I reported on the men’s race at the famous Wharf to Wharf run from Santa Cruz to Capitola last weekend. It was one of the best experiences in my short career as a sports journalist. Oh, except for the part when I almost died.
I had never covered a road race before, so Sunday offered my first opportunity to ride in a media truck. I didn’t realize ‘media truck’ and ‘flat bed livestock hauler’ were synonymous.
The truck does it’s best to stay in front of of the lead group of runner without getting in their way. Apparently this is harder than it sounds. Even though the fastest runners are only going about 12 mph, the driver was accelerating up to 25-30 mph and breaking down to five, throwing me against flimsy rails with signs all over them that read, “DO NOT LEAN ON RAIL.” My hair was being brushed by tree limbs over hanging the road. I was supposed to be taking mile split times for the runners, but my mind was somewhere else. Mentally I was planning my tuck and roll for when I was ejected from the vehicle.
The truck speeds up near the end of the course so all the media members can climb down and get in position for when the top finishers cross. Right when we’re reaching top speed, a guy takes down the gate in back. It was just about then fellow Sentinel sports reporter Julie Jag jumped behind me and pushed me forward, obviously planning to use me as a sled when we fell out. She’s a road race veteran, so she knows all the tricks.
Somehow I survived, and it was fascinating watching some of the fastest distance runners in the world do their work. These guys’ second gear is about as fast as my fifth, and they maintain it for six miles. It takes them all of 4 minutes to recover at the end of the race, and then they’re laughing and doing interviews. It really looked like the truck ride was harder than the run. Still, I hope I get to tempt death again next year.
See results and coverage of the Wharf to Wharf on the Sentinel Sports website.
