Time: ?
Location: Yucca Loma to Cronese and back
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Twilight Run
Distance: 2.5 miles
Time: ?
Location: Yucca Loma to Cronese and back
With some winter weather (finally!) heading our way, I decided to get a run in tonight, which would probably be my last this week. Rain is forecast for the next three days, so it was now or never. I also decided to run earlier for a change. I was getting kind of tired of the late night runs (between 9 and 10pm). So tonight I set out at just after 6pm. The sun had just set and my goal was to try to run to the top of the Yucca Loma hill in time to see the last rays go down. It was a bit too late for that, though. By the time I got half way up Yucca Loma it was long past sundown and twilight was fading fast. But I took my phone out in time to capture a couple of pics of the dying light and the clouds forming to the west. My phone died after that so I wasn't able to time this run. But it was a decent one. I didn't feel quite as springy as Monday, and I ate too much when I got home from work, so I was running on a full stomach (never fun). But all that aside, it went pretty well. It was nice running with at least a tiny bit of light still, and to get home with the whole night ahead rather than getting home and going straight to bed. Like I said in my last post, my goal right now is just to maintain. Two or three runs per week, for the time being, will suffice. But as soon as I figure out my next 5K, the focused training will be back. For now, I'll enjoy these lighthearted runs.
Time: ?
Location: Yucca Loma to Cronese and back
Monday, February 24, 2014
Fresh Legs
Distance: 2.13
Time: 21:02
Location: Apple Valley to Sitting Bull
Well, first run since the 5K and it felt great! I took last week off. It was nice, and it certainly helped my legs, which were beginning to feel the wear and tear of a month of consistent training. When I ran the 5K on February 15, I was definitely not at 100%. On top of fighting a cold, my lower calf muscles were sore and aching. But I headed out tonight on a little 2-miler, and I instantly noticed how fresh and new my legs felt! No soreness, no tightness. My pace was only a little quicker than it had been, but I settled into a slower run to simply enjoy how good it felt. I ran down to Sitting Bull and back, and fatigue didn't really start setting in until I was a quarter mile from my house. It was just a fresh, invigorating run! The week off was well worth it and I'll definitely be doing that now after every race I run.
The plan now is to wait for a good 5K to sign up for. Hopefully I'll have one selected in the next week or two. Then, I'll construct another training regimen and shoot for my next goal. In the meantime it's all about maintaining, which can sometimes be the hardest part. I'm aiming for 2-3 runs per week for now. I don't want to let what I began last month slip away, but it's also hard to stay consistent without a concrete goal to look ahead to (at least for me). So now I wait in a sort of limbo.
One final note, still winter, still weirdly warm. It was around 60° when I set out tonight. Quite warm for a February. Some rain is expected later this week, but it's looking more and more like winter won't truly be arriving this year. I'm disappointed, because I like cold weather, but also looking forward to nice, warm nights to run in during the spring and summer.
Time: 21:02
Location: Apple Valley to Sitting Bull
Well, first run since the 5K and it felt great! I took last week off. It was nice, and it certainly helped my legs, which were beginning to feel the wear and tear of a month of consistent training. When I ran the 5K on February 15, I was definitely not at 100%. On top of fighting a cold, my lower calf muscles were sore and aching. But I headed out tonight on a little 2-miler, and I instantly noticed how fresh and new my legs felt! No soreness, no tightness. My pace was only a little quicker than it had been, but I settled into a slower run to simply enjoy how good it felt. I ran down to Sitting Bull and back, and fatigue didn't really start setting in until I was a quarter mile from my house. It was just a fresh, invigorating run! The week off was well worth it and I'll definitely be doing that now after every race I run.
The plan now is to wait for a good 5K to sign up for. Hopefully I'll have one selected in the next week or two. Then, I'll construct another training regimen and shoot for my next goal. In the meantime it's all about maintaining, which can sometimes be the hardest part. I'm aiming for 2-3 runs per week for now. I don't want to let what I began last month slip away, but it's also hard to stay consistent without a concrete goal to look ahead to (at least for me). So now I wait in a sort of limbo.
