Do not let anyone call TCLA wimpy. With no prodding from their
coach, all eight TCLA runners at the Venice run opted for the 10K
instead of the 5K. A particularly admirable decision given that the
10K started at 8:00 a.m., whereas the 5K started at the much saner
hour of 9:30 a.m. (some of us like to sleep).
Tom Dellner, running as if he had something to prove (could it be
that Buckeye loss to the Wolverines?), finished in 38:21, seconds
ahead of John. Personally, I think John could have taken Tom, but
Tom was laughing so hard at the sight of Tom blazing by that quick
acceleration was difficult. Jacinda followed about thirty seconds
back, learning that a big part of the race takes place between your
ears.
Meanwhile, p.r.'s abounded. Silvia knocked minutes off her previous
best and went well under 1:00:00 with a 57:58. Melinda improved her
best by a few seconds with a 43:05, and Peggy turned in a 43:33 (with
which she dips under a seven-minute mile average, a nice milestone).
Shauna, too, p.r.'d with a 46:27. Mike's time of 39:14 left him
blasé, but it is understandably hard to concentrate when you are
responsible for arranging the upcoming post-Tuesday workout
gathering.
Special mention goes to Wenise, who found the 10K to be "nothing,"
after last weekend's Sacramento Marathon. There, in pouring rain and
sporting a Hefty bag, she ran a perfectly paced race. She had
previously calculated the pace necessary for a sub-3:40, and hit her
mark exactly. Unfortunately, she calculated the pace based on a
26-mile race, and, as some of you may be aware, marathons tend to be
26.2 miles. Nevertheless, she came away with an excellent effort, a
thirty-minute p.r., and a goal to shoot for next marathon.
Extra-special mention goes to Meshelle who also ran at Sacramento.
Due to the rain, she chose not to wear her heart monitor. Although
this may not seem like a big deal, remember that this is someone who
measures her performance by heart rate, not time. Fortunately, she
had enough sense not to stop every mile to take her pulse, though she
did have to stop for the bathroom, and still finished in a fantastic
3:38, thereby earning her, if she so chooses, a number at the Boston
Marathon.
