Up and Running

Running with the 10:30 pace group in Riverside. Jessica is in the purple top.

Home stretch.  All smiles after 9 miles.   My right knee has been sore lately.  I read on a running forum to try an ice bath.  It works magic! You aren't as sore the next day.

Chasing shadows.

The Road to L.A.

Training for my first L.A. marathon has been really challenging. I usually do really good at the start of the run but towards the middle of the run I start to lose momentum and all of a sudden I'm plagued by thoughts of stopping.  Its those damn hills!  I'm still trying to learn to love the hills.  Most of the time I'm chasing my pace group.

My goal for this race is to finish never mind how long it will take me . We are on mile 6 so 20 more miles to go.  Luckily the Loma Linda Lopers has different pace groups you can train with .  There are several groups ranging from the 7 minute mile group to the 17 minute mile group.  Jessica and I started off in the 10 minute mile group but later dropped down to the 10.5 mile pace group.  So far we are keeping up with are two weekday runs and the one long run on Sundays.

Every Sunday we meet at the Drayson center for our short lectures.  This past weekend was on water stop etiquette!    We stretch together and then off we go to our different pace groups.

Here's a picture of the Loma Linda Lopers.  Jessica and I are in the second row in the front. There is usually a flood of pink people running down the streets in Loma Linda on early Sunday mornings.  What I love about joining a running group is that you get to meet so many cool people! Plus everyone is always giving you great running and motivation tips.

Everyone needs a running buddy to keep you accountable.  Jessica is my running inspiration and I'm so glad she's on the road with me to L.A. 

Mile 3

I'm back on track and it feels great to start training again. After finishing the Xterra triathlon the intensity of my training went down hill. OK, truthfully I've been a little lazy. Now I feel like I'm starting from scratch! So I've dusted off my mountain bike and bought new running shoes to get me started again.

Aside from my goal to train for the Xterra championship in Saipan next year, Brit inspired me to start training for the L.A. Marathon in March 2009. My running buddy, Jessica, and I joined a local running group called the Loma Linda Lopers. This running group has been around for over 30 years and has over 250 members in the Loma Linda chapter alone. You can't miss us because most of us are wearing our hot pink tank tops and are along the main streets in Loma Linda.

What I love about this running group is that you get to train with people who truly enjoy running and the challenges of it. Every Sunday mornings we meet up at 6:30 and have really great lectures on proper stretching, weight control, shoes, motivation . . . Then we break off to our different pace groups and go for our long runs in the morning.

We are following a weekly schedule which consists of two weekly runs on our own and a long run on the weekend with our pace groups. So far we are on Mile 3 of 26!!! A long way to go but I know we'll eventually get there!