Distance: 2 miles
Time: ?
Location: Mojave River via Yucca Loma
Tonight's post will be a short one because we're leaving for Switzerland tomorrow and I haven't packed yet! I wanted to make sure to get one last run in before leaving on our trip, so even though we have a lot to do tonight I laced up and hit the road for a bon voyage run around my neighborhood. Originally I was going to get 3 miles in via the Yucca Loma to Rincon Route, but when my wife expressed interest in joining me I changed it to the river route, which she wanted to do. My wife rode her bike while I ran. I decided not to take my watch because I wanted to focus simply on the joy of being out on a nice night with my wife, running and taking in the fresh, cool air. So I ran the same 2-mile route from Monday, but this time I ran it a lot better (though since I didn't time it I guess that's only a presumption). My wife hadn't been to the end of Yucca Loma to see the river up close, so that was cool. We didn't stay over there long. On the way back I really felt a lot stronger (my legs were stiff on the way out). By the time I got back to our street I felt urged to pick up my speed. With about 200 meters left I gave probably my best kick in a long while. Something came over me and I turned on the burners and gunned it down my street. I think I partly wanted to get as much out of this little run as I could since I may not run again for a couple of weeks (though I am hoping to get a run or two in while in Switzerland). Now time for packing! Tonight's run was lovely, but now on to Europe's playground!
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Monday, July 11, 2011
River Run
Distance: 2 miles
Time: 18:02
Location: Mojave River at Yucca Loma
Tonight's run made it 7 miles in 3 days. My legs are definitely feeling the toll of 3 straight days of running, and so tomorrow will most likely be a day off. Then I'm hoping to get a run in Wednesday before heading off to Switzerland for 2 weeks!
Tonight I continued my sampling of the runs around our new neighborhood. Saturday was Yucca Loma Road; yesterday was Apple Valley Road; and tonight was a run to the Mojave River. I was originally going to run a 3-miler that would have taken me out to the river and south along the river's edge down to Ottawa Road. But night began to descend and I was hesitant to run along the river at night when I don't know the terrain at all. So I shortened the run to 2 miles with the river as my destination/turnaround point. I enjoyed the run along Yucca Loma heading out to the river. Like the other runs Saturday and Sunday, there is a nice running trail along this road that makes the run much more enjoyable. The route goes by a school and then descends down to the Mojave River. When I got to the river there wasn't much light left. I was surprised by how lush it was near the river (it being the desert and all). Large trees and a ton of brush actually blocked my way to the river itself. So I had to view it from a distance. I walked around a bit just to check the area out. I determined to return in the daylight to explore this area some more because it seemed to be a very scenic place with lots of trails to choose from. I finally turned and headed back home, the run back being just as pleasant as the run there.
As far as my performance, it left something to be desired. My mile to the river was an 8:48 and my mile back was a 9:14, for a total 2-mile time of 18:02. It was not one of my better runs, but that was due to soreness in my legs. I felt really stiff the whole run, especially in my calves. But I was glad I got out there and checked out another promising route. I can't wait to really get to know all these runs well in the coming months.
Time: 18:02
Location: Mojave River at Yucca Loma
Tonight's run made it 7 miles in 3 days. My legs are definitely feeling the toll of 3 straight days of running, and so tomorrow will most likely be a day off. Then I'm hoping to get a run in Wednesday before heading off to Switzerland for 2 weeks!
Tonight I continued my sampling of the runs around our new neighborhood. Saturday was Yucca Loma Road; yesterday was Apple Valley Road; and tonight was a run to the Mojave River. I was originally going to run a 3-miler that would have taken me out to the river and south along the river's edge down to Ottawa Road. But night began to descend and I was hesitant to run along the river at night when I don't know the terrain at all. So I shortened the run to 2 miles with the river as my destination/turnaround point. I enjoyed the run along Yucca Loma heading out to the river. Like the other runs Saturday and Sunday, there is a nice running trail along this road that makes the run much more enjoyable. The route goes by a school and then descends down to the Mojave River. When I got to the river there wasn't much light left. I was surprised by how lush it was near the river (it being the desert and all). Large trees and a ton of brush actually blocked my way to the river itself. So I had to view it from a distance. I walked around a bit just to check the area out. I determined to return in the daylight to explore this area some more because it seemed to be a very scenic place with lots of trails to choose from. I finally turned and headed back home, the run back being just as pleasant as the run there.
As far as my performance, it left something to be desired. My mile to the river was an 8:48 and my mile back was a 9:14, for a total 2-mile time of 18:02. It was not one of my better runs, but that was due to soreness in my legs. I felt really stiff the whole run, especially in my calves. But I was glad I got out there and checked out another promising route. I can't wait to really get to know all these runs well in the coming months.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Change of Scenery
Distance: 2 miles
Time: 17:56
Location: Apple Valley to Sitting Bull
Tonight I continued my exploration of my new running terrain. I decided to make use of the nice-looking running trail along the north-south Apple Valley Road. I mapped out a 2 mile run (since I felt a little sore from yesterday's 3-miler) that would take me south through my neighborhood to Ottawa and then east to Apple Valley Road. Then I would cross Apple Valley to where the running trail was and take it south to Sitting Bull Road, which would be 1 mile exactly. Even though I felt a little sore from yesterday, once I began running it didn't really bother me too much. I felt I started out with a good, strong pace as I headed out to Apple Valley Road. Once on the running trail I slowed down a bit, but I was also distracted by my surroundings. This was a very pleasant run. The trail is a perfectly kept two-lane trail that is handsomely landscaped. To my left was a wide-open field full of natural desert terrain. Nice neighborhoods surrounded me far and near. I could see the lights of the city out in the distance. The air was slightly cool after a hot day. Everything was perfect. After getting to Sitting Bull I turned and headed back up to Ottawa. Just like yesterday, it was that last stretch through my neighborhood that was the toughest. I finished with a slight kick, but really I didn't push it too hard for the whole run. I got a 17:56, but it was my first time on this route and I think I'll do much better next time. One thing's for sure, I'm really digging these new routes!
Time: 17:56
Location: Apple Valley to Sitting Bull
Tonight I continued my exploration of my new running terrain. I decided to make use of the nice-looking running trail along the north-south Apple Valley Road. I mapped out a 2 mile run (since I felt a little sore from yesterday's 3-miler) that would take me south through my neighborhood to Ottawa and then east to Apple Valley Road. Then I would cross Apple Valley to where the running trail was and take it south to Sitting Bull Road, which would be 1 mile exactly. Even though I felt a little sore from yesterday, once I began running it didn't really bother me too much. I felt I started out with a good, strong pace as I headed out to Apple Valley Road. Once on the running trail I slowed down a bit, but I was also distracted by my surroundings. This was a very pleasant run. The trail is a perfectly kept two-lane trail that is handsomely landscaped. To my left was a wide-open field full of natural desert terrain. Nice neighborhoods surrounded me far and near. I could see the lights of the city out in the distance. The air was slightly cool after a hot day. Everything was perfect. After getting to Sitting Bull I turned and headed back up to Ottawa. Just like yesterday, it was that last stretch through my neighborhood that was the toughest. I finished with a slight kick, but really I didn't push it too hard for the whole run. I got a 17:56, but it was my first time on this route and I think I'll do much better next time. One thing's for sure, I'm really digging these new routes!
Saturday, July 9, 2011
New Terrain
Distance: 3 miles
Time: 27:43
Location: Yucca Loma Out-and-Back
After a hectic couple of weeks I finally got a run in tonight. I last ran on Thursday last week, or 9 days ago. Too long a break, but an unavoidable one as we've been busy moving all this time. I've been anxious to try out some of the running trails around our new house because I immediately noticed that it seemed to be a much more runner-friendly area of town. Out east at our old home there were no established trails, no street lights, and running was sometimes a tricky affair. But the house we're in now sits in an established neighborhood and a much more kempt part of town. There are trails along the main roads and a river nearby that I can run alongside. I went on mapmyrun.com to map out a 3-mile route and luckily there was a perfect route that took me east along Yucca Loma to Rincon Road (1.5 miles) and back. It's actually a route reminiscent of an old route I used to run in Rancho Cucamonga that took me north out of my neighborhood to a major street (Milliken) then east along Victoria Park Lane to Rochester and back. This route takes me north out of my neighborhood to a major street (Apple Valley) then east along Yucca Loma Road to Rincon and back. But this route is much better! In fact, this Yucca Loma route that I discovered today was far better than any of the runs I ran around the Powhatan neighborhood and probably the best run I've run since starting my training in May 2010..... with my run at Newport Beach being the one expection. And here's why: the view. The route starts out unassuming, through our neighborhood and to a large intersection. But once it crosses Apple Valley Road and heads east along Yucca Loma the trail rises steadily until one section where it sharply rises and then levels off near Rincon. The return trip then is mainly downhill with amazing views. Westward, Yucca Loma descends gradually down to Apple Valley Road and ahead is an expansive view of all of the Victor Valley extending for miles and miles all the way up to the San Gabriel Mountains! I ran at dusk so I could see all the lights of the valley and the sillhouettes of the mountains in the distance. I was so taken with the view that I forgot all about the pain of running. An added bonus is that along Yucca Loma is a nice trail set aside for runners, walkers, and bikers. There were people walking along the trail and everyone was pleasant and polite. It really added to the positive vibe of this run.
The run itself was pretty good. My time of 27:43 was much better than last week's 28:50. After a week off my leg pain was all but gone. My endurance level wasn't that great, but I felt pretty good for 90% of the run. The final 400 meters or so were tough, but I guess that's to be expected with such a layoff. Most of the run I felt good. I loved the up and down terrain. It kept things interesting. Even the long uphill was a welcomed change. It was tough, but it also presented a nice challenge to keep my mind busy. Most of my runs to this point have just been flat. And then the downhill coming back was a blast. It wasn't such a sharp downhill that my knees took a beating. It was just right so that I could pick up my pace but still feel like I was exerting myself.
All in all, tonight's run gave me a promising idea of what running will be like in my new neck of the woods. I'm excited to run this route again and to discover new ones!
Time: 27:43
Location: Yucca Loma Out-and-Back
After a hectic couple of weeks I finally got a run in tonight. I last ran on Thursday last week, or 9 days ago. Too long a break, but an unavoidable one as we've been busy moving all this time. I've been anxious to try out some of the running trails around our new house because I immediately noticed that it seemed to be a much more runner-friendly area of town. Out east at our old home there were no established trails, no street lights, and running was sometimes a tricky affair. But the house we're in now sits in an established neighborhood and a much more kempt part of town. There are trails along the main roads and a river nearby that I can run alongside. I went on mapmyrun.com to map out a 3-mile route and luckily there was a perfect route that took me east along Yucca Loma to Rincon Road (1.5 miles) and back. It's actually a route reminiscent of an old route I used to run in Rancho Cucamonga that took me north out of my neighborhood to a major street (Milliken) then east along Victoria Park Lane to Rochester and back. This route takes me north out of my neighborhood to a major street (Apple Valley) then east along Yucca Loma Road to Rincon and back. But this route is much better! In fact, this Yucca Loma route that I discovered today was far better than any of the runs I ran around the Powhatan neighborhood and probably the best run I've run since starting my training in May 2010..... with my run at Newport Beach being the one expection. And here's why: the view. The route starts out unassuming, through our neighborhood and to a large intersection. But once it crosses Apple Valley Road and heads east along Yucca Loma the trail rises steadily until one section where it sharply rises and then levels off near Rincon. The return trip then is mainly downhill with amazing views. Westward, Yucca Loma descends gradually down to Apple Valley Road and ahead is an expansive view of all of the Victor Valley extending for miles and miles all the way up to the San Gabriel Mountains! I ran at dusk so I could see all the lights of the valley and the sillhouettes of the mountains in the distance. I was so taken with the view that I forgot all about the pain of running. An added bonus is that along Yucca Loma is a nice trail set aside for runners, walkers, and bikers. There were people walking along the trail and everyone was pleasant and polite. It really added to the positive vibe of this run.
The run itself was pretty good. My time of 27:43 was much better than last week's 28:50. After a week off my leg pain was all but gone. My endurance level wasn't that great, but I felt pretty good for 90% of the run. The final 400 meters or so were tough, but I guess that's to be expected with such a layoff. Most of the run I felt good. I loved the up and down terrain. It kept things interesting. Even the long uphill was a welcomed change. It was tough, but it also presented a nice challenge to keep my mind busy. Most of my runs to this point have just been flat. And then the downhill coming back was a blast. It wasn't such a sharp downhill that my knees took a beating. It was just right so that I could pick up my pace but still feel like I was exerting myself.
All in all, tonight's run gave me a promising idea of what running will be like in my new neck of the woods. I'm excited to run this route again and to discover new ones!
Slogging It Out
Distance: 3 miles
Time: 28:50
Location: Mesquite-Nisqually-Joshua-Powhatan Loop
*Note - This run occurred Thursday, June 30th.
This was my last run while living at our rental on Powhatan Road. My runs on Monday and Tuesday were shorter distances and decent times, but I had to deal with a lot of leg pain. So I took Wednesday off to let my muscles heal a bit and on Thursday I set off for a much-needed distance run of 3 miles. I decided to run the loop around my neighborhood which I ran the previous Friday while my wife rode her bike. It's a good route with a variety of terrain to run on, though I usually don't run great times on it for some reason. Tonight was no exception. I took it real slow because my legs still weren't 100%. And I never really got a good, strong pace going. On top of that, I encountered a couple of stray dogs on this run, which broke my flow a bit. Luckily they didn't seem to care about me, but running by them I had to just hope they weren't aggressive and it was a slight scare. By the end of my run I was disappointed to see a time of 28:50, which has been my slowest 3-mile this year. Really though I was glad just to be out there getting in some miles.
