Pacing Adventures: Mission Inn Half

On Sunday, I ran the Mission Inn Half Marathon. I hadn’t wanted to run the race after the bad experience I’d had in 2011, but when some of the runners in my pace group asked me to pace them in the race, who was I to say no to that?

Once I opted to run it, I had some ideas about how the race could be memorable for me. It was my 10^th half marathon, which is a bit of a milestone. Also, the race was an opportunity for me to begin my Long Beach Marathon redemption.

But the race was not about me. Not at all. I decided that on Sunday morning when I met up with my newbie runner, Ashlynn. Not only was Sunday Ashlynn’s first half marathon, it was her first race ever, at any distance. It would also be her longest run ever. She’d never run more than 11 miles, and that was just one week ago at our Sunday run with the Lopers.

The morning was extraordinarily chilly. The temperatures dipped into the 30s, startling considering it had been in the 90s just on Monday. I worried a bit since I haven’t really talked to my pace group about cold-weather clothing but I saw Ashlynn made the same decision I’d made – a long-sleeve white shirt underneath our pink Loper shirt.

Despite the enormity of the day for her, Ashlynn seemed rather calm about the pre-race experience. We’d gathered near the start line and the energy of a throng of half-marathoners was present but it did not distract her much at all. We went over a bit of how we wanted the race to go, planned our course of action and off we went.

The first mile was all downhill and we tackled that fairly effortlessly. The second mile was a bit more of our Sunday pace but that was partly because it was a steady incline. By the time we got done with the third mile, I was feeling strong and hopeful that I could get Ashlynn to the finish line feeling and looking the same.

Now, there had been another first-timer with us but he dropped back around the fourth mile. I’d tried to locate him behind us but he got lost in a group of runners. I hoped that he was well but did not want to break up the momentum we had going forward so opted to push ahead.

Just past Mile 5 we hit some really familiar ground. I was after all on my stomping grounds. The Santa Ana River Trail is after all my favorite place to run (well, the entire Mt. Rubidoux area because of the trails and the mountain itself). I had been out there three times just last week, including a seven-mile run that took me to the turnaround and back.

Now I was back but with hundreds of others, including of course the first-timer alongside me.

We talked and talked and talked. I’ve chatted with her before during our races but this time the conversation flowed smoothly and effortlessly. We talked about food, about our favorite restaurants, about San Francisco and marathons and our respective children. I discovered that she has a love of bread and I can certainly relate. Hearing her talk about the food she likes to indulge in made me rather hungry.

All the while this was going on, I had been trying to gradually increase our speed. Not a great deal, not enough to where we were going to hit the wall and crash and burn down the stretch but enough to where she could push herself a bit more. While she has not run long distances with regularity yet, I have no doubt that Ashlynn can and will do great things in running. But she has not pushed herself in a race before, and that’s only because she’d never run a race before. I wanted to give her a bit of that experience.

We reached the turnaround and I was thrilled. Unlike a year ago, this time the race was a legitimate 13.1 miles, and that was confirmed by the location of the turnaround. Once we started heading back in, I saw our other friend who had fallen behind, all smiles, saying he felt great. Buoyed by the sight of him and some other familiar faces, we plowed ahead. I was feeling better and better with each passing mile and, given by how our steady conversation had not dropped, it looked like Ashlynn was as well.

After Mile 11, we had reached unchartered territory for Ashlynn. I did not want to bring this up, though. I did not want to feel as if I was putting any sort of extra pressure on her. Once we ran past the Mile 12 marker, though, she celebrated. I did as well, congratulating her on adding to her longest run ever.

The final mile was a bit difficult, as it always is. The course starts to go uphill a bit and the street that takes you back out the Market (where the race began) is deceptively long. It does not seem like it will be long but it seemingly stretches out endlessly. Perhaps it’s the anxiety you feel about the race and just wanting to be done with it, but either way it seemed long again on Sunday.

We rounded our second-to-last corner, finally back on Market. I pushed forward and we picked up our speed. I told her that if she wanted to go on ahead to do so but she said no, that she was feeling the race in her legs. Still, we kept going on steadily ahead and got to a stone’s throw of the finish line.

I let her go ahead a bit, excited for her to see the finish line and wanted her to experience that moment all to herself. I was smiling, happy that she had done it, happy that I was able to help her ever so slightly reach her goal, when something unexpected happened.

I crossed the finish line, slowed down and saw Ashlynn crying. Tears had hit her hard and she was overcome by the moment. Without warning, tears swelled up in my eyes as well. I congratulated her, patted her gently on her back and told her that she had just done something grand. She seemed caught off guard by her tears as well, but I told her that I’ve cried in each of my eight marathons (true story) and that she should be proud of herself, that nobody was ever going to take that away from her.

I met her smiling family and told them all how fantastic she had done during the race. She was a bit less emotional, smiling and such but without the tears. After a few minutes we parted ways.

I went over to look at our finish times. She had come in at 2:00:10 and I’d come in at 2:00:12. Time was not at all a factor for me. I knew that we were going to come in right around two hours and had actually debated whether I should bring her in for a sub-two or not.

Ultimately, I decided to let fate answer that question. Fate wanted her to come in where she did, and it will work out nicely. I was able to help her get to her first finish line but she will ultimately break the sub-two mark on her own, and will continue on to bigger and better things.

Knowing that I played a small role in her own running story… well, that’s the kind of stuff that brings tears to my eyes.

Motivational Mondays: Best Racing Year Ever

It's not quite the end of the year yet, not quite time to do year-end recaps, but for me it is.

When I ran the Mission Inn Half Marathon on Nov. 14, I also completed the races I'll have run in 2010. It's kind of a downer to know that I won't race again until February but that just means I'll be able to focus on my next race, the Surf City Marathon on Feb. 6.

Anyway, I wanted to look back at the year I had in races. In terms of running, this has been the best year ever.

Feb. 7: Surf City Marathon

My first marathon! How superb it was to start the year off with a bang, jumping feet first into my first-ever 26.2-mile effort. I'd trained for the marathon so hard and did everything by the book beforehand. I was nervous, anxious, excited and worried about the race. The race itself went off without too many problems until I got past the Mile 22 mark. I hit the wall hard at Mile 23 and it felt like the last three miles took an hour. But I survived and shuffled across the finish at 4:42:26.

The whole race and the days leading up to it were very special moments to me. It sort of culminated all of what I'd gone through for the previous four years, from having weighed 308 pounds to having lost 120 to then having taken up running. I wore a bib on my back with an inspirational message I wrote and it really hammered the point home. I became a marathoner on Feb. 7, and that's something that nobody can ever take away from me.

Race report here.

Will I run this again in 2011? I am already registered! So, barring injury, this will be Marathon No. 3.

March 13: ARMC 5K

After having tackled a marathon, the thought of running a 5K seemed insignificant. However, this race was anything but. First, I wanted to get a more accurate read of the type of runner I was now. My only other 5K had been my first-ever race, back in 2008 when I was a newbie who didn't know what was going on. Also, I bet my brother, my more-athletic, in-shape, works-hard plays-hard brother, that he couldn't beat me in a 5K. We had a lot of fun talking smack before the race and we really did want to compete and beat one another.

I had one of my strongest performances here. Since it was only a 3.1-mile run, I went all out. I hit top speed and stayed there. I finished in 23:03 and beat my brother by more than one minute. I still talk smack to him about this race, and I know it eats at him. I've offered a re-match but he's scared; he just won't admit it.

Race report here.

Will I run this race again in 2010? Well, considering it was free, I'd like to. But I won't run it for speed. I'll save my thoughts on this one until I know it's going to happen but I'll probably be there one way or another.

