Running in San Diego: Hills and Coasts

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of traveling to San Diego for a week to attend a medical conference. Although the meeting itself for the most part was educational and intellectually stimulating, the highlight of the trip for me occurred mostly outside the seminar rooms and lecture halls. That's because out of the 6 days that I was in town, I got in 5 runs for a total of 50.5 miles! To say I ran all over town, everywhere I could would be somewhat of an understatement. So in order to help out those of you whose travels might land you in town for a day or two, just like a fellow friend did for me when I needed similar help (Thanks Greg), I will recap a few of my running adventures for you and share a slideshow of some of the sights you may find if you happen to be running in San Diego.

Run #1 - A Loop Through Balboa Park (7.37 miles)

If you're a runner passing by SD and in town for just one day, I'd argue that this run should be at the top of your to-do list. Not only does Balboa Park contain natural trails through luscious forests and offers some of the most breathtaking views of the San Diego Valley that you will ever see, it is also home to many of the city's most popular historical and cultural landmarks, including the San Diego Museum of Art, the San Diego Art Institute, the San Diego Natural History Museum, and the San Diego Zoo. I was so enchanted and enlightened just running through the central plaza that connects all of these fine institutions that I had to come back for a second run through these parts later that same week!

The best way to approach Balboa Park (if you're staying downtown) is northward via 6th Ave and entering the park via El Prado. There is a bridge here overlooking the valley down below that is both awe-inspiring and fear-inducing (at least for those like me who get a little whimsical with heights). After touring the museums, you can take a side path to visit the San Diego Zoo, which has a cute entrance flanked by a couple of plant elephants. After this, you can either run back the same way you came or take Park Blvd back into town. (I wouldn't recommend taking the "scenic route" through Upas Street and running south via Pershing Drive. Most of the streets here are short, narrow, and steep. It wasn't until I was too far along did I realize that no one was else was running here except me!)

In general, this was a very peaceful, scenic, and fun place to run, particularly in the early morning before the tourists arrive. One thing to beware though is that this is lots of steep hills and sharp inclines. On my first run there, I remembered thinking that I must have landed in San Francisco instead of San Diego with the steep hill I had to climb just to get into the park! Other than that, Balboa Park was the perfect place to visit for my inaugural run in San Diego.

Run # 2 - Mission Bay, Sea World, and the North Harbor (18.2 miles)

The next day, after witnessing the splendor of Balboa Park the day prior, I went for a long run in search of the esteemed Mission Bay Park that I had heard so much about. Apparently, Mission Bay Park is the runners' haven for all of the local runners in much the same way that Central Park is the mecca for all things running for us New Yorkers. So although the park was a bit far to get to from where I was staying in downtown San Diego, I thought it was worth the visit to see what the hoopla was all about.

Unfortunately, I did not choose an ideal running route on my way to this esteemed place. I ran northward along the Pacific Highway (which had me running on the shoulder of a five lane highway literally), through the entire length of Midway Drive, and across the San Diego River, to get into close proximity of the park. By this time, I had already run about 6 miles, it was close to getting dark, and the destination was still about a mile or two away. So I decided to cut my loses and run a bit around Sea World instead. (Did you know this was the original Sea World and the one in Florida came a bit after? Yeah see, I didn't know that, and was taken to town by my friends over not knowing a day later!) There is an actual running trail around Sea World that was quite scenic and I encountered a few locals who were running there as well.

After a couple miles here, I made my way back downtown by crossing over to Ocean Beach, down Nimitz Blvd and along North Harbor Drive. The return trip home had way more to see and was way more fun than the first half of the trip. It was way hillier too which for some reason didn't bother me much (maybe the mountains of Balboa Park trained me well?). I got lost a little bit in the middle, which is always fun when dusk is settling and you've still got four miles to go, but once I hit the airport and North Harbor Drive, I knew that downtown wasn't too much further away. I enjoyed this part of the run the most because I got to see the night skyline unfold before my eyes. There were planes taking off and landing on my left and sailboats and ships on my right. I dare say I hit a state of nirvana never previously experienced in the later miles of a long run running through the promenade. Only the occasional night runner and stray homeless guy kept me awake from my dreamlike trance.

If you're planning to run here, I'd definitely recommend running along North Harbor Drive and even taking a swing by Harbor Island if you have time. There's a running and bike path that runs along the entirety of the promenade and every section of the harbor is distinctive and unique. You'll see a lot of runners here if you come in the morning and because it's all flat by the water, it's a nice place to hit for a sunrise run.

Run #3 - San Diego Bay Promenade, Embarcadero Marina Park (6.38 miles)

For someone who's never been to a city, hitting the touristy spots is a must. If this applies to you when you're visiting San Diego, than this run along the boardwalk is surely not to be missed. There's the USS Midway, the Bob Hope statue, the statue of the Sailor and his Lady, and lots of sailboats, restaurants and markets to keep you fascinated and entertained on your run. Just don't expect to run very fast when you're around here, especially during the daylight hours, because the crowds are thick and there's often little room to walk, much less run, so be prepared to stop often.

