Running Brazen Racing Summit Rock 10K, Saratoga Hills

My buddy suggests, "Let's do one of the trail runs in Santa Cruz or Marin Headlands!  It will be great!".  At the time he had been hiking for years, me running for five months and I thought maybe we're ready?  Most normal people hike the Saratoga mountains they don't run it.  Now I know why.  Can you say 'Switchback'?

The Brazen Racing Summit Rock race starts off nice and flat in a very beautiful, green and picturesque park.  It's December at a little altitude and freak'n cold.  I mean for California 45 deg F is cold.  Smart ones are in layers, that don't hold moisture.

I unfortunately don't have pictures of the miles of switchbacks but basically you traverse hairpin turns in a zig-zag manner all the up the side of a mountain, then turn around and go back!  Your lower back and quads hurt getting up, then your calves, feet and quads get pounded coming down.  I actually hurt my right knee on the way back down and had to limp in.  I saw one person run a hairpin turn too fast and go off into the vegetation.  Many twisted ankles that day.



The course.  About 1500 ft of elevation change over 6.5 miles (10K).  That doesn't sound like much but it was a very demanding hike.  If I attempt to race again, I'll do so after spending months of hill repeats before hand.