March 27: Lefty's 5K

Another free race. I signed up for this mostly because it was free, reason enough to get me out there in the fierce wind and run. Also, I enjoyed the race because it was at a bit of a unique place. How often, after all, can you run on a NASCAR track? The best part of the race, bar none, was running on the track at the California Speedway. There were so many skid marks and tire marks on the course, it was unreal. My favorite memory of this race was running down pit row and seeing all the pit areas up close.

Race recap here

Will I run this race again in 2011? Not sure. If it's held again I might want to run it again.

April 19: Run Through Redlands Half Marathon

The challenge, should I have chosen to accept it, was to run a half-marathon in under two hours. I ran with Loper pal (and then-blog buddy) Angie since she also wanted to PR. It was a hilly course and the sun began to weigh on us the further we went along but that wasn't enough to stop a pair of determined runners. We each set a PR, each got under two hours for the first time and each were proud of our accomplishments. My year wasn't close to being over after this race but I believe this was my best performance of the year, that I ran my best race in April, in Redlands.

Race report here.

Will I run this race again in 2011? If I don't take a break after the LA Marathon, I might want to run this again.

May 1: Run For Rescue 10K

I had run my first marathon, shattered my 5K PR and gotten under the two-hour mark in a half marathon. But there was one more obstacle to tackle. I wanted to get under 50 minutes in a 10K. The Run For Rescue course was uphill for a good portion, making the task more difficult. Despite fretting about the hills, I got through them just fine and at the end of the race I knew I was close to a sub-50 minute finish. I was all but out of gas but still fought through and crossed the finish at 49:42. I even placed fourth in my age group!

What also stands out is that my daughters ran their first race afterward. It was called the Kiddie K but it really was just a loop around the parking lot. It was a fun experience for all of us.

Race report here


Will I run this race again in 2011? Probably not. The race was actually for a good cause and it's a small race but I don't know that I'll be up for a 10K in early May.

May 22: San Bernardino Mud Run

I didn't want to find a closer and better race than Camp Pendleton - and didn't - but rather I wanted for my daughters to participate in a Mud Run. The SBSD Mud Run had a children's 1K Mud Run and this was the main reason why I chose to run this race. The course was not as challenging as Camp Pendleton and the obstacles seemed to be just pure mud, mostly mud pits. It was a 5K so not a lot of running either but I still enjoyed myself out there and got plenty muddy. The kid's course, though, was a true 1K; the first portion mostly running and the last part the same exact obstacles we had to go through. Yvie surprised me with her determination while Kennedy cried through a lot of the race but still pushed through. In the end, we were all muddy and all proud of what we'd done.

Race report here

Will I run this race again in 2011? It's a pretty safe bet that we will. I don't know if I'll do the 5K but the girls ask about the Mud Run and seem excited about it.

June 5: Camp Pendleton Mud Run

The race that started it all for me. The bonus this year - I got to meet blog reader Anne (aka Tahoegirl) and her husband. The race was fun as always, perhaps made even more challenging because of my inactivity. I didn't run at all the week before to see if rest would help my ongoing heel issues. I didn't bother trying for a PR and I didn't come close to it. But that didn't diminish from the experience at all.

Race recap here

Will I run this race again in 2011? Yes, the only question is the date. I'm hoping for June 18.

July 25: San Francisco Marathon

The mother of all hilly runs. I took this one on head-first. I wanted my second marathon to be special, and this one certainly was. Mrs. LB and I traveled up to San Francisco and made a weekend out of it. This race had so many special moments, it's tough to narrow them down. The few miles I spent running on the Golden Gate Bridge were an absolute highlight of my running life. The hills, though, took their toll on me and the last few miles my legs were shot. However, I tried to finish strong and fought through the hill-induced aches. I finished in 4:37:51 as I bested my Surf City time by about five minutes. I also got to meet three blog buddies! Amanda of Fat Wuz Here, Katie of One Run At A Time and Jill of Run With Jill. And Mrs. LB and I had a fantastic weekend - how's that for a race experience?

Race report here


Will I run this race again in 2011? Even though I told my wife as I hobbled walked back to the hotel room that I would not run the full marathon there again, I am all but sold on the idea of running that race once more.

Oct. 17: Long Beach Half Marathon

I had already set a half-marathon PR earlier in 2010 but I wanted to beat it. I wasn't sure if I could but my previous PR was on a hilly course. Long Beach was advertised as "flat and fast" and it lived up to the billing. Despite sleeping only four hours, I was up for the race. My Garmin, though, was not. The Garmin was not reading accurately in Mile 3 so I stopped relying on it.

The loss of the Garmin made me focus on simply getting to the next mile marker. I enjoyed the beachfront path and the smell of the ocean. Once off the path and headed down the stretch, I knew I was close to a PR. I cruised into the finish but still wasn't sure what my official time was. However, a few minutes after finishing Mrs. LB sent me a text with my official time - 1:55:03!

Race recap here


Will I run this race again in 2011? If I run this race, I might run the full. Otherwise, I might just pass altogether.

Nov. 14: Mission Inn Half Marathon

I closed out the year with my local race, the Mission Inn Run. I'd run the 10K the last two years but opted for the half marathon this time (it's only been the second year the race has featured a half marathon). I wasn't feeling confident about setting a PR - and didn't - but I knew I had a strong race inside of me. I figured that if I ran strong and ran a good race, I would be happy. I did that and finished strong. My time of 1:56:20 is not my PR but it's still a time I was very happy with.

Race recap here


Will I run this race again in 2011? I'd like to. It's my local race so that makes it very appealing.

Mission Inn: No PR; What's Up Next

It's been a few days since my half marathon but I wanted to take a look back at the race and write about some things that didn't make the race recap.

No PR

I don't want this race to be remembered for not having set a PR. I did, though, have a stretch where every race I did, I did just that. I set PRs in each of my two previous half-marathons, this year; had improved my 10K time the last two 10Ks I ran; had bested my marathon time in the second one over the first.

So this is sort of new to me, running a strong race but not setting a PR.

I'm not upset. I wasn't upset during the race when I realized it wasn't going to happen, wasn't upset after the race and am no upset now, a few days after.

It would be one thing if I didn't know why my time wasn't what it was in Long Beach. I hadn't run as much as I should have been running after Long Beach and, perhaps more importantly, I didn't do any speedwork. Speedwork is critical for improving time, and I did none of it.

Still, I managed to get a 1:56:20 so I'm not exactly lamenting over a poor time.

Hometown Race

I've lived in Riverside since 1989 save for a two-year stretch Mrs. LB and I did in Temecula (yeah, it was like a prison sentence). Oh, and then there were the few months we picked up and moved to Mexico, in 2002. But aside from that, I've lived here in Riverside since '89, and Mrs. LB longer than that.

But it wasn't until 2008 that I participated in the Mission Inn Run. That year was my first year as a runner, and by November '08 I was embracing that. I ran the 10K that year as there was no half-marathon option. Last year I ran the 10K again because the Lopers recommended that I do as much, but I was pretty bummed that I didn't run the half as it was the first year.

After having run this race for the third consecutive year, I think I'd like to keep running it for the foreseable future. I might not run the half every year, might try to set a 10K PR or something, but it's cool to know that I have a hometown race that I enjoy and now have some history with.

That being said, it would be nice if the course ran through more streets and less of the out-and-back bike path.

Tape Issues

When I went to Seattle, I bought some medical tape for my nipples. It's worked great, and considering I lost the other tape I had it's been a bit of a lifesaver.

(If you aren't aware, I have nipple issues as they bleed on me like crazy if I don't take care of them. Don't believe me? Look here)

Well, I had taped the nips before the race... okay, well, let me rephrase that. I had tape on them. I'd had tape on them from earlier in the week. Sometimes I just like to let the tape stay on there because it kinda hurts to take off.

