Super Bowl 50 Comes to Town

Last weekend we enjoyed the opening of Super Bowl City in San Francisco.  Santa Clara is hosting Super Bowl 50 this year, but the pre-game fun is in SF.  We planned to give the free Super Bowl City a shot first and if that didn't excite us we were going to head to Moscone - home of the NFL Experience ($$$$).

Well 10 minutes inside SB City, we fell in love.  We spent the better part of the day cruising the fun and booths.  Like the Bud Light Booth...

Football and hand is made out of cans

Another from the Bud Light booth

Since we were in the beer booth, of course Dave and I had to start the "pregame fun" with a beer.  Mind you, it was maybe 11am at this point. 

So we continued our walk around and spotted a line - the first of many.  And we decided to get a fun picture of Drew as a Denver Bronco.

Bronco/Raider Rivalry lives on

While in line to take a picture as a Bronco (yes they had a Carolina Panther there also) Drew spotted a zip-line activity.  We told him we'd check it out and that could be the one event he did while we were there - expecting it to be an overpriced attraction.  SURPRISE!! IT'S FREE!!! 

We simply needed to head to a different tent to sign up for a time slot and sign the waivers.  On the way over I snapped a pretty shot of the Ferry Building all decorated.  The skies were so clear and blue on this day which was a treat after a bunch of rain earlier in the week.

Ferry Building

Another shot looking to our left of the CBS Sports area that we would hit up next.

Once we got our time slot (3pm - about 3 hours to kill) we headed over to see what the CBS Sports field was all about.  Who knew there were more activities!?  We were really in awe about all the fun that was to be had.

Drew/McFadden on the 50 Yard Line

The big activity - yes another line - was to run down Lombard Street (San Francisco's famous crooked street) and try and catch a football at the end.  We'll go with the fact that Drew caught the ball... since this photo - yes we got a free souvenir of the "catch" - looks like he might have actually caught it.

Drew's first catch attempt

Dave tried his Lombard Run... and he was showing off for the camera, and jumped out of frame.

Dave's Lombard Catch

After hanging out in CBS Sports area, we decided to walk and see what else there was to find...

More Beer :)

By this point Drew was starving so we decided to pick up up a pizza at Boudin - a ridiculous wait for just a small pizza.  but then we snapped a few more photos after the child was fed.

The boys staring at the large painted building

While I was in line for Drew's lunch, the boys stood in line to get the family shot in front of the big 5-0.  I got a text while waiting for the pizza that I needed to get out there quick for our photo.  It worked out - we got the big picture.

After eating, it was time for Drew to report to the Zip Line!  It was supposed to be a Father/Son event however Dave weighed in 5 lbs too heavy and had to stay back.  So Drew braved it alone.  No Fear!

Ready for the Zip Line

And he's off!!!

Here is the GoPro Video that we got as a souvenir - again FREE!

I have to say Super Bowl City more than blew me away.  There was still so much more to do but we didn't take part in due to the lines.  Drew had enough by that point and so we let him burn off some additional steam at the playground before we decided to call it quits for the night.  The crowds were getting heavier and it was getting colder.  While we missed the Chris Issak concert and the fireworks/bridge lighting, we had an absolute blast!  And it was entirely free!  (Not the beer or Drew's pizza however).

A Golden Run

Last month I did one of the coolest, most scenic runs of my racing career.  The 12K Across the Bay.

So according to the race sponsors - my neighbor Julie and I were 2 of 2,500 other racers who ran the 12K (nearly 7 1/2 miles) from Sausalito to Aquatic Park in San Francisco (where you catch the Cable Cars near Ghiradelli Square).

Julie and I waiting for the shuttle to take us from SF to Sausalito.

Our view from the starting line... Looking out near Sausalito.

Then we were off - about a mile in we had spectacular views of the Golden Gate Bridge - which was socked with fog.

Our selfie attempt near the base of the bridge... before the brutal hill.

The bridge from atop the brutal hill.

A foggy look at the bridge...

What you see when you look over the ledge... (you could hear a barge horn blaring underneath me... you just can't see it - or the water).

Coming down the hill after the bridge - through the Presidio.

From the Presidio looking out toward SF.  There is a dome in the center left - that's the Palace of Fine Arts.

The Palace of Fine Arts up close.  This was about mile 6.

Alcatraz in the distance and fog.

Only 1/2 a mile left!

Looking back toward the bridge and how far we've come!

A better glimpse of Alcatraz.

We finished!  A glimpse of Ghiradelli Square.

The athletes Me - Julie.

