Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho....Happy Holidays! Today was the Santa to the Sea Half Marathon relay for my son and I! I've never run a relay,I had never run a race decked out in festive attire and my son's 6.55 miles was going to be the longest "race" he had run! So today was a first in alot of ways!
I got up at 4:15am-wow it comes early on a sunday morning. I had to feed all the animals and then get ready. We had to be on the road by 5:15 to drive up to Oxnard-at least a 1 hour 15 minute trip! I got my son up at 4:45am-nothing better than a grumpy teenager before 5am!
we got on the road at 5:15 and my son immediately fell back asleep! I, on the other hand, cranked the tunes and was singing! Amazing the contrast a "few" years gives you!
We arrived in Oxnard around 6:30. The buses for the start line were leaving at 6:45 and 7am. I stopped by the porta potties and then found out where the relay shuttle was leaving so that I might leave my only child with a way to the 6.55 mile mark. They had school buses for the runners heading to the start and Toyota courtesy vans for the 24 relay team members.
I got to the start line, deposited the unwrapped toys we had purchased(and that were asked for) for this race. The toys were being dropped off underneath the large Santa (ie The Santa to the Sea race!) It was wonderful to see all these runners bringing amazing toys! these toys will be distributed next weekend by Santa to the areas under privileged kids!
There were a good number of people wearing Santa hats! A few dressed up in festive attire. I had on my Tennessee Vols Santa hat, subtle bells and bobbles hanging from my braided pigtails, jingle bells on my shoes,a "I'm on holiday" t-shirt and festive arm warmers in green and red with faux fur (a great target sock accessory!)
We had about 30 minutes to wait before the start. This was a chip tag timed event. but since I was running the relay, I didn't have a timing tag on. Felt kinda odd not running with a tag-but honestly, they would have hindered the melodic jingle of my bells on my shoes! But there wasn't a mat at the start, so it didn't really matter! Luckily, the race wasn't that big-about 455 people total. So it's not like I was waiting a half hour to cross the start!
Since I wasn't running the full half, I was going to try to run as fast as my old feeble body would allow! But the sun was out! My beloved overcast and wet skies had disappeared and we had sunshine-YUCK! And here I was running in a double shirt, arm warmers, a Santa hat.....ugh! Word of warning-if you plan on donning festive attire and Santa hats to run be prepared to SWEAT and get hot! Wholly cow!! Thought my head was going to explode! talk about a sweaty brow....I had to take the Santa hat off a few times to let my head breathe! And I took off my underlayer capilene shirt, while running, because I was beginning to expire! Who knew that the HUGE rain storm that we had over night and even first thing in the morning would yield a cloudless sunny sky for the 8am race start! yet again, I think I might have been the only person bummed to see the sun!
The race started north of the 101 freeway, right in front of the Santa. We crossed over the overpass and headed south, running amongst the strawberry fields of Oxnard. The first half of this race wasn't super scenic! It started off in an agricultural area and then moved into the neighborhoods. I took this leg because my son wanted to cross the finish line!
It was a pretty flat course. We only had 2 hills. One at the very beginning and the other just before mile 6. I started off at a nice clip-for me and then slowed down. I credit the speed decrease to my head beginning to sweat and my body heat rising....maybe next time i'll try to find a super lightweight Santa hat to run in or hope that the rains continue! But, hey-this was supposed to be fun for me!! i was jingling every step and my braids were jingling as well-I was a jingle bell machine-good thing I had music in my ears-I might have driven myself nuts!
When we came into downtown Oxnard, I knew we were nearing the relay handoff. The relay runners were waiting at 6.55 miles which was perfectly located at Park Plaza. I, as a mother, felt very happy and relieved that my only son was waiting in a safe place while I pounded the streets!
I took off my garmin around mile 6.4, preparing to hand off to my son! He's never run with a garmin, so i wanted to be able to show him his mile splits! I saw him waiting for me. He was stretching and getting ready! he had his Nike hat on-wait...where was the Tennessee Santa hat that WE, as Team Planet Ynnep, had planned to run in....had he bailed on the team theme?? YES he did! he had his Nike hat on. As i approached him I told him to take it off-that he was going to boil with it on. I handed him Ms Garmin and off he went to the screaming of "go go go" from his crazy mother!!
