Don't Call It A Comeback

So Tracy and I were blessed to have a healthy, happy young boy. Gabriel has blessed us and now it's time to get back to business. Actually, it didn't take long for us to get back into a workout rhythym. In fact, I raced the Bulldog 25k (http://www.trailrunevents.com/bd/index.htm) just a few days after Tracy was released from the hospital. A month after Gabriel was born we were in Santa Cruz as I ran the PCTR Skyline to the Sea 50K trail run (http://www.pctrailruns.com/Skyline_to_the_Sea.htm). Gabriel was out on the trial rooting me on.

So now it was time to root mom on as she came back from her Ironman race (having Gabriel). From our jog/walks in Bahia Asuncion to our runs in Coronado, Tracy had been pushing hard for her race. We had volunteered last year at the Xterra Mission Gorge race and had earned a complimentary entry. As such, Tracy decided she would use her entry for her post Gabriel race. She picked out the Crystal Cove 15k http://www.trailrace.com/crystalcove.html.

Her running partner, Alexis, agreed to join her on this adventure and they started training on Sunday mornings leaving Gabriel home with me and Evie home with Alan. I did my best to give them trail routes in preparation and feel they were awesome students. But race day would be the real decider.

A few days prior to the race it had been raining. I think secretly Tracy was hoping for the race to be canceled. Not so much as she wasn't prepared but I think she was ready to go faster. But, as fate would have it, she would have a sunny but cold race morning.

We picked up Alexis about 5:00am and made the hour plus drive up to Laguna Beach. It was a beautiful morning although temps were in the low 40s. While Tracy was thinking about the hilly course I was pondering if I could handle Gabriel alone. We had practiced a few times being separated from mom but not for this amount of time.

After a potty break, the ladies casually made it to the start line. In fact, the gun went off before they were even there. Such is life at a trail race. Gabriel and I cheered them on there way and then set out for a hike of our own. I figured we had about 2 hours before we'd see the ladies so why not make the most of it. Off we hiked.

Gabriel and I paralleled the race course and could hear the runners in the distance. I so wanted to find Tracy and Alexis on the course but realized it wouldn't happen. Thus, we hiked about 3 miles and returned to base. I tried to feed Gabriel a bit (he thinks the bottle is a toy) and then we went to the finish line to cheer on the women. About 2:10 after the race started, Tracy and Alexis came running down the hill with huge smile as they approached the finish line. I was so proud of them....Tracy making her comeback run and Alexis completing her first trail race. Gabriel was all smiles, too.

From what I could gather, the ladies had a blast and Alexis is hooked on the trails. It was another wonderful day outside with Gabriel.

Up next for me is San Dieguito and Lost Dutchman Half Marathons (Tracy is running as well), Twin Peaks 50K with 11,000 ft of climbing, and PCT 50 miler in May. After that, who knows.....but I see a return to Ironman Couer d'Alene in 2010...watchout!

Until the next adventure!