I thought this was an amazing run - yes the hills were brutal, but with better training this run could be an annual tradition!  I love runs with a view - and this one lived up to that.

Run, Walk, Honor

Ok my blogger slacking days are hopefully over now that I have a brand spanking new working laptop.  So I'm hoping to catch up this week on some overdue posts. 

As I've done the past four years, I spent our Anniversary weekend participating in Pat's Run.  This year I was joined not only by Dave (this was his second year), but Drew as well at the San Francisco shadow run.  The main attraction is at my alma mater Arizona State where 30,000+ runners and walkers cross the 42 yard line to pay tribute to the fallen Pat Tillman.

At the San Francisco turnout there were somewhere around 50 people - mainly alumni and their families - running the 4.2 mile route which takes us from the Marina Green to near the Golden Gate Bridge and back.

You can see Drew in his black Kids Run Shirt to the left of the NorCal sign.  Dave and Drew are just behind him (you can click to enlarge the photo)

As you can see it was a gorgeous day in the City on April 21st.  In fact on the run it was blisteringly hot for this mama who pushed Drew in the jogger.

Drew is ready to get started.

 Here is a video taken by the local NBC station of the start of the run:



You can see Drew and us around :25, Drew running around :33 and Drew playing "elevator" in the background during the interview.


Daddy ran ahead of us, since I was pushing the stroller.  Drew started out running but his "legs got tired" about 100 yards in.  He didn't want me to bring the jogger, claiming he could run the whole time, but thankfully I didn't listen. 

Because it was warm and I was pushing the jogger with a 36ish pound kid, I took a few water breaks.

Water break # 1 about 1.5 miles in with a view of the Golden Gate Bridge

Pit stop #2 near the turnaround point so about 2 miles in.

 And here comes Daddy (left side of the picture in the read Pat's Run shirt). 

 Daddy took a brief water break to snap a picture of Drew and I

And we all made it across the finish line!  Drew didn't want to run the final 100 yards, so I pushed him to the bitter end.  My final time wasn't great 55:16, but not bad for the first race of this size pushing Drew.  Dave finished about 4 minutes ahead of me I believe.

Because it was such a beautiful day we just enjoyed the sights after the race at the Marina.

Drew was intrigued by Alcatraz (and trying to find crabs on the rocks below)

Victory shot of Dave and I

After the race we were trying to figure out what else we could do that didn't involve a lot of walking/hiking - Dave's feet were bruised from the run.  So we ended up at Golden Gate Park.

We hit up a "spinner" and a playground.  We wanted to go to the Japanese Tea Garden, but it appears everyone else in the Bay Area had the same idea - hit up GG Park - because there was ZERO parking that afternoon.  So we decided with a wounded Daddy and a hungry Mama and child we headed back home for some grub and much needed showers.

Shadowing a Legend

Saturday was a busy busy day at our house.  Being kidless for the weekend so we could attend a wedding, we also decided to sign up for the Pat's Run - San Francisco Shadow Run.  This is the annual run is in Tempe, Arizona - which I ran in Tempe last year.  I've done this race that I've done for the past 3 years (the race is actually in its 7th year).  Dave decided to run the 4.2 miles (Pat Tillman an ASU alum was #42 in college).

It was a great day in San Francisco

Here's Dave and I in near where the race started - in the background you see a foggy Golden Gate Bridge.

To the right of where we are standing is "The Rock" - Alcatraz.  Not as foggy in that direction.

So our run brought us nearly to the base of the Golden Gate Bridge.  Can you imagine running with this as your view?

Here's a shot of us after the race.

 My final time - 45:15.  I had my Running app track me for 4.25 miles (so .05 longer than I was supposed to run - my app only measures in 1/4 miles).  Dave didn't turn around at the correct spot, so he actually ran 4.5 miles with a time of 48 minutes.  He believes his app told him he hit 4.25 miles in about 46:30ish - so he was a minute-and-a-half-behind me.  Oh did I mention he didn't train at all for this (I'm sure he'd add that tidbit if I wasn't forthright).

To give you some perspective.  When I first did this race at Pat Tillman's High School in San Jose back in 2009 my official time was 45:01.  For a race recap and pictures you can check here.

And last year when I joined 30,000 other runners across the 42 yard line at Arizona State, my time wasn't so great - 48:31.  I wasn't used to running in the heat!  For pictures along the race route and a recap of that one you can visit this page.

I guess that means it's time to start training for my half-marathon....

Update: On 4/21 I snipered received a snapshot of all of the SF Shadow Run participants...

 

Dave and I are just behind the yellow sign off toward the left - sort of behind the guy wit the maroon and gold jersey.