Why Do You Run?

I stumbled upon this browsing youtube.



Who knew that I would ever love runners?  (I really always just thought they were crazy, now I LOVE them)

Fitting in Summer Runs

With the boys out of school and myself teaching summer school 2 mornings a week, I find it so hard to fit in runs. Thing is, now is not the time to start slacking. So I did planks and push-ups this morning as I watched my five year old do his sports camp in a local park. Then after the boys' swimming lessons this afternoon, I rushed home to cook dinner so I could get out the door running. Thing is, I made tacos for everyone else and stuft salmon (stuffed with brown rice) for myself. Timing was all wrong. Tacos were ready way before the salmon. So after eating some tacos, I ate my salmon. Then I waited. I can't just run out the door after a dinner like that!

Boy, I don't mean to be too critical of myself. But I'm blowing it! (I neglected to mention above the candy I ate while preparing dinner)

Regardless, I had a lovely run this evening.  Ran out the door and did a beach/wharf/marina run, running up Golden Lantern with ease (thanks to all those trails). 

Here's what I observed:

1)  No need to wear long sleeves like I did, even on these cool summer evenings.  Sure everyone else wore long sleeves down at the marina, but none of them were RUNNING.

2)  High tide had crested the burm at Doheny campground, and the front row campers were flooded out.  Well, not actually flooded OUT.  They weren't leaving.  But there would be no tents hitched there tonight.  Campers would be sleeping in their r.v.'s and hopefully by tomorrow, the six or so inches of sea water will have subsided.

3)  The other campers were just fine and dandy, lighting campfires enough to practically make me gag from smoke inhalation.  (That's not necessarily a complaint, just an observation).

4)  The restaurants were full in the wharf, not usual these days, especially with so many businesses and restaurants closing in town, and

5)  I came across about five other runners.  All of them smiled.

Miles logged this Tuesday evening:  6.17

ps.  Physical Therapy begins tomorrrow

The Big Loop Clockwise / Aliso Wood Canyon's Park

Sunday Morning's Run -- had the bright idea to videoblog instead of a write blog. Would have been much, much easier to write up this run.  Very difficult to fit 12 miles into less than 10 minutes of video. Learned a lot though. And added some music to maybe make it semi-interesting : )

Fun, fun run (despite how I look at the end)

Heat Run (or is that heat stroke? : )

A morning of errands in and out of the house, drove my son in-land (just a few miles) into belligerent heat for a doctor's appointment.  It was only 10:00 AM.   Back to the beach shack, where we have no air-conditioning (and we hardly ever need it), it felt like an oven.  I felt sorry for the baby-sitter.  But I was off again to fit in a run.  The time was 11:30 AM  (note to self, don't run around noon on the hottest days).

With little time to spare, I drove down to the marina.  I thought, this should be nice and cool -- lovely ocean breezes, plenty of water fountains to drink from.  The first fountain I ran past, a woman held the faucet on while her two large dogs lapped water straight from the fountain.  I'm talking slobbering mouths all over the faucet.  Nice. (After that I would let the water run a while before drinking)

I noticed a few other runners, in and out of the wharf, over the island, all of us practically suffering from heat stroke.  Nah, it wasn't that bad.  Sure wasn't cool next to the ocean like I thought it would be though.  Fortunately, a breeze came through.  But they were few and far between.  This will be good practice for Bulldog, I thought.  NOT. 

I'm spoiled now with over twenty years living on the coast.  Growing up in Covina, California, I suffered through quite a few 100+ degree days.  We never get anything near that here.  Seventy degrees, I call it hot.  Eighty degrees, gosh, the devil is in town!

Fun stress-free run nonetheless.  Felt good the whole time.  The rest of the day it was ice, ice and more ice (pelvis, hip and back).  It doesn't hurt to run.  But everyday, whether I run or not, later in the day, I need ice for the my accident injury.  I begin physical therapy on Monday.  And I am confident that I will come-back quickly. (Please, please, please)

Miles logged: 5.25

Goals-to-Date

Well, we have passed the half-way point in the year.  Time to look at how my goals are headed (all of them, not just running)

Goal #1 Conquer Calico -- complete

Yes, I returned to Calico.  My time was longer in '10 than in '09.  But the race didn't chew me up and spit me out.  I nearly conquered the cramps, though not completely.  I did not fall.  And I crossed the finish line with a smile on my face (injured and all -- from a previous 09 race).

