Running Journal - 2025-03-23 (Oakland 10K Race - Oakland Marathon)

Time: 8:30-9:47 a.m. (~1 hour, 17 minutes)
Resting heart rate: 67 bpm (several hours after exercise)
Weight (after run; clothed): -- kg (-- lb)
Body Mass Index (BMI; note criticisms of BMI): -- (Overweight = 25–29.9)
Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR): -- cal/day
Distance (running): 10.01 km (6.22 mi)
Cumulative distance (2024; ignores XT days): TBD
Calories burned: 781 kcal
Average heart rate: 124 bpm     
Max heart rate: 152 bpm
Weather: sunny ☀️14° C (57° F), Humidity 77% Wind: 11 km/h
Terrain: 108 ft elevation gain
Avg Pace: 12'22" /mile
Best pace: 11'49" /mile
Stinkiness air level (0=No smell; 10=☣️): 0/10 (not stinky)
Comments: Results of the Oakland 10K race (Oakland Marathon 2025): Chip Elapsed Time 1:16:44; Overall Pace 12:11/mile; Age Place 57th (M45 - 49); Gender Place 731st (of 872); Overall Place 1,435th (of 1,935). Weather was perfect. We awoke around 5:00 a.m., left home by 6:00 a.m., and arrived in downtown Oakland around 6:35 a.m. Parked for free along the street in the same place as last year, well away from the race start on surface streets. Overheard another racer complain (post-race) about the traffic jam to access the Alcopark Parking Garage on Jackson Street, between 13th & 14th Street, as suggested by the race web site. So glad we skipped this year! Instead of taking the I-880 41A exit, we took exit 41B, which led us to within a few blocks of our parking spot on 8th Street, across from Green Fish Seafood Market (E&F inc). Walked a few blocks to Cafe Uccello on 14th Street. Even though we left 30 minutes later than last year, we arrived before it opened at 7:00 a.m. We watched as first one employee opened the door, then 2 other employees arrived and were let in, then finally the shop opened. We were the first 2 customers. I asked for an espresso shot and got...maybe 8 ounces of espresso (Dawn suggested perhaps they diluted it?) 😅 Dawn got a lavender latte. I used the restroom. Cafe Uccello encourages visitors to use provided markers to decorate the walls with art & messages 💜 This year, I left a heart with text "K+D 2024+2025 Oakland Marathon". Left Cafe Uccello and walked with coffees down an empty 14th Street, past the Little Stars Pre-School & Oakland Public Library & Alameda County Superior Courthouse & Oakland Museum of California, arriving at Lake Merritt & the Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center. We checked our consolidated gear in a provided clear plastic bag, writing my bib number in black marker. Stood around and took a few selfies in front of the event social media walls. We walked around a bit to warm up, then eventually made our way back and stood in the chute by the 12-minute sign, across from the steps to the Oakland Museum of California at the intersection of 11th Street & Lake Merritt Boulevard. People-watched. A white fluffy dog was super cute and looked happy. Remembered the other 2 things I should always do: 1) Garmin HRM-Pro Plus Heart Rate Monitor; 2) Anti-chafing. Watched the confetti explosion when the overall half-marathon winner crossed the finish line. Our race seemed to start on time. First wheelchair athletes, then in waves. We ran with walk breaks this year: 2:30 running, 1:00 walking. Runners sorted themselves and eventually we had a relatively stable group around us at our pace. Lake Merritt was very pretty today. Volunteer tables were well staffed and we got electrolytes several times along the way. Live music: no Garfield the Cat costumed DJ or jazz band this year, but taiko drums, as well as amplified music at many points along the way and at the start/finish. We ran by gentrified areas and not-so-gentrified areas. Lots and lots of beautifully colorful graffiti artwork. The ending seemed a bit different: we ran down a street and through a tunnel, popping up into the sunlight right before the finish line. Finished without injury, and a bit winded, but feeling OK. After finishing, we somewhat confusingly walked around trying to figure out what the crowds had surrounded (i.e., snacks vs. medals). It was difficult to see. After grabbing a few snacks, we queued and waited patiently. Got a tote bag to hold snacks which was helpful. Got the medals. Snacks were standard fair: bananas, Pirate Booty popcorn, Kirkland chocolate chip bars, gummy snacks, Open Water aluminum bottles, and Plezi electrolyte drinks. It was very crowded as people collected medals. All medals seemed the same design. We then walked to the entrance of the Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center and waited in line for the 10K gear check (maybe 15 minutes). Decided we didn't need the free beer from the Beer Garden area. We exited out onto 10th Street and walked back to our car. Drove to Almond & Flour, but the wait was 45 minutes, so went bakc to a German restaurant, Brotzeit Lokal Biergarten in Oakland. I had challah French toast & shared home fries, a black lager (1 pint), and shared Dawn's Grapefruit Radler (Pilsner & fresh grapefruit juice with a grapefruit wedge). Dawn also had a mango bellini and eggs benedict. The drive home afterward was uneventful and also very slow on I-880.
Any irregular feelings, aches, pains, heart rate, and so forth?: Bit tired (mostly from lack of sleep)
Foods eaten today: Kashi GO Toasted Berry Crisp Cereal with nonfat milk, Kirkland Cold Brew (half a can), electrolytes (x4), GU Strawberry Banana energy gel (1.1 oz), banana, espresso - 8 oz (Cafe Uccello), Brotzeit Lokal Biergarten - challah French toast & home fries & black lager (1 pint),

