Wrapping Up April

Here are my last five runs.  I have only five left to go before the R.O.C. Race May 10!  The last week and a half has been marked by perfect weather and some great runs.  I've been able to take Nathan out more lately, and Deborah has also been joining us.  As the weather continues to warm up and the days grow longer, the feeling of wanting to get out and break a sweat is in the air.  And with the excitement of summer vacation approaching, it's probably the best time of year for running!

Saturday, April 19, 2014:
Distance: 3.56 miles
Time: 38:37
Location: Rio Vista to Apple Valley to Sitting Bull to Paraiso and back

My decreased caloric intake throughout Lent, and especially on Good Friday, caught up with me on this Holy Saturday run.  I needed 3.5 miles, so I decided to run the same route I had taken on April 16th.  That run had been stellar -- I was full of energy and excitement over breaking through an endurance barrier.  But things didn't go as well tonight.  It started out fine, but about halfway into the run I began feeling empty, like I was running out of "fuel."  As I turned to head east on Sitting Bull my pace really began slowing down, and once I turned back after reaching Paraiso I was officially out of energy.  I dragged myself along Sitting Bull, but a little ways up Apple Valley I ended up stopping to cross the street.  It turned into an extended rest, and when I started my run up again I was no better.  The rest of the way was a slow struggle.  I was just too depleted, not in terms of strength, but in terms of fuel in the tank, so to speak.  I had consumed only about 600 calories the day before, and slightly more today.  And it just wasn't enough.  So I slowly finished the run and learned a lesson (though fasting on Good Friday comes before running, so I just probably should have held off running until after Easter).

Monday, April 21, 2014:
Distance: 1.54 miles
Time: 15:13
Location: Yucca Loma towards the river (Rio Vista School) and back

This was a repeat of April 12th's run.  I love these occasional 1.5ers.  It's a welcomed relief from the longer days.  Since it was a short run, I decided to bring Nathan along.  We ran up to Yucca Loma and west towards the river, then simply turned and headed back.  It was the day after Easter, so an empty belly was no longer plaguing me as it had Saturday.  I was full of fuel and ready to go.  My pace was definitely better, too.  Now my concern is going to be keeping my eating in line.  Over the course of Lent I had dropped down to 172 lbs., which helped my running.  I don't want to put those pounds back on and end up slowing myself down.  At any rate, tonight was fun.  I went out early enough that the sun was still out and we saw other runners and cyclists on the trail.  A nice change from my typical pitch black runs.

Wednesday, April 23, 2014:
Distance: 3.97 miles
Time: 41:25
Location: Ottawa to Kasanka to Yucca Loma to Chateau to Apple Valley to Kanbridge

Tonight I finally hit the big 4.0!  I'd yet to run more than about 3.5 miles in Apple Valley (I'd obviously run much more than that during my high school running days, and a few years ago I put in 4 at Newport Beach).  So finally moving on to a new running goal was exciting.  And I felt more than ready to tackle it.  I mapped out a big loop that took me south to Ottawa then west to Kasanka up to Yucca Loma to Chateau Ct. then down Apple Valley to Kanbridge and back up to Ottawa and home.  It felt like a little piece of each of my routes put together.  As my distances increase I can see that my creativity in making routes is going to have to increase as well.  This run went well, albeit slow.  I definitely felt the added distance in terms of sore feet.  The added pounding will take some getting used to.  But overall, in terms of stamina, it was not a problem to add that extra half mile.  I actually have only one more 4-miler on my training schedule, plus one 40-minute run, which will likely be about that far as well.  If I can keep this up hopefully I'll be setting all kinds of personal distance records all over town this year!

Thursday, April 24, 2014:
Distance: 2.96 miles
Time: 33:34
Location: Yucca Loma to Rincon

My last run of week 6 was the old Rincon Route.  I needed 35 minutes, but I ended up coming up just short.  Regardless, it was a fun, enjoyable run for the fact that my family came along with me.  I've taken Nathan out with me a few times, but Deborah hasn't come out with us since the first run of this training session back on March 19!  So I was thrilled that we were going to all be out and exercising!  I decided to try for the Yucca Loma hill run to Rincon, since last time I did that run it took me almost exactly 35 minutes.  But my pace must be improving because today, even with a couple of stops to take pictures, it took me only 33:34.  Deborah rode her bike, taking on that long, gradual hill, and made it to the top.  Nathan had a blast, talking up a storm along the way.  Coming back down we saw a beautiful sunset and all of the Victor Valley below us fading in the twilight.  It was a great night, a great run, made even better by the company.  I needed to get all three of my runs in this week before the weekend hit, because it was going to be a busy one.  Saturday we drove down to Ontario to take part in the MS Walk with my family for my mom.  We walked about 2.25 miles and got to help out a good cause.  That night we chaperoned my school's prom.  And that was it for week 6.  Only two more weeks to go until my second race of 2014!

