Favorite running cities

We're in Eureka this weekend, visiting family, and I went out for my scheduled run this morning (Sunday).

OK. It took a bit more effort than bounding out of bed and hitting the road, but I'll spare you the details.

It's been only a short time that I've gotten back into running. I've been averaging a couple runs a week. I'll aim for 3 this coming week. If that sounds like very little, know that I ran 20 miles on a 3-day-a-week training regimen. Even Runner's World has a 3-day-a-week marathon training guide. So it's reasonable. You shouldn't run every day, and right now I'm just trying to get the habit back.

Anyway, so off I went, with the goal of running to my brother's house and back. It's a nice run, with the exception of Buhne Hill--which, if you have ever been to Eureka, you know to be truly epic. If you haven't, there is a REALLY inadequate picture of Buhne hill here. Just focus on the far side of the hill and you'll get an idea of its rise. This picture was taken maybe 1/4 of the way up the hill.

As I ran, with my trusty iPod Shuffle providing background music as usual, my mind flitted off into a myriad of different topics, any of which would make an excellent blog post, and most of which I promptly forgot. I know there was one about the idea of shorts vs. running skirts, and another about where you find your inspiration--or what keeps you inspired. A third was about feeling fearless (which is what running does for me), and a fourth was about literally not being afraid to stop and smell the roses, as I did on Buhne & I Streets, where a fabulous double rose had poked through a white picket fence.

But as I ran, and then walked, and ran again (including my epic run up Buhne without stopping), I thought about how fabulous the running was this morning, and that got me thinking about today's topic.

What got me all happy wasn't the fact that I was running without gasping like a nearly-dead fish. No, what got me all happy was the lovely light breeze and the perfect sunshine-and-blue-skies day it was here in Eureka today. And I realized that, not even counting when it's sunny and perfect like it is today, Eureka definitely makes the top three list for my favorite cities for running.

These may not be your favorites, but hey, it's not your blog! [wink!]

By the way, my run time today? 1 hour 12 minutes. That does NOT count the time I spent at Roy's house, visiting and inhaling a couple glasses of water.

Hey. Everyone needs a place to use the potty sometimes!

My top three running cities, in no particular order:

1) Eureka, California -- As I mentioned, the weather today was perfect. It's cool, but not too cold, with a perfect cooling breeze. Shorts and a technical t-shirt were absolutely right for a day like today. However, it wasn't the weather that put Eureka on my list; frankly, it can be overcast, drizzly, grey, bleak and downright wet, too. No, what put it on the list was the fact that there is just about everything you might want for running here. There's a track to do track workouts at Eureka High. There are tons of fantastic trails through the Redwood trees that make up half the town. A number of the trails run right through Sequoia Park, which is frankly gorgeous and makes you think you stepped out of 2009 and landed in a scene from Jurassic Park II (which, incidentally, was filmed not far from here up in Fern Canyon). But, aside from Sequoia Park, there are even more trails through the Redwoods in town that are little-known, unless you're a native Eurekan, or know a native Eurekan like my husband. He grew up in the woods and I swear he can navigate halfway across town without ever touching pavement. There are lots of straight, flat stretches, low-rise uphills (H and I Street) that become gentle downhills when you go the other way. And, there are the hills. There are shorter hills like on Lucas Street, and then there are the monsters like Buhne, which is big enough to challenge anyone, even veteran runners. You want a good workout? Push a jogging stroller with a baby in it up that thing. You will get applause when you reach the top, I can guarantee it. (I did, a year ago.) Truly, Eureka has it all...but when the weather is like today, that makes it even more sweet.

2) Kennebunkport, Maine -- Yeah. You knew that one was coming, didn't you? What makes Kennebunkport fantastic? Variety, and scenery. Knowing Kennebunkport backward and forward--at least its roads--as I did meant that I had routes for just about every mileage you could possibly want. Want a quick mile? No problem. Two miles? Four? 5? 5.2? 10? 15? You name it, I could produce it. You want to head on a five miler past the Bush compund? That's my favorite route. You want hills? Got 'em. Gentle rises? OK. Great scenery? Check. Wooded trails? The old Trolley line is perfect--just wear your mosquito repellant in summer...and run fast! Beaches? There are multiples there, too. Kennebunkport is the kind of town where you can head out from home and "run" your errands...literally! It's easy to combine a run with a trip to the post office, pharmacy, bank, and even to get a little gift at one of the shops, and come home with 5 miles under your belt. All in a day's running. If I had to choose ONE place to run, this would be the one, hands-down.

