Distance: 1.53 miles
Time: 15:07
Location: Yucca Loma to Rio Vista School
I took a relaxing week off after the R.O.C. Race on May 10. Now it's time to settle into a period of maintenance while I figure out what my next race will be. I may only get two or three runs in per week during this time; but I just want to make sure I don't let all my previous training go completely to waste. I'm hoping to get my next race in during the summer. As for now, it's nice to run and not feel the pressure of keeping up a strict training regimen. This evening (Monday, May 19) I elected to run a short 1.5 miles and Deborah and Nathan both came along with me. The one drawback was the wind. It's been severely windy up here lately, and today was no exception. I probably shouldn't have taken Nathan out. I originally wanted to get in 2 miles, but the weather forced me to cut it short. We headed west on Yucca Loma, directly into the wind and sun, so I sped my pace up so we could turn around quickly. Once we reached the school we turned around and ran (or biked, in Deborah's case) back, away from the sun and wind, thankfully. At that point Nathan was fine and he did well the rest of the way, it was just too gusty for him in the beginning. As far as the run went, nine days off did my body well. I felt great on the run, full of energy and strength. My pace was faster than usual, though it was a short run and I'm sure my endurance took a hit after resting for over a week, and a longer run would have made that evident.
I had hoped to get more runs in later in the week, but things got too busy. On Friday, May 23, I had to have cataract surgery, which will set me back. I can't run or do anything physically strenuous for 5 days. After that I'm going to ease back into it, to play it safe. So things will be taking a break in the running world, for now. But, God willing, I'll be back in full swing in a few weeks and training for my next race.
Saturday, May 24, 2014
Monday, May 12, 2014
R.O.C. Race 5K
Distance: 3.2 miles
Time: ?
Location: Del Mar Fairgrounds
Well that was certainly something new! My second 5K of 2014 was the R.O.C. (Ridiculous Obstacle Challenge) Race in Del Mar, CA. After running the Timberwolf 5K in February, a low-key, no-frills road race, I opted for something out of the ordinary for my next run. I happened upon an ad for the R.O.C. Race back in March, and it seemed fun and something out of my element, and so I figured it would make for a nice, different sort of challenge. I signed up for it and there was no turning back. My training plan consisted of eight weeks, three runs per week, which I finished two days prior to the race on May 8th. But this wasn't to be a very competitive race. It was mainly for fun, as it consisted of silly obstacles, and it wasn't even going to be timed.
Since the race was way down in Del Mar, my wife and I decided to make a weekend trip out of it. On Friday, May 9th, we loaded up the car and headed down to the San Diego Zoo, since we got a year pass last month. We had fun taking Nathan around to see all the animals, and the weather was superb (as it always is in San Diego). It had been hot and windy in the desert, so it was nice to escape to a more pleasurable climate. After the zoo we went to Road Runner Sports Store in the north part of San Diego to pick up my packet for the race. Then we continued on to La Jolla where we'd be spending the night. The next day, Saturday, May 10th, was race day. My race time wasn't until 1:30pm, so we didn't have to rush at all. We ate breakfast at the hotel, a nice hearty breakfast (since I'd have plenty of time to burn it off), and then packed up and headed north to Del Mar.
