2-3-2-4

OK, so I'm not running on a real plan these days - hence the blank under the "Scheduled Runs" section of this blog. However, bumming around on the forums over at www.runningahead.com (the site that also graciously hosts my training log), I saw a bit of advice for a new runner -- "mix up your runs" the poster wrote, and then went on to suggest four runs a week. 2 miles, 3 miles, 2 miles, then 4 miles, for a total of 11 miles a week.

For some reason, this resonated with me a lot, so I started today. It boosts me up to running four days a week, but keeps my weekday runs short. The two mile run lets me experience what it's like to move my legs fast and strong, which I kinds like the idea of. Of course the reality may wind up being very different.

For now, I'm going to try the following for three weeks or so:

Monday - 2 miles
Wednesday - 3 miles
Thursday - 2 miles
Saturday - 4 miles

So, my two-mile run this morning was at a surprisingly fast pace for me (um, for me anything below 11 min/mile is screaming fast), even though it probably looked like plodding. And I'll be honest, I was huffing and puffing my way through it. There was no way I would have been able to carry on a conversation at this pace, though I did manage a decent and hearty "good morning" to a man parking his car. I need to look at my watch and pay attention to my breath and slow down.

It was nice to be running with the morning crows again. I miss watching them jostle for position on the top of a particular tall pine tree in my neighborhood.

The Urban Runner

In between bouts of eating some Very Good Vegan Food in Los Angeles, I have also managed to squeeze in a run. Yesterday morning, before I lifted any forks, I put on my running shoes and headed out into the streets of the San Fernando Valley, just a few blocks north of Ventura Blvd. I enjoyed what I never enjoyed when I lived in Los Angeles - getting up early and exercising. I noticed what I never noticed before -- that there are precious few peopleout and about in the early morning and it's like having the teeming city to yourself. And despite never being more than a half-mile away from the always busy and noisy Ventura Freeway, you can hear birds call. I've taken to running without an iPod, so I can hear the birds (and hear the cars as they come barreling up from behind).

And so, I first heard a familiar call, but didn't quite believe that it was what I thought it was. And then I saw heard the call again and located the bird -- 'twas the black phoebe, aka the 'tuxedo bird,' so called because of its distinctive black and white coloring. This bird was just about the very first bird I learned when I moved to Chico and became the amateur birdwatcher that I still am. In Los Angeles they seem to have much more black on their breast than in Northern California, but their call and behavior are identical to their Northern relatives. And so it goes, full circle -- the birds were always there, I just didn't have the eyes to see them.

And the run? The run went well. Three miles isn't so long after all. I'll continue with three 2.5 mile runs for the work week or so, then try and boost my 'long run' to four miles by the weekend.

Aves and Reptilia

Another pre-work run under my belt! I had intended to run yesterday, but just couldn't get up in time. I attribute my reluctance to two things - the extra scoop of soy dream that I had the evening before and failing to sleep warmly enough. I somehow scooted the blanket off the bed in the night, so I was sleeping much colder than I like, which meant it wasn't restful recuperative sleep. Last night I bundled up a bit in sweatpants before bed, so I was much more comfortable from beginning to end. Having Tammy the cat snuggle next to me helped, too.

While running today I came across a poor run-over garter snake of a good size - it was very sad. And then on my cool down walk, I encoutered a small alligator lizard that looked like it had met the business end of a cat, poor thing. But on my Tuesday walk in the park with Daniel -- we came upon a very young rattlesnake on the trail. I didn't even see him/her, but Daniel is much better at pattern discrimination. He spotted it and we moved him/her off the trail. The little snake was about as big around as a Sharpie pen, had no rattles, and was about eight to ten inches long. I touched the end of his/her tail while Daniel was fetching an appropriate snake-relocation stick, and the rattle-less tail vibrated back and forth quickly and silently. It was electrifying.

Then...on our drive out of the park, as the sun was setting and the light turned dim and reddish, Daniel spotted a great horned owl up in an oak tree. As we watched, the owl swooped out of the tree, crossed over the road and landed on the ground, where he walked a few steps and then captured a small snake! We had binoculars and were able to see these details quite clearly, but we were not able to tell what species of hapless snake wound up being the owl's dinner. The owl grabbed the snake in his talons and swallowed the snake whole from atop a dinner-table fencepost. Chilling and amazing at the same time.

Turkey Vultures for the Win

Today was not supposed to be a run day. It was supposed to be a Bird Day - Big Day Birding with the Chico State Bird Club. But that group met up at 7:00am and I did not go to bed till 12:30am, so...that just didn't happen. So after sleeping in a bit, I decided to make today a longer run day, just to see if I could do it. Of course, I know that to many, a three-mile run doesn't qualify as a long run, but to this honest runner, it does. Looking back at my running log, I see that my last three-miler was on June 11, 2008 and that I had no special comments on it. As it turns out, that was my last run since I started running again this month.

Because I got started a little late, it was hot and it was quiet. My crow friends had already gotten their morning started hours before, though I did hear a lot of starlings and a few titmice as I started out. After those chipper fellows, however, all I heard were a few water pumps and diesel engines. Fortunately, there wasn't any almond harvesting going on, else it would have been tremendously dusty.

On my last quarter mile, I noticed a beautiful adult turkey vulture (pinkish red head!) fly over me, directly in line with the street, silently gliding. I assumed that he (she?) was scanning the road for roadkill. In my reverie I forgot to keep an eye on him, but on my cooldown walk I saw not one but two turkey vultures messing about with something dead way over on the side of the road. So the one vulture had landed right in front of my eyes, but I hadn't noticed!! Anyway, I walked over to the other side of the street so they wouldn't have to take off. They both hunched their wings, ready to alight, but I was happy that they actually stayed put to finish their gruesome Sunday brunch. A lovely way to end the run.

Distance: 3.00 miles
Time: 33:29
Avg Pace: 11:09 min / mile

On the road...

Although I am traveling for work today, I got up early and ran two miles. On the street, on the sidewalk in front of the hotel - back and forth maybe two times. Cool and nice, very windy in one direction, not so windy in the other. Thank goodness for the Garmin, a reliable mile-keeper even in strange places. I mostly had the sidewalk to myself, so not too scary. One truck full of landscapers passed by, and I noticed that at least one of the gardeners inside craned his neck around to get a better look at me. That was a little inkling of the dangers of running in the suburbs.

Overhead I heard, but did not see, Canada geese. I saw them yesterday, as I was going to dinner with my co-workers. 'Tis the season.

There were crows heading out to wherever crows go this morning, just like on my morning run at home. It is comforting to be in the presence of crows. And lucky for me, crows are smart, adaptable, and weedy -- when we corrupt and destroy most of the rest of the planet's natural systems, I hope that at least crows will remain, if not prosper.

Distance: 2.00 miles
Time: 22:18
Avg Pace: 11:10 min / mile