On Saturday, July 2nd, we officially moved out of the Powhatan house and into our new home in western Apple Valley. It had been a busy week of getting the house ready. We had a painter there all week along with tile guys, carpet guys, and laminate guys. And this week to come we'll be busy getting everything set up in the house so it's livable. I may not get many runs in, but I suppose it'll be forgivable.
Time: 28:50
Location: Mesquite-Nisqually-Joshua-Powhatan Loop
*Note - This run occurred Thursday, June 30th.
This was my last run while living at our rental on Powhatan Road. My runs on Monday and Tuesday were shorter distances and decent times, but I had to deal with a lot of leg pain. So I took Wednesday off to let my muscles heal a bit and on Thursday I set off for a much-needed distance run of 3 miles. I decided to run the loop around my neighborhood which I ran the previous Friday while my wife rode her bike. It's a good route with a variety of terrain to run on, though I usually don't run great times on it for some reason. Tonight was no exception. I took it real slow because my legs still weren't 100%. And I never really got a good, strong pace going. On top of that, I encountered a couple of stray dogs on this run, which broke my flow a bit. Luckily they didn't seem to care about me, but running by them I had to just hope they weren't aggressive and it was a slight scare. By the end of my run I was disappointed to see a time of 28:50, which has been my slowest 3-mile this year. Really though I was glad just to be out there getting in some miles.
On Saturday, July 2nd, we officially moved out of the Powhatan house and into our new home in western Apple Valley. It had been a busy week of getting the house ready. We had a painter there all week along with tile guys, carpet guys, and laminate guys. And this week to come we'll be busy getting everything set up in the house so it's livable. I may not get many runs in, but I suppose it'll be forgivable.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
One Last Go
Distance: 2 miles
Time: 17:20
Location: Powhatan to Ottawa Route
As I mentioned in my last post, Deborah and I will be moving into a new home soon. Therefore, all the local routes I've been running this past year will soon be used no more. Yesterday I ran my last mile on the Powhatan Route, and tonight I ran my last 2-mile on the Powhatan to Ottawa Route. One by one I plan on getting my last runs in on each of my routes this week. The good news is that the house we're moving into sits in a much more runner-friendly area of town. There are running trails along the major streets and it's near the Mojave River, which will be a fun natural trail.
Unlike the PR I set yesterday, though, I was not able to set a 2-mile record. I ended up with a 17:20, the same time I ran on May 16th. Since then I had run this route in times of 16:38 and 16:29, so I know I can do much better. But my problem tonight was leg pain. As soon as I began running I felt a soreness and tightness in my legs all over, from my shins around to my calves, up and down. It caused me to run stiff and it was hard to build a fluid stride. I pushed through, though, and I finally began to loosen up during the 2nd mile. However the whole run suffered because of my compromised legs. Running that mile yesterday may have contributed. I wasn't used to running on my toes and using muscles for sprinting and I think I was just sore and achy from that today. I may take tomorrow off in order to let my legs heal. All things considered, though, I guess 17:20 isn't bad (for me at this point in my training) when I was hurting like that. There once was a time when I would have run that run in over 20 minutes because of muscle pain like that. So I've come far since last year.
Time: 17:20
Location: Powhatan to Ottawa Route
As I mentioned in my last post, Deborah and I will be moving into a new home soon. Therefore, all the local routes I've been running this past year will soon be used no more. Yesterday I ran my last mile on the Powhatan Route, and tonight I ran my last 2-mile on the Powhatan to Ottawa Route. One by one I plan on getting my last runs in on each of my routes this week. The good news is that the house we're moving into sits in a much more runner-friendly area of town. There are running trails along the major streets and it's near the Mojave River, which will be a fun natural trail.
Unlike the PR I set yesterday, though, I was not able to set a 2-mile record. I ended up with a 17:20, the same time I ran on May 16th. Since then I had run this route in times of 16:38 and 16:29, so I know I can do much better. But my problem tonight was leg pain. As soon as I began running I felt a soreness and tightness in my legs all over, from my shins around to my calves, up and down. It caused me to run stiff and it was hard to build a fluid stride. I pushed through, though, and I finally began to loosen up during the 2nd mile. However the whole run suffered because of my compromised legs. Running that mile yesterday may have contributed. I wasn't used to running on my toes and using muscles for sprinting and I think I was just sore and achy from that today. I may take tomorrow off in order to let my legs heal. All things considered, though, I guess 17:20 isn't bad (for me at this point in my training) when I was hurting like that. There once was a time when I would have run that run in over 20 minutes because of muscle pain like that. So I've come far since last year.
Relearning Speed
Distance: 1 mile
Time: 7:50
Location: Powhatan Out-and-Back
*Note - This run occurred Monday, June 27th.
I took the weekend off, for good reason. Saturday we attended my cousin's graduation party and Sunday my grandma's birthday party. On top of all this, we got the keys to our new house on Friday and had to start planning for our move-in. We need to be out of our rental home by Saturday, so it is going to be a hectic and non-stop week. I think my biggest challenge is going to be finding the time and drive to keep running during this madness. And Monday got off to a crazy start. We had to meet a painter and a floor guy and make several trips to Lowe's to buy tools and materials. It's all very exciting, despite the frenzy of it all.
Finally, evening came and I found time to get a quick mile in. I hadn't run just a single mile in quite some time. In fact, the last time was May 27th, exactly 1 month ago! On that day I ran my standard Powhatan Route in 7:55. I was curious, after a month of 3 mile runs, what my mile time tonight would be. What I noticed as soon as I started running was how different it felt to run "fast." Different muscles are used and even the way one gets tired is different. Running fast the fatigue sets in like a psychological dread rather than a physiological exhaustion that sets in during a distance run. I knew that my body wasn't going to be able to keep up the fast pace, so I had to fight the urge to slow down. I was running on my toes, which I hadn't done in a while, and my legs were not handling it well. My breathing also was a struggle. All around I didn't feel it was a good performance. However, when I finished I glanced at my watch and saw a 7:50! I actually ran a faster mile than I'd run all year! In fact, my time tonight of 7:50 ties my 2010 PR which I ran on August 13th last year. The mile has been my trickiest distance so far. It's been hard to make large strides in it. Just getting under 8:00 has been good for me lately. But tonight's run, with its sore legs and heavy breathing, I think proved that I'm gaining ground. Once I feel better, I'm sure I can finally start chipping away at my mile time in a significant way.
Time: 7:50
Location: Powhatan Out-and-Back
*Note - This run occurred Monday, June 27th.
I took the weekend off, for good reason. Saturday we attended my cousin's graduation party and Sunday my grandma's birthday party. On top of all this, we got the keys to our new house on Friday and had to start planning for our move-in. We need to be out of our rental home by Saturday, so it is going to be a hectic and non-stop week. I think my biggest challenge is going to be finding the time and drive to keep running during this madness. And Monday got off to a crazy start. We had to meet a painter and a floor guy and make several trips to Lowe's to buy tools and materials. It's all very exciting, despite the frenzy of it all.
Finally, evening came and I found time to get a quick mile in. I hadn't run just a single mile in quite some time. In fact, the last time was May 27th, exactly 1 month ago! On that day I ran my standard Powhatan Route in 7:55. I was curious, after a month of 3 mile runs, what my mile time tonight would be. What I noticed as soon as I started running was how different it felt to run "fast." Different muscles are used and even the way one gets tired is different. Running fast the fatigue sets in like a psychological dread rather than a physiological exhaustion that sets in during a distance run. I knew that my body wasn't going to be able to keep up the fast pace, so I had to fight the urge to slow down. I was running on my toes, which I hadn't done in a while, and my legs were not handling it well. My breathing also was a struggle. All around I didn't feel it was a good performance. However, when I finished I glanced at my watch and saw a 7:50! I actually ran a faster mile than I'd run all year! In fact, my time tonight of 7:50 ties my 2010 PR which I ran on August 13th last year. The mile has been my trickiest distance so far. It's been hard to make large strides in it. Just getting under 8:00 has been good for me lately. But tonight's run, with its sore legs and heavy breathing, I think proved that I'm gaining ground. Once I feel better, I'm sure I can finally start chipping away at my mile time in a significant way.
Bats!
Distance: 3 miles
Time: 27:56
Location: Powhatan-Mesquite-Nisqually-Joshua Loop
*Note - This run occurred Friday, June 24th.
After an amazing run at the beach on Tuesday, the rest of the trip down at Newport Beach was spent pretty much relaxing. We returned home on Thursday and by Friday I knew it was time to get running again. My feet still felt a little achy after running barefoot on the hard, wet sand, but it wasn't so bad that it kept me in. In fact, much to my delight, my wife came along with me! She didn't run, though. She opted to ride her bike alongside me. It was great having her out there with me. She rode ahead most of the way and acted almost like a pacer. I decided to run the same 3-mile route I ran back on June 1st, which was my first 3 miler of the season. Then I clocked in a measly 28:09, and today I did only slightly better with a 27:56. I'm not sure what caused my setback in time, since less than a week earlier I had run a 27:06. It could have been having my wife there and feeling more "relaxed," talking and enjoying my time outside. I never really felt exhausted the same way I did the previous week when I was running in the low 27s. All the same it was a good run. And to cap it all off, on the last mile as we headed west on Powhatan Road, we were met with a group of bats, darting to and fro all around us! My wife at first thought a dragonfly had flown by her head, but I informed her it was actually a bat after seeing them fly above us (she was not too happy about that). It was getting dark on a warm night, so conditions were perfect for them to be out and getting their evening meal. It was a cool experience.
Time: 27:56
Location: Powhatan-Mesquite-Nisqually-Joshua Loop
*Note - This run occurred Friday, June 24th.
After an amazing run at the beach on Tuesday, the rest of the trip down at Newport Beach was spent pretty much relaxing. We returned home on Thursday and by Friday I knew it was time to get running again. My feet still felt a little achy after running barefoot on the hard, wet sand, but it wasn't so bad that it kept me in. In fact, much to my delight, my wife came along with me! She didn't run, though. She opted to ride her bike alongside me. It was great having her out there with me. She rode ahead most of the way and acted almost like a pacer. I decided to run the same 3-mile route I ran back on June 1st, which was my first 3 miler of the season. Then I clocked in a measly 28:09, and today I did only slightly better with a 27:56. I'm not sure what caused my setback in time, since less than a week earlier I had run a 27:06. It could have been having my wife there and feeling more "relaxed," talking and enjoying my time outside. I never really felt exhausted the same way I did the previous week when I was running in the low 27s. All the same it was a good run. And to cap it all off, on the last mile as we headed west on Powhatan Road, we were met with a group of bats, darting to and fro all around us! My wife at first thought a dragonfly had flown by her head, but I informed her it was actually a bat after seeing them fly above us (she was not too happy about that). It was getting dark on a warm night, so conditions were perfect for them to be out and getting their evening meal. It was a cool experience.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Dream Run
Distance: 4 miles
Time: ?
Location: Newport Beach
*Note - This run occurred Tuesday, June 21st.
This was my most enjoyable run yet. The surroundings had me completely mesmerized for the whole run. From Sunday to Thursday of this week Deborah and I stayed at Newport Beach with my family. We had loads of fun hanging out with everyone, especially my nephew and niece, who just turned 2 and 1. Originally I had mapped out several runs to go on while we were out there, but once there it was a little
harder to find the time to go running, so I only ran once, but it was an epic run.
I headed out around 5pm, the sun still high in the sky but beginning its descent toward the west. Clouds were moving in, so the light was diffused for a dramatic effect. The walk from the condo we were staying at down to the beach is nearly a mile, but it's a very scenic walk. After crossing PCH, I walked through Crystal Cove State Park, an untouched stretch of coast where one can see California's native coastal landscape spread out around him/her. The flora and fauna capture something romantically whimsical for me. Growing up, the beach was my home away from home, and returning there always feels special. The scrub brush and wildflowers give off a pleasing aroma. And I saw a large roadrunner scurry across my path. The path through Crystal Cove from PCH takes you to the edge of a cliff, at which point it descends sharply. I walked down the path to the beach and was met with a cool ocean breeze. I removed my sandals and stashed them in a bush by the path. I would be running barefoot. I headed straight for the water, soaked my feet, stretched out a bit near a large rock in the water, and headed south. The sensation of running barefoot at first felt strange. I ran along the wet sand and through the incoming tide. The ground was harder than I anticipated and I sensed that it wasn't going to go well for my feet. But I soon warmed up to it. After half a mile I ran past the Crystal Cove Cottages, a group of historic homes built in the 1920s. This section of the beach was busy with people, but everywhere else on this run I hardly saw a soul. I ran past the cottages and on toward an area of the coast that slightly juts out called Reef Point. I had to run over some rocks and then on to more open coastline. By now the novelty of running barefoot along the beach slightly wore off and I felt tired. I was still quite distracted by the stunning scenery and I never at any point on this run felt as worn out as I normally do when running at home, but the constant pounding of my feet on the wet sand began to take its toll. This was a long stretch. After rounding Reef Point I could finally see my destination, Abalone Point, a headland that jutted out into the sea and put an abrupt end to the sandy beach. But as I got closer and closer to the cliff, my feet began to hurt all the more. I finally, not far from my destination, had to stop. The bones on the bottom of my feet were taking a beating and they couldn't go on. I rested briefly, letting the waves come in and cool off my tired feet. I was close to deciding to just turn and head back, but my resolve kicked in and I resumed my run, bound and determined to make it to Abalone Point! And I finally did. By this point I had ran about 2.3 miles. My plan was to turn and head back to the cottages, which would make it an even 4, and then walk the rest of the way. After a quick rest at the headland I turned north, facing the setting sun, which was covered in cloud by now, and began running. The whole way back didn't go so well. I stopped about 3 times because my feet just couldn't hang. In hindsight I should have worn shoes and just avoided the water, but it's just not the same. There's something awesomely unique about running barefoot through the water as it pushes up from the sea and recedes back over your feet. It's motivating and a cool relief. But the trade-off is sore feet. Anyway, I did run the majority of the way back and once I got to the cottages I decided to run all the way back to my starting point to make up for the times I stopped. So I figured altogether I got in 4 miles of actual running. I didn't time this run, though, because I wanted to simply take in the surroundings and bask in the ocean air without worrying about beating a time. By the time I reached my starting point and retrieved my sandals, I was beat. I felt completely exhausted. My legs were sore but in a different way, obviously due to using different muscle sets on a different terrain. The walk back to the condo was rough. I had to take the trail uphill now and my body was quickly running out of energy.
