Believe to Achieve

"Chalk Walk" today for the Children's hospital in Anaheim.  MANY walkers walking with their children thru Disneyland. ALSO so wish I could have b-lined it over to the California International Half Marathon (they also had a Marathon) on Long Beach only 15 minutes away from here. It starts at the Queen Mary and goes along the beach paths.   Can't really do a fun run with the kids waiting for me.  We are off to the beach today   : D.   

8.4 miles at 7:49 AP.  It seems easier to breath with this humidity.  Or is it the elevation change?  whatever it is I feel better here.  Maybe its because I am at the Happiest Place on earth.  I ran this run at 7:01 am.  Ran the same route -- almost as Saturday.  Got to run thru the park again.  They even let runners run thru while guests of the park stood in the bag check lines.  I felt like an honored guest as a runner.  Got lots of stares.  Like who runs when they are on vacation?  seriously.  It had just rained quite a bit so all the pathways, walkways etc...were drenched.  Just a slight mist in the air.  Feels great because the air is warm.  Got back and two of my kids were still in deep sleep so went upstairs to the 5 th floor and did a hillwork (grades of 2.5 to 7%)  out on the TM for 1.6 miles AP 8:57 to make an even 10 miles.  It was a nice cooldown yet I perspired greatly without ventilation in a hotel room made into a small fitness center.   So love the outdoors better.  Wish I could run out here everyday.  Wish I had time for a beach run.  My sister-in-law actually was at Long Beach watching her sister-in-law run the half marathon yesterday.  She said it was crazy busy with traffic because there were 20,000 runners!!   BTW  our car broke down  : (

Pouring rain to begin with at 7:10am.   So I opted for the dreaded TM in an enclosed space.  Goal was to run easy so I did.  AP 9:03 for 4 miles at 1% grade.  Still I dripped sweat due to the humidity and no ventilation.  Then ran to the Auto Care shop.  Glad I had my garmin to tell me how far.  Troy guessed 1.5 miles.  It was 2.6 miles away.  AP here 8:28.  It was a stoplight run or try to beat the stoplight and not get killed run with early morning drivers picking up their coffee at various donut shops.  Nice outside even though it was drizzling.  My car starts like its brand new.  Hasn't sounded this good in a few years so obviously their was a definite problem.  The auto old man showed me the parts that were frayed and beaten to a pulp.  I feel like I was dealt with honestly.  That's a plus.  Not sure if I will run today.  Legs are finally getting real tired of walking....after many a day at the Happiest Place on Earth : D  It pretty much rained all day today.  We seem to bring the "nice" weather wherever we go. 

Was going to rest today but all the food (I am hoping not to have gained weight on vacation) I have been eating needs some caloric output.  Plus I will miss this air so I decided to get out there.  Ran a neighborhood route close to Disneyland.  Fun to see all the preschoolers being dropped off for school.  There are like three schools in one square mile.   That's even more than Utah.  AP for 5.5= 8:27.  Gearing up for my cold long run at the homefront tomorrow.  15 miles I am planning.  The air here in California just got breezy and cooler with yesterday's rain so I expect it to be colder at home.  Looking forward to the Halloween half.  Haven't done any speed work so I don't know what kind of shape I will be in.  But hey its all DOWNHILL  I should just need to turn my legs over and over.  Big driving day coming up.  10 hours.   Fun.  : D

Oh MY!!  decided to run up 1100north fresh up from SEA LEVEL and although I was under a 9 pace my breathing felt labored.  My legs wanted to turn over quicker but my cardiopulmonary system was like "HELL O"  as I got to the summit and ran the canal my pace quickly went under 8 but my breathing was still labored.  Perhaps its just all the McDonald and Wendy's fries I ate in the past week.  We went a total of four times to fast food.  Lots of fries.  I like them dipped in sweet and sour sauce.  The salt and sweet.  mmmmm.  But apparently the fat from them is sticking to my lungs.  I eventually evened out my pace to about a 7:53 for a while and decided I would just run 10 but my route made it 11 so I had to keep going although I walked for .3 miles before the last mile.  I was done.  MUST MOVE SOMEWHERE HUMID!!!  I grew up in New Hampshire.  I miss the drizzling water in the air.  And the little curls in my hair (ringlets).  I am sure I will get back to normal soon.  It has only been 2 1/2 weeks since SGM and seems like it was over a month ago.  AP for 11 miles = 7:58.  First mile 9:04.  Last mile 7:58.  Marathon pace miles= 3  (7:33, 7:12, 7:32).     Addedum-- I suppose fatigue could be the issue-- 10 hours in a small car with my family and  I drove 4 hours of it, the last part until 930pm.  Then went to bed at midnight.  Got into watching the survivors of the  crash in 1972 over the Andes (Alive the movie is about that)  talk about their experience.  Got up at 7am and didn't get out to run until 1100am in the DRY heat.  I was parched.  Totally : D.