One final note, still winter, still weirdly warm. It was around 60° when I set out tonight. Quite warm for a February. Some rain is expected later this week, but it's looking more and more like winter won't truly be arriving this year. I'm disappointed, because I like cold weather, but also looking forward to nice, warm nights to run in during the spring and summer.
Monday, February 17, 2014
Timberwolf 5K
Time: 29:26
Distance: 3.2 miles
Location: Northwood High School, Irvine, CA
On Saturday, February 15th, I ran the Timberwolf 5K in Irvine and accomplished my first major running goal of 2014. I pretty much crammed my training in over the course of a month, after having gone almost completely sedentary the previous 6 months. Accomplishing this goal taught me that I need not hem and haw, or be daunted by a race, or use work or even weather as an excuse. At the unlikeliest of times (the middle of winter), and in a short amount of time, I was able to get myself ready enough to run a decent race. Granted, more time to train would have been nice, but this is only a first step. I'm planning on this being the first of many races to come.
As far as my training went, I ran every run I planned for myself, no matter the weather (which wasn't all that bad considering the time of year). So I felt physically ready (though I knew it wouldn't be a fast race comparable to how I was running in high school). However, it's always the unforeseen factors that are worrying. Nathan had been fighting a cold the past week and lo and behold I came down with it the day before the race. I kept it at bay as best I could with vitamins and rest, but when Saturday morning came I wasn't feeling 100%. Aside from this little setback, everything about the race was great.
We stayed Friday night at my parents' in Rancho Cucamonga, and early Saturday morning Deborah, Nathan, and I set out early for Irvine. We arrived around 7:15am, I checked in, got my bib, and we walked around the campus. Finally around 7:50am I headed over to the starting line. It was a big turnout for a local race. There were about 1800 people ready to run! It was the biggest 5K I've been in yet. I could tell by those around me that there were people of all skill levels, so this set me at ease a little. The starting gun went off and everyone slowly began jogging. I was pretty far back initially, so the first quarter mile I was simply weaving around little kids and those choosing to walk. The course was a hilly one. There was an initial steep hill followed by a long, gradual downhill. When I hit the 1-mile mark I was at around 9:30, which was actually faster than I had been training at. But then another hill followed, then a short downhill, then a long, grueling uphill. This last hill was the toughest. By the 2-mile mark I was at around 17:30, which means my second mile was a pretty quick one. But the never-ending hill was getting to me, and at this point my sickness started to become apparent. I felt congested and overall a little queasy. But I pushed on. I never once stopped. I finally reached the summit of this final hill and the rest of the race was all downhill. I wanted to really just let myself go for the last half mile or so. But even cruising downhill I wasn't able to get any speed going. I hadn't really been training for speed, though, so that's probably why. I finally rounded the bend where I could see the crowds and the finish line. At the 3-mile marker it read 28:20 and I knew I'd be under 30:00, which was kind of a secondary goal of mine. I crossed the finish at 29:26, a terrible time objectively, but a great time considering my circumstances. It was also the best time of my three official 5K races I've been a part of.
I was wiped out when it was over. But I knew I gave it my all and I felt great about that. Having Deborah and Nathan there cheering for me was beyond awesome, too. It was a great experience and I'm so glad I saw it through and accomplished this goal. I'm hoping it will be a preview of a renewed commitment to running. I can't wait to see what my next goal will be!
Distance: 3.2 miles
Location: Northwood High School, Irvine, CA
As far as my training went, I ran every run I planned for myself, no matter the weather (which wasn't all that bad considering the time of year). So I felt physically ready (though I knew it wouldn't be a fast race comparable to how I was running in high school). However, it's always the unforeseen factors that are worrying. Nathan had been fighting a cold the past week and lo and behold I came down with it the day before the race. I kept it at bay as best I could with vitamins and rest, but when Saturday morning came I wasn't feeling 100%. Aside from this little setback, everything about the race was great.
