A Day in the Mud

Distance: 3.2 miles (5K)
Time: Roughly 1 hour

This is a belated post, but it was a busy weekend. The Apple Valley Mud Run was Saturday, and it was a day of ups and downs. The run itself was great -- a truly unique experience that I already can't wait to do again. But Deborah was injured during the race, which obviously put a damper on things. Here follows our tale.

This was my first organized race since high school. I've long wanted to do a 5K, but I've just never committed. Finally, at the insistence of my wife, we signed up for a race just down the street from our house. But this was no ordinary race, it was a mud run, a 5K race through various obstacles and lots of messy mud! We figured, if we're going to do something like this, might as well make our first experience fun and memorable. My brother-in-law, Ryan, also joined us. So the three of us set out early Saturday morning for our adventure. The race was at Horsemen's Center Park, where I've gone on a few runs. We got our numbers and walked around to scope out the course. The turnout was great, with estimates of around 800 participants. It seemed to take forever for the race to begin, but finally we were lining up, and without warning the horn sounded and we were off! It was simply a crazy experience! About 50 yards into the course was the first large mud pit. All I can remember is running into the mud and sinking down to my knees, and then struggling to wade through the thick mud. I grabbed Deborah's hand and we plowed through the mud pit together. When we got out the other side we realized our shoes were now a few pounds heavier! It was a weird sensation, but we had no time to dwell on it -- we had to keep going! We ran up into the rocky hills surrounding the park and through a few more mud pits. Deborah started to fall behind, so I waited up for her, while Ryan went ahead. The next obstacle was a boulder climb followed by a steep descent into another mud pit. At this point the trail narrowed so much that a line formed and we simply had to stand and wait our turn to climb up the boulder. We finally made it and we charged down the rock and into the mud! We kept on running, through some more mud and meandering trails. By now Deborah was really starting to get tired. I would run, then wait for her to catch up, then run a little more, and so on. This lasted for a while. More mud pits. By now Ryan was out of sight. Nearing the half-way point of the course we came to a steep uphill that went up into the hills. We walked most of this, then we did a big u-turn and the trail now was descending. And this is when disaster struck. I was slightly ahead of Deborah when I heard her calling my name. I looked back to see she had fallen on the downhill trail. I ran to her and thought she rolled her ankle. But she was thinking it was worse. She said she stepped wrong on a rock, fell, and somehow landed on her leg a weird way. We would find out later that she did in fact break a bone, her tibia just above her ankle. She couldn't walk at all, so I, along with some volunteer workers, carried her down the hill to the nearby road. There we waited for help to arrive. I figured at that point that the race was over -- for Deborah for sure, but I figured I would need to stay with her. But a small golf cart arrived to pick her up, and she insisted that I finish the race. I figured they would need to bandage her up, so by the time I finished the race she would be good to go. So after she left I kept on going. By this point nearly every runner had passed us, so I needed to really push it. I had been taking it easy with Deborah up till this point, but now I was determined to give it all I had. And for the next mile or so I passed up runner after runner. Some of the obstacles during this segment of the course were a rope swing, a wall climb, and a tire run. Ryan, who had stopped and waiting for us near the finish line, came back to meet me near the last stretch of the course. I explained what happened to Deborah and then the two of us ran the rest of the race together -- over a series of small hills and through about 4 or 5 insane mud pits, one of which was literally waist deep and like quick sand! The very last obstacle was a mud pit that we had to crawl through! By that point we were just messing around, and Ryan was rolling through the entire thing. We finished the race at just over an hour (Deborah's injury obviously consuming a lot of that time). When all was said and done, I found the whole race to be ridiculously fun. Ryan and I determined to run it again next year in a much more competitive fashion. Even though I seriously ran only half the course, I felt like all the training this summer really paid off. I was tired, for sure, but felt like I could have kept going for a while longer. I felt good when it was done! But then we saw Deborah on a gurney. The joy of the race had to take a backseat. We went over to her to find that they were going to take her in an ambulance to the local hospital. It appeared to be a broken bone. So Ryan and I left, went back to the house and washed up. And after Ryan left I headed to the hospital to pick Deborah up. At the hospital she had x-rays taken and a temporary cast put on. I couldn't believe that because of this race my wife would end up on crutches! We finally went home to finish off a crazy day.

