Race Recap: 2007 Shadow of the Giants 50K at Trail Fit

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Race Recap: 2007 Shadow of the Giants 50K

Posted June 13, 2007 at 08:39 AM by Charlie Nickell

Section: News

We need to stop pre-judging these events. Excited to mingle with a few Major League baseball players, we thought Shadow of the Giants was a Willie Mays or Barry Bonds tribute. But, a foot race outside Fresno? Darn, no celebrity steroids on Saturday.

OK, if it’s not the 5 or 405 freeways we’re lost. Interstate 99 and Highway 41? They named a freeway after a thrift store that can’t source anything more expensive than a buck? What does a dollar buy in 2007 aside from one of Baz’s race day shirts? There are more billboards on the 91 in Spanish than in English. Funny how San Diego’s PCT50, located only miles from the Mexican border, has zero billboards in Spanish; travel hundreds of miles to the north and they litter the place.

Anyway, I’m impervious to subliminal advertising and ignored the overgrown marketing campaigns while continuing the journey to Pescado Camp and the infamous Shadow de el Gigantes. Oh mierda! And, Highway 41? If one more person moves into this area they’ll have to rename it the 42. Where are the strip malls, association Jacuzzis, empty tennis courts and rarely used green belts? Toto, we’re not in Orange County anymore.

Shadow of the Giants 50K, we get it; really big trees blocking sunlight. We rarely see big trees much less run in their magnificent shadows. It’s like tanning in Newport Beach next to a fence. While running, you can yell at the foliage “Hey, you’re blocking my sun!” Most trees we’re familiar with are easily demolished by a head-on Razor collision.

Located on the southernmost tip of Yosemite National Park, Shadow of the Giants 50K is most properly coined. The trees are ancient huge with some in the 3,500-year-old category – Baz can relate. As you pass the tall wooden soldiers they peer down and smirk. They’ve seen it all before. “Move along please, your Salomons are aggravating my roots.”

Read the rest of the race recap at: TheRunDown.Net