Race Report: 03.18.2012 Los Angeles Marathon

Chip Time: 4:05:41
Avg. Pace: 9:22/mile

12 for '12 continues on with the L.A. Marathon this weekend. It wasn't the success I would have liked, but it also could have been worse. Around mile 17 I briefly entertained the thought that dropping out wouldn't be such a bad thing. Thankfully, I dismissed it. It would have been the first time I did not finish a race had I done so. There was really nothing wrong--no injuries, no bad weather. I can't blame it on lack of training either since I was probably just a little less prepared this year than last year, and having been a regular runner all these years, I should be able to do this. What it all boiled down to, I think, was that my legs just didn't feel like running yesterday. I think they would have preferred had I just stayed in bed. But 4:05:41 is nothing to sneeze at even if it is slower than the San Francisco Marathon from two years ago and that it marks the first time I've ran the L.A. Marathon slower than four hours since my second time in 2006. If 4:05 is a bad day in the office for me, then I'd take it.

It has been taking me much longer to warm up during a race lately, so my game plan this year was to start with the pace I want to finish with. I figured with an 8:30 pace I would finish under 3:45 and gain a new PR. I ran the first mile in 8:42 then lowered to an 8:07 and 8:13 the next two miles. I slowed down the next few miles, around 8:40, which would have been perfect. A little slower than the target pace but within striking distance. However, even this slower pace was feeling like a struggle. Unlike last year when I got into a groove around mile 8, all I experienced in mile 8 were legs that were beginning to feel like lead. I wasn't loosening up but rather the opposite was happening: I was stiffening up.

Running through Hollywood, even the flat areas, was taking a lot out of me, so imagine how I felt going up the Sunset Strip. I got a stitch in my abs (a front-stitch?) during this time, so I had to control my breathing, taking dee breaths to loosen up my abs. It finally worked, but my legs were still dead. Apart from the abs, I really had no problems breathing. It was just my legs. They just didn't feel like running. From mile 13-16 I was running a pace above 9 minutes. In mile 17 I broke 10 minutes and did so again the next mile (10:30). I got myself moving again in mile 19 with a 9:27 but that was shortlived. I walked a lot of mile 20 and resulted in my slowest mile. 12:08.

I had thought about just walking the last six miles and enjoying the view. Then I thought again that I would prefer that this race be over sooner rather than later. I told myself that if I jog the last six miles I would be done in about an hour, so suck it up. I did. I only walked a couple of times after that to take a Gu and some water. It wasn't a fast pace but at least I was moving. It wasn't the relatively easy last six miles of last year, though.

The result is definitely disappointing. It's slower than the San Francisco Marathon in 2010, and it's the first time I've run above four hours at the L.A. Marathon since my second one in 2006. But again, it could have been worse. Here's where experience pays off. Were this my first marathon I probably would have just wimped out and walked, but partly out of guilt and pride I sucked it up and finished in a respectable time.

Lessons? I'm a broken record: I need to train more. I need to be more disciplined about getting my miles in. Going from 13 miles to 20 miles probably isn't ideal. Missing close to three weeks of running is also not good. Let's see if I've learned my lesson now.

As for my next race, most likely it will be the Hollywood Half Marathon. I can't find another one that works in terms of proximity and appeal. Too bad I didn't decide to sign up sooner when it was cheaper.

Announcing 12 for '12 and 2011 in Review

To motivate myself in 2012 to keep running I've decided to commit myself to running twelve races in 2012--12 for '12--catchy, huh? The rules are simple: one race (half marathon or greater) a month. Davey broached the idea one night and I think he's committed too. Right now I'm booked for the first three months. I have the Rose Bowl Half Marathon in a couple of weeks, the Inaugural Pasadena Rock N' Roll Half Marathon next month, and the L.A. Marathon in March. The rest of the year is still open, but I did apply for a spot in the New York City Marathon in November. I'll probably stick a lot of cheaper, local races since this could cost me a pretty penny if I tackle too many big, out-of-town races.

