Give it a Rest.

Had just about a half hour spare time on Thursday.  So, I hit the pavement once more at the marina.  Seems two days in a row on pavement was not good for the hip.  It ached the entire short run.  Dang it.  Funny, I enjoyed the run still.  Up and over to the island, blue skies, pelicans hanging out at the back doors of restaurants -- it was all there, even the blonde squirrels scurryring about the jetty rocks.  Can't beat that.

But I can.  Heal this hip I say!

Miles logged Thursday: 3.66

Though I had plenty time on Friday, I did not run.  I wanted to -- my favorite local trails are open.  But I gave it a rest -- nah . . . not really.  I spent a couple hours in the gym, during which half of that time, I swam laps.  I have to say it was wonderful, yes because of the low impact, but mainly because of the fact that I simply cannot think about anything when I swim laps.  Otherwise I lose count.  And I don't want to lose count.  : )  (Swam 2,050 yards)

Trails CLOSED. %#3@%&!!!

Off and on storms have closed the local trails.  I keep hoping, checking park websites, phoning, to no avail.  My plan to increase weekly mileage back up to where I was at the end of 2009, looks dim right now.  With the hip so slowly healing and now another injury, a bruised tailbone after a household fall, I haven't been in the best of moods. 

HAVE HOPE.  Have Hope.  I've got to have hope.

I drove down to the wharf this morning for what I was hoping would turn into about a five mile run.  The weather was cold, the skies blue.  Most the runners, and many were out, wore pants, including myself.  I added to that a cashmere beanie, gloves and long-sleeved fleece.  It was beach cold, not Back East cold, so I should have been counting my lucky stars that I could get out there and run in the first place.

I headed off first into Doheny Beach, experiencing difficulty due to the pain from my fall.  I was a little pissed, but plugged away nonetheless.  Thousands of seaguls meandered about the sand, occassionally a flock of a hundred or so of those white birds would rise up against the cool breeze only to settle down a few feet away.  I really tried to focus on these outwardly things, escape from reality -- ordinary troubles, and that dang tailbone.  My anger grew as I ran along the boardwalk, and I knew . . . I knew, this wasn't good for a run.  At best, I was gonna put in about 3 miles at the rate I was going.

Finally, I put in a call home, a rant call, getting some weight off my chest.  And with all intentions of putting in another mile or so, I planned on calling it a day, hopping in the car and heading off elsewhere to fume.  Before turning back, I ran out to the campgrounds, circled it once, noting only a few campers.  I ran back though Doheny, the boardwalk busy with runners and walkers alike.  Noticing something in the sand, something resembling a large palm frawn, I ran off to investigate.  The closer I got, I knew, and that sinking feeling rose.  That palm frawn in the sand was a sprawled out dead pelican, those glorious birds that I love so much.  I turned away quickly, saddened.

I ran out to the rock jetty on the way back to the car.  The usual busy Doheny waves were empty of surfers.  The jetty also was void of fisherman.  I brushed the thought of that poor pelican from my mind, along with every other thing going on right now and ran some more.  Enjoying my music, it seemed, my pace picked up some, and my injury said "ouch" less often.  My hip in fact, did not complain at all.  As I headed back to the car, I thought, "you gotta run through the wharf, at least do that." 

And that I did.  It was beautifully lonesome, a serene Pacific Ocean slapping at its edges.  Coming out of the wharf, I saw my dog walking friend, Sherri.  We waved as we passed one another.  Approaching the parking lot, I thought, heck, just run a little further.  And so I ran alongside the yachts, crossed under the bridge, then ran up and over it.  But then I kept on running.  At first I told myself to do half of the island, but then kept on running and did the entire island, plus a little more, finally arriving at my car feeling better, less angry, a little more hopeful.

Miles logged this morning:  7

Surf City 5K

February 2008 I ran my first "Run Surf City" event.  The wind blew hard and it poured rain.  It was pretty miserable, but I did get a pretty cool finisher's medal and ended up with great pictures of me drenched and all.  Well, those Surf City people really know how to hook people like me, people who are easily amused with shiny things. 

After that 2008 race, I received an e-mail with this information:  run any Surf City event three years in a row,  become a Longboard Legacy Club member, get a special shirt and a neat little emblem to attach to my finishers medal.  I bought. 

And so today, 38 races later, and nearly 2,000 miles later, I woke at 5:00 AM, to head out to Huntington Beach for my third year Surf City event.  Storming all week, I feared a repeat of '08.  Fortunately, that didn't happen.  Instead, we had blue skies with majestic white puffy clouds.

I parked at the Civic Center (for free!) and took a shuttle in (a big yellow school bus : ).  My whole intention for this race was just to run and have good time.  That I did.  The race was well organized, sending us off in waves (I love that, because it thins the masses).  I took off in the third wave and just simply ran.  I didn't really feel like I was racing; I was just running and listening to my music.  I really didn't care for a personal record either.  In fact, I don't like 5k's much because it takes me about 4 miles to warm up and gain top speed.  5k's are only 3.11 miles.  Heck; I don't even care about speed anyway.  I just like running them races, and finishing : )

2010 Surf City 5k Finishing Medal -- The yellow piece just beneath the Surf City logo is my piece for being a Longboard Legacy Club Member.

 

Hanging Among My Shiny Things

Final Stats:

Clock time: 31:18 (not a pr, but happy with)

placed 33 out of 183 females ages 40-44

placed 348 out of 1,636 females

placed 771 out of 2,494 runners

Racing Hikers

The weather was cold this morning, dark and cloudy with little spots of brilliant blue poking through.  I ran through Canyon Vistas Park carrying a full Dasani water -- can't find the strap for my handheld in this house.  I suppose it will show up come spring cleaning : ) 

Cholla was tough but I made it on a full run.  Westridge has some ups and downs which makes the climbing a bit easier -- except for the end, which is climb, climb, climb.  About that point, I saw three blonde hikers off in the distance (all dressed in black), and I had it in my mind to pass them.  They had nearly completed their climb and were well on their way to Top of the World.  As I gained on the three, it got so close to the top that I figured that I wouldn't make it there first.  At that very last dip, I lost sight of the three women, and then there they were, practically right in front of me, with mere yards to the finish.  So, I sprinted on past them and laughed at myself for racing three hikers who didn't even know they were in a race.

I stretched at the Top of the World, looked down at the Laguna Beach and a gray Pacific Ocean.  My mood was tranquil.  The run back was delightful.  Small streaks of sun broke through the clouds to shine on the parts of the lush canyon below.  I admired its beauty.

I ran on back into the park, stretched a good deal then headed off to the gym for some light weights, oblivious to the e-mail awaiting me from my work that would throw the whole day off. 

Not out of work, just getting played (politics!)  Anyone know who's hiring in the O.C.? 

Miles logged this morning:  6.0