I was wiped out when it was over. But I knew I gave it my all and I felt great about that. Having Deborah and Nathan there cheering for me was beyond awesome, too. It was a great experience and I'm so glad I saw it through and accomplished this goal. I'm hoping it will be a preview of a renewed commitment to running. I can't wait to see what my next goal will be!
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Week 5
Week 5 of 5 is in the books! I began my current training regimen exactly one month ago, January 13th, with a little 2-mile walk/run. I finished it tonight with a 3-mile all-out run. The goal of all of this, the Timberwolf 5K in Irvine, is in less than 2 days, and now I simply need to rest and wait. I almost feel that the 5K is simply the icing on the cake, and these past few weeks have really been the accomplishment. I never thought I'd be able to keep up a running regimen in the dead of winter like this, without missing a single workout, but somehow I did, and it feels great! Running only 3 times a week I think was really the key. It was nice always having a rest day after each run (with the exception of the last two runs). I never overdid it, never had any grueling injuries (just slight pains). Of course, the real test will be Saturday at the 5K, to see if I truly prepared myself properly. I can certainly say, though, that over these past few weeks, each run has felt better and I have noticed a night and day difference in my performance from week 1 to now. So here is a rundown of my final week's three runs:
Monday, February 10
Distance: 2.98
Time: 32:08
Location: Yucca Loma to Kasanka to Ottawa to Sitting Bull loop
I made up a new route for tonight's run. This week, all my runs needed to reach 3 miles, so that meant adding to existing routes. One loop I used to do took me up to Yucca Loma, out to the river and down Kasanka Trail (parallel to the river), then across Ottawa and up Cuyamaca back home. But this time I kept going along Ottawa, went down Apple Valley to Sitting Bull, then ran all the way up to Powhatan. It was a good run, with favorable conditions (in the 50s). The weather has been simply great these last few runs. And Saturday, the day of the race, is supposed to be one of the warmest days of the year yet!
Wednesday, February 12
Distance: 2.96
Time: 32:01
Location: Yucca Loma to Cronese
Wednesday is hill day. I basically did the same run as last Wednesday, but instead of ending it up on Cronese, I ran all the way back to my house. So I started by heading out to Rio Vista School, then straight across Yucca Loma, up the hill (which felt great tonight), turned around at Cronese and cruised all the way back to my neighborhood. It was even warmer tonight! And for the first time (except for some Saturday morning runs) I ran with shorts only and left my leg warmers at home. It was in the low 60s! And it's early February! The warm air felt amazing to run in -- a welcome change. One nice thing I've noticed is that the lower calf pain of last week seems to be going away. I can only hope it stays away on race day. Tonight's run almost didn't happen. I was so tired upon coming home from work I crashed on the couch for almost an hour. When I woke up it was almost 9pm, and I nearly concluded it was too late to run. But, boy am I glad I resisted that temptation. After shaking off the sleep, tonight's run felt great, and the little nap maybe even helped.
Thursday, February 13
Distance: 3.01
Time: 33:01
Location: Apple Valley to power lines (just north of Carl's Jr.)
I've been trying to avoid back-to-back days of running, but I had no choice this week. I needed Friday to be a rest day, so I had to run tonight. Just like last night, I didn't get out till late. This was one of my latest runs ever, actually. I didn't begin until close to 10pm! But the night was so warm (low 60s again) that I hardly noticed. I ran my typical route down Apple Valley, but since I needed 3 full miles, I passed Sitting Bull for the first time and ran farther south than I'd ever run from my house. I made it almost all the way to the Stater Bros. shopping center. Everything was awesome on this run. I felt great, my breathing was strong, and there was a full moon totally lighting up the trail. I finished strong down my street and threw my arms up in victory when I reached my house, for my training (for now) is over! After this 5K I'll begin searching for my next race, and coming up with a new training plan. But I'm sure there'll be a few days of rest in there as well.