Goal #2  Run 3 Marathons -- almost there

I've run 2 marathons thus far in 2010, both pretty much kicked my butt.  As I've said before, I'd do it again, with the exact same results.  And of course, I got my first DFL, I was 6th place out of 6 marathoners in one of those marathons.  One more marathon to go -- and I'm going for a good one -- The Saddleback Marathon.  (Oh no!!)

Goal # 3 Lose Weight -- Failure thus far

I pretty much have not lost a single pound.  Sure I've lost a pound here, but then gained a pound there.  I'll lose 3, then gain 5, then drop 6 to start all over again.  I don't want my life to be about my weight, so I'm not going to stress too much about this.  Perhaps that is why I'm not successful yet in this weight loss journey.

Goal # 4 Volunteer 2 Races -- Goal!!!

I volunteered Twin Peaks 50/50 in February, and then the Harding Hustle (30K) in July.  It was a blast and a pleasure and as always AN ADVENTURE.

Goal #5 Find an Agent -- in progress

I can't say "failed" yet -- I am a fiction writer at heart, and yearn for an agent to represent me in publishing my novels.  This year though, I suddenly began writing a non-fiction book.  An interested publisher or an agent to represent me will fulfill this goal.  I've been so busy lately though, I've done little to accomplish publishing goals.  And I don't believe that I've submitted one single short story for publication this year : (  (But I have posted some on my fiction blog simplyfictionaltales.blogspot.com.)   I have however, published SEVERAL low paying internet articles this year,  and though I didn't necessarily agree with the editorial changes (because they took out my personality, not that my personality is great, but at least it is a personality), I am grateful for the by-lines that I can add to my resume.

Goal # 6 Run a 50k -- in progress

Bulldog 50k -- upcoming August 21!

Goal #7 Build a stronger core -- in progress

My core is definately stronger.  I've been weight training, doing planks, reverse crunches, etc.  I'm unsure when this goal is complete, but I know that I am progressing, yet still need a lot more strength in my core (all so that I can run more, that is my ultimate goal after all -- run, run, run, because I love running, so very, very oddly -- running was never me : ) 

Goal #7 Have more patience -- in progress

I believe I have practiced more patience this year.  But I need much improvement.  I want to be a positive influence on my sons.  I'm not yet where I want to be, but I have not failed, especially if I keep on trying. 

Goal #8 Don't sweat about the little things -- in progress

Again, I can never be exact on accomplishing this goal, but I have tried, really tried to stay in the present (that is why I run!).  If tomorrow is a stresser, I don't think about it until tomorrow.  I am much, much better this year about stressing over unimportant things.  REALLY.  DAMN IT. 

Specific fitness training goals:

Running Miles 62.41% of goal (year goal = 1,080 miles)

Elliptical Miles 44.82% of goal (year goal = 360 miles)

Swimming Yards 32.87% of goal (year goal = 54,000 yards)

Cycling (at the gym!!  I only own a 1 speed beach cruiser) 51% of goal (year goal 180 miles)
Weight Training Days 37.50% of goal (year goal 120 days)

These are just all my personal goals.  Of course, because I'm a bit crazy I have lots of other goals, like clean out my work-out gear, run more with my son, clean out the garage, throw tons of things away (I'm not very green, sorry), etc., that I didn't list here.  The goals listed are my main goals.  I am not saddened by the shortcomings, nor am I elated by the accomplishments.  I am indifferent about it all.  And that is not a good thing.  I don't want to be indifferent.  I NEVER LIKED INDIFFERENCE, YET THAT IS WHAT I AM BECOMMING.  It's just been one of those years, much which I haven't blogged about, because who wants to read about hardships and depressing things?  (Well, I take that back -- lots of people like reading about depressing things, because 1) they can relate, and 2) they feel better about their own lives).  That's not to say the first half of 2010 has been all depressing.  No.  I am very blessed.  And I believe that's the lesson I'm learning this year.  Despite EVERYTHING, I am blessed.  And I am lucky that I have even come this close to accomplishing these goals. AND THE YEAR'S NOT OVER YET : )

Out-and-Back in my Favorite Wilderness Park

My doctor wants me to come in to talk about my x-rays : /  I said to the lady who phoned me, "Is it bad? Please give me at least a hint."  She said it wasn't bad.  That he'd probably want me to go into physical therapy.  Okay . . . ok.  That, I can deal with. 

