Destination Long Runs

The last few months have been a flurry of activity.  Any time I look at my calendar and discover a small block of spare time, poof!  It soon disappears and is filled with another commitment.  Anyone who knows me understands that I enjoy being busy, but this full calendar has (once again) made it difficult to keep up with a stringent marathon training plan. 

I traveled twice to California in the last month: once to Los Angeles/Long Beach to visit Issac’s family and once to Sacramento to visit my sister.  I was very proud of the fact that I was able to squeeze in all long runs scheduled for these timeframes without interfering with the tours, events, gatherings, and explorations planned for these travels.  My legs got quite fatigued after such long/eventful days, and my shins are still on strike, but I was so pleased that I didn’t let these trips ruin my strict running schedule.

While in Long Beach, Issac and I completed a 17-mile run that took us along the waterfront.   We passed a crew regatta (which caused me to reminisce about my college rowing days!) and lots of beach panoramas.  There were several downpours during our stay, but, remarkably, it didn’t rain at all during our run!  The stormy clouds were slightly ominous as we looked out over the water, but we had a lovely run.  Here are photos that I took on our way:

My first run in Sacramento was perhaps one of the most amusing ones that I’ve ever had.  As luck would have it, I had mapped out a route that precisely mirrored the course for the Shamrock'n Half Marathon on the American River Trail.  I found myself out on the course ahead of the runners of this race (as I had started prior to their 8:00AM start time), and many of the police officers, course volunteers, and bands thought I was in the lead of the run!!  They cheered me on, and two of the bands started playing when they saw me coming up around the bend.  I was actually quite embarrassed but had no alternative route planned, so I kept running along and announcing whenever I got the opportunity, “I’m sorry, I’m not in the race!”  Some of the kids volunteering at one of the water stations responded, “You still are doing a great job!” and continued to cheer me on anyway.  It was very cute.

Eventually, I reached a point where the course turned onto crowded Sacramento streets with many spectators lined up on both sides of the road.  I clearly did not have a bib number, and I felt uncomfortable completing a training run through such large crowds.  I had only finished about 7 miles, but I called Erica and asked her to pick me up and take me home.  I enjoyed this taste of what it would be like to be out front in a race, but I was ready for the adventure to end!

I also realized that I would have to run the opposite direction of the Shamrockn Half’s 5K event for my last 9 miles.  I certainly didn’t feel up for having a “fish swimming upstream” experience, so that was another reason to end my run early.

My second attempt to complete an 18-mile run in Sacramento went much more smoothly. 

I passed the sunrise over this bridge on the American River Trail.

I encountered several vocal wild turkeys as I ran.

I had finished the entire run by 10:00AM, which gave us plenty of time for our programmed culinary walking tour of downtown Sacramento. 

I don’t have any more trips planned within the 6 weeks between now and my second full marathon, but I’m looking forward to many other scenic and memorable runs!