Monday, April 28, 2014:
Distance: 3.12 miles
Time: 34:35
Location: Yucca Loma to Kasanka to Ottawa to Apple Valley loop

Week 7 began with a 3-miler.  I again took Nathan out and again Deborah came along on her bike.  This was a fun run along a big loop around our neighborhood.  The weather was perfect, as it has been.  In the 70s, warm in the sun but perfect in the shade.  I worked up a good sweat!  And this will likely be the last run in April for this year.  I have to work a track meet on Wednesday, April 30, so it's probable that I won't have time to get a run in.  So I may have to wait until May 1 to run again, which is fine.  Since 2010, May has been the month I begin my running again after (unintentionally) taking a few months off for the winter (though I've occasionally gotten some April runs in).  It's crazy to think that May is here, and I've been running since January!  It may not seem like a big deal, especially to a committed runner, but for me it's a big step.  And the runs lately have just been getting better and better.  Tonight I ran at a comfortable pace and felt good and strong the whole way.  If I don't falter, I should be good to go for the R.O.C.!

Nathan and Deborah at the top of the Yucca Loma hill.

Cruising downhill on Yucca Loma - April 24th.

Deborah riding along Kasanka Trail, with the Mojave River to the right.  April 28th.

Week 4 and 5 Rundown

This will be a quick summary of the past couple of weeks.  In short, things have warmed up quite a bit up here in the desert, which means more comfortable runs.  No more putting on layers of running gear and reluctantly stepping out into a 40° night to get my run in.  Therefore, the past few runs have been pleasant.  Nighttime temps have been in the 60s or low 70s, which is perfect running weather.  Once the summer heat sets in, then I'll have to deal with the other end of the weather spectrum.  But for now, I'm enjoying these temperate spring days and nights.  There have been occasional windy days, which can sometimes be a drag to run in, but by and large weeks 4 and 5 of my training schedule have been ideal.

Wednesday, April 9, 2014:
Distance: 3.15 miles
Time: 35:13
Location: Apple Valley Rd. to power lines and back

This was my first 35 minute timed run.  I figured to get some good distance in I'd just take Apple Valley as far south as I could get until I hit around 17 or 18 minutes, then turn around and head back.  I got down to the power lines (the same run I did back on February 13, two days before the Timberwolf 5K).  I ended up picking my pace up on the run back so that I had to add some distance by continuing on Ottawa towards Ivanpah Rd., thus enabling myself to hit the 35 minute mark.

Thursday, April 10, 2014:
Distance: 3.05 miles
Time: 35:10
Location: Yucca Loma to Rincon

For this run I headed back up to Yucca Loma for a repeat of April 5th's run to Rincon.  I had been feeling pretty sore and stiff in my legs, and this run was definitely a bit tough to get through.  The whole way up and down the Yucca Loma hill I never fully loosened up.  But I've become pretty used to the occasional ache and pain, and usually with a day or two of rest it disappears.  Not a bad run, though.  My pace was quite slow, but that's been the case lately.

Saturday, April 12, 2014:
Distance: 1.54 miles
Time: 15:19
Location: Yucca Loma towards the river (Rio Vista School) and back

I was relieved to have an easy, 1.5-mile run today.  With the aches and pains I'd been feeling, an easy day was just what the doctor ordered.  Since it was Saturday I decided to take Nathan out in the stroller.  I hadn't gone on a run with him since March 22, during my first week of training!  So it was awesome to take him along with me.  It was a windy day so it was good that we would only be out a short time.  We ran up to Yucca Loma and headed west, right into the wind and sun.  He didn't like that too much, but I put the stroller cover over him.  On the way back, though, heading east, he was having a blast, laughing and talking!  We were only out 15 minutes, but even on a short run, pushing that stroller along adds an extra challenge.

Wednesday, April 16, 2014:
Distance: 3.58 miles
Time: 35:14
Location: Rio Vista to Apple Valley to Sitting Bull to Paraiso and back

My distance has officially increased to 3.5 miles.  Week 5 has begun and it's going to only get tougher from here.  That being said, tonight's run was a drastic improvement!  My pace increased and I felt great.  All the aches and pains of last week have gone (I took three straight days off).  I didn't go into work today because of a doctor appointment, so when we got back home I didn't have all the exhaustion I usually feel after a day at work.  I was renewed and ready to go.  My route took me all over the place.  I started north towards Rio Vista School, then took Yucca Loma east to Apple Valley.  Once on Apple Valley I saw the moon beginning to rise on the eastern horizon.  It was full and bright orangeish-yellow.  So I stopped to take a picture.  I continued on, running the long stretch down Apple Valley to Sitting Bull.  From there I turned east all the way to Paraiso.  I then headed back home my normal way, turning onto Ottawa.  It was a tour of Apple Valley and I felt great the entire time!  My legs felt strong, my breathing was un-labored, and I remember thinking, "so this is what running really feels like!"  When you're not concerned with injuries, or struggling to breathe, or plodding along like a hippo, it actually feels almost easy, and free, and wonderful!  And that's what tonight was.