When I finally got back to the condo and ate a good dinner, I felt good enough to reflect on the run. It was truly a spectacular experience. Much like when I used to surf, I felt immersed in the sea and its environs. I wasn't watching the waves roll in from afar, I was running through them, splashing in them, partaking in their energy. I felt invigorated during the entire run, even when my feet were aching so much I had to stop. I now want badly to begin running in new and unique locations. It helps immensely with motivation and keeping things interesting. I'll never forget my run to Abalone Point. I can't wait to do it again!
Time: ?
Location: Newport Beach
*Note - This run occurred Tuesday, June 21st.
This was my most enjoyable run yet. The surroundings had me completely mesmerized for the whole run. From Sunday to Thursday of this week Deborah and I stayed at Newport Beach with my family. We had loads of fun hanging out with everyone, especially my nephew and niece, who just turned 2 and 1. Originally I had mapped out several runs to go on while we were out there, but once there it was a little
harder to find the time to go running, so I only ran once, but it was an epic run.I headed out around 5pm, the sun still high in the sky but beginning its descent toward the west. Clouds were moving in, so the light was diffused for a dramatic effect. The walk from the condo we were staying at down to the beach is nearly a mile, but it's a very scenic walk. After crossing PCH, I walked through Crystal Cove State Park, an untouched stretch of coast where one can see California's native coastal landscape spread out around him/her. The flora and fauna capture something romantically whimsical for me. Growing up, the beach was my home away from home, and returning there always feels special. The scrub brush and wildflowers give off a pleasing aroma. And I saw a large roadrunner scurry across my path. The path through Crystal Cove from PCH takes you to the edge of a cliff, at which point it descends sharply. I walked down the path to the beach and was met with a cool ocean breeze. I removed my sandals and stashed them in a bush by the path. I would be running barefoot. I headed straight for the water, soaked my feet, stretched out a bit near a large rock in the water, and headed south. The sensation of running barefoot at first felt strange. I ran along the wet sand and through the incoming tide. The ground was harder than I anticipated and I sensed that it wasn't going to go well for my feet. But I soon warmed up to it. After half a mile I ran past the Crystal Cove Cottages, a group of historic homes built in the 1920s. This section of the beach was busy with people, but everywhere else on this run I hardly saw a soul. I ran past the cottages and on toward an area of the coast that slightly juts out called Reef Point. I had to run over some rocks and then on to more open coastline. By now the novelty of running barefoot along the beach slightly wore off and I felt tired. I was still quite distracted by the stunning scenery and I never at any point on this run felt as worn out as I normally do when running at home, but the constant pounding of my feet on the wet sand began to take its toll. This was a long stretch. After rounding Reef Point I could finally see my destination, Abalone Point, a headland that jutted out into the sea and put an abrupt end to the sandy beach. But as I got closer and closer to the cliff, my feet began to hurt all the more. I finally, not far from my destination, had to stop. The bones on the bottom of my feet were taking a beating and they couldn't go on. I rested briefly, letting the waves come in and cool off my tired feet. I was close to deciding to just turn and head back, but my resolve kicked in and I resumed my run, bound and determined to make it to Abalone Point! And I finally did. By this point I had ran about 2.3 miles. My plan was to turn and head back to the cottages, which would make it an even 4, and then walk the rest of the way. After a quick rest at the headland I turned north, facing the setting sun, which was covered in cloud by now, and began running. The whole way back didn't go so well. I stopped about 3 times because my feet just couldn't hang. In hindsight I should have worn shoes and just avoided the water, but it's just not the same. There's something awesomely unique about running barefoot through the water as it pushes up from the sea and recedes back over your feet. It's motivating and a cool relief. But the trade-off is sore feet. Anyway, I did run the majority of the way back and once I got to the cottages I decided to run all the way back to my starting point to make up for the times I stopped. So I figured altogether I got in 4 miles of actual running. I didn't time this run, though, because I wanted to simply take in the surroundings and bask in the ocean air without worrying about beating a time. By the time I reached my starting point and retrieved my sandals, I was beat. I felt completely exhausted. My legs were sore but in a different way, obviously due to using different muscle sets on a different terrain. The walk back to the condo was rough. I had to take the trail uphill now and my body was quickly running out of energy.
When I finally got back to the condo and ate a good dinner, I felt good enough to reflect on the run. It was truly a spectacular experience. Much like when I used to surf, I felt immersed in the sea and its environs. I wasn't watching the waves roll in from afar, I was running through them, splashing in them, partaking in their energy. I felt invigorated during the entire run, even when my feet were aching so much I had to stop. I now want badly to begin running in new and unique locations. It helps immensely with motivation and keeping things interesting. I'll never forget my run to Abalone Point. I can't wait to do it again!
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Prepping for the Beach
Distance: 3 miles
Time: 27:06
Location: Granite Hills
This week was an improvement after last week, but I've still got to get more runs in. I only got in 2 runs this week, totaling 6 miles. Tuesday's run up at Granite Hills was good, though the hot and stagnant night air made it difficult and I barely got through it. Today's run was better, but still tough. I, again, headed up to Granite Hills (which has become my go-to run since it's such an undisturbed and peaceful location). It was around 5pm and the sun was still high in the sky, since the summer solstice is a mere 3 days away. It was hot and bright. But I felt pretty good at the start of this run, so I tried to put in a better effort and not start slow like I did on Tuesday. My first mile was good, but as soon as I began my 2nd mile the fatigue set in. The sun by this point was beginning to noticeably bear down on me. Plus, the wind began picking up. As I rounded a turn and began running west during the 2nd mile, I was met not only with a bright setting sun but a fierce evening wind. It severely compromised my run, and I struggled to get through it. I finally finished the 2nd mile and began the 3rd, which is usually when the run is the toughest -- something about that mental challenge of starting a whole new mile when your body is ready to be done. Like last time, the hardest part was the first half of the 3rd mile. My pace was very slow, plus I was running west and south, directly into the sun and wind. I tried to get my mind off the run, but it hardly worked. Finally, I rounded the corner to begin my last 800 meters. This is when things got better. I was now running east and north, away from the wind and the sun, and my body instantly felt better. I kicked it the last 200 meters or so and finished with a 27:06. I was very pleased with my time, all things considered. It's a full minute faster than my first 3-mile time of the year, which I ran on June 1st. Each 3-mile has been faster and I hope I can continue this trend.
Today's run was also important because I needed to get in a good, hard run before setting out for a vacation at Newport Beach tomorrow. I plan on getting in some good beach runs, and I wanted to make sure I was prepared. We leave tomorrow and we'll be down there until Thursday. I've already mapped out a couple of 3-mile runs that will have me running right along the Pacific! I'm quite excited for this change of scenery.
Also, we'll be going to Switzerland next month for 2 weeks and I plan on running there as well! I'm greatly excited to experience running in another country. No doubt those will be runs I'll remember forever!
Time: 27:06
Location: Granite Hills
This week was an improvement after last week, but I've still got to get more runs in. I only got in 2 runs this week, totaling 6 miles. Tuesday's run up at Granite Hills was good, though the hot and stagnant night air made it difficult and I barely got through it. Today's run was better, but still tough. I, again, headed up to Granite Hills (which has become my go-to run since it's such an undisturbed and peaceful location). It was around 5pm and the sun was still high in the sky, since the summer solstice is a mere 3 days away. It was hot and bright. But I felt pretty good at the start of this run, so I tried to put in a better effort and not start slow like I did on Tuesday. My first mile was good, but as soon as I began my 2nd mile the fatigue set in. The sun by this point was beginning to noticeably bear down on me. Plus, the wind began picking up. As I rounded a turn and began running west during the 2nd mile, I was met not only with a bright setting sun but a fierce evening wind. It severely compromised my run, and I struggled to get through it. I finally finished the 2nd mile and began the 3rd, which is usually when the run is the toughest -- something about that mental challenge of starting a whole new mile when your body is ready to be done. Like last time, the hardest part was the first half of the 3rd mile. My pace was very slow, plus I was running west and south, directly into the sun and wind. I tried to get my mind off the run, but it hardly worked. Finally, I rounded the corner to begin my last 800 meters. This is when things got better. I was now running east and north, away from the wind and the sun, and my body instantly felt better. I kicked it the last 200 meters or so and finished with a 27:06. I was very pleased with my time, all things considered. It's a full minute faster than my first 3-mile time of the year, which I ran on June 1st. Each 3-mile has been faster and I hope I can continue this trend.
Today's run was also important because I needed to get in a good, hard run before setting out for a vacation at Newport Beach tomorrow. I plan on getting in some good beach runs, and I wanted to make sure I was prepared. We leave tomorrow and we'll be down there until Thursday. I've already mapped out a couple of 3-mile runs that will have me running right along the Pacific! I'm quite excited for this change of scenery.
Also, we'll be going to Switzerland next month for 2 weeks and I plan on running there as well! I'm greatly excited to experience running in another country. No doubt those will be runs I'll remember forever!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Full Moon Still Night
Distance: 3 miles
Time: 27:21
Location: Granite Hills
I have no idea how my 3-mile time has been improving. Since June 1st I've run four 3-milers and each one has been faster than the last. Yet I also feel like each one has been very difficult in different ways. Tonight was one of the toughest. I headed up to Granite Hills again (after my plan A of running at Horsemen's didn't work out) and ran the same route I ran on June 4th (two loops around the school and one loop out in the desert). I started out very slow because I was beginning to feel a cramp start up and also I had felt some muscle pain in my right calf. But that slow start ended up working against me. I wasn't able to ever really turn it on after that. I settled into a lethargic pace and it was hard to break. However, my first mile was about an 8:30, so I wasn't going as slow as it seemed. My second mile wasn't much better. I slowly made my way to the third and last mile, and this is when I began to struggle. It was late in the evening, around 8:30pm, so I had no strong sun to contend with, but the air was very warm and stagnant (after a day of almost triple digit heat). These conditions made it hard for me to endure. When I had about 1200 meters left I began to want to stop. It took everything I had to keep going. With about 800 meters to go I had to dig deep to keep it up. But by the time I hit the last 400 meters, with the finish line in sight, I found my reserves. I finished with probably my strongest kick yet this year! I don't know where the energy came from. I must have been storing it with my extremely slow pace. The biggest surprise though was my time. I was utterly convinced that I would be getting a slower time than my previous slowest, which was a 28:09. Instead I ended up with a 27:21, 12 seconds faster than my time Saturday! I can't explain it. I guess I'll take it as a good sign. Now I just have to get at least 3 or 4 more runs in this week. I only have 2 says of work left before summer..... I have no excuses anymore, period.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Battling the Heat
Distance: 3 miles
Time: 27:33
Location: Granite Hills
*Note - This run occurred Saturday, June 11th.
I haven't been doing a good job of sticking to my routine. I went a whole week without a run, and it makes me very disappointed. Work has been pretty tiresome lately, and I've had a lot on my mind with that and house issues. After not running Friday night I finally got fed up with myself and determined to go on a Saturday morning run. My last run was the previous Saturday up at Granite Hills and it went pretty well. So I decided to hit the same area up but change the route slightly. Instead of looping around the school for mile 1 and 3, I decided to do the desert loop for 1 and 3 and loop the school for mile 2. I prefer this route because I enjoy running in the open desert along narrow trails rather than on streets. And for the first half of this run it was quite nice. I felt good and the air still had a hint of morning coolness (though it was about 11am). There were chipmunks and rabbits darting in front of me the whole way. The first mile went by in a flash and the second mile started out well also. But as I neared the end of the second mile I began to hit a wall. The cool air of the morning was all but gone and the afternoon sun began beating down on me something awful. This was actually my first run in the heat this year. Up to now it's been a rather cool spring. But that is now changing. My 2 mile time was just under 18:00, so I was on pace to set a 2010-11 PR. I just had to keep my last mile under 10:00. Normally that would be an easy task, but as soon as I began my third mile I was feeling my body temperature rise and my pace slow. I was running at what felt like a snail's pace. At one point, as I ran along a wide dirt road heading towards Mesquite, my body almost forced me to stop! I literally had to will myself to keep going. I was burning up and out of any energy at all. My last 600 meters was a struggle, but I slowly finished the run (without stopping) and ended up with a 27:33. I really didn't think I'd get a faster time than last Saturday, but I surprised myself. My first 2 miles must have been good enough to allow for a slow third mile and still get a 2010-11 PR. One thing's for sure, though -- if I had to run even 800 more meters I think I would have collapsed! The heat is a beast to contend with. I definitely need to set out earlier or go later now that summer is near.
In the end, I was happy with the result. My time dropped by almost 30 seconds, and I know now that even in adverse conditions I can handle 3 miles pretty well. Now I need to focus on running more frequently. One or two days a week is not going to cut it.
Time: 27:33
Location: Granite Hills
*Note - This run occurred Saturday, June 11th.