Running Journal - 2024-03-17 (Oakland 10K Race - Oakland Marathon)

2024 Oakland Marathon - 10K Finisher Medal

"Designer Blakely Dadson honored the Coastal Live Oak Acorn and the energy it has provided the region"

Time: 8:30-9:45 a.m. (1 hour, 15 minutes)
Resting heart rate: 69 bpm (several hours after exercise)
Weight (after run; clothed): 84.64 kg (186.60 lb)
Body Mass Index (BMI; note criticisms of BMI): 24.6 (Overweight = 25–29.9)
Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR): 2,030 cal/day
Distance (running): 10.04 km (6.24 mi)
Cumulative distance (2024; ignores XT days): 248.14 km (154.19 mi)
Calories burned: 784 kcal
Average heart rate: 127 bpm     
Max heart rate: 148 bpm
Weather: sunny ☀️11° C (51.8° F), Humidity 97% Wind: 6 km/h
Terrain: 108 ft elevation gain
Avg Pace: 12'02" /mile
Best pace: 11'52" /mile
Stinkiness air level (0=No smell; 10=☣️): 0/10 (not stinky)
Comments: Results of the Oakland 10K race (Oakland Marathon 2024): Chip Elapsed Time 1:15:00; Overall Pace 12:05/mile; Age Place 47th (M45 - 49); Gender Place 538th; Race Place 1074th of 1617. This was a fun run and we ran mostly comfortably without stopping to walk. We awoke around 4:30 a.m., got out of the house by 5:30 p.m., and arrived in downtown Oakland around 6:10-6:15 a.m. Our parking destination was the Alcopark Parking Garage, on Jackson Street, between 13th & 14th Street, as suggested by the race web site. We took the I-880 41A exit, crossing Oak Street and continuing on 6th Street. Traffic was gridlocked. It seemed cars had converged from every direction and for whatever reason traffic was backed up and not moving. After maybe 30-40 minutes we had succeeded in turning right onto Jackson Street and crossed 7th Street. It was bad. We gave up and turned left onto 8th Street, drove up about 2.5 blocks and found plenty of free on-street parking (we parked next to Saint Anna Coffee Shop & across from Green Fish Seafood Market (E&F inc). Walked a few blocks to Cafe Uccello on 14th Street and got coffees and admired the art. Cafe Uccello encourages visitors to use provided markers to decorate the walls with art & messages 💜 Left Cafe Uccello around 7:05 a.m. and walked with coffees down an empty 14th Street, past the Little Stars Pre-School & Oakland Public Library & Alameda County Superior Courthouse & Oakland Museum of California, arriving at Lake Merritt & the Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center. Some of the small businesses we passed on the way reminded us of the small business Haruki Murakami started--we started listening to their 2015 audiobook Novelist as a Vocation. We watched the start of the Half-Marathon which had apparently started late. Stood around and took a few selfies in front of the event social media walls. It was a bit confusing as we did not know where to wait; we ended up waiting about where we should have, by the steps to the Oakland Museum of California at the intersection of 11th Street & Lake Merritt Boulevard. People-watched. Looked at branded clothing in a vendor tent (Under Armour "UA Qualifier Run 2.0 1/2 Zip" in turquoise) but ultimately decided against buying it. A number of people warmed-up aggressively, others leisurely. Dawn stretched her knees. I played mobile phone games & setup my watch for the run. Forgot to