It was an unfortunate way to experience our first mud run/5K. I without doubt want to do it again, but I can't say the same for Deborah. I can only hope that over time she'll want to give it another try. But it may have been too much too soon for her. I give her all the credit in the world, though, for giving it all she had! As for me, it left me wanting more. At the race we picked up a flyer for a 5K in the mountain town of Wrightwood in two months. If all goes as planned, that will be my next race! Let the training continue!

Savoring the Night

Distance: 1 mile
Time: 8:27

After nearly giving myself heat-stroke yesterday with a 3-mile run in the middle of the day during a desert heat wave, I determined to run only at night until the weather cools down. Today I went to the gym to get in some cardio and weight-training. I spent 40 minutes combined on the elliptical and the stationary bike, and then worked on my chest and arms. I've been pretty consistent with the gym lately, going 4 times this week and last week. And the cross-training is definitely helping with my running.

When 8pm hit, and the temperature dropped dramatically, I laced up and headed out on my run. I decided to run just 1 mile, as my calves have begun to bother me again, and I want to make sure I'm injury-free for Saturday's mud run. Plus, I haven't run my old standard route in quite some time, and I was anxious to see how I'd perform on it now. So I ran a half-mile down my street, turned around, and ran a half-mile back; the same route I ran back on April 8th, when I could barely run 10 feet without wheezing and keeling over; the same route I started my current training regimen on back on May 20th; and the same route on which I timed my first mile of 2010 (a 9:36) on May 24th. Tonight I ran an 8:27, my second-fastest time on this particular route.

Though I didn't set a mile PR tonight, this run felt better than almost any I've yet run this year. For the first half-mile, I felt like I was barely doing anything! My breathing stayed relaxed (almost to the point where I could have just breathed out of my nose!). I did begin to tire on the second half of the run, but for the last quarter-mile I ran hard and strong, feeling like I had a lot of energy still on reserve. I thought maybe I would get a 2010 PR, but I was off by almost 40 seconds. I think my beginning pace was too slow, as I was enjoying too much the feeling of running and not being weary! Tonight's run, again, felt like a vast improvement was made. I felt like I had got past a wall that was keeping me constantly fatigued on my runs. Tonight I got to experience running as though I was a thoroughly conditioned athlete (for a half-mile at least). It's a feeling I want to strive towards. My goal is to be able to run for several miles in a relaxed, comfortable state. Tonight was a big step toward that goal.

Tomorrow I will be resting completely. No running, no gym. Saturday is the Apple Valley Mud Run, and I want to be at maximum effectiveness for it. I plan on having fun with the race, as I'll be running it with my wife and brother-in-law. I'm hoping it will get me hooked on organized races. In a sense, it will be my first step towards entering my first marathon! My next post will be about the mud run.

Disaster in the Desert!

Distance: 3 miles
Time: 31:19

Today's run was probably the worst since I started running again 3 months ago. This was mainly because of an uncontrollable factor: the weather. We are in the middle of a serious heat wave, and I made the brilliant decision to run 3 miles at 11 a.m. It was 90 degrees outside, but it felt like 100, and to top it all off, it was uncharacteristically humid for the desert. It was weather I wasn't prepared for.

