Smell What I'm Stepping In: SAR 10k Wild Run Shaver Lake, Ca

August 5th 2012
I loaded up on carbs for this 10k, some Lagunitas, pasta and bread, definitely necessary for such a long distance race. This was a cool event put on to benefit the Fresno County Search and Rescue and took place just a few miles up Dinkey Creek Road on the perimeter trail of Shaver Lake, Ca.

Pre Race Carbs

SAR 10k Course route

The weather was perfect, with the sun out in clear skies, cool mountain air and nice areas of shade where the trail cut between the trees. With temperatures in the valley expected to be north of 100 degrees this race was the perfect excuse to make the hour long drive for a 6.2 & 3 mi. run.

My expectations for these small local races in the mountains are to anticipate a small turnout, nothing to indicate a race occurring( no signs on the road or increase in traffic-due to small turnout) and maybe an aid station with water at the halfway/ turnaround point. Because that's what Baz's runs are pretty much like, not to say that it needs anymore than that becasue they are a blast, but thats just what I expect. So I was overly impressed when I saw 3'x3' signs on 168 that said "SAR WILD RUN" with an arrow pointing up Dinky Creek rd., professionally printed signs at that! When we pulled into the parking area it was a full on race, with parking staff and more signs! In the start/finish area they had some big inflatable arches, a big stage with music blasting, BBQ going and a beer garden off to the side. This was my kind of race, with BBQ and beer waiting at the finish it gives you a little extra incentive to get done faster so you don't have to wait in line. Now that this wasn't turning out to be such a small race anymore I figured there would be some good competition out there, then I saw Oswaldo Lopez and knew there would be no first place finish in my future or anyone else's for that matter

At the start I took off really fast right behind Oswaldo and another younger guy, it was single track and there was a cluster at the beginning so this worked out quite well in getting me some space. Coming into the first uphill, the younger guy, almost to the top, started to walk and this almost made me laugh out loud. I almost laughed because I could tell he was a fast runner but when you throw some good hills into the mix it can break the best of them, except Oswaldo I think he started running faster.

On the next downhill I got passed by a few people and had to slow down to catch my breath as the hills were kicking my butt. After the turn around there were six people in front of me and I had one of them in my sites, as we approached a hill around the 4 mile mark I made a move and just powered up the hill and around the guy in front of me. As I was going up my wife was coming down and she gave me a "yeah! Sexy!" which made me laugh but was cool because I wondered if she saw me hauling ass up the hill. I asked her later and she just said, "you looked like you were trying really hard," not quite the response I thought I was going to get but I explained to her what was really going on, haha.

I finished in 45.12, 5th place overall and 1st in my age group, my garmin said the course was only 5.6 miles but I'll trust the RD's measurement of 6.2 mi. We hung around afterwards had some good food and beer and I got a cool engraved compass as an age group award.It was a glorious morning up in the mountains.