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Ian Hersey writes:Exec Summary:  46:26, about 45 seconds better than last year, on acrystal-clear day in San Francisco.This race is part of the Pacific USATF Grand Prix series, and mightwell be the jewel in the crown.  It starts on the Marin side of theGolden Gate Bridge and features a tough climb to the bridge in mile 1,a cruise over the water in miles 2 and 3, and then a tour of the SFwaterfront, including Ft Point, Crissy Field, Marina Green and FtMason before finishing at Aquatic Park.  For my money, a nicer 12Kthan Bay to Breakers, though without the costumes and naked runners.I wasn't planning on doing this race, but on Thursday I got aplaintive email from my running team captain desperately in search ofmasters to fill out the team.  Then the phone calls from my friendGreg came, applying an extra dose of peer pressure.  If an overweight,oft-injured, out-of-shape wreck like him could take one for the team,so could I, was the basic message.Ok, ok.  Saturday was my tri team's group ride, and this week's ridewas shorter and less hilly than just about any ride I've done thisyear, the idea being to recuperate from the long rides and intensebike-run combos we've been doing and get ready for this comingSaturday's "Epic Ride," a 110-mile affair with 10,000 ft of climbing.Any notions that this ride was going to be "easy" just because it wasrelatively short went out the window on the short, steep climb upMoody Rd in Los Altos Hills.  Suddenly I found myself on the wheel ofthe coach and Jeff the pro and my power meter was going ballistic withnumbers I shouldn't be putting up and still be talking.  So it was myown fault, but I could do nothing to stop it -- I enjoy my new-foundimprovement on the bike.  The rest of the ride was a hammerfest ofpacelines and chase groups, and even though it was only 40 miles or soI finished with aching legs -- the good kind of ache.My sense was I would regret that ride once the gun sounded today, butsurprisingly I didn't feel that bad.  The initial mile dropsprecipitously at first, is flat along the water for a brief period,and then climbs steadily up to the GG Bridge.  I held back in thismile to let my legs warm up, but I still passed a lot of runners onthe uphill.  Mile 1 in 6:50, which is slow until you realize how muchuphill this mile has.  The bridge was a pleasure -- we had a nicetailwind, and since I had held back before I was now flying pastpeople.  I didn't get another split until Mile 4, which was 18:04 forthe preceding three miles, and then I just settled into a rhythm ofjust sub 6:15 pace out to Ft Point and back along Crissy Field.  Oncein the Marina district there was only 1.5M to go, and I got anannoying side stitch.  I tried controlled breathing, and that helped alittle.Once we hit Ft Mason we got a cruel insult of an uphill before flyingdown the other side to the finishing stretch.  I was tailing an AsicsAggie runner on the uphill but couldn't get him because of the stitch,but I went past him on the downhill and thought I had him.  But no --he had another gear in the home straight.  Oh well.  I improved onlast year's time the day after a hard bike, so I can't complain.I think I finished 3rd or 4th for the team (5 score) so it was worth coming out.Ian- on my way to San Diego for a conference