I haven't been doing a good job of sticking to my routine. I went a whole week without a run, and it makes me very disappointed. Work has been pretty tiresome lately, and I've had a lot on my mind with that and house issues. After not running Friday night I finally got fed up with myself and determined to go on a Saturday morning run. My last run was the previous Saturday up at Granite Hills and it went pretty well. So I decided to hit the same area up but change the route slightly. Instead of looping around the school for mile 1 and 3, I decided to do the desert loop for 1 and 3 and loop the school for mile 2. I prefer this route because I enjoy running in the open desert along narrow trails rather than on streets. And for the first half of this run it was quite nice. I felt good and the air still had a hint of morning coolness (though it was about 11am). There were chipmunks and rabbits darting in front of me the whole way. The first mile went by in a flash and the second mile started out well also. But as I neared the end of the second mile I began to hit a wall. The cool air of the morning was all but gone and the afternoon sun began beating down on me something awful. This was actually my first run in the heat this year. Up to now it's been a rather cool spring. But that is now changing. My 2 mile time was just under 18:00, so I was on pace to set a 2010-11 PR. I just had to keep my last mile under 10:00. Normally that would be an easy task, but as soon as I began my third mile I was feeling my body temperature rise and my pace slow. I was running at what felt like a snail's pace. At one point, as I ran along a wide dirt road heading towards Mesquite, my body almost forced me to stop! I literally had to will myself to keep going. I was burning up and out of any energy at all. My last 600 meters was a struggle, but I slowly finished the run (without stopping) and ended up with a 27:33. I really didn't think I'd get a faster time than last Saturday, but I surprised myself. My first 2 miles must have been good enough to allow for a slow third mile and still get a 2010-11 PR. One thing's for sure, though -- if I had to run even 800 more meters I think I would have collapsed! The heat is a beast to contend with. I definitely need to set out earlier or go later now that summer is near.
In the end, I was happy with the result. My time dropped by almost 30 seconds, and I know now that even in adverse conditions I can handle 3 miles pretty well. Now I need to focus on running more frequently. One or two days a week is not going to cut it.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
A Tempestuous Three
Distance: 3 miles
Time: 28:01
Location: Granite Hills
Today was a windy one! Well, it's actually been pretty regularly windy up here the last couple of weeks, but today it kicked it up a bit. My only other run this week was on Wednesday, a much-needed 3 mile loop around my neighborhood. That run took a lot out of me, leaving me sore and aching. Thursday was the Feast of the Ascension, so we drove down to Ontario in the evening to go to Mass, and thus I didn't run. I planned on getting at least a mile in Friday night, but that didn't happen due to exhaustion after a busy week. So it all came down to today. Even though I still felt a little sore from Wednesday, I felt like I needed another longer run, so I decided to do another 3. And I would simply have to endure the ferocious
wind.
I headed out around 6pm up to Granite Hills High School. I last ran up there on April 30th when I discovered a trail just east of the school that added another mile to the loop I used to do. So today I decided my route would be one loop around the high school followed by the trail loop and ending with another loop around the school... a perfect 3 mile route. I knew it was going to be a tough run because of the wind, so I started off with an easy pace. Plus, I'm just getting myself used to running longer distances again, so I'm easing myself into it. But I probably wouldn't have been able to run fast anyway. The first leg of the run heads directly west, right into the oncoming wind! The second leg heads south, but the entire desert opens up to the right (west) and so I was getting battered by the wind for a whole 1/4 mile. It was very tough going, and thus my pace was quite slow. Things got better for the next 1/2 mile or so. I was now running with the wind and it allowed me to reserve my energy as I let the wind push me gently onwards. Things were going pretty well; my first mile was about a 9 flat, so my pace was actually a little better than Wednesday. During the second mile I began to feel some fatigue set in, but it wasn't anything too bad. Then I rounded the corner to start my third mile and I was faced with the wall of wind again. I felt like my pace really slowed down at this point and it took a lot out of me to maintain my efforts against such a force. By the time I reached the 2.5 mile mark I was nearly spent. But luckily that was the moment I turned east and ran with the wind again. For the last 1/2 mile I picked up my pace and got a good kick in at the end. My time was 28:01, a mere 8 seconds better than Wednesday, which I think is actually good considering I was fighting the wind and I felt like my pace suffered a lot because of it.
All in all today's run was a good one. I felt good afterwards and I'm excited to be much farther along in my training at this early point in the "running season." Last year at this time I hadn't even advanced to 2 miles yet!
Time: 28:01
Location: Granite Hills
Today was a windy one! Well, it's actually been pretty regularly windy up here the last couple of weeks, but today it kicked it up a bit. My only other run this week was on Wednesday, a much-needed 3 mile loop around my neighborhood. That run took a lot out of me, leaving me sore and aching. Thursday was the Feast of the Ascension, so we drove down to Ontario in the evening to go to Mass, and thus I didn't run. I planned on getting at least a mile in Friday night, but that didn't happen due to exhaustion after a busy week. So it all came down to today. Even though I still felt a little sore from Wednesday, I felt like I needed another longer run, so I decided to do another 3. And I would simply have to endure the ferocious
wind.I headed out around 6pm up to Granite Hills High School. I last ran up there on April 30th when I discovered a trail just east of the school that added another mile to the loop I used to do. So today I decided my route would be one loop around the high school followed by the trail loop and ending with another loop around the school... a perfect 3 mile route. I knew it was going to be a tough run because of the wind, so I started off with an easy pace. Plus, I'm just getting myself used to running longer distances again, so I'm easing myself into it. But I probably wouldn't have been able to run fast anyway. The first leg of the run heads directly west, right into the oncoming wind! The second leg heads south, but the entire desert opens up to the right (west) and so I was getting battered by the wind for a whole 1/4 mile. It was very tough going, and thus my pace was quite slow. Things got better for the next 1/2 mile or so. I was now running with the wind and it allowed me to reserve my energy as I let the wind push me gently onwards. Things were going pretty well; my first mile was about a 9 flat, so my pace was actually a little better than Wednesday. During the second mile I began to feel some fatigue set in, but it wasn't anything too bad. Then I rounded the corner to start my third mile and I was faced with the wall of wind again. I felt like my pace really slowed down at this point and it took a lot out of me to maintain my efforts against such a force. By the time I reached the 2.5 mile mark I was nearly spent. But luckily that was the moment I turned east and ran with the wind again. For the last 1/2 mile I picked up my pace and got a good kick in at the end. My time was 28:01, a mere 8 seconds better than Wednesday, which I think is actually good considering I was fighting the wind and I felt like my pace suffered a lot because of it.
All in all today's run was a good one. I felt good afterwards and I'm excited to be much farther along in my training at this early point in the "running season." Last year at this time I hadn't even advanced to 2 miles yet!
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Time To Move On
Distance: 3 miles
Time: 28:09
Location: Powhatan-Mesquite-Nisqually-Joshua Loop
As far as my training is concerned, it was a disastrous week. I last ran on Friday night, a 7:55 mile. It was one of only two runs last week, mainly due to a lot going on at work and with our home-buying experience. This week didn't start out much better. Monday was Memorial Day, and instead of getting a run in on my day off, I spent the day grilling meat and eating too much. By the time Wednesday came around I was feeling frustrated and guilty at not having run much lately. So as soon as I put on my running gear tonight I immediately began thinking it was time to stop playing around. I needed miles and I didn't want to wait any longer. It was time to move on. So I got on mapmyrun.com and plotted out a 3-mile route around my neighborhood. Since starting up a running regimen again in May 2010 I have only run 3 miles twice. The first time was August 18th, 2010 when I ran during a heat wave, almost got heatstroke, and ended up with a 31:19. The next time was August 21st, which was the mud run my wife broke her leg at, so that was again a disastrous 3-mile run. I didn't have any luck with longer distances last year. I pretty much stuck to 1 and 2 miles all year. And so far in 2011, again, all I've run is 1 and 2 mile routes. But a build up of frustration led me to throw caution to the wind and add on that extra mile at any cost tonight.
My route was a simple one. I didn't feel like making a complicated route, so I stuck to a basic square. East on Powhatan to Mesquite and south to Nisqually. Mile 1. East on Nisqually through the desert to Joshua, north on Joshua to Ottawa. Mile 2. North on Joshua to Powhatan, west all the way home. Mile 3. The entire second mile was in the desert along a wide dirt road, and the rest of the run was just along neighborhood streets. Because I'd be out in the desert on this run I made sure to set out early while there was still light out. It made for a very scenic run, as the sun set and painted the sky in pale blues and oranges. I had a different strategy for this run. I've been so obsessed with my times lately, that I haven't really focused at all on pacing. I simply run as hard as I can for as long as I can. Which has worked fine for shorter distances, but 3 miles when I'm not used to it is a different story. So right away with this run I found a pace I was comfortable with and stuck with it. It was a much slower pace, but it was necessary. My first mile was around a 9:20, but I felt good, strong, and my breathing was relaxed and under control. The second mile, through the desert, was a bit tougher. I maintained my same pace, but I began to feel a slight cramping in my stomach and chest. My 2 mile time was around an 18:40, so I had run two identical miles! The last mile was the toughest. My legs began to throb with muscle tightness, my shins began hurting, and I was aching all over. My stamina actually was holding up, but my physical body wasn't. I simply wasn't used to the extra mileage. I maintained, though, and even managed a slight kick at the end to finish with a 28:09. I had maintained an almost perfect pace with three nearly identical miles of around 9:20. It being my first 3 mile run in 10 months, I knew I'd be hurting at the end, but it was promising all the same. I kept it under 30 minutes, which is something I wasn't able to do last year, and I kept a steady pace throughout the run.
Afterwards, my legs felt intensely sore. I hope this run will get me back on track, and I know now that I don't have to wait any longer for longer runs. A few more of these and I'll be ready for 4 miles!
Time: 28:09
Location: Powhatan-Mesquite-Nisqually-Joshua Loop
As far as my training is concerned, it was a disastrous week. I last ran on Friday night, a 7:55 mile. It was one of only two runs last week, mainly due to a lot going on at work and with our home-buying experience. This week didn't start out much better. Monday was Memorial Day, and instead of getting a run in on my day off, I spent the day grilling meat and eating too much. By the time Wednesday came around I was feeling frustrated and guilty at not having run much lately. So as soon as I put on my running gear tonight I immediately began thinking it was time to stop playing around. I needed miles and I didn't want to wait any longer. It was time to move on. So I got on mapmyrun.com and plotted out a 3-mile route around my neighborhood. Since starting up a running regimen again in May 2010 I have only run 3 miles twice. The first time was August 18th, 2010 when I ran during a heat wave, almost got heatstroke, and ended up with a 31:19. The next time was August 21st, which was the mud run my wife broke her leg at, so that was again a disastrous 3-mile run. I didn't have any luck with longer distances last year. I pretty much stuck to 1 and 2 miles all year. And so far in 2011, again, all I've run is 1 and 2 mile routes. But a build up of frustration led me to throw caution to the wind and add on that extra mile at any cost tonight.
My route was a simple one. I didn't feel like making a complicated route, so I stuck to a basic square. East on Powhatan to Mesquite and south to Nisqually. Mile 1. East on Nisqually through the desert to Joshua, north on Joshua to Ottawa. Mile 2. North on Joshua to Powhatan, west all the way home. Mile 3. The entire second mile was in the desert along a wide dirt road, and the rest of the run was just along neighborhood streets. Because I'd be out in the desert on this run I made sure to set out early while there was still light out. It made for a very scenic run, as the sun set and painted the sky in pale blues and oranges. I had a different strategy for this run. I've been so obsessed with my times lately, that I haven't really focused at all on pacing. I simply run as hard as I can for as long as I can. Which has worked fine for shorter distances, but 3 miles when I'm not used to it is a different story. So right away with this run I found a pace I was comfortable with and stuck with it. It was a much slower pace, but it was necessary. My first mile was around a 9:20, but I felt good, strong, and my breathing was relaxed and under control. The second mile, through the desert, was a bit tougher. I maintained my same pace, but I began to feel a slight cramping in my stomach and chest. My 2 mile time was around an 18:40, so I had run two identical miles! The last mile was the toughest. My legs began to throb with muscle tightness, my shins began hurting, and I was aching all over. My stamina actually was holding up, but my physical body wasn't. I simply wasn't used to the extra mileage. I maintained, though, and even managed a slight kick at the end to finish with a 28:09. I had maintained an almost perfect pace with three nearly identical miles of around 9:20. It being my first 3 mile run in 10 months, I knew I'd be hurting at the end, but it was promising all the same. I kept it under 30 minutes, which is something I wasn't able to do last year, and I kept a steady pace throughout the run.
Afterwards, my legs felt intensely sore. I hope this run will get me back on track, and I know now that I don't have to wait any longer for longer runs. A few more of these and I'll be ready for 4 miles!
Friday, May 27, 2011
Wind Tunnel
Distance: 1 mile
Time: 7:55
Location: Powhatan Out-and-Back
After a day off yesterday (we were getting our potentially new house inspected), I set out tonight on a short run, just 1 mile out and back along Powhatan Road. My calves have been constantly sore lately, so I cherish each day off and hope that it will be enough for my muscles to heal. But usually when I set out on that run, the first thing I notice is the pain in my calves. It was no different tonight. However, it wasn't so bad that it ruined my run. I was able to push through it, and in spite of the soreness, the first 1/4 mile felt really good. I ran hard and smooth and hardly broke a sweat. But once I neared the halfway point, I could feel myself slowing down. And when I hit the 1/2 mile mark and turned around, to make matters worse, I was hit with a wall of wind. It had been a very windy day up here in the desert, and though it mellowed out slightly when night descended, it was still blowing enough to make things challenging. I battled against the wind the whole way back, but in some ways it allowed me to forget about my sore muscles and concentrate on maintaining a strong pace in the face of this new challenge. For the last 400 meters I forced as good a kick as I could. I ended up with a 7:55. It's actually my second fastest mile since May 2010, even though I felt like I ran slow in the wind. Had I had no wind to deal with, I may have been able to beat the August 2010 time of 7:50. Things are definitely getting better, and I can feel my legs strengthening with each run. My endurance needs work, but usually that's the last thing that happens when conditioning. Muscles build fast, but stamina builds slowly. The one, major missing piece in this training puzzle is longer runs. Two miles is just not going to cut it long term. I ran 3 miles only twice last year. I need long runs before I can really say I've gotten somewhere. And definitely before I can expect to approach my high school PRs.
