In search of old age PRs

Ran the Rancho Penasquitos Canyon (from this day forward it will be known as the PQ Canyon) in the late afternoon.  Ran toward the "Ranch House" and away from the Ocean.  Encountered a rattle snake, a horse, two runners and several bikers.  Also tried the short-cut through the swamp.  I will not do that again--time for new shoes.  Trying to taper for St. George, but I really want to run.  I will see how I feel on Thursday.

Tough hill miles in rocky canyon area.  I got off the main trail which quickly became a deer trail, then a rabbit trail, then nothing.  I had to hike out to another ridge.  

Ran the first 8 miles with group around Mission Bay (sub 9 pace).  Decided to run the last 5K at race pace (7:15).  I should be tapering, but it was a nice day to run.  I also wore my race shoes to try them out.  They are 1/2 size bigger.  I put an insert in them hoping my back will feel better during the marathon.

Ran the PQ canyon in the later afternoon heat.  Was a little difficult.  Explored a new trail next to the river in hopes of staying cooler.  Not a bad run.  Averaged about an 8:30 easy pace.  I hope to run much faster at St. George!

3 miles to stay loose before St. George.  I put a new insert in my shoes, but decided I did not like them.  I will remove them before St. George.

Great day for a race!  I started in the back of the corral and quickly hooked up with some people I recognized from the Provo 1/2.  They were aiming for a sub-3, so I decided to stay with them as long as I could.  

We came through the half at about 1:33.  Veyo was no problem.  I decided that a 3:10 was easily within reach, so I began to focus on sub-3:05.

At mile 14, I began to develop a blister on my right heel.  The doctor as the finish line first aid commented it was the biggest of the day.  He called all his assistants over to come watch him drain the blood.  Unfortunately, the blister caused me to alter my stride.  It was very uncomfortable down hill.  I tried not to focus on it.

At mile 16 we began to lose some of our 3:00 hour group.  I calculated we were going to be very close, so I adjusted my goal to 3:00 and began to make a little push. 

Things were going great until about mile 23.  My foot started to really hurt.  My stride was adjusted to land more on my toes, but the steep downhill caused my heel to make a hard strike with each stride.  I realized that 3:00 was probably not going to be possible, so I slowed down to sub 8:00 pace and enjoyed the crowd. 

My training partner, Craig Green, had offered to pace me at a sub-3 the night before, but I declined.  I should have attempted it, but I was still very pleased with the results... a PR!  The sub-3 will have to be next year!

Slack dog for the last two weeks...sick with the flu.  Before the flu, I stopped updating my Blog.  Just read Craig Green's blog and say my "old" running buddies are racing 5Ks!  It motivated me to begin logging my runs again.

Officially changed my name and blog title...no longer "Utah runner trapped in San Diego."  I am now a "runner in San Diego."  I have accepted it and will try to run the supposedly "one of the fastest 1/2 marathon in the US."  No joke---see:

http://www.carlsbadmarathon.com/Half_Marathon/new_halfcourse_detailsc38c.htm

I doubt these guys have ever heard of Provo or Hobble Creek--ha! 

Also, sent my check in for Boston.  Hope to see you guys there. 

My next run will be a run with a local San Diego group on Saturday.  They plan on taking a train North toward Orange County then running back down toward San Diego/Del Mar next to the ocean...so SoCal.

Did a group run today.  We all met at the Solana Beach train station and rode it north above Oceanside then ran back to the station.  There were 4 or 5 San Diego running groups doing the run this morning.  There must have been 250 runners on the train...crazy for a training run.  The train was supposed to leave at 6:48 AM, but was delayed for 30 minutes because of track work...classic.

Once we eventually made it up to Oceanside all the groups headed out.  We were all running the same course so hydration was everywhere.  There were even spectators cheering you on.

The run was mainly next to the Ocean.  If followe some of the Carlsbad marathon and half marathon route.  There were a few busy streets (Pacific Hwy-101) where you had to stay on the sidewalks, but most of it was on smaller streets.  The weather was overcast and perfect.

This was my first run back since having the flu for two weeks.  The last few miles were a little difficult, but I had paced myself with a group of 8 minute mile people, so it was not too difficult.  The last few miles we moved up to a 7:30 pace.  A small group of guys were doing about 7:30 the entire way and we could not reel them in.  It was a very nice training run.

I received my Boston marathon confirmation last week.  I think I will run the Carlsbad 1/2 in January...if any of you are interested let me know.  I live about 20 minutes from the starting line.

Ran in the canyon today.  The marine layer moved in quickly, so it was dark by 5 PM.  This made it challenging to get back home.  I had to look out for rocks, holes andbe  careful crossing the river. 

 
It was probably in the upper 50's when I finished. 

I still had a little soreness from the long run on Saturday, so I didn't push it too hard.
 

Easy run in the PQ canyon.  Ran up toward the multi-million dollars home.  There are some good hills in that area and very little traffic.

I've committed to the Boston marathon.  I've arranged a hotel, airfare and entry.  Hope to see some of you guys there!

Easy run before Thanskgiving dinner.  Took several small "side" trails with heavy brush.  

I need to work on my early pacing.  It always seems to take me 2-3 miles before I hit my stride and pick up my pace. 
 