Late in the race, I felt the unmistakable nipple pain that's cause me so much grief since I've been running. I dismissed it though because I was focused on the race. Also, my undershirt of choice is one that's pretty skin tight so it helped stave off pain and blood.

Later, when I took off my shirt the tape was indeed gone from both nips and I felt some tenderness in the area.

I'm just lucky I didn't bleed.

What's Next?

Sadly, I have no more races to run in 2010. This was race number 10 and it concluded a memorable and busy calendar.

My next race won't be until Surf City 2011, on Feb. 6, when I will run Marathon No. 3. I would like to run a half marathon in January, to use as a training run for Surf City but not sure if that will happen.

My next half-marathon won't be until much longer. Next spring, the Run Through Redlands will present another challenge but I'm not sure if I'll run that. I will run the Fontana Days Half Marathon in June and will look to PR there since it's all downhill... literally. The course is downhill from start to finish. Can't beat that.

Motivational Mondays: Mission (Inn) Accomplished

While it's fun to race in a new location, there's something to be said about familiarity and close proximity to home. Such was the case Sunday as I was running in the local Mission Inn Run. I woke up at 5 a.m., tossed and turned until 5:35 and then got up to get ready. By 6:10 I was in my car, and by 6:20 I was looking for a parking spot.

The Mission Inn Half Marathon offered a close location to home but also offered the chance of running another half marathon, my third of the year and fourth all-time. I had been going back and forth on whether I wanted to PR or not and ultimately decided I was going to go for it but knew that it was possible, likely even, that I would not come close.

While the Mission Inn course was relatively flat, it was not flat and fast as Long Beach. Add to that the wind that was blowing in from the north and it was going to be a challenging race.

I walked around towards the start area, ran into some friends and hung out for a few minutes. Then, I warmed up by running almost back to where I'd parked and then back towards the start line. All told, I ran about .8 mile, which worked out great.

Once near the start line, I felt the usual pre-race excitement. I was happy that I was running yet another race and trying to soak in the moment of what would be my final race of 2010.

The horn went off and the half-marathoners spilled forward onto Market Street. Very early on I had to dodge around plenty of other runners. The street sloped downward and helped my time, but I was also eager to get out in front and set a strong early pace. But after one mile, I felt I'd come out too fast. I'd run an 8:04 mile right off the bat and needed to slow down. Mile 2 swung us around a park and back through some residential areas, and at 8:42 was a more comfortable and manageable pace. I felt good, felt strong and did not feel any wind.

The course took us right by the entrance of my beloved Mt. Rubidoux, a place I've run sparingly since the spring, when it became a once-a-week fixture on my racing calendar. I felt the urge to run on the path briefly, just to say I ran on Mt. Rubidoux during a race.

We meandered through some more residential areas until about Mile 4, when we went around the base of Mt. Rubidoux, and the course was then a paved bike path. Eventually I came up behind the top of Mt. Rubidoux and saw the flag and cross that are prominent displays atop the local landmark.

At this point, we crossed the place that was the turn-off for the 10K. The 10K course deviated back through the park we originally ran through, past some houses and back towards downtown. That would await us near the end, but before then we had to run about four miles along the bike path, turn around and run four more miles back.

Miles 3 and 4 were run at 8:44 and 8:30 while Mile 5 was at 9:13. Most of Mile 5 was run with the wind blowing against me. While the houses and the park had offered protection from the wind, I was out in the open on the bike path.

I plugged along though, trying not to think about how awfully far it would be before I could turn around. I tried to keep landmarks in mind for the return trip. The course took us under four streets/freeways, which was about the only protection we had from the wind. I'd turned my hat around early on so it woulnd't be a casualty of the run. Somewhere along the path, the wind blew a hat clean off the runner in front of me. I reached for her hat but couldn't get it and she had to dart backwards to grab it.

I wasn't sure how to run in the wind. I tried to keep my arms close to my body, tried to stay compact but didn't want to throw off my mechanics.

But the wind wore on me. Mile 6 (8:54), Mile 7 (8:47) and Mile 8 (9:26) were all run into the wind.

I'd wanted to be at Mile 10 before the 1:28 mark. I figured if that were the case I could give it a good final three-mile push to get close to the 1:55 I needed to PR. So Mile 9 then meant some pushing and I ran it in 8:17, which was encouraging. But it also seemed to take a toll on me. The next mile was at 8:55 and I was at about 1:29 when I finally got to Mile 10.

Still, I felt strong and felt encouraged by that. In Long Beach, I felt like I was stuck in the same speed, a not-too-fast speed, for the final 4-5 miles but I felt like I had a kick in me this time. I wanted to stay strong, stay at my pace and then pick it up for the last stretch.

Mile 11 (8:43) was done and I finally was off the bike path shortly after. Originally, I wanted to pick up the pace here, once I was done with the bike path and close to the finish. But that did not happen. I didn't have much left and wondered if the wind had indeed won the battle. Mile 12 (9:13) was tough mentally but I kept reminding myself that it was my last race of the year, that it was only a small amount of time before I'd be done, that I would be upset with myself if I didn't give it my all here.

Now, earlier Mrs. LB had called and told me she was setting up with the girls. That was the big carrot dangling in front of me. I wasn't sure where they would be but figured it would be near the finish. I hoped that their presence and cheers would give me the energy I'd need to tear through to the finish.

The final mile was probably the toughest. This one was the only one that featured any sort of hill, and it weighed on me. I trudged up the hill and while I was giving it a good effort, my speed was not exactly there. Finally I turned the corner and had to keep running at an incline but only briefly.

Up ahead I saw the girls. Mrs. LB had the camera poised and ready and the girls were cheering loudly.

"Go Daddy! Run Daddy! Yay Daddy!"

Both the girls had their hands in the air, smiling broadly, jumping up and down, and their energy was the boost I needed. I didn't feed off it right away but once I got back on Market I went into a sprint. Mile 13 (9:06) could have been worse but I picked up the pace enough to make a bit of a difference. Finally the last corner was ahead of me and I was giving it all I had at that point. I saw the finish line, saw the time was at around 1:56:xx and knew that I was in fact not going to PR.

But it didn't matter to me then. I knew I had given it everything I'd had in me, knew that I ran a strong race and felt happy about my effort.

I tell this to my girls all the time: "It doesn't matter to me if you win or lose. What matters to me is that you give it your all. As long as you try your hardest, I'm happy."

So I took my own advice. I tried my hardest (my muscles constantly reminded me of just how hard I'd tried) so I had no reason to not feel happy about my effort.

What made the race a truly unforgettable one, however, was this:

How could I not be happy when I've got this kind of support?

Mission Inn Half

I barely had time to blog about the half marathon but I am running a half marathon on Sunday! The Mission Inn Half Marathon! Yay.

I'll update shortly after the race. The race starts at 7 a.m. PT and I'm hoping to finish before 9 a.m. I'm going to go for it, go for a PR but am fully aware that I may not be able to get it. I will be much more well-rested than Long Beach and the course isn't hilly. It is an out-and-back, for about six or seven miles.

Anyway, I'm ready. My legs feel ready for a long, fast run so here's hoping the rest of me is too.

Motivational Mondays (Dec. 7)

We've still got a few weeks left before we close out 2009 and move into 2010, but my 2009 race calendar is in the books. Sunday's Holiday Classic 15K was the last race I will have run in during 2009. In all, I ran in six races this year.

Now, I realize that six races is not a lot to many runners. That's an average of one every two months, and other runners out there run races more frequently than that.

But consider this: before 2008, I'd run in exactly zero races, so I ran six more races in 2009 than I'd ran in my entire life up until 2008. In '08 I ran in three races, so I doubled my races from last year to this year.

