We Can Do It

The 2024 Wharf to Wharf 10K race had started and our group number finally was able to move. As we got closer to the Beach Boardwalk arcade building, I noticed two police officers on the roof. One of them had what looked like a high-powered sniper rifle (never in America; now in America). Both were scanning the diverse 16,000 participants from the Santa Cruz area and beyond, serious racers to friends and family enjoying this annual community event, all of whom would run and walk from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk to the Capitola Wharf. My wife Amy and I, and many others, saw the rifle clearly on its stand right above the roofline.

I scanned the roof of the restaurants across the street from the arcade, and there were two more officers, one with another sniper rifle on its stand. After all the Wharf to Wharf's we've done over the years, I don't remember ever seeing officers on the roofs above us. They might've been there and I just never looked up, but I don't think so. I mean, every year there is plenty of police presence along the over six miles of race route to ensure safety since we're walking and running along city streets. But it felt different this year. 

If there were other snipers along the race route, we didn't see them, and frankly, didn't want to see them. This was a depressing sign of the times, where the threat of potentially random violence feels like it's everywhere, even though violent crime is actually down. We live in a moderate-to-liberal community ideologically and politically, but there are still vocal extremes everywhere. 

So, whether or not local law enforcement had received threats to the race, we may never know, but it was unsettling nonetheless. The ideological and political extremists today thrive on divisiveness and hate that threatens to crater the middle of the road for us all. In fact, fringe violence has left more and more pot holes of fear faster than we can fill them, but fill them we must. What compounds this is that too many of us are too quick to fuel the fear and hate when we judge and tear each other down for being different, and when we don't see eye to eye on issues that affect us all. In front of our own children, God, and everyone. We revel in it, actually. Amy and I have been guilty of that ourselves, and our children called us out on it every time. 

Amy and I finished the race without incident and headed home, exhausted but exhilarated that we finished another Wharf to Wharf. Throughout the race I kept thinking about the police snipers keeping watch, and the majority of us walking and running in the race in the middle of the road, celebrating community and enjoying the live bands playing along the route. The race promotes the health and fitness of the youth of Santa Cruz (our schools). For those physically able to participate, it's also all about the joy of feeling alive and active, a vibrant mindfulness of empathy and love for oneself, and for the thousands of others across generations with a variety of backgrounds and beliefs. And along the entire route, locals cheered us on with "you can do it" signs.

That's a more relevant theme that extends beyond this fun annual race. Our family, and I'd argue the majority of families in communities big and small across ideologies, do not want to live in fear and loathing, or continue to enable the hateful disabling rhetoric, and will do everything we can to be stable, safe, and thrive. And to empower our children to do the same. 

We can do it. And we will do it. We have to do it. Our children are counting on us. 

Dump Free

If I had water in my mouth, I would've sprayed it everywhere. My wife Amy and I were on our way to the 51st annual Wharf to Wharf race when she said something that cracked me up.

"After we park and walk, there will be plenty of time to use one of the porta-potties," I said. "We always have to pee before we start the race."

"Ugh. I hate the porta-potties because everybody always has to take a big ol' dump before the race, and then I get that one."

God, that was funny, because she's also not wrong. I seem to find those, too. I guess we don't have to look down when we enter a porta-potty, but we always do. (I'll bet you do it, too.)

The Wharf to Wharf Race is a super-fun annual10K race that goes from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk to the Capitola Wharf and usually attracts over 15,000 people. The race donates proceeds to Santa Cruz County youth sports and running programs. We've done it for many years together, and I think I've participated in it myself for 15 years now (the earliest I documented the race here was the 2nd year I ran it in 2008). I ran this 10K race until 2014, because that's when I hurt my knee and couldn't run or walk it that year (I had knee surgery that year). 

After that we mostly walked the race each year. During the covid years when there was no in-person race, we did our own 6-mile hikes and tracked them on their app. We did try to run again a little last year for the big 50th year, but that was rough on my legs. This year, we walked. One of the fun parts of the race is that there are live bands and other musical groups sprinkled throughout the race route. Good times! 

After we parked downtown and walked to the Boardwalk before the Wharf to Wharf race started, we approached the infamous porta-potties. I smiled thinking about Amy's "everybody always has to take a big ol' dump before the race" comment in the car.

"You know, they should have dump-only porta-potties," Amy said. 

I chuckled. "Yes, and pee-only ones, too."

We laughed and stood staring at the dozens of porta-potties for a few seconds. So many people and so many dumps, I thought. 

"I'm going to go," I said. "What about you?"

Amy looked at them and said, "Yes, I guess I'll go." 

Afterwards, as we headed to the race starting area, I gave her a big smile. 

"Any dumps in yours?" I asked.

"No! Dump free! What about you?"

"Same!"

And then we were off to start another Wharf the Wharf race. Good times!

Daddy K runs the Wharf to Wharf

Well, I did it. This is the second year I've run the Wharf to Wharf and this year's 36^th annual event boasted a fantastic run for me. It's a six-mile race that starts at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and ends at the Capitola Wharf.

Thanks to Andy's training guidance, and Mama A's encouragement, I increased my speed and performance to hit a personal best. There are over 14,000 people who run (and walk) this race, so the first few miles were slower than I would've liked, but I cranked up the inner reactors and melted down the asphalt the last two-plus miles, finishing at just under 56 minutes, almost 10 minutes faster than last year. Next year's goal: less than 50 minutes.

This race promotes the health and fitness of Santa Cruz County youth and it's again great to see so many families running together. Amy was going to walk it this year, but considering how far along she is and how wiped out she got the last time she challenged herself on the Yosemite hike, she decided it was a good idea not to. We'll do together next year!

At one point while I was running, a young boy watching the race had his hand out for an encouraging slap. So I obliged him. Could be B someday, although I'm going to have B out there running with me.

It feels good to be able to run like this. I grew up with severe asthma and then smoked as an adult, so to be in shape and run like this is a blessing for me, Mama A and Baby B. We will be an active family, no doubt about that.

There are many other charity 10K's that I'm going to start participating in as well, so I'd better get back to training.

But first, a nap. And then a donut.

K Daddy goes for a run and picks up a six-pack

I keep picking up the pace for the upcoming Wharf to Wharf – and along the way I'm going to start picking up the trash on Natural Bridges Way and West Cliff Drive.

Yep, I've had it with the inconsiderate and thoughtless imbeciles who litter our world. Really. What is the frickin' problem of not taking care of your trash? I don't care how old you are or what you're doing; there's always a trash can somewhere nearby.

During my run this morning, I picked up an empty six pack of beer and threw it in the trash without missing a beat. I just can't leave this crap laying around anymore for the city folks to clean up. The City of Santa Cruz is already in a heap of budget trouble anyway.

The time is now. So from this point on, whether it's during a run or during our Friday morning walk, I'm bringing gloves and a garbage bag and picking up after the loser litterers. The Clean Beaches Coalition does it for the beaches, let's do it for our streets.

And because the Native American Indian still cries, let's help keep our neighborhoods and cities clean. You're just one run or walk away.