Like someone said on the Evite, it is hard to think that you turned 30! ;-) After Chuck's 60th celebration on the trails, thank you for setting this one up. Happy Birthday to you, then, and to Brooke. Like you said, with mine 6 days ago, that made a 3-in-1 celebration run.
It was a wonderful run with a perfect weather. Even the trails were in quasi perfect conditions despite the rain of these past weeks. I love this are, it is really the paradise of trail and ultra running. From the Enid W. Pearson the Arastradero Preserve to the Monte Bello Open Space Preserve, through Foothills Park and Los Trancos Open Space Preserve, what a trip across the best that the Peninsula has to offer to hikers and runners: creeks, hills, trees and luxurious vegetation, wildlife, grassy meadows, 360-degree views over the Pacific Ocean, San Francisco, San Jose, the West and East sides of the Bay Area, Mount Hamilton, Mount Diablo. And bright blue skies today to top that! See the map that you conveniently prepared for us, online.
However, these wonders would not be worth as much if they were not shared with friends, and surely you had many friends around you this morning and this evening to celebrate your milestone! Charles, Dennis, Brooke, Lee (and Winnie who missed the group picture), Chuck, Linda, Noel, Matt, Bill, Joe, Steve, Lina, My, Anil, Ernesto, I and Joe.
As a gift, here is a photo album capturing some views of this gorgious day on the Peninsula trails (more than 200 pictures!) Make sure to click on Slideshow. Great memories which will last longer than Agnès' madeleines!
Please thank "Run Director" and Aid Station #1-2-4 Captain, Chuck, as well as Bill, Aid Station #3 Captain, for me. They were instrumental in making such a long run a success! And helped me getting these 30.3 miles (let's round that up to 50K, right?) in, a great recovery run after Napa, and great training run before Way Too Cool.
See you (and Chuck!) for many more years on the trail, Chris!Sincerely,
Jean.
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