Roughing It

This morning, I headed out to Redwood Regional Park, which includes the hills above Oakland.  I did 60 minutes of trail running and had a BLAST!

I tried to maintain an even effort- relatively easy on the uphills plus moderate pace on downhill/level ground. I flew down some of the downhills but had to take a couple downhills really slow since I didn't want to fall/hurt my knees! I will continue working on gaining confidence on those downhills.  This picture shows some of the steepness in the park:

It was a lovely day for running---felt cool in the shade but nice and sunny with warmth on the ridge :) There were a few other trail runners out, as well as hikers, bikers, and even a woman on horseback! And this picture shows the glorious view of the SF Bay:

This run was so much fun, and I really didn't want to turn around after 30 minutes!! I noticed that I was using my core and arms more for balance than regular running, and I expect to be a tad sore tomorrow.

Rainy day

According to the calendar, it's been fall for about a month.  But we've only experienced a few days of fall thus far. And today's a rainy, fall day.  I went out for a 30 minute recovery run in the rain, and it was quite soothing.  The Bay Area feels quieter when it's raining, and I only crossed paths with a few people on the sidewalks of Oakland. I appreciated the fresh smell of rain and paid a bit of extra attention to the fallen leaves.  With my rain jacket on, there was no need to chase the rain away!

Simplification

Running, like almost anything in life, can get pretty complicated. Training can get confusing by involving juggling different routes and paces and drills and techniques. And recently, I've just wanted and, ultimately, needed my training and running to feel simpler. Thank goodness my coach assigned a simple long run for this weekend.

So, this morning, I tackled the nice and simple long run. It wasn't totally easy or lazy, but it was simple....I headed out the door, up the hill, back down the hill, around another neighborhood (Trestle Glen), out to Lake Merritt, and then I trotted right back home. All in all, a 10 mile tour of our 'hood. I saw plenty of folks out with their dogs and grabbing coffee and several other runners and bikers. Best of all, I ended up running the last 2.5 miles at 8:30 pace! The workout felt like an honest effort because I didn't strain myself or freak out over paces. Instead, I just worked, and then returned home for a chocolate milk protein shake and plenty 'o' football :)

Ace of Base

This is my base training period, and I'm enjoying (and acing, if I do say so myself!) my base runs. These workouts are meant to be strong and steady, with my heart rate in zones 1 &2, so not too easy OR too hard :)

Today's just-right run was 6.8 miles at 10:10 pace with a few hills (thanks to Oakland's up and down terrain).

Movie time

To boost our mileage, Jenica and I completed two medium long runs this week--of 13 and 12 miles. I decided to try a new route by heading up to Park Boulevard and then down and around Lake Merritt; I covered the highs and lows of Oakland! I also chose to bring my camera along for the run and snapped a few good photos :)

So, here's a little movie of me hauling myself up a fine, fine hill (please tilt your head :O):

Back to Spring

This afternoon's run was fabulous because I got to soak up miles worth of sunshine and enjoy tons of colorful blooms. The Oakland hills were alive with springtime! I'm actually looking forward to this high mileage week, since I know it will help me reach my goals at Avenue.

On tap for this week:

medium long run- 13 miles AND 10 miles (it's time to get over 55 miles per week!)

long pace run- 20 miles with 3 X 3 miles at goal marathon pace (this is a new type of pace run)

cheering for runners in the Oakland Marathon on Sunday :)

Did it

Sometimes you ace a workout or rock a long run, and other times, well, you just do it. That doesn't make it bad....In fact, I'm trying to tell myself that it's a good thing :) That's because some struggle means that your training is actually moving you beyond your limits and out of your comfort zone, so you can improve.

I didn't sleep very well last night and woke up feeling uber-groggy. But I drank some water, laced up, strapped on Garmalade, and headed out for a 30+ minute warm up. Then I did 20 minutes in my tempo zone (sub 8:18) around Lake Merritt. I felt fine but when I tried kicking it up a notch for the last 5 minutes, my legs said--no thanks. It made me aware of my tough training, and I've checked off the key workout and will now gather strength for tomorrow's long run of 18 miles!!

Sunrise

Running in the morning lets me see how the neighborhood wakes up. Inhaling fresh air and seeing the sun peeking through the clouds is an awesome way to greet the new day. Today's 70 minute run included one hill, some misty fog, plus lovely polka dot clouds. I really love running because it gives me the precious time to enjoy my environment.

Didn't melt, but

I ran in moderately unsafe conditions today and should be more cautious in the future!! It was cloudy when I left the house, then it started raining (pouring, actually). Next, I heard thunder and there was some hail up in the Oakland Hills :O At that point, I was a couple miles away from home so it made sense to stick it out (maybe).

I managed to run toward lower ground, and the storm passed through. Then I did the hill repeats and felt strong (much better than last week).

Thanks to google, I found some lightning safety tips and learned that when you hear thunder, you could be within striking distance of lightning (scary!).

I definitely need a cup of hot tea :P

Week of January 18

It's rainy season in the Bay Area, so that means rain, wet sidewalks, some flooding, wind, broken branches, and rainbows!

Marathon training is in full gear, and I've already completed a medium long run of 8 miles. Tomorrow will be a hill workout, and we'll see if I can manage to avoid torrential rain. I also have a steady state run on tap for Friday (before heading back to class at Berkeley). And, Jenica and I will be running 17 miles (already!) this weekend which should be a satisfying workout and provide us with plenty of time to chat!