What does 2010 hold in store? Beyond Surf City, not sure. But what I am sure is that I need only look back at my races in 2009 to draw motivation and strength from, and to prove to myself that I have the ability to meet challenges head on, and have fun while doing so.

A look back at my races in 2009:

April 4: Seal Beach 10K

My first race of 2009 was an unexpected, last-minute 10K that I ran with my brother Danny. I don't think we had planned it but a few days before, or even a week before the race itself.

At the time, I was training for my half-marathon and figured this would have been a good tune-up race. It was very discombobulated from the beginning, and my time reflected it. I ran in 56:00 and while that is a respectable time, I wasn't quite happy with it.

Still, knowing what I now know, I realize that my time was more of a reflection of my overall training than the morning's events.

I was happy that I participated in a race again, as I'd considered and scrapped other races before this one, including a 5K in January.

Race report here.

Will I run this again in 2010: No. There are other 10Ks closer to my house that I'd prefer over this race.

April 19: Run Through Redlands Half Marathon

My shining race moment of 2009. Even though I'd go on to run other races, enjoyable races, races in which I didn't feel like my heart was going to beat out of my chest after I finished, I think this was the monster race obstacle I conquered in 2009.

After running my first Mud Run and the 2008 Mission Inn 10K, I decided the next logical step in my running was to shoot for a half. I hadn't joined the Lopers and was only doing things by myself, which is to say I did a lot of things improperly (no Gu, no fuel belt, no real training schedule). And again my time reflected that.

But that's not to say that I didn't conquer the beast, that I didn't meet the 13.1-mile challenge head-on and lived to tell about it.

Race report here.

Will I run this again in 2010? Maybe. I really want to run another half in 2010, and this might be one of the half-marathons I run next year, if I can squeeze in more than one during the calendar.

June 13: Camp Pendleton Mud Run

What fun! Another Mud Run came and went, and I enjoyed it as much as I did the first one.

The Mud Run was the reason I got into running, and the inspiration for the name of this blog. I signed up for a Mud Run scheduled for October 2008 and thus had to train for it. Along the way I realized that I loved to run, and it became a bit of an obsession.

This year, my goal wasn't just to finish the Mud Run but to do well in it. I wanted to beat my time of 1:07:44 from the first year, and secretly wanted to get close to an hour. I set a new PR (1:06:52) but was not too close to an hour.

Still, one of my goals for 2010 will be to beat my brother Danny's Mud Run time from 2009. I'm pretty confident I can get close since we were even at one point late in the race.

Race report here.

Will I run this again in 2010? You bet your ass I will.

Oct 9-10: Ragnar Relay Las Vegas

I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I signed up for the Ragnar Relay. I was worried, anxious, excited and nervous... and pretty much any other adjective you could describe, before the race. But mostly I was just unaware. Totally unaware of what was in store for me.

To say it went well would not even begin to describe it. I completely, utterly and totally enjoyed myself. I fell in love with the Ragnar Relay. When I want to think of something uplifting, all I need to do is to pick some random moments during the race and I instantly feel good, whether it was laying down on a patch of rocks at midnight and trying to sleep or gearing up for my first leg while wearing a reflective vest and headlamp, or the fantastic breakfast we had at an empty restaurant in a casino somewhere outside of Vegas.

It was a monster challenge that required a great deal of determination, motivation and - most of all- teamwork, and our team, the awesome Desert Tortoises, rose to the challenge.

Race reports for Leg 1, Leg 2 and Leg 3.

Will I run this again in 2010? Oh how wonderful it would be to run this again. I'd love to run this race once more, and I'd really really love to run another one of these as they are all over the country. The Wasatch Back one is in June and might be interesting to participate in. Since going to Seattle, though, I've really been intrigued by the Ragnar Relay Northwest Passage, which is in July and goes from Blaine to Langley. That's probably just a fantasy though, but I'd love to make the Ragner Relay Las Vegas a reality in 2010.

Nov. 8: Mission Inn Run 10K

After setting a time of just over 52 minutes in this 10K race in 2008, I wondered if I would be able to beat that time this year and worried that I was somehow not as strong of a runner in 2009, late 2009 that is, than I was in 2008 even though I was more knowledgeable, stronger, better prepared, etc., now than before.

So I was excited then that I not only set a new PR but smashed the old one in the process.

The race was fantastic all the way through as I felt great from the moment I crossed the start line to my sprint into the finish. I set a new bar for future 10Ks but it is one I feel I can scale.

Race report here.

Will I run this race again in 2010? I will run the Mission Inn Run in 2010 but not the 10K. I will run the half-marathon. It's not until November but I will be excited for it when it arrives.

Dec. 6: Holiday Classic 15K

A great way to close out my race calendar.

The 15K was a strange distance and I did not know whether to push myself all the way through like I'd done in the 10K or if I should approach it like a half marathon. In the end, I think my approach was a cautious one but I still had a respectable time, and one that I'm proud of.

It was great to have run a race like this to close out the calendar as I got a lot of support from fellow Lopers and random people because I wore pink, because others identified me as a Loper.

That just made it a fitting end since I've become a much better runner because I joined the Lopers.

Race report here.

Will I race this again in 2010? Not sure. December of 2010 seems like such a long time from now, it's tough to say.

*****

One interesting note about all these races was that I had the support of all my blog buddies to help me along the way, and that alone makes these races and experiences special, and I can't wait to continue that into next year.

Overall, I feel like even though I may not have had the quantity, I more than made up for it with the quality of races. The Mud Run is not just another 10K, and the Ragnar Relay is not just another race. And when my shortest race was a 10k, I think I did well to conquer longer distances.

I know that I will start my 2010 race calendar off with a gigantic challenge (Surf City Marathon on Feb. 7) and a race that could easily move into my number one slot of best race memories, but I do know that even then it will be tough for the 2010 race calendar to be as enjoyable and rewarding as this year's was.

The Pink Flash

The pictures from the Mission Inn Run are up on the photographers' web site.

Since there were no actual pictures of me taken by my own camera, I might spring for one of these two pictures.

I think it might be cool to have one of these action shots of me in my awesome hot pink shirt. Well, I have the pictures but they have that water mark. I'm going to get one though. Why not?

This is at about the 2.5-mile mark. I can tell because my shirt isn't quite drenched with sweat yet. I was doing pretty well here, feeling good and strong.

****
This is at the same point during the second go-round, so I have about a half-mile to go, probably longer. I was doing well at this point, and trying to finish strong. But right about here was where I started to feel that if I would push myself hard, I wouldn't have much left for the sprint down the finish. I was in maintain mode.

***

One other thing: in looking at my time again, it seems I somehow improved my position in the overall male finishers. It seems that I now finished in 101st overall. Not sure what happened to finishers 101 and 102 as I'd originally finished 103rd. So now I was just a couple of seconds away from a medal.

Argh!

Mission Inn Musings

Some tidbits left over from the Mission Inn Run...

Where Are The Pictures?

I didn't actually take any pictures myself at the run. Sadly, Mrs. LB and the girls had a prior commitment and weren't able to attend, so nobody greeted me at the finish except volunteers. As I went to the race myself, I couldn't really take a camera.

Funny thing is, I ran into Yvie's teacher at the race. I volunteer in her class a lot so she knew me and we exchanged a brief hello as her husband had just finished the 10K himself (I don't know yet if I beat his time or not). I suppose I could have asked her to take a picture of me.

But there is one picture floating around of me in my awesome pink Loper shirt. You'll have to click here to see it. Angie of Angie Eats Peace had her camera and her husband took this picture.

The other person in that picture is Art, one of my Loper pace leaders. He had run the half marathon with a time of 2 hours, 11 minutes. Funny thing is Art had run 20 miles in 3 hours 40 minutes the day before the half marathon. He's run a total of 52 marathons, and will run number 53 next month in Las Vegas. He's 58 years old.

