On To Hollywood

After a busy few months, I'm finally back with a new running goal.  Earlier in the year I was planning on running the Encinitas Mile, but, as I mentioned in previous posts, my plans were derailed by various things.  It was a hand injury in February that finally forced me to drop out of the race.  So 2015 has so far been a disappointing year in terms of running.  But I recently signed up for a new race, the Hard Rock Hollywood 5K in November.  I'm much more optimistic about this race.  First off, it's a 5K, which, at this point, I feel more comfortable running than a fast single mile race, which is what I would have run back in March (and I probably would have done horrible).  And this time I'm training in the mild early fall months instead of the bitingly cold months of January and February when runs in the 20s and 30s are typical.  The one challenge will be sticking to my running schedule in the middle of one of the busiest times at work.  But I'm determined to not let 2015 go by without a race, and this will probably be my last chance.  So here we go!

I've already logged my first two runs.  My first run was Wednesday, September 16.  My first run since February!  I ran a 1.5 mile loop around the neighborhood.  It was slow, but the encouraging thing is I at least ran the whole thing without stopping.  It's a start.  It was a perfect night for running.  The weather had cooled just a bit from the scorching summer temps we've been dealing with.  It was that perfect temperature, right between hot and cold. 

Wednesday, September 16, 2015:
Distance:  1.5 miles
Time:  16:28
Location:  Yucca Loma-Apple Valley-Ottawa Loop

My second run was last night.  This time I took Nathan out in the stroller.  It's been about seven months since I ran with him, and he's obviously much bigger now, but it still worked great!  He was much more talkative and observant on this run than he's ever been.  He wanted to talk to me the whole time, even when I was completely out of breath.  We ran up to Yucca Loma and along the bike path toward the river.  It was another pleasant night, though a little warmer than Wednesday.  I ran for 15 minutes, but by about 10 minutes I was almost completely out of energy.  I was feeling pretty sore from Wednesday's run.  But I pulled it off, and had a great time with my boy!

Friday, September 18, 2015:
Distance:  1.28 miles
Time:  15:07
Location:  Yucca Loma to Kasanka Trail to Cronese Lane