M.O.R.E.: June 2012

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Train Bridge Trail

We finally got to run from the Iron Horse Train Bridge Trail in the direction we wanted to without climbing any fences. When we started it was so nice and cool, the perfect running weather, but I knew it wouldn't last long. By the time we were headed back down towards Peets, the weather had warmed up and we were looking for shade along the route. Shade wasn't the only thing we were looking for on the way back. When we stopped for water at the turn around, Patty realized she was missing one of the nose pieces on her Oakleys. If one looks at the pace and sees dips in the pace, it's because we were stopping at anything that looked small and black. We even came close to picking up a dead fly. Now wouldn't that be someting if Patty actually tried to stick it on her glasses? Oh the trouble we get ourselves into! Our runs are never without some adventure.

Friday, June 15, 2012

Train Bridge Run

The Train Bridge is finally re-opened, which will save us precious minutes, standing at the gate, trying to decide whether to climb the fence, and trespass to be able to run across it!! We will just have to look back fondly at all the times we squeezed through the fence, actually jumped over, and nearly fell into the ditch underneath, ran through the brush, braving the homeless, and the coyotes who live in the riverbed, and the time we tried to get Caryn to convince the city workers to let us just run around their gigantic hole in the ground:)Today was the grand re-opening of the historic bridge, and we joined the SCR's in a run that began at the bridge and continued on the trail to Copperhill, and then back to the bridge to cross over for the finish. We decided to park at Peet's and run to the start, which gave us a mile each way, then we took the trail to Decoro and back to the bridge, which we figured gave us a total of at least 7 miles! The city had a nice ribbon cutting ceremony, which we did not stay for, but instead, ran back to Peet's for Lattes and Egg McMuffins. The new trail is very nice, and will let us legally run across the bridge without risking arrest, or worse a broken hip!! Happy Father's Day to my Dad and Hubby, and yours:)

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

No Regrets

I absolutely dread the thought of going to the track to do intervals. Even while doing the interval workout, I'm cursing myself and the people running it. So why do I continue to go? I go because I know that when the workout is over, I will never regret going. I have never said, "I wish I didn't do intervals tonight", but when I didn't go and had no excuse for not going, I ended up regretting it. Tonight was especially tough with the heat and of course wouldn't you know it, mile repeats.

We started out with the usual infield warm ups and then 12x100's with easy, fresh, easy, good. I really don't know the difference between fresh and good though. We then did 3-mile repeats with a 200 meter recovery in between. The only thing I skipped were the 200m recoveries. My recovery was walking over to my water bottle and catching my breath for a bit. I then finished with a couple of cool down laps.

As the school year draws to an end, I know my friends are looking forward to running in the cooler morning air. Perhaps then, they won't mind an occasional evening interval workout at the track.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Finish Line Footage

It took me a while to find video footage of us finishing. Unfortunately, I think the guy had to change the tape soon after I finished so I think footage of Patty, Bonnie, and Caryn is MIA. Marisol can be seen at 1:16:20 into the tape and I can be seen at 1:21:09. Patty was about 10 minutes behind me and the tape ends at 1:30:17, which means he was busy changing the tape when the rest of the girls were finishing. I looked on the other videos, but I couldn't find them :(

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Ojai to Ocean Half Marathon

I had trouble with my Garmin in the beginning because I couldn't quite read the smaller print with my contacts on. I don't think I started the actual GPS until around mile 1. Official results are as follows: Caryn 2:15:24 Bonnie 2:12:30 Patty 2:10:07 Kwan 1:59:58 Marisol 1:55:11

Favorite Trails

South Fork 3.1: Start from dirt parking lot on Magic Mtn Pkway and run to the loop at Wiley Bridge and return the same way.

Tesoro 3.25: Start in Albertson parking lot and take sidewalk/trail until it ends and then enter the water tower road to the top two towers where the ends. Return the same way.

Chesebrough 3.25/4.60: From Chesebrough Park, N. to Copperhill, So. on Bike Trail, turn around at Decoro, back up trail to power lines to bridge at park. Turn around at Heritage will give you 4.6 miles.

Chesebrough 3.5: Chesebrough Park down to McBean, south to Northpark Dr., the paseo trailhead. Take the paseo to Helmers and back. Very hilly.

Bridgeport 4.0: Fairly flat, run toward Lowes and under Bouquet bridge to RiverPark community until you reach the closed gates and return. For a hilly run, go north into Helmers and run up the paseo switchbacks into Northpark where the paseo ends and return the same way.

Chesebrough 4.0: N. to Copperhill to west side of river trail, run S. on Bike Trail past Decoro bridge, across Decoro to the east side of river trail, up back to power lines trail, back to park.

Chesebrough 4.0: From park down power line trail to Heritage Park and back same way.

Bridgeport 4.0: From School, cross McBean via bridge or street and head into industrial center on Ave. Scott Bridge and enter bike trail going south toward the train bridge. Turn around at train bridge and return same way or cross the bridge and head toward Peet's after crossing train bridge and back onto the Lowes Trail.

Heritage 4.0: From park, run up bike trail to Decoro, over McBean Bridge into Helmers, and into Bridgeport through lake trail back to park. Can be done in reverse. Moderately hilly.

Chesebrough 4.25: Chesebrough north to Copperhill, left to Albertson side of bike trail. Run south on trail to Decoro and cross over bridge and head north all the way to Copperhill on east side of river trail and back to the park the same way as started.

Cheese/Decoro/Helmers 4.25: From the park, down dirt trail to bike path, south to Decoro. Leave bike path at Decoro and cross paseo bridge at McBean. Stay on paseo up hill towards Helmers. Run up water tower trail once then continue on to switchbacks and paseos back to park.

Heritage/Bridgeport 3.3: Heritage Park south to McBean Bridge @ Panera. Cross and head toward Lowes bike trail and head east toward Bridgeport Park. Halfway mark is at park bathroom, head back by entering trail along the lake and back onto the bridge.

Lowes 4.25: Lowe's parking lot to McBean, cross the bridge and to South Fork. At Valencia Bridge, enter trail behind Hart Baseball diamonds. Continue on trail to Bouquet and across the bridge on the east side and back under the bridge again towards Lowes.

Peet's & Decoro 5.2: Peet's Coffee to train bridge path; to Decoro and across bridge; back down McBean side of bike trail back to Peete's.

Peet's & Wiley 6.0: Start at Peet's Coffee and head east toward South Fork trail and past the Wiley Bridge. Keep running another 200 yards to where the trail forks left and right. Turn back same way.

Peet's & Copperhill 6.0: From Peet's to bike trail heading north to Copperhill and back.

Albertson 7.0: From the Albertson parking lot on Copperhill, enter the westside bike trail and head south until the train bridge. Return the same way.

Peet's 8.5: Run to Copperhill on east side of river trail and return via train bridge on other side.

Lowes 10: Start in the Lowes parking lot. Enter the bike trail heading west. At McBean, cross the bridge and head east toward SouthFork trail. Continue on trail until you come to the Wiley bridge and head back the same way.

McBean 14: This route can be done from anywhere along the trail route. Starting from McDonald's across the post office, run to the end of the South Fork trail and return the same way, cross the McBean bridge and run on the Lowes trail until you hit Bridgeport Elementary and then cross Newhall Ranch via the bridge or street and run back towards McBean. Continue north on McBean until you hit Copperhill. At Copperhill, cross McBean and enter San Francisquito bike trail and run south on the trail until you are back at McDonalds.