Distance: 0.94 miles
Time: 10:06
Location: Rio Vista School and back
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Back Again
Distance: 0.94 miles
Time: 10:06
Location: Rio Vista School and back
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Summary of May, June & July 2013
Not much to report here. My 2013 running season began in April and started out promising. When last I posted I was two weeks into a training regimen designed to slowly build up my mileage past my usual 2-3 mile runs. Things were looking good. In fact, for another three weeks or so after my last post I was making nice progress and I hadn't missed a single run. But I was really still at the beginning of my training schedule. My workout plan was supposed to take me to the end of June, at which time I would start up a new regimen designed to prepare me for a marathon. The first workout plan was designed to build from 1 mile to 4 miles. I made it only to 3.5 miles. By the end of May I lost my drive and I've yet to get it back. But for three weeks in May I was running great. I won't be able to go into detail about those runs, being now August and the memory of the details faint. But one run in particular I remember well, it was my last run before it all ended. Since 2010, my longest run was a 4-miler at Newport Beach on June 21, 2011. At home I hadn't run longer than 3 miles, ever. But one night at the end of May I went for 3.5 and made it, albeit barely. I ran the Yucca Loma route, east from Apple Valley Road, all the way to Cree Road. My body wasn't used to the added distance, but I managed to eke it out. It shows how out of shape I'd become that a measly 3.5 did me in. But after that run, which left me feeling accomplished, I inexplicably let it all fade out. I'm not sure exactly what caused the sudden lack of motivation. Probably stress and commitments at work, plus taking care of Nathan. As soon as the school year ended in June, we had to start getting ready for a trip to New York. But I thought when we returned at the end of June I'd be ready to start my training again. I was wrong. I never ran in June, and even worse, not even in July either. So this is not a positive post. It's one to tell myself to get moving again. It was a lazy summer. Though we did a lot of cool things and took Nathan on lots of cool trips, when it came to exercise and training, it was a bust. Now I go back to work in less than a week. This is historically the worst time of year for me to get motivated to run. But I need to defy the odds and do it anyway. I hope to come up with a new regimen and return here to post a run review soon. Wish me luck!
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Four Runs
I've been keeping up with my runs, but not so much with my posts. It's just been too busy lately. So I figured I'd just combine some runs and do an all-in-one blog. So here is a brief rundown of my runs from May 2 to May 9.
Run #1 - Thursday, May 2, 2013 - 2 miles, Apple Valley to Sitting Bull:
On Wednesday, May 1, I had to accompany the track team to Ridgecrest for league finals. I was still planning on getting a bike ride in when I got home, but as I didn't arrive back home until after 11pm, and I was about to drop dead from exhaustion, I decided instead to forgo the cycling and tack on an extra half mile to Thursday's run. So what was supposed to be an easy 1.5 miles became 2 miles. I took this run slow. My stopwatch broke and I still haven't replaced my MiCoach battery, so I had no choice but to not time this run. It was actually nice, though, to simply run without glancing at my time or trying to beat a certain time. I ran casually, and I enjoyed it. It was the first time running this route since twisting my ankle on it back in November 2012. I made sure this time to stay well away from the edge of the asphalt. At this point, I know my runs aren't going to be stellar, but I simply want to log the miles. And tonight I put 2 in the bag.
Run #2 - Friday, May 3, 2013 - 2 miles, Yucca Loma to the river:
Friday's run was very similar to Thursday's. Another 2 miles, only this time I took the river route, which I haven't run in a while. I took it nice and easy again. It was uneventful, but it was at least a decent run, and not a pain-filled torturous one. My stamina is still weak, but my legs are holding up, which is a nice sign after five months off.
Run #3 - Monday, May 6, 2013 - 2 miles, Apple Valley to Sitting Bull:
On Saturday the 4th I did my first cycling exercise. I rode about 4 miles, but I went late at night and I don't have a light on my bike, so it was kind of a nerve-racking ride. But I was able to pick up speed at some lit-up sections and I felt the burn in my thighs acutely. And I think it helped on Monday's run. I can't wait to see the benefits of long-term cross-training. Anyway, on Monday it was cold and windy, not fun running conditions, but I threw on a hoodie and went anyway. I was blasted the whole way down, as the wind was coming from the south, but the way back was nice. All in all a good run on an old route.