Yes, I am in awe.

Picking The Pics

Now, there will be some pictures of me I believe. There were photographers along the course and it was a real strange coincidence that when I came upon them I was right in their way, like weird. I was running and the photographer was in front of me and there wasn't anybody or anything between me and the photographer.

Strange how that worked out.

Anyway, hopefully there will be some action pictures of me. And hopefully I won't look like I was suffering too much.

Claim Your Medal, LB

One of my readers (JM) commented on my Mission Inn Run race recap about the medal and wanted to know how much faster would I have needed to run in order to have gotten a medal. It was actually a great question and really got me thinking.

To answer her question, I would have needed to run about six seconds faster as the 100th male finished in 50:19. My time officially was 50:24. It was attainable and will be attainable for me the next time I run it.

I started thinking about this, about earning a medal. I've received medals before. Actually, my first race, my 5K back in '08, I got a medal for and I figured that every race would be like that, that you'd get participation medals in all races no matter what. Of course, it's not like that.

The longer races seem to have participation medals as I got one for the Run Through Redlands Half-Marathon and the Ragnar Relay, and will get one for Surf City.

But while those medals are great and treasured, I didn't really earn them. Now, you could say that by signing up and running the race I earned them and while I won't argue that, I will say that I haven't earned one by finishing in a certain time or place. Again, I'm not so concerned with time and competing against others, but I suppose in some ways it would be nice to earn a medal this way, to finish in the top whatever of a race and get a medal that others didn't.

Still, I'm not going to fret over that but it is something that I hadn't thought about before. We'll see if it comes back into mind the next time I run a 10K.

Pace Yourself

I wound up running the 10K with an overall pace of 8:06, which is pretty good for me. I had run the 10K a year ago at about 8:30. Shaving seven seconds and finishing the 10K with a pace of 7:59 would translate into finishing in 49:53, which would be fantastic, but it's a challenge.

Still, I think I can get there. I just need to run more tempo runs and more intervals as I hadn't been running many of these lately, well, not as many as I would have liked.

Mission Inn Run 2009: Raising The Bar

For the last month or so, I'd switched my focus from the Ragnar Relay to the Surf City Marathon, but part of my training included the Mission Inn Run 10K. I'd ran the race before, as it was my first regular, non-obstacle 10K run and I'd set a pretty good time of 52:55.

But over the last two weeks or so, I'd wanted to beat that time and had set my sights solely on this race. I had two goals: 1) beat my time from last year, and 2) finish in 49:59 or better. Goal 1 was a must, Goal 2 would have been icing on the cake.

Although I'd ran the Ragnar Relay and the Mud Run in the last five months, this was my first regular street race since the Run Through Redlands in April. As I went to check in and grab my bib - I got number 88 - I felt the excitement of the pre-race atmosphere.

There must be a hundred runners out here already.

I had about 20 minutes to go before the race started when I walked up to the start line, but I wasn't ready to get a spot in the start. I warmed up by jogging very lightly, walking, then jogging faster and increasing the pace little by little. I ran a total of about .8 miles and got my pace up to the pace I thought I would feel comfortable at the start.

When the 10K runners started to gather at the start, I tried to grab a spot up near the top, and I met up with a pair of my Loper pace group buddies. One of them, Meriel, was worried about time and wondered how she should run it, as it was her first 10K. I had faith in her, as even though she is a first-year Loper like myself, she is one of the stronger runners in our 11-minute pace group.

I wound up running with Angie of Angie Eats Peace, who wanted to beat her 2008 time of 56 minutes, for a good portion of the start. We sort of pushed each other for the first two miles, and we flew. We finished the first two miles in about 15 minutes, 20 seconds.

Holy crap! Man, those tempo runs worked!

I knew we wouldn't be able to hold that pace for the entire race but it felt very good to know that I was even running that pace and not feeling the effects.

Early in the third mile, though, we got to a hill. It wasn't the steepest hill ever but it was steep enough. Our early speedburners were shut off, and Angie fell behind a bit. I pushed forward, got up to the main street (Market Street) and swung a right. The half-marathoners were running alongside us at that point.

I'm so running that next year.

I had to maintain my focus and I sort of lost it during this stretch. After the turnaround point, which was the end of mile 3, I was at about 22 minutes, a little more. I felt good knowing that if I were to run a 5K I know I could beat my 5K time of 25:05. Perhaps it was this that made me lose my focus, or maybe I just got a bit fatigued, but by the time I got to the end of Mile 4 I was at about 32 minutes, and that was about the same time I had been at a year ago.

Stupid Garmin! What the hell?!?

Thinking back now, The Garmin was not working properly. It kept giving me "Weak GPS Signal" readings, so I think my times may have been off at a certain point. Regardless, I felt that if I didn't push myself, I wasn't going to beat my PR and would definitely not come close to finishing in under 50 minutes.

Time to push yourself.

Angie had caught me sometime during Mile 4 but I sped up and left her and a group of other runners behind, probably not too far behind but I couldn't see them in my peripheral vision. I was worried though that I wouldn't be able to maintain that pace for much longer and while I know I slowed down (The Garmin was unreliable by this point) I could feel myself going at a good pace regardless.

The 5-mile marker came up and..

"40 minutes, 41 seconds"

I had a shot. I had 1.2 miles left and I was going to do whatever I could to finish in under 50 minutes. But the realities of running sunk in quickly. My muscles ached, my feet were taking a pounding and I could feel my heart working overtime. The hill approached yet again, and it slowed me down once more. I came up out of it, made a left on a street where the hill wasn't much of a factor but it took some time coming out of it.

Still, I kept pushing. I could see Market Street up ahead, and once I turned onto it I knew that there would be no holding back. But Mission Inn Boulevard was a ways down, and I wasn't sure if I could sprint that far.

This is what you do intervals for.

I heard people on the sidewalks cheering, and that sort of gave me a lift. I steadily improved my pace, got faster and by the time I was approaching Mission Inn, I was running as fast as I could.

No holding back now. You got this.

I wanted to leave nothing in reserve. My legs churned, my chest heaved, sweat dripped down my sunglesses and drenched my shirt. I remembered to look at the clock as I approached the finish line, but I couldn't really tell where the exact finish line was. Still, I shot a look at the clock as I slowed down.

50:24

I felt a mix of emotions. First, I was tired. I was breathing heavily and I wanted to jog a little longer but I was funneled into a the finish line and had no choice but to walk. Secondly, I could feel my leg muscles relaxing for the first time in about 50 minutes. They breathed sighs of relief. And since I hadn't taken my fuel belt or Gu, I was feeling the need to get some fluids and fuel inside of me. After I was able to get past my physical shortcomings, I was able to think about my time.

New PR!! Kick ass!!

As I made my way over to get some water, someone who I'd beaten told me that I needed to get my medal. Apparently, the top 100 male and female runners get a medal, and since I'd finished before that guy and he'd gotten one, I needed to get one. I went back to the finish and asked for one but didn't get it. I didn't care, but as I waited with Angie (who had her medal swung around her neck) I started to feel as if I got ripped off. Angie destroyed her PR, finishing in 51:24, while Meriel beat us both, finishing in under 50 minutes.

Once the official results were posted, I went over to see if I'd finished in the top 100 and then would go track down a medal.

I scanned the list, saw my name and...

103___7__M__34__50:19___88

Oh no! I didn't finish in the top 100 as I finished 103 in the overall male category, and apparently seventh in my age group.