I mentioned in my last post that I needed to increase my distance in preparation for the Apple Valley Mud Run this Saturday. Well, the timing couldn't have been worse. I woke up this morning and excitedly mapped out a 3-mile route. It would be my farthest run in over a year. I decided to start right from my house, but instead of heading east like I usually do, I made the route head west, past Central Road. I mapped out a course that would take me through the semi-industrial, semi-undeveloped area just west of our neighborhood. I figured I wouldn't have to contend with much traffic out that way, and there is a lot of wide-open space amidst the office buildings. So, with my route mapped, I began stretching and getting pumped for the run. Deep down I knew that 3 miles was going to be a struggle, but the optimist inside of me kept thinking that I may be able to handle it quite well, as long as I maintained an easy pace. So I headed out my front door and began running west along Powhatan Road. The first mile felt great. I was feeling good and the heat wasn't too noticeable yet. But things changed fast. By the time I got to the corner of Ottawa and Manhasset I was beginning to feel the heat weighing down on me. South of Ottawa, Manhasset becomes a dirt road, and it was here, just over a mile into the run, that I had to stop. I realized I was sweating much more than usual. But I hated that I had stopped, so I forced myself to keep running. Then I got lost. I wasn't sure where the next turn was and I ended up running farther than I should have. I realized my error and promptly turned around and got back on track. I stopped two more times before I got back up to Ottawa. By the time I reached the 2-mile mark I had decided this run was turning into a disaster. The heat was draining me of everything I had. It was like fighting against a monster, and there was no winning. The humidity was making it feel like the heat was a giant blanket draped over me, keeping me from mustering any bursts of energy. Complete exhaustion was setting in. I ran up Malaki Road to Powhatan, and yet again had to stop. I had never had to stop so many times in a run before. I felt my willpower leaving me, the sun was draining it out of me. I took comfort in the shade of some trees along Hitt Road, and then continued on up to Highway 18. The vintage Western buildings along Hitt Road provided some distraction from the suffering I was enduring, but I knew I still had half a mile to go, and I was running on fumes whilst feeling my body temperature dangerously rising. I staggered along Highway 18 and turned down Tonikan Road. This was essentially the final stretch. After one final stop, I ran down Tonikan determined to finish strong. I rounded the corner and was back on Powhatan with the finish line in sight. Amazingly, I actually was able to finish strong. I wasn't able to sprint or anything, but my muscles used whatever they had left and powered me to the end. I finished absolutely enervated. I was burning up from the sun, the humidity still felt like a 50-pound blanket covering me, and now I was overexerted. I still had to walk a quarter mile home, which would have been my cool down, but was instead a death march. I was overheated, I couldn't stop sweating or panting, I needed to get out of the sun. I became actually scared of passing out, something that's never happened to me before on a run. I began feeling a tingly feeling all over as I walked. I finally made it to my house and quickly went inside and began drinking profusely. After that I splashed water on my face over and over. I was doing anything I could to get my body temperature back down, because I knew it was dangerously high. I didn't stop sweating for probably 30 minutes, and it was probably 2 hours before I felt completely normal again. I had overdone it.

I've often run in the heat before, but I've been living in the desert for only 10 months, and this is my first experience enduring a Mojave summer. Desert heat, as should have been obvious, is something quite different from the heat of the Inland Valley where I used to live. I underestimated the heat, and didn't take into consideration the humidity. The result was a fight against nature that I lost. My original goal was to try and get my 3-mile time under 30 minutes, and, surprisingly, stopping as many times as I did, I ended up with a 31:19, not too far off from my goal. With better conditions, I should see that time drop fast. (Previously my worst 3-mile time was 23:05, set in September of 1994). As soon as I finished running today, I told myself I wouldn't run in the daytime again until the weather began to cool, which may not be for another month or more. If I'm going to begin running longer distances, I need to run smarter. So it'll be evening runs for a while now.

I've included a lot of pictures here. Obviously heat isn't evident on a photograph, but the prevalence of clouds indicates the unusual humidity in the desert. The top 3 pictures show the Western themes that liven up many Apple Valley roads. Hitt Road in particular is a throwback to the days of the Wild West. The next picture down is Manhasset Road, the dirt road where I began feeling some heat exhaustion. The bottom picture is the corner of Ottawa and Malaki, the 2-mile mark of the run. When the weather improves (as well as my endurance), I can't wait to tackle this run again.

A Scorcher

Distance: 2 miles
Time: ?

I ran the same route today that I ran August 6th in Barstow. Two miles up and down desert terrain, all on dirt, out in the middle of the Mojave. I forgot my stopwatch, so I wasn't able to time myself, but I know I did a lot better than the first time I ran it. When I ran this route the first time, which consists of 2 mile-long loops, I had to stop a couple of times out of sheer exhaustion. Today though I stopped once and the rest of the time I maintained a much stronger pace. I felt like the hills weren't quite as tough as the first time. All that said, though, it was a difficult run, especially because of the heat. It was only 10 in the morning, but it was well on its way to the triple-digits. The sun was scorching, and I'm sure it deprived me of much-needed energy. If the route had been longer than 2 miles, I may not have made it.

