Sacramento Running News

Strictly speaking, the San Francisco Marathon isn’t a local race–but a lot of locals run it. For that reason, I’ll usually poke through the results to see if I recognize any local runners.

While I didn’t spot any familiar locals among the top finishers, I did notice something peculiar. There were a lot of ultrarunners in the top men and women.

The overall winner was Michael Wardian, who was only a few weeks off his 3rd place finish at Badwater.

Chris Knorzer, in 5th place, has also dabbled in ultrarunning and had run the Tahoe Rim Trail 50K on July 16th. (Actually, Knorzer can’t be a real ultrarunner because he doesn’t have a blog.)

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There’s a new kid in town that I think you’re going to like.

Now that you’re sitting on your butt recovering from that epic run at Western States, or maybe sitting at your desk day-dreaming about the trails, you’ve got a great new website just brimming with candy for your ears.

It’s called Ultrarunner Podcast.com and it’s just chock-full of interviews of your favorite ultrarunning celebrities, pioneers, trainers, and coaches.

Imagine yourself, sitting at work staring blankly at an spreadsheet. It’s a picture of middle-class existential ennui until you plug in a discreet set of ear buds and switch on an interview of Kami Semick, Hal Koerner, Tim Twietmeyer or even Christopher McDougall. Suddenly, while still staring blankly at that spreadsheet, you are miles away pounding down a trail somewhere, living the dream.

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The dust has finally settled on the Western States Trail. The runners are done with this race until the next time they are “lucky” enough to pin on a Western States 100 race number. The volunteers, many as tired as the runners, have packed up and gone home.

Three hundred and ten runners crossed the finish line at Auburn’s Placer High before the 30-hour time clock ran out. Some were elated. Some were satisfied. Some were disappointed. Another 65-runners called it a day somewhere before they made it to the end.

The reasons for dropping are endless, but doing so is always painful–sometimes physically, sometimes mentally, and usually both.

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Starting before sunrise, runners make their way up the hill from Squaw Valley in the 2010 race. (Photo courtesy of Kerina Blue)

I woke up this morning at 7:30 and thought to myself, “The guys running Western States have already been running for two-and-a-half hours!”

I do this every year I’m not running. Then I turn on the computer and check out the live webcast.

Dave Mackey was the first into Talbot Creek (13 miles), but now Kilian Jornet is the first into the Poppy Trailhead aid station! Exciting isn’t it?

It’s a little less thrilling than when ABC’s Wide World of Sports covered the event wire-to-wire and had cameramen in helicopters capturing the race. Those were the good old days.

Of course, by the time it was aired, the race was long over and the result was well known by all who cared.

USA Track and Field Champs:

If you are sitting at home with the computer, you should also be checking out the US National Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The live feed can be watched here.

The sad thing is that USATF sold the rights to broadcast many of the premium events to ESPN, so they aren’t being broadcast live. Fortunately, these events seem to be available for viewing on-line after ESPN has had it’s way with them.

Hundreds of runners, as well as countless support crews and volunteers, are already congregating in Squaw Valley for this weekend’s 38th running of the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run.

Weather forecasters are predicting cool temperatures and the race is being run on a modified “snow year” course, which replaces some technical (i.e., rocky and slow) parts of the trail with some fast fire roads–including some pavement.

Add to this the stellar field being assembled and you can expect blazing fast times and an exciting race.

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It must be spring! Not only am I sneezing every 30-seconds, it seems as though we were overwhelmed with races and tasty results to report on.

In track and field, Stanford was host to the 2011 Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational, where the Hornets’ Lea Wallace turned out the 2nd fastest Division I 1500 of the year. Wallace, in her first 1500 of the season, ran 4:11.31. The only collegiate athlete ahead of her is Jordan Hasay (Oregon), who ran 4:10.28 in the same race this weekend. Letsrun.com has an excellent write-up about the event.

Up in Oregon on Sunday, Sacramento’s Jenny Hitchings ran a PR 2:46:10 in the Eugene Marathon–just 11 seconds shy of the Women’s Olympic Trials Marathon qualifying time. Hitchings was 5th woman overall, and 2nd masters behind Bend’s Kami “The Machine” Semick.

Speaking of close calls, at the Quicksilver 50K in San Jose, Jen Pfeifer, of El Dorado (former of Folsom), was reportedly in the lead until the final mile of the race where she went off course and picked up several extra minutes. While lost, Pfeifer was passed by a more attentive Adona Ramos, of San Jose. Ramos took the win with only about 15-seconds to spare.

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Ellie Greenwood and Kami Semick battle it out at the AR 50. Photo courtesy of Jean Pommier. http://fartherfaster.blogspot.com/

The weather was perfect and there were some races this past weekend!

Just under 700 runners toed the line at the American River 50, this Saturday. There was mud and vomiting. There was triumph and tragedy. You know–the usual ultrarunning scene.

Dave Mackey, of Boulder, was the overall winner in 5:55. Ellie Greenwood, of Banff, Alberta, Canada, AKA the 2010 World 100 km champion, was the women’s winner in 6:25.

Kami Semick, of Bend, Oregon, was the second woman, and Jen Pfiefer, of Folsom, was the 3rd woman. Pfeifer is rumored to be mulling over the entry to the Western States 100 she was awarded.

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I’m guessing that a lot of people are going to come to town this weekend to run in the American River 50. It is, after all, one of the largest ultra races in the country.

I asked some locals where they’d recommend eating dinner before the big race and came up with a short list.

Maria G. says that if you like Italian, you should try Michelangelo‘s or Lucca (both midtown).  If you like sushi, she recommends Mikuni (midtown) or Taro (Arden Fair Mall) . For Thai, she likes Thai Basil. “They are reliably good in their specialty,” she says. She also recommend making reservations for Michelangelo’s though. The night before CIM (the California International Marathon) it is usually packed with runners.

Allyson T. likes Miyagi Sushi (near Sac State) before big races. “Good proteins, not too much carbs and healthy fats,” she says. “And a little sake helps you sleep better!”

Andrew A. recommends the Loving Hut (Stockton Blvd, just south of downtown), saying “Great flavor, good combo of protein and carbs, not too heavy.” They are also one of few vegan restaurants in Sacramento. They are definitely the only restaurant in town with Supreme Master Television!

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This just in from the Lake Sonoma 50 Race Director:

Due to flooding and unsafe stream crossings, the 4th Annual Lake Sonoma 50, scheduled for Saturday, April 2, has been cancelled.

Registered entrants were sent an email yesterday afternoon, announcing the cancellation and offering a partial refund, priority entry into next year’s race, and a few spots in next weekend’s AR 50.

The stream crossing at Warm Springs Creek (mile 12 and 38) is currently at least 8 feet deep and about 80 yards across with a swift current in the middle.

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While the race website still has no mention of it, the race directors for Saturday’s Rucky Chucky Roundabout sent out an email on Wednesday canceling the event. The email included the following apology:

We are sorry for the inconvenience that this may cause. We had already received the race shirts and had already shopped at Costco for race food today before we received the call.

The question of refunds has come up, but so-far all that race management is offering is a free entry to another of their races.

We are willing to offer a free entry to another one of our 2011 races(except Rock’n River 50).

I have more than a little sympathy for the race directors in this situation, but this has happened once before. Perhaps it’s a little too early in the season for this race at this particular location. (more…)