Once we got to the site, we realized it was a much bigger production than we anticipated. The turnout was huge, and it was way more than just a race. In addition to the elaborate obstacles strewed about the fairgrounds and racetrack, in the middle of the facility was set up a veritable fair, with food, vendors, music, and various other forms of entertainment. I was anxious to get going right away! We had some time to kill at first, so we walked around for a while. A quick look around revealed a bizarre mix of people (not your average 5K crowd, that's for sure). A lot of people wore costumes and many people did not appear to be in it to run (which I'd soon find out was true). Many people were just there for the atmosphere and the fun of it all. But I guess that's the nice thing about a race like this -- no pressure, just let loose and be crazy and silly! Finally, just after 1pm I headed for the starting line. The race course was laid out all over the racetrack and around the fairgrounds. The starting line was on the track itself. It was pretty cool to be running where the horses usually run! They staggered the start to spread out the runners, so lines wouldn't form at the obstacles (a pretty smart move, as I recall many lines at the Apple Valley Mud Run I did back in 2010). So I got moved up to a small group at the start line and a guy standing up on a platform began pumping us up as loud music played. Then a countdown and we were off! Before I knew it I was running along the Del Mar racetrack with a bunch of costumed people heading for I-knew-not-what! This was a surreal 5K for sure. But before long I came to realize that the majority of the people at this race had no interest in running at all! Less than a minute into it I could hear people complaining that the first obstacle hadn't arrived yet. And once we finally got to the first obstacle, a rope-walking challenge, and through it, practically everyone stopped running. Since many people were running in teams, it was understandable, as they had to wait for all team members to finish the obstacle. But as for me, as soon as I completed an obstacle I hit the ground running. I didn't train for eight weeks for nothing, timed race or not! The second obstacle was a doozy. As we approached it we could see it was a giant slide. They handed us inner tubes and we made our way to the top and down we went in our tubes straight into a pool of water! And just like that I was soaked head to toe. But I continued running anyway. I felt heavier from the water weight, but also refreshed because of it. After that the course took us through the stables north of the racetrack. We began encountering more obstacles -- a wall to climb over, monkey bars, a slip-and slide with foam, etc. For the most part, the obstacles didn't give me much trouble. They were fairly easy and made to accommodate everyone. The first one that I really faltered on was a ball bounce, where we had to climb up on a platform and hop along three giant rubber balls. I had little confidence going into this one, and, sure enough, I leaped onto the first ball and was tossed aside rather quickly. I simply had to hop along the side to exit the obstacle. But soon enough I was running again and thinking little of my failure at the ball bounce. I couldn't believe how many people I was passing! Only rarely would I see another person running. I had passed all of the people I had started with and had caught up to the 1pm group. Running from obstacle to obstacle also allowed me to bypass lines and get ahead of a lot of people. Some other obstacles back within the stables were another giant slide (though this time without an inner tube), a "moon bounce" (a giant inflatable mat we bounced across), and a rope swing. But the last three obstacle were probably the best. After the rope swing, the course veered south towards a large building where it looked like they held indoor horse-riding events. Inside was an obstacle called "the sweeper," a large, padded beam that swung around and tried to knock people off a narrow walkway as they tried to get across. This was a large and quite elaborate setup. When I got there there were a lot of people waiting to get across, waiting for the rest of their team to arrive I assumed. But as I was racing solo I simply charged towards the sweeper, waited a second for the right moment, and ran across the narrow walkway without getting touched by the swinging beam. I had made it! The excitement propelled me to the next obstacle. After exiting the building I was back at the main racetrack heading towards the start line area. I could see the next obstacle in sight, the "wrecking balls," another elaborate setup, two large padded balls, swinging from a crane, trying to knock people off a narrow beam into water below. For this one we were given life-vests and we walked onto the raised platform. I saw my wife and Nathan watching nearby (they unfortunately weren't able to see the majority of the obstacles). When all was ready I darted across the beam, water on either side of me. Avoiding the balls was fairly easy, I just had to focus on keeping my balance. And somehow I made it across without a plunge! I tossed aside the life-vest and ran off towards the final obstacle, a huge inflatable slide. I climbed to the top and plummeted down towards the finish line, successfully completing what was probably the wackiest race I've ever been a part of.
At the end I was soaked and dirty but still full of energy. The frequent stops obviously made this less of an endurance run, but my weeks of training definitely still helped out. This race was tons of fun, and one I would definitely do again. At the same time, though, it was pricier than the average 5K, and it was overall a bit too much of an ordeal (packet pickup the day before, race location far away, etc.). I was also bummed that my wife wasn't able to see more of the race. But I'm glad I did it, something completely different and not at all what I would imagine myself ever doing. The door has been opened for other new and unusual 5Ks. However, after the hoopla that is the R.O.C. Race, I'm feeling more like a traditional road race for my next run. We'll see what's in store. For now, I'll take a restful week off, then get in some casual runs as I ponder what my next race might be. I've done a winter race and now a spring race so far this year. Time now to plan for a summer race.
Time: ?
