Weekly Training

One of the things the Roadrunners program strongly urges is training during the week. They are very good about providing detailed information by stage of running, when, and how much to do. (It does get a bit puzzling as it keeps changing!).

I think I can tell on the long runs who is not doing or only partially doing the training. Illness is one thing; but, I think, especially for beginners, you need to be committed and TRULY committed (perhaps to a mental hospital after for even starting ...).

With a new work schedule and some other obligations, it has been a bit of a struggle finding time; but, I have found a general time slot: pre-dawn, as in waking up (more or less) at 04:00. One thing at that time is the sidewalks and roads are much less crowded for some reason.

So, I ran Sunday and Monday ... and am a bit happy as my electronic conscience Garmin 305 says I was fairly consistent with a run of 2.55 miles (with some hillwork) in 30:24 on Sunday and 2.55 miles (with some hillwork) in 30:42 on Monday!

Now, with the course basically set I think it will be a bit more energizing as I can start to picture places. I am glad it will pass the Cathedral of Our Lady Queen of the Angels and may be La Placita as it goes through El Pueblo de Los Angeles. It will go past my old office building in Century City (oh, joy) and more.

This could be fun ...

Target for Today ...

The Los Angeles Marathon released the course today ...

http://www.lamarathon.com/event/course-map/

So, now I can start visualizing this as I do know parts of the course. Interestingly, the web site suggests planning my strategy ... I think I have mine already: FINISH THE RUN!

Week 9: Five Mile Milk Run ... Until the End!

This was the latest cut-back week; so, it was a now modest five miles on the schedule for the Roadrunners Los Angeles Marathon plan. It was a "milk run" run.

It has been a difficult week for many reasons and the energy was just lacking. I think may be the fact that I KNEW I could do five miles and had done it before perhaps lessened the enthusiasm.

At least the session started with the Roadrunner cadence which helped. Motivation. Dedication. Aye.

The morning was semi-overcast to match my energy level. Still, Group 7 (Lucky 7/Magnificent 7) was off and headed north going along the Strand to the water stop (with the weekly promises of menudo and/or coffee and doughnuts from Captain Jesus). Then it was up the Santa Monica Pier and further north to Wilshire. As is the new tradition, I kept my cap backwards from Ocean Avenue to Santa Monica Blvd. and vice versa on the return. My group partner and I had another discussion on the Dodgers and the McCourts debacle.

It seemed like a normal return leg when the group seemed noticeably faster through to the end. It turns out the reason why it seemed noticeably faster was because the group was noticeably faster; the pace leaders changed it to race pace for the last mile! So, it was nice to feel some relative speed. I need my sprinter/semi-sprinter fix!

My Garmin electronic conscience said it was really 5.61 miles (vs. scheduled five) in 1:04:24 for a 11:29 overall pace.

Afterwards, I spoke with the senior pace leader and he said they were pleased as the group responded and no one fell off the faster pace. He also said he felt if the group was going on race pace the entire way on a longer run, they would normally see up to 50% drop out/back rate.

Anyways, it was more Gatorade and bananas and then a presentation nutrition with a list of vitamins I had never heard of and seemed a bit intimidating to me as well as my wallet.

I am glad I ran as I needed it; but, the sense of achievement for setting a new high in distance was gone obviously. This week's run was more just survive than thrive; but, may be that is a good thing every few weeks so the edge is there when needed.

Night Run

Last night, I did something different for the scheduled Los Angeles Marathon training run; I ran at night. Running in the dark was nothing new since I have been doing most pre-dawn. I did it for two reasons: one easy one of wanting an extra hour of sleep in the morning and one not so easy ... there was yet another fatal shooting in my neighborhood Tuesday night at about the same time as I headed out Thursday night.

My neighborhood in Santa Monica has seen a lot of violence in the 10 years I have lived there. Teens and young men being killed, four being very, very close (as in within a block). I have basically become accustomed to vigil candles and stunned teenagers. It is not pleasant obviously. Murders are not.

So, I decided to run because I needed to and also because I wanted to. I wanted to show that the vermin who cause this mayhem and tragedy can not rule the streets.

