What’s Next?

So I’ve got to admit something. Ever since the L.A. Marathon back in March, I have been running without any real goal or purpose. I thought I’d be able to just run. Run for fun. Get better. Drop a few pounds. But truth be told – I don’t like running enough to just run for the fun of it. To be successful at this running thing I *need* that goal race on the calendar.

For the last few weeks I’ve been struggling with this. I pulled together 3 40 mile weeks. I was ready to pull together a fourth. If I had, I most certainly would have crashed and burned on the Streets of San Francisco*. I realized last week that something is really out of whack. I’m paying for races like they are going out of style, but I’m not performing anywhere close to where I was a year ago. Then it occurred to me – an old saying from my early days in Management Consulting - “Plan the work, then work the plan.” What plan?

So here goes – I’m going to lay the foundation for the rest of the plan today. My goal race will be the Bishop High Sierra Ultramarathon. Fifty something (either kms or miles – I haven’t decided yet) in the beauty of the Sierra Nevada. May 21, 2011. 42 weeks away. Assuming that there will be a 20 week training cycle leading up to my attempt at 50 something, that leaves 22 weeks of training/racing. Which means enough time for 2 half marathons, or one marathon and a few weeks recovery. Time to search Raceplace for some viable options!

This does mean that the L.A. Marathon 2011 may be a bit suspect now – it depends how it works in. I’ll know more in a week once the whole plan is laid out.

* Special reference for us 50 somethings. Who remembers what actor got his big break alongside Karl Malden in that TV series?

National Running Day?

Hmm. At least Hallmark hasn’t found out about our little secret. Yet.

I tried out a new route yesterday for my planned 3 miler. I’m looking for a trail route that connects where I live to El Moro/Bommer Ridge. I thought I had spied a route along the freeway starting in close by Bonita Canyon. I headed up (figuratively *and* literally) the trail, but had my hopes dashed about a mile later when I ran into a locked gate. Dang! I made my way up the use trails through the used to be city dump now home to million dollar homes and finally poked out about a mile from home. Snap! Back to the drawing board.

Final stats on the run – 3.3 miles at an average pace of 10:37. Check out the little blip of a hill right at the turnaround point:

On another running note, I’ve settled on my summer racing calendar. Which is a little unique, because for the most part racing shuts down in the summer in Southern California. Despite our great winter weather, Southern California really is a desert climate. It can get pretty hot here in the summer, with temperatures easily in the 90’s and above. As a result, most recreational racing shuts down during June and July, with only a few uber popular races going (AFC Half Marathon for example).

So, I’m heading up into the hills (where’s it’s just as hot) for trail racing in late June and early July:

• June 19: Billy Goat's 1/2 Marathon Hill Climb – Six and a half miles and 2400 vertical feet up, then six and a half miles and 2400 vertical feet down on a single lane Jeep trail in the Santa Ana Mts. Sounds like fun?
• July 10: Harding Hustle 30K Trail Race – 15km (9 miles) and 4500 vertical feet up, followed by 15 km (9 miles) and 4500 vertical feet down on a single lane Jeep trail (different one) in the Santa Ana Mts. And we’re required to carry 40 oz of water. Sounds like fun?

Then in late July, I’ll finish the California Dreaming Series:

• July 25: San Francisco Marathon – No I haven’t lost my mind. I’m only doing the half. The first half at that  - over the Golden Gate Bridge. And I’m doing it primarily for the jacket, cool bling, and time with friends. Plus it’s in San Francisco where it never gets above 60 degrees. Well almost never.

Penny modeling the California Dreaming bling after Surf City:

So there you go. I’ll make sure to post the address of the asylum that I’ll be committed to on July 26th….