It's sort of an experiment, too, really. I know the idea is to run fewer races and train more, but lately I find myself lazy about running unless there's something I'm training for. Not to brag, but I think I've taken running half marathons and marathons for granted since I know I can do them. For the LA Marathon in 2011 I started training in January. It's turning out the same this year. At least if I commit myself to a race a month I will (hopefully) consistently run. Maybe it will mean I'll finally lose the weight I've been trying to lose for so long. Nutrition should really be a part of my training, but I love to eat too much. I'll tackle that some other time.

As for 2011, it was a slow year. As mentioned I ran the Los Angeles Marathon. It was a memorable one to be sure with the crazy weather. I still managed to run a respectable time of 3:53 but a new PR has eluded me once again. That's a continuing goal this year. 3:45! I also ran the Los Angeles Rock N' Roll Half Marathon this year with little to no training and it showed in my finish time of 1:50. I also ran another Ragnar Relay this year, and that was a blast. As much work as it is and as uncomfortable riding around a van for a day may be, these Ragnar races are just fun. I'm thinking I may take a break from relay races this year, but I'm not making any promises. If someone plans it all out and all I have to do is show up, then count me in.

To start off the year, here's a picture of me and some of my regular running gang who help inspire me to wake up early on Saturday/Sunday mornings. We ran the Rose Parade route early on Monday morning and--as usual--had a great time.

Additional Notes from the 2011 LA Marathon

As a fan of trivia, I really dig how RunPix breaks down your race. Some of the details are a huge ego boost. My favorite notes:

-in the last 4.5 miles, I passed 395 people but was only passed by 27 runners. Yeah, take that!
-I was in the top 20% of all men and in my division. That could improve, but still good to know I was faster than 4 out of 5 guys.
-My average speed was 6.8 mph. I'll set a goal of doing 7.0 mph next time.
-I was still in West Hollywood when the winner crossed the finish line.

Also, here are some pics from the race. The rain really makes it look dramatic. The raincoat I'm wearing is part of my fall collection inspired by bags of dead leaves I saw on someone's front lawn. Isn't it slimming?

Race Report: 03.20.2011 Los Angeles Marathon

Time: 3:52:37
Average Pace: 8:52/mile

Marathon #12 is done! Still no new PR, but this was my fastest Los Angeles Marathon yet, beating my previous time from 2007 by exactly two minutes. This was also my second fastest time ever. It's almost a minute faster than my Seattle time but still three minutes off my personal best in San Diego in 2007.

I guess the best word to desribe my running the last four years is consistent. My marathon finish times have been within ten minutes of each other, with San Francisco's 4:03 marking my low point since 2007. Not a bad thing. It totally reflects my training the last few years, which has consisted of "maintaining" my fitness. I basically get the miles in that I need to finish the race in four hours. I keep telling myself that I need to do more speed workouts, though. Do I do it? No. I do need to push myself a little more, but I just don't feel motivated. If only I can get faster without trying.

This year's race went as well as it could. The rain really didn't bother me too much. Once you're wet you learn not to dwell on it. I still would have preferred no rain, but what can you do? At least it didn't rain while we were waiting for the race to start.

Looking back on the race I probably should have pushed a little harder because I had juice left at the finish. Looking at my splits above, I was, well, consistent. They took down some of the mile markers due to the wind, so I missed the splits from miles 11-14. I maintained a consistent pace, not running too fast nor running too slow. Usually I slow down the last few miles, but I kept my pace all the way to the end, which again tells me that I could have gone harder earlier. Towards the end my breathing was fine even if my legs were tired. In fact, my fastest mile was the final 1.2 miles, which I ran in an 8:06 pace. Perhaps fittingly, my slowest mile was the first one. Not a bad way to go.

I probably played it too conservatively. I was worried that with the weather that I would cramp up early if I pushed the pace too early. I also took too many water breaks because I was worried about dehydrating. With the rain and the cold, it makes it tougher to figure out if you're becoming dehydrated, so I played it safe and made sure I had enough to drink. Those extra stops probably cost me a couple of minutes.

In the end, though, I can't really complain. I had a great race and felt good the entire time. I enjoyed running in the rain and it warmed my heart to see so many people cheering out in the rain. Running a marathon really does give you hope for your fellow human being. If only people can be as supportive and positive as they are during a race as they are in everyday life, the world would be a better place.