Time: 7:55
Location: Powhatan Out-and-Back
After a day off yesterday (we were getting our potentially new house inspected), I set out tonight on a short run, just 1 mile out and back along Powhatan Road. My calves have been constantly sore lately, so I cherish each day off and hope that it will be enough for my muscles to heal. But usually when I set out on that run, the first thing I notice is the pain in my calves. It was no different tonight. However, it wasn't so bad that it ruined my run. I was able to push through it, and in spite of the soreness, the first 1/4 mile felt really good. I ran hard and smooth and hardly broke a sweat. But once I neared the halfway point, I could feel myself slowing down. And when I hit the 1/2 mile mark and turned around, to make matters worse, I was hit with a wall of wind. It had been a very windy day up here in the desert, and though it mellowed out slightly when night descended, it was still blowing enough to make things challenging. I battled against the wind the whole way back, but in some ways it allowed me to forget about my sore muscles and concentrate on maintaining a strong pace in the face of this new challenge. For the last 400 meters I forced as good a kick as I could. I ended up with a 7:55. It's actually my second fastest mile since May 2010, even though I felt like I ran slow in the wind. Had I had no wind to deal with, I may have been able to beat the August 2010 time of 7:50. Things are definitely getting better, and I can feel my legs strengthening with each run. My endurance needs work, but usually that's the last thing that happens when conditioning. Muscles build fast, but stamina builds slowly. The one, major missing piece in this training puzzle is longer runs. Two miles is just not going to cut it long term. I ran 3 miles only twice last year. I need long runs before I can really say I've gotten somewhere. And definitely before I can expect to approach my high school PRs.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Worth the Wait
Distance: 2 miles
Time: 16:29
Location: Powhatan to Ottawa
I missed Monday's run, but I made up for it with a new 2010/11 PR in the 2-mile tonight. Saturday's 2 mile run was okay, a 17:13, which is good compared to my times last year, but not as good as last week's 16:38. But then tonight the extra days' rest must have paid off, because I ended up running a 16:29, moving 9 seconds closer to the 15s! I didn't feel all that great at the start of the run. My feet were aching and I still had a little bit of muscle pain. But that mostly went away when I got deep into the run. I really tried to push it for the first mile. I stayed on my toes almost the whole time, and I've been noticing that my reserved energy has been lasting longer and longer -- I didn't feel like I had done anything until a 1/4 mile into the run. During the 2nd mile my lower calf muscles began to hurt, especially my left one. I began trying different things, like pushing harder off my right leg. I was making a conscious effort to increase my pace. Even though I didn't feel all that great, I knew I still had a chance to set a new record. When I reached the final 400 meters I did everything I could to run faster. My legs didn't want to cooperate so I just started wildly swinging my arms. By the end I was using almost as much arm power as leg power! And I was glad I did. Thanks to my kick at the end I just barely broke my previous 2011 PR.
I've definitely noticed that since I've been trying to do all my running on my toes to lower my times, I've been feeling more stress on my calves. I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing, but I just need to strengthen those muscles so I'm not constantly nagged by muscle pain. I need to make sure to get in runs the rest of the week, especially since I missed Monday. I'm very excited about my progress so far, but there's still so much improvement left to make.
Time: 16:29
Location: Powhatan to Ottawa
I missed Monday's run, but I made up for it with a new 2010/11 PR in the 2-mile tonight. Saturday's 2 mile run was okay, a 17:13, which is good compared to my times last year, but not as good as last week's 16:38. But then tonight the extra days' rest must have paid off, because I ended up running a 16:29, moving 9 seconds closer to the 15s! I didn't feel all that great at the start of the run. My feet were aching and I still had a little bit of muscle pain. But that mostly went away when I got deep into the run. I really tried to push it for the first mile. I stayed on my toes almost the whole time, and I've been noticing that my reserved energy has been lasting longer and longer -- I didn't feel like I had done anything until a 1/4 mile into the run. During the 2nd mile my lower calf muscles began to hurt, especially my left one. I began trying different things, like pushing harder off my right leg. I was making a conscious effort to increase my pace. Even though I didn't feel all that great, I knew I still had a chance to set a new record. When I reached the final 400 meters I did everything I could to run faster. My legs didn't want to cooperate so I just started wildly swinging my arms. By the end I was using almost as much arm power as leg power! And I was glad I did. Thanks to my kick at the end I just barely broke my previous 2011 PR.
I've definitely noticed that since I've been trying to do all my running on my toes to lower my times, I've been feeling more stress on my calves. I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing, but I just need to strengthen those muscles so I'm not constantly nagged by muscle pain. I need to make sure to get in runs the rest of the week, especially since I missed Monday. I'm very excited about my progress so far, but there's still so much improvement left to make.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Heading West
Distance: 2 miles
Time: 17:13
Location: Powhatan to Pawnee
Today was a long day. I got up at 7am, headed to Barstow, picked up some members of the track team, drove all the way to Cerritos, watched our shot putter compete in the CIF Championships, then left and headed to Ontario Mills, ate some lunch at BJ's, and finally headed back to Barstow and then home. Last Saturday was similarly busy, except when I got home I was too exhausted to run. This Saturday I wanted to avoid that, so I forced myself out the door. I knew I wanted to get in at least 2 miles but I didn't feel like running my standard Powhatan to Ottawa Route. After searching for some alternate routes I settled on a simple one: 1 mile west on Powhatan to Pawnee and back. Instead of mapping out a winding and complex route I decided on a simple out-and-back. Normally all my neighborhood runs take me east on Powhatan (since that takes me farther away from Central, the closest main, and thus busy, road). But tonight I decided to head west. It meant running along more traffic, but it wasn't all that bad. What was different about tonight's run was the monotony of running one mile in one direction, and the same coming back. It seemed like it took forever to get to the halfway point. My leg muscles hurt and I wasn't able to run on the balls of my feet for as long as some other recent runs. Today was my third straight day of running and I think it's caught up with me. My lower calf muscles especially are feeling the burn, which I think is a result of running on my toes more frequently. All the same, I really tried to push it tonight. During the run I didn't feel like I'd be beating my 16:38 record from Thursday, but I pushed myself as best I could. My tired legs caused my pace to slow, along with all my flat footed running. When I finished I saw my time of 17:13 and was actually rather pleased. It's my 3rd fastest 2-mile time since May 2010, and yet I felt pretty lethargic during the run. I felt like it should have been high 17s. So it's a good feeling to know that I can "mail in" a time that took me all summer last year to achieve. When my muscles heal and my stamina improves, I shouldn't have a problem running in the 16s consistently. Tomorrow I take a much needed rest.
Time: 17:13
Location: Powhatan to Pawnee
Today was a long day. I got up at 7am, headed to Barstow, picked up some members of the track team, drove all the way to Cerritos, watched our shot putter compete in the CIF Championships, then left and headed to Ontario Mills, ate some lunch at BJ's, and finally headed back to Barstow and then home. Last Saturday was similarly busy, except when I got home I was too exhausted to run. This Saturday I wanted to avoid that, so I forced myself out the door. I knew I wanted to get in at least 2 miles but I didn't feel like running my standard Powhatan to Ottawa Route. After searching for some alternate routes I settled on a simple one: 1 mile west on Powhatan to Pawnee and back. Instead of mapping out a winding and complex route I decided on a simple out-and-back. Normally all my neighborhood runs take me east on Powhatan (since that takes me farther away from Central, the closest main, and thus busy, road). But tonight I decided to head west. It meant running along more traffic, but it wasn't all that bad. What was different about tonight's run was the monotony of running one mile in one direction, and the same coming back. It seemed like it took forever to get to the halfway point. My leg muscles hurt and I wasn't able to run on the balls of my feet for as long as some other recent runs. Today was my third straight day of running and I think it's caught up with me. My lower calf muscles especially are feeling the burn, which I think is a result of running on my toes more frequently. All the same, I really tried to push it tonight. During the run I didn't feel like I'd be beating my 16:38 record from Thursday, but I pushed myself as best I could. My tired legs caused my pace to slow, along with all my flat footed running. When I finished I saw my time of 17:13 and was actually rather pleased. It's my 3rd fastest 2-mile time since May 2010, and yet I felt pretty lethargic during the run. I felt like it should have been high 17s. So it's a good feeling to know that I can "mail in" a time that took me all summer last year to achieve. When my muscles heal and my stamina improves, I shouldn't have a problem running in the 16s consistently. Tomorrow I take a much needed rest.
Friday, May 20, 2011
One Year
Distance: 1/2 mile
Time: 3:40
Location: Powhatan
One year ago today I officially began my "intensive" running regimen. It was one of my most serious attempts to get back into shape, and for the most part it has been an effective exercise. Keeping this blog, I think, has played a big part in my perseverance. Almost every summer I attempt to get back into shape, but it's usually a short-lived attempt. But last summer (actually starting in mid-spring) I somehow maintained a pretty regular training regimen. Unfortunately it fell apart around September. Work, as I suspected, got in the way and suffocated my motivation. I ran off and on during the autumn, but by December I was all off. Until spring arrived. I re-ignited my running routine in April 2011 and it's been going pretty well ever since. And today I pause to think on what I've accomplished in one whole year.
As far as my times go, they've dropped but not by all that much. My first timed mile in May 2010 was 9:36, but since then I haven't run faster than 7:50. My stamina has improved, but I have a ways to go. Unfortunately my mileage isn't where I had hoped it would be. Besides one 3-mile run back in August 2010, I haven't exceeded 2 miles. Most of my runs have been 1 or 2 miles. My focus has been on lowering my times, so I guess I still feel like my times in those distances need to drop a lot more. But more miles is definitely on my to-do list for this summer. All in all I'm pleased with where I am now compared to one year ago. Had I trained through the autumn and winter I'm sure I'd be further along, but that's something I'll have to work on.
As far as tonight's run goes, I opted for a measly half mile. I was feeling highly unmotivated and I originally was only going to run 1 mile since I ran a hard 2 miles yesterday. But when it came time to actually run, I wasn't feeling ready for it. My legs were sore and my stomach felt full (from the pizza I had had for dinner). But it was after 9pm and I didn't want to wait any longer. So I compromised and decided to run a half mile instead. My first 2 runs in April when I re-started my training regimen were half miles, and they were horrible! I ran a 4:22 and a 4:09, slower than any half mile I ran in 2010. So I knew tonight I needed to redeem myself. But when I started running I wasn't feeling very strong at all. My muscles in my legs were tight and sore and my breathing was heavy. I really pushed it for the first 200 meters, but then I was hit with fatigue rather quickly. Not a good sign. For the next 400 meters I maintained a steady pace as best I could, and then for the last 200 meters I kicked it in. It wasn't a great kick, but it was enough to assure a better time. I ended up with a 3:40. It was good to be out of the dreaded 4s, but it still wasn't representative of what I'm capable of. In September 2010 I ran a 3:15, and even a whole year ago, on May 26th, 2010, I ran a 3:39, 1 second faster than tonight. So I still have much work to do.
I hope to get a good long run in tomorrow. I have another CIF track meet to attend tomorrow and I'm hoping I'll have enough energy when I get home to hit the pavement. I'm anxious to see where my 2 mile will be after yesterday's 16:38.
Time: 3:40
Location: Powhatan
One year ago today I officially began my "intensive" running regimen. It was one of my most serious attempts to get back into shape, and for the most part it has been an effective exercise. Keeping this blog, I think, has played a big part in my perseverance. Almost every summer I attempt to get back into shape, but it's usually a short-lived attempt. But last summer (actually starting in mid-spring) I somehow maintained a pretty regular training regimen. Unfortunately it fell apart around September. Work, as I suspected, got in the way and suffocated my motivation. I ran off and on during the autumn, but by December I was all off. Until spring arrived. I re-ignited my running routine in April 2011 and it's been going pretty well ever since. And today I pause to think on what I've accomplished in one whole year.
As far as my times go, they've dropped but not by all that much. My first timed mile in May 2010 was 9:36, but since then I haven't run faster than 7:50. My stamina has improved, but I have a ways to go. Unfortunately my mileage isn't where I had hoped it would be. Besides one 3-mile run back in August 2010, I haven't exceeded 2 miles. Most of my runs have been 1 or 2 miles. My focus has been on lowering my times, so I guess I still feel like my times in those distances need to drop a lot more. But more miles is definitely on my to-do list for this summer. All in all I'm pleased with where I am now compared to one year ago. Had I trained through the autumn and winter I'm sure I'd be further along, but that's something I'll have to work on.