Location: Del Mar Fairgrounds
Well that was certainly something new! My second 5K of 2014 was the R.O.C. (Ridiculous Obstacle Challenge) Race in Del Mar, CA. After running the Timberwolf 5K in February, a low-key, no-frills road race, I opted for something out of the ordinary for my next run. I happened upon an ad for the R.O.C. Race back in March, and it seemed fun and something out of my element, and so I figured it would make for a nice, different sort of challenge. I signed up for it and there was no turning back. My training plan consisted of eight weeks, three runs per week, which I finished two days prior to the race on May 8th. But this wasn't to be a very competitive race. It was mainly for fun, as it consisted of silly obstacles, and it wasn't even going to be timed.Since the race was way down in Del Mar, my wife and I decided to make a weekend trip out of it. On Friday, May 9th, we loaded up the car and headed down to the San Diego Zoo, since we got a year pass last month. We had fun taking Nathan around to see all the animals, and the weather was superb (as it always is in San Diego). It had been hot and windy in the desert, so it was nice to escape to a more pleasurable climate. After the zoo we went to Road Runner Sports Store in the north part of San Diego to pick up my packet for the race. Then we continued on to La Jolla where we'd be spending the night. The next day, Saturday, May 10th, was race day. My race time wasn't until 1:30pm, so we didn't have to rush at all. We ate breakfast at the hotel, a nice hearty breakfast (since I'd have plenty of time to burn it off), and then packed up and headed north to Del Mar.
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| My son Nathan watching Daddy run. |
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| Course complete! |
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| Hanging with Nathan before the race. |
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| The "Wrecking Balls" obstacle. |
Saturday, May 10, 2014
The Final Five
Well, that wraps it up for my R.O.C. Race training regimen. Eight weeks sure went by fast! The last week was an unexpected one -- the weather suddenly turned cold again and the wind came on fierce! But I made sure to persevere; I didn't want to make it this far only to let it fall apart at the tail end. So here are my final five runs leading up to Saturday's race:
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Distance: 1.47 miles
Time: 14:47
Location: Yucca Loma to first street east of gas station
This was to be my final short run on my training plan. 1.5 miles. Those are always welcomed runs. I had acquired some new shoes I planned on using for the R.O.C., so tonight I tried them out for the first time. They felt great and I hardly needed to break them in at all. In fact, tonight's run was one of my fastest in a long time. The final time of 14:47 doesn't reflect that, but that's because I got stuck at the light at Apple Valley Road both ways. I was probably closer to the 12-minute range. My pace at the end had increased to 8:37/mile. So the shoes felt great, the run felt great, and tonight's run was a clear sign of progress. May started off well.
Sunday, May 4, 2014
Distance: 4.04 miles
Time: 40:02
Location: Apple Valley to Bear Valley
This run was a long time coming. I had always wanted to hop on Apple Valley Road's running path and take it clear down to the main drag, Bear Valley. I had come close a couple of times, and once Deborah and I walked it, but I had never made it all the way. Tonight, though, I was determined to get it done once and for all! Because of a busy weekend I wasn't able to get my third run of week 7 in. So I had to do something unusual and run on a Sunday. I had to because my race was in less than a week and I had run out of available days to run. So I laced up and headed out around 8pm for a long 4-miler. I had run 4 miles only once so far up in the desert, and it was back on April 23, a decent run. But I was determined to make this a better one. And it most definitely was! The route is a pretty basic one -- straight shot down Apple Valley clear past the Lowe's and with Bear Valley in sight. It felt weird to be running past the lights and activities of the shopping centers along Bear Valley. I'm so used to the quiet, and often dark, areas around my neighborhood. But I enjoyed it. It definitely added a unique touch to this run. And the run itself was a great one. I felt strong throughout most of it. The extra miles could be felt all over, my feet mostly. But I maintained my pace and saw it through. The weather was good (this was right before it began to turn). And with that I completed week 7 (at the beginning of week 8).