I'm going to end with a short note on this year's logistics. That half mile walk after the finish line to the festival was horrible. It's bad enough to walk that far, even though it probably helped prevent my legs from locking up, but with the weather the way it was, it really made it a miserable experience. Worse was the gear pick up. Last year this was a catastrophe. This year was no different. It looked like the organizers at least took pains to be more organized with the bags rather than just throwing them indiscriminately into a truck as they did last year. But it was obvious when I dropped off my bags in the morning that they needed more pods to house the bags. I'm guessing some volunteers didn't show up because of the weather. There was only one ever-patient volunteer at my pod for the pick-up. Luckily, I found my bag rather quickly. I heard others took much longer.

With that said, though, I want to note how amazing the volunteers were. It's tough enough to run in the rain and the cold, but I think it's much tougher to stand out there for hours. Kudos to the volunteers! And while the finish-line festival was a muddy mess too, the warming buses were an excellent call. Ultimately, the L.A. Marathon did more right than it did wrong. Maybe by next year everything will be perfect.

A March Weekend

The picture above is Sturtevant Falls, the destination of this weekend's GLU hike. It was a great hike, scenic and shady, which was nice since it was a little warm this weekend. It also provided enough challenge--stream crossings--to make it adventurous. All together, we hiked 6.5 miles above Sierra Madre. Afterwards, we had a satisfying Mediterranean lunch at the Patio in Arcadia. I had the lamb chops, which were OK, but I really liked the halloum that I ordered as an appetizer. I probably should have just had that and some other appetizer.

By the time I got home I only had about an hour to rest before I had to head out to Long Beach. Preeti had invited me to check out the Earth Hour festivities she was putting together on the Queen Mary. She promised drinks and appetizers, so I couldn't turn that down. The trip to Long Beach, though, took too long. The Blue Line is only running every thirty minutes. I waited about fifteen minutes in a crowded, smelly car (thanks to a homeless guy) before it departed, but at least I had a seat. I worried that when I got to the Transit Mall I'd have to wait a while for a Passport shuttle, but one arrived just as I got there. Still, it was a two hour door-to-door trip.

The Earth Hour event was small but cool. The Queen Mary turned off all unnecessary lights for an hour and invited community groups to provide information about conservation. A local cycling group was there to demonstrate the amount of energy required to power one incandescent light bulb versus five fluorescent bulbs. The cyclists took turns riding stationary bikes that provided energy to light the bulbs. I was hoping to hang out with Preeti throughout the night, but since she was working, she was running around a lot. I explored the ship while I was there.

I left the Queen Mary at 10pm, and I was tired. I wasn't going to make it to Akbar for Alexander's celebration. I would not have made it to Akbar until after midnight, and since I was very tired I doubt I could stay very long even if I did go. So I went directly home instead and got a good night's sleep. I slept in until about 10 am on Sunday.

Sunday was relatively quiet. The goal was to clean my apartment, and I partially succeeded. I finally unpacked my suitcase, discarded junk mail and old magazines, swept the floor, and cleaned the bathroom. I was hoping I could tackle the kitchen too. Instead I opted for making dinner, which I'm glad I did. I love risotto, and a brief discussion of risotto during the hike made me crave it. I decided to make a beet risotto, and it turned out great.



I also went for my first run since last week's marathon, a six-miler. For the last week I've been allowing myself to be lazy--I just ran a marathon--but the afterglow of that feat is now diminishing and it's time for me to get back in the habit. And it wasn't a moment too soon. This run was a struggle. My leg muscles were very tight, especially my calves. I thought it would go away eventually, but the tightness stayed the entire six miles. One week of no running and I'm already out of shape!

Also, to wrap up the Los Angeles Marathon, I noticed a great feature on the race's website that breaks down statistics of the runner's run. It tells you your pace along various points and compares you to other runners. My favorite statistic is the note about the last 4.5 miles of the run. It says I passed 587 runners in the last 4.5 miles and only got passed by 30. I love that! 587 runners! Even though I had slowed down some at that point, I was still faster than 587 runners who were initially ahead of me. Not to brag, but that fact makes me feel happy.

I was also able to capture some pictures from the marathon of me running. I look good!

