ran my 40th half marathon today! it was a good race for me, finishing in at a strong 2:06 (my fastest ever for a non-downhill race--which was fontana). BUT i think i could've run faster...hmm. will try next time, if it's a flat course. i know i didn't go all out...
it was also my first race as a half-fanatic.
i met up with kara, who is another half-fanatic from utah! she ran the full marathon.
although the race itself was good, the pre-race interactions we had with the local surfers was absolutely horrific...
below is the letter i wrote to the mayor and all the city council members of the city of ventura:
-------------------------------------
Dear Mayor and City Council Members of Ventura,
Yesterday, I visited your city for the Surfer's Point Inaugural 5K, Half
Marathon, and Marathon. I am from the city of Cerritos, about 80 miles
southeast of you. My introduction to the residents of your city was
shocking, disappointing, and even frightening at times. Please let me
explain.
We arrived for the race fairly early, around 5:45am. I was told the
start/finish area would be around Figueroa and Shoreline, so I drove us
to that intersection. Since it was fairly dark, we were not sure where
to go, and followed a couple of cars into a parking lot -- apparently
the Surfer's Pointe parking lot. We parked, and initially I
perpendicularly parked and should have parallel parked (it was dark, and
I followed the lead of another car I saw that had done the same). After
a few minutes, someone let me know I probably shouldn't park that way,
so I moved. I was grateful for the notice. However, after several
more minutes, we observed both runners and surfers about us. Then a man
approached my car and told me that I needed to move my car. He very
forcefully told me that the whole parking lot was for surfers parking
only, and that runners should park across the street at the
fairgrounds. I noticed him telling one other woman the same thing, but
he did not approach every car that had a non-surfer in it.
At this point, my friends and I discussed what we should do. Eventually,
a woman parked next to me, so I got out of my car and asked her if she
was running or surfing. She said she was surfing. So I asked her if I
should move my car. She appeared to be very honest with me and told me
that the surfers don't want me parking there because I was taking up a
space for their friends (the surfers), but that it's a free parking lot,
and anyone can park. So I also asked her if it was safe for me to leave
my car. She told me yes. So I believed her.
After about 10 more minutes of waiting (we waited until 6am, to pick up
our packet from the race), my friends and I exited the car. We are
three Asian females. The same man who spoke to us earlier called out to
us and said, "Hey, didn't I tell you to leave? You can't park here!
This is parking for surfer's ONLY!" So I decided to walk over to him
and ask him why he said that. There isn't a sign that says so, nor is
there a sign that says I cannot park there.
Many more words were exchanged, with me basically wondering why he has
to be so mean. Most of his words aren't fit for me to put into this
letter. He admitted that I really could park there, but made it clear
to tell me that he wouldn't be surprised if all the windows on my car
were sealed up with wax when I returned. Then he saw an acquaintance of
his drive up in his car, at which point it was clear that he wanted me
out so that this person could park their car where I was parked.
I acquiesced. I was crying by this point, unable to comprehend the
harshness and the cruelty from this man and his friends. They both made
it clear to say that I was taking up precious parking space from them in
THEIR city. They questioned where I was from -- questioned why someone
who is not from their city would take up parking spaces that are there
for them, in a city where they live and pay taxes.
I also live not far from beach cities. I run in Huntington Beach, by
the beach path and the pier, all the time. I have never, ever
encountered any surfers as rude and territorial as these men, residents
of Ventura.
We moved our car out of fear. Fear that the car would either be damaged
or trashed by the time we returned. I was on the verge of saying that I
would simply not run this race anymore.
We do not ever want to return to the city of Ventura. I'm sure that
this may be a unique and unfortunate situation that occurred, but it is
definitely one that I will share with others. This was my 40th half
marathon; in all my years of traveling to different cities to run, I
have never, ever encountered local residents of a town like these.
Sincerely,
Cindy Carlson
Cerritos, CA
Yesterday, I visited your city for the Surfer's Point Inaugural 5K, Half
Marathon, and Marathon. I am from the city of Cerritos, about 80 miles
southeast of you. My introduction to the residents of your city was
shocking, disappointing, and even frightening at times. Please let me
explain.
We arrived for the race fairly early, around 5:45am. I was told the
start/finish area would be around Figueroa and Shoreline, so I drove us
to that intersection. Since it was fairly dark, we were not sure where
to go, and followed a couple of cars into a parking lot -- apparently
the Surfer's Pointe parking lot. We parked, and initially I
perpendicularly parked and should have parallel parked (it was dark, and
I followed the lead of another car I saw that had done the same). After
a few minutes, someone let me know I probably shouldn't park that way,
so I moved. I was grateful for the notice. However, after several
more minutes, we observed both runners and surfers about us. Then a man
approached my car and told me that I needed to move my car. He very
forcefully told me that the whole parking lot was for surfers parking
only, and that runners should park across the street at the
fairgrounds. I noticed him telling one other woman the same thing, but
he did not approach every car that had a non-surfer in it.
At this point, my friends and I discussed what we should do. Eventually,
a woman parked next to me, so I got out of my car and asked her if she
was running or surfing. She said she was surfing. So I asked her if I
should move my car. She appeared to be very honest with me and told me
that the surfers don't want me parking there because I was taking up a
space for their friends (the surfers), but that it's a free parking lot,
and anyone can park. So I also asked her if it was safe for me to leave
my car. She told me yes. So I believed her.
After about 10 more minutes of waiting (we waited until 6am, to pick up
our packet from the race), my friends and I exited the car. We are
three Asian females. The same man who spoke to us earlier called out to
us and said, "Hey, didn't I tell you to leave? You can't park here!
This is parking for surfer's ONLY!" So I decided to walk over to him
and ask him why he said that. There isn't a sign that says so, nor is
there a sign that says I cannot park there.
Many more words were exchanged, with me basically wondering why he has
to be so mean. Most of his words aren't fit for me to put into this
letter. He admitted that I really could park there, but made it clear
to tell me that he wouldn't be surprised if all the windows on my car
were sealed up with wax when I returned. Then he saw an acquaintance of
his drive up in his car, at which point it was clear that he wanted me
out so that this person could park their car where I was parked.
I acquiesced. I was crying by this point, unable to comprehend the
harshness and the cruelty from this man and his friends. They both made
it clear to say that I was taking up precious parking space from them in
THEIR city. They questioned where I was from -- questioned why someone
who is not from their city would take up parking spaces that are there
for them, in a city where they live and pay taxes.
I also live not far from beach cities. I run in Huntington Beach, by
the beach path and the pier, all the time. I have never, ever
encountered any surfers as rude and territorial as these men, residents
of Ventura.
We moved our car out of fear. Fear that the car would either be damaged
or trashed by the time we returned. I was on the verge of saying that I
would simply not run this race anymore.
We do not ever want to return to the city of Ventura. I'm sure that
this may be a unique and unfortunate situation that occurred, but it is
definitely one that I will share with others. This was my 40th half
marathon; in all my years of traveling to different cities to run, I
have never, ever encountered local residents of a town like these.
Sincerely,
Cindy Carlson
Cerritos, CA
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