Peer pressure

One would assume that a person who is an adult, at least by most of society's standards, would be comfortable and confident in his/her decision-making capacity and would be immune to the influence of his/her peers.  That if, this person is signing up for a race and believes that the 30K would be fun but way too long and challenging (3,000+ feet of elevation gain), he/she would trust his/her better judgment and would go with the 19K (or 18K or whatever it is).  That this person would not succumb to people telling her "Oh, come on!  It's not that much more elevation that the Mt. Wilson run!  You can do the 30K!".  And she would not go home, after drinking margaritas, and sign up for the 30K.

But that is exactly what went down last weekend.  In my shame I didn't want to report on this until I fully wrapped my head around the fact that I just might get my ass kicked on November 18 at the Santa Monica Mountains Pacific Coast Trail Run (long title!).  I do think that it will be a gorgeous run, and I'm excited and nervous about the challenge of a 30k.  This will be the longest run since my 1996 (yes, I'm old) Philly marathon.  So, the plan for the next few weeks is to run at least three times a week (which isn't much for some people, but I've slacked off since August) and build up my long runs, incorporating plenty of hills and focusing on long, slow distance.

As for the 30K, I actually had been knocking around that idea, so I can't abdicate any responsibility, as much as I'd like to point the finger elsewhere.  In fact, a week before signing up for the race, I hit "reply all" when someone inquired about different people's interest in the Santa Monica run and said that I was in for the 30K.  I did not, however, realize to how many people I replied until several people at school came up and said "The 30K?!?!".  So, the seed had been planted well before a friend reasoned with me about the elevation issue.

As much as I'm nervous about the distance and the elevation and the challenge of a trail run, I also think that it will be great.  This is the only fall race for which I'm gearing up, which is a change from the last two years when I ran lots of different distances (5k, 10k, 20k, even a half-marathon) and focused on speed, to a certain degree.  I'll be happy with a good strong race in a beautiful setting and running a new and more challenging distance, for me.

Training started this past week, and my first long run in a while will be this coming Saturday.  At that point, I can decide if the decision was foolish or not!

September happenings

So, the month has been a bit of plus/minus so far - fast, plenty of events, both work and fun-related, and I'm feeling optimistic about the school year.  Thus far.  If nothing else, a student made one of the most hysterical comments that I've ever heard in a class in my life.  If/when I'm depressed at any point this year, I will have to remind myself of this moment.  (I would share, but it's a student's story, not mine, and sharing it would be so not appropriate; it suffices to say that the entire class was laughing hysterically - not AT their classmate but with her)

The other most exciting moment that has happened to me in a long time was seeing the Space Shuttle Endeavor as it flew to its new home here in LA.  I lucked out as it flew over the school where I work at 12:30 or so - during lunch.  Perfect time to see it!  I could not believe how amazing it was to see the shuttle.  I expected to be underwhelmed, but this was one of those moments when the actual event COMPLETELY exceeded my expectations.  This is not my photo, but I'm sharing:

Source - LA Times

It did make teaching more challenging for the rest of the day because I just didn't care. Somehow, conjugating verbs paled in comparison to the awesomeness that is/was the Endeavor!

Speaking of teaching and other aspects of my life, I'm giving myself a B (yes, I grade myself).  I'm still looking professional, although it's been damn hot with the heat.  I can't wait for cooler temperatures to arrive because I seriously lack professional clothes that are suitable for the heat!  In other parts of my work life, I'm feeling pretty good about the pace of the year and how 'settled' I feel and that I'm more or less staying on top of grading.  That could, of course, change within a day or two, but I'd like to maintain a positive outlook.  

The 'other aspects' are up and down.  I blame the heat on my lack of motivation in terms of the 'active lifestyle' front.  I did manage a run, a spin class and even an early morning swim (yesterday!) this week, but it is 4:00 pm on a Friday afternoon, and I don't think that I'm going to make it out for a run before I meet friends for margaritas.  I do think that once I sign up for this race, it will inspire me to pound the trails, but I have yet to sign up, obviously.  

Fortunately, the conversation over margaritas tonight should inspire me to commit to what might be my only fall race!  Whether I sign up for the 30k or 19k might depend on how much I've had to drink. 

Other possible topics over margaritas: how cute a certain baby is; the heat; the Space Shuttle; the election; and Alberto Contador's return to cycling.

