Thank You All!

I wanted to take a few words here (actually more than a few) to thank those who stopped by and offered their insights after yesterday's call for help. The answers you gave yesterday have me deep in thought at a number of different levels. I have written down the reasons you give for running on a piece of paper (and will continue to do so as new ones are offered) and have been mulling over them for a while now.

One thing about me - for better or worse I am a goal driven person. I don't just go hike. I'm out to climb a mountain. I don't just climb a mountain. I'm out to climb the highest one around. It's a trait that leads to some destructive behavior now and then, but it's also a trait that keeps me focused and allows me to achieve what I set out to do. And it occurred to me about 30 minutes ago that the one thing I can't tell you right now is: "I don't just run. I'm out to ......"

So there you go. I need to revisit my goals. A year ago the answer to the sentence above was "I'm out to get in shape to climb Mt. Whitney." Well, I accomplished that. Along the way I received a *ton* of benefits - I'm carrying about 50 pounds less that I was, I ran (okay -slogged) through a couple of marathons, hiked some neat trails in the local mountains. But those are all tactical. They contributed to the goal, but they weren't goals in themselves. Will I stop running? NO WAY! But the way that I answer the question above will determine *how* I run. The plan to drop 40 pounds looks a lot different that than the plan to BQ.

Speaking of running, I ended up doing my session on the track last night (track workouts in the AM are a bit of a problem because the school uses the track). The plan was 4X800 with 400 rest. I pushed a little, but didn't feel like I was killing myself:

Interval 1: 3:51 (7:44 pace)
Interval 2: 4:05 (8:14 pace)
Interval 3: 4:00 (8:02 pace)
Interval 4: 4:01 (8:04 pace)

I left pretty tired, but really didn't think much about it until I looked at the last time I ran 800s. These are all 10 to 20 seconds faster than last August. Yes - like three months ago! What's happening here? Am I becoming a Speedy McSpeederson (Sorry Jeri! Had to steal it!). Total workout including warm up and warm down was six miles.

On the plan today - rest. And I need it after last night.

When is a Goal a Goal?

The past month of so I've been trying to figure out a few things about me and my buddy - running. Miles are melting together. Scenery is starting to blend. Fresh blog ideas aren't flowing freely. So, I put my old consultant hat on (one that I should wear more often) to analyze the situation. I need to make sure that this training cycle doesn't see me in the dumps again come week 12.

When I worked for a large management consulting firm (quite) a few years back, one thing we always went through with a new client would be a goal congruence exercise - making sure that goals, strategies, and tactics were all clear, communicated, and focused. If we are going to get everyone pushing the same direction, tactical plans need to be formulated and clearly communicated. But the best laid tactical plans are worthless if they do not map into the strategies of the firm. Can you see Walmart selling Rolex watches? And finally, without clear goals, strategies are pretty worthless. That is why in it's current form, Walmart will never implement a high end high service strategy

As I analyzed my situation, the light bulb turned on pretty quickly. The tactical plan and the strategy are laid out for me. I look at it every day and put in the miles at the right paces. But the question is "Why?" Is the goal just to run a marathon? And why is that a "goal"? For a while it was on the bucket list. But that goal has been accomplished. What now? Yes folks, I've fallen into the trap that many do. Not just in running, but in life in general. I do what I'm told. And then can't figure out why it becomes drudgery. It sure is easy when someone else provides the plan.

Speaking of miles, I've put in a couple days of running since my last update:

Tuesday: 6.2 miles, average pace 9:35, avg heart rate 78% MHR
Wednesday: 3.1 miles, average pace 9:21, avg heart rate 78% MHR

Today it will be some track work. 4 X 800 intervals. VO2Max according to the plan.....

Never Give Up

I know it's something that we have all heard at some point in our lives. It's used to the point of being trite. Well, I'd like to relate a story of someone who really knows what it means to not give up.

My father in law is a centenarian plus one (101). This is a man who was orphaned at a young age in a country that doesn't have a safety net like we do here. At a young age he was forced to find meaningful employment to support his brother. This is a man who had earned his way through life - not expecting things to be given to him. This is a man who in his early 50's had a debilitating stroke that left him paralyzed on his right side and unable to speak. What did he do? He re-learned how to talk and taught himself to write again. Left handed. This is a man who had his first major heart attack in his 60's. He had to be resuscitated. Twice. In his 60's he started watching his diet and religiously going to the gym to keep things in check. This is a man who in his 70's started yet another successful business to keep himself occupied. This is a man who in his 90's used to drag me to the gym three times a week so he could work out.

In short - he never gives up. He takes the cards that are dealt him and made the best out of them. The proverbial making lemonade when given lemons. And then successfully selling the lemonade. I'm a month and a half short of 53. I can't imagine being paralyzed and not being able to talk. And then living another 50 productive years beyond that.

The past month or so he has been in failing health and in and out of the hospital. Yet everyday he asks, "Am I going home today?" Yup. Never ever gives up. Three times in the last two weeks we were called to the hospital for the imminent event. Yes, that's right. Three times in the last two weeks the doctors wrote him off. Nobody bothered to tell him though.

Today he went home. Be at peace. Your legacy lives in your children and grandchildren....

Please Teach me to not Procrastinate!

So I went and done it yesterday. Just as my weeks were going well and the miles were racking up, I decided to sleep in and have an otherwise lazy Sunday. The plan was to head out in the late afternoon, get my five miles in and whip up dinner for everyone. But, life sometimes has it's own ideas of what is important and what isn't. Needless to say, I didn't get my run in. Doggone it! So I end up last week with a measly 26.5 miles. The good news is unlike a few weeks ago, at least I feel like I'm missing something.

