Tri Events 10k Race Recap: Running Fun and Triathlons in San Dimas

Last Sunday I completed the Tri Events 10k on a fun course in a park setting. While it is a small race, it is growing and I love that this running-only event (along with a 5k) was recently added to the triathlon competition.

Alan has been announcing the Tri Events Triathlon series for about five or six years. It takes place in a beautiful venue, Bonelli Park in San Dimas, and is the oldest triathlon series in California. Carolyn Wolk, the current race director inherited it from her father and is continuing the tradition. It draws about 500 triathletes, mostly from the Southern California area.

In 2018, for the first time, the Tri Events 10k and 5k were added to the line-up, which includes both sprint and international distance triathlons, an aquabike event (swim and bike) and a duathlon (bike and run). As you can see, there is something for everyone!

Tri Events 10k Race Recap

I won! That's not something I get to say very often these days. Here is my Tri Events 10k race recap! #running #racerecapClick To Tweet

The Tri Events 10k (and all the rest of the events) is held four times a year. It’s pretty cool for the triathletes because in addition to the race day results, points are added up and an additional award is given to the athlete who has the most at the end of the series (which was this October event). Maybe someday the Tri Events 10k will have enough competitors to compete for that annual prize!

Tri Events 10k: the Night Before

Because Alan is the announcer, we arrived in San Dimas on Saturday, the afternoon before the race. We stopped by the park to see the race director, where I was asked to help Alan out with the award ceremony the next day. I knew there would be plenty of time to finish the race before awards, so I said sure. Then headed over to our hotel to check in. 

We took it easy for the rest of the evening. We had dinner at a Mexican restaurant that we go to every time we’re here because they have several vegan options. Then back to the hotel, a quick shower and bed. And a Flat Runner photo, of course! Alan likes to get to the venue about 5:30 am, so that meant an early alarm!

Tri Events 10k: Race Day!

If you follow me on Instagram, you may know that my plan for the Tri Events 10k was to run it as a tempo training run. With my goal race, the Temecula Half Marathon, coming up next Sunday (yikes!), I was officially in taper mode, but this race was a great opportunity to get in one last speed workout. The question was, could I stick with that plan? It’s so easy to get caught up in the excitement of a race.

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Most of my 10 mile run this morning was on the road but the trails make such better pictures. 😉 📸 Nine days until @temeculahalf! 🏃‍♀️ Last long run done. 👌 I hope to run a 10k this weekend while @alantwoodruff is announcing the @latrievents1983 triathlon but the plan is to do it as a tempo workout, not a race. 🤞🤣 🏃‍♀️ . . Are you racing this weekend? (Good luck to all my friends running @chimarathon and @ironmantri Kona!)

A post shared by Debbie Woodruff (@coachdebbieruns) on Oct 11, 2019 at 4:38pm PDT

When we got to the park, we unloaded all of Alan’s “announcing stuff” (a speaker, tables, megaphone, etc.) and he got to work. I went back to the car. It was cold! Plus, I had over two hours before the race start so I could just chill out in the car, stay warm, and have a bite to eat. Finally, about a half-hour before race start, I got up, used the restroom, took a quick running photo (yes, the photo below was taken before the race), then headed over to the start line.

I was actually happy to see the small group at the start line. For the race in May, there were only about 10 people running (and that may be an overstatement). This time I saw about 25 people waiting for the start! True, about half of them were lined up to start the duathlon, but still, progress!

A nice rendition of the National Anthem, then Alan started us off. I’m not in any of the start line photos because I thought it would be a good idea to let the duathlon competitors go first. They were only running a mile (followed by a bike ride and another run) so I figured most of them would be faster than me. Alan headed to the beach to get the triathletes started.

As I mentioned, my plan for the race was to run it as a tempo training run. I planned to run the first mile as a warmup, miles two through five at about 10k pace, then finish the final part at an easy pace. The first mile was perfect. To remind myself this was a training run, I stopped to use the restroom. That, along with the slight uphill, kept me nice and slow.

At the one mile marker, I picked up the pace to a comfortably hard tempo. I was feeling good. I passed a few people, which also made me feel good. The course was still slightly uphill, but not really steep. We passed the 5k turnaround and a man who’d been running slightly ahead of me asked if he should turn around. I said yes, for the 5k. He headed back and I saw a man running with his son about a quarter-mile ahead of me, so I kind of set my sights on them. They didn’t know they had a target on their backs! 

I finished mile two right where I wanted to be. I’ve run on this course before, so I knew there was a good long hill coming up in mile three, so I mentally prepared myself.  Sure enough, after passing through a campground area (where someone asked me if I knew where the showers were!) I started up the hill, which runs alongside a small airport.