Race Report: 03.21.2010 Los Angeles Marathon

Time: 3:57:01
Pace: 9:02/mile
Overall: 2286/22299
Gender: 1811/13189
Division: 288/1678

My tenth marathon is over and done with. Fittingly, the Los Angeles Marathon--the one that started it all way back in 2005--marked the event. It was my fifth L.A. Marathon, and thanks to a great new course it was the best yet even if it wasn't my fastest. I'm hoping the organizers can keep this course from here on in because it's just about perfect--scenic, diverse, challenging, fun, and never boring. As great as the course was, though, the event had some glaring flaws that hopefully will be corrected next year. I'll get to those in the recap.

I set my alarm for 2:30 a.m. on Sunday so that I could make myself a bacon and egg breakfast. I didn't physically get up, though, until 15 minutes later, but cooking the bacon and eggs didn't take long. I thought twice about eating bacon and eggs (and rice), but I was really craving it. I worried that I've never had a meal like it before a race and I wasn't sure how it would sit in my stomach. My craving, though, prevailed, but I compromised by cooking only two slices of bacon and one egg, a small serving of rice, and a cup of coffee. It was very satisfying. Whenever possible, I may just have bacon and eggs all the time before a marathon. Afterwards I showered, put on my gear, and I was out the door by 3:45 a.m.

I had made up my mind to take the bus to Santa Monica in order to catch the shuttle from there to Dodger Stadium. Sunday morning, though, I had a brief doubts about the plan. What if I get mugged waiting for the line 20 bus? That would have been an ignominious way to start the race. Luckily, I wasn't mugged. In fact, the 20 was pretty crowded at 4 in the morning, and since there was no traffic, the bus zoomed along and I was in Santa Monica in half an hour, way before my scheduled 5:30 a.m. shuttle. That wasn't a problem, though. I just hopped on board the shuttle and I was whisked off to Dodger Stadium. I was at Dodger Stadium by 5:30, two hours before the race was scheduled to start. So I did the only thing I could do: I went to the port-a-potty and took a much-needed piss then found a place to sit and wait out the time while listening to some slow tunes.

Although there was no line at the port-a-potties when I got there, I could tell that the organizers didn't get enough of them to serve the 25,000 runners who have been hydrating all weekend long. This could be a disaster, I thought. I was sort of right. The lines were long, but when people need to piss, they'll find a place. I saw a lot of people clambering up the hillsides around Chavez Ravine for some privacy or simply going behind a dumpster. Some barely found any privacy but just took a piss anyway.

The two hours actually passed quickly, and even though it was a mild morning and forecasts were for a warm day, I got chilly waiting out there. So rather than check in my gear early, I just held on to it until just before the race was supposed to start so I could stow the extra shirts I brought. When I checked in the gear, I sensed another disaster in the making. The volunteer tagged my bag as they ought to, but when it was handed off to someone else to be placed in the truck, it was arbitrarily tossed into the truck--a truck whose number assignment was for runners with numbers 9001-12000 on their bibs, so potentially 3,000 bags will be stowed in that truck. Tossing a bag into a truck is not a system for handling 3,000 bags. Uh oh.

I didn't worry about my bag at the time, though. I had a race to run, so I headed off to the start line and realized that it was basically one big corral. The race was already late in starting. It was scheduled to start at 7:25 a.m. but they made an announcement that the non-elite runners probably won't be starting until 7:45 or so. As the wheelchair competitors started and saw where they were headed, I saw another problem. The first mile is a lap around Dodger Stadium, so the route swirls around the stadium. The organizers, however, had the amazing foresight to place the few port-a-potties they did order just outside of this swirl, which meant that if you were using the port-a-potties, you would have to cut across the course to get to the start line. Anyone who has been involved in at least one marathon would know that runners will use port-a-potties up to the last minute. Some even use it even after the gun has gone off. It's one of the luxuries of chip timing. Now, I don't know why the organizers didn't see the problem in this. Did they think everyone would stop using the port-a-potties before the race started?

Unfortunately, I became one of the victims when I decided that I needed to use the restroom and hoped that I could beat the start of the main group and get back to the start line with no problem. I didn't beat the start. As I walked out to go back to the start, an onslaught of runners was just coming around like a giant stampede. To cross would mean I'd get trampled. I considered just joining them and skipping the start line, but that would mean my time may not count. So, I walked away from the start line and jumped in with the runners who already started and slowly made my way to the left so I could get into the start. I succeeded, but I wondered how the others who were also stranded managed.

