So Spring Break has begun for us, and that means all schedules are out the window and I am getting my running done whenever I can. We leave for Texas tomorrow, a 12 hour drive, but spent the weekend trying to cram in the last few social commitments of our teenagers, packing, cleaning, and of course, running.
Friday, it was a race to get my miles done because Grant and Spencer were going downtown to see American Idiot, the Green Day musical. Now, this would seem like no big deal, except that I have never driven to Downtown Los Angeles at NIGHT. On a FRIDAY. And let me tell you, it was no picnic. I don’t think traffic ever really abates here. If you can’t drive 70 mph in full traffic, then you have no business on the freeway. It is like survival of the fittest.
Thankfully, we made it downtown, and after a lot of circling the block, missed exits, and illegal u-turns, I found a place to drop off the kids. I had never been to this part of downtown. It was gorgeous at night, every theatre bustling with live performances of some sort – the Philharmonic, broadway musicals, live comedy. There was so much energy!
Saturday was all about fitting miles in when I could. In last week’s personality test, I was a Rectangle. It seems to be a dead-on description: I’m pretty structured, but within that structure I can change on a dime, sometimes to the point of being unprepared (see run on Sunday). Because my kids were scheduled to go to Disneyland early, I knew I had to fit my miles in when I could. This meant getting up early and putting in a quick 10 before we trekked down to Anaheim. I ended up running it faster than I had intended because I hate not hitting a mileage goal (see, structured), but I didn’t want my kids to be late.
After finally making it to the Magic Kingdom, the kids went in the Park with their friends, and we just hung out in Downtown Disney.
After a full day of food, movies, and general messing around, I finally knew it was time to bite the bullet and get the rest of my miles done. And there weren’t many options. Using my Rectangle Flexibility skills (ha ha), I ended up finding a semi-empty employee parking lot. It would have to do.
Round and round I went, employees staring openly at me. At one point, a security guard pulled up and asked me what I was doing. When I explained, he said, “Well, good for you. Have fun.” I guess my craziness didn’t look like the kind that required police action.
On Sunday, I knew I had to get serious and do some trail miles – Western States is only 3 months away. My plan had been to head out to Brown Mountain and get a solid long run up and down the trail. But, as I headed out, the sky looked suspiciously dark. At mile 3, I decided it would be a good time to check the weather forecast (no, checking it before I left didn’t occur to me). 100% chance of rain with possible lightning storms. Hmmmmm….probably not a good idea to run up a mountain. Alone. So, I revised my plan, and decided to run the more urban Flint Canyon Trail. My thinking was, that if it did start to storm, I could hide out under someone’s front porch. Yes, that was as far as my “big plan” went. Now you know why I don’t trust my survival skills?
Flint Canyon Trail is a cool trail system that runs through (mostly) former horse properties which are now (mostly) current mansions. It is an odd hybrid of country and rich estate combined.
I’m clearly not dressed for a storm – and too dumb to go home and change.
Urban trails – but with some good climbs.
And descents.
By the time I got home, the temperature had dropped to 48 degrees and it was raining. But I got my miles in 🙂 And I didn’t get struck by lightning – which is a plus in this Rectangle’s book.
How do you fit your miles in around the rest of your life?
Happy Running!
Mom, ultrarunner, four-time US 24 Hour National Team member, adventure athlete, food writer. Graduate of the Pro Cooking Program at the New School of Cooking, Los Angeles. Will run for food.
{ 6 comments }
Carilyn – hats off to you for your stick-to-it-iveness! I have to say that I’m NOT that organized or determined! As for fitting the miles in around the rest of my life – normally I do that pretty well if I’m on-schedule. But, I find that if one little thing in my schedule gets thrown off, it all goes downhill…Particularly if I miss out on sleep! Lack of sleep causes me to oversleep, which causes me to miss a morning workout, plus I’m late to work, then late getting home from work, then get a workout done late, get to bed late, and the cycle starts over the next day! I need to be more adaptable in my old age! But I have realized that a little workout is better than none, so even on the days when I can’t get the mileage or time that I want, I try to do a little bit of something.
I’m pulling for you in all your WS training!! I may be there to watch b/c a friend of mine is doing it too…
I know exactly what you mean, Michelle. It has taken me a looooooong time to get where I can just do a little here and there and be okay with it not being the “perfect” workout. Now, I just have a basic mileage goal, and go from there. Ironically, when I finally let go of the perfect workout scenario, I ended up getting a lot more quality workouts in because I was always “making up” time. 🙂
That would be so fun if you make it to WS! I would love to meet you!
Sounds like you really did make the most of the time you had to run. I used to go through similar hoops when I was into competitive running. It changes once the kids can drive … you both gain a little more independence (and much higher insurance rates!)
I don’t know how you did that car park run. It shows your tenacity and will-power. I would have gotten bored and just given up – unless I was running with someone. The trail run looked way better – much prettier scenery.
Thanks, Char. I think it just comes from years of having to get the miles done around a weird schedule. I actually hate long runs, so I usually do a bunch of smaller runs whenever I can.
Ha ha – yes, we are almost there. My twins get their licenses in June, so I’m sure things will get a little more flexible – although I will be a nervous wreck!
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