Friday gratitude

This afternoon, I enjoyed an easy 50 minute run on one of my favorite Oakland routes and realized that I should be grateful. While rushing around and complaining and sickness, I'm guilty of not expressing my gratitude.

It's a treat to run in short and a shirt in early January, so I'm grateful for this mild weather which makes the training miles much easier to manage. I've managed to run three times during our sick week and am very grateful that we're feeling much better. I'm looking forward to running tomorrow with Jenica because we have plenty of stuff to talk about, so I'm sure the 13 miles will fly on by :) In other words, I'm grateful for running buddies!

Beginning the marathon journey

I'm extremely happy to report that good health has returned to the W's of Otown (yes, that would be my hubby & me). L'chaim!

And, as January 4th was the planned start date for Avenue of the Giants training, today's 5 mile run around Lake Merritt (which was packed with post New Year's resolutioners) counts as the beginning of my training journey.

Like all serious things, the journey is longer and tougher than the destination; I consider race day to be the destination. The journey is guaranteed to include rainy runs and super hilly runs plus runs where you get lost or lose something or are tired or hungry or thirsty or just need to find a bathroom. The journey always throws in some unexpected twists, turns, falls, bumps, bruises, and ice packs to boot. The journey necessitates trips to the grocery store for pasta, peanut butter, and bananas. During the journey, your feet beg for multiple pairs of running shoes (and pedicures & burritos & Arizmendi muffins & Fenton's ice cream sundaes - ohhlala).

And the destination? One morning, lots of people, a few trips to port-a-potties, the starting gun, run, run, mile markers, drinking out of paper cups, several gus, run more and more, sore feet, sweat, more sweat, getting tired, pushing, kicking, and the finish. A medal. Time to celebrate the destination & the journey!

It feels great to start the journey toward the May marathon, and I know the destination will rock, too.

Twenty Ten

Happy New Year! To usher in this new decade, I ran a mellow 50 minutes up in Piedmont, but the leggies were still jet lagged.

Reflecting back on 2009, I can confidently say that running helped me stay sane and happy by strengthening my body, mind, and friendships (aww). Also, I began this blog in 2009 :)

I'm resolving to run two marathons plus a few other races. In honor of twenty-ten, another goal is to complete 10 runs of 20+ miles.

Best wishes for a happy, peaceful, and speedy new year!

Fun with hills

It was a gray and foggy afternoon for a run. I thought a few hill sprints could break up the monotony of the past 4 weeks' plain ole running (which I've been doing for to reacquaint my body with running after thrashing it at NYC marathon!!). So I ran up Mandana, found a suitable 1 minute hill and did 5 repeats. The first couple felt strange but then I found my groove; the final repeat was my fastest :>

Chill

The Bay Area is experiencing a cold spell, and I ran in this afternoon's low-40s weather. The Lake Merritt run was calming and the cool air and puffy pockets of clouds were invigorating. Keeping warm was great motivation to run at a decent pace :>

I'm trying to run a bit higher mileage for the next two weeks because I'm not sure how much running will happen out east, especially since I'm a bit wimpy about running when there's snow/ice on the ground!

Saturday

After feasting for two days and studying up a storm, I was able to get out this afternoon for a decent run--45 minutes up Moraga. I also ran through a park on Piedmont because there's something so joyful and relaxing about running on grass!

I don't think I'll be able to do a long run this weekend but will try my best to get out for a short run again on Sunday. I keep reminding myself to endure this round of studying because the finish line is in sight :)

Thankful for

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!

This beautiful morning, running gave me the opportunity to give thanks for my health and strength, being able to run in shorts and a shirt in late November, and oh-so-fun fartleks...I'm in the midst of cooking up a storm and am grateful for this day and my friends and family near & far.

Vivo tempo

Even though Lake Merritt was replete with gunk in the water and birds galore, this morning's tempo run was splendidly lively. I wanted my pace to be sub 8:19, and I managed 8:16/8:11/7:50!! My legs felt good on the tempo portion, giving me a teensy bit of confidence that sub-4 could be my pace in NYC :)

* Vivo- lively & fast (according to Wikipedia)

Hello, October!

I welcomed in the month of October with a fantastic steady state run around Lake Merritt. When I stepped outside, I got goosebumps because it was finally chilly--a definite relief for runner-me :) The 40 minutes at steady state pace were sub 8:30--yeehaw!

I also really think my legs benefited from the day of rest, and I'm feeling MUCH more positive about the final push through this training cycle--bring it on, big apple!

City Runlife

In my former teacher-life, I was intrigued by one of the third grade anthology units: City Wildlife. Students were expected to read, discuss, and write about the plants and animals in vacant lots and city parks. They even studied pigeons :(

Well, today's run could have added some fine-grained detail to that unit. Jess and I ran around Lake Merritt, through downtown Oakland, and eastward on Embarcadero. We even crossed a small bridge to the Coast Guard station on Alameda! I enjoyed the new and flat route, which paralleled the 880, even though it was a little loud at times...Fortunately there were sidewalks for the entirety of our 10 mile urban route. We saw plenty of trucks turning into and out of the Oakland docks, cargo ships, side of the highway hotels, plus geese and city birds. There were a couple other runners, plus some folks out fishing on the docks.