On the plan for this week:

Monday: 3 miles GA, stretching and core
Tuesday: 6 miles GA
Wednesday: 3 miles GA, stretching and core
Thursday: Hit the track for 2 mis warm up, 4X800 with 400 active rest, 1 mile warm down
Friday: Rest (yea!)
Saturday: This week is a step back week with only 8 miles on the schedule
Sunday: 6 miles at pace
Total plan: 32 miles

I was up and at 'em early today and got my short three miles in before the sun was up. Likewise I'll be out early tomorrow to knock down the planned 6! See you later!

Killed It!

I killed a 12 miler yesterday. Did the Back Bay loop. A few months ago this is the run that used to clean my clock about 10 miles in. This is not an incredibly difficult run or anything, but it seems to have just the right mix of hills, humidity, and boredom that turns this into a real challenge for me.

The morning started out like any other Saturday. The Cal Coast group met at Corona del Mar High School and by 7:30 we were off on the trails. The Half Marathon folks were out for 8 miles and the Full folks out for 12. The group was going out the San Diego Creek trail, but for some reason, when we came to the trail split I decided I was up for the challenge that the Back Bay always seems to hand me. So I bid my fellow runners adieu and moved on into the dragon's lair.

The first four miles are about as spectacular as a run can be. Running around the Upper Newport Bay and it's estuary is a never ending display of nature at it's best.

It's the next four miles that get to me. Running through a residential neighborhood, followed by running along a busy highway, followed by running along a cinder block wall and a private campground kind of grinds me down.

I usually hit the last four miles pretty tuckered out. But for some reason, I hit the final four miles yesterday with plenty left in the tank. I ended up running a nice 12 miles aerobic miles (79% MHR) in 2:03 (10:20 pace). That's a full 10 minutes faster than the last time I finished this loop back in June. I'm not sure why. Nor am I going to ask. All I know is yesterday I slayed the dragon. I guess slow and steady can win the race.

Note: Just so everything's above board, these photos were taken in May of 2008 when the exact same run required 2 hours and 21 minutes at a *much* higher average heart rate....

Turkey Trot Thursday

I've become a little lazy here in the blogosphere. I've missed a couple days of posting this week. The missed days may not be good for journaling my exploits, but I'm not going to complain that everything is going smooth. Wednesday was such a day. I put in 3 miles along the Lower Newport Back Bay. Nothing else to report about that run.

Thursday though was time for some fun. And I don't mean at the dinner table. It was Turkey Trot Thursday! The past two years I've done the Dana Point Turkey Trot. But last year's 8,000 runners made it impossible to do much more than slow jog the first mile, and with reports that up to 12,000 were registering this year, I was on the hunt for an alternative. After a couple days of tweeting (have I told you how great Twitter is?), a number of us decided that the Balboa Lake 5K was going to become this year's tradition.

It was a perfect day for a little run. But first things first! Tweetup!


Left to right: @bfrein, @ridgeley, @sugigirl, @MsV1959 (Ms. V).

Ms. V and @anotorias getting ready for the start.

@ridgeley and @sugigirl trying to stay warm (It was a little nippy in the early AM).

I think the turnout was a little larger than the organizers were counting on because the scheduled 8:30 AM start time kind of came and went.

Since I was busy yapping it up with my newly met friends, I have no idea when the start gun finally went off. All I know is that I saw the starter with the gun pointed in the air and heard the pop as the trigger was pulled. Off we went!



My plan was to try to replicate something close to my previous PR of 25.24 from last April. To do so, I needed to hit mile 1 at about 8 minutes, run an efficient 8:30 or so for mile 2, then push a little the last mile before the final .1 sprint. I realized a few hundred yards in I was going out kind of fast. I glanced at my Garmin to get a bead on my pace. FAIL! I forgot to start the thing as I passed the start line. Oh well. I settled in to what felt pretty comfortable and turned my watch on. I was going to have to play this one by feel.

I passed the mile 1 marker on the course and started looking for someone to pace me through the second mile. I found her right in front of me! Thanks @ridgeley! She paced me right through the middle mile and then some!


I hadn't quite reached the turnaround when @bfrein was coming back the other direction:


Bob wins the award for the fastest Tweep yesterday!

Now - there's one thing about the weather in November in Southern California. Last year I ran in an absolutely miserable cold downpour. This year the temperature was pushing 80 and the humidity was in the low teens. I hit the turnaround point and moved off to the side with a cup of water to quench my parched throat. Mistake! (More about that later).

Soon I was on my way back to the finish chute. I passed Ms. V on her way to a new 5K PR:

I came on down the little hill (more like a hump) and pushed a little harder toward the finish. I now wished I had those few seconds at the start and the few seconds I had stopped with the water cup back. The clock? 25:45 with about 200 yards to go. I pushed as hard as I could. I crossed the line at 26 minutes and change. Grrrr!!!! Well - it's about 30 seconds faster than just a couple weeks ago, and has me thinking that maybe my old 25:24 wasn't a fluke!

After searching the ground for quarters for a few minutes, I rounded back onto the course and found Ms. V. @bfrein was running her into the finish, so I joined the party and was there to celebrate her new PR! Yea Ms.V!

I made one more loop looking for @anotorias out on the course:

Together we pushed into the finish where she completed her awesome run!

All in all my Turkey Trot day was a completely and totally awesome day! I had a good run and met a bunch of great people that I plan on meeting again soon. Hope all of you out there in the blogosphere had a great Thanksgiving Day!

Christmas is Coming!

In a Southern California way. Snapped last night:


I couldn't get out for my run until late evening yesterday (had some work in New Jersey - telecommuting from my office still beat having to get on a plane). But I did get out right before sunset and put in five easy miles. I'm glad I had my phone with me!

Ho ho ho! Or is it gobble gobble?