What Am I Thinking? Part 2

With three weeks to go for the Palos Verdes Half Marathon, I figure it is time to try for the full distance. Unfortunately, this is another summer preview weekend with highs forecast into the 80's today and 90's tomorrow.

I try to get an early start, but somehow don't leave the house much before 8am...strange since I have been up since 4am (have had a hard time sleeping this week, not sure why). The sun is already hitting the peninsula hard...definitely my first mistake of the run. My second comes as I near the intersection of Silver Spur and Hawthorne...I forget to stop my watch as I wait more than a minute for the light to turn green.

My third mistake comes from my choice of routes. Unlike previous 10+ mile runs I have attempted on the peninsula, I decide to head over the top of the hill, taking Hawthorne Blvd all the way to where it meets Palos Verdes Drive West. I make a fourth error by running on the west side of the street while the east side still enjoys shade. This lapse of judgment is compounded when I decide against crossing. I have a good pace going and don't feel like waiting for the lights to change again.

There is a gravel sidewalk for much of the descent along Hawthorne Blvd, which is nicer on the legs. When I hear rattling sounds from the wild brush covered hillside, I hop back on to the pavement. I've never seen a rattlesnake in real life, but I know they are around the peninsula.

Even better, the center divider for large stretches of Palos Verdes Drive West sports a dirt trail. I am able to hold a strong pace until the road begins to turn upwards towards Lunada Bay. Another mistake: I am running in a new pair of Kayanos and, since I had not adjusted the tightness of the laces since I started, they have worked their way loose enough that my feet are starting to blister.

As I approach mile 8, I reach the Palos Verdes High School cross country course. My planned run is to go around it, but I decide to go on it. I forgot how hard some of the steeper sections are, so I end up walking to peak and stopping to take pictures. I didn't realize how nice the view could be from the course...like Burma Road, the trails are flanked by high wild flowers.

Yet another gaffe...I attempt to run through the narrower trails along the fence...and plants are leaning into the course to the point where I'm brushing up against some and having to push others out of the way. The plants are making me itch. Great. When I exit the course and start heading up Via Coronel, I realize I have used what little bit of energy I had left in my legs in trying to navigate the cross country course. And Via Coronel is a long winding ascent. Of course, it is also my most direct route home...so I start walking.

Ugh. As if my Garmin data from this run wasn't already messed up enough, I realize I had forgotten to start my watch when I paused the timer for picture taking on the cross country course. I have traveled just over a half a mile too...and I had been looking forward to reviewing the GPS data from the course. With all of the growth, I do not plan to do the course again any time soon. I'll just have to try again in the fall.

After miles of walking uphill, I get a break as I reach the end of Via Fernandez. Unfortunately, my legs don't have any strength left. Even worse, there is absolutely no shade on either side of Montemalaga. When I do try to run, I feel like I am pounding...and I really want to avoid getting chin splints. I run as much of the downhill stretches as I feel comfortable doing, but pretty much walk most of the way home.

When I get home, my watch reads 12.25 miles in 2:23:04.58. If I factor in watch mishandling, the data would read closer 12.75 miles in 2:28...not bad given the heat, the significant elevation change, and how much of the time I actually spent walking. Will I be able to do the Palos Verdes Half Marathon in under two hours? It certainly won't be as hilly as this workout...

First 9+ Mile Orbit of '08

This morning, Valerie and I head out together, west along Montemalaga, and then down Via Del Monte. Unlike our previous attempt last weekend, we enjoy cool temperatures along the way. I reach the bottom of Via Del Monte ahead of Valerie, but not by much. And when she reaches me, she does not want to stop...continuing on to Via Campesina and eventually back home (totaling just under seven miles).

Having already decided this would be my first ten mile run of the year, I turn towards Malaga Cove Plaza, but, rather than head out to Palos Verdes Drive West, I decide to look for the first trail I ever ran upon. It's not hard to find. I just turn left one street before the bottom and follow it to its end. The trail begins there and continues up the hill. Currently surrounded by the same wildflowers I found on Burma Road, it is not exactly as I remember it, but I do remember the big dip it makes before a steep climb up to Via Arriba.

After working my way back to Palos Verdes Drive West, I head south towards Palos Verdes High School's cross country course. This stretch is a bit longer than I remember it, probably because I am used to running the opposite direction. This way involves a slight incline...nothing challenging, but definitely draining enough to make me not look forward to the climb up Via Coronel.