3) San Francisco, California -- You might shy away from SF, because of the hills, but not all of SF looks like the cable car line on California Street (read: near vertical). They have a great running culture there, including support in the form of stores. Aside from Fleet Feet, they also have Sports Basement. Located inside the old Presidio Commissary, it is probaby my new favorite running shop in California. They have all the stuff I might be able to find at Peak Performance Multisport or The Maine Running Company, my two favorite running/triathlon shops in Portland, Maine. Another cool thing about San Francisco is that there are still parcourses there. Remember those? Those were prevalent in the late 70s and early 80s, and they involved little signs that were here and there along a trail that invited you to stop running and do pushups, or situps, or stretches, before you headed off further down the trail. There is a "Game Field" (I think it's called that) at the Marina Green near the Marina Safeway store, which is the new millennium's version of a parcourse, where you appear to be able to stop and do all these things at once, before heading off again:

Marina Green Parcourse/Game Field, San Francisco

And do you want scenery? How about a run along the waterfront from the Embarcadero to the Presidio and back? Or a run across the Golden Gate Bridge? All things considered, these would make San Francisco fabulous, but they also have one thing that Eureka and Kennebunkport don't have, at least not that I'm aware of: they have running group support. There are multiple Running groups, not just in SF but also in the Bay Area, including the one that I MOST wish I could participate in, called WOW. WOW is a women's walking/running group, and they have meetups on a regular basis. You can run, walk, or both; they do training, races, track workouts, you name it. They meet 3-4 times a week at least in different parts of the bay area (Oakland, SF, Piedmont, etc.), and the website lists information such as whether there are portapotties, whether you need to bring water, and so forth. These women sound fantastic and I wish I could be part of such a group. They do drop-ins and you can join, too.

So these are my favorites. Eureka, Kennebunkport, San Francisco. Each different, each unique, but each offering variety. I think that's what I miss most about living where I do now.

So if you had to choose, what would be your top three favorite running cities, and why?

Have a fabulous day!

Couch to 10K and other stuff

Well, it's officially fall, and the seasons are changing...back home in Maine, anyway.

Here, the only difference is that it gets cool enough at night that Baby Kara now has two blankies instead of one, and the days are a really moderate 85 or thereabouts.

Otherwise...no change.

As of my last post, which was way too long ago, I had indicated that I would be starting a couch to 10K program. It's being hosted by my local Fleet Feet Sports, which is a huge running store chain here in California (and all over the country). It's a lot more glitzy than my old Maine Running Company standby in Portland, Maine; it's not as packed with stuff as Marathon Sports on Boylston Street in Boston. Nor is it as large as Peak Performance Multisport in Portland, Maine. However, they have enough of what I need (except Extra-Salt Maragarita Shot Bloks!), and the owners--Aimee and Deron--are fantastic.

I was really tired the morning of my first run with Fleet Feet's "Running 101" 10K Training Program. The night before, I had driven to Sacramento with my niece to pick up my sister and her youngest daughter at the airport. They had been on a Disney Cruise that week, and Sam (my oldest niece) and I were eager to hear all about it. We had a lovely time at Whole Foods--we only spent about 45 minutes there this time, far short of our last 1 1/2 hour epic adventure--and then cruised the city a while. I went there to college (CSU Sacramento) back in the 80s, and lived there for 9 years before Kent and I moved to Maine, so I know the city fairly well.

I digress.

Anyway, we didn't pick them up at the airport until about 11 p.m.; then, by the time we got home, it was about 2 a.m.

Did I mention that I had to be at the river, ready to run, at 7 a.m.?

I set the alarm for 6:15 a.m., just a scant four-plus hours later, and threatened Kent with dire consequences if he let me sleep through. "You'll never wake up," he said.

At 6:15, when the alarm went off, I was shockingly awake; it was easy to get up, have some cereal, and drive over to our appointed rendezvous.

Aimee was very friendly, and gave us all binders, into which we will add our weekly "lessons" that she photocopies and hole-punches. It also has our schedule of running. Since I wasn't sure if I was a level 1 or 2, she added both for me. When everyone was assembled, we walked across the river to warm up, did some stretches, then took off along the riverwalk. I started with the beginner group, and we did a run 4/walk 1 minute program, for 3 1/2 miles.

At the turn-around point, the "intermediate" group met up with us, and as I had already left the beginners behind, I joined up with them, and happily found that my pace was equal to the task. Yay! I'm not hopeless after all!

Post-run we took a walk around the convention center, then it was off for home. I was happy that I'd been able to run without too much difficulty, and felt confident that I could join the intermediates the next week.

Fast-forward to last Saturday, Sept. 20. I was again at the designated area, and this time joined Deron in the intermediate group. We were five going out. The beginners did a 4 1/2 min. run/1 min. walk, and we did 5 min/1 min instead. I felt good, but I started getting a side stitch under my ribs on the right. To try to "fix" the problem, I focused for the entire first half of the four-mile run on breathing in and out while landing on my LEFT foot.

Supposedly people mostly breathe in (or is it out??) when landing on their right (70% of the population--who knew?) and that this causes most of the predominantly-right-sided cramping people feel. I don't know if that's all true, but it worked for me.