Off I went past the basically and eerily deserted Virginia Avenue Park. Normally there would be basketball games and such; but, not Thursday night. It was noticeable how many police cars were patrolling the area.

I headed down the side streets, trusting my Garmin electronic conscience to keep me on pace or close to it. I then headed south to Ocean Park Avenue and a niceish commercial area, even with a lot of empty offices. I ran down a sidestreet and towards Santa Monica Airport.

While running past I noticed the business jets, including a Gulfstream G-IV which costs well in excess of $20 million.

It was just a strange run. I felt a bit sluggish, perhaps because it has been a hard week on many fronts. Still, it felt good to be on the Night Run.

Monday ... It Comes After Sunday

This is a cut-back week, meaning it is the week before the final training run for Phase 2 under the Roadrunners schedule for the Los Angeles Marathon.


Because of scheduling needs, I decided to run Monday instead of Tuesday. I tried out a new route; so, it made it a bit more interesting.

It seemed a bit "off" with the time change; but, it went well. I was told also to stop the Garmin unit on stops; so, did my best ... though forgot to restart it once!

So, the end ... officially 2.57 miles in 32:17.

Me vs. the Electronic Conscience

Well, it was Sunday today and the revised Roadrunners schedule has us on aerobic running now. So, off dark and early I went, with my new running friend, the Garmin 305.

I am still working things out with it. It seems a tad distracting checking my wrist, especially as all those sprint years have you focus dead ahead and ONLY dead ahead. Also, the pace monitor has me a bit perplexed. I try to run at the 12:00 target pace; but, with the realities of running on streets with stop signs, traffic lights, etc. even pre-dawn, it is hard and suddenly my electronic running conscience says I am off pace badly! So, being intent on returning to the target pace, ... I SPRINT! That is what I am not supposed to be doing ... not that I mind it mind you. This looks like a question for the paceleaders.

So, my 30:55 minutes of running yielded 2.13 miles. Overall, I was happy and may be that is what the key is to this whole experience.

Week 8: Halloween X-Rated Run!

Saturday marked my eighth Saturday training for the Los Angeles Marathon with the Roadrunners. It also marked Halloween! Even better, it was my X-Rated Run! Before I left home, I was happy to catch U2's "Where the Streets Have No Name" on the radio and the line "I want to run ..." It will not be my "official" theme song for the marathon; but, i do like it and it fits.

It was a rather odd start with many runners and leaders missing. There was no rallying chant which was a bit disappointing.

It was just a beautiful day, unlike the previous week's fog, which would have been more fitting for Halloween. My group headed off to the north. One of the pace leaders was dressed in a 1970s disco-type outfit ... truly scary. Three of my old group's leaders dressed up as well. I was a bit more cautious and dressed as a marathon runner ... no one would believe it though. As the group headed off, I began wondering who in Venice was in costume and who was not. I also saw a friend from church and jokingly invited him to join the fun.

This was the longest run of my life, scheduled for 10 miles. I was a bit nervous; but, I also felt some excitement. It is obviously not 26.2; but, personal records still count in my mind.

My knee overall has been better the last few weeks. It has its odd flareups, especially after prolonged time in a seat; but, it is much better than before and my ankle pain from summer is gone thankfully.

The trip up the Santa Monica Pier and Ocean Avenue really felt comfortable. I was using a new type of energy food for a trial and it seems to work as well. The group headed to the new Totem Pole landmark (where I touched the claws for luck) and then on to Adelaide for the turning point.

This week, my line partner warned he was a bit cautious with his calf; but, he made it and we had a nice chat along the way on baseball, the McCourts, Alberta, etc. He did break off early at eight miles; but, he did well.

Then it was off into Venice's sidestreets, including the non-sprinting Speedway and eventually the turnaround point there at Lighthouse Street for the short return leg home.

My group, officially Lucky 7 or my Magnificent 7, went on a 11:48 pace for 10.24 miles in 2:00:53! (So sayeth my Garmin 305).

I was happy. It felt great to be able to go that far and feel like I could go even further! Later in the day I had a little soreness in my thighs and calves; but, I felt the return of the old track feeling of joy as it meant a good workout. Even better was it was not sharp or even lasting too long. So, that is my X-Rated run ... X being for the BIG TEN miles ...