Alone.

The calmest runs for me come when I'm running alone. Just me and the music blasting in my ears as each song progresses to the next. Many do not like running with their I-Pods, and it makes any runner look like just something as trivial as the average jogger. I don't know where I began doing it but running with my I-pod just gives me the extra motivation I need, especially around mile 5 or 6, when I know I still have another 5/6 miles to go. It takes you into another world, still able to see the beauty in the world but without all the noise everyone brings to it.

Sunday:

The day was set to be a 9 mile run. This week will be the highest mileage I have ever done in my life. 70 miles. Last week was disapointing to say the least. Only 28 miles done because I wasn't able to run most of those days due to my ankle. This week I said it's done. I'm not going to let this ankle problem get to me any longer. I'm not going to let it hold me back. We ended up going to the beach with family and friends. It was my younger cousin's last day in California so we wanted to end it on a good note. I'm having a good time just laying in the sand just chilling in Huntington Beach. Around 7:20ish I finally get myself up to go run. I finally have what I've been missing, discipline. I'm going to need it for this season. Too long I have stood by and let days and miles go by. So I lace up the shoes and go. I'm running on the bike path cruising at about a 7:30ish pace. The plan for the run was 36 minutes out and 36 minutes back so that it would come to about 9 miles. Someone asked me how do I know how many miles I do. I know now that I never run about an 8 minute pace on my runs so I always multiply my miles by 8 minutes. There will always be some extra miles in there but it's better than being behind. The beginning of the run was filled with ankle pains. It all went away around 15 minutes into the run. That's when out of nowhere a little girl runs right into me. That's when I bust a spin move and completely miss hitting her. It was epic. From then on the pains began to fade. It was just me and my music. As I began getting closer and closer to 36 minutes I could see the sun set. That was the most beautiful thing I have seen in a while. As I came closer and closer to the time the sun began to fade away as well. When I reached it I didn't stop. Something in me told me to keep going. I got to the next stop light and kept going because I saw something familiar, a big building at Bolsa Chica. I had no idea I had gone that far. 43 minutes. I sat down and stretched for a bit. Then I knew I had to go back. I had to get back quite fast because the sun was coming down. It was as though I was racing against the sunset, trying to beat the night from coming first. By this time I was basically alone on the bike path. Everyone had pretty much either gone to their campfire or gone home. It was peaceful but also a bit unsettling. It was hard to see so I had no idea what was coming next, or quite frankly where my car was. By this time my mind had already left me, I was feeling the runners high. That's the point where you don't have enough oxygen going into your brain so you get the sensation of being high without smoking. The body's pain goes away and nothing else matters, it's just you and the trail. I finally finish the run at 1 hour 28 minutes. 12 miles.

Monday:

As every Monday, this day was set to be the speed training of the week. 8 miles of regular running with 8 strides, equaling this day to 10 miles. I kept postponing the run till later and later until finally at 7:40 I decide to go out and run. I start from my house and go up Benson Ave to the 210 freeway; 2.8 miles and then turn left to go to Mills, another 2 miles. From then another two miles of downhill through the Claremont Colleges. I love running through a school it just adds a little excitement to the run. I stop at the track, 6 miles into the run. It's time for the strides, but first I put in a quick mile. I'm just jogging and hit stop on the time and it's a 6:50 mile. Nice way to warm up. Neighbor comes with my Spikes and it's time for my strides. First mile, 3 100m's at 15.8ish and one slow one at 16. Second mile, two 100m's at 15.8ish and two at 14ish. 9 miles done one more to go. It's night now, no lights on the track. No I-pod to keep me entertained just the watch to keep me focused. First lap slow at 2:01, then a 1:53, then another 1:53 and closed with a 1:40ish. Nice little jog to finish the day.
Another 10 miles and still ahead of my miles.