Like SLOJim said in another post, the Redondo 5k/10K is held every Superbowl Sunday in Redondo Beach, CA. It's a large race with a party atmosphere, lots of crowds and a rowdy beer garden. I ran it two years ago with SLOJim, Ileneforward, SherieRainer and my running buddy Jean who is in her 70s. It was a sunny day in the 60s and some of us ended up in the beer garden which was packed solid. Yesterday it was rainy, cold (for L.A., about mid 40s/low 50s), and windy. I couldn't wear a hat because it kept blowing off. My Huz and I live a mile from the start, so we wanted to do the race instead of Surf City, which is over 30 miles away. When we left our house at 6:45 am, it was pouring rain and windy. We were soaked by the time we found the race starting line. A lot of people didn't show up. There were no lines at the portapotties (unheard of!). We found a parking garage to hide out in before the 5K started. Huz did pretty well on the 5K considering he's not a runner and it was a hilly course. He said all he could think about during the race was to get back to our corner in the parking garage! I lined up for the 10K at 8:25am. I tried to find some big meat-brick type guys to hide behind because the wind was strong but I only found skinny people. Miles 1-2: The 10K race was rather crowded, and I got bumped by some meat-brick guys (where were they when I needed them?). Lots of sharp turns and uphills so I kept it slow and watched my footing very carefully. There was a pack of centipede runners (6 people strung together with yellow tape). A few people ran in costumes. I overheard a lot of young people complaining about hang overs. I saw absolutely NO children or walkers. Miles 3-4: The crowd thinned out since the course was flat. I ran with an old timer who wore a "L.A. Marathon V" hat who held onto it with one hand. I also ran with a girl who did Carlsbad HM a few weeks ago. She was one of the hung over people. She was doing ok but rather tired. Miles 5-6.2: A fun hilly stretch, what I call rockin’ and rollin’. I passed the Carlsbad girl and Mr. “L.A. Marathon V”. We all headed down a hill which leads into a steep uphill, when I heard a girl with a bad hangover complaining at her boyfriend about the downhill. I gave into temptation: “Girl, I'm old enough to be your mother. If I can do it, you can do it! There's a uphill coming very soon so save your energy for it. It’s the last one.” Her boyfriend laughed and said, "see honey, you can do it..." She was moaning again, but I think she tried to run it because she got quiet. I passed them and other people. It wasn't a bad hill, just a little steep with a sharp left turn at the top. I finished strong (not a PR, but a little faster than when I ran this race 2 years ago), and found my poor freezing Huz in the parking garage. It was too windy and raining too hard for him to come out to watch me finish. There were guys already packing up the portable metal fencing as we started for home. No party atmosphere this year. I ran few more miles later in the day to round out my marathon training. It was even windier than in the early morning. At least the sun was shining again . p.s. Fashion report: Black tights, white long sleeved fitted t-shirt, and a light blue windbreaker-type jacket, grey trail socks, and Asics Gel Cumulus 9. The usual race underwear (I don't go commando like some people around here). Thanks for reading!

Thirty miles didn't make much difference. I know you guys in Redondo Beach were just as rain and wind blown as we were in Huntington. Great job to you and your DH.

Ugh, racing in the wind and rain... sounds like Bellingham! Way to tell the young 'uns how to do it! Meat-brick guys, heh. Are they really good for windblocks? Or just roadblocks?

One thing I don't miss in the winter is rain! It never rains here (Colorado) in the winter - just snows. We do get wind, though. Sounds like a tough race, and you did an awesome job telling that young whippersnapper what's what.

This has always been one of my favorite races...... I think I've run it about 20 times..... I almost ran it again this year, but Surf City is a little closer to me so ran that one instead. I'm glad you had a strong race.... sounds like you saved enough for that last uphill, it can be a real killer...... I remember way back when the course went out over the pier instead going up that darn hill. It would be fun to put together a centipede one of these.... it's one way of being able to stick together during the race!

Way to go, sucking it up and finishing strong on a tough, windy day. I know that area pretty well. Years ago there was a hotel in RB called "The Plush Horse Inn." It changed ownership and was renamed "The Palos Verdes Inn" and had a terrific dining room. I stayed there often, and ran the hills of P.V. and the beach. Funny that we never talked about that area when you were at my house. Good report. Spareribs

nice job Dromedary!! way to tough it out!!

Great Race Drom !! I despise racing in windy/rainy conditions. Awesome job to show up and get the job done! "meat-brick guys" .....too funny