One of the highlights I'd like to point out though is Embarcadero Marina Park which lies at the southwestern tip of the peninsula. It's not very large, but it has a good perimeter running trail that offers a good unobstructed view of the bay and of Coronado Island on the opposite side. If you're so inclined, you can also run inland and visit the Gaslamp District and the accompanying Petco Park, Just again be mindful of the crowds depending on what time of day you're running here.

I hope you enjoyed this running tour through the hills and coasts of San Diego. These runs were definitely some of the most memorable and most fun I've had away from NYC. Especially now with all the hot and sticky weather we've had in the Northeast, (did I mention the weather was sunny and perfect the whole time I was there!) I'm searching long and hard for an excuse to go back!

For now, until my pipe dream becomes a reality, here's a slideshow of some of the places and things (as mentioned above) I found while running through the hills and coast of San Diego: [Make sure you click the white box - second button on left lower border - to see the captions]

Lessons from The Road (in San Diego)

Thanks to all those who complimented my last post and left supportive comments. While it may have served as motivation for some and inspiration for others, my intention in writing it was strictly to serve as a reminder to myself not to allow my passion for perpetual improvement in my athletic endeavors blind me from the practical limitations of my body and the appreciation of what I've already accomplished in this recreational sport of running. It is a trap that I fall into often, especially when the ordinary seems so mundane and the drive for excellence is ever present. However, it is important for me, as well as others who take their training and racing as seriously as I do, to recognize that the journey to becoming a better runner is every bit as important as the destination. In other words, no matter what, where, and when our goals may be, we're all traveling the same roads in the same general direction so it behooves us to understand and appreciate all the qualities that make us "common" instead of constantly focusing on individual attributes that make us not.

Speaking of destinations and traveling, I myself just returned from a six day expedition to San Diego less than 24 hours ago. (Thus explaining my brief absence from the interwebs, sorry!) Although on paper this trip was arranged specifically around a medical conference for which my attendance was requested, practically speaking, I saw this interlude from the daily grind more as an excuse to explore a new city on foot while replenishing my vitamin D stores (via direct sunlight of course) than as an opportunity for education and networking. Don't get me wrong. I did attend conference for several hours every day and got to meet many old friends and colleagues in my specialty that are often too busy, as I am, to gather and socialize after work. All I'm saying is that I managed to run in excess of 50 miles during my brief stay in town and came back with a bigger tan than all the other attendees at this conference. I plan to give a summary of my runs, (including maps and pictures) around town in a future post so you can see where exactly I ran and where you might run too if you happen to visit the city on a future date. Suffice it to say that San Diego, much to my suprise, is a conglomeration of massive hills and splendid coasts. As long as you can manage the former and enjoy the latter, you will absolutely love running everywhere while you're in town.

Aside from attending conference and running, I also got to meet friends and hear some incredible stories that helped me truly understand and appreciate what's really important in life. From a tale of a friend in her early 30s who found an incidental tumor in her hip requiring surgical excision and radiation resulting in loss of mobility in her left leg to a friend who was reuniting with her mother after 20+ years apart. From a peer who lost her mother to pancreatic cancer less than six months after her own baby was born to another who confessed to me to having a eating disorder since a very early age. I was so enchanted and enriched by all of the stories that I heard while on this trip that I couldn't help but feel extremely blessed to be healthy and thought about them on all of my runs this past week. Because of these lessons, I made sure to slow down my touristy runs and take pictures of all the interesting places that I ran around. (Yes, I will share them in a later post!) I also realized that life is short; the athletic life shorter still and so we must make every opportunity to make every second count, especially when we are young and had experienced success early. The messages to me were clear: Dare to run slow and take inventory of the scenery. When you run, do not look only forward but take the time to find the magic off to the side as well. Finally, do not forget to kiss your loved ones and tell them you love them everyday and then some.

In the end, I think these lessons from the road were way more important than any esoteric information that I could have picked up just sitting there at conference. Just don't tell anyone in charge of me or my patients, who perceives my dark tan as evidence that I played hookie all weekend long! If only they knew. If only they knew.

Weekend Whirlwind

Whew! I hope everyone had an awesome weekend! Mine was pretty hectic, chaotic, but so much fun. In retrospect, I guess it had to be because the whole weekend revolved around three things that are near and dear to my heart - running, spectating, and soccer (and yes...in that order!)