This was a nice run through Carlsbad.  We started at a park and ran down to the ocean.  There were some nice hills.  I started a little slow, but caught back up the leaders about half-way through.  Pretty small group due to the holidays.  The guy I finished with was telling me he runs "all out" on Saturdays.  He is a 3:30 marathoner, but hopes to get faster with these sub 7:00/mile runs.  I'm not sure how much the strenuous pace is helping him, but he seems to enjoy it... plus it gives me someone to run with or catch-up to.

Hilly course through several canyons.  I found a few new trails and followed one of them to the Del Mar golf course area.  Someone had cut a hole in the fence allowing access into the guard gated community and homes.  It was nice to think that some home owner did it, but it was probably trail runners...ha!  Actually, the people in the community did not seem to mind.  I need to explore the rest of the trails in that neighborhood in the coming weeks.

My foot was a little sore on Sunday.  It has been hurting off and on for a few years now.  Its a dull pain on the ball of my left foot and I can feel it up my toes.  I may try to change up shoes and look for an improvement.
 

Run in PQ canyon.  Tried a new trail that had "no trespassing" signs on it.  It was a nice trail, but had a steep pitch back into the canyon.  It would have been difficult to ski.  I ended up sliding on my rear end--Timpinagos Glacier flash backs!

I ran into a heard of deer at mile 5.  I was about 20 feet away, but the deer weren't spooked at all...weird.

Easy run around the creek in PQ canyon.  I saw several deer at mile 2.  I was a little winded around mile 3 for some reason, so slowed down a little until the last mile.  I ran into some kids fishing at the creek.  They had caught 12 bass out of the little creek.  Someone must have stocked a small area of the creek.  It may be fun to try a small fly rod...if it is even legal to fish there.

11 miles in Rancho Bernardo and Poway.  I was tired of running in Carlsbad, so I meet another runner at RB High School.  It was a nice loop and we took it slow (sub-9 pace).  Next week I will meet up with the Carlsbad group for 18-20 miles.

The High School had a nice track.  I will have to start speed work up again in January after the Holidays.
 

I didn't have a chance to run earlier in the week, so I tried to cram it all in today.  I'm running with a group on Saturday going 18 miles, so I didn't want to over do it.

I think I found a trail that goes under I-5.  I will check it out on my next long run.  If successful, I will have a way of getting to the beach on all dirt trails.

I also received a cool book today from one of my friends, "26 Miles to Boston."  This will keep me motivated for April.
 

Ran with the arlsbad training group.  I attended an Office Christmas party on Friday night with an open bar, so I was a little worried about running 18 miles on Saturday.  I ran with a sub-8:30 group for most of the way and then the last few miles at about race pace.  The course followed the marathon route.  There was a hill up to the airport that seem to drag on for at least 2 miles.  It was nice coming down it.  In the marathon, I believe you run the hill at about mile 7 or 8, but we were running it much later in our training run.  The last hill up to the park (not part of the marathon course) was a challenging last mile.  Some of the other runners said it was very similar to Heartbreak Hill in Boston.    If that is true, then its a great hill to finish all the runs on.

Tried out a new model of the Fila Providence shoe, so I tried to stay on the road (no dirt).  The shoe felt pretty good considering I ran 18 on Saturday.  I will try to run with it all week and see how it holds up.

Good run today on a new course through some neighborhoods.  Nice hill workout. 

Did a mixed trail/road run.  I found a way into a gated golf community.  There are no sidewalks, but there are dirt trails next to the streets.  I believe everyone in the neighborhood owns a horse.  The homes are pretty incredible...must be $5-$10 million.  It was a good run, but temperature started to dip below 60 around 4 PM.  I'll have to try running on the golf course some early morning.

Run through the older part of the neighborhood (80's).  Nice rolling hills.  I had to mow the yard when I finished...its crazy to be cutting grass this close to Christmas!

Run in Carlsbad with group.  A couple of new sub 3-hour runners showed up.  They were getting ready for the Arizona Rock-n-Roll in January.  We ran the first 6 mile easy and the second half at race pace.  I tried some different shoes today and they caused my right leg to hurt.  It was a weird pain right above my inside ankle.  It didn't slow me down and it stopped hurting a couple of hours after finishing the run.  Maybe I will just use the shoes for distances 10K or less.

Followed a new canyon trail next to Park Village elementary school.  The trail came to a dead end at another elementary school.  There was dirt track at this school and it was actually 400 meters long, but was not exactly a "round" track.  It will be good for speed work in the future since it is dirt.

I sat in LA traffic for most of the day, so I did not have a chance to run until late in the evening.  Not much energy, but at least I got a short run in.

Going out of town, so I was glad to get a longer run in.  Found a nice paved trail that approaches the ocean. 

Read an interesting article on running form.  The author suggest you lean back going up hill and lean forward going downhill.  It seems naturally going downhill, but I feel slow lean back while going uphill.  Any comments?
 

Run in Dawsonville, Georgia around a park while my wife and kid played with relatives on the playground.  Nice, warm day.

Run in Bryson City, North Carolina at a park again.  My mother, wife and kid played on the playground while I ran.  A very hill course.  As feared, this was my last run of the holidays.  I must have gained 10 pounds.  I hope to begin running again in January.

Run through the canyon then the neighborhood.  Lots of people out today because of the holiday.  It was about 80 degrees when I started, but cooled of to 70 when I finished.  It was a nice, flat run.  It may be time to retire my shoes.  I'm starting to get some inside lower leg pain.