Monday, February 10
Distance: 2.98
Time: 32:08
Location: Yucca Loma to Kasanka to Ottawa to Sitting Bull loop
I made up a new route for tonight's run. This week, all my runs needed to reach 3 miles, so that meant adding to existing routes. One loop I used to do took me up to Yucca Loma, out to the river and down Kasanka Trail (parallel to the river), then across Ottawa and up Cuyamaca back home. But this time I kept going along Ottawa, went down Apple Valley to Sitting Bull, then ran all the way up to Powhatan. It was a good run, with favorable conditions (in the 50s). The weather has been simply great these last few runs. And Saturday, the day of the race, is supposed to be one of the warmest days of the year yet!
Wednesday, February 12
Distance: 2.96
Time: 32:01
Location: Yucca Loma to Cronese
Wednesday is hill day. I basically did the same run as last Wednesday, but instead of ending it up on Cronese, I ran all the way back to my house. So I started by heading out to Rio Vista School, then straight across Yucca Loma, up the hill (which felt great tonight), turned around at Cronese and cruised all the way back to my neighborhood. It was even warmer tonight! And for the first time (except for some Saturday morning runs) I ran with shorts only and left my leg warmers at home. It was in the low 60s! And it's early February! The warm air felt amazing to run in -- a welcome change. One nice thing I've noticed is that the lower calf pain of last week seems to be going away. I can only hope it stays away on race day. Tonight's run almost didn't happen. I was so tired upon coming home from work I crashed on the couch for almost an hour. When I woke up it was almost 9pm, and I nearly concluded it was too late to run. But, boy am I glad I resisted that temptation. After shaking off the sleep, tonight's run felt great, and the little nap maybe even helped.
Thursday, February 13
Distance: 3.01
Time: 33:01
Location: Apple Valley to power lines (just north of Carl's Jr.)
I've been trying to avoid back-to-back days of running, but I had no choice this week. I needed Friday to be a rest day, so I had to run tonight. Just like last night, I didn't get out till late. This was one of my latest runs ever, actually. I didn't begin until close to 10pm! But the night was so warm (low 60s again) that I hardly noticed. I ran my typical route down Apple Valley, but since I needed 3 full miles, I passed Sitting Bull for the first time and ran farther south than I'd ever run from my house. I made it almost all the way to the Stater Bros. shopping center. Everything was awesome on this run. I felt great, my breathing was strong, and there was a full moon totally lighting up the trail. I finished strong down my street and threw my arms up in victory when I reached my house, for my training (for now) is over! After this 5K I'll begin searching for my next race, and coming up with a new training plan. But I'm sure there'll be a few days of rest in there as well.
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Four-In-One
Well, I've gotten a bit behind with my blog posts, but at least I can report that I've kept up with my runs, and I have only one week left before the Irvine 5K. So far, so good. We went through a little cold spell up here in the desert, and I had a couple of runs in the high 30s and low 40s, but by Saturday (2/8) it had warmed back up again. I also started to battle my first running-related pain, a soreness in my lower right calf, but it seems to be getting better after resting Thursday and Friday. So here is a quick rundown of my last four runs:
Week 3, Run 3 (Saturday, Feb. 1):
Distance: 2.54
Time: 28:24
Location: Yucca Loma-Apple Valley-Ottawa Loop
This was the coldest run I've gone on, probably ever. I had been running Saturday mornings the previous weeks, but this morning I opted to relax and run in the evening. Little did I know the temperature would be dropping so quickly. When I stepped out the house, around 8pm, it was 39°. I walked briskly up the street to get my blood going. But when I started running I felt cold and stiff all over. The whole run was rather slow, but it was decent, given the conditions. I warmed up eventually. The route I ran was a new one. I started by running over to Rio Vista School then took Yucca Loma to the river, turned around and took it east to Apple Valley, then ran down Apple Valley all the way to Ottawa, and made my way back home from there. When I finished the temperature had actually gone up a bit, to 41°, but it was still a brisk night and I was glad I took the cold head on and still got a run in.
