Stats: Weather: 70F humidity 94% Offical Time 23:31 (7:35/mi pace) New PR (previous best 24:20) AG (55-59) 8/65 Overall 366/2164 Details: This was the 15 annual Village Runner 5k Run/Walk. It is put on by the Village Runner Running Store in Rodondo Beach CA. The race is run right along the Pacific Ocean. For those of you who are familar with the Redondo Beach area, it runs along the Esplanade. There were 2164 runners, walkers, strollers and dogs in the race. It seemed like there were more people this year. Maybe because of the high cost of gas more people stayed home and so they came out to run and walk. The weather was not to bad since the race is so close to the ocean. The humidity was a little high but not like Lomita two weeks ago! Before the start of the race the National Anthem was sung by a Marine Staff Sergeant. He did a really great job. I made sure I was at the front of the pack so as not to get run into by dogs or strollers. The gun sounded and we were off. The race starts on Catalina Ave at Vista Del Mar and then heads down Ave I to the Esplanade. The first mile is mostly flat with a little down hill. I did the first mile in 7:55. When the race gets to Torrance Blvd, it turns around and heads back up the Esplanade. There is a slight incline just before mile two. In the past I would have refered to it as a hill, but after all the hill running I do now, it is just an incline. I was able to pass alot of runners there and did mile two in 8:01. Just past mile two the course levels out and heads for home. The course takes a left turn at Ave I and after a short incline on Ave I heads back on to Catalina to the finish. I put on a finishing kick a mile three and because I was racing two guys in my AG at the time, I forgot to push the lap button on my watch and therefore I have no split time for mile 3 to the finish. I also forgot to stop the watch right at the finish. That is why I though my time was 24:05 and not the offical time. As stated above I finished 8th in my AG. The winner of my AG finished in 19:07! There are some really great runners in this area who are in my AG. I finished 366/2164, but I am not sure how many of those were runners. My time was almost a minute faster then my previous PR so I was very happy with my time. Thanks for reading. Bruce

Nice goin Bruce, I don't think it's any accident that this race came right on the heels of your 3 highest mileage months. I agree with everything Spareribs said, exept I would add that this race IS a breakthrough. Anytime you knock 49 seconds off your 5k PR it is nothing short of massive. However, it seems clear that you are on an "upward slope" and I'm sure there is more where this one came from. Congratulations!

Bruce, Wow! You did great! Even though the race is on the coast, there are some real good "inclines" there. You are running strong, and finishing strong. I have to agree with the others that your good results have some relationship to your increased mileage. Congratulations on a strong race and big PR! I too think you have some more PR's in your near future. It is interesting that several of us (you, me and one of my friends) ran in Lomita and again on the fourth with improved results. I guess the heat really did take its toll in that previous race. huskydon

Nice job with the PR! Nice to see solid training paying off with such a big improvement. I had to smile at your typo "pervious best!" I think pervious is the opposite of impervious.

Nice racing, BC. You are on a roll. Congrats on the big PR. TomS