When the real ascent begins, I start to feel my legs sooner than expected. I decide to detour on to Via Zurita...assuming this street might be a bit steeper, but more direct. Unfortunately, it seems to turn as far to the north as Via Coronel twists to the south, so I am not really sure this is a shortcut. I am walking long before I reach the top.

That said, I still have plenty of energy left to pick up the pace once the incline starts to diminish. I am moving along at a good clip by the time I return to Montemalaga. I finish my run strongly, but just shy of ten miles. My alternate routes obviously took a little distance off of my planned run.

What Am I Thinking?

Despite temperatures forecast into the 90's today, my wife and I foolishly attempt a seven mile run. Obviously, we are not looking to improve our pace...but to even think about such a workout when the Santa Ana's are blowing is more than a little unusual.

Part of the reason I decide to push forward is that I have started to solidify my race calendar for 2008. With the Palos Verdes Half Marathon only a month away, I need to start adding distance especially on weekends when I have the time to do so. But my primary incentive for trying to endure the heat is my foolish decision to attempt the Maui Marathon this September. I cannot shy away from heat or humidity if I want to properly prepare.

Of course, Los Angeles rarely gets humid, so I plan to train on Maui for the two weeks leading up to the event. Am I insane? Well, a year ago I would have laughed at anyone suggesting I attempt even a half marathon. I guess everything is relative.

Today, however, my wife and I let the heat get the better of us. At Malaga Cove Plaza, our halfway point, we decide to detour to my mom's house which is only a mile away...and we end up walking that stretch. A 4.5 mile workout in such temperatures is still a solid effort, but I am far from ready for another half marathon. Fortunately I have still have plenty of time to train for Maui.

Springtime on the Peninsula

Thinking back to high school, I do not think our distance track team ever trained on trails. Obviously our cross country team did, but such training did not start until well after the hills had turned brown under the summer SoCal sun.

So imagine my delight as my wife, friend, and I descend down Burma Road and find the peninsula painted in shades of green and bright yellow. New signs alerting us to ticks and Lyme disease are a bit disconcerting (as are the always present rattlesnake warnings), but we enjoy the setting too much to care.

If my wife hadn't talked me into carrying the water bottle, I would have brought my camera along. That said, I cannot resist pulling out my cellphone to start recording our surroundings as I reach the lowest point on the trail.

Though we started later in the morning than I would normally want to, the marine layer has kept things cool...until now. The sun is starting to poke through. I do not look forward to climbing with the temperature. After all, we still have more than half of our five mile run to go.

Since all of us have not really been training all that much this year (this is actually our first trail run of 2008), I have no problem waiting for everyone to catch up...and then walking with them on the inclines. This simply gives me more opportunities to snap pictures and enjoy the view.

Garmin Forerider?

As I mentioned on Friday, this is my first snowboarding trip of the season. I forgot to mention that this is also my first time wearing my Garmin Forerunner 205 while riding. I am doing so not to chart progress, but more to satisfy my curiosity about how fast I actually go downhill, how much distance I cover on a typical run, or how many calories I burn on a typical snowboarding trip.

I am surprised to learn that my fastest runs reach speeds between 30-40 miles per hour, with averages in the 20's. I suspect that running is going to seem very slow by comparison. I am also surprised to see that many runs on the mountain are only 3/4 of a mile long. When first learned to ride, I could spend 30-40 minutes trying to get down these runs!

I could not resist recording a few of the chair lifts to see how fast they actually ascend. High speed lifts like the new Cloud Nine Express climb around 10mph, while older ones (like nearby Chair 25) barely reach half that speed. One thing this proves is that my slowest average downhill speed is still faster than the fastest lift. In other words, I really do spend a lot more time riding the lifts than riding the slopes!

I have no idea how the Garmin watch calculates how many calories are burned (especially if these numbers have any relevance outside of running), but I wouldn't be surprised if I burn more than 4,000 calories during our snowboarding trips. I am fairly certain that I consume more than that while dining at Mammoth.

Snowboarding Season

Our first day back in the mountains is invariably going to be rough, not just due to the high altitude but because our bodies have spent many months not using the muscles that snowboarding abuses. That said, we have hopes our distance running would diminish the effects of both.

Unfortunately, my wife and I are not feeling the benefits. We still feel excessively winded after hiking from the SUV to the lift. Our legs are still wobbly when we stand on our boards...and they burn after our first long run. This is not to say we do not have a great first day...it's just not as good as we expected given how much more exercise we have had during this off season.

Perfect Storm

The latest storm hitting California is drenching my home (had to run a sump pump overnight just to keep the pool from overflowing). On the bright side, it has dumped a whopping 3 to 5 feet of snow on Mammoth Mountain thus far and looks to continue dumping multiple feet of snow over the next few days.