Monday, May 5, 2014
Distance: 3.62 miles
Time: 39:21
Location: Yucca Loma to Quapaw and back
As I mentioned above, the weather was turning for the worst. I needed to get 40 minutes in tonight, and I took my chances by taking Nathan out in the stroller. We left at around 7:00pm, and it didn't seem too cold yet. But as soon as we began the wind picked up and the temperature dropped. By the time we got out about a mile I was regretting bringing Nathan. I was warmed up from the running, but Nathan, simply sitting in the stroller, was getting blasted by the cold wind. My plan was to take Yucca Loma east until I hit 20 minutes, then turn and head back. The farthest previously I had run on Yucca Loma was to Cree Road back in May of 2013. But tonight I beat that record by getting out to Quapaw Road (which is only a little farther). At this point I checked on Nathan. His cheeks were pretty cold, but he was in good spirits. So we headed back (into the wind, unfortunately). It was a smooth run back. But it was getting dark, so I tried to pick up my pace to get my son out of the cold wind. We made it back home and took comfort in the warm garage as we waited for my wife to get home from picking up some Mexican food (it was Cinco de Mayo).
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
Distance: 2.98 miles
Time: 33:21
Location: Yucca Loma to Kasanka to Ottawa to Apple Valley loop
I needed 3 miles tonight, and since I didn't want to repeat Monday's run along Yucca Loma, I decided to revisit April 28th's run around our neighborhood. Last week I ran it with Nathan and Deborah, but tonight it was just me. This run, however, wasn't much of a good one. I was hoping, since this is my last week until the big race, that each run would be great and I would go into the race feeling supremely confident. But I made the mistake of filling my stomach up prior to the run. We picked up some Thai food after I got off work, and I ate around 5:30pm, thinking I'd be good by 8 or so. But it sat heavy on me, for when I began running up our street I immediately felt a cramp set in. I hardly ever get cramps, but this was a bad one. It forced me to slow down, but I didn't let it stop me. It bothered me all along Yucca Loma and Kasanka, and finally as I made my way along Ottawa it began to get better. The run finished pretty good, but it was a reminder to not go out on a full belly anymore. It was also extremely windy and still on the cold side. I've even been having to wear my long-sleeve running shirt that I was training in back in February!
Thursday, May 8, 2014
Distance: 1.94 miles
Time: 19:40
Location: Yucca Loma-Apple Valley-Ottawa-Cuyamaca-Cronese
Last run before the R.O.C. Race! I was anxious for this last run, a small 2-miler. It had been a busy week, and fitting in all the runs was a challenge. Even tonight, I had a million other things going on, and running would not have been on my agenda if it were not for my race being in 2 days. After work I had to drive down to Rancho Cucamonga for a doctor appointment. Then I met my wife at my parents' house for dinner. We got back home after 8pm and I simply threw on my shoes and headed out the door, even though I would have rather collapsed in bed. I came up with a new (sort of) run that took me out to Yucca Loma, down Apple Valley, back along Ottawa, then all the way up Cuyamaca before heading back down my street. This was a much better run than yesterday's. It gave me a renewed confidence for the big race Saturday. I felt great and my pace was definitely faster than yesterday's. When I finished I was able to enjoy the thought that I'd officially completed 8 weeks of training, not missing a single run. My strength training regimen went out the window weeks ago, but my runs I stuck with, and now I can go into Saturday's race knowing I did all I could to prepare (and also know I get a nice break afterwards). With that, I await race day. My next post should be a fun one.
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Distance: 1.47 miles
Time: 14:47
Location: Yucca Loma to first street east of gas station
This was to be my final short run on my training plan. 1.5 miles. Those are always welcomed runs. I had acquired some new shoes I planned on using for the R.O.C., so tonight I tried them out for the first time. They felt great and I hardly needed to break them in at all. In fact, tonight's run was one of my fastest in a long time. The final time of 14:47 doesn't reflect that, but that's because I got stuck at the light at Apple Valley Road both ways. I was probably closer to the 12-minute range. My pace at the end had increased to 8:37/mile. So the shoes felt great, the run felt great, and tonight's run was a clear sign of progress. May started off well.