Since my watch strap broke a while back, I decided to run watchless for the first time at a race. I'm usually a slave to my watch during a race, dutifully marking each split, calculating my pace, and estimating my finish time. I will adjust my speed based on my splits. Without a watch, though, I'd have to base it on how I was feeling and the time provided at each mile marker. I'm good enough in math that I can probably do a quick calculation without it. To my shock, though, there was no clock at the start line, which meant I had no idea how many minutes after the gun went off I was actually starting. Not only was there no clock at the start, I didn't see one for miles one nor two. When I finally saw one at mile 3, it read around 45 minutes, which either meant I started about fifteen minutes after the gun or I was running really slow, which would not have been surprising because of the crowd at the start which required me to do some weaving and even occasionally stop in my tracks. I assumed, though, that I had started 15 minutes behind and tried to pick up my pace.

I didn't feel great in the beginning. My right shin had been tender for the last week or so, and I could feel it in the early runs. Not running much the last week also made my legs feel heavy and sluggish. I prepared myself for the possibility that I may have to drop out if my shin became a problem. I have yet to drop out of a race and I hoped I wouldn't have to now. But then, as I was climbing the steep hill on 1st leading up to Grand in downtown, my inner thighs began to cramp up. It was only three miles into the race and I was already cramping? This is going to be a lousy race, I thought to myself. Yet I kept going. I would just have to see how far I can go. By then the relatively mild morning was feeling like a warm, humid day. I usually don't take a Gu until mile 8 but I told myself I'll take one around mile 6. Better safe than sorry.

Even though I was having a lousy run so far, I did enjoy running through Echo Park and Silver Lake. However, I was disappointed by the lack of hipster support for the race. I was hoping the area would be teeming. Then again, it was still early on Sunday. I did find a few hanging out at the usual areas, enjoying their coffee at Cafe Tropical and Intelligentsia. The crowd grew thicker, though, as we entered Los Feliz and East Hollywood, which was a convenient spot to cheer because of the Vermont/Sunset Red Line station. I took a Gu at this point, and I think it made a huge difference in how I felt and gave me a nice jolt.

As I entered Thai Town, I was feeling better. I didn't feel my shin any more and felt more upbeat about my prospects. My time calculations also showed that I was speeding up, which helped boost my confidence. I saw Prame from GLU as I ran through Thai Town and said hi. After that, I found more people I knew. Manny and Mary Lou were right in front of the Hollywood/Vine station, but I almost missed them and they me. I knew Jane would be at La Brea and Sunset, and sure enough she was. She took the picture of me above as I ran towards her. I'm probably saying, "JANE!" in the picture. I'm always grateful for friends who come out to cheer. They wait and wait only to see someone they know for a few seconds and soon they're off. Cheering is really a lot of just waiting but it is also fun to cheer on strangers and to take in the scenery. Still, getting up early on a Sunday morning and braving the crowds is a lot of work, and it means a lot to see a friendly face in the crowd, especially when you're feeling not so fresh. I didn't expect to see Katie at mile 21, for example. It took me a second to realize it was her I was so delirious, but she helped pep me up in that difficult part of the race. So did Sonia, who ran with me for a few minutes.

Miles 10-16 from Hollywood through West Hollywood and Beverly Hills were my best miles. I felt great and thought I was running a great race. I was basically running the whole thing without taking walk breaks like I usually do. The only time I would walk was to drink. As soon as I had finished drinking I would run again. Even if this wasn't my fastest marathon, I can mark it as the first marathon I ran (almost) completely through. Running through West Hollywood was great, and I wondered how the Christian runners, the ones with Bible verses written on their jerseys, will react as they run through a gauntlet of men dressed as nuns handing them water and not to mention the go-go dancers.

At Century City, with a gradual hill making things tougher, I began to tire. Not as bad as I would have thought earlier, but the race was starting to become tough. Still, I maintained my pace. The worst section was the mile through the Veterans Administration grounds. My legs just felt heavy and it seemed warmer there than at any point in the race. The sun was breaking through the marine layer and there was no shade to be had in the grounds. I was grateful, though, that they didn't make us run up the difficult hill on Federal to get to Brentwood. Instead we had the more gradual hills through the V.A. but even those were tough.

