Training on the road (Part I)

I’ve been fortunate to travel a little bit this summer. Last weekend was my niece’s wedding near San Diego. My whole family was able to attend. It was so nice to be together, on vacation, with my husband, kids, sisters, and father. We visited the beach, wine tasted, did Lego Land, and shopped. And, of course, celebrated a marriage at the most beautiful location in the mountains.

I also kept up with my training. I had hoped to find a nice trail to run, because shlogging down a road is boring and a little painful. However, I can usually keep myself busy whiling running on the road by looking for and collecting aluminum cans. But last weekend, I was in luck!! Two and a half miles away from my hotel, I stumble upon the San Dieguito River Park. It is part of a trail system that connects the hills to the ocean. (By the way, I did collect some cans on the two and a half miles of roadway but my husband didn’t let me pack them in my luggage to take them home.)

 San Dieguito Park in San Bernardo, CA:

 

 

 

 

 

Here are some methods I have used for finding running routes at travel destinations.

1) Look for a running store in the area where you will be traveling. Then find the store’s Facebook page if they have one. Post a message asking the store’s Facebook community where to run. You might even get invited to join a group run! This didn’t work for me last weekend because there were no running stores in the San Bernardo area where I was staying.

2) Do an internet search using key words like “trail run routes” and the name of the town. Last weekend, this yielded someone’s GPS mapped route of their run. I followed their run, and that route led me to the park!

3) I’ve used periodicals for routes in the past as well. For example, I saved an article from Backpacker Magazine from umpteen years ago that had some urban hikes. I ran the New York City route on a visit in 2013. It took me from downtown, up the Highline trail, through midtown, and around Central Park. I loved it, and it was a route that I wouldn’t have been able to come up with on my own!

 The wedding:

 

Groom and Bride

My sister and her daughter

 

Sisters



My other sister, my son, and my daughter

 

Lego Land:

 

 

 

  



Next week, I will be in Las Vegas to help a friend celebrate their birthday. I may try Backpacker Magazine’s “urban hiking route” on the strip at dawn one day, before the temperatures reach the forecasted 98 degrees.

Unexpected Break

I took an unexpected, month-long break from running, and from writing about running. No, I didn't get injured. That would have been easy to recover from. I would have set up a treatment plan and followed it. Instead, my mom passed away last month, and I don't have a treatment plan and I don't know how to recover.

I haven't felt like running. My whole body aches as if I have the flu. I am ashamed that I disappointed my Ragnar Relay team by not doing the Northwest Passage race with them. I dropped out of the White River 50 mile race. The race director, Scott McCoubrey, was compassionate and is holding my registration until next year's race. I've also let the Fat Dog director know that I won't be doing the 70-miler next weekend. They suggested that I run it in honor of my mother next year. That doesn't make sense to me because my mom wasn't a runner nor was she a big supporter of my running.

My daughter has also not been a supporter. She does not like me being away running all of the time. But last week she realized something wasn't right and made me run by making up a new "family fitness program." She took us to the track and we ran around it five times.

I suppose I was due for a little break. I've been running steadily for the last two years, and increasing my mileage.  Last fall, my podiatrist had suggested that I take one month off each year. Taking a break while I'm training for ultra races is probably not what he meant.

This week, we went on our annual backpacking trip to the ocean with friends. I went for a trail run while we were at the beach. I have found that my emotional strength weakens when I run. I broke down, and it was hard to run while I was sobbing and gasping for air. I did six miles. That doesn't seem like much at a time when I should be breezing through 20-milers.

I guess my break is over and I should get back to training for my next race.

My mom and I in the front, hitting the trail in the morning. I grew up hiking and I love being in the mountains.

Here is my latest creation documenting our backpacking trip this week.