Raptors proliferate, dominate at "4th Sunday" for May

Post date: May 27, 2013 12:14:10 AM

There were a lot of Raptors on the starting line at today's LMJS "4th Sunday" race at Lake Merritt. And there were practically as many getting awards, post race! The problem is that I decided to wander a bit "downriver" to take pictures from a different viewpoint so I wasn't around for the finish of the races. Thus, until the results are posted I have little idea of who did precisely what!

So I'll post some pictures and captions and then give a more complete rundown once I know who did what!

Just as I was about to continue this, I saw the email from Gary. He does a great job so I'll just post it here but first here are a few times, thanks to Laura:

Esme: 24:23 in 5K

Miz Clara: 28:42 in 5K

Annabel (new PR!) 21:13 in 5K

Chaia: 2nd woman in 10K with a new PR of 47:52!

I am having quite a time trying to sort out all the remarkable Raptor events of today! There appears to be quite a number of amazing records established today.

First of all, LMJS reports that the 107 finishers in the 5K alone this morning is a record for them, and they are really quite excited about that. Second, LMJS also believes that their perceived number of youngsters (I'm guessing 17-and-under) participating today is also an LMJS record. An official I know well thanked me personally for our enthusiastic Raptor participation. I myself have been a LMJS member since 1977 and this makes me proud to know.

Continuing on, I would also say that we Raptors, including Raptor parents as well as Raptor-prospectives, also set a record for a single event participation today with over TWENTY race finishers! Then, 13 total place ribbons, including 10 which were BLUE, is also a Raptor record!

I do believe Coach Rick will be continuing to update the Raptor race experience website RunningRaptors.com, but in the meantime, I can point out a number of "firsts" for our club.

We welcome Sebastian to his first true Raptor event. He recently hit a great 2:37 at the Skyline USATF, but Raptors had already given up on that difficult day. We also got to know Mom Monica today as well and I can easily express that Raptors have yet another friendly and supportive parent joining us.

We also welcome Robel who won the 10K race overall! He came within 45 seconds of establishing a new LMJS record for the distance for 15-year-olds. Our assumption is that he can be and should be a Raptor due to the fact that he is the roommate with our Daveon (DJ)! I feel we are on the right track - RunningRaptors.com posted a photo of Robel in a starting line Raptor group hug!

Speaking of LMJS age group records, Ben Morgan absolutely SHATTERED the 10K mark for 9-year-olds by OVER 5 MINUTES. Interesting item to note is that the young boy, now 18 years old, whose record he beat was the firast overall winner of last week's Tilden Tough Ten. Also referring to firsts, Ben's sister Alexandra made a first-time Lake run and challenged the 7-year-old 5K record without even realizing it. Let's hope her blue ribbon today will inspire her to try again!

Also of great significance is the marking of 11-year-old Michaela completing the challenging 15K today! As we have come to know, this is another piece of her overall training program towards the big Half-M at San Francisco next month. Noteworthy for me is that Michaela is now the youngest recorded female ever to complete the 15K at the Lake! Noteworthy for all of us is that basically all of her fellow Raptor teammates who had already finished racing decided to meet up with Michaela with 600 meters to go and pace her in to the finish! This was glorious and heartwarming all at once.

Yes, we have such a wonderful reporting of newer Raptors performing well, but I would be remiss if I didn't mention our favorite Raptor veteran girl Annabel logging a powerful 21:11 PR, an indicator of being relieved that track season is over (at least for her)!

As far as my Jared goes, he also exhibited a performance of relief that track is over, and basically ran tempo at his target Half-M pace as an essential practice. His comment to me driving home was, "It's a good day to be a Raptor!"

Of course, the post-race gathering for ice cream at Fenton's was once again memorable! I am so very pleased that our club was able to experience this day as it was, especially considering that it is a holiday weekend!

Truly looking forward to the next LMJS 4th Sunday event!

Raptors spirit!

The club is growing now that we win "best dressed" hands-down.

Raptors do not line up on the front row for nothing!

Sebastian in fifth place! He ran the 5K in the 19s!

Okay, so Annabel's hip was hurting before the race. First she wasn't going to run (wise), then she was going to run but "take it easy" (less wise but still okay), then she finished third woman, 1st in her age group (she must have about 100 of those ribbons by now) and set a new 5K PR (CRAZY!) She's been running with us for four years and she still manages to amaze me.

Chaia, Jared and Corina.

I need to find out how to rotate these! Clara had such a great race. This picture was taken way less than a mile from the end and she looks great! She even managed a smile.

That's Chaia in the blue shirt. The lady in black ahead of her was second overall woman in the 10K when I took this picture. Then Chaia went after her and she quickly became third woman overall!

Daveon ponders life. He not only ran a fantastic 5K on two hours sleep but then ran back on the course and paced two other Raptors to PRs!

Annabel took this. Such a great pic!

Annabel also took many pictures of squirrels. This is one of them!