Happy three-day weekend!

Yes, the ubiquitous it's "Memorial Day weekend and I have to write about it!" moment.  Still, there is much to comment on - the end of school is very near and we had a great race yesterday.  And it IS a three-day weekend.  Life is pretty damn good!

Regarding school - before I slip into a state of "irrational exuberance" about the fact that classes ended on Thursday afternoon, I should remember the words with which someone cautioned me  - the year isn't over yet.  But, in terms of classes, it is!  I said adiós to my classes on Thursday, and now all that remains of the year are exams to grade, a trip with the seniors, lots of ceremonial moments, and final meetings.  See, almost done!

It is even more perfect that the last day of classes more or less coincides with this weekend which is a true three-day-weekend for me.  I say "true", because I have almost zero work!  This stands in stark contrast to last weekend, which was a three-day weekend for me because I took a personal day on Friday, but then I spent several hours at school on Saturday and Sunday.  This weekend has involved and will continue to involve friends, food and fun.  (Yay for alliteration; too bad that I'm using it at a first-grader's level)  The fun truly began yesterday morning, if you can use that word to describe a killer 8.6 mile trail run.

Yes, after some training and plenty of anticipation, Michael and I woke up on the early side for a Saturday morning and headed to Sierra Madre for the Mt. Wilson Trail Race.  It was a beautiful morning - the rain from yesterday cleared out the air, and it was sunny with wispy clouds still hanging a bit low.  A perfect beginning for a race day!  After my illegal running of the race last year, I had my sights set on a legitimate run this year.  I feel like somewhat of an interloper because it's a race with a very long tradition, being the second oldest trail race in the state of CA, and I still consider myself a newbie to SoCal and hate to think that I might have taken someone's place who had raced it for 20 years straight.  I did not, however, volunteer to give up my bib, and was excited to participate in the event, especially since Michael and some friends were running it, which lent the race experience a much more 'community-feel' than my usual races.

In terms of race strategy and expectations, I hadn't spent hours of agonizing over this race although I did feel plenty nervous as we lined up at the start.  Nor had I given too much thought to my race strategy.  A part of me was tempted to run slowly and just enjoy the experience, but then another part of me wanted to RACE it!  The latter part seemed to have greater persuasion because once we started, I decided that I needed to push it up the initial uphill which leads to the trail, in order to be in a better position once I hit the trail, as passing requires some strategic maneuvering on the ascent and descent.  At a certain point on the uphill, I began to worry that I was pushing it too much and would run out of energy.  However, the incline surged up, so it then became a game of run when I could and walk to save energy, especially since walking was faster than running at many moments on the trail - at least for the group that I was with.  As per usual, I passed plenty of people on the uphill.  I wasn't sure what my time would be to reach the top, so hitting that point just under 60-minutes was a total surprise! Yes, 4.2 miles in 58 minutes isn't speedy, but considering the elevation gain, I was happy with it.  Reaching the half-way point meant a nice, long descent with a few uphill bumps along the way.  Also, people running downhill had the safer position of being on the mountain side which is also a major bonus!   As for the descent, I got passed by probably 40 people that I had managed to crawl past on the uphill, but this race, for me, is not about ego, so I did not mind one bit that people passed me.  I was actually very  happy with my downhill run which, for me, was a good pace.  Coming off the trail, we hit pavement - it is strange to suddenly find yourself on a street after the miles on a trail.  The only issue I had at the end was the small uphill coming off the trail - my calves started to cramp up!  I've never had cramping issues on a run, so that was not fun.  It comforted me that I was not the only one experiencing issues, since another woman stopped and stretched out her calves.  Once we turned the corner of the street and headed downhill again, the calf-cramping issue abated and it was run, run, run to the finish!  I crossed at either 1:36 or 1:37 plus some seconds which was great - I had hoped to finish around 1:40, so that was a better race than expected!

After getting some water and an orange, I then waited for Michael whom I sighted once he was on the final downhill - I ran partly down with him and then peeled off to talk to some students who had gone to the race to cheer different teachers on.  They had even made signs for me in español!  Michael had a good race, and so did other friends - it was a good day for everyone!  It only improved when we had a beer at the beer garden afterwards.  Perhaps half-way through the beer, we decided to take the celebration on to Amigos, for Mexican food and, of course, margaritas.