I'm glad I was able to run this particular run today. This Saturday is the Apple Valley Mud Run, and I'm sure training in the desert on hills and diverse terrain is perfect preparation for the obstacles that lay ahead in the Mud Run. My next run (which will be Wednesday since I'll be at the beach tomorrow with the cross-country team) will be 3 miles. I need to get the extra distance in, whether I'm ready or not. The Mud Run is a 5K, and even though it won't be a typical 5K race I will still need to be ready for a test of endurance.

A Fast Week

Distance: 1 mile
Time: 7:50

Today's run capped off a week of splendid progress. Yesterday I set a 2010 2-mile PR with a 17:10, and today I set a 2010 mile PR with a 7:50. I'm nearly 3 months into my training and, after about a month of regression, I feel like things are beginning to move forward nicely. After yesterday's run I went to the gym with my wife and, in an effort to continue cross-training, swam 20 laps. I really feel that the upper body work I've been doing is helping me out a lot. On today's run I could feel my arms and chest almost propelling me forward.

I didn't want to run the same route as yesterday (possibly because I wasn't confidant I could beat my PR just yet). I wanted to do something different, so I went to check out Horsemen's Center, but it was being worked on for the Mud Run that is going to be held there next week (which my wife and I will be participating in!). So I decided next to go to Granite Hills, where I haven't run in a while. I next decided to run 1 mile instead of 2. I haven't timed my mile in a while, and since yesterday's 2 mile was such a vast improvement I became curious as to what my mile time might be. So I set off. The first quarter felt good, but I was being conservative with the pace. The second quarter I started to feel tired and so I was reluctant to increase my pace just yet. At the half-way point my time was 4:04. I became disappointed that I wouldn't beat my previous 2010 PR of 7:58 (set on June 19th). But on the third quarter I began to push the pace. I was determined to get a PR today. I rounded the corner and headed down the home stretch at just under 6:00. I gave it all I had down the final stretch, trying to muster a fast kick, but getting only a moderate one. When I crossed the finish line I was expecting something in the low 8s. But then I glanced at the timer and saw 7:50 and became excited. Each little chunk of time that I knock off gets me closer to my goals. The slowest mile I ever ran in high school was a 6:40 (in March of 1994). Today's 7:50 puts me only 1:10 away from that time! It's going to take months and months (maybe years) of training before I can hope to beat my overall PR of 5:28, but it doesn't feel, at this point, out of the range of possibilities.

As I mentioned above, next week my wife and I and my brother-in-law will be competing in a Mud Run here in Apple Valley. It will be a 5K essentially but with several obstacles along the course. Next week's runs then must be strategic. I plan on getting a 3-mile run in at some point next week, which will be my longest run since beginning training in May. But with the improvements I made this week, I think it's time for those longer runs...... finally.