Running

After taking a whopping THREE consecutive days off from running this week to rest, heal, and restore my faith and passion for this sport, I woke up bright and early Saturday excited to make my first attempt at something I've never done before. I was going to run from my apartment in Flushing Queens to Central Park in Manhattan! Although on the surface neither the distance nor the running seems extremely challenging, but negotiating the narrow streets of Queens saturated with cars and traffic lights at seemingly every corner can be quite intimidating. But after hearing a good route as suggested by a friend who bikes to the city frequently, I decided to use the bike lanes on an early weekend morning to make my trip into the city.

I packed everything I would need and was out of the door by 7:30AM. Although I was anxious and didn't know what I could find on this run, the whole journey from Flushing to Central Park was entirely stress-free and relaxing. There were minimal cars on the road. Bikes were few and far in between and there were street signs with arrows and directions on how to get to Manhattan. Sweet! I didn't see many other runners but I made sure to greet or say hi to all the ones I did. Once at the bridge though, I did run up behind two twentysomething lads who seemed to be running super fast. They seemed comfortable and were chattering away when I came up behind them. They must have felt my presence because they immediately sped up again. I kept them in my sights and pushed my pace hard. Eventually, I finally caught up to them on the outskirts of Central Park. I thanked them for guiding my travel and pushing my speed as I finished up this ten mile run with a 6:55 final stretch. Average pace came out to be 7:20 min/mi which I was pretty satisfied with.

All-in-all, it was such a fun experience exploring new sights and running into the city. I'm sure I'll be repeating this run multiple times in the upcoming months ahead as I prepare for Chicago on 10/10.

[The weather was so perfect that I went out for a chopsticks (11) mileage run Sunday morning as recovery and ended up running faster than I did yesterday (avg pace was 7:15). Go figure. I also did about 4 "extra" miles this afternoon on a run to my parents house because I was tired of waiting for the bus.]

Spectating

After ten miles of running, racing and dodging weekend traffic, i was a little pooped by the time I got to Central Park. I barely had time to catch my breath when one of the park volunteers instructed the pedestrians to get off the course because the race was about to start. Was I late to my own race? Luckily no. You see, this past Saturday was the race day for the Mini 10K, a womens only race organized by the NYRR to commemorate the first organized race that catered to women. It's always a popular event and I try to be there every year to spectate and cheer on the ladies as they race through one full loop of the park. This year was especially exciting because Paula Radcliffe and Kara Goucher (both 6 months pregnant by the way) were planning to run the race too. [Unfortunately we would find out later that Kara hurt her back a short while ago and was forbidden to run this one by her coach Alberto Salazar. Bummer!]

I watched, cheered, and took pictures at mile 5 of the course with some Flyer friends. It was a cool but humid day so some women came through with huge smiles on their faces while others were sucking wind by that point and just wishing that the race would end! Paula came through in the middle of the pack with a barely perceivable baby bump and a huge grin on her face. It was obvious she was enjoying herself out there. I tried to cheer and take pictures at the same time but those specific multi-tasking skills were not up to par as I would often not get my camera ready in time until the racer was already passed me. (See Paula's picture...enough said!) I did see many Flyers and friends as they passed by which made me both happy that they were doing well and sad that I wasn't or couldn't run this one with them. It really was awesome though to see everyone out on the course that I ordinarily don't see when I'm running.

After the race, I headed over to the finish (having received a tip from a friend) and found Kara signing autographs and talking with her million and one admirers. Watching her up-close, I was impressed that she does not look one bit like she's pregnant (unless you knew and focused on her belly). Otherwise, she appeared just as cool, calm, collected and cute as she'd been when I first met her a couple of years ago. She was really patient with everyone and answered almost everyone's questions. It was all just so awesome to see.

Soccer

After the race, (and some brunch) it was time to hit the bar for some World Cup soccer. Woohoo! Now I don't claim to be a fanatic. Some would even say I'm hardly a fan, since I don't play and I watch the sport with almost the same frequency as I do curling, but for four weeks every four years, I fall in love with the game for several personal reasons.

First of all, it is almost the only sport that my entire extended family can bond over. Since my family, including all my uncles and aunts, are all immigrants from China/Hong Kong where the game is a national past-time, it will be an inevitable topic of conversation at the next family function. Hence, it would serve me well to know a little something about the happenings in the World Cup.

Similarly, I love soccer and the World Cup because it reminds me of my late grandfather. Gramps was a no-nonsense all-work, no-play kind of guy who worked in a garment factory from dawn til dusk five, and sometimes six days a week. Although I lived with my grandparents for a long period of time in my early childhood, I hardly saw him except for an hour or two everyday and on the rare weekend day he had off. Yet, I do remember how crazy/fanatical Gramps was about soccer. Every night, he would fall asleep with an earbud listening to the radio broadcast of a local soccer match. On random nights, he would even miss dinner and not tell anyone that he snug off to watch a big soccer match. He even took me with him a couple of times and tried to explain the game to me. But because I was like 4 or 5 at the time, I had no idea what I was watching and no matter how happy and excited Gramps got explaining the game to me, I couldn't see and couldn't understand what all the fuss was all about. This was extremely frustrating to me. So I never went back with him even though those were about the happiest times I've ever seen my grandfather.