Looking back, I think that the day might just meet my definition of a "perfect day".  A hard but fun race with plenty of cheering on other people, shared food and drink, and finally a big fat nap in the afternoon.  This definitely puts me in the mood for summer!

Snakes on a trail - Mt. Wilson training run

I hope that someone picks up the obvious reference to a bad movie:

Source

Other possible and perhaps better titles would be "One snake on a trail", "Margaritas - the perfect post-run recovery drink", or "Getting my running mo-jo back"!  Our third and final Mt. Wilson training run lifted my spirits and and restored my faith in running to no end.  What more could I ask for in a run and in a day? 

I did find some irony in the experience - after a rough run last Sunday, I dreaded setting out Saturday morning at 10:45 am - definitely on the later side.  For much of my spring running, I viewed the few Mt. Wilson training runs as good training for Wildflower.  Yesterday, I realized that Wildflower may have been good training for Mt. Wilson!  When we began the long ascent, I grumbled internally but soon found  myself enjoying the trail, despite the challenge of it.  I did not worry about my time or pace but just focused on footfall, how my body was responding to the trail, and passing hikers in a courteous way.  The only glitch came close to the turn-around point, Orchard Camp.  I had hit the part of the trail where it evens out and is nice and shady, so I started to pick up my pace a bit, and then a hiker, coming down trail, warned me about a rattlesnake on the trail.  YIKES!  Since our speedy running partner had already made it up, we couldn't let a snake deter us from making it to the turn-around point.  I ran back to Michael who was a bit behind, and then we ran/walked the rest of the way - I hoped that there would be strength in numbers!  No sight of the snake for us, nor did we hear a rattle, but Rob encountered him (or her?) on his way up - the snake separated the trail, creating a bit of a quandary for the people on the trail.  Obviously we all made it up and took a bit of a break by an impressive tree before beginning the downward run. 

Once we met up in the lovely town of Sierra Madre, we had to make a decision - what to do post-run.  We considered a cafe, a bar, and then we settled on Amigo's!  The afternoon unfolded as we shared good food, drink and conversation.  I felt mellow and happy, surrounded by great energy and enjoying the post-run euphoria that I usually associate with runs.  This wasn't, by any means, a fast run, but it was a good, hard run that allowed me to lose myself in the experience of running and then follow it up with a sense of a shared experience.

I'm not sure how I will "do" when it comes to the official Mt. Wilson trail race, but I'd like to hold on to this memory and to appreciate and respect the run, no matter what! 

Good Friday run - Mt. Wilson, Take II

Good Friday seemed like the perfect time to hit the trails and do another Mt. Wilson practice run.  Unlike some individuals, I have not been faithfully running the trail on a regular basis.  In fact, this was the first time since February that I felt emboldened enough to tackle it again.  Having signed up to run the race legally this year, I do want to get in a few more runs up the mountain before Memorial Day weekend so that I kind of 'race' it.  We pretty much winged our first run, and found ourselves surprised at reaching the turn-around point for the race and then zooming (sort of) down the mountain.

Yesterday afternoon felt quite different.  First of all, rather than meeting up on a grey, chilly morning, we opted for the afternoon which was sunny and full of light.  I initially worried that it might be a warm trudge up the mountain, but the weather was pretty perfect - not too hot, not too cool.  Just like the Baby Bear's porridge.  However, I did not bring fresh legs to the mountain, and I knew that the run would be demanding.  My partner in crime, Michael, has slacked off on most exercise lately, so the run would most definitely challenge him.

In hindsight, I would not quite describe it as "brutal", but the run up the mountain was definitely tough.  I briefly contemplated the run-5-minutes-walk-1-minute strategy, but soon realized that I couldn't predict that the tough parts that I would naturally walk would fall into the 1-minute time-frame.  So, I squashed that plan and just walked/ran according to what felt right.  There were those moments when I could pick up the pace and really feel my legs taking off, but then the trail would surge upward or I would hit a rocky patch, and it would force me to walk.  Once I hit the upper part of the trail, I then began to enjoy it - I ran through nice shade and the uphill grade evened out a bit.  That was where I met up with our speedy friend who had already reached the turn-around once and then he returned with me.  We headed back down, met Michael who was fairly near the 'top', and went back up with him!  The descent was certainly quicker than the uphill trudge, and it did feel nice to gather some speed.  However, I forget how deceptive the trail is. There is a certain point when I think that I must ALMOST be there, and yet the trail continues down, down, down.  I was surprised at what a great time the afternoon was to run the trail.  As I said, it was not too hot, and the afternoon light touched on all of the trees and plants and lent a lovely gold to the trail.  Also, there were fewer people on the trail than on Saturday morning which made it easier, both going up and coming down.

