Andrea's Pasadena Rock n Roll race report

Submitted by Andrea Barber @andreabarber

6:30 AM: It is dark and cold in the parking lot of the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. I, my friend Cory, and #Run3rd Captain Extraordinaire Sean Astin are all huddled under a heat lamp in the media tent. It's 46 degrees out! (New Englanders, don't laugh.) Sean and I are standing on chairs to get closer to the heat. Sean is telling us all about his new vegan diet, which I gotta admit is fascinating and admirable. I also must admit that I have learned more about nuts and legumes than I ever wanted to know. : ) Sean asks what my projected finish time is for this race.  NOPE, NO WAY. Not falling for this trap again, Astin!!  You see, Sean and I have had this ongoing bet ever since the Hollywood Half last year. He continuously underestimates his finish time, and then he continuously runs 6 minutes faster than me. It doesn't matter how fast or slow I run - Sean will inevitably run 6 minutes faster. Sean mentions that he is hoping to finish in 2:30 based on his Tinkerbell time. I mentally make note of this, but do not give away any hints about my projected finish (which is actually about the same - 2:30).

Heather's Pasadena Rock n Roll race report

Submitted by Heather Stewart @captainstewie

I Love It When a Plan Comes Together.

The Pasadena Rock 'n' Roll Half was a culmination of many plans coming together:

1. This is my final training “race” before the LA Marathon (LAM). I will run more and longer distances, but this is the last race.

2. Organizing when to pick up my bib, when to get to Pasadena and where to park was a plan in itself!

BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY…

3. There was finally a solid plan to meet up with some #run3rd Captains. Andrea and I had made “plans,” if that’s what you can call them, at two different races, and Disney races are crazy places to try to do meet ups, plus this would be my first opportunity to hobnob with our fearless leader!

Sean's Pasadena Rock n Roll Half race report

Submitted by Sean Astin @SeanAstin

What? Back in Pasadena only a few short weeks after the Rose Bowl Half?? But why? Simple, I re-discovered at the last minute that even though I had known about it but had forgotten about it, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series was in town… and as I looked closely, saw that they hand out some bitchin’ medals at their races.

This was my first Rock ‘n’ Roll race, but it will absolutely not be my last. And now, most importantly, many people, more than usual lately in fact, had made sincere and heartfelt #run3rd dedications. I wanted to honor them in the way I am accustomed to. And so, as it turned out, even though I knew it but had stupidly forgotten, TWO count them TWO #run3rd Team Captains, @andreabarber and @captainstewie would be leading the way through the famed streets of the New Year’s Rose Bowl Parade. Of course, the brilliant #run3rd Team Captain @Leahmari11 was also on hand to REPRESENT!!! Plus, there were the simultaneous international exploits of @Voxpax2 in Canada. It just had to happen.

So, I popped into the expo on Saturday and coincidentally happened into an old friend Bob Babbitt who I met many many years ago at the Malibu Mini-Triathalon. On that day my trainer, Kurt Broadhag and I were privileged to team up with 8yr old Rudy Garcia-Tolson. He swam, I ran and Kurt biked. The thing is that Rudy is a double amputee. I carried him from the ocean to the bike area. Such an inspiration. He’s an old old man now [not really, he's 24!], a sponsored triathlete and everything. [Read more about Rudy and Sean here.] Well, Bob and I met back up in Pasadena and had lots of fun.