apply sunblock before leaving the car 😛 Remembered the other 2 things I should always do: 1) Garmin HRM-Pro Plus Heart Rate Monitor; 2) Anti-chafing. Oakland District 3 (which seems to encircle Lake Merritt) Council Member Carroll Fife spoke a few words. Our race started just a bit late, with a puff of white smoke at the starting line. The initial countdown was a bit off--we heard "3, 2, " and then it cut off. After a minute or so delay the race started with the smoke. We ran without stopping. Runners sorted themselves and eventually we had a relatively stable group around us at our pace. Lake Merritt was very pretty today. The announcers said the 2023 race was rainy and muddy. Volunteer tables were well staffed and we got electrolytes several times along the way. Live music: there was an ensemble playing jazz (trombone, etc.--wish I knew the tune), at least two DJ's, a drum corps, and of course amplified music at the start/finish. A person in an inflatable Garfield the cat costume was by one of the DJ locations. A number of men with denim biker jackets with large patches on the back reading "Survivor" (sp?) helped with security. We ran by gentrified areas and not-so-gentrified areas. Lots and lots of beautifully colorful graffiti artwork. Then we rounded the last corner. The finishing line was crowded by lots of people, so many it was unclear whether we had enough room for all of the people around us to fit. Finished without injury, and a bit winded, but feeling OK. After finishing, we walked around a bend to the area with refreshments: Gatorade, Open Water ("Canned water for clean oceans"), and bananas. It was very crowded as people collected medals. Eventually we realized we had to switch to the 10K line. We had not seen its sign clearly through the many crowd members. Volunteers started handing out ribboned medals to anyone who wanted one. The marathon medals had purple ribbons, half-marathon was red, 10K was gold/yellow, and 5K was cyan/blue. All medals seemed the same design. We used the toilets, then walked through the vendor tables and to the entrance of the Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center. One of the signs had advertised "Beer Garden", for which each runner had a ticket for a free beer. However, we guessed that the long, non-moving line was for this free beer, and we had had enough of lines for one day. We exited out onto 10th Street and walked back to our car. We recharged our phones, and decided to celebrate at a German restaurant, Brotzeit Lokal Biergarten in Oakland. I had challah French toast & shared a Nutella cheesecake. For drinks I had a Russian River Imperial Stout (1 pint) and Dawn had a Lokal margarita. The drive home afterward was uneventful and also very slow on I-880.
Any irregular feelings, aches, pains, heart rate, and so forth?: Bit tired (mostly from lack of sleep)
Foods eaten today: Kashi GO Toasted Berry Crisp Cereal with nonfat milk, Bizzy Cold Brew Organic Espresso Blend (4 oz), electrolytes (x4), GU Vanilla Bean energy gel (1.1 oz), banana, coffee latte - 16 oz (Cafe Uccello), Brotzeit Lokal Biergarten - challah French toast & Nutella cheesecake & Russian River Imperial Stout (1 pint), Kirkland Signature Sparkling Water - Lime (12 Oz), plain bagel with Kirkland Signature Organic Hummus - 2.5 oz