Week 4, Run 1 (Monday, Feb. 3):
Distance: 2.84
Time: 30:44
Location: Apple Valley to Paraiso and up to Cronese
This was another cold night, but not quite as bad as Saturday. My runs this week were to be 2.75 miles, so I did my normal Apple Valley to Sitting Bull route, but to get the extra distance I turned east at Sitting Bull and ran to Paraiso (the farthest I'd ever run on that road), and then when I got back to our neighborhood, instead of turning onto Nimshew, I ran straight up Cuyamaca to Cronese. It was a good run overall, but I did begin to feel that nagging pain in my lower calf. It would definitely be a concern heading into the final stretch of my training regimen.
Week 4, Run 2 (Wednesday, Feb. 5):
Distance: 2.89
Time: 31:34
Location: Yucca Loma to Cronese
This was to be my weekly hill run. So I headed out towards Yucca Loma, though this time I started farther west, by Rio Vista School, to get the added distance. I then ran 1.3 miles straight along Yucca Loma, up the infamous hill, to Cronese and back. My calf was a slight bother, but running downhill seemed to make it feel better. Though I was glad to be able to rest it after this run, for it was starting to feel like that would be my one big hindrance to feeling great at the 5K. This run was a good one. My uphill was slow as usual, but each time I run it it feels better. Another cold night as well, but temps would start to climb back up soon.
Week 4, Run 3 (Saturday, Feb. 8):
Distance: 2.87
Time: 29:34
Location: Apple Valley to Lompoc
I took Thursday off and Friday, and most of Saturday, so I had nearly three days of rest. And it was needed. That lower calf pain I'd been having was becoming worrisome, but the time off seems to have helped. At the same time, three days off can sometimes make it hard to get back at it. Saturday was a day of cooking, cleaning, and having friends over, so when 8pm rolled around, I wasn't really in a running mood. Plus I felt really full from our meal. But I knew I had to go tonight, it was my last chance to get run #3 in this week. So I laced up and headed out. The first thing I noticed was how warm it felt! The temperature read 55°, but it felt in the 60s at least. Compared to the temps a week ago it might as well have been summer. I made up a new route. I took Cochise around to Powhatan and got to Apple Valley that way, then ran north to Yucca Loma, turned around and took Apple Valley 1 mile all the way down to Sitting Bull, then east to Lompoc and back. The run started off rough. I wasn't mentally or physically ready for it, and so I started off sloppy and clunky. I felt heavy and my stomach was feeling upset. But when I started up Apple Valley I amazingly started to feel better. By the time I was cruising south on that 1 mile stretch, I had shaken the clumsy feeling and I felt my stride smooth out. My pace for this run was actually one of my better ones of late. And my calf didn't bother me too much. It's not 100%, but it's an improvement. Now I rest one day and then embark on my final week of training. I run 3 miles Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, then the 5K is on Saturday. I can't wait, and I hope my final week of training will work out all the kinks. It looks like the weather will continue to warm up. One thing's for sure, for a 5-week training regimen in the dead of winter, the weather couldn't have been better.
Week 3, Run 3 (Saturday, Feb. 1):
Distance: 2.54
Time: 28:24
Location: Yucca Loma-Apple Valley-Ottawa Loop
This was the coldest run I've gone on, probably ever. I had been running Saturday mornings the previous weeks, but this morning I opted to relax and run in the evening. Little did I know the temperature would be dropping so quickly. When I stepped out the house, around 8pm, it was 39°. I walked briskly up the street to get my blood going. But when I started running I felt cold and stiff all over. The whole run was rather slow, but it was decent, given the conditions. I warmed up eventually. The route I ran was a new one. I started by running over to Rio Vista School then took Yucca Loma to the river, turned around and took it east to Apple Valley, then ran down Apple Valley all the way to Ottawa, and made my way back home from there. When I finished the temperature had actually gone up a bit, to 41°, but it was still a brisk night and I was glad I took the cold head on and still got a run in.
