Never Again

Time: 90:50
Distance: 19.29k
Pace: 4:42/k
Map

After running in Annadel on Saturday, Meagan told me that she would never again run up there. Well, this morning we were meeting up with Steve for another run in the park. I picked out a loop that I felt wouldn't be too rocky as Meagan's foot is still a little sore. We aren't sure if it's the bone (really bad) or a tendon on the lateral side (bad, but icing will help). Being so close to the Trials there can't be any big set backs that would compromise toeing the line. Considering all the factors, I still felt she could manage one last run up in Annadel if we chose the right trails.

My loop had us running up Canyon to Lake Ilsanjo around to the right, up Warren Richardson and down the backside to Channel Drive. The only rocky section would be Canyon and since we were running uphill I didn't think it would be all that bad. Again, Steve and I found the safe path and rocks while Meagan gingerly ran up the hill. She was none too pleased when we hit the lake and then we had to run up the hill where three years ago she told me, "please don't talk to me right now." Three years ago she was huffing and puffing while this year she was able to hold a conversation with Steve and me.

At the top, all the rocks were behind us and it was smooth sailing to the finish. Meagan even hit the front and pressed the pace the final 15 minutes back to our cars. We had to do a little adding on to hit the daily distance goal, but overall I think it was a great loop despite what Ms. Nedlo has to say.

After the run we dropped in Heart & Sole to visit with my old high school coach and see what was shaking at the running store. It was a good visit and always great to catch up with Danny.

Greatest Training Ground

Time: 110:03
Distance: 22.58k
Pace: 4:52/k
Map

Through the wonders of Facebook, I was able to chat with my old high school teammate and meet up for a run at Howarth Park. It's a familiar meeting location for runners in Santa Rosa and one that I would visit multiple times during the week when I lived in Nor Cal. Meagan was also game to run with us under our promise that we wouldn't drop her too much... too often. The excitement of being back in the park might just get the pace moving between Steve and me!

We came up with a loop that would be roughly the distance Meagan was looking to hit and we were off. There are lots of climbs, trees, pretty views, a couple lakes, dozens of other runners, bikers, kilometers of dirt trails and wildlife. There were also lots of rocks. I don't remember the trails being so rocky or maybe I was just tougher back in high school. Steve and I were able to find relatively clean routes on the trail to avoid the rocks and we've learned which rocks are safe to step on and which need to be avoided. On the contrary, Meagan's little stubby legs and already sore foot weren't suited to the terrain.

On a number of occasions she was dropped when the trail became overly rocky and she decided to walk. Yes, a Olympic Trials qualifier stopping to walk on runs! I could tell she was getting frustrated, but there was little we could do other than be overly careful.

It was great catching up with Steve and getting a run in back up in Annadel. We are both convinced it's the best place to train in the country. Meagan thinks we are nuts. On the run we also saw Kim Conley and Sarah Hallas who are both talented runners from the area. There were no Sara (Bei) Hall or Julia (Stamps) Mallon sightings today.

To the Top

Time: 108:40

Distance: 25.02k

Pace: 4:20

Map

The Sunday long run. It's a staple in every runner's workout schedule and I remember some classic long runs with some good Santa Rosa runners over the years. I didn't have anyone to run with today, but I was committed to running up Marsh Trail which is one helluva climb. My former high school teammate Steve Laurie and I would occasionally run to the top via Marsh when we were younger.

I started from my mom's place and headed to Howarth Park over to Annadel. The run starts the exact same way as most of the I've been doing this week, except when you get to the top of Canyon Trail, you turn right and head farther up Marsh. Being a Sunday, there were quite a few mountain bikers and trail runners on the trail ahead of me in both directions. I scampered past them with a little acknowledgement of the hand.

For stat purposes, at the 5k mark the elevation was 100m and by the 12k mark I was at 424m. It's a long steady and relentless climb to the top which levels out slightly in a few places. It really is a great trail and I wish there were something remotely similar in Charlotte, but I haven't found it yet. Maybe Crowders or Kings Mountain, but that requires a decent drive which I'm not into for running.