Having run on San Vicente before, I knew not to expect it to be easy. The first part was a gradual incline and then only after you peak do you get that wonderful downhill portion all the way to Santa Monica. I still had to get through the uphill portion. Somewhere on mile 21, though, I made the mistake of grabbing an oversized pretzel that someone was offering to runners. I had been taking just about everything spectators were offering me, mainly oranges and banana, with the hope that it would keep the cramping at bay. It seemed to work. No cramping, just hints that they were coming. However, that pretzel became a small problem. It's not the spectator's fault. At that point in the race, eating something so thick and starchy probably wasn't a good idea. The pretzel soaked up the saliva in my mouth and I couldn't swallow it. The mushy pretzel just sat in the pockets of my cheeks. I needed water. I couldn't even spit it out! As you would expect, when you want something you can't find it. It seemed like ages before I came across a water station. Thankfully I didn't choke on the pretzel and I was able to spit it out.

Mile 24 through the end was downhill and it felt great. The view of the ocean was a great sight telling me that I was almost done. The cooler temperatures and thicker marine layer also helped as I got a second wind and began picking up my pace a little the last two miles. When I turned on Ocean Ave. I could see the finish line in the distance and throngs of people lining both sides. So beautiful. This was one reason why I love running the L.A. Marathon, seeing the community out there cheering on strangers and just being supportive. The crowds were thick everywhere, even areas where I thought residents would be unsupportive of the new course. The people seemed to embrace it and it's such great motivation to be cheered on as you're struggling for one last push.

I crossed the finish line with the clock reading 4:12. My estimated 15 minute lag time turned out to be right. My chip time was 3:57:01. This was my fourth fastest marathon and the fifth time I finished under four hours. I passed Andy at mile 24, but he wasn't too far behind me at the finish. I waited for him and I ran into David too, who ran his first marathon. He posted a great time for his first and beat me by 43 seconds. I almost caught up to him!

All in all, I enjoyed the race. The course was beautiful. Too bad it was marred by the flaws I already mentioned. However, the worst part was the debacle that was bag claim. As I suspected, it became a big mess. The volunteers couldn't find bags right away and it seemed as if the bags were just thrown into the truck haphazardly. The runners were annoyed and the volunteers were becoming stressed. I had to wait at least half an hour to find my bag. It was aggravating. The worst part was that I had asked Andy and his girlfriend, Lisa, for a ride home, so they had to wait for me as I tried to find my bag. Bag check had never been a problem for me before. Hopefully this will be addressed next year.

If the organizers can keep this course, I don't see why the L.A. Marathon can't be a world class race, one that people everywhere would flock to run. It really serves as a great running tour of Los Angeles. You see all the tourist sights in one day, and you witness the diversity of the city. From downtown to Echo Park to Silver Lake to Hollywood to West Hollywood to Beverly Hills to the Westside to Santa Monica--the course was a great snapshot of the area.



For my post-marathon meal, a conversation about burgers with Andy got me hankering for one. After a nap, I persuaded Jane to join me for burgers and beer at Umami. I capped it off with a shake from Milk.

Then I slept some more.

Another Marathon in One Week!

Tonight I ran my last long-ish run until the marathon--a little over eight miles. It went well except for when thinking about food early in the run made me totally hungry. I thought about stopping by Bob's Doughnuts at the Farmers Market to pick up an apple fritter, but I didn't have any cash on me, just a credit card. Believe me, had I cash on me I would have made that pit stop.

I was able to get my mind off of food enough to finish the run with little trouble. My right shin is still tender, but hopefully the lack of running in the next few days will help it a little. It doesn't give me any problems running but it is tender to the touch. I'll have to get it checked out if it doesn't go away.

Since it was late by the time I finished, I grabbed a breakfast for dinner at the newly opened Novel Cafe. The food was decent, but I think the place could afford to be cozier. If it were, it would be a great spot to read a book and hang. So far it seems to cater to a primarily Korean clientele, which surprises me even though it is Koreatown after all. I thought it might attract the growing number of hipsters living in the area, but maybe in a few weeks they'll come out of the woodwork.