My gramps passed when I was only ten so I never got a chance to watch and talk soccer with him. I know he would have thoroughly enjoyed watching the World Cup. I know I do now when I see an amazing play on the field and think of him trying to explain the rules and action to me, smiling and laughing at my confusion and ignorance.

Springtime in D.C.Race Report from the Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run

Let's start off by stating the obvious. This wasn't a goal race for me. No sirree. Not after a brutal 13.1 a week prior where I got lost at mile six and still ran a respectable 1:24, not three weeks before my spring marathon, and especially not after I tripped and fell hard on broken pavement at mile 15 of a 22 mile long run two days prior. I really just wanted to go out and experience the course, having heard about it from friends and teammates over the years.

Here then are my mile splits and some of my quickie thoughts as I ran this race.

Mile 1 - 6:25
- Wow, what a gorgeous day to race. Too bad my legs feel so achy and tired.
- I'm right behind the elites in the 1B corral start. Why does it still take a quarter mile for some open leg room?
- There's so much conversation about Boston, you'd think we were running in Red Sox nation.

Mile 2 - 6:25
- My first mile split is pathetic. I must be more wiped out than I thought.
- I'm starting on the bridge across the Potomac River. The elites are already on the way back. Wow!
- I'm surrounded by so many people that are supposedly "taking it easy". Are we sure we're NOT running a marathon today.

Mile 3 - 6:26
- Someone taps me on shoulder and says Hi! It's my crazy fast friend who I met last month volunteering at the expo for the National Marathon. (He went on to run a 1:17 half marathon a day later!)
- Having a catch up conversation with another runner is not easy in the middle of a race. He is tapering for Boston while I'm learning to catch my breath while talking and running at the same time.
- I said my goodbye and wish him well on his race before watching him disappear right before my eyes.

Mile 4 - 6:51
- Running along the Potomac river, i see nothing but one cruise ship on the shimmering waters. Everything is so peaceful. Tranquility is the order of the morning.
- A woman falls on the opposite side of the divide and I start hyperventilating and taking smaller steps. I don't want to fall like that again.
- Great...one of my shoelaces is untied. I stop and lose 30 seconds to tie them back up.

Mile 5 - 6:40
- My legs are starting to tire but we still got 6 more miles to go. Will I make it?
- Maybe running races on back to back weekends is not so advisable.
- I'm looking for cherry blossoms but they are few and far between.

Mile 6 - 6:42
- The sun is up and I'm holding my own... finally
- I see crowds of people both starting and coming back on the Potomac River Bridge
- We're almost a 5K to go. Almost.

Mile 7 - 6:35
- There is so much green here. My pace for whatever reason seems more comfortable now.
- I'm still scanning for cherry blossoms and wishing I could just stop and take pictures.
- Can I even manage a 6:30 average pace for this race? Gosh. Must pick it up.

Mile 8 - 6:25
- With 5k to go, I start feeling good, like really really good. It was as if the first seven miles were just warmup for a 5k race.
- I start picking off a few people that I've been trailing behind for the whole time.
- It's sunnier now and I'm sweating. But nothing like the guy who's running this in a suit?!

Mile 9 - 6:24
- Despite the fatigue, I'm still throwing down the hammer and passing a few.
- Some people from the sideline are chanting my name. I blow kisses their way as I pass by. I have no idea who those people were.
- I'm heading back downtown now. Sadly, the cherry blossoms have mostly came and gone. Only the lush green leaves and trees remain.

Mile 10 - 6:15
- Over a small bridge and then a one mile interval to the finish
- I see a joggler running on the opposite side. The Washingotn monument is getting larger.
- The sideline coach is telling us we're 800m to the line. I start to sprint hard.
- At 400m to go, another pack of spectators shouts my name unexpectedly. I give a thumbs up as I continue my sprint. Soon, the finish line cames and I can stop.

"It was a great day for a ten mile DC run!" A Flyer friend told me after the fact. I couldn't agree more!

