Run DMZ

Our Saturday training runs typically are held in either East County or near the coast, but not near my coast in La Jolla or Del Mar. The exceptions have all been races or those runs I've hosted. That includes this morning's trail run in Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve. It was nice to not wake extra early and not worry about mysterious car sounds or consuming so much gas to basically go for a run. All I had to do was grab my handheld water bottle, a few copies of the map and do a slow-jog warmup to our gathering spot at Canyonside Community Park (where it's FREE to park and open early, by the way). I wasn't ready to christen my new Nikes, so I wore my old Mizunos, which removed any doubt that they were at least partially responsible for my prolonged achilles tendonitis. A mile into the run I felt that old familiar ache. And seven miles later, under otherwise perfect conditions, I couldn't stand the stabbing pain any longer. Once everyone had returned safely to home b...

Most of you don't look at my online training diary, but if you did you'd notice I'm in the throes of another online rowing challenge. This is my first since February and it requires me to row 31,000 meters between Oct. 25 and 31. Doing this using gym equipment creates an additional challenge because sometimes both machines are in heavy use and sometimes the 30-minute rule is enforced. So I'm essentially doing this in four days instead of seven. I took on the challenge because, after almost a full year without racing, I need new spark plugs and this is the best way to get a cheap tune-up. And, if this morning is any indication, my body's running much better already. Usually if I'm going to row long, I run short. But I woke to perfect 45-degree weather and decided to run 5 miles around Lake Miramar first. A mile into it, a guy in a warmup suit heading my way did a U turn in front of me, and I figured I'd use him as a rabbit. Only I caught him a half mile later...

To those who guessed yesterday's mystery man was Robert Englund, a.k.a. Freddy Kreuger: Congratulations. You are very wise and know your warped characters. I felt incredible guilty taking that photo because it was very obvious the man wanted to be left alone. His dog was much friendlier once he realized I wasn't part of the papparazzi. I bet he'd have liked a copy of this photo, too, but I wasn't about to ask for his email address. Ah, well.

I took this photo while we were at Laguna Beach a number of years ago and thought it apropos for the week of Halloween. Try to guess the 'gore porn' character this actor played. (I had to scan the photo since I couldn't find the CD holding the image, so the photo is not as crisp as I'd like.)

Happy 21st Birthday, Alex! In case you can't remember, this was our front yard and this was your favorite time of the day. The neighborhood no longer exists, but fortunately the mountain still does.

A large group almost is guaranteed every time we meet to run in Coronado. It is, hands down, one of the best places to run in San Diego. It's flat. Highly scenic and not prone to extremes in weather. This morning I ran the circumference of the "island" while a lot of people extended the run out onto the strand that connects Coronado to Imperial Beach. I ran the first three miles with some women who are faster than me, and it felt great to keep up with them. The second half I ran most of the way with a woman on the master's team and finished a few minutes ahead of her (of course, she ran the Nike Half Marathon last week and I didn't). The sun burned through the fog just as I was coming off the bike path and into Tidelands Park where we started. Total distance was 6.6 miles and average pace per mile was a confidence-boosting 9:14. I think the computer program may have been too generous but it was definitely the fastest I've run since my injury and I'm holdin...

Yesterday at lunch my friends Louise and Jeanette and I were discussing race cut-offs and what some race officials do once a deadline has passed, particularly for really labor- and resource-intensive events like big-city marathons and Ironmans. Then this morning I saw this piece in the New York Times, which, as it does around this time every year, features numerous articles on running and marathons. Plodders Have a Place, But Is It In a Marathon? Here's an excerpt on the different attitudes: Purists believe that running a marathon should be just that — running the entire course at a relatively fast clip. They point out that a six-hour marathoner is simply participating in the event, not racing in it. Slow runners have disrespected the distance, they say, and have ruined the marathon’s mystique. Slower marathoners believe that covering the 26.2 miles is the crux of the accomplishment, no matter the pace. They say that marathons inspire people to get off their couches, if only to cro...