Week 4, Run 1 (Monday, Feb. 3):
Distance: 2.84
Time: 30:44
Location: Apple Valley to Paraiso and up to Cronese
This was another cold night, but not quite as bad as Saturday. My runs this week were to be 2.75 miles, so I did my normal Apple Valley to Sitting Bull route, but to get the extra distance I turned east at Sitting Bull and ran to Paraiso (the farthest I'd ever run on that road), and then when I got back to our neighborhood, instead of turning onto Nimshew, I ran straight up Cuyamaca to Cronese. It was a good run overall, but I did begin to feel that nagging pain in my lower calf. It would definitely be a concern heading into the final stretch of my training regimen.
Week 4, Run 2 (Wednesday, Feb. 5):
Distance: 2.89
Time: 31:34
Location: Yucca Loma to Cronese
This was to be my weekly hill run. So I headed out towards Yucca Loma, though this time I started farther west, by Rio Vista School, to get the added distance. I then ran 1.3 miles straight along Yucca Loma, up the infamous hill, to Cronese and back. My calf was a slight bother, but running downhill seemed to make it feel better. Though I was glad to be able to rest it after this run, for it was starting to feel like that would be my one big hindrance to feeling great at the 5K. This run was a good one. My uphill was slow as usual, but each time I run it it feels better. Another cold night as well, but temps would start to climb back up soon.
Week 4, Run 3 (Saturday, Feb. 8):
Distance: 2.87
Time: 29:34
Location: Apple Valley to Lompoc
I took Thursday off and Friday, and most of Saturday, so I had nearly three days of rest. And it was needed. That lower calf pain I'd been having was becoming worrisome, but the time off seems to have helped. At the same time, three days off can sometimes make it hard to get back at it. Saturday was a day of cooking, cleaning, and having friends over, so when 8pm rolled around, I wasn't really in a running mood. Plus I felt really full from our meal. But I knew I had to go tonight, it was my last chance to get run #3 in this week. So I laced up and headed out. The first thing I noticed was how warm it felt! The temperature read 55°, but it felt in the 60s at least. Compared to the temps a week ago it might as well have been summer. I made up a new route. I took Cochise around to Powhatan and got to Apple Valley that way, then ran north to Yucca Loma, turned around and took Apple Valley 1 mile all the way down to Sitting Bull, then east to Lompoc and back. The run started off rough. I wasn't mentally or physically ready for it, and so I started off sloppy and clunky. I felt heavy and my stomach was feeling upset. But when I started up Apple Valley I amazingly started to feel better. By the time I was cruising south on that 1 mile stretch, I had shaken the clumsy feeling and I felt my stride smooth out. My pace for this run was actually one of my better ones of late. And my calf didn't bother me too much. It's not 100%, but it's an improvement. Now I rest one day and then embark on my final week of training. I run 3 miles Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, then the 5K is on Saturday. I can't wait, and I hope my final week of training will work out all the kinks. It looks like the weather will continue to warm up. One thing's for sure, for a 5-week training regimen in the dead of winter, the weather couldn't have been better.