Final Statistics
Official time - 1:05:12 (6:31 Avg Pace)
Men's Place - 316/6901 (4.6%)
Age Group Place - 75/1408 (5.3%)

Observations from A Running Non-Hawaiian

So I’ve been in Hawaii for less than a week and already I know I don’t belong. Don’t get me wrong, I’m having a truly wonderful time here and am already regretting having to say goodbye. The weather’s been fantastic, the views spectacular and I’ve already gotten addicted to 7-11 spicy ahi poke and deluxe spam masubi that I know I won’t find anywhere at home. (I've already had these for lunch for three days straight!) But the one thing I’ve noticed though is that I have a hard time identifying with the sports people around here are most passionate about. For one, I am not a swimmer (although I am signed up for beginner lessons once I’m home) so it’s hard for me to appreciate endurance swimming, surfing, jet-skiing or other athletic pursuits that involve submerging one’s body into a bottomless body of water. Second, because of the widespread access of bike routes, running paths and picturesque scenery at every turn, training here occurs year round and endrance race events seem out of proportion to what I’m used to back home. Instead of 20 mile bike rides across a state, people here routinely do 100 mile bike rides along the north shore of Oahu or up on the side of a mountainous range and back down. Similarly, instead of training for marathons, people here speak of 40-60 mile runs on trails, overnight, to train for 100Ks and an annual event known as the H.U.R.T. 100 miler! Umm, no wonder I wore my Honolulu Marathon finishers shirt around town yesterday but haven't felt like much of an athlete.

Now, I know I probably have a warped sense of reality because I’m hanging out with F.L. who ran the marathon as a training run for her 100K race this weekend (Go ahead, you can go over there, shower her with words of encouragement, then come back…I'll be here...) but still, I can’t help feel as if I’m such a wimp for never having completed a single run longer than 26.2 miles, when her and her local running group friends are chattering about so and so doing 50 miles on the H.U.R.T. last week and another person is tacking 45 miles after the marathon to train for Western States (100 mile) race and so-and-so’s going to pace someone for 40 miles in the H.U.R.T. 100 mile race next year. It is an intimidating bunch to say the least. I’m just glad I’m not here on a daily basis and am going back soon to my own neck of the woods where running 20 miles in the wind, cold, and snow one or twice a month is considered hardcore and somewhat of an accomplishment. Maybe one day I’ll be up to tackling 32 hour runs on an steep and arduous trail run here fighting hallucinations, nausea, vomiting just for fun, but for now, I’m content to just revel in my own marathon accomplishment, eat all the crummy food I want, hang out at the beach all day, rest and recover in paradise and NOT think about running, racing or marathoning for the foreseeable future!

Towards that end, here are a few sun, fun, and sandy beachy pictures for you all to enjoy! Don't judge, it's the best I can do short of a personal invite to come over and experience paradise for yourselves! Aloha!

Brief Recap From A Californian Adventure

It’s been less than a day since I’ve returned from my weekend escapade in northern California and already I’m missing the beautiful scenery, the cooler climes, and yes even the unforgiving mountainous roads that decorate the Bay coast area. Although I had every intention of running little and blogging lots while I was over there, due to some unforeseen difficulties with the cable service at the summer home we were renting for the weekend, I was left without internet access for the duration of the trip. Luckily, my lack of virtual contact did not interfere with either of my main agendas for the trip (seeing my cousin walk down the aisle and running my epic long run across the Golden Gate Bridge), which means that generally, the trip was a giant success!

The salient non-running highlights from my trip were being reacquainted with extended family I haven’t seen in quite a while, adapting to constant fog and cooler temperatures than I’m used to back home, and relaxing in style servicing as a witness to my younger cousin’s tying the knot of matrimony. In between these highlights, I also visited Sausalito with its picturesque view of San Francisco, ate amazingly fresh seafood at Fisherman’s Wharf and danced the night away at Half Moon Bay. It’s my sixth time to this area within the last four years and everytime I’m here, I’m taken back by the flavorable culture, the magnificent views and the overall grandeur of the area. I can imagine if I was a bit younger, a bit more cavalier or less attached to my family and friends in NY, I could definitely see myself settling down here!

As for running, even though I was anticipating way less than 30 miles, I managed to log 34.7 miles in 3 runs during my trip. Here’s a quick description of my adventures on the road:

8/20 – 7.36 miles (8:15 avg pace): I hadn’t planned on running on the first day of the trip, but since my younger brother offered to accompany me on this short jaunt and I was super excited to check out the new sights, I found myself out on the road within an hour after my arrival at Half Moon Bay. Since I was not familiar with the surrounding landscape, we started by picking a general direction and just running. Unfortunately for my brother, who’s idea of running is two miles max on a college track, he was ill equipped to deal with the steep turbulent hills that awaited us seemingly at every turn. He moaned and groaned with each passing street and slowed the pace tremendously until he couldn’t take the beating anymore. I circled back the same way we came and dropped him off at 4 miles then ran another 3.36 at a much more comfortable pace on my own. Toward the end of my run, I spotted a trail that lead to unexplored wilderness and wondered aloud whether I should check that out the next time I run.