Ending the Slump

Distance: 2 miles
Time: 17:10

Today's run was the result of the best two days off I've ever spent (in terms of training). I last ran on Monday (the same route as today, the Nisqually Run) and clocked an 18:01. It was a 2010 PR for me, and it was a sign that things were finally starting to improve after a rough July. Not wanting to slow down my progress I decided to rest from running on Tuesday. I think the reason July was such an injury-plagued month was because all throughout June I was running 5 days a week, low mileage, and when I increased my mileage, still running 5 times a week, my body couldn't keep up and began to break down. I wasn't giving myself enough rest at this early stage of my training. I want to retain the strength I've been feeling on these past few runs, so I'm allowing myself more rest days. So on Tuesday, not wanting to let the day go completely to waste, I went to the gym for a little cross-training. I ended up doing a lot of cardio, though. I spent about 40 minutes on the bike and the elliptical, and then I did a little bit of upper body work. Yesterday, I decided to take yet another day off from running and return to the gym. This time I did less cardio and more upper body lifting. I concentrated on my chest and shoulders, but did also abs and arms. By today, I felt more than ready for a run. Right after cross-country practice I headed to the Nisqually Course and did some quick stretching. When I set out I could tell that my overall body was feeling pretty good. I think the rest, along with the cardio work at the gym and the strength training, really helped me out today. About a mile into the run I was still feeling pretty good (usually by this point I'm exhausted). I tried increasing my pace in small increments. By the time I hit the 1.5 mile mark I looked at my timer to see that I was a whole minute ahead of Monday's time! This was exciting, except that I still had half a mile to go and I was finally beginning to feel the fatigue set in. I began to worry that I had pushed myself too hard and I was going to run out of gas soon, thus killing my chances for a PR. But I pushed through, winning the mental game that always comes up at the end of a run. When I crossed the finish line I was completely wiped out. Then I looked at the timer.... 17:10! I couldn't believe it! I set a new 2010 PR by shaving off 51 seconds! I figured I would make it into the 17s today based on how I was feeling for the majority of the run, but I thought it would be the high 17s. I never thought I would get into the low 17s just like that. Which is why I think my two days off spent cross-training at the gym have a lot to do with my time today. I know that upper body strength plays a big part in running. It makes each stride more effective. And I think the extra cardio work at the gym helped today with my stamina.

Today's run was great. But the key now is repeating that performance consistently. It'll be easy to fall back into the 18s and 19s, so I've got to keep doing what I've been doing lately. I'm going to continue maximizing my rest days by going to the gym, and hopefully my times will continue to drop.

One Second

Distance: 2 miles
Time: 18:01

Well, it was a new 2010 PR, but only by one measly second. I ran the same route that I ran twice last week (to be called the Nisqually Run from now on, based on the street it starts on). And both days I ran it last week I got an 18:02. Today, I ran it in 18:01. It's great to set a new record, and making progress of any sort is a good thing, but I was hoping so badly to get into the 17s. I felt pretty good for the majority of the run today. My legs felt strong (possibly from the hills I ran on Friday) and my breathing was okay (though far from where I'd like it to be). I didn't push the pace, though, and I probably could have. I kept a pace that I felt comfortable with, and with which I was able to give a good kick at the end. I'm literally at the cusp of breaking into the 17s, but unfortunately I still think I'm far from being ready for more mileage. It's one thing to break into the 17s (and hopefully 16s soon after), but I've got to keep my times there for awhile. I don't want to run in the 18s and 19s with an occasional 17. But luckily my body has been working with me these past couple of weeks. I didn't feel any soreness or pain on today's run, which simply makes it all so much more enjoyable. I'm hoping for a good August. If I keep up runs like today I think it will be. And I will need to end the summer strong so I can continue running into the fall and winter, something that proves to be challenging every year.

Running the 'Stow

Distance: 2 miles (roughly)
Time: 19:52

I ran today in Barstow. For cross-country practice today I had the runners do mile repeats on an all-dirt, hilly course out in the desert. It was a fun practice, and watching the runners run up and down those hills out in the scenic Mojave made me want to get out there too! So I decided I would. After practice, once all the runners left, I started stretching and getting ready to run the very route I just had my team run. (It's actually an idea I may use again). The course consisted of one mile-long loop. I was having my runners stop and take a 5-minute break between miles, but since I'm still doing 2 miles, I decided to run two straight loops for myself.

I knew the run was going to be challenging, and I was right. The whole course was on narrow dirt roads, normally used for dirt bikes and other off-road vehicles. At times the dirt became soft, almost like a sandbox, and of course this made for difficult running. Plus there were the hills. I really haven't incorporated hills into my workouts yet, so I was really feeling the burn in my thighs. There were several small hills, plus one long and steady hill that rose slowly and never seemed to end, and a hill at the end of the loop that was quite steep. Luckily the hills didn't kill me, and the downhills felt pretty good (except I haven't run a lot of downhills either, so I took them kind of sloppy). In the end, I finished with a 19:52, obviously much slower than the other runs this week, but considering the terrain, I was actually very pleased with my time. I can recall a couple of flat, street runs with slower times than that. So today's run is a sign of improvement.