As far as tonight's run goes, I opted for a measly half mile. I was feeling highly unmotivated and I originally was only going to run 1 mile since I ran a hard 2 miles yesterday. But when it came time to actually run, I wasn't feeling ready for it. My legs were sore and my stomach felt full (from the pizza I had had for dinner). But it was after 9pm and I didn't want to wait any longer. So I compromised and decided to run a half mile instead. My first 2 runs in April when I re-started my training regimen were half miles, and they were horrible! I ran a 4:22 and a 4:09, slower than any half mile I ran in 2010. So I knew tonight I needed to redeem myself. But when I started running I wasn't feeling very strong at all. My muscles in my legs were tight and sore and my breathing was heavy. I really pushed it for the first 200 meters, but then I was hit with fatigue rather quickly. Not a good sign. For the next 400 meters I maintained a steady pace as best I could, and then for the last 200 meters I kicked it in. It wasn't a great kick, but it was enough to assure a better time. I ended up with a 3:40. It was good to be out of the dreaded 4s, but it still wasn't representative of what I'm capable of. In September 2010 I ran a 3:15, and even a whole year ago, on May 26th, 2010, I ran a 3:39, 1 second faster than tonight. So I still have much work to do.
I hope to get a good long run in tomorrow. I have another CIF track meet to attend tomorrow and I'm hoping I'll have enough energy when I get home to hit the pavement. I'm anxious to see where my 2 mile will be after yesterday's 16:38.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Getting Somewhere
Distance: 2 miles
Time: 16:38
Location: Powhatan to Ottawa Route
Now we're talking! Tonight's 2 mile run was a giant leap forward. It was the fastest 2-mile I've run since May of 2010 when I began my training regimen. 16:38. I finally broke 17 and not just barely. My previous '10/'11 PR was 17:10, which I ran on the Nisqually Route on August 12th, 2010. Since then I had a couple of close times on the Powhatan/Ottawa Route (17:22 and 17:20), but nothing to indicate that tonight I would shave off over 30 seconds from my previous best! My motivation has been lacking lately, so I hope tonight's time will be just the boost I need.
I last ran on Monday, a 17:20. Since then I had a couple of busy days, including yesterday when my parents and Deborah's parents came up to visit and check out the house we're hoping to move into soon. It ended up being a late night and thus I didn't get a run in. So tonight's run was important. As soon as I got home from work I changed into my running gear (one of my strategies for assuring I'll get a run in). And once the sun went down (around 8:20pm) I departed. As soon as I started my run I felt pretty good. My legs felt good and strong and I immediately set my mind to breaking a record tonight. However, those feelings faded a little into the run. I was breathing harder than normal and I didn't know if I would be able to maintain a strong pace. But I persevered. I forced myself to run on my toes for most of the run. It definitely wasn't an easy run. I struggled to keep myself on pace, but it paid off in the end. When I rounded the corner from Mesquite onto Powhatan I looked at my watch and saw a 14:30 with 400 meters to go. I knew I had a PR in the bag as long as I maintained my pace. So I pushed myself as hard as I could for that last quarter. But even pushing myself I felt like I was barely moving. I was spent. But it must have worked because I ended up with 16:38 which is right where I wanted to be.
I've only been running now for about 3 weeks since taking 5 months off, and I can't believe the progress I've made. My ultimate PRs are still far off in the distance, but they're seeming closer every day. Tonight was slightly warmer than Monday but still cool for May. With the weather as it is now it would be ideal for day runs, but I never have the time for those. Still, the weather was pleasant enough tonight, though it'll be nice when I don't have to run with sweatshirts anymore.
Time: 16:38
Location: Powhatan to Ottawa Route
Now we're talking! Tonight's 2 mile run was a giant leap forward. It was the fastest 2-mile I've run since May of 2010 when I began my training regimen. 16:38. I finally broke 17 and not just barely. My previous '10/'11 PR was 17:10, which I ran on the Nisqually Route on August 12th, 2010. Since then I had a couple of close times on the Powhatan/Ottawa Route (17:22 and 17:20), but nothing to indicate that tonight I would shave off over 30 seconds from my previous best! My motivation has been lacking lately, so I hope tonight's time will be just the boost I need.
I last ran on Monday, a 17:20. Since then I had a couple of busy days, including yesterday when my parents and Deborah's parents came up to visit and check out the house we're hoping to move into soon. It ended up being a late night and thus I didn't get a run in. So tonight's run was important. As soon as I got home from work I changed into my running gear (one of my strategies for assuring I'll get a run in). And once the sun went down (around 8:20pm) I departed. As soon as I started my run I felt pretty good. My legs felt good and strong and I immediately set my mind to breaking a record tonight. However, those feelings faded a little into the run. I was breathing harder than normal and I didn't know if I would be able to maintain a strong pace. But I persevered. I forced myself to run on my toes for most of the run. It definitely wasn't an easy run. I struggled to keep myself on pace, but it paid off in the end. When I rounded the corner from Mesquite onto Powhatan I looked at my watch and saw a 14:30 with 400 meters to go. I knew I had a PR in the bag as long as I maintained my pace. So I pushed myself as hard as I could for that last quarter. But even pushing myself I felt like I was barely moving. I was spent. But it must have worked because I ended up with 16:38 which is right where I wanted to be.
I've only been running now for about 3 weeks since taking 5 months off, and I can't believe the progress I've made. My ultimate PRs are still far off in the distance, but they're seeming closer every day. Tonight was slightly warmer than Monday but still cool for May. With the weather as it is now it would be ideal for day runs, but I never have the time for those. Still, the weather was pleasant enough tonight, though it'll be nice when I don't have to run with sweatshirts anymore.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Spring Chill
Distance: 2 miles
Time: 17:20
Location: Powhatan to Ottawa Route
It was tough getting out the door tonight. I last ran on Thursday. I was supposed to run Saturday, but after a long day in Costa Mesa at a CIF track meet, I came home and lost all energy to go for a run. So I knew I had to run tonight, no matter what! But that was easier said than done. For the past couple of weeks we've been having cooler than normal weather. It's mid-May, but it has felt like mid-winter. Today was especially cool, and windy. Plus, I met my wife at Chipotle after work and had a monster burrito, which I knew was going to make it extra tough to run later. So finally, after letting my food settle, I put on my running gear, complete with sweatshirt, and began stretching. By the time I got out the door it was after 9pm. It was cold and pretty windy still, so I was less than eager to begin my run. This really was one of my most reluctant runs.
But I'm super glad I went through with it, because it ended up being one of my best 2-miles since last May. When I finally started running I was immediately struck by the sky. There was a full moon, but with all the clouds it created a dramatic wash of greys streaking across the black sky. Around the moon was a hazy glow that lit the road in front of me. It was all rather striking, and it preoccupied me for the first quarter mile or so. The cold and wind, though, was always naggingly there. I wasn't planning on breaking any records, only running steady and strong and getting my 2 miles in. I felt like my pace started out pretty slow, but then as I neared the halfway point I began to increase my pace, almost without even thinking. Little by little I began to change my tactic from just getting the job done to striving for a good time. By the time I reached the final quarter I was pushing as hard as I could. I wasn't able to muster a real fast kick, but my pace did indeed steadily increase throughout the run. However, I didn't think my time would be all that great. I thought there was a chance I'd be in the 17s, but I didn't think I'd beat my time of 17:22 from last week. So I was rather surprised when I saw I had got a time of 17:20. Not a big jump from last week, but my surprise came more from the fact that I didn't feel like I ran any faster. And I guess that's a pretty good sign. The conditions and the fact that I was unmotivated made me think that tonight's run was simply mediocre, so I'm now quite anxious to see what I can do on a day of perfect weather when I am more mentally energized.
I may not be able to get another run in till Thursday, and I hope by then the weather will have warmed up. Tonight, though, when all was said and done, was rather nice. In addition to my improved time, it was actually nice running in the cool night, as if it was the middle of January. I could smell wood burning in fireplaces and the air was as crisp as a Christmas Eve! And yet it's May! Strange indeed.
Time: 17:20
Location: Powhatan to Ottawa Route
It was tough getting out the door tonight. I last ran on Thursday. I was supposed to run Saturday, but after a long day in Costa Mesa at a CIF track meet, I came home and lost all energy to go for a run. So I knew I had to run tonight, no matter what! But that was easier said than done. For the past couple of weeks we've been having cooler than normal weather. It's mid-May, but it has felt like mid-winter. Today was especially cool, and windy. Plus, I met my wife at Chipotle after work and had a monster burrito, which I knew was going to make it extra tough to run later. So finally, after letting my food settle, I put on my running gear, complete with sweatshirt, and began stretching. By the time I got out the door it was after 9pm. It was cold and pretty windy still, so I was less than eager to begin my run. This really was one of my most reluctant runs.
But I'm super glad I went through with it, because it ended up being one of my best 2-miles since last May. When I finally started running I was immediately struck by the sky. There was a full moon, but with all the clouds it created a dramatic wash of greys streaking across the black sky. Around the moon was a hazy glow that lit the road in front of me. It was all rather striking, and it preoccupied me for the first quarter mile or so. The cold and wind, though, was always naggingly there. I wasn't planning on breaking any records, only running steady and strong and getting my 2 miles in. I felt like my pace started out pretty slow, but then as I neared the halfway point I began to increase my pace, almost without even thinking. Little by little I began to change my tactic from just getting the job done to striving for a good time. By the time I reached the final quarter I was pushing as hard as I could. I wasn't able to muster a real fast kick, but my pace did indeed steadily increase throughout the run. However, I didn't think my time would be all that great. I thought there was a chance I'd be in the 17s, but I didn't think I'd beat my time of 17:22 from last week. So I was rather surprised when I saw I had got a time of 17:20. Not a big jump from last week, but my surprise came more from the fact that I didn't feel like I ran any faster. And I guess that's a pretty good sign. The conditions and the fact that I was unmotivated made me think that tonight's run was simply mediocre, so I'm now quite anxious to see what I can do on a day of perfect weather when I am more mentally energized.
I may not be able to get another run in till Thursday, and I hope by then the weather will have warmed up. Tonight, though, when all was said and done, was rather nice. In addition to my improved time, it was actually nice running in the cool night, as if it was the middle of January. I could smell wood burning in fireplaces and the air was as crisp as a Christmas Eve! And yet it's May! Strange indeed.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Getting the Job Done
Distance: 1 mile
Time: 8:02
Location: Powhatan Road
*Note - This run occurred Thursday, May 12th.
Yesterday was such a great run that I had to follow it up with another good one. However, yesterday's run also took its toll on me. My legs felt quite sore all day long. After work I had to rush back to Apple Valley, meet my wife, and go sign loan documents for the new home we're hoping to get. By the time we got back home (after first having a delicious dinner at Johnny Rebs', one of our favorite BBQ joints) I felt like I only had time for a quick mile. Even though I was sore, though, I tried to make the most of this run. I pushed it from the get-go. The muscles in my legs, especially my calves, were burning, and it made it a bit uncomfortable to run. But I still felt strong. It was a nice, warm night. And I know warm nights will be a regular occurrence here soon, with summer around the corner, but lately we've actually been having a rather cool spring, with night temperatures dropping a lot, so tonight was a welcomed change. I finished the run with a strong kick. In fact, this was one of my first runs of late in which I was strongly motivated to beat my (recent) mile PR, which is 7:50. I felt that with my lower 2-mile time yesterday, and a 7:59 mile on this same route last week, I had a strong chance of doing it. But, alas, I came across the finish line at 8:02. My sore muscles must have held me back. I was satisfied with my effort, though. And 8:02 is still one of my best times on this route (third best, to be exact). So I'm still improving as far as I see it. I plan now to rest my muscles for a day or 2, and hopefully come back and drop my 2-mile time even lower. 16s here I come!
Time: 8:02
Location: Powhatan Road
*Note - This run occurred Thursday, May 12th.
Yesterday was such a great run that I had to follow it up with another good one. However, yesterday's run also took its toll on me. My legs felt quite sore all day long. After work I had to rush back to Apple Valley, meet my wife, and go sign loan documents for the new home we're hoping to get. By the time we got back home (after first having a delicious dinner at Johnny Rebs', one of our favorite BBQ joints) I felt like I only had time for a quick mile. Even though I was sore, though, I tried to make the most of this run. I pushed it from the get-go. The muscles in my legs, especially my calves, were burning, and it made it a bit uncomfortable to run. But I still felt strong. It was a nice, warm night. And I know warm nights will be a regular occurrence here soon, with summer around the corner, but lately we've actually been having a rather cool spring, with night temperatures dropping a lot, so tonight was a welcomed change. I finished the run with a strong kick. In fact, this was one of my first runs of late in which I was strongly motivated to beat my (recent) mile PR, which is 7:50. I felt that with my lower 2-mile time yesterday, and a 7:59 mile on this same route last week, I had a strong chance of doing it. But, alas, I came across the finish line at 8:02. My sore muscles must have held me back. I was satisfied with my effort, though. And 8:02 is still one of my best times on this route (third best, to be exact). So I'm still improving as far as I see it. I plan now to rest my muscles for a day or 2, and hopefully come back and drop my 2-mile time even lower. 16s here I come!
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Pushing Through
Distance: 2 miles
Time: 17:22
Location: Powhatan to Ottawa Route
Wow. I made some serious progress tonight! After skipping out on a run on Monday (it was cold and I procrastinated too long) I knew I had to get a run in tonight. I wasn't feeling very energetic or eager to run tonight, but luckily I was able to will myself out the door. I decided to go ahead and attempt 2 miles. Last time I ran 2 miles was November 10 when I ran an 18:49 (which was actually a good time for me on this route). Last week I made some good progress with my mile, and I realized that it wasn't going to take me that long to get back to where I was last year when I was running frequently before going on a 5 month hiatus. I've mentioned this already, but it bears repeating because I just can't get over how much of an impact it has made: my drop in weight, I believe, is allowing me to run faster now after 5 months off than I was a year ago when I was running 5 times a week! Tonight was proof in point. My 2 mile route in my neighborhood was one of my most frequent runs last year. But most of the time my times on it were slower than usual. For example, my best 2 mile time was on the Nisqually Route at 17:10 (August 12th, 2010), but my best 2 mile time on the Powhatan/Ottawa Route was 18:47 (June 29th, 2010). So when I finished my run tonight I was shocked to see a 17:22! I dropped 1:25 off of my previous best for this route and ran my second fastest 2-mile since May 2010! I must credit, again, my drop in weight as well as the fact that I never stopped. Last year, for some reason, I would always stop at the halfway point of this particular route. But tonight I didn't even entertain that thought. I felt strong for most of the run and I was determined to just push on through.
The run really did feel great. I switched back and forth from running on my heels to my toes. But for the most part I was able to maintain a strong form. I tried to run like a gazelle, light on my feet, rather than like a horse, clodhopping along; and for most of the run it worked. It took its toll on my legs, for as soon as I finished I could feel the throb in my lower leg muscles. I'm sure I'll be plenty sore tomorrow! I still can't believe how much time I dropped tonight. It gives me hope that I'll soon be in the 16s. It's still a long way off from my 12:53 PR, but I'm getting there. Tonight was a big step forward.
Time: 17:22
Location: Powhatan to Ottawa Route
Wow. I made some serious progress tonight! After skipping out on a run on Monday (it was cold and I procrastinated too long) I knew I had to get a run in tonight. I wasn't feeling very energetic or eager to run tonight, but luckily I was able to will myself out the door. I decided to go ahead and attempt 2 miles. Last time I ran 2 miles was November 10 when I ran an 18:49 (which was actually a good time for me on this route). Last week I made some good progress with my mile, and I realized that it wasn't going to take me that long to get back to where I was last year when I was running frequently before going on a 5 month hiatus. I've mentioned this already, but it bears repeating because I just can't get over how much of an impact it has made: my drop in weight, I believe, is allowing me to run faster now after 5 months off than I was a year ago when I was running 5 times a week! Tonight was proof in point. My 2 mile route in my neighborhood was one of my most frequent runs last year. But most of the time my times on it were slower than usual. For example, my best 2 mile time was on the Nisqually Route at 17:10 (August 12th, 2010), but my best 2 mile time on the Powhatan/Ottawa Route was 18:47 (June 29th, 2010). So when I finished my run tonight I was shocked to see a 17:22! I dropped 1:25 off of my previous best for this route and ran my second fastest 2-mile since May 2010! I must credit, again, my drop in weight as well as the fact that I never stopped. Last year, for some reason, I would always stop at the halfway point of this particular route. But tonight I didn't even entertain that thought. I felt strong for most of the run and I was determined to just push on through.
The run really did feel great. I switched back and forth from running on my heels to my toes. But for the most part I was able to maintain a strong form. I tried to run like a gazelle, light on my feet, rather than like a horse, clodhopping along; and for most of the run it worked. It took its toll on my legs, for as soon as I finished I could feel the throb in my lower leg muscles. I'm sure I'll be plenty sore tomorrow! I still can't believe how much time I dropped tonight. It gives me hope that I'll soon be in the 16s. It's still a long way off from my 12:53 PR, but I'm getting there. Tonight was a big step forward.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Beneath the Rocks
Distance: 0.9 miles
Time: 7:37
Location: Horsemen's Center
Today I wanted to run somewhere other than Powhatan. I decided to head over to Horsemen's Center, where I last ran on August 21st, 2010, the day of the Apple Valley Mud Run (and the day Deborah broke her leg). As this is Mother's Day Weekend, though, I didn't know if the park would be available. Sure enough, upon arriving I saw RVs and tents set up all over, with people everywhere. I decided to alter my route, and instead of running in the park, I would run in a large open area just south of it, right next to a mountain of picturesque rock formations. I had mapped out a couple of routes here back home on mapmyrun.com, and I had discovered that 3/4 of the way around the perimeter
of this open area equaled 1/4 of a mile. I did some quick and hasty calculations and determined that three laps around the perimeter would equal 1 mile. So I parked my car, stretched a bit, and took off. My legs felt good, as they have been all week, but for some reason my breathing felt labored. My chest was tight and I felt like maybe I was beginning to cramp up -- all this within the first 200 yards of the run. It wasn't a good sign. I worked on my breathing, slowing it down and trying to inhale deeply. I had initially wanted to get in 2 miles (which would have been at least 6 laps), but after feeling pain in my chest, I decided 1 mile would suffice. After the first lap my breathing got better. The tightness in my chest went away and I felt more relaxed. I took in the scenery: large boulders of rock protruding up into the blue sky and the valley off to the south and west. It was a beautiful afternoon and a scenic run. I finally reached my third and final lap. The terrain here isn't even, and it's all dirt, so it's more like trail running. One leg of the lap is all uphill, which was good training for me. There was even a small obstacle: a dirt mound I had to leap over. I rounded the final turn and kicked it to the end. I was surprised to see a 7:37. Either I had just run my fastest mile since last May, or I had miscalculated and run less than a mile. When I got home I discovered it was the latter. It was actually 0.9 miles, and so my mile time most likely would have been over 8 minutes, which is understandable given the terrain. All the same, it was a great run. I love running on dirt, surrounded by nature, breathing deeply the clean air. It ended a pretty good running week. I know soon I need to up my mileage, but for now I'm enjoying the strides I'm making.
Time: 7:37
Location: Horsemen's Center
Today I wanted to run somewhere other than Powhatan. I decided to head over to Horsemen's Center, where I last ran on August 21st, 2010, the day of the Apple Valley Mud Run (and the day Deborah broke her leg). As this is Mother's Day Weekend, though, I didn't know if the park would be available. Sure enough, upon arriving I saw RVs and tents set up all over, with people everywhere. I decided to alter my route, and instead of running in the park, I would run in a large open area just south of it, right next to a mountain of picturesque rock formations. I had mapped out a couple of routes here back home on mapmyrun.com, and I had discovered that 3/4 of the way around the perimeter
of this open area equaled 1/4 of a mile. I did some quick and hasty calculations and determined that three laps around the perimeter would equal 1 mile. So I parked my car, stretched a bit, and took off. My legs felt good, as they have been all week, but for some reason my breathing felt labored. My chest was tight and I felt like maybe I was beginning to cramp up -- all this within the first 200 yards of the run. It wasn't a good sign. I worked on my breathing, slowing it down and trying to inhale deeply. I had initially wanted to get in 2 miles (which would have been at least 6 laps), but after feeling pain in my chest, I decided 1 mile would suffice. After the first lap my breathing got better. The tightness in my chest went away and I felt more relaxed. I took in the scenery: large boulders of rock protruding up into the blue sky and the valley off to the south and west. It was a beautiful afternoon and a scenic run. I finally reached my third and final lap. The terrain here isn't even, and it's all dirt, so it's more like trail running. One leg of the lap is all uphill, which was good training for me. There was even a small obstacle: a dirt mound I had to leap over. I rounded the final turn and kicked it to the end. I was surprised to see a 7:37. Either I had just run my fastest mile since last May, or I had miscalculated and run less than a mile. When I got home I discovered it was the latter. It was actually 0.9 miles, and so my mile time most likely would have been over 8 minutes, which is understandable given the terrain. All the same, it was a great run. I love running on dirt, surrounded by nature, breathing deeply the clean air. It ended a pretty good running week. I know soon I need to up my mileage, but for now I'm enjoying the strides I'm making.
Under 8
Distance: 1 mile
Time: 7:59
Location: Powhatan Road
*Note - This run occurred Friday, May 6th.
My miles have been progressively faster since last week, but I wasn't expecting to break 8 minutes quite so soon. Tonight I ran a 7:59, the second fastest time on the Powhatan Route and only the second time I've broken 8 on this route. I didn't feel like I ran a 7:59; in fact, I felt like I wasn't going to beat Wednesday's 8:14. But my strides were a bit more powerful, and, again, I remained on my toes for most of the run, relying on the muscles in my legs more than on overall endurance. I only ran under 8 minutes three times last year, twice at Granite Hills and once on Powhatan. So to be back in that range is a great feeling. I'm still quite a ways away from my overall PR of 5:28, but I'm creeping up on it for sure. I've decided to list below my top 5 times on the Powhatan Route, just to see where I stand now in comparison to last year:
1. 7:57 9/11/10
2. 7:59 5/6/11
3. 8:14 5/4/11
4. 8:21 9/6/10
5. 8:25 6/18/10
Two of my top 5 times have come this week, which tells me that I'm right back on track. However, running a mile doesn't necessarily indicate a strong level of endurance. Once I finally start running 2 miles and more, then I'll really see where I stand. But for now it's nice to be feeling good out there and not lagging behind where I got myself last year.
Time: 7:59
Location: Powhatan Road
*Note - This run occurred Friday, May 6th.
My miles have been progressively faster since last week, but I wasn't expecting to break 8 minutes quite so soon. Tonight I ran a 7:59, the second fastest time on the Powhatan Route and only the second time I've broken 8 on this route. I didn't feel like I ran a 7:59; in fact, I felt like I wasn't going to beat Wednesday's 8:14. But my strides were a bit more powerful, and, again, I remained on my toes for most of the run, relying on the muscles in my legs more than on overall endurance. I only ran under 8 minutes three times last year, twice at Granite Hills and once on Powhatan. So to be back in that range is a great feeling. I'm still quite a ways away from my overall PR of 5:28, but I'm creeping up on it for sure. I've decided to list below my top 5 times on the Powhatan Route, just to see where I stand now in comparison to last year:
1. 7:57 9/11/10
2. 7:59 5/6/11
3. 8:14 5/4/11
4. 8:21 9/6/10
5. 8:25 6/18/10
Two of my top 5 times have come this week, which tells me that I'm right back on track. However, running a mile doesn't necessarily indicate a strong level of endurance. Once I finally start running 2 miles and more, then I'll really see where I stand. But for now it's nice to be feeling good out there and not lagging behind where I got myself last year.
Back In The Game
Distance: 1 mile
Time: 8:14
Location: Powhatan Road
*Note - This run occurred Wednesday, May 4th.
Another crazy day. The house we looked at on Monday ended up being just what we were looking for, so we decided to make an offer on it today. I had to rush home yet again. But after a hectic day a run is sometimes the best remedy. I headed out on my standard route again. I felt pretty good, and I was able to run on my toes for a bit longer than on Monday. Like usual, I began to feel fatigued after the halfway point. I came down on my heels for maybe 200 yards or so, but then I forced myself back on my toes and pushed it to the end. I was pleased to see I had run an 8:14, which is actually the second fastest I've ever run the Powhatan Route! I couldn't believe that after 5 months of not running at all I'd be able to catch back up this quickly. Again, I think a great deal of the reason is my lighter weight. At a steady 167 right now, I'm easily 10 pounds lighter than when I was running miles last summer.
Tomorrow I have to travel up to Ridgecrest for track finals. It's going to be a long day and I know I won't have time for a run. However, I'm looking forward to some good weekend runs!
Time: 8:14
Location: Powhatan Road
*Note - This run occurred Wednesday, May 4th.
Another crazy day. The house we looked at on Monday ended up being just what we were looking for, so we decided to make an offer on it today. I had to rush home yet again. But after a hectic day a run is sometimes the best remedy. I headed out on my standard route again. I felt pretty good, and I was able to run on my toes for a bit longer than on Monday. Like usual, I began to feel fatigued after the halfway point. I came down on my heels for maybe 200 yards or so, but then I forced myself back on my toes and pushed it to the end. I was pleased to see I had run an 8:14, which is actually the second fastest I've ever run the Powhatan Route! I couldn't believe that after 5 months of not running at all I'd be able to catch back up this quickly. Again, I think a great deal of the reason is my lighter weight. At a steady 167 right now, I'm easily 10 pounds lighter than when I was running miles last summer.
Tomorrow I have to travel up to Ridgecrest for track finals. It's going to be a long day and I know I won't have time for a run. However, I'm looking forward to some good weekend runs!
Chipping Away
Distance: 1 mile
Time: 8:34
Location: Powhatan Road
*Note - This run occurred Monday, May 2nd.
This was the beginning of a hectic week. Not only is track season winding down (and thus we're busy preparing for the postseason), but my wife and I are also house hunting, and I've been having to rush home after work to meet with our Realtor. After looking at a promising house, and getting a bite to eat with my mom, I laced up to run a mile on my standard (Powhatan) route. Last week was my first week of my 2011 training, and it was kind of a mixed bag. My first two runs were just half miles, and they were slow. But when I finally decided to run a full mile I was surprised to see my time right up there with my better times of 2010. It gave me hope.
So today I set out on a mile run, this time on my neighborhood street. This was a route I'd run countless times last year. I ran my slowest time on it (a 9:36 in May of 2010) and one of my fastest times (a 7:57 in September of 2010). I didn't want to wait any longer to get some real running in, so I went for it. And tonight I felt pretty good. I ended up with an 8:34, better than last week, and actually better than most of my times on this route last year! I pushed it a bit harder tonight, doing my best to run on the balls of my feet for as long as I could. I'm still not feeling great on these runs, but I know that I won't be needing to climb the same mountain I had to last year when I began running after years of inactivity. Five months off hurt me, but not devastatingly. And of course my lighter weight is helping a great deal.
Time: 8:34
Location: Powhatan Road
*Note - This run occurred Monday, May 2nd.
This was the beginning of a hectic week. Not only is track season winding down (and thus we're busy preparing for the postseason), but my wife and I are also house hunting, and I've been having to rush home after work to meet with our Realtor. After looking at a promising house, and getting a bite to eat with my mom, I laced up to run a mile on my standard (Powhatan) route. Last week was my first week of my 2011 training, and it was kind of a mixed bag. My first two runs were just half miles, and they were slow. But when I finally decided to run a full mile I was surprised to see my time right up there with my better times of 2010. It gave me hope.
So today I set out on a mile run, this time on my neighborhood street. This was a route I'd run countless times last year. I ran my slowest time on it (a 9:36 in May of 2010) and one of my fastest times (a 7:57 in September of 2010). I didn't want to wait any longer to get some real running in, so I went for it. And tonight I felt pretty good. I ended up with an 8:34, better than last week, and actually better than most of my times on this route last year! I pushed it a bit harder tonight, doing my best to run on the balls of my feet for as long as I could. I'm still not feeling great on these runs, but I know that I won't be needing to climb the same mountain I had to last year when I began running after years of inactivity. Five months off hurt me, but not devastatingly. And of course my lighter weight is helping a great deal.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Blazing Trails
Distance: 1 mile
Time: 8:47
It was tough getting runs in this last week due to a busy schedule, so when Saturday arrived I couldn't wait to get out in the bright morning and spend a little more time running. I decided to head up to Granite Hills High School to run a mile route that I had run many times last year. I hadn't run at Granite since setting a 2010 mile PR there of 7:50 on August 13th. So I drove up to the spot where I usually park, stretched a bit, then headed out. But about 20 feet into my run I noticed a couple of dogs farther along the path. At first I just thought they were being walked, but I didn't see a person anywhere. Then I saw a third dog appear, and it looked as though I had come upon a posse of stray dogs! I debated continuing on, but in the end I decided it wasn't worth it so I turned and decided to try out a new route. I crossed the road I parked on and followed a trail that led east (away from the dogs). I chose (since I didn't know
where I was going) to base my run on time rather than distance. So I decided to run for 8 minutes, since that was around where my mile time was last year. After running along the trail for awhile I came to a new trail heading north-south. On a whim I made a right and began running south along a small path surrounded by desert brush and wildflowers. It was rather beautiful. Far off to the south I could see the San Bernardino and San Gabriel Mountains, still with snow on them. The day was perfectly bright and clear, and
the temperature was just right. I was reveling in the atmosphere! I finally came to a large dirt road and took it west, back towards the high school. I then headed south on another dirt road that led to a large property with horses roaming the lot. From here I turned around and headed straight up the same road where I had parked my car. This is when I finally began to come apart. I had been running pretty strong up till then (albeit distracted by the scenery), but now that I could see the finish line I was hitting the wall. The wind had picked up too, so it made it tougher running against it. I finally reached my car and stopped the watch at 8:47. I noticed that those 3 stray dogs had wandered over near where I parked, but were just curiously staring at me from some shade near a fence. They seemed friendly enough, but rather than go find out I snapped a picture instead.
I went home and mapped out the run on mapmyrun.com to see what kind of distance I had covered. To my surprise it was exactly 1 mile! So I ran what I wanted to run to begin with! I was pleased with my time, too. It was definitely slower than the 7:50 I had run in August, but it was a lot better than the 9:36 I ran when I first started timing my mile on May 24th, 2010. From here I should be able to get my times down again in a small amount of time. One thing's for sure, I can notice my decreased weight when running. I don't feel as sluggish or sloppy when I run. I think last year my weight was really preventing me from getting better times.
Above are some pictures from my run. The top photo is the stray dogs lounging in the shade. And the next one is the quaint trail I ran just east of the high school.
Time: 8:47
It was tough getting runs in this last week due to a busy schedule, so when Saturday arrived I couldn't wait to get out in the bright morning and spend a little more time running. I decided to head up to Granite Hills High School to run a mile route that I had run many times last year. I hadn't run at Granite since setting a 2010 mile PR there of 7:50 on August 13th. So I drove up to the spot where I usually park, stretched a bit, then headed out. But about 20 feet into my run I noticed a couple of dogs farther along the path. At first I just thought they were being walked, but I didn't see a person anywhere. Then I saw a third dog appear, and it looked as though I had come upon a posse of stray dogs! I debated continuing on, but in the end I decided it wasn't worth it so I turned and decided to try out a new route. I crossed the road I parked on and followed a trail that led east (away from the dogs). I chose (since I didn't know
where I was going) to base my run on time rather than distance. So I decided to run for 8 minutes, since that was around where my mile time was last year. After running along the trail for awhile I came to a new trail heading north-south. On a whim I made a right and began running south along a small path surrounded by desert brush and wildflowers. It was rather beautiful. Far off to the south I could see the San Bernardino and San Gabriel Mountains, still with snow on them. The day was perfectly bright and clear, and
the temperature was just right. I was reveling in the atmosphere! I finally came to a large dirt road and took it west, back towards the high school. I then headed south on another dirt road that led to a large property with horses roaming the lot. From here I turned around and headed straight up the same road where I had parked my car. This is when I finally began to come apart. I had been running pretty strong up till then (albeit distracted by the scenery), but now that I could see the finish line I was hitting the wall. The wind had picked up too, so it made it tougher running against it. I finally reached my car and stopped the watch at 8:47. I noticed that those 3 stray dogs had wandered over near where I parked, but were just curiously staring at me from some shade near a fence. They seemed friendly enough, but rather than go find out I snapped a picture instead.I went home and mapped out the run on mapmyrun.com to see what kind of distance I had covered. To my surprise it was exactly 1 mile! So I ran what I wanted to run to begin with! I was pleased with my time, too. It was definitely slower than the 7:50 I had run in August, but it was a lot better than the 9:36 I ran when I first started timing my mile on May 24th, 2010. From here I should be able to get my times down again in a small amount of time. One thing's for sure, I can notice my decreased weight when running. I don't feel as sluggish or sloppy when I run. I think last year my weight was really preventing me from getting better times.
Above are some pictures from my run. The top photo is the stray dogs lounging in the shade. And the next one is the quaint trail I ran just east of the high school.
Baby Steps
Distance: 1/2 mile
Time: 4:09
*Note - This run occurred on Wednesday, April 27th.
After Monday's inaugural run of 2011, I followed it on Wednesday with another similar run. Initially I wanted to up it back to a full mile, but it ended up being a busy afternoon (my parents came up to look at a house with us), so I decided to just quickly get in a half mile. Plus, my slow time of 4:22 on Monday told me that I still needed more time to build back up to my previous distances. This time, I knew I could go out a little bit faster, so I pushed it for the first quarter, but by the time I reached the halfway point, I could feel the fatigue setting in. I did my best on the second quarter, but I didn't have as strong a kick in me as I did Monday. I ended up getting a 4:09 -- bad, but not as bad as Monday. I'm actually surprised I'm running these half miles so slow. The very first half mile I timed last year, on May 26th, 2010, was a 3:39. So I really should be running faster than that now, but I think I'm holding myself back. Oh well, I'll give it a few more runs and see where I am. If I'm not running half miles in the 3s next week, we have a problem.
Time: 4:09
*Note - This run occurred on Wednesday, April 27th.
After Monday's inaugural run of 2011, I followed it on Wednesday with another similar run. Initially I wanted to up it back to a full mile, but it ended up being a busy afternoon (my parents came up to look at a house with us), so I decided to just quickly get in a half mile. Plus, my slow time of 4:22 on Monday told me that I still needed more time to build back up to my previous distances. This time, I knew I could go out a little bit faster, so I pushed it for the first quarter, but by the time I reached the halfway point, I could feel the fatigue setting in. I did my best on the second quarter, but I didn't have as strong a kick in me as I did Monday. I ended up getting a 4:09 -- bad, but not as bad as Monday. I'm actually surprised I'm running these half miles so slow. The very first half mile I timed last year, on May 26th, 2010, was a 3:39. So I really should be running faster than that now, but I think I'm holding myself back. Oh well, I'll give it a few more runs and see where I am. If I'm not running half miles in the 3s next week, we have a problem.
It Begins (Again)
Distance: 1/2 mile
Time: 4:22
*Note - This is a belated post documenting a run made on Monday, April 25th.
Well, I've finally returned to the pavement. After a five month hiatus, I officially continued my training regimen Monday night. Last May I began a rigorous routine of running five times a week (after years of inactivity) that lasted until about September when I began to run less frequently. During the summer of 2010 I was as committed to my training as I had been back in high school. For the first time ever I began documenting each run, logging my distances and times. I was pleased with my progress by the end of the summer. In May I was running miles in the mid-9 minute range, and by September I had my mile into the 7 minute range (my goal is to get it into the 5s). In June I was running 2 miles in as a slow a time as 22:27, and by August I ran a 17:10 2-mile. So all things were moving forward nicely. Then, school started back up, and my work load this year ended up being a lot more demanding. Cross-country season started, which consumed a lot of my time, and I had more classes to prepare for than ever before, including an adult education class on Tuesday nights. My running began to decrease in September, though I tried my best to keep it going. By October I wasn't running at all. I made a slight comeback in November, but it was short-lived. And by December I had dropped my training routine completely. I settled into winter by falling back out of shape and putting pounds back on. However, all hope was not lost. In January I discovered I had hit 190 pounds! I had never weighed so much in my life, and I knew that that was what I needed to focus on now rather than running. During 2010 when I was running frequently, my weight really didn't change much. It stayed about in the 170s all summer long because I didn't alter my eating habits; in fact, my frequent running probably caused me to start eating more. So in January 2011 I made a commitment. My wife actually took the initiative. We both began drastically reducing what we ate during the day. We stuck to a strict system of watching what we were putting into our bodies -- avoiding fast food, eating more fruits and vegetables, and drinking less sugary liquids. Pretty soon we saw results. By February I was in the 180s and by March the 170s. And by mid-April I had reached the 160s, where my weight hadn't been in probably about 3 years. The thing that was most promising is that I dropped over 20 pounds without doing a minute of exercise. It was purely done by way of diet change. However, I knew that I wasn't done with my running regimen. My plan all along was to drop a good amount of weight and then start training again, probably when it warmed up in mid-spring. And so, on April 25th, I officially instituted the next phase of my large-scale personal re-conditioning project. Weighing less than I did during the entire summer of 2010 when I was running furiously 5 times a week, I laced up my shoes and walked out the front door to do a (hopefully) easy half mile.
It wasn't easy. Five months of inactivity is going to have an effect. That said, it wasn't nearly as bad as when I went on my first run last year. I didn't try to push it too hard. I held back and waited to see what my body would be capable of. I only elected to do a half mile because I just wanted to get out there and feel the feeling of running again, without the pressure to get a certain number of miles in. So I ran a quarter mile down my street, turned and ran back. I was able to get a good kick in, but I took it so easy the first 3/4 of the run that I ended up with a dismal time of 4:22. All in all, it was a good re-starting of my routine. I didn't feel horrible on the run, just slightly winded.
I plan on taking my first few runs back pretty easy. I'm not in a position yet to push it real hard. It's just good to be back!
Time: 4:22
*Note - This is a belated post documenting a run made on Monday, April 25th.
Well, I've finally returned to the pavement. After a five month hiatus, I officially continued my training regimen Monday night. Last May I began a rigorous routine of running five times a week (after years of inactivity) that lasted until about September when I began to run less frequently. During the summer of 2010 I was as committed to my training as I had been back in high school. For the first time ever I began documenting each run, logging my distances and times. I was pleased with my progress by the end of the summer. In May I was running miles in the mid-9 minute range, and by September I had my mile into the 7 minute range (my goal is to get it into the 5s). In June I was running 2 miles in as a slow a time as 22:27, and by August I ran a 17:10 2-mile. So all things were moving forward nicely. Then, school started back up, and my work load this year ended up being a lot more demanding. Cross-country season started, which consumed a lot of my time, and I had more classes to prepare for than ever before, including an adult education class on Tuesday nights. My running began to decrease in September, though I tried my best to keep it going. By October I wasn't running at all. I made a slight comeback in November, but it was short-lived. And by December I had dropped my training routine completely. I settled into winter by falling back out of shape and putting pounds back on. However, all hope was not lost. In January I discovered I had hit 190 pounds! I had never weighed so much in my life, and I knew that that was what I needed to focus on now rather than running. During 2010 when I was running frequently, my weight really didn't change much. It stayed about in the 170s all summer long because I didn't alter my eating habits; in fact, my frequent running probably caused me to start eating more. So in January 2011 I made a commitment. My wife actually took the initiative. We both began drastically reducing what we ate during the day. We stuck to a strict system of watching what we were putting into our bodies -- avoiding fast food, eating more fruits and vegetables, and drinking less sugary liquids. Pretty soon we saw results. By February I was in the 180s and by March the 170s. And by mid-April I had reached the 160s, where my weight hadn't been in probably about 3 years. The thing that was most promising is that I dropped over 20 pounds without doing a minute of exercise. It was purely done by way of diet change. However, I knew that I wasn't done with my running regimen. My plan all along was to drop a good amount of weight and then start training again, probably when it warmed up in mid-spring. And so, on April 25th, I officially instituted the next phase of my large-scale personal re-conditioning project. Weighing less than I did during the entire summer of 2010 when I was running furiously 5 times a week, I laced up my shoes and walked out the front door to do a (hopefully) easy half mile.
It wasn't easy. Five months of inactivity is going to have an effect. That said, it wasn't nearly as bad as when I went on my first run last year. I didn't try to push it too hard. I held back and waited to see what my body would be capable of. I only elected to do a half mile because I just wanted to get out there and feel the feeling of running again, without the pressure to get a certain number of miles in. So I ran a quarter mile down my street, turned and ran back. I was able to get a good kick in, but I took it so easy the first 3/4 of the run that I ended up with a dismal time of 4:22. All in all, it was a good re-starting of my routine. I didn't feel horrible on the run, just slightly winded.
I plan on taking my first few runs back pretty easy. I'm not in a position yet to push it real hard. It's just good to be back!
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