Beautiful Harbor Discovery Run

I LOVE San Diego. There is so much beauty here. Forget all of the big-city attributes! I love the harbor, the ocean, the desert gorge, the islands...ok the big-city stuff is great too ;)

Today's run all started with my husband. He has been riding his bike nearly 20 miles to work (one way). The last few days have been stiffling hot and humid so around 3pm he calls me up to come pick him up so he doesn't have to ride home. I agreed. It was just too hot. But that meant I would need to bring him to work bright and early on a Saturday so that he could ride home today. I wasn't super excited to get up early on a Saturday but it proved to be extremely rewarding. There weren't any cars on the freeway, it wasn't hot yet and the sunrise was incredible on the harbor where the hubs works. That, and it gave me a chance to explore a great new running path. Win-win-win. 

Style/Workout:  5.04 Miles, fast and flat
Setting/Route:  San Diego Harbor to Liberty Station and back
Progress: (running mileage):  5.04 today/ 11.45 this month/ 331.35 year-to-date

Here are a few pictures I scalped from the internet of the route! 

One funny thing that happened was that I stumbled upon a fun run! Actually I had heard about it before, it was the All American Heroes 5K/10K. I actually wanted to run it but forgot it was the day! So here I was running along my merry way as I pass markers and water stops. It felt silly! I ran all the way to the starting line, and would have signed up and ran it but I was already 3 miles in and I only had $5 on me. 

It was just cool because I got a feel for how easy it is to access morning fun runs downtown. I am intimidated by major traffic and I was so happy because it was nonexistent! I definitely would like to make early morning Saturday outings a habit. I could even try other areas like Balboa and Coronado. Beautiful! 

Lastly, I ended up with some chafing in between my thighs. It was a different sort though...not the strawberry kind but more of a bubbly-cluster of hives-kind! It was brutal! Thankfully it died down within an hour or so. Time for chafing cream!

A New 3.3 Miles

Style/Workout:  3.33 Run/Walk
Setting/Route: Santo Rd Hill + La Mirage Condo Neighborhood
Progress: (running mileage):  3.3 today/ 6.41 this month/ 326.31 year-to-date

 Today's run was needed for my mental health. Labor Day Weekend is definitely approaching, because the kids are driving me nuts...which means school must be about to start! 

So this run was part of my scheme to get my morning to myself. I drank my coffee outside, ran inside quickly to change, grabbed the laundry and headed away from the travel trailer (oh yeah, if I didn't mention it, we're living in our travel trailer until our military housing becomes available). Once the laundry got started, I switched on my music, did my warm-up lap through the park and headed out. My mission was to explore other possible running routes. I ended up doing lots of hills! Unfortunately we live in a place called Mission Gorge, which means that all around us are hills. And I say "unfortunately" because it's not fun to run hills with every single workout, but I imagine it will do me some good! 

On a separate-but-similar note, I found a great running path near where I will be dropping the kids off for school. My plan is to have my running stuff ready, drop them off and run before I head back to the travel trailer and my To-Do list. I struck the mother load...a beautiful 5-mile looped path along Miramar Reservoir (Lake Miramar), a pretty lake right smack in the middle of what is more of a deserty area. The lake is used as a water source so there is no swimming or watercraft available.

August StrideBox Review

It's August 27th and I'm just getting to this? Could I BE anymore behind? I know! Moving does that...but thankfully my running stuff went into a suitcase with me, and not a random box!

The Stride Guide...not only does it tell you what is inside with a nice description of each, it tells you what they retail. August's haul would cost: $22.93

 The item I was most excited about was the cooling towel. I had actually been shopping for one of these at Sports Authority-not for myself but for my 13-year-old for halftime at his football games. Now I don't have to buy one!
 

5K on a Hot and Sunny Day!

Style/Workout: 5K Run/Walk
Setting/Route: Santo Rd Hill + La Mirage Condo Neighborhood
Progress: (running mileage):  3.11 today/ 3.11 this month/ 323.28 year-to-date

I'm back to blogging! It's things like this that make my life feel more "normal"

 This was by no means a fast run. Not at all! However, I used the Jeff Galloway method and just walked when I needed to and kept trucking forward! I started out with a nice warm-up walk, and had 1/2 mile before I had to tackle the huge hill. It was kind of cool to map this run because it is the same route I have been walking. Turns out it is about 5K! 

It was super hot, and I'm glad I brought my amphipod with water in it. I am going to start filling it up and puting it in the freezer the night before then taking it out in the morning. It was just so hot for me. I think I poured more water over my head than I actually drank!

Summer Has Gotten Away From Me!

Mission: Get Back on Track! 

I haven't been running much this summer, but I refuse to let myself feel guilty about it. I absolutely prefer when I have a good groove going and I am running several times a week, along with strength training and yoga, etc. but summer has not been the season for me! 

Our family just moved 1,000 miles south, from Oregon to California. And while I'm absolutely loving the change, there are a few catches... 

1) It's summer...so the kids are all home, which means that most moments of the day I spend it loud chaos. Occasionally I "win" with some kind of activity or outing, but even then I feel like I spend a lot of time in "survival mode" with the kids.

2) We don't have a house yet, which means we are living out of our (exceptionally large I must admit) travel trailer in a perpetual state of "vacation". Hey, vacation is well and good, but you know how it always seems much harder to squeeze your runs in on vacation? I don't know if it is a state of mind or the lack of routine but if you know what I mean, then you understand the challenge. 

3) New area, unknown running routes. I was so proud of myself when after just a short time here I found a great running route! Remember the one along the golf course? Well after running it a handful of times, I noticed a "No Runners or Walkers" sign. Thankfully I saw that before I got into trouble! It was such a bummer too, because it was such a lovely running route. 

So that is where we are...back to square 1 for what feels like the 17th time. What I can say for myself is that I have been escaping for power walks up the big hill and through the neighborhood that sits on top. I got tired of being frustrated so I threw off all pressure I was puting on myself and just decided to stick with some walks that were working for me, in order to stay active. I have not forgotten my love for running however, not by a long shot. 

In addition, my husband took me for a long, 20-mile bike ride on Saturday which took us all the way down to Mission Bay Park where the bike trails are endless as well as the views. It turns out, even in a big city like San Diego, biking is actually quite practical! I am a novice however and I was pooped after that ride! I'm hoping he will take me more often and I can build up some stamina. I'd really like to ride by the bay more often. Ultimately what I want to do most is stand-up paddle-boarding. I would LOVE to find a SUP Yoga class! 

So that's it kids...and you would be proud of me, I am headed out for a run to wherever the path leads me...in search of new running routes!