The mermaid’s strides: The golden gate 10 miler experience

The triathlon season in California is officially over. To overcome those withdrawal symptoms, I decided to switch over to running until March-April next year. 

Mermaid series had a 10 miler run event where participants could get to run on the Golden gate bridge. Since I loved running in San Francisco city, I decided to sign up for this one. I was blessed with good weather thanks to the onset of the fall season. The trees exhibited resplendent shades of red and yellow, making it a glorious sight altogether. 

It was dark and a chilly Sunday morning. When I reached Crissy field at SFO, I could see the lights twinkling on the bridge. It was a pretty sight and gave it an overall fairy tale like appearance. 

I stood there shivering despite wearing a double layered full sleeved attire. The volunteers were setting up the timing mats. Participants slowly streamed in, flashing lights from their phones. Getting into a conversation with a few of them, I leaned against the fence that separated the pavement from the bushes. Just then a lady called out “Watch out. Skunk alert.” 

Along with the other runners, I jumped from the fence and darted across the pavement. It was just in time to see the black and white tail scuttle into the thick bushes. While skunks looked cute in some of those animated cartoons, they were infamous for their nauseating odor. 

The start line:The sky was gradually turning color and the sun was beginning to peep  out. The start line was bustling with woman participants as this was an all-women’s event.  Some of them were dressed in a colorful attire wearing tutus and some interesting looking wigs. The Halloween spirit had already set in.  

The race sharply commenced at 7 am. I was planning to take this run easy as I had run a grueling 10 km trail run just the previous day which had 1400 feet elevation gain. Besides I was tired of having to constantly look at my garmin watch which was essential during those triathlon events, given the stringent cut off times. Not that the running events didn’t have cut off times.  It was far more lenient compared to an Ironman 70.3 event. 

Strides in the city: At the word go, I set into an easy rhythm. After crossing Crissy field, I was greeted by a steep ascent. It resembled a coil of a serpent’s tail as I huffed and puffed my way through this hill. I kept going in a persistent manner and soon reached the top. It is said that the view from the top makes the climb really worthwhile. I couldn’t agree more. 

The shades of azure blue blended beautifully with the contours of green that surrounded the ocean. I took a deep breath and basked in this moment. Never has a run made me feel so alive. Just to be able to breath the pure autumn air and be treated to the glorious visuals was a blessing by itself. There was a descent for a few yards before I climbed that slope that took me to the man-made marvel. 

Run on the Bridge: There is something exotic about the Golden gate bridge that I just cant put my finger to. To an extent that tourists and SFO residents stop to take those mandatory selfies of the bridge. The brick red chain of arches appeared like a number of people holding hands, promising to never let go of one another. No wonder this iconic monument withstood those several vehicles and people trudging on it every day. Nothing could shake it. That’s one of the most important lesson I learnt every time I ran on the bridge- to never break down irrespective of how many people try to run you over. 

Probably that’s why I enjoyed running on this bridge much to my husband’s amazement. “What’s so special about running on the bridge?” he’d ask. To which I’d reply with a dreamy look in my eyes, “You will know once you run on it.”  The dreamy look returned to my eyes as I ran along the bridge. It was slippery in some parts so I slowed down to ensure that I don’t fall. It gave me enough opportunity to enjoy the magnificent views of the ocean. It seemed like another world altogether. A world that I was part of during the triathlon season. 

I felt like Ariel-the mermaid who had traded her fins for a pair of legs to lure her Prince Charming. The only difference here was that I had already found my prince charming and I didn’t have to give up my voice for some sea witch.  I reached the turnaround point which led to a flight of stairs leading down to a tunnel to cross the bridge. I had to climb another flight of stairs to the other side of the bridge. 

The sun was shining brightly. The hues of blue and yellow made a pretty sight as I made my way down to Crissy field again. It was just 3 miles to the finish line. At Crissy field there was another turnaround point and this time I ran by the ocean again. The sound of waves crashing on the shore could put any music artist to shame. I continued my strides and soon found myself embracing the finish line in a strong manner. 

Being the California mermaid: I was handed over the medal that read California mermaid. In a way, I identified with this mystical character from Hans Christian Andersen’s tale. A part of me wanted to be in water and enjoy the foam of the waves. Yet another part of me yearned to explore the trails and lands. Probably that’s why I have the opportunity to balance the year. While spring and summer could be spent in water, fall and winter could help me discover the treasures of the trails. 

The best of both worlds-what more could I ask for?