Along about the halfway mark, I started chatting with Deron about past runs, like my half-marathon last February and his Clam Beach run in the horizontal rain. It was great--the time flew by, and at the end of the run, we both gave it a bit of a kick--clearly I was slower, but I was able to speed up a bit, which is good for helping you to learn how to finish strong. Going faster on fatigued legs builds up endurance, apparently. Granted...it's supposed to be the last third of the run that you speed up for, but I'm not there yet...I can only kick for an extra minute at this point.

I'll get there.

When we finished, I realized that our group of five was down to four. We'd lost someone on the way. I still have no idea when that happened!

My goal is to run four times a week (including Saturday); Sunday I didn't run at all, but Monday I went out at midday and quickly flamed out. Sunshine and temps in the 80s are not conducive to running all out. I quit at two miles.

Ouch.

That brings us to today. I decided to go out and go for time, not necessarily distance; and, in light of the fact that it was midday and sunny, in the 80s again, I decided to be kind and let myself walk.

This time, I called my friend Pam, and we chatted for most of my run/walk, until my cell died. I did the last couple miles in quiet, except for some chatter by Baby Kara and a stop to douse my head in cold water at a local park. I was so hot, and that helped me feel so revived! There are some good tips online for how to deal with running in the heat; Runnersworld.com is an excellent resource for these and much, much more.

In the end, I had run/walked a pathetic almost-speed-walking pace, including my rest stop for water--just over 14 min/mile--but I went 6.5 miles in all, and was out for just over 1 1/2 hours.

Not bad.

I was particularly happy about the mileage, although the pace is frustrating. I am still trying to remind myself that running in heat requires a different mind-set--you can't just go all out like I used to do in Maine. You have to slow it up, you have to run early (which I'm NOT doing), and you have to hydrate. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Water (or, on longer runs, electrolyte-drinks like Gatorade) are critical. You don't want to get heat exhaustion or, worse, heatstroke.

Despite knowing this, I am surprisingly frustrated by my (to me) pitiful attempts at mileage anymore. I used to run 6-8 miles each time I ran. However, I need to also realize that I AM capable of running four miles at a time, and have done it without rest breaks on a treadmill at the Y, so I am definitely gaining some fitness back. When I can't run outside at noon in the sunshine in mid-80s temperatures in a dry, dry, DRY climate like this, I need to remember that this is not what I've been used to for a year and a half.

I should try to run in Eureka, instead. Cooler, more humid...more like Maine.

Regardless, the "Running 101 10K training program" is a good program. Unfortunately, I will have to confess to Aimee this weekend that I'm going to be missing three sessions in a row--first, I'll be in Portland, Oregon with my sister at a conference called "Art & Soul". I am also planning to run the Kaiser-Permanente 5 miler run that is being hosted in conjunction with the Portland Marathon.

Two days after I return from that, I will be happily winging my way home to Kennebunkport for a week-and-a-half visit with both of my daughters. Yippee! I get to go HOME! Maddy doesn't know anything about it--yet--but there, we will be visiting friends, going to our house for a "camp out", running around to do our favorite things (Fun-O-Rama at York Beach, The Clam Shack in Kport, Bandaloop in Kport, kayaking on the Harraseeket River with LLBean's Walk-On Adventures, the New England Aquarium and Duck Tour in Boston...), and maybe even taking part in the yearly Presidential 5K run in Kennebunkport. That will be a blast!

It looks to be a busy and fun next few weeks. The biggest challenge--keeping up with my 4x a week running. Should be OK in Portland, with the hotel and the 5miler; in Maine, I'll just have to bring a jogging stroller (or borrow or rent one) and take the baby to some of my old stomping grounds.

I can't wait!

Meanwhile...it's hanging out on the couch time for me. I get to do a lot of that, given that I'm still not in my own home, and that baby takes at least a 3 hour nap every day.

Maybe instead of sitting, I should pull out that jumprope I brought and make use of it. My legs still quiver at the remembrance of my last jumping escapade (and the five days it took for them to recover), but maybe this time I can learn how to take it a bit easier.

I'll try to be better about posting.

I know, I know...I say that every time.

Happy running!

"Run slowly, run daily, drink moderately and don't eat like a pig." - Dr. Ernest van Aaken
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Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor. However, I am a teacher certified in both California and Maine to teach science curriculum, including the human body (and health/nutrition) to kids in grades K-8. This blog is my attempt to wade through the current thinking and my own journey to fitness and health, and to present it in a way that makes sense to everyone. As a woman who is successfully recovering from obesity, I feel it's even more important to help others understand what I did to lose the weight; what worked, what didn't, and what the struggle has been like as I went from morbid obesity to fitness. It doesn't mean that I have all the answers, however. If you want to lose weight or gain fitness and health, by all means, read my blog--I think I can provide some help and clarity. BUT, please know that I am NOT a medical expert, and you should most definitely consult with your own doctor or family physician before undertaking any exercise and/or weight loss efforts yourself. Weight loss and fitness are personal journeys. I'm making mine visible to the world, but each of us has to take our own steps with our own doctor's guidance; please make sure you check in with yours before you try to do anything I have done. Good luck, and congratulations for taking that first step!