I contemplated running back on Warren Richardson, but opted to visit Lake Ilsanjo and descend via Canyon. It was a bit of a lame tactic, but I really didn't want to extend my kilometers any more than necessary. The final 30 minutes were run at a good tempo and I got back to the house feeling like I had put in a great week of training. All I need to do is duplicate this sort of effort for 10-20 weeks and I'll be in good form.

Rough Go to Lake Ilsanjo

Time: 86:24

Distance: 20.22

Pace: 4:16

Map

After yesterday's struggles during the 200s, I felt really good on today's run. I would like to be able to pinpoint the cause of why I felt so nice, but it may have just been one of "those" days.

Last night my mom and I surprised some friends that we hadn't seen in quite some time. It was over Facebook that my mom was contacted and invited to a neighborhood bbq that we attended. The husband of the couple didn't know that we were coming and he's a big time jokester. I had to come up with something clever on the spot to grab his attention. The best I could do was angrily ask if, "that was his dog over there?" He turned apologetically before realizing it was me and gave me a big hug. The reason I bring this up is because his wife told me one of her favorite trails in Annadel is Rough Go.

Rough Go is a great trail, but it's exactly how it's named. She mentioned that she sometimes does a fartlek up it which really intrigued me. She got me interested in venturing up Rough Go on my next run in Annadel which was today. It had been several years since I ran the trail that is always a challenge to run up or down. In today's run, I hit Rough Go at about 4.8k where the elevation is 112m. By the time I hit the top of the climb, I was at 258m and had only traveled just over 7k in distance. I had to find a certain exertion point and maintain a steady clip on the ascent so as to not redline and completely falter.

Once I crested the top I quickly found a rhythm and was splitting some faster kilometers. At one point I was certain Mr. Garmin was being mischievous as I didn't run slower than 4:16/k from 8k through the end of the run: 4:16, 4:04, 4:09, 3:58, 4:05, 3:59, 3:44, 3:44, 3:48, 3:44, 4:05, 3:48, 3:42. Here is your metric lesson of the day, 3:45/k is 6:00/mile pace.

I ended the run with some dude named Jacob who came sprinting up from behind. We ran the final 3k together and chatted a little about Santa Rosa running. He is new to the area and is an English teacher at Slater Middle School. I attended Slater and probably set some records that might stand to this day. Sara Bei (Hall) #namedrop also attended Slater and used to race in the boys distance events. I was the only one who could beat her too. It was a good way to end the run, though a little annoying to get caught from behind and listen to Jacob struggle to keep up and hold a conversation. He was not invited to my Sunday long run. #elitist #thisisnottwitter

Taken for Granted

Time: 86:43

Distance: 20.01

Pace: 4:20

Map

I basically ran the same loop as yesterday but I felt much better this morning. I'm not sure if it was I was properly caffeinated at Starbucks or if I just got a better sleep. On the run this morning I recognized how lucky I was to have grown up running on these trails. It's what made me good as a youth runner. It's what makes the best runners in Santa Rosa great and the average ones better than most. It's no wonder that Santa Rosa has consistently produced talented cross country and track athletes over the years. I also wondered how it was possible for some runners to be so bad having the same access to the park as everyone else.

I didn't have a single kilometer run over 5:00 minutes (8:00/mile pace) which includes the hills. I have discovered that looking on the elevation profile on Garmin's website doesn't do the hills justice as everything is in the metric system. The elevation at 5.01k is 109m and at 8.07k it's 234m. That doesn't seem like much of a climb until you make the conversion or if you're familiar with meters. It's roughly climbing 100 feet per kilometer which is tougher than 100 feet per mile that is often used as a toughness guide. The elevation chart also appears weaker due to the metric system which I don't like.

Running a Classic

Time: 91:28

Distance: 20.25k

Pace: 4:31

Map

I was up early and off to another coffee shop this morning to find the internet and some caffeine. I opted for a relatively new donut shop near Howarth Park that I'd never been to. I wasn't a fan as the old time behind the counter was beyond deaf. I thought the place had potential, but then the refills were limited to one per customer and I was quickly becoming disgruntled. I did purchase a cinnamon roll and ate it later in the day during a lapse in healthy judgement. Whatever, I used to be a member of the "Friday morning fritter crew" while living in Norman, OK. Scotty D would appreciate my choice.

Isn't this blog about running? Oh yea. I should post about my run and not donuts and coffee, though there is potential there for another blog.