8/22 – 21.06 miles (7:37 avg pace): This was the run I had been anxiously awaiting for so long! After a short rest day, I took the earliest train into San Francisco on Saturday morning and began the same journey I had taken a year ago in th 2008 SF Marathon. Although the day started with wind and fog, I felt comfortable and rejuvenated by the cooler temps as I began my run near AT&T Park. From there, I ran to the Ferry Building, along the Embarcadero, over a steep hill to the Marina, then up through the steep ramp climb to the Golden Gate Bridge, where I crossed, returned and then retraced my steps to the Ferry Building and AT&T Park. Compared to the epic version of this run done a year ago, this year’s episode was a bit more subdued as the temperature never rose above 70 degrees and the sun never made an appearance hiding behind the dusty clouds. Still, the run itself was absolutely breath-taking, especially running on the Golden Gate Bridge under a significant fog. At times, I imagined I was an airplane, fighting through the thick fog. As I ran, I was glad the fog covered up so much of my view that I couldn’t see the water down below and be intimidated. I was constantly reminded of the last time I did this run, in the marathon a year ago. Although most of the details from that race have faded into distant memory, I remember distinctly running along the Golden Gate when night hasn’t yet sold out to day and watching the bay city skyline slowly unfolding in front of me.

8/23 – 6.32 Miles (7:37 pace): I got up the next morning before anyone else and snug out for a nice recovery run at the crack of dawn. Instead of running on asphalt, I decided to tackle the trail I found at the end of my last run here at Half Moon Bay. Although the trail itself was clearly marked, it was situated on a series of hills, which made running quite an adventure and a bit treacherous. Because of the ever changing elevation, I had to slow down my pace quite often. It was quite an effort to scale to the top, but once I paused and look back, the views from the bay was actually quite stunning. I trampled on for about a couple of miles before doubling back to where I had started from. I ended the run with a couple of easier miles on some soft trails before heading home.

Aside from the steady diet of hills and mountains, I really enjoyed running in California! Even though some of the natives tell me that due to the roughness of the terrain, running isn’t as popular in the Bay Area as cyling, I saw many locals out running the same routes I was during my stay. Although I have no immediate plans of going back, I look forward to my return there as soon as I can find another suitable excuse!

Post-Independence Weekend Update

Wow, is it me, or did the long weekend fly back faster than it ever did in years prior? I mean, the last coherent thought I can remember was me slowly counting down the days eagerly anticipating the arrival of a long four day weekend. And now, it seems I just blinked, and my brief reprieve from work is already over! Pfffttt…

Well, in case you haven’t noticed, I’ve been forced again to take a short leave of absence from blogging (and blog reading). Only this time, the decision was not voluntary and I am not entirely to blame. Although I’ve taken permanent residence in my new condominium since last week, the cable company does not regard my lack of internet access an urgent matter. As a result, no matter how many times I call to badger, annoy, or insult, they will not be by to grant me access to cyberspace until later this week. Let me tell you guys, In case you haven’t experienced it first-hand, living without internet access is worse than not being able to run. I know because I’ve tried. Although I’ve been able to go at most four days without running, I haven’t yet been able to survive more than two days away from the virtual world. If you don’t believe me, just ask the manager at the corner Burger King who’s already ripped me off for ten bucks in the past three days just so I can check my e-mail…E-MAIL for gosh sakes. Although I’ve never been the kind to partake in overpriced services driven up by demand, I couldn’t help myself from repeatedly dipping my hands into that proverbial cookie jar just to tap into the internet. Yes, I know…I am ashamed, as a runner and as an idealist, what a sellout am I? Okay, on second thought, don’t answer that!

But before I disappear into the nether regions of the real world where contact with the virtual world does not yet exist, let me share with you my first impressions of running in Flushing Meadow Park. Last night, before it got dark, I went out for a jog in the park not knowing what I’d find once I got there. At the time of day that I went, the temperature was mild and there was a light breeze. In other words, it was perfect running weather. But while I saw plenty of people lounging, biking, playing soccer, and walking about, I saw absolutely no one running. I made one inner loop saw nothing, and dared myself to go out again, venturing a little further into the park this time to look for my own endangered species. On this second trip, I pass by kids flying a kite, two soccer games with garbage can as goals, a softball game and even a cricket match, but alas no runners. I must have been quite an anomaly in these parts because I caught quite a few stare and chuckles as I ran by. Although I felt slightly out of place, being the only runner in my 8 mile journey, I had a great time on my scenic jog because I ran by some beautiful gardens and historic landmarks that I’d never knew existed in this part of Queens. I will do some more exploration in the coming weeks and report back my findings. Hopefully, I’ll spot a runner in there… somewhere.