The man and his son were still ahead of me, but I was gaining. That actually helped me run strong up that hill and I passed them just at the turnaround.  I was able to increase that lead as I headed down the hill (I love running downhill).  I passed the mile three marker as I was heading downhill and I was right on target still. I also had a chance to see who was behind me and there were several people on their way up the hill.

At the bottom of the hill, the course takes a turn for a short detour on the trails. Well, it’s a dirt path, not technical at all aside from a few ruts from all the rain last spring. It’s a little over half a mile, then a turnaround back to the road. I expected it to slow me down a bit, but I finished mile four right on goal. One more tempo mile to go!

At about this point the man who had turned around back at the 5k marker passed me again! He said that he was doing the 10k and made a mistake. That made me feel a little less cocky, as he had to make up quite a bit of lost time. And, as I found out later, he wasn’t even registered!

Mile five heads back through the campground (I was wondering if that girl ever found the showers) then, instead of simply reversing the first part of the course, takes a turn and runs along the lake. It’s a very pretty view but I was feeling a little gassed at this point and I’m afraid I didn’t really appreciate it! I kept up the pace, though, really feeling like I was pushing it now. 

I was at about 4.85 miles when the route headed up a fairly steep hill. I could feel myself slow down and I finally needed to slow to a walk. I lost a bit of time with that, but I was still happy with my mile pace because it was only about 15 seconds slower than my previous miles. And best of all, I was finally to my cool-down mile! (Insert happy dance here).

I slowed my pace. That felt good. Even better, I could hear Alan’s voice across this section of the lake. Swimmers were still finishing up that segment of the triathlon. I was going slower, but I was still catching up with the gentlemen who had passed me. I started running with him (and I think he picked up the pace again!). We chatted a little and I tried to resist the urge to keep up with the increased pace. I failed at that, especially when I looked back and saw the father and son duo catching up with me. Just before the six-mile marker, they passed me, but I tried to stay on their heels for the last kick. They both finished about six seconds ahead of me. Beaten by a sixth grader! 

It turned out that the sixth-grader was the overall winner, with his dad in second and yours truly in third! And the first woman. It doesn’t happen very often anymore (or like ever except at this race!), so it feels good to win.

I finished in under an hour. That last mile? Well, not exactly a cooldown. I ran it in the same time I ran mile five. Oh well, I was happy with my time and my workout. 

I chatted with Matt, the 11-year-old who beat me and his dad Martin after the race. They had just moved to the US from England and Matt will be running his first half marathon in December. Good luck to him!

I also had an ego-boosting moment when a woman who had just finished her first race ever came up to me and congratulated me. She told me how fast I was! It’s nice to feel fast every once in a while. That doesn’t happen very often anymore either.

After the race, I hung out and helped Alan with the awards ceremony. That’s not as easy as it sounds. With six different races, Athleta and Clydesdale divisions, and raffle prizes, not to mention that some of the medals needed tags added to them, it was quite challenging. Not to mention that the results for the international distance were slow to arrive. We were both pretty exhausted by the time we finished.

There were no downsides to this race (except the slow international results, which didn’t affect me as a runner). Everything started on time, the course was well marked, and there was plenty of fluids out on the course, with enough volunteers to pass them out. Yes, it’s a small race, so there is not a lot of cheering along the route, but it’s very pretty and peaceful out there, which I love.

It’s also nice that there are four races a year that I get to participate in if I choose (I did have a couple of conflicts this year, so I only made it for two of the Tri Events 10k races). And with Alan announcing, I know that I always get to hear him say, “here is my favorite person in the whole wide world,” as I cross the finish line. Sometimes he throws in a couple of my PRs and races that I’ve won. Those were all about 20 years ago, so he’s a great husband.

Best of all, I had a good race and an excellent training run as I head into the Temecula Half Marathon next Sunday. I’m pretty pleased with my training cycle this time around. I’ve put in a lot of mileage, hit the hills regularly, and I was consistent with my speed workouts. If all things go well (which for me usually means no exercise-induced asthma), I should have a time that I’m happy with. Fingers crossed and mantra ready! #icandohardthings

What is it about race recaps that make them so long? If you’re still with me, I thank you for hanging in there.

Did you race last weekend? Tell me about it in the comments or, if you’re a blogger, link it up with the Running Coaches’ Corner! Or both!

 

 

 

 

 

And Now It’s Time for the Running Coaches’ Corner!

Linkup with the #RunningCoachesCorner with @MarcPelerin and me! Bring your best #runningrelated posts, find new blogs to follow, and share your love of #running!Click To Tweet

 

---

Weekly Linkups

My weekly linkups! Please stop by and check out all of the great recipes, workouts, and information that all these awesome bloggers share every week!

Meatless Monday with Sarah and Deborah
All About Running with Janell
The Running Coaches’ Corner with Marc and Me!
The Weekly Run Down with Deborah and Kim