The call was this afternoon, as I wore an ice pack on my hip. : )

ANYWAY, I slept in again today : ).  Woke at, oh I don't recall now, and my phone is nowhere near to look, but I believe it was 6:15 when I rose to that annoying alarm.  I sat on the couch, checked my e-mail, logged onto Facebook, drank 2 cups of coffee and then it dawned on me.  Open the blinds!  Take a look outside!  And wouldn't you know it -- I saw blue.  BLUE, BLUE, BLUE.  Lovely blue. 

It has been quite eerie running these past weeks in the dripping fog.  Blue skies definately got me off that couch this morning.  I arrived at Aliso/Wood Canyons Wilderness Park about 7:15 AM.  It was crowded with mountain bikers, a few runners.

I ran an out-and-back, 7 miles each way.  The first mile and a half in was on Aliso Creek Trail (total 1.5 miles, half of it aslphalt) and then I took Wood Canyon Trail to its end.  I purposely stayed in the moment, refusing to think about the run up to the ridge.  I was amazed how much that helped (why should I be amazed?  I know this).  Oddly surprisingly, I found running up Cholla Trail today much easier than usual.  Totally stress free.  Besides the fact that I'm not a super athelete, what really gets me on the hard runs is the stress, the anxiety I feel knowing hard climbs approach.  So, that's one of the things I focus on:  not focusing on the climbs.  (Funny, one of the things I thought about was what a prospective student said to me yesterday.  She said, "God made us weak," and I thought at the moment, "Bizarre, that is so true."  But at the same time, I reminded myself as I climbed Cholla thinking about this, God made us STRONG.  We are BOTH weak and strong.  Isn't that always the way things are?  -- it's always BOTH). 

That sun was shining brightly today.  A blessing, but yet a curse (see, BOTH!),  And I drank up to compensate.  As I've mentioned before, the first half of Wood Canyon trail is relatively flat, but with little shade.  Needless to say, I was looking forward to the grade increasing, because that meant shade. 

Pretty Flowers Along Wood Canyon Trail

Lovely Wood Canyon Trail

I really love Wood Canyon -- especially the shady parts.  It reminds me of a fantasy -- like there's tiny fairies fluttering about, hiding behind moss ridden trunks.  Toward the end of Wood Canyon, I hit the heat wall that I haven't met in, I'd say, probably a year.  It feels like you literally hit a wall of heat.  Summertime is here.

Suprised to take Cholla Trail so "easily", I ran Westridge to Top of the World where I did a full set of stretches (what I mean by "full set" is the same stretches I do at the end of my run -- hamstrings, hips, quads, calves).  On the way back, I worked on my downhill speed.  That is afterall, my strong point.  Surprisingly, many trail runners have problems with downhills -- quad problems, knee problems.  So far, I haven't.  But since my half dozen or so falls, I've slowed my downhill running a bit.  With Bulldog approaching however, I need anything I can get, so I sped it up some today, focusing, focusing on the terrain to avoid a fall.  (No falls!).

Base of Cholla Trail

For the 1st time in a long time, I could see the Pacific from Top of the World!

And then I turned around and ran the whole thing back.  Toward the end on Aliso Creek Trail, a cyclist whizzed by me so fast, that I actually screamed and nearly fell.  All I heard was his spokes, and I thought it sounded a little like a rattler (as if screaming would help me against a rattler!).  He, the cylist, not the make-believe rattler, didn't call out or say a single word.  He simply raced by me on that single track.  Fortunately, I'm one of those runners that stays to one side.  I don't switch without looking behind me.  But still . . . he didn't know that : )

This cyclist startled me so badly that my ipod flung off my water pack.  The lady he was riding with stopped and helped me look for it.  We found it on the dirt trail some ways back.  She was kind.  And I was apologetic for some reason.  REALLY, he should had let me know he was passing me at such a high speed.  Most cyclists do -- they usually ring their bells, or say something like "on your left!"  Most are courteous.  But once in a while . . .

No harm, no foul. 

Wonderful run.

Miles logged this morning:  14