Live from D.C., Part II

So it turns out that Susan was right. Washington D.C. was billed as the nation’s fittest city in 2008, according to the American College of Sports Medicine. (New York is only #22? Seriously? Boo!) No wonder I haven’t been able to walk down one whole city block without seeing another runner. They are literally everywhere! Whether it’s 7:00AM on Wednesday morning, 8:30PM on Thursday night, or 3PM on a Friday afternoon, there ware always people out running. If I wasn’t a runner, I’d probably be very annoyed by these people, but since I am, I’ve felt somewhat privileged just to be among them for a few nights this week. In my self-guided running tours around town, I’ve found so many perfectly paved roads, lush green parks, picturesque riverside trails and open dirt paths in full view of the historical monuments that I’ve come to the realization that it would be more unnatural to be surrounded by all this goodness and NOT run. Now that I’ve totally immersed myself in all this positive running energy, it’ll be depressing when I'm back in NYC tomorrow night and suddenly realize that I’m once again back in the minority as a runner in the city. Urrgghh!!!

But…before I hop on the bus to travel back up the interstate, I have a little score to settle with the locals in the form of a 10K scheduled bright and early in the AM. I don’t have high expectations since I haven’t kept up with the speedwork and running just base miles for the past couple of weeks. I’m intrigued though just to compete among all these freakishly fit people who run here everyday. Was all that running I saw the past week just a show or were they all secretly training for this 10K without telling me? Will the hometown folks teach this visitor a thing or two about roadracing in the nation’s capital or will I hold my own and show that running well knows no state boundaries? We’ll soon find out. Wish me luck!

Live from D.C.

Hello all! I’m coming to you today not from my humble abode in NYC, but from Obama’s backyard in our nation’s capital! Okay, not exactly his backyard, but since his front gate is only a block away from my hotel, I think that’s close enough! I’m here all this week on a semi-work basis enjoying the view and checking out the sights. I’m considering it only semi-work because the conference I’m supposedly attending isn’t really mandatory, so I’ve been attending only half the sessions. Hey, don’t judge, that’s more than what a lot of my other colleagues are doing. At least I don’t take day trips to Baltimore or Virginia when the conference is right here in D.C.!

One of the surprising things I noticed as soon as I arrived in town was the number of people I saw running on the streets. Out on the sidewalks, in the parks, people were out and about more than I remember in other cities. The most impressive thing about it is that there’s been a thunderstorm watch here for the past few days and the weather has been very erratic. Yet, these people were running with their Ipods and Garmins as oblivious to the heat and humidity as they are to me gawking at them. Needless to say, I was rather impressed.

As for my own run, I finally got one in today after conference before it got dark. A couple of days ago, Betsy recommended that I "run the monuments". So I took her up on her suggestion and circled the track from the Lincoln Memorial to the Capitol Building and back, bypassing the Washington Monument in the middle. It turned out to be a fun and glorious run! In between the national landmarks, I passed by high school teams playing baseball on the lawns and younger girls playing kickball and older teens tossing a Frisbee around. I also saw many runners both young and old taking the same path that I was. I didn’t run too hard, but took care to enjoy the summertime sights all around me. In the end, the 9.4 miles that I ran (at 7:14 avg pace) felt more like 2.4. If it hadn’t gotten completely dark by the time I was done I would have gone back and ran some more.

The only drawback to all of this running is that I was actually banking on being busy with conference and easing up on my miles this week. Unfortunately, it looks like that’s not going to happen now as I’ve already planned on another 6 mile run tomorrow and a 10K race on Saturday before heading back. Oops! But as long as I hold myself to keeping my pace at a recovery effort, I think the extra miles won’t bother me. I’m hoping anyway as I’m about to start marathon training again in another couple of weeks and I want to be as fresh as possible heading in.

My Last Cali Run: The Sawyer Camp Trail

I’ve been physically back home in NYC for a few days now, but I guess my mind and soul is still lingering back in San Francisco because I can’t seem to get this song and this song out of my head. It’s a bit annoying actually, but rather than waste my time rereading the same page in my textbook over and over again, I’d like to be productive and share with you all my final run in my final day in Cali. Other than my 20 mile adventure over the Golden Gate, it might have been the most beautiful and scenic run I had while I was over there.

The funny thing was I originally wasn’t even planning on running that morning. My flight out of SFO was scheduled for 1:30pm, which meant I had to be at the airport at around noon or so. I had just run ten miles the day before in San Mateo and was scheduled to take my travel day off so I could do another long run of 16 or 18 miles once I got back to New York. Too bad no one forwarded my running itinerary to my cousin (JS) who I was staying with the previous night, because sometime over dinner, she threw out the idea that we should get up early and run together. Not only so, but she knew a great running trail that a co-worker had told her about a little while back. Now I’m not saying I would’ve turn down the offer if someone else had asked, but if my dear cousin who doesn’t ordinarily run wants me to run with her I think I would have done it if even if I had just completed a marathon and was forced to shuffle my feet just to keep up. This might seem a bit dramatic, but if you were in my family, where no amount of begging and pleading on my part in the past had been successful to convince anyone to join me for a leisurely stroll around the neighborhood, you’d know this was a big big deal. You could say I was even a bit apprehensive, knowing that this was my first time running with a member of the family.

