Wednesday 29 July 2015

Berlin Marathon: San Francisco Half Marathon




didn't want this one to end. A fabulous run in glorious sunshine and a refreshing breeze over the wonderful Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. It was made even better by Big Joe riding the route with me on a hired bicycle handing out gels and rehydrating fluids on request. 
It ended a two-day running drought. I sneaked in a treadmill interval run on Friday after work and then it was up early on Saturday for the 11.50am flight from Heathrow to SFO. We feasted on clam chowder in our jet lag then spent Sunday walking for miles through this beautiful city. We took the cable car downtown from the Wharf, walked miles back for a couple at Jack's Bar then headed out and onto the bridge before retracing our steps in the sunshine for a well earned burrito. 
We rounded off Sunday with an an unforgettable evening trip to Alcatraz. 
The next morning Joseph and I started with some dynamic stretching on the seafront at Fisherman's Wharf then headed west, up and over the steep hill at Mason's Park then along through the majestic wildlife of Crissy Field to the bridge. It's a steep climb to get there but the miles raced by with such stunning scenery to enjoy. Crossing the bridge itself was exhilarating. I felt full of energy for the run home and was pleased to make it a negative split quite comfortably. I'm not ready to double the distance just yet but this felt like a breakthrough run somehow; an almost routine half marathon. 

I rehydrated with a SIS Rego before we bundled into the holiday hire car (a Dodge Journey SUV) and headed down Highway 1 to Carmel. We stopped on the way for a lengthy hike to see the hilariously bad tempered elephant seals at Ana Nuevo State park then made it to the Carmel Mission Inn in time for a big fat steak dinner at the Rio Grill. I don't think I've ever walked so many steps in a single day. And I enjoyed every one of them. 

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