I actually feel good about this. For one, I love my time. 50:19 is an awesome time! Much better than 50:24, and way better than 52:55. Secondly, I know I can run a better 10K race. I could stand to shed a few pounds, not talking 20 or 120 by any means but I know I can get leaner. And I know I can train better. I'm still in my early running stage as I've not ran a marathon before, have ran only one half-marathon and one 5K along with my three regular 10Ks, two Mud Runs and the Ragnar Relay. That's not a ton of races. I think the longer I run, the more races I run, the better my training will be. Plus, I haven't done hardly any resistance training this year so there's that element as well.

I like this bar that I've set for myself, and I know that the next 10K I participate in, I'll have an awesome chance of finishing in 49:59 or under so long as I remain true to myself in the run-up to the race.

Until then, I'm going to relax and enjoy the moment.

Eve Of Mission Inn

It's a day away from the Mission Inn Run and I feel good about my chances of finishing the race in under 52:55. That's the time I posted last year and is my 10K PR, so I'm hopeful that I will be able to beat that time.

I had a fantastic workout on Friday as I did The Interval. For the low parts, I ran at a 6.5 and for the high parts I ran an even 8.0, so that's at a 9:12 and 7:30 pace, respectively. I actually felt great running the faster pace, didn't feel like it was blazing fast or anything so that was very encouraging for my race. I finished off with a two-minute sprint at 9.0, which is about 6:40 pace. Yeah, that's way too fast for me to maintain it for more than a couple of minutes but to be able to run that fast after having run/walked for nearly 3.5 miles at that point was also encouraging.

I'm not saying I'm going to go into a full-on blazing sprint the last half-mile or longer, but I do have hope that I'll be able to pick up the pace on the stretch run. Whether that's a 6:40 pace or not remains to be seen but I could maintain a faster pace this time around than I did last year. I remember last year trying to go into my sprint a bit early and being humbled right away by not being able to maintain it for 20 steps.

Whatever happens on Sunday, I am going to remain positive about it. I know that I can train better and eat better and be in a better frame of mind leading up to a 10K. I'll just have to try my hardest to move the bar higher for the next time. And if that doesn't happen, then I'll have another chance to beat my 10K time soon enough.

One other thing...

I wanted to re-print my Mission Inn Run experience from 2008. I've come a long way both in my running and my blog since then. To wit: I had no comments on this original post!

**Re-printed from Nov. 9, 2008**

Sunday was going to be a good day no matter what. I felt as much when I got up this morning. It was going to be good for several reasons:

- The Mission Inn Run was today and I was going to participate in it.
- The race would cap off a year that saw me run in three races, and actually I ran those in a span of six months.
- It would also mark the end of my running... for now. By no means am I stopping but I need a break from running.

I was running the race with my two younger brothers, Danny (27) and Jesse (19). The older one of the two is an experienced runner, and all-around athlete, while the younger is in his running infancy. So I had others to help keep me company.

We got there early, pre-registered and made our way around the beginning of the route. My wife and girls were there too from the start and helped cheer me on.

At 8:30, we stood on the start line with a daunting six miles standing between myself and personal glory.

Gee, that seems really long right about now.

The horn sounded off and hundreds of shoes hit the street. I was near the front at the start but I settled well back of the leaders. If there was anyone to avoid in helping me keep pace, it was the speed burners up front. I wanted to save some of my energy for the end.

We ran down the main street of the race and made our way toward a park on the edge of the city. The scenery was actually things we'd see again as the 10K route called for us to run the 5K route twice. Near the end of the street, we sloped downhill and ran into a path that cut through the park.

It was pretty even terrain at that point and I guessed we were at around the mile mark.

See? Just five miles more.

I hadn't been in the best conditions during the week to train so I did not enter the race with much confidence. I knew I could finish it but I was worried I'd struggle. But early on, there were no negative effects from my setbacks this week.


The path was actually quite scenic. It took us near the edge of the lake and several people were there fishing.

I wish I would have gone fishing instead.

I looked far ahead to see if I could make out the curvature of the path and sure enough I saw dozens of runners around the bend and through the trees. Pretty soon, we were running around the last vestiges of the lake and the park in general as a neighborhood - and cups of water - awaited us.

Wait. Is that an uphill run?

Sure enough, the water was a small positive to what was a major negative. A hill greeted us. Now, it wasn't a very steep hill. But I feared that in my less-than-stellar condition I would have problems with the hill. Still, I tried to keep my pace and did well to reach the top. A bend followed and we were headed down toward the main street, which is actually Market Street.

I made a right on Market and saw other runners headed toward me. We had to run about three blocks to the turnaround point before starting the second portion of the run.

Okay, you did the first half fine. Just do that again and you'll be good.

Still, I didn't feel good. I felt just okay. My heart rate had straddled the 180s for most of the second part of the run up to that point and that only meant it was going to climb for the remainder of the race. For me, 180 is manageable but the closer I get to 185 the more I have to conserve my strength. I'd love to run between 170-180 but I was past the point of keeping it in the 170s unless I wanted to slow down.

No slowing down. I've got to finish this as quick as possible.

I went back down Market towards Fairmount Park. There weren't as many people as there had been the first time I ran that way but there were still quite a few runners around me. I got back into the park, ran back the same path and was prepared to see the lake once again when I ran past a sign that said Mile 4.

"32 minutes and 32 seconds," a voice shouted as I ran by. That was encouraging. If I'd already ran four miles, that meant I only had two to go.

Actually, 2.2.

And the time was also encouraging. Four miles in 32 minutes was a good pace for me.

Wait a minute. Did the sign mean I had already ran four miles or that I was starting my fourth mile? Big difference.

For the sake of my confidence and my mental state, I decided that I'd ran four miles already. Besides, if that was the three-mile mark, that wouldn't have made much sense for the 5K.

Buoyed by a surge of confidence, I tried to pick up my pace. I had been going to a rather easy pace, perhaps a bit slower than I could have ran otherwise but now was the time to move quicker. My legs responded though at first extending my legs further was a bit more difficult than I'd anticipated.

Finally, the park was at an end. The water station awaited, as did the hill. But I felt strong.

Time to make a move.

A group of runners slowed on the hill. I glanced at my watch and saw 184. I had some in reserve and I wanted to use it. I took some large strides up the hill and passed by several people. When the street flattened out, so too did my pace. My watch now read 191.

You've gotta slow down.

I nearly used up most of my reserves and I still had - what a mile? - left before the finish. I slowed but even if I hadn't my body would have forced me to. My heart rate was still in the high 180s and I felt it.

Up came Market Street and the final stretch run. I wanted to wait until I was close enough to the finish to use up the rest of my reserves. In the distance I saw my wife and girls cheering me on. That, coupled with the the motivating messages I'd received from some friends earlier in the morning, helped me get through the finale.

I sprinted. I had just one block left and I wanted to run hard and finish hard. I was so focused on the finish line and finishing strong that I failed to notice the big clock situated near the finish line.

Come on! One last push!

And with that, I crossed the line. I had nothing left in me. Every muscle in my leg was wide awake and yelling, probably swear words, at me. My left foot throbbed and my hamstrings felt like they were a good lunge from ripping off the bone. I wanted to sit but more than that I wanted to walk. I needed to cool down and get a semblance of my former self back. Danny had finished about three minutes before me while Jesse ran about a minute behind me, maybe less.

When I finally met up with my wife and girls, she asked me how I felt and I filled her in on my aching muscles. She then asked me if I was glad I'd run the race.

Hell yes.

****

Mission Inn Run 2009

I signed up for the Mission Inn Run so that's officially on my calendar now. I got 10 percent off from the price because I'm a Loma Linda Loper so instead of 30 bucks it was 27. Sweet. Any little bit helps.

Anyway, I've not really been thinking too much about this until the last week or so. For a while I was focused on the Ragnar Relay, then as soon as that was over my focus changed to the Surf City Marathon. But with the Mission Inn 10K part of our training plan, I've got to tackle it.

