Xterra Topanga Turkey Trot 2009 Race Recap 15K

Race recap: Topanga Turkey Trot 11/26/09
Race Type: Xduro Trail
Start time: 8:15
Hours of sleep: 7.5 hrs.
Distance: 9.3 miles
Finish time: 1:35:31
Past Results: Same Race: 2008 1:34:51; 2007 1:32:01; 2006 1:33:50
Calories Burned: 927 cal (but it doesn’t account for trail running- so it was probably more)
Elevation Gain: +2258 ft.
Avg. Pace: 10:16 min/mile
Max pace: 5:05 min/mile
Avg. Heart rate: 178 bpm
Max. Heart rate: 194 bpm
Fastest Mile: 7:20(mile 9)
Slowest Mile: 13:17 (mile 5)

mile 1 11:56 Big hill at the start
mile 2 11:42
mile 3 9:58 Moving into the single track
mile 4 10:12
mile 5 13:17 (I really don’t know why this mile was soo slow!)
mile 6 10:18
mile 7 9:43
mile 8 9:27
mile 9 7:20 (I love downhill! )
.3 6:13 pace (I was flying!)
Songs Listened to: ipods are not supposed to be used on the trails so other runners can hear you on the single track to pass
Oz of FRS finished: about 6oz
Chocolate Gu's: 0
Pretzels and Almonds: 0
Bathroom stops: 0-
Running with great friends: Nesrein’s very first Xterra race and Rory’s second, Ray was our athletic supporter (Ray didn’t run because he ad just finished IMAZ (Ironman Arizona) the Sunday before!) They all met up at my house. My dad and my son Anthony came too! It was very exciting to go with friends who were running. I usually went to run alone. Although over the last 4 years of Xterra trail running, you do make quite a few friends!

This year’s Turkey Trot was a lot of fun. I like this Xterra course, although still challenging is one of the easier (if you can even dare to say) of the So Cal Courses.
This course starts out with a long steep climb on a fire road and then dips into a single track of undulating trail with menacing hazards such as suspended branches, a dread for taller runners, logs, rocks and uneven sinking terrain.

While running wild through the curvy single track through vegetation that seems to grab you, you gradually ascend back to the fire roads, there you traverse through rolling hills with striking views that return you to your original ascent, only this time instead of an arduous climb you get to accelerate down the hill as fast as you can where your reward is the finish line, a nice finishers medal and a scrambled egg breakfast.

Overall a great run, Nesrein, I only saw her at the start, I said, bye, bye under my breath as she whisked by up the first hill and out of sight. Rory passed me too up the first hill he even beat me to the switchbacks of the single-track trail. That’s where I caught up, but couldn’t pass, I could see him just ahead of me- We were separated by about 5-6 people. Lucky for me he was wearing a bright yellow jersey so I could see him. I finally passed Rory when we got back to the fire roads- That man is crazy, I think he ran 8 miles at 3:30 am that morning on top of this race and still did phenomenal!
Results:
Nesrein: first in age group and 4th overall
1 247 Nesrein Sweidan 26 1:17:41.17 8:21
Me: 4th in age group 25th female
4 192 Diana Pacheco 37 1:35:35.68 10:16
Rory Sandoval 6th in age group 93rd male
6 230 Rory P Sandoval 50 1:41:43.16 10:55


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To see all results go to:
http://results.active.com/pages/page.jsp?eventID=1814255&pubID=3