Week 18: Ups and Downs

This Saturday I could not train with the LA Roadrunners as I was with my parish's Confirmation retreat ... in the mountains.

So, last week I spoke with my senior pace leader about my knee and also about this week. He gave me some hints for my knee and also said to just do hilltraining, which is about all you can do in the mountains! So, Running Springs (hey, that seemed fitting) and San Bernadino County became new training frontiers.

I woke up after very little sleep Saturday morning and felt my knee was having a bad day. I have been icing it, taking Aleves, etc.; but, this was not good. Still, I got into my Roadrunners gear and set out to see what I could manage. (Yes, shorts and the shirt!). I also had my running shoes as there was essentially no ice and brought my trusty Garmin 305 for help.

I began with a trip down the entrance road from the highway. I realized any idea of 10:30 pace on the hills was not going to happen. I started to do my best and was going up and down and along (I did make a quick stop as I found some ice/snow still present and had to honor my Canadian roots ... so got some on my face). I reached the main highway (California 330) and decided to not become a hood ornament and turned back down the road. I then went past the camp and church and into the burn area, where a huge fire had blazed through two years ago. There were some really nice new homes as well as construction sites (in California!!!). I went along for a while, still going up and down, as well as enjoying the pine trees and seeing squirrels, birds, etc. before turning back to the center.

At the retreat center, there are some very good slopes; so, I ended up doing five laps around the center, kind of a oval with elevations! By then, I was a bit concerned about my knee as well as the need to get cleaned up and ready for Retreat Day #2; so, I stopped.

I was a bit disappointed in the scoreboard
2.0 miles (but ALL hills and legitimate slopes)
17:31 pace
35:12 minutes

Right now, I just hope to finish!