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Marathon #2 Crystal Springs Marathon, Jan 21, 2017

Marathon # 2 for Lotus petal.


 

We are blessed to be living in bay area.  Running mecca it is.

Only here can you think about choosing to do a marathon a month, and find marathons each month within an hour's drive.

For January, I picked Crystal Springs Trail Run Marathon, in Woodside, CA.  They are managed by Coastal trail runs group.    I have done some 50k's with these guys before kids were born some 7-8 years ago (read as when my legs used to love uphills).  They really have a professional staff and well marked courses and the beer/hot-soup/grilled-sandwiches aren't something you get to see at road races.   God bless them.

When I parked at Hubbart park (start line area), it was pouring.  Heavy pouring!

I had gotten my rain jacket, gloves, cap and had come prepared for a slow/cold run, through muddy trails.   For whatever reason, rain God's took mercy on us and rain transitioned from pouring to no rain as if someone just turned the rain-switch off.

Course was typical woodside territory.   Rains just made everything sprout out in full glory.  Lush green trees, banana slugs, and pure unfiltered air - nature was its best!   Fog in certain places made the place very mystical and at high elevations and there were moments I felt I was flying through planet Pandora of the Navis :).


Soaked buckets upon buckets of that fresh air and scenery where ever I could.

Glad to start the year with this.   See you in a few weeks for #3.

Next few weeks, will be focussing on fund raising for Lotus Petal (have managed to get them added to Cisco's matching program).  Cisco foundation is a great great place to reach out to (they match 1:1 for every donation an employee makes upto a 1000 dollars - hoping to reach many of my Ciscoites over the next 11 months).



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