Sunday, May 4, 2014
Distance: 4.04 miles
Time: 40:02
Location: Apple Valley to Bear Valley
This run was a long time coming. I had always wanted to hop on Apple Valley Road's running path and take it clear down to the main drag, Bear Valley. I had come close a couple of times, and once Deborah and I walked it, but I had never made it all the way. Tonight, though, I was determined to get it done once and for all! Because of a busy weekend I wasn't able to get my third run of week 7 in. So I had to do something unusual and run on a Sunday. I had to because my race was in less than a week and I had run out of available days to run. So I laced up and headed out around 8pm for a long 4-miler. I had run 4 miles only once so far up in the desert, and it was back on April 23, a decent run. But I was determined to make this a better one. And it most definitely was! The route is a pretty basic one -- straight shot down Apple Valley clear past the Lowe's and with Bear Valley in sight. It felt weird to be running past the lights and activities of the shopping centers along Bear Valley. I'm so used to the quiet, and often dark, areas around my neighborhood. But I enjoyed it. It definitely added a unique touch to this run. And the run itself was a great one. I felt strong throughout most of it. The extra miles could be felt all over, my feet mostly. But I maintained my pace and saw it through. The weather was good (this was right before it began to turn). And with that I completed week 7 (at the beginning of week 8).
Monday, May 5, 2014
Distance: 3.62 miles
Time: 39:21
Location: Yucca Loma to Quapaw and back
As I mentioned above, the weather was turning for the worst. I needed to get 40 minutes in tonight, and I took my chances by taking Nathan out in the stroller. We left at around 7:00pm, and it didn't seem too cold yet. But as soon as we began the wind picked up and the temperature dropped. By the time we got out about a mile I was regretting bringing Nathan. I was warmed up from the running, but Nathan, simply sitting in the stroller, was getting blasted by the cold wind. My plan was to take Yucca Loma east until I hit 20 minutes, then turn and head back. The farthest previously I had run on Yucca Loma was to Cree Road back in May of 2013. But tonight I beat that record by getting out to Quapaw Road (which is only a little farther). At this point I checked on Nathan. His cheeks were pretty cold, but he was in good spirits. So we headed back (into the wind, unfortunately). It was a smooth run back. But it was getting dark, so I tried to pick up my pace to get my son out of the cold wind. We made it back home and took comfort in the warm garage as we waited for my wife to get home from picking up some Mexican food (it was Cinco de Mayo).
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
Distance: 2.98 miles
Time: 33:21
Location: Yucca Loma to Kasanka to Ottawa to Apple Valley loop
I needed 3 miles tonight, and since I didn't want to repeat Monday's run along Yucca Loma, I decided to revisit April 28th's run around our neighborhood. Last week I ran it with Nathan and Deborah, but tonight it was just me. This run, however, wasn't much of a good one. I was hoping, since this is my last week until the big race, that each run would be great and I would go into the race feeling supremely confident. But I made the mistake of filling my stomach up prior to the run. We picked up some Thai food after I got off work, and I ate around 5:30pm, thinking I'd be good by 8 or so. But it sat heavy on me, for when I began running up our street I immediately felt a cramp set in. I hardly ever get cramps, but this was a bad one. It forced me to slow down, but I didn't let it stop me. It bothered me all along Yucca Loma and Kasanka, and finally as I made my way along Ottawa it began to get better. The run finished pretty good, but it was a reminder to not go out on a full belly anymore. It was also extremely windy and still on the cold side. I've even been having to wear my long-sleeve running shirt that I was training in back in February!
Thursday, May 8, 2014
Distance: 1.94 miles
Time: 19:40
Location: Yucca Loma-Apple Valley-Ottawa-Cuyamaca-Cronese
Last run before the R.O.C. Race! I was anxious for this last run, a small 2-miler. It had been a busy week, and fitting in all the runs was a challenge. Even tonight, I had a million other things going on, and running would not have been on my agenda if it were not for my race being in 2 days. After work I had to drive down to Rancho Cucamonga for a doctor appointment. Then I met my wife at my parents' house for dinner. We got back home after 8pm and I simply threw on my shoes and headed out the door, even though I would have rather collapsed in bed. I came up with a new (sort of) run that took me out to Yucca Loma, down Apple Valley, back along Ottawa, then all the way up Cuyamaca before heading back down my street. This was a much better run than yesterday's. It gave me a renewed confidence for the big race Saturday. I felt great and my pace was definitely faster than yesterday's. When I finished I was able to enjoy the thought that I'd officially completed 8 weeks of training, not missing a single run. My strength training regimen went out the window weeks ago, but my runs I stuck with, and now I can go into Saturday's race knowing I did all I could to prepare (and also know I get a nice break afterwards). With that, I await race day. My next post should be a fun one.
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