Running Thoughts: Week 15

I normally would write this on a Friday morning, but thought I give myself a little headstart and do it on a Thursday night...so here we go...with week 15!!!
It's just about two more weeks til the big run at the LBC.
Quite a journey thus far to say the least. I don't know about you, but I'm pretty amped.
I felt we've been through a lot the past Saturday mornings- braving the elements: from the rain to the extreme heat--
our surroundings: from the familiar Rose Bowl to the beaches of Santa Monica and Venice to the track field out in timbuk 3.
And our many postrun excursions to the Corner Bakery (sort of our unofficial sponsor for our training)...and last weeks postrun hangout was really nice as we hit up a Belgium Communal Cafe in OldTown Pas- thanks to Connie.
And I'd say just maintaining a steady routine in my personal training has helped despite my crazy hectic schedule...and somehow I was able to juggle through it- thick and thin. It's been fun. Hope this will continue.

But now we've arrived...to our final long distance run of our training...oooh ahhhh.
Although this Saturday's run seems a bit daunting, having ran the 10 miler a couple of weeks back helped big time.
So the 12 miler doesn't seem so bad, although waking up early on a saturday morning to drive down to Long Beach might be the true challenge.
But the pay off is this...


(photo courtesy of daviding)

We'll be running this Saturday- at the city that Snoop Dogg built- the LBC. Definitely a big treat for us eventhough the run will be quite a challenge...there will be plenty of visuals to keep our minds at ease as we run the 12 miler.
Hey we're at the homestretch...let's do it!

Here's our run, if you guys aren't too sure, and let's give it up for Darren for putting together this crazy fun course.
LB 12.3

From Long Beach's very own--

Music Videos - Sublime - What I Got
Uploaded by da_h5n1

And a couple of weeks, we'll be doin' an 'Encore' of this run, so thought I throw this in for fun:

Running Thoughts: Week 14

(image courtesy of okansas blog)

Time sure flies doesn't it?
We are less than a month away from the big day!!!
Last Saturday, we went off-roadin' with a 5 mile trail run...which was actually pretty fun. Quite a change of pace from running on the pavement, and also some legwork on the hilly inclines...

I came across this site as I was preparing to write my entry.
Random, yes I know...that's how I am at times.
TrailRunner: One Dirty Magazine offers up an interesting article by a veteran coach for those interested in reading quick tips. I'm sure some of us already know these tips, but its good to be reminded, sorta a refresher as we're coming towards the end of our training for the Long Beach Half.
Top 10 Tips to Running Right

This weekend, a good number of our team will be out on a retreat, thus leaving a few of us to run tomorrow. Since so many of us enjoyed the trail run, and a few of us missed out on it last week- we're bringin it back.
Rumor has it, that we may even be getting some rain later today- and possibly tomorrow...*crosses finger* Hope the rain passes by real fast.
If worse comes to worse, how about running in the the rain?

Pasadena, CA:
(source: weather.com)
Tonight: Friday
T-Showers
Low: 59° F
Precip: 60%
Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm this evening, then some lingering showers still possible overnight. Low 59F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.

Tomorrow: Saturday
AM Showers
High: 73° F
Precip: 40%
Showers in the morning, then partly cloudy in the afternoon. High 73F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.

YouTube: Ollie and Jerry- "There's No Stoppin Us" (1984)
from the Breakin' movie soundtrack

Running Thoughts: Week 13

photos courtesy of christina from our beach run

Its hard to believe we're just a month away from the actual run itself.
Last week's saturday run of the 10 miler wasn't as painful as I thought it be. Maybe its because I have this strange infinity with the beach- as I pretty much lived by the beach my whole life...so it felt very familiar to me, and almost like home. Another thing that helped me a lot, was that in my personal training I've been running the hilly areas of my hood. The uphill and downhill legwork really did pay off.
The soreness didn't hit me til much later, but I felt like I accomplished something that day. A big personal milestone- I mean 10 miles, that's alot! hahah...

So yesterday, being Thursday, I thought I change up my personal run routine. I had my small group (LifeGroup) that met on Thursday nights at Young Nak Church, so thought I squeeze in a run, prior to the actual gathering. So to change the familiarity of things, I decided to run into the city from the church.
Here's the route I took...



I started off at Spring (which turns to Alameda)- right up to the street prior to the actual 101 freeway- darted uphill to Broadway- running right through Chinatown- back towards the church. I also did my cool off walk around the church hood.

Good luck to the folks who are going to run the Nike Remix tomorrow--
looks real fun. I'll have to hit it up next year.
Here's one of many hip hop acts that will be there at that event:

Naughty by nature - hip hop hooray 1993
Uploaded by trapux

The rest of us will be at the Bowl...see ya there!

Words of Inspiration

"Luck is a residue of planning, skill, and perseverence."
-unknown

Running Thoughts: Week 12

This past Monday (Labor Day), I went on a 3 mile hike with a few folks to Temescal Canyon trail. The same area we'll be running this Saturday for our 10 miler.
Although Monday was still pretty warm, from the hike itself, the change in temperature on Tuesday really made a big difference in my running- as I ran my regular routine runs on Tuesday and Thursday...It's actually getting a bit easier to run the 4 miles as I've upped my distance gradually and also been running more of the hilly areas of my hood.


Santa Monica- a change of pace for our typical runs as this will be our first time running on the westside.

(courtesy of filmindependent.org)
A quick random tidbit facts:
-Santa Monica is the home of the Spirit Awards- the award show that recognizes the independent movies, and the ceremony usually happens before the day of the Oscars. Usually draws in the big gun actors and directors of the industry as they usually get a chance to dress down before the Oscars. And the funny thing is the ceremony itself is held in a tent along the beach. Go figure.


Why do I bring up the Spirit Awards, I have no idea. But, sorta of a segway as this Saturday we kickoff the transition of our journey to the Long Beach Half. Its about thinking more than the independent self but something more than ourselves. As most of us are associated with being part of Young Nak English Ministry, we throw in a purpose other than accomplishing our own personal goals- of staying fit and all. But that we add the "run-raising" (fundraising) element of our run. We'll be running to support the Healthcare Professional Ministry's (HPM's) Short Term Mission trip to Mongolia in late October. More detailed info to be announced after our run and we'll be sending via email on the how and why. We'll do our best to keep things short as we'll all be dying from the 10 mile run itself.

Maybe after run, shall we all try to hit up 3rd street for some breakfast?

Something to get ya all pumped....good ole Rocky!!!
YouTube: Rocky Running- Theme song (from Rocky II)