1999 Brentwood 5K

Report by: Eric Barron

The best thing about this race is the cornbread. That is not to mean that the course is not good, the weather not cooperative, or the field not large and deep. It is just that the cornbread provided afterward is great. However, this being a race write-up, not a food review, on to the racing . . . .

The field was, in fact, large and deep, particularly considering the race is essentially a neighborhood race. The first woman broke 17:00 in the 5K, as did about 24 other runners. Peter, who would have hit his goal had he stuck with the first woman (the goal being to break 17:00), went out on pace, but suffered what would be common among TCLA'ers' slow second mile. He finished up well, however, with a 17:26, just ten seconds behind the first TCLA man. The first TCLA woman was Jacinda, who also threw in a slow second mile and finished in 19:01. Encouraged by his close finish to her (19:25), Paul matched her step for step on their seven-mile cool-down. Also in the 5K, Ogie ran 20:50, and Lawrence, after biking eight miles to the race, ran 22:30.

In the 10K, Brian fought off a cold that had him in bed for several days during the week to finish in 41:10. (Good thing he had had that cold, too, or he would have gotten a little more kidding about walking around after the race wrapped up in a space blanket.) Meshelle, who commendably never shies away from a 10K when given the 5K option, ran 44:17. Finally, in a curious warm-up strategy, Tim ran two six-minute miles prior to the race, and was seen heading to the start just minutes, but many meters away, from the beginning of the race. Considering that he probably did not quite plan things that way, he should be happy with that he clocked a 41:30.

Many of the TCLA runners in the race did not hit their time goals, and they should keep several things in mind. First, the course is deceptive. It is not as flat as it seems as the grades are gradual and long. Second, it is early in the summer race season, and it can take a few races to develop the mental and physical sharpness necessary to last through the whole race. Third, racing is an unbeatable workout. And last, but not least, had you not raced, you would not have gotten the cornbread.