Coastal's Diablo 13.1

This is my favorite picture from the day, so I'm posting it twice! Thank you, NTL!!

I was excited and curious to try out my new Mizuno Wave Ascends.  On a less steep course I think I would have liked them, but I was sliding around quite a bit on the downhill.  They look cool, but not my favorite trail shoe.

New shoes shot for mom.

Just before the start.

With Mrs. NTL

Mr. and Mrs. NTL, who would take 1st and 3rd in their age divisions for the 10  miler!

We're off!

This is Tony, aka Endorphin Dude, he was going low key today w/o his cape, trying to run on the dl, but he can't hide his trademark smile, it gives him away! You can also see NTL in the yellow back there, this was about the last time he was behind me all morning.

This is Brian turning around at the 2 mile and me turning around with him making a sad face, trying to decide what to do. I kept going after a bit of discussion. (thank you for the picture, NTL)

I hung on to these ladies for most of the climb, although I was not able to convince them to keep going to the summit.

Getting closer to the aid station, looking backwards

there was not much shade to be found and it was getting hot!

 

 

NTL was at the aid station as I came in and took this shot, I saw him taking it and couldn't even manage a smile, I was pretty tired!

This was leaving the 5 mile aid station, you go through a campground and these raccoons sprang up out of a garbage can.

You can see their 2 tails heading into the trees

This is heading up the last 1.5 mile climb to the summit after leaving the aid station. 

Super hot and moving slow

That's trail

Looking down on the road to the summit

That's trail, too. Running down this bit is equal parts fun and fear.

This is my "I'm going to get to the top even if I pass out" face

This tower is ugly, but it means I'm almost there!

Runner heading down

This rock made me a bit sad, this is where NTL and Brian and I had a bit of fun last year taking pictures that looked like I was balanced on the edge of the world.  This year it was just me.

And after one last climb.......I made it to the summit!!

I took a few pictures on top of the observation deck, got my rubber bands, and headed back down. I made it up a few minutes faster than last year, but I wasn't feeling too good because of the heat and I knew even though the second half is down hill, it wasn't going to be pretty.

Heading back down from as high as you can get on Mt. Diablo, the top of the observation deck at the summit.

This is heading out of the aid station that we hit first at mile 5, then mile 8.  Nothing but down hill until the finish.

With about 1.5 to go, this gal showed up to help get me in to the finish.

shoes not looking so new anymore!

And then I finished.  16 minutes longer than I would have liked, but all things considered, it really doesn't matter. I did it!

Can't tell at all that I was exhausted, huh?!

Race Recap Here