What does this mean for my training? Well, I did start running hoping to get and stay in shape for snowboarding...

Garmin Forerunner 405

A friend just updated me on Garmin's freshly announced Forerunner 405. This is certainly the nicest looking (and smallest) GPS watch they've produced and, aside from the price, seems the ideal one for my wife...who I gave a Forerunner 305 just before Christmas.

Given the choice, which would you prefer?

Ka'anapali to Lahaina and Back

Since I may one day consider participating in the Maui Marathon (or its half-distance configuration), I figure I must try running here at least once before I fly back to the mainland. Plus, I really need to work off all of the wonderful meals I have been enjoying while on the islands.

Unable to stay at our usual hotel since it is undergoing extensive renovations, my wife and I are staying at the Sheraton Maui Resort on Ka'anapali Beach. Looking at Google Maps, I figure I could easily run from the hotel to Lahaina Cannery Mall, but the round-trip is six miles. Having totaled less than 7 miles last week, I am not comfortable running such distances this morning, but I have another option: The Sheraton has a shuttle bus that regularly stops at the Hilo Hattie parking lot in Lahaina. If I run as far as Banyan Park and then come back to Hilo Hattie, the run would only be 4.5 miles...and I would get to see more of Old Lahaina Town.

Clouds and the West Maui Mountains block sunrise as I step on the beach next to Black Rock, but the sky overhead and to the west is mostly blue. It looks like a great morning to run and an even better one for taking pictures. Good thing my cellphone has a 2 megapixel camera

I run along the soft sand for as long as I can, but I have to cut through a park as I leave Ka'anapali. The park is nice and grassy with a bit of a dirt path through the middle, so it is nice on the feet. When the park ends, I try running upon a narrow wall along the highway, but the thought of falling upon the rocks below isn't exactly appealing, so I hop over the guard rail and hit the pavement. The sun has not yet come out by the time I reach the sign for Lahaina. The temperature is perfect for running.





Proceeding down Front Street, I pass the Old Lahaina Luau just as the sun and a rainbow begins to touch its roof. I realize I am going to sacrifice my pace to capture many moments of this run. I am really enjoying myself by the time I reach Old Lahaina Town.

As I cross under the banyan tree at the edge of town, I head west towards the lighthouse and then northeast towards the Hilo Hattie. When planning this run, I never once thought about the store being closed at this hour...and I only now realize it may be a few hours before the first shuttle will arrive.



I have little choice but to continue running. The weather alternates between rain and sun as I run to the highway, by Lahaina Cannery Mall, and on to Ka'anapali. The tropical rain does not feel unpleasant, so I really cannot complain.










Once back on to the soft sand in Ka'anapli, I make my final push towards the Sheraton. I can hardly believe I have run more than nine miles...it's not like I have been running such distances since starting this vacation. Heck, I haven't run this far since my half marathon over a month ago!

For more photos from this run, check out my SmugMug gallery

Waikoloa Beach

The Hawaiian Islands are quite possibly my favorite vacation destination, but this is my first trip to the Big Island...and my first time running on any of them.

Since my wife, brother-in-law, and I are staying at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort and Spa (and could see ourselves coming back here in the future), I figure I should find a good running orbit around the hotel, but the lava rock coastline and the incomplete roads make it hard to find an ideal 3 mile circuit.

Daytime temperatures have been just popping above 80 degrees and there is significant humidity, so I decide to run only in the early morning....as close to sunrise as possible. I do not want to repeat the mistakes I made in Miami.

On Tuesday, I tried sticking to the beaches as long as possible, but the sandy path quickly becomes a broken path covered with loose lava rock and dead coral...I constantly worried about twisting an ankle as I worked my way around to the concrete paths that surround the nearby Hilton Waikoloa Village.

Today, I lead my wife around the streets, taking her down one dead-end after another (the one called "maintenance road" is not even finished). I then divert to the golf course, hoping we can at least stick to the golf cart paths...but even those do not form a complete circuit. We take to the grass and end up looping back to where we first entered the golf course. We have only run 2.5 miles by the time we are standing back in front of the hotel...my wife is done. I however, decide to try another street that leads me back around to the beach and trails on the other side of our hotel...adding another mile to my run. I do not want to run much further because we have a four mile hike planned this afternoon.

On our next visit, I need to find a way to link the Waikoloa resort area with the not-quite neighboring Mauna Lani, but without going out to the main highway.