It was nice to be able to run up in Barstow, in a different section of the Mojave than I'm used to. I'd like to eventually get to the point where I'm able to run in a variety of locales: beaches, mountains, open countryside. For now, though, it appears I've become a desert runner.

Repeat

Distance: 2 miles
Time: 18:02

Today I ran the same route as yesterday (only in reverse) and ended up with the exact same time as yesterday, an 18:02. This is progress indeed! Luckily, yesterday's run didn't trigger any of the pains I was feeling last month, so today's run was, again, injury-free. After coming back from Barstow (I coach the cross-country team and we're having summer practices right now) I decided to head down to the area where I ran yesterday and get my run out of the way earlier. Running at noon yesterday was a mistake. I also decided, just to experiment, to run the route in reverse. And I think I liked it better that way. The run, again, was nice and steady and pain-free. I didn't stop at all (yesterday I did), but I was pretty exhausted by the end of it and had no energy left for a kick. Had I been able to finish stronger I would definitely have been able to get into the 17:00 range. I raved about this route yesterday, but today just confirmed it. This is a great area to run in. I didn't see anyone else on my entire run; it felt like I had the whole desert to myself. The sky was crystal clear and the air felt fresh and new. I will definitely be running more often in this area.

I'm very pleased that I got two straight runs in the low 18s. Very soon I can finally start getting ready to increase my mileage. My wife and I, along with my brother-in-law, signed up for a 5K mud run in Apple Valley on August 21st. I think this will be a good preview of running an organized race before getting into more competitive 5Ks. I've never run a mud run before, but I'm inclined to think they are more geared toward fun and playfulness rather than fierce competition. At the same time, I intend on training for it so I can still participate confidently. It ought to be an interesting experience.

High Noon in the Mojave

Distance: 2 miles
Time: 18:02

It's good to be back! After taking my longest break from running since May, I set a new 2010 PR in the 2-mile today on a desert run in the scorching sun. I hadn't run since July 24th, and, as it turns out, it was the best move I could have made. It seems like forever since I ran without feeling pain somewhere on my body. The whole month of July was filled with minor injuries, soreness, back pain, etc. As a consequence, most of my times in July were dismal. But then I decided to take a good, long break from running and let my body heal once and for all. The only active thing I did between July 24th and August 3rd was hike to the top of San Jacinto Peak. That hike wasn't a walk in the park, though. It was an 11-mile, at times strenuous, hike to the top of a 10,834 foot mountain. I didn't run for 5 days prior to the hike because I didn't want to hike in pain, and I didn't run for 3 days after the hike either. Finally, I felt good and ready today to get out and run. The result was a pain-free, nice and steady run that produced an improved time.

I felt that I needed to seek out another route to run today. On a whim I drove down to an area about a mile south of our house where there is a school and a park adjacent to wide open tracts of desert. Right away I could see that this area was a perfect spot for a new route. I scoped it out a bit, then went home and planned a route on mapmyrun.com. I got my running gear on and headed back down to the route. This was one of the best runs I've done so far. On daytime runs I get pretty annoyed with all the cars and people I have to contend with. But this route took me out into the desert along dirt paths where I didn't have to stop at traffic signals or breath in exhaust fumes. It was just me and the desert, surrounded by foliage, darting squirrels and jackrabbits, and mountain vistas. The one mistake I made was running at high noon. It was only 90 degrees (temperate for August in the desert), but the sun beating down on me made it tough, and by the end of the run I was pretty drained. Aside from this, though, it was a great run. I thought my pace was pretty slow and so I was quite surprised with the 18:02 that I got, but what I realized was the difference maker was that I wasn't running hurt. Without back pain, or muscle pain, I was free to run hard with a good form. I think now I can finally start to work on getting my 2-mile down into the 17s and 16s. Only then will I be ready for 3 miles and beyond.

The picture above is looking east along one of the desert roads I ran today. There were actually all kinds of roads, paths, and trails in this untouched area of desert. I'll be able to come up with plenty more routes, some shorter, some longer, in this area in the future. This is definitely some of my favorite terrain to run in: the dirt paths are easy on the legs and feet, and there's something liberating about running through wide open land.