Half Marathon Draws People From 34 States To Run In Oakland
KPIX 5 Morning Weather Anchor Roberta Gonzales answers the questions you never get to ask on-air.
Ro, I am looking forward to running the Half Marathon with you Sunday in Oakland! What - Dave Lewis, Livermore
Bring it Dave! As you co-running partner at the San Jose Rock 'N Roll Half Marathon, I know we will be step by step!
The Oakland Running Festival is this Sunday! Over 10,000 participants of all ages and abilities from more than 34 states and 8 foreign countries will be running and walking through the streets of Oakland. If you don't plan on participating, then line the streets of Oakland and cheer on the participants. I'm telling you, it's those people on the sidelines (like the support of firefighters from Oakland FD and Raider Nation) which keep me going, just when my hamstrings start screaming!
Besides the 5K, the Half Marathon and the full Marathon, something which has people talking is actually happening AFTER the Race in the Celebration Village! A German non-alcoholic beer has been creating some buzz recently (or lack thereof) with their claims that the alcohol-free version of their beer is a great post-workout recovery drink and a good alternative to sports drinks such as Gatorade. Erdinger of Erding, Germany says their alcohol-free beer is great for athletes, replenishing much needed vitamins and salts lost when an athlete sweats. Beer is also primarily water and very rich in carbohydrates. I do drink Gatorade while training and also grab an offered cup on the course, but I do not drink beer. Ever. So this claim of a non alcoholic beer passing off as a Sports Drink intrigues me. What I found is, it advertises you do not need to worry about the jitters of an energy drink and excessive caffeine or the buzz of real beer, both of which can lead to further dehydration.
Interestingly enough, Erdinger (a global company based in Germany) selected Oakland to launch its alcohol-free beer in America! The company chose Oakland because of its outdoors/fitness culture. At the Oakland Running Festival, Erdinger is sponsoring the Celebration Village, so when I cross the Finish Line Sunday, I'm running right to their booth and I will report back next week on my findings. An alcohol-free beer touted as a Sports Drink? It's the rage in Europe, so let's see if it has "legs" at the Oakland Running Festival!
Do you have a question for a future blog, comment or photo? Please send them to: Gonzales@kpix.cbs.com
Have a great weekend!