Friday, April 18, 2014:
Distance: 3.14 miles
Time: 34:04
Location: Ottawa to Kasanka to Yucca Loma to Choco

Today is Good Friday and I had the day off from work.  I had originally wanted to run last night with Nathan, but it was really windy and I didn't think it'd be a good idea.  This morning we awoke to a beautiful day, slightly cool, and perfect for running.  So I didn't waste any time.  Around 8:30 a.m. I loaded Nathan up in the stroller and out we went to get in 35 minutes of running.  We started out going south to Ottawa then west to Kasanka Trail, which parallels the river.  We took this up to Yucca Loma then headed straight east up the hill to Choco Rd.  I wasn't sure if we'd gone far enough to get in a full 35 minutes, but by the time we reached Choco, which is halfway up the hill, I was pretty tired.  It's a tough hill to run without a stroller; add 50 lbs. and you're talking a genuine Sisyphean effort.  So we stopped halfway up, I took a picture looking down, then we headed back home, coming up just shy of 35 minutes.  One more run to go for this week, then it's the final three weeks before race day!  It's really flying by.  Normally by this time each year I haven't even started running yet after my winter hiatus; it's not even May and I've logged somewhere around 30 runs and probably between 50-60 miles.  This has the potential to be a game-changing year!

April 12th - heading west into a bright sun!

April 16th - full moon rising in the east.

April 18th - about to head down the Yucca Loma hill.

After a run - Nathan investigating his stroller.

Rincon Reunion

Distance: 3.05 miles
Time: 35:38
Location: Yucca Loma to Rincon

It's been a long time since I've made it all the way to Rincon Rd.  My training schedule now calls for 3-milers, so for tonight's run I thought right away of the very first 3-mile route I charted when we moved to our current home.  It's a simple out-and-back, up Yucca Loma to Rincon and back.  For my 3-mile runs back in February when I was training for the Timberwolf 5K, I was coming up with new routes.  But tonight I felt like an old classic.  The weather's been cool lately.  Tonight it was in the mid-50s when I set out.  And strangely my legs felt really stiff before my run.  I did have some stiffness before Thursday's run, but that was just my right leg behind my knee.  Tonight it was both legs up and down my shins.  The first mile or so of tonight's run was therefore rather difficult.  I felt like my legs were brittle, like any step they would crumble.  But I forced myself on.  I figured if I kept going they would eventually have to loosen up, and thankfully I was right.  Once I got up the Yucca Loma hill the pain wasn't too noticeable.  And by the end of the run it was all but gone.  I guess it was just a running pain that decided to show up now that I'm 3 weeks into my training.  At least I'll have a day off tomorrow.  It's been a fun spring break, but I go back to work Monday and my training will really get going at that point.  I had 5 good runs during the break... probably the most productive spring break, running-wise, I've ever had.  I can remember back to spring break 2010, when we were living in our rental house on Powhatan Rd., and I hadn't run in ages and I decided on a whim to run a mile down my street.  The results were so disastrous that that was the moment I knew I had to get myself back into shape.  The next month, May 2010, is when I started this blog.  I'd say so far it's been a success.  I've definitely had my lapses still, but by and large these last four years have been my most productive running years since high school!

One Point Five

Distance: 1.54 miles
Time: 15:10
Location: Yucca Loma-Apple Valley-Ottawa loop

Monday's run seems like an eternity ago.  Since it's my spring break, Deborah and I spent the last couple days taking Nathan to the San Diego Zoo and to visit his Auntie Jenn in L.A.  It was a lot of driving and no running (though a lot of walking), so my legs today felt very tight.  My right leg in particular, after last night's 2-hour drive home from L.A., felt knotted up and stiff.  I spent the day limping on it.  When it came time for my run tonight I wasn't feeling physically up for it.  I stretched and warmed up but my legs just didn't feel loose enough for a run.  Thankfully I went anyway.  I think because I only needed 1.5 miles I was more willing just to go for it.  So I began heading up our street and I actually felt better than I expected to.  And once I got over to Apple Valley Rd. I felt like my legs were back to normal.  Running sure does wonders!  I was able to pick my pace up and when I got to Ottawa I was beginning my gradual kick in.  I was able to muster a pretty good kick down the final stretch to end a decent run.  After tonight the mileage starts to increase, beginning with a 3 miler on Saturday.  I'm approaching the halfway point of my training regimen for the May 10 race.  It's getting to the do or die portion of my schedule.  It's DO time!