A Glorious Day for a Run in the Sun!

Yesterday was a gorgeous day here in Southern California and so I decided to explore a new trail. With it being a new trail, I didn't want to explore it alone and so I took Brutus along for the exercise. Before this run he hadn't gone more than 4 miles ... I mapped out a 5.6 mile run ... I guess it was 6 miles if you count the warm-up/cool-down walk to and from the trail. So I brought plenty of water just to be safe.

Brutus and I before the run

We set out on the trail and man was I excited when I saw how pretty is it. It's away from the main road, surrounded by trees and next to the Newport Bay.

 

There were many other people on the trail. Some running/walking alone or with friends. Some biking. Others looked like they were on their lunch break as they donned business attire. There were even horses on the trail! I felt like I had left the city and found some kind of nature bubble.
Brutus did fantastic. There were a few times where he started to fall behind but there were also times when he was pulling me to go faster. We completed the 5.6 miles in 01:06:03. That is around an 11 1/2 minute mile which isn't bad. Especially considering I stopped to take pictures!  :)

I cannot wait to complete this run again! I am thinking that I want to do it tomorrow, but we will see how I feel. Today I did some cross training of bicycle and rowing ... but I also worked a double. But after a full nights sleep I just may be ready to hit Brown Trail again :)

Happy Running!

Ahhh now that's why I run!

I had mapped out a 5k run for today. It was on the bike path so I wouldn't have to worry about  traffic lights. The temperature was a lovely 77F, clear skies and a light breeze (I love Southern California). I decided to take Brutus with me as he had been stuck in the apartment all morning and surely had some energy to burn, plus I like the company some days.
The turn-around for my 5k was on a part of the bike path I'd never been on before and according to the map it was marked. Well ... it wasn't marked and we passed it. It wasn't until two intersections later that I realized this and so we turned around. I was timing my run and was, at first, a little bummed out that the time was going to be off, but then realized that it was like a spontaneously longer run. So I settled back into the run and enjoyed the extra distance. I checked the map when I got home and I had only gone an extra half a mile total, so it wasn't that bad. So I completed the 3.7 miles in 00:39:29, which for me is pretty good. That puts my pace at 00:10:38 per mile. Now ... if I could just shave off that 38 seconds!

I didn't walk for any of my run today and boy did that feel good! And you know when you get to that last 100-200 yards and you sprint for the finish and you STILL feel incredibly strong like you could continue for hours? That was my run today. I felt strong, motivated and energized. THAT'S the runner's high I look for on a daily basis. It's been a while since I felt it that powerfully, so I was a happy camper at the end of it all.

Then it was off to Olive Garden for a three course meal with my fiance. I was glad that I had worked up an appetite! Cross-training in the gym tomorrow night  :)   Keep Running!

With the sun comes the runners :)

The weather is amazing here in Irvine today. A fabulous 76F, clear skies and a slight breeze. Chest cold or no chest cold, I was getting out there!!! It was my first run since I got the chest cold, so I wasnt sure how it would go. Being afraid that I would push myself too hard, I brought Brutus (My little 1.5 year old rat terrier) with me because I knew he would slow me down just a little bit.

Brutus is a fantastic little runner though. We ran 3 miles in just over 30 minutes. He does get distracted from time to time though haha.

I had to take two little 10 second walking breaks when my chest started to hurt. But other than that, it was like I'd never even taken a week off! I really need to find a route with less traffic lights though because running towards an intersection telling a light to please turn green wasnt working at all. Perhaps I will return to my beloved bicycle path tomorrow.

Onwards and Upwards fellow runners :)