With about a week left until the marathon, I thought back to how I felt at this time during my first marathon. Then I was so nervous. I was terrified and excited at the same time. Now, though, this is almost routine. I don't get nervous as I used to, maybe only a few hours before, and it's no longer as daunting as I once imagined. The marathon is still hard, but having run a few now, I've demystified it. It's a challenge but one I can handle. Hopefully I haven't jinxed myself.

Sunday = Funday

Shrimp Risotto with Porcini Mushrooms, originally uploaded by savemejebus.

To paraphrase an Of Montreal song, everyday should be like Sunday, yesterday in particular. Not that there was anything especially spectacular about it, but the day just felt complete.

I started with a 14 mile run with the gang at the Rose Bowl. The weather was perfect--clean, fresh air and spectacular views of snow-covered mountains. Afterwards, I grabbed coffee from Jones and picked up ingredients from Whole Foods for the risotto (see picture above) I was going to make as my Oscar dinner. I'm shocked to discover that Whole Foods doesn't sell shrimp with heads on. For shame! I needed the heads to make a broth. Luckily I live right by a Korean market that does sell whole shrimp--and it was on sale for $2.90/pound.

Before heading home I stopped by FJ's to get some new music. Man, that guy has quite a collection. I'll need to come by again and get some of his 1,000 cover songs.

By the time I left FJ's house it was too late to make myself a breakfast or lunch, so I just stopped by Heirloom in South Pasadena and got an open-faced egg salad sandwich. When I got home the Oscar preshow was starting.

I began making the broth for the risotto just before the Oscars started and it perfumed my apartment with the smell of shrimp broth, which is a good thing. Out of the context of being with my family, it reminded me of growing up and my Mom cooking dinner.

Cooking risotto takes some time, but it's not difficult to make. The ingredients are few and simple to prepare. I think I prefer making things that take a while to make. Like a lot things I prefer pacing myself instead of rushing. I can prep the next ingredient while the others are simmering. If only I always had a couple of hours to cook, and when you're starving, taking two hours to cook something is out of the question. The risotto turned out great. The fresh shrimp broth really makes a difference. I paired it with the pan-fried bell peppers I liked so much last week so that I had a truly Venetian meal.

As for the Oscars themselves, there were some suprises. Unfortunately, they were bad ones. Precious for adapted screenplay? And as much as I like Sandra Bullock as an actress and person, she was easily the least of the five nominated performances. She now has the distinction of winning a Razzie and an Oscar in the same year--the worst and the best.

The show was one of the worst ones I recall seeing in the 20 years I've been watching the Oscars. The hosts, though, were terrific. Steve Martin has been my favorite Oscar host, and I hope he comes back again. However, for a show that ran long, there were no memorable moments, but there were a lot of awkward segments. I like John Hughes but he does not warrant an extended tribute. All in all, I was underwhelmed.

To close out the evening I decided to watch Kings and Queen, a DVD I've had from Netflix for almost two months now. But after an hour, the activities of the day and just the lack of sleep the last couple of weeks caught up with me and I started falling asleep. I turned the movie off and turned in. It was the earliest I've gone to bed in some time. It was great, and I woke up today feeling refreshed. Actually it took me some time to realize that it's Monday.

Another work week coming up and a fun weekend next week.

Aches

The 20 miler on Sunday didn't beat me up too badly. The soreness was minimal, so it didn't keep me from running yesterday and today. I only ran four miles yesterday and tonight's run to the GLU meeting was 5.2 miles.

These weeks of running, though, is starting to take a toll on me. My right shin has been a little tender lately. It doesn't bother me and it's not painful, but I do feel some tenderness when I touch it. It doesn't help that I run on sidewalks most of the time. They just have no give, so my legs just get pounded. All I can really do right now is just monitor that it doesn't start to hurt and maybe rest a little and ice the area. This shouldn't keep me from running the race in three weeks.

I've also had a sore left shoulder the last couple of days. The hypochondriac in me tells me that I'm having a heart attack. I've even imagined myself collapsing at work, dying from a massive heart attack. All that running for nothing! The most likely culprit for the soreness is the hours of bad ergonomics sitting in front of a computer. If only someone could yank my arm really hard I think that would make it feel better. My shoulder just needs a good popping--or a massage.

20 Miles!

Linda and I had a successful 20 miler. Apart from the expected weariness and a bothersome side