6 Mile Run (A) --169--

GLENDALE, Calif. -- For once, it was a pretty average run. Good little jaunt. Disappointing that I waited a full week before running again, but I've decided slower is better this time around. Long-term, long-range thinking.

6 Mile Run (A) --167.5--

GLENDALE, Calif. -- Pushed the usual loop out further into Burbank to Ginnell or Grinnell or whatever the hell it's called. This makes it almost exactly a 10K run. Ran it backwards this time, which I think is actually a better direction, so we don't start with a .75 mile downhill.

This run went fine. I'm actually a bit relieved to be able to just put an average A up. It seemed like every run was above average in some way or another. So this one delivered some actual agony. I felt like the new form was going well, so maybe I finally pushed my fitness level out to where it could be tested. So that's good. If the average run can be a 10K or further...hey...that's fantastic.

5K Race - Firecracker/Chinatown (A+)

CHINATOWN, L.A. -- How about that. What a cool race to kick off the Year of the Rat. This Firecracker run is an LA tradtion that I've often wanted to be a part of. So now I am.

Hilly as all hell and bending all around Elysian Park, the Firecracker 10K is the big draw...30 years old with this running. I (wisely) opted for the 5K as the second run of the year in the 2008 plan. I actually thought about doing the 10K, but when the first hill went up 250 feet in the initial half mile, I thought...eh, the 5K was probably wise. (Results here...25:24 official/167th of 1,600/15th in division...JDP gets 25 even/151st of 1,600/13th in div)

I pushed hard. So did JDP. The time looks like a downright disaster...25:24, slower than I've run in three years at least. But effortwise, I was very pleased. I rolled up the hills and floated down, picking off the unwise folks who decided to push hard up the first couple.


Gameplan worked out...was passing people the whole way. But...never really caught that steam where I felt like it all felt good. But the way I look at it now, there was never any flat on the course, so it was hard with a new stride to figure out exactly what the heck was going on. This was a tough course that wound around toward the stadium entrace, going over the 5, around the police academy training areas and whatnot. Turnabout at the Elysian Park entrance. It was something.

But fun as all get out. Chinatown comes alive during the New Year celebration and this was downright cool to see. They fire off a couple thousand firecrackers to ward off the bad spirits before the race (seriously, maybe 200,000 in all) and had those cool dragon costume dancers all over the place with drums. Both races were well populated. We'll see exactly how many when they post the results. I guess my overall feeling about this race will depend on where I finished in relation to the field, because I feel like I ran a good race thought the time was ass. Either way, lots more work to do. A great race all in all...lots of fun.

5 Miles (AA) --168--

GLENDALE, Calif. -- So I blew damn near two weeks of potential runs by forgetting to pack my inhaler and subsequently getting caught in snow storms which delayed/canceled flights. Man did that stink. I was in Detroit, Greenville and Chicago. Very cold and snowy, so it would have been treadmill most likely. But hey...anything would have been nice.

So just got back yesterday and managed to drag myself out before sundown for a good one. Just kept going on the normal route and pushed this one out to darn near 6 miles, but rules are rules, so it only counts for 5.

Had a couple breakthroughs with the new form. Going uphill was almost spiritual at one point...right at the turn. I just felt for a moment like I was falling up the hill...like it was actually a downhill. I can't really describe it. But I felt it. So great.

Felt nothing but strength the whole time after that. Just plowed through it. Really dusted the last 2-3 miles. Couldn't be happier about it. Seriously, I just ran further than I have in probably a year at least (is that possible?) and I feel fine. Not worn out or spent. Fine.

Wowser. Also good to see the weight come down from 170. Not that I usually care one bit about any of that, but all that time in the Midwest has left me feeling the bloat.