the climbing of the 23K, without the flatish 6 miles at the end. (Jonathan Wykoff)