2/11, 2/12
Tennis is the rare intercollegiate sport that runs the entire school year at Cal. It happens in two stages. The 2005 Cal men’s tennis season opened on January 27, soon after the Golden Bears finished a long schedule of playoffs and invitationals capping the 2004 season. Now ranked Number 28 nationally, head coach Peter Wright’s squad went as far as the finals of the Wilson/ITA Regionals before losing to No. 1 Stanford. But that was last year. This week the Bears face a pair of Pac 10 rivals: Friday vs. Arizona State (1:30 p.m.) and Saturday against Arizona (1 p.m.), both at UC Berkeley’s Hellman Tennis Center. Keep an eye on junior Conor Niland, ranked 21st nationally as a singles player. CalBears.com Kelly Vance SUN 2/13
Go on, take part in the CHS Academy Valentine’s Run. Credits: Al Cameron Cal men’s tennis
Love to Run? Run to Love
Don’t stay inside eating bonbons and watching TV this Sunday. Celebrate the day before Valentine’s Day by breaking a sweat and getting some good aerobic exercise at the Second Annual CHS Academy Valentine’s Run in Concord. The run — featuring 5K and 10K races winding along a flat course with a fast, paved road through the neighborhood around Concord High School — is a benefit for the Communications & Human Services Academy at Concord High. Entry fees are $20 for both the 10K and 5K, $15 under 18; for that you get a T-shirt, awards, and refreshments. Race-day registration begins at 7 a.m. at El Dorado/Westwood Park across from Concord High, 4200 Concord Blvd. Both races start at 8:30. — Kelly Vance
SUN 2/13
Get Lost
Go on, get out of town
Sometimes the best way to gain perspective on your situation is to break out of your rut and take a walk in the woods or along the bayshore. The Berkeley Hiking Club can oblige. This Sunday, intrepid trippers have their choice of two outings in Marin County, both leaving from the usual departure point of Shattuck Avenue and Berkeley Way. First is a 9:15 a.m. mini-hike around the friendly suburban landscape of Larkspur Landing, led by Paul Gruner (415-382-7924) and featuring an easy walk beside creeks, condos, and parks near the ferry landing. Or you can head for the considerably more rustic Muir Woods at 9 a.m. with Naomi Hanson (415-925-0488) — a six-mile hike up Boot Jack Trail with lunch at Van Wyk Meadow. Rain cancels both events, so be sure to check BerkeleyHikingClub.pair.com before lacing up your mukluks. — Kelly Vance