This run was slower than my first attempt at Mt. Wilson in February which may not be a bad thing as it reminds me of how challenging the trail is and how I should never take it for granted!  I might have quit before the top, but there was a major reward awaiting us at the end: A strong margarita and a veggie burrito at one of our old favorites in Pasadena, Amigo's.  Somehow it wouldn't have seemed right to go and have a drink and a huge platter of food if we hadn't all made it to the turn-around point!  So, tired, stinky and sore, we all revived when we were ensconced in a comfortable booth and a pitcher of margaritas magically appeared at our table.  Bliss!

By 7:30 pm, we had satisfied all of our cravings, and we commented that we'd be home by 8:00 and in bed by 8:30.  It didn't quite work out like that because on the drive home, I decided that watching just a bit of "The Big Lebowski" would be the perfect end to an already perfect day.  I have NO idea why that thought took hold, but it did, so we enjoyed about 30 minutes of that crazy mess of a movie.  And then I went to sleep, dreaming of trails and of "The Dude".

One final note - I felt surprisingly good this morning, bounced out of bed and hit the pool for a very easy swim.  This afternoon, however, my legs are suffering from yesterday's adventure.  I am, as John Goodman's character from "The Big Lebowski" says, "in a world of pain".

Drinking leads to the Mt. Wilson trail (again!)

A pattern seems to have emerged - meet certain friends for drinks at Amigo's in Pasadena, drink a potent margarita that makes my lips go numb while my mind latches on to crazy suggestions, and then somehow find myself in the quaint little town of Sierra Madre, CA in order to 'conquer' the Mt. Wilson trail.  Just like back in May, right? This morning, however, was just a practice run to work up to the 2012 Mt. Wilson Trail Race.  Last year, I ran it illegally, my first and only bandit run to this day.  I plan on running it as a legitimate participant this year!

But back to this practice run.  Our margarita-drinking friend is a trail running fiend and has been running the trail on a regular basis since November, and he threw out the proposal last night - meet up at 10:00 and run 4.3 miles up, up, up, with a gain of 2100 feet.  When we arrived at Sierra Madre this morning, I confess that for a brief moment I hoped that our friend would have forgotten about the idea he proposed.  No such luck!  Before we started the climb, I felt just like I did on race day last year - pretty damn nervous, almost scared, which seems silly because I knew that I could turn around or stop or walk at any time.  However, the trail is a beast and intimidates me psychologically as well as physically!  We started in town, climbing up a steep hill that leads to the trail, and then we were on the trail.  It was a pretty perfect day, overcast but not cold, and everything was still green, flowers blooming even, unlike the trees and brush in May which have already turned golden.  Rob took off at a strong pace, leaving Michael and me trailing along behind.  I hoped to make it at least 2-3 miles up the trail and then turn around when Rob was on the downhill.  However, when we met up (he going down, I still trudging up), he told me that I was almost at the turn-around point and encouraged me to continue.  So, I did, in his company! And then we headed down, soon meeting up with Michael who was also close to the "top" (not the officially summit but our turnaround point), so we all three headed back up to the turnaround.  Finally, we committed ourselves to the long run down the hill - or mountain.  I always forget how the downhill presents its own set of challenges, different from the uphill trudge.  It is faster but not necessarily 'easier' as I have to pay close attention to my footing and at times can't look beyond the next step for fear of falling off the side of the mountain. On this occasion, I probably would have walked a bit more on the downhill, but it was chilly at the top, and I had to keep running to stay warm!

We made it back to the car around 12:00, put on more clothes, grabbed some food and bragged about our run.  Okay, no bragging rights.  We (I) mainly moaned and groaned as we talked about the challenge of Mt. Wilson and how humbling it is!  However, there was a general sense of contentment that we actually survived the entire 4.3 miles up the mountain through a combination of running, walking, shuffling and gasping.  I admit that it wasn't pretty, but we all made it!

Before we departed, we made plans to do the run all over again in March.  Craziness must be contagious.