I ran an absolute classic loop this morning that is known throughout Santa Rosa. It usually starts at Howarth Park, but I get to add on a bit by beginning from my mom's. The loop goes up Canyon Trail, around Lake Ilsanjo and back down either Spring Creek Trail or Canyon Trail. I opted for the longer distance of the same way I ascended because I'm trying to run 20k in the morning.

On my way to the base of the hill I spotted a fit looking runner across the creek and I was pretty sure it was Julia Stamps. I kept running and soon ran past a blonde woman with her daughter. It was only after I was a few steps beyond them when I realized it was Nika Horn. I hadn't seen her in several years and she definitely didn't recognize me. The last time I saw her she was probably pushing her daughter, the one that was running alongside her, in a babyjogger. Nika was one of the first, if not the first, great female distance runners to come out of Santa Rosa or Sonoma County.

I was just within an earshot of Nika to hear her say, "Hi, Jules.' It confirmed that the woman earlier was in fact Julia Stamps who is probably one of the most talented high school runners to date. I could rattle off stats, but you should just look her up and see her accomplishments. She now has two kids and is back living in Santa Rosa. Julia is still competitive and recently placed second at the Napa to Sonoma Half Marathon in 1:18.27. She was coached by Danny Aldridge who was also my high school coach. Danny's daughter, Jenny, was also a great high school runner who won the state 1600m in 4:49 defeating Sara Bei (now Hall). How is that for some Santa Rosa name dropping and boring stories of glory days?

I continued on my run and crossed paths with Julia up at the lake twice, but I'm positive she didn't recognize me. The pace on this run never really got going as my legs are still shot from being back on the hills. I've tried giving myself massages at night, but without a roller I've struggled to keep the legs really fresh. I had a good time being back in the park running a loop that I've done hundreds of times before. I forget how lucky I was to get my start running on some of the best trails in the country. People talk about the trails in Portland, Eugene, Boulder, Flagstaff, but Santa Rosa still has some of the best in my opinion.

Good Run with J.K.

Time: 80:49
Distance: 11.34 miles
Pace: 7:07
Map

I shot a quick message over to J.K. Withers facebook account the other day to see if he was in town and interested in getting in a run. J.K. and I raced a bit while we were in high school and he would become one of the best runners in the league. He was on of the few athletes to run for the University of Oregon under Martin Smith (now at Oklahoma), Pat Tyson (Pre's college roommate) and Vin Lanana (one of the best college coaches).

We met up at Howarth Park and ran into Spring Lake before making our way to the hills and trails of Annadel. It was a good loop and the conversation was great. I am still a bit sore from all the hills and rocky terrain that I am no longer used to running. I hope that I'll be able to recover in time to race well at the CVS 5k.

Later in the morning I met up with some good family friends at Starbucks. The day turned out to be packed with productivity. I visited my high school coach's running store, Heart & Sole. I put my mom on my cell phone plan at an AT&T store by the help of an old high school buddy. And in the evening we went out to eat with friends who have taken great care of my mom since I've moved away from Sonoma County.

Spring Lake and Annadel Memories

Time: 54:55
Distance: 7.74 miles
Pace: 7:05
Map

Strides: 6 x 130m
C/d: 7:29 for 1.03 miles

My double run this evening brought back some fond memories of running from my mom's house, to Howarth Park, through Spring Lake and on to the trails of Annadel. I was supposed to run steady this afternoon and do some strides, but I just wasn't feeling the steady portion for various reasons. Instead, I let my mind and body wander on the soft dirt trails that introduced me to the sport of running. I ran into Coach Louis Rosales who is now at Piner High School and is in the process of building a solid program. When I was in high school, Piner could barely field a cross-country team and now they are challenging for the league title.

My run brought me up Spring Creek to the hairpin turn where I opted to turn around and forgo the climb up to Lake Ilsanjo. Once I returned to Howarth Park I got to chat with one of Coach Rosales athletes who will be a stud in the coming years. Eventually I made my way over to a dam and ran 6 x ~130m at a good tempo. I was able to open up the stride and work on quickening the turnover.

I should mention that it was hot out there today, especially for Santa Rosa. My guess is low 90s but it felt comfortable due to the lack of humidity. My shorts were dry by the time I started the cool down back to my mom's.