I was now with the other relay runners...I grabbed a pretzel from the aid station and we waited for the shuttle back to the finish. This was the only hitch, so far, in the race! We waited longer than all of us planned for a shuttle. I think they only had one shuttle for the relay runners. Of course there were only 24 relay teams! But still. I wanted to get back to the finish as soon as possible so I could prepare for the photo ops of my kid racing to the finish!!
Finally the shuttle arrived and we were on our way! 7 runners piled into a Toyota van....fun times!
I arrived at the start about 1:47 into the half marathon. Alot of runners were coming in. I honestly didn't know what to expect from my son! He's a faster runner than I am, helps being 18, but I know he hasn't run consistently and had sprained his ankle trail running about 4 weeks ago.....so i just waited. I ran my leg in, roughly, 1:07, so i thought maybe he's be in around 2:14....when we hit 2:15, nothing. Ok, maybe he was walking some-that's ok...panic was not setting in yet. I was just so excited to see him!
Finally, I saw him turn the corner! It was around 2:26 on the official clock and there he was...GO GRIFFIN! I screamed!!! Go!! I snapped 2 pictures and told him to run! Just at that moment the "old guy" (as my kid called him) started to sprint to the finish. my son said he wasn't going to let the "old guy" beat him...wait a minute-that guy looked about my age! He crossed the finish line in 2:27:23! At miles 9,10 and 11 he had to walk some because of his ankle. But the last 2.1 miles he ran it in! I'll have to investigate this ankle issue!
I raced to the other side of the finish line and snapped some more pics while getting my own medal!! I was so happy and so proud!! And the best thing....my son said "that was great!" can you see the smile that was on my face!!! OMG-he had a great time and wants to run more races!!! I'm in heaven!! Just then, we saw a crowd of people rush the finish....seems Julia Roberts had picked this little race to run her first(I think) half marathon! She finished in 2:29:47 BTW with a pace of 11:26.
My son said, "oh i passed her near the end"...yep, my kid ran past Julia Roberts!! It was so cute to see her three kids hugging her at the finish-then the mass rush of fans wanting a picture....come on, can you please leave her alone and let her enjoy this moment with her kids! WOW-wouldn't want to be famous!
We didn't stay long after that! We got snacks and jumped in the car to head home. Stopping at a Starbucks in Malibu to get tea, hot chocolate and snacks for our drive home! I think my boy was tired! Maybe not from the race completely but from the early wakeup. Right now, he's napping with his Invigorator compression socks on while I blog! He's allowed!!! I'm so proud!
Wow...what a great time! I think it was one of the funnest races i've done-and it's because I got to share the race experience with my son!! I can't wait to race with him again! he actually wants to run this again next year-maybe running the half by himself! I think he has the bug!! Love it!!
As for the organizational level of this 2nd Annual race! I think they did a great job!! The Volunteers were awesome! Everything went smoothly with the buses and shuttles and the Finish line was very festive! Each runners name was yelled out as they crossed the finish line! Gotta love that!!
Well done Santa to the Sea race organizers!! Well done!!
RUN: 13.17 miles-6.55 miles per runnerFirst 6.55 miles were mine(you can tell by the increase in the pace after mile 6)
Mile 1 - 10:28
Mile 2 - 10:32
Mile 3 - 11:20
Mile 4 - 11:18
Mile 5 - 11:45
Mile 6 - 11:22
Mile 7 - 9:34
Mile 8 - 9:58
Mile 9 - 12:29
Mile 10 - 14:40
Mile 11 - 13:53
Mile 12 - 9:24
Mile 13 - 9:23
Mile.17 - 1:50:70
Total Time: 2:27:23Avg pace: 11:15
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While I was there, I realized I had only one pair of capri running tights. Might as well get a new pair! I bought the 
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