Saturday, February 1, 2014
Warm Winter Night
Distance: 2.61
Time: 30:01
Location: Yucca Loma to Rincon and back
I've been getting my second run each week in on Wednesday, but this week that didn't work. We had to drive my mother-in-law, who had been staying with us, back home, and we got back too late for a run. So instead I ran Thursday night (1/30). And it ended up being perfect. When I got home from work I got busy making dinner, a shrimp etouffee. I didn't get done until 8pm, so I ended up running first then eating after. The unseasonably warm weather we've been having started to come to an end, as the wind picked up and the clouds gathered. But the temperature, which is supposed to drop a lot in the next few days, stayed more or less the same. It was about 50° when I headed out. Though it was a bit chilly, it quickly became pleasant as I warmed up from my run. I decided to head up towards Yucca Loma to get a good hill run in. The run up the hill was tough, but not nearly as tough as it was last week. I went out at a slow but steady pace. I was pretty beat by the time I reached Rincon, but when I turned around and began descending Yucca Loma everything came together. I got a second wind, my pace remained pretty slow but steady as ever, I wasn't huffing and puffing at all (my breathing has improved a lot this week), and best of all the light breeze in the air filled me with nostalgic thoughts of my days of running in high school. That's because the breeze had the distinct aroma of a field of chaparral. The same aroma I smelled on almost all my runs in high school near and around the San Gabriel foothills. My friend Matt and I even named this lovely aroma, simply, "field." The field smell is all over the Rancho Cucamonga area, especially up closer to the mountains where vast stretches used to be left undeveloped and covered in scrub brush. When it would be windy or rainy this smell would overwhelm, and every time I catch a whiff of it, I'm immediately transported to those youthful days of running. However, the "field" smell is not too common up in the desert. So to smell it this night was a rare treat, and it invigorated me and fueled me for the rest of my run. I descended the rest of Yucca Loma, looking out over the sea of lights that cover the Victor Valley, and ran all the way to our street. It was a perfect run (albeit a slow one). It felt great from beginning to end, and the distinct feeling of improvement I felt Monday night has definitely continued. If things keep going like this, I'll feel great on this 5K. I can't talk too soon, though, as I still have two weeks left of training and things could always turn for the worse. I just have to train smart.
Time: 30:01
Location: Yucca Loma to Rincon and back
I've been getting my second run each week in on Wednesday, but this week that didn't work. We had to drive my mother-in-law, who had been staying with us, back home, and we got back too late for a run. So instead I ran Thursday night (1/30). And it ended up being perfect. When I got home from work I got busy making dinner, a shrimp etouffee. I didn't get done until 8pm, so I ended up running first then eating after. The unseasonably warm weather we've been having started to come to an end, as the wind picked up and the clouds gathered. But the temperature, which is supposed to drop a lot in the next few days, stayed more or less the same. It was about 50° when I headed out. Though it was a bit chilly, it quickly became pleasant as I warmed up from my run. I decided to head up towards Yucca Loma to get a good hill run in. The run up the hill was tough, but not nearly as tough as it was last week. I went out at a slow but steady pace. I was pretty beat by the time I reached Rincon, but when I turned around and began descending Yucca Loma everything came together. I got a second wind, my pace remained pretty slow but steady as ever, I wasn't huffing and puffing at all (my breathing has improved a lot this week), and best of all the light breeze in the air filled me with nostalgic thoughts of my days of running in high school. That's because the breeze had the distinct aroma of a field of chaparral. The same aroma I smelled on almost all my runs in high school near and around the San Gabriel foothills. My friend Matt and I even named this lovely aroma, simply, "field." The field smell is all over the Rancho Cucamonga area, especially up closer to the mountains where vast stretches used to be left undeveloped and covered in scrub brush. When it would be windy or rainy this smell would overwhelm, and every time I catch a whiff of it, I'm immediately transported to those youthful days of running. However, the "field" smell is not too common up in the desert. So to smell it this night was a rare treat, and it invigorated me and fueled me for the rest of my run. I descended the rest of Yucca Loma, looking out over the sea of lights that cover the Victor Valley, and ran all the way to our street. It was a perfect run (albeit a slow one). It felt great from beginning to end, and the distinct feeling of improvement I felt Monday night has definitely continued. If things keep going like this, I'll feel great on this 5K. I can't talk too soon, though, as I still have two weeks left of training and things could always turn for the worse. I just have to train smart.
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