This was my first regular 10K run ever. I'd run the Mud Run in 2008 about a month prior, and that was my first 10K, but it's anything but regular. So this one was just a normal 10K but still challenging nonetheless.

I set my PR that day, ran it in 52:55. The 10K I ran this year in Seal Beach was 56:00, and I kept thinking and keep thinking about my Mission Inn time, and every time I wonder if I can beat that time. That's roughly an 8:30 pace.

Now, I know that time is slow to some, super slow to others but I don't really care. That's one thing I learned pretty quickly, to not compare my finish times to others. Because if I start comparing my times to other runners' times, I will not run any more races because I will be so discouraged. I care about time... but to an extent. I want to compare my times... to my times.

Anyway, that's a pretty good clip for me, 8:30. The Seal Beach 10K pace was about 9:01. Of course, that race was not a good race for and started off badly. I was much more prepared for the Mission Inn Run as I was there plenty early, didn't need to run back to my car and got a good spot so I didn't have to weave in and out of human gridlock.

So now that the Mission Inn Run is one 15-mile run away from having my full attention, I'm concerned about the time. Should I be? Well, this isn't exactly a distance that I think will conquer me. And I've ran 10Ks before obviously so it's not going to be a new experience. But I'm going to approach the race like I do every other race, with my full focus and attention. Once I'm at the start line, it will be the most important race I'll ever run because I'm about to run it.

Now, I'm almost close to declaring my number one goal for this race to set a new PR. I really would like to beat my 2008 time but I'm not sure if I can. In some ways, in my running infancy I was a bit reckless... well, reckless isn't the right word... more like unconcerned about certain things. It's kinda hard to describe... but it seems like the more knowledge and experience I've gained, the less likely it is for me to run a 10K in that time, or my 5K at 25:05. I want to run a 5K just to try and beat that time.

Anyway, I don't know if it's that I became more aware of certain things like heart rate and glycogen reserves and proper recovery and things like that and that's caused me to become more cautious or what, or maybe I'm just not pushing myself like I did when I was a first-time runner. Not sure.

What I am sure of is that I will try and push myself some in this race. It's strange because I have the ability to run more than 10 miles, to run 14-15 miles right now without too many lingering problems (my heels sometimes holler at me) so you would think running six miles at a faster clip wouldn't be a big challenge, or at least wouldn't be a daunting challenge. But it seems that way. It seems like if I try and run anywhere near an 8:00 pace that I'll just collapse of fatigue and exhaustion at some point early on. Of course that won't happen but still...

I ran a bit of a tempo run recently. I didn't intend it to be a tempo run but I unwillingly pushed myself. I got on the treadmill and started at about a 5.5-6.0 pace and after about 12 minutes (had run about 1.15 miles or thereabouts) I moved it up to 7.1 and kept it there. Originally I'd wanted to run that for about 18 minutes (to get to 30 minutes) but eventually I decided to run a full 25 minutes there. I should have paid more attention but I think I covered roughly three miles, maybe a little less, in that time. That's right around the pace I want/need to maintain if I want to set a new PR at Mission Inn.

And I didn't feel completely wasted afterward either... well, I did take about a 90-minute nap that afternoon but that's neither here nor there...

Anyway, with the Mission Inn Run less than two weeks away now, I'll have only a few chances to prepare specifically for that. Whatever other runs I can get to this week and whatever runs I get to next week. I'm guessing the Friday before the race, Nov. 6, I will probably not run more than three miles, and it won't be a terribly tough three-miler. I'm guessing my last real prep run will be on the Wednesday before the race, so I may try a 30-minute tempo run and see how much ground I can cover in 30 minutes. That might be a more accurate gauge of my ability to chase after my PR.

Still, I can't imagine standing at the start line and not trying to set a new PR. So it'll be LB v.2009 versus LB v.2008 on Nov. 8. I wonder who will win?

Race Calendar

Now that the Ragnar Relay is in my rear-view mirror, I can look forward to some upcoming races. I have three ahead of me that I'll participate in, and beyond that some other potential races as well.

Nov. 8: Mission Inn Run, 10K

I ran in this race last year and will make it two consecutive years running in the Mission Inn Run. I like it because it's very close to my house (start line is about six miles away) and it's been the big (only?) race in Riverside for a while now. I remember back before I ever was interested in running how I'd hear about the race and just thought it was another one of those things that wasn't for me.

There is a bit of a new wrinkle in the race. This year, aside from the 5K and 10K course, there is a half-marathon. As much as I'd love to run a half-marathon, my Loper pace leader recommended only running the 10K. The Sunday before the race and the Sunday after, we're running 15 miles each day so she said it was best to stick to the shorter distance on race day. They apparently had created our training plan without knowing there would be a half-marathon at the Mission Inn, otherwise we might have been slated to include that in our regimen.

Dec. 6: Lopers Holiday Classic, 15K

I've never ran in this race but it's the Lopers' annual event so I'm going to go for it. A 15K is roughly 9.3 miles (or three 5Ks), which is a distance I feel great about. It seems like a bit of a challenge, not just in completing the distance but in trying to get a good time. I have some strategy for the 10K and would have one for the 5K but not sure about the 15K. For instance, what kind of pace would I try to keep the first couple of miles? How do I incorporate the fuel belt and the Gu? I think I'll leave my fuel belt off for the 10K but it seems it would be a necessity for the 15K, because those extra three miles will take about 25-30 minutes to run.

Feb. 7: Surf City USA, marathon

Obviously, the big race on my calendar. I've already registered for this one and I'm looking forward to it already. It's still a ways away but I'm confident I'll get there in one piece, physically and mentally. I don't want to psyche myself out but we've barely completed a third of our training for it with the Lopers. We haven't ran more than 12 miles, and we'll be hitting 15 miles soon enough, 18 miles and then in January I believe we have a pair of 20-milers. Those will be fun.

I guess I'm figuring that once I get to those longer training runs I can start to really feel up for the marathon.

April 23-24: Ragnar Relay, Southern California

I'm hooked on the Ragnar Relay. Truth be told, though, Mrs. LB is NOT a fan of it. She was worried something would happen to me out there, and while there was the sad and unfortunate death during last weekend's race, that was an isolated incident.

There are literally Ragnar Relay races all over the country, and to have one in my own backyard is rather enticing. I'm not sure if any of my Desert Tortoise teammates would be up for it - haven't really asked, though some had said they'd do it again - but I've just been toying with the idea of running it. The route is basically down Pacific Coast Highway so there would be some awesome views of the beach and the Pacific Ocean. Plus, we could use houses for our rest stops! The path runs through Long Beach, and my brother Danny lives pretty close to Long Beach, so we could use his house as a rest area. I think he'd even be up for letting me catch some zzzs on his bed... or not...

Anyway, at this point it's sort of like window shopping. I'd love to participate but not sure if it'll happen.

There's also another Ragnar Relay nearby, in Arizona. That one seems awesome too since it's kinda like Vegas in that it was out in the middle of nowhere. The Arizona one starts in Prescott and finishes in Mesa, and a lot of the running is through stretches of nothing. It's in February, about two weeks after my marathon, so I'd definitely be up for running the distances.

Still, more window shopping. Hey, a guy can fantasize, right?

Camp Pendleton Mud Run

Not sure about the dates of this one but I'm there. I'd love to run in two maybe, so I might consider running one in June and another in October. I assume the dates will be the same as they were last year and this year, in June and October. Whatever the case, I'll sign up for the one in June for sure and then consider the one in October. Just depends on what else I might have going on that year. Ragnar Relay Las Vegas is already set for Oct. 22-23, and the Desert Tortoises might be back for more, but who really knows what'll happen.

Mission Inn pics

When I ran my first race, the Fontana Days 5K back in June, I didn't realize that photographers manned the course snapping countless photos of the race participants. Consequently I wasn't smart enough to make sure that I got into the path of said photographers on the course in order to ensure that I'd have a memento from the race aside from a t-shirt and bib.