"Please Don't Talk to Me Right Now"

Time: 90:02
Distance: 12 miles

I ignored Meagan's request and took her back to the hills of Annadel. She said something about running between 12 and 14 miles along a flat surface, but I was being pulled back to Lake Ilsanjo. I took her back up Canyon Trail to the lake and proceeded to run around just as we had done the day before. The difference in today's run was that instead of running completely around the lake and back down Canyon, we were going to run up Warren Richardson Trail and down to Channel Dr. The hill leaving the lake is roughly 800+ meters long and steep. Just as we were nearing the top with ~70 meters to go I said "We're almost to the top." She responded, "Please don't talk to me right now." At the top she caught her breath and then was then ready to start the decent back down to the other side of the state park. The final few miles were run at a respectable pace because things flattened out and the legs were feeling sharp.

Channel Dr. Tempo

Time: ~65:37
Distance: 11 miles

Planned on doing a 4 mile tempo run with Steve and J.K. today. We warmed up from the parking lot down to the turn around point and back which took somewhere aroun 21 minutes. We stopped at the cars to stretch and do drills. We all slipped into flats before jogging the half mile to the starting point. Total time for the w/u was around 25:27 running time.

Target: 4 mile tempo @ 5:00-5:05.
Actual: not that

We started off and I was feeling pretty good. Lungs and legs were fine. First mile split was 5:03. We continued to run well on the second mile which is slightly uphill. With about 400m left before the turn around my left shin was starting to get tight. Not as bad as it was on Weds. but I could feel it. Second mile split was 5:09. About 20 seconds after the turn around I decided to stop and stretch it. Took about 30 seconds to stretch before continuing on. Next mile split was 5:23, granted it was broken up. The shin felt better but still not great so at the three mile mark (ranger station) I decided to stop again, this time for a minute. I was able to run the last mile pain free in 5:11.

Steve and I then jogged for one mile in about 7 minutes before starting a series of 30 sec on, 1 min. off. He wanted the on to be hard but not all out. I opted to go with him and felt fine. The first interval was waaay too fast as he admitted afterward. It was probably a 30 sec. 200 split. He actually glanced at his watch with 10 secs. to go which told me he was over pressed. I ran well on the shorter stuff that took 11:07 (~2 miles). He and I cooled down for a little over a mile in 7:43.

It was a good day of running effort wise. I definitely bitched out on the tempo effort. I didn't feel great and used my shin as an excuse to slow down. I haven't done any sort of real workout since some time in late November. I needed to get my ass kicked today so the training can be more serious come Jan. 1.

Howarth Park to Lake Ilsanjo

Time: 68:38
Distance: 10 miles

Ran with Steve Laurie, J.K. Withers and his little bro Joe Withers this morning. We started at Howarth Park and ran the same loop that I did on Christmas morning. We ran up Canyon, around Lake Ilsanjo, down Spring Creek trail. I started my watch from the yellow poles in HP instead of at the house. The pace was much more relaxed today which I greatly needed. Legs were feeling good today. Had some good chats about my trip to Japan, Martin Smith, and the 3M Austin Half Marathon. J.K. is one of only two guys left on the Oregon team that was coached by Martin when he was the coach in Eugene. Our mile splits today were 7:14 and 6:31 between the yellow gates and the base of Canyon/Spring Creek trails.

Christmas in Annadel

An interesting photo of Lake Ilsanjo in Annadel State Park.

Time: 70:43
Distance: 11-12 miles

Ran from my mom's place in Santa Rosa to the parking lot at Howarth Park (5:51). Continued on to the yellow gate (11:18) and then ran the mile to the base of Canyon Trail (6:28). Ran up Canyon to Lake Ilsanjo, around the lake and down Spring Creek Trail (26:34). Ran back the same way I came out. Base of the hill to the yellow gate mile (5:43), to the parking lot (9:56) and home (4:50).

Image of the boat dock at Howarth Park.

Felt good to be back on the trails in Santa Rosa. I was able to be back on a familiar run that I did all throughout high school. Usually I don't start the clock until I am at Howarth Park, but today I decided I would time the whole thing. I think most people call the run 10 miles if you run up Canyon, around the lake and down Spring Creek. The trails were much rockier than I remember them being in high school.