The next morning, we got up early, around 7:30am, dressed, and got ourselves ready for the trip. In retrospect, we probably should have gotten up an hour earlier because the sun was already blazing with both barrels by the time we made it out the door. They were expecting record high temps in the bay area by around noon so we knew we had to get a move on if we were to avoid being fried bacon! We were picked up by my cousin’s boyfriend (BF) and the three of us headed over to our destination on the other side of town. During the thirty minute car ride, I found out that the impetus for this spontaneous training run was because JS and BF were both signed up for a fun 10K mud run in San Diego during the fall. They both had not run very much recently and wanted to start training for the event. Although my cousin admitted that she has at most done about 2.5 continuous miles over past year, I felt that given her past running experience (she ran high school track for a year) she should be good to go for her race if she could manage to run about 3 times a week consistently over the summer months. She promised me she’d try to be better at getting up early in the morning and running a few miles before work. I told her that I was going to give her a running quiz when I come back to San Fran in six weeks to track her progress. After some more running-related conversation and a few swervy turns, we arrived at our destination: The Sawyer Camp Trail.

The Sawyer Camp Trail is a seven mile paved running trail that stretches from the Crystal Springs Reservoir to San Andreas Lake in the outskirts of San Mateo, California. Although it is a nature walk per se, the popularity of this recreational path for cycling, roller blading, running and strolling was evident by the fact that we had to drive a good half-mile past the entrance to find a parking spot along the side of the road! Once we parked and walked to the start of the trail, I got pretty nervous because I could feel the ultraviolet radiation bouncing off the pavement. Luckily, the running trail is well shaded by large trees on both sides which made conditions bearable. Once we stretched, tightened our shoelaces, and started running, the heat became somewhat less of a factor. Instead, I became enthused by the natural scenery all around me. On one side was the tranquil lake with the waters so calm it reflected the surrounding summertime foliage perfectly. And on the other were trees, shrubs, and plants in all shades of green and brown swaying every so gently to the mid-morning breeze. [For a more detailed description and photographic evidence of this picturesque landscape, visit the Bay Area Hiker website] While I was admiring my surroundings and running ever so slowly next to my cousin(who was keeping a 10:13 min/mile pace), I tried to be as supportive as I could and gave her some small pointers on improving her running efficiency where appropriate.

Then, as I am running easy and thoroughly enjoying myself, something my cousin told me a bit earlier about this running path made me panic. She told me that although the woods surrounding the trail look rather innocuous, there have been sightings and tales of wild animal at various points throughout the path. Hidden behind the tall trees and dense shrubs were deer, raccoon, a few bears and even a lion. There were even reports of some trail runners and wildlife enthusiasts who dared to venture into the deep woods only to disappear and never be heard from again. [Haha! Okay, I made up the last part, but she was dead serious about someone reportedly seeing a lion on there!] So as I was running, I thought about what I would do if I saw a lion. I’m probably screwed if I saw a lion. My first instinct was to jump into the lake, but then quickly remembered from my experience over the Golden Gate that I’m deathly afraid of the water. Then I thought about just out running the lion, which wouldn’t be possible, unless there was someone else next to me, and all I have to do is outrun that other person. But if I were by myself, I’d be screwed, in which case, I could try to just lie there and play dead, but then I remembered that that only works as a defense against bears, which left me back to my original point that I’m probably screwed either way. Suddenly, in the middle of my panic thoughts about the lion and me, we reached the two mile marker and my cousin and BF started to turn back. My adrenaline was pumping wild at this point, and I really needed to release all the tension so I told them to go back first and I’d continue on the trail for an additional 1.5 before heading back. After she left, I sped through the rest of my 5 mile run (1.5 miles forward + 3.5 miles back) at tempo pace, imagining some ferocious lion nipping at my heels ready to attack. I don’t think I had any other thought through that entire run except trying to save myself from my imaginary carnivore. In the end, I think I made it faster than 6:40 min/mile pace and was totally wiped by the time I made my way back to the trail entrance again to meet up with cousin and BF.

After we all devaporized and decompressed from our exhilarating trip, we drove to Stacks at Burlingame for brunch. I had eggs, bacon, home fries, pancakes, and a Jumba Juice wannabe substitute strawberry milkshake. It was all so deliciously satisfying and was without a doubt one of the best getaway meals I’ve ever had in my traveling life.

(If any of you are in the Northern Cali area and looking for a place to run outside the city, I highly recommend the Sawyer Camp Trail. It is definitely one of the not-to-miss running highlights of the Bay area.)

(I’m also secretly hoping that my cousin will go back and do some of her training runs there so the next time I visit, we can both run the trail all the way to the end and back without stopping...yeah!)