San Francisco, California. The fourth most populated city in the US.
We got to drive by the Emeryville overpass that had been destroyed by a turned over semi. The run took place in the Marin Headlands – a hilly area just north of San Francisco, immediately across the Golden Gate Bridge. The Headlands are famous for their stunning view of the Bay Area.

Fotos by Frank Filice

The run started at 5:40am. It was still dark and there was a little chill in the air, but we all knew it would warm-up soon enough. We all gathered on the beach waiting for the RD to start the run.
The first 6.2 miles consist of a little bit of trail and a lot of asphalt. We climb up, up, up Bunker Rd. to a glorious view of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco. On the way we pass numerous bunkers and batteries. All the military sites in the Headlands are now decommissioned, preserved as historical sites and returned to civilian use.

After the Bunker Rd. Aid Station we are back on a trail and head to the Tennessee Valley AS (11.9m) and then start heading down to Muir Beach (16m). This was a nice downhill section with gorgeous views of the Pacific Ocean and the California coast.

From Muir Beach to Pan Toll (21.7m) the terrain is rolling until the last 3 miles before the aid station. This is a nice 3-mile uphill grind. Here we run (or walk in my case) through Redwoods and the shade of the trees is a welcome coolness from the heat of the morning sun. We had the pleasure of navigating across a fallen Redwood. It was HUGE. Luckily the front runners had created a path for the rest of us to follow and get across.

The Pan Toll to Bolinas Ridge (28.4m) is 6.7 miles long and the flattest section of the whole run. We get to do it twice…out and back. This was a narrow single track, slightly cambered along the side of a grassy ridge. You could see runners ahead and behind as you looked back.

For being the flattest and most like ‘Houston’ terrain, I had my hardest time on this section on the trails both ways! I was low on calories both times and mentally it wore on me. I just gritted my teeth and kept pushing forward. Counting my steps…run 50 steps, walk 50 steps and so on until I got to the aid station. I remember there were a lot of young kids manning the Bolinas Ridge AS...they were having a really good time too. I stopped here and grazed from the table. There was plenty of watermelon to go around and by this time we were starting to ask for ice in our water bottles.

The section from Bolinas Ridge to the Randall Trail turn-around (35.6m) was mainly rolling with a 2-mile downhill section just before the aid station. In this section I saw all the runners that were ahead of me. There were quite a few! Everyone looked strong and they were all moving well. I saw Meredith in this section. She too looked strong and we wished each other well. Meredith finished the run in 12:40-ish. A great finishing time!

The way back was fairly uneventful, except for the low-energy ebb through the Bolinas Ridge section. I didn’t start feeling better until I got to Pan Toll (49.5m) and dug into my dropbag for some Honey Stingers and an energy drink. I also refilled my spare bottle with Ensure and ice. With more calories in my system I was ready to tackle the last 12 miles of the course.

I felt great these last 12 miles compared to the previous 7 miles.

Departing Pan Toll we got to run down that 3-mile climb we had done earlier in the day. By now I had strapped my trusty Cho-pats on my knees and popped a couple of ibuprofen. My ITB was starting to flare up on both sides.

On the way to the Highway 1 crossing (54.7m) I faced my worst nightmare….Poison Oak! Yes, there was no avoiding it. It was everywhere. I just hoped for the best and was thankful that I had applied some Ivy Block earlier in the day and had a bottle of Tecnu waiting for me at the hotel!!

I find myself climbing out of the poison oak forest and onto a wide trail that rolls on for a couple of miles. I usually like downhill sections but the last 3/4 mile before returning to the Tennessee Valley (58.4m) aid station is crazy steep. With tired legs there’s no way I’m going to lean forward and let gravity take me down. I make all the downhill mistakes. I lean back and grunt with every breaking step.

With only 3.8 miles to go I grab a full cup of coke and a cookie and start heading up the ridge.

This is the home stretch.

As I reach the top of the climb and start heading down a hiker tells me I can break 14 hours if I pick it up. I look at my watch and I have 6 minutes to make it to the finish line.

I start to run faster and I fly down the steps and switchbacks. I see my husband at the bend of a switchback and I inform him that I am not stopping for a photo!! I’m on a mission.

He chases after me as snaps a few photos….but I’m moving so fast I’m just a blur…haha.

The finish was at the end of the parking lot and I coast in with a finishing time of 13:57

I was happy.

There was a nice post race party with burgers and sodas. Lots of neat stuff in our goodie bag along with a singlet with the race logo and a 16oz bottle of homebrew.

The run was well organized, the aid stations and volunteers were great and the trail well marked. Who could ask for more during such a glorious day, hardly a cloud in the sky and lots of sunshine.

Definitely an event I would recommend to my friends and hope to go back and do it again!

The End.