So I was pretty disappointed when all I got was a half picture in which I was not the intended target.

During the Mud Run, I was smart enough to scope out the photographers and I had plenty of pictures taken of me.

Now, the Mission Inn Run provides a pair of photos that I may purchase or, at the very worst, put on my Christmas wish list. At least one picture, anyway.



Not sure when exactly this was taken but it looks like it's early on. I checked the bib number of the guy behind me and he finished about four minutes ahead of me, so it has to be during the first two miles. I don't look like I'm enjoying myself very much.


I was pretty much hating life right here. I remember this part clearly. It was close to the finish, probably had about half-mile to go. I came up a hill and my heart rate jumped from 184 or so to 191 in a matter of 10 steps. I was in slow-down-or-your-heart-will-burst mode right here. I also remember seeing the photographer and thinking to myself "Don't look at her. Look straight ahead and hope you get a cool pose." Well, I didn't look at her and did look straight ahead, but I'm not sure this qualifies as "cool." Still, it may be worth the nine bucks or whatever they're charging for a print.

I think if I had to choose one shot it would be the second one simply because there aren't people behind me, people who would end up smoking me.

Results!

The Mission Inn Run race results are up and I finished in closer to 52 minutes than 53. I ran it in 52:22. I realize that is not a great time if I were a competitor but I beat my goal time by more than two minutes. I wanted to finish under 55 minutes. I knew 50 minutes or under would be too much to ask for, so I thought 55 minutes would be more realistic.

I finished in 293rd place, right behind a 54-year-old, uh, person (Terry something) and right ahead of a 53-year-old woman.

As for the other Buenos, my younger brother finished in 49:54, just a shade under 50 minutes, while my youngest brother ran it in 53:06. Great times for both. Danny wanted to run it in under 55 minutes too and he tore that apart and got under 50. Jesse had never run six miles before and now he has, in pretty damned good time too.

Seeing the results on paper is a bit strange. You put in all the effort and emotion and desire and everything into the race and really, the only lasting tangible things you get are the race bib and the time, and eventually if the bib fades or gets lost, the time is the only thing that stands the test of, well, time.

Links galore

As sponsors of the event, The Press-Enterprise newspaper provided great coverage of Sunday's Mission Inn Run. And I was even a part of it. If you watch closely, you'll see me running past the camera.

Yup, that's me in the blue.

But seriously, the newspaper really did have good coverage of the event. Here's a link to the story with the accompanying video.

And here's a link to some pretty good photos from the event.

A strong push to finish

Sunday was going to be a good day no matter what. I felt as much when I got up this morning. It was going to be good for several reasons:

- The Mission Inn Run was today and I was going to participate in it.
- The race would cap off a year that saw me run in three races, and actually I ran those in a span of six months.
- It would also mark the end of my running... for now. By no means am I stopping but I need a break from running.

I was running the race with my two younger brothers, Danny (27) and Jesse (19). The older one of the two is an experienced runner, and all-around athlete, while the younger is in his running infancy. So I had others to help keep me company.

We got there early, pre-registered and made our way around the beginning of the route. My wife and girls were there too from the start and helped cheer me on.

At 8:30, we stood on the start line with a daunting six miles standing between myself and personal glory.

Gee, that seems really long right about now.

The horn sounded off and hundreds of shoes hit the street. I was near the front at the start but I settled well back of the leaders. If there was anyone to avoid in helping me keep pace, it was the speed burners up front. I wanted to save some of my energy for the end.

We ran down the main street of the race and made our way toward a park on the edge of the city. The scenery was actually things we'd see again as the 10K route called for us to run the 5K route twice. Near the end of the street, we sloped downhill and ran into a path that cut through the park.

It was pretty even terrain at that point and I guessed we were at around the mile mark.

See? Just five miles more.

I hadn't been in the best conditions during the week to train so I did not enter the race with much confidence. I knew I could finish it but I was worried I'd struggle. But early on, there were no negative effects from my setbacks this week.

The path was actually quite scenic. It took us near the edge of the lake and several people were there fishing.

I wish I would have gone fishing instead.

I looked far ahead to see if I could make out the curvature of the path and sure enough I saw dozens of runners around the bend and through the trees. Pretty soon, we were running around the last vestiges of the lake and the park in general as a neighborhood - and cups of water - awaited us.

Wait. Is that an uphill run?

Sure enough, the water was a small positive to what was a major negative. A hill greeted us. Now, it wasn't a very steep hill. But I feared that in my less-than-stellar condition I would have problems with the hill. Still, I tried to keep my pace and did well to reach the top. A bend followed and we were headed down toward the main street, which is actually Market Street.

I made a right on Market and saw other runners headed toward me. We had to run about three blocks to the turnaround point before starting the second portion of the run.

Okay, you did the first half fine. Just do that again and you'll be good.

Still, I didn't feel good. I felt just okay. My heart rate had straddled the 180s for most of the second part of the run up to that point and that only meant it was going to climb for the remainder of the race. For me, 180 is manageable but the closer I get to 185 the more I have to conserve my strength. I'd love to run between 170-180 but I was past the point of keeping it in the 170s unless I wanted to slow down.

No slowing down. I've got to finish this as quick as possible.

I went back down Market towards Fairmount Park. There weren't as many people as there had been the first time I ran that way but there were still quite a few runners around me. I got back into the park, ran back the same path and was prepared to see the lake once again when I ran past a sign that said Mile 4.

"32 minutes and 32 seconds," a voice shouted as I ran by. That was encouraging. If I'd already ran four miles, that meant I only had two to go.

Actually, 2.2.

And the time was also encouraging. Four miles in 32 minutes was a good pace for me.

Wait a minute. Did the sign mean I had already ran four miles or that I was starting my fourth mile? Big difference.

For the sake of my confidence and my mental state, I decided that I'd ran four miles already. Besides, if that was the three-mile mark, that wouldn't have made much sense for the 5K.

Buoyed by a surge of confidence, I tried to pick up my pace. I had been going to a rather easy pace, perhaps a bit slower than I could have ran otherwise but now was the time to move quicker. My legs responded though at first extending my legs further was a bit more difficult than I'd anticipated.

Finally, the park was at an end. The water station awaited, as did the hill. But I felt strong.

Time to make a move.

A group of runners slowed on the hill. I glanced at my watch and saw 184. I had some in reserve and I wanted to use it. I took some large strides up the hill and passed by several people. When the street flattened out, so too did my pace. My watch now read 191.

You've gotta slow down.

I nearly used up most of my reserves and I still had - what a mile? - left before the finish. I slowed but even if I hadn't my body would have forced me to. My heart rate was still in the high 180s and I felt it.

Up came Market Street and the final stretch run. I wanted to wait until I was close enough to the finish to use up the rest of my reserves. In the distance I saw my wife and girls cheering me on. That, coupled with the the motivating messages I'd received from some friends earlier in the morning, helped me get through the finale.

I sprinted. I had just one block left and I wanted to run hard and finish hard. I was so focused on the finish line and finishing strong that I failed to notice the big clock situated near the finish line.

Come on! One last push!

And with that, I crossed the line. I had nothing left in me. Every muscle in my leg was wide awake and yelling, probably swear words, at me. My left foot throbbed and my hamstrings felt like they were a good lunge from ripping off the bone. I wanted to sit but more than that I wanted to walk. I needed to cool down and get a semblance of my former self back. Danny had finished about three minutes before me while Jesse ran about a minute behind me, maybe less.

When I finally met up with my wife and girls, she asked me how I felt and I filled her in on my aching muscles. She then asked me if I was glad I'd run the race.

Hell yes.