Run #4 - Thursday, May 9, 2013 - 1.5 miles, Yucca Loma past gas station:
This was the same route I took on my inaugural run of 2013 on April 29. But tonight I felt infinitely better! My legs felt strong, and I even, on the way back, was able to sprint for a short while crossing Apple Valley. I felt so limber and free! It was a feeling that invigorated me and I was pumped the rest of the run. It was like catching a glimpse of what it will feel like to run when I'm in shape. I can't wait! Aside from my breathing, which is still a struggle, this run demonstrated definite signs that I'm already getting more into shape. Two weeks in and things are looking up.
Run #1 - Thursday, May 2, 2013 - 2 miles, Apple Valley to Sitting Bull:
On Wednesday, May 1, I had to accompany the track team to Ridgecrest for league finals. I was still planning on getting a bike ride in when I got home, but as I didn't arrive back home until after 11pm, and I was about to drop dead from exhaustion, I decided instead to forgo the cycling and tack on an extra half mile to Thursday's run. So what was supposed to be an easy 1.5 miles became 2 miles. I took this run slow. My stopwatch broke and I still haven't replaced my MiCoach battery, so I had no choice but to not time this run. It was actually nice, though, to simply run without glancing at my time or trying to beat a certain time. I ran casually, and I enjoyed it. It was the first time running this route since twisting my ankle on it back in November 2012. I made sure this time to stay well away from the edge of the asphalt. At this point, I know my runs aren't going to be stellar, but I simply want to log the miles. And tonight I put 2 in the bag.
Run #2 - Friday, May 3, 2013 - 2 miles, Yucca Loma to the river:
Friday's run was very similar to Thursday's. Another 2 miles, only this time I took the river route, which I haven't run in a while. I took it nice and easy again. It was uneventful, but it was at least a decent run, and not a pain-filled torturous one. My stamina is still weak, but my legs are holding up, which is a nice sign after five months off.
Run #3 - Monday, May 6, 2013 - 2 miles, Apple Valley to Sitting Bull:
On Saturday the 4th I did my first cycling exercise. I rode about 4 miles, but I went late at night and I don't have a light on my bike, so it was kind of a nerve-racking ride. But I was able to pick up speed at some lit-up sections and I felt the burn in my thighs acutely. And I think it helped on Monday's run. I can't wait to see the benefits of long-term cross-training. Anyway, on Monday it was cold and windy, not fun running conditions, but I threw on a hoodie and went anyway. I was blasted the whole way down, as the wind was coming from the south, but the way back was nice. All in all a good run on an old route.
Run #4 - Thursday, May 9, 2013 - 1.5 miles, Yucca Loma past gas station:
This was the same route I took on my inaugural run of 2013 on April 29. But tonight I felt infinitely better! My legs felt strong, and I even, on the way back, was able to sprint for a short while crossing Apple Valley. I felt so limber and free! It was a feeling that invigorated me and I was pumped the rest of the run. It was like catching a glimpse of what it will feel like to run when I'm in shape. I can't wait! Aside from my breathing, which is still a struggle, this run demonstrated definite signs that I'm already getting more into shape. Two weeks in and things are looking up.
Monday, April 29, 2013
The 2013 Season Begins
Distance: 1.5 miles
Time: 16:19
Location: Yucca Loma Out-and-Back
I'm back, and I've much to tell. When last I posted it was the thick of autumn. I went for a quick, impromptu run the night before embarking on an adventurous hike to the top of Cucamonga Peak. Well, that hike ended up turning into something close to a disaster. The day (November 17th, 2012) ended up being cold, foggy, and off-and-on rainy. But we went anyway. Matt, Johnny, and I tried as best we could to forge a path to the top of the peak up the south face, but with no established trail we ended up coming upon a dead end (just like when we tried the previous year). And the weather didn't help. Had it been bright and sunny, we may have been able to continue on, but as the rain fell and we became increasingly soaked, we decided to turn back. That is, until Matt and Johnny decided to try for an alternate route. I went along with it, but I didn't have a good feeling about it. We tried to make it to the peak by heading east on an old truck road, which would take us to a campground, at which point we'd pick up a different trail that leads to the peak up the eastern slope. We grossly underestimated the distances and ended up not getting to the campground until late in the afternoon. By then, we knew we wouldn't have enough daylight to make it to the peak, so we took yet another trail that we thought would lead us straight down to the base of the mountain, near Sierra Avenue by the 15 freeway. Well, it did lead us to Sierra, but not until around 8pm, once pitch black night had descended, and we had covered about 20 miles of trail! We actually had to call my wife and my parents to get a car up the road some to pick us up. It was an epic day of hiking, and I felt pretty beat afterwards, but I held up at least. And my few runs in November, I guess, helped a little.
After that late autumn hike, I ceased running. The winter came, and with it a life-altering event. In January 2013 my wife and I adopted a newborn baby boy. We had been going through the adoption process since March 2012, and we had thought we'd be waiting quite a bit longer, but we got the longed-for call and welcomed Nathaniel David into our lives. Needless to say, the next few months were consumed with other things than running -- it was the last thing on my mind. I was adjusting to fatherhood, plus juggling work and taking care of an infant was about as time-consuming as anything could be. Even when, in March, I took a few weeks off to stay at home with Nathaniel, I didn't even have the time or energy to jog in place in the house! It wasn't until late into April, once the warmth of spring began to set in, and Nathaniel reached an age that allowed us to rest a little more, that I could once again begin to try to get back into running shape.
Last year was rough. It started out promising; May in particular was a productive running month. And I was able to run a 5K in June. But I would end up spraining both my ankles last year, which would hinder my progress greatly. The first was my left ankle on a trail run in Lake Arrowhead in June. The second was my right ankle just down the street from our house in November. Both ankles, at times, still feel less than 100%. This year, I hope to be more careful (and lucky) and avoid any more serious injuries.
What really got my motivation going again was actually a sudden urge to resurrect my marathon plans. When I first began this running blog in May 2010, one of the goals was to eventually run a marathon. But my training progressed slowly and I kind of lost sight of that one epic goal. But this time I realized I needed to concentrate my training and planning. I needed to focus, to structure my running. Before I would run willy-nilly. I would decide my routes and distances moments before I started running. But now, I've decided to follow a predetermined training program. I purchased a book that features several different marathon training schedules. And this book emphasizes fewer runs and more cross-training, and I liked the sound of that. The only thing was that it didn't cater to the beginner, and even though I've run all my life, off and on, my current physical shape, I believe, puts me in the beginner category. So I needed another training program to bridge my current state with the marathon programs in the book. I found a good one online and I was ready to go. Today was day 1.
My schedule, which will take me to the end of June, at which point I'll begin the marathon plan, called for a short run today: 1.5 miles. I was sure, even with five months of inactivity, that I could handle that distance, so I mapped out a route simply along Yucca Loma (about half the distance of my usual 3-mile route on that road) and set out around 8pm. My MiCoach was out of commission, so I grabbed my stop watch and went old school. My time was dismal, 16:19, but a lot of that was due to stopping both at Apple Valley Road and at the half-way point. I didn't feel too terrible on the run. I cramped a little. And my lower legs and ankles felt weak in the bones. But these are things I'd expect on the first run after a long hiatus. At no point was I in such a bad state that I felt like stopping, so that was good. The night was still warm, so conditions were great. And it felt really awesome just to be running again. I hate taking these giant breaks I take every year, and I'm always looking for a way to avoid them, but I'm just glad at least that I'm able to start it up again at this time each year. This training program calls for only three days of running per week, which is very doable and realistic, and then two days of cycling. I'll only be posting about the runs. I'm thrilled to be running again and I can't wait to follow these programs through to completion!
Time: 16:19
Location: Yucca Loma Out-and-Back
I'm back, and I've much to tell. When last I posted it was the thick of autumn. I went for a quick, impromptu run the night before embarking on an adventurous hike to the top of Cucamonga Peak. Well, that hike ended up turning into something close to a disaster. The day (November 17th, 2012) ended up being cold, foggy, and off-and-on rainy. But we went anyway. Matt, Johnny, and I tried as best we could to forge a path to the top of the peak up the south face, but with no established trail we ended up coming upon a dead end (just like when we tried the previous year). And the weather didn't help. Had it been bright and sunny, we may have been able to continue on, but as the rain fell and we became increasingly soaked, we decided to turn back. That is, until Matt and Johnny decided to try for an alternate route. I went along with it, but I didn't have a good feeling about it. We tried to make it to the peak by heading east on an old truck road, which would take us to a campground, at which point we'd pick up a different trail that leads to the peak up the eastern slope. We grossly underestimated the distances and ended up not getting to the campground until late in the afternoon. By then, we knew we wouldn't have enough daylight to make it to the peak, so we took yet another trail that we thought would lead us straight down to the base of the mountain, near Sierra Avenue by the 15 freeway. Well, it did lead us to Sierra, but not until around 8pm, once pitch black night had descended, and we had covered about 20 miles of trail! We actually had to call my wife and my parents to get a car up the road some to pick us up. It was an epic day of hiking, and I felt pretty beat afterwards, but I held up at least. And my few runs in November, I guess, helped a little.
After that late autumn hike, I ceased running. The winter came, and with it a life-altering event. In January 2013 my wife and I adopted a newborn baby boy. We had been going through the adoption process since March 2012, and we had thought we'd be waiting quite a bit longer, but we got the longed-for call and welcomed Nathaniel David into our lives. Needless to say, the next few months were consumed with other things than running -- it was the last thing on my mind. I was adjusting to fatherhood, plus juggling work and taking care of an infant was about as time-consuming as anything could be. Even when, in March, I took a few weeks off to stay at home with Nathaniel, I didn't even have the time or energy to jog in place in the house! It wasn't until late into April, once the warmth of spring began to set in, and Nathaniel reached an age that allowed us to rest a little more, that I could once again begin to try to get back into running shape.
Last year was rough. It started out promising; May in particular was a productive running month. And I was able to run a 5K in June. But I would end up spraining both my ankles last year, which would hinder my progress greatly. The first was my left ankle on a trail run in Lake Arrowhead in June. The second was my right ankle just down the street from our house in November. Both ankles, at times, still feel less than 100%. This year, I hope to be more careful (and lucky) and avoid any more serious injuries.
What really got my motivation going again was actually a sudden urge to resurrect my marathon plans. When I first began this running blog in May 2010, one of the goals was to eventually run a marathon. But my training progressed slowly and I kind of lost sight of that one epic goal. But this time I realized I needed to concentrate my training and planning. I needed to focus, to structure my running. Before I would run willy-nilly. I would decide my routes and distances moments before I started running. But now, I've decided to follow a predetermined training program. I purchased a book that features several different marathon training schedules. And this book emphasizes fewer runs and more cross-training, and I liked the sound of that. The only thing was that it didn't cater to the beginner, and even though I've run all my life, off and on, my current physical shape, I believe, puts me in the beginner category. So I needed another training program to bridge my current state with the marathon programs in the book. I found a good one online and I was ready to go. Today was day 1.My schedule, which will take me to the end of June, at which point I'll begin the marathon plan, called for a short run today: 1.5 miles. I was sure, even with five months of inactivity, that I could handle that distance, so I mapped out a route simply along Yucca Loma (about half the distance of my usual 3-mile route on that road) and set out around 8pm. My MiCoach was out of commission, so I grabbed my stop watch and went old school. My time was dismal, 16:19, but a lot of that was due to stopping both at Apple Valley Road and at the half-way point. I didn't feel too terrible on the run. I cramped a little. And my lower legs and ankles felt weak in the bones. But these are things I'd expect on the first run after a long hiatus. At no point was I in such a bad state that I felt like stopping, so that was good. The night was still warm, so conditions were great. And it felt really awesome just to be running again. I hate taking these giant breaks I take every year, and I'm always looking for a way to avoid them, but I'm just glad at least that I'm able to start it up again at this time each year. This training program calls for only three days of running per week, which is very doable and realistic, and then two days of cycling. I'll only be posting about the runs. I'm thrilled to be running again and I can't wait to follow these programs through to completion!
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