After my not so great week after the Marathon, I decided not to run Saturday and helped out with water stations for the Leggers instead. But I did go to Firecracker 10K on Sunday. How could I not? This event is crazy. It's crowded, packed with people from all races, ages, and abilities, and starts off with a bang of hundreds of firecrackers going off. I didn't actually see the firecrackers; but I heard them, smelled them, and saw the smoke. There was also a lively dragon dance - Just the right amount of cheesiness and fun.
I did the Firecracker 5K 2 years ago, so I knew to expect hills. And after that race, I vowed never to do it again. But I've worked on hill training since then, and I started off pretty slowly - running - but slowly. The 10K started half an hour after the 5K, and since I got there very early, I was eager to go. The hills were just as I remembered them, steep! But I was prepared and was able to run up them at a relaxed pace. The views were beautiful. Gorgeous clear day. Now the parts I wasn't as crazy about? The downhills. Steep steep downhills. Running with brakes at full force downhills. So I took little walk breaks there. No need to muck up my knees. Once I got to Dodger's Stadium, a little over a mile away from home base, I notched up my speed. I was feeling good and heading to the finish. My final time was 1:09:21 . And after it was done? I went home. Too crowded!
But I did spot the Tiger. He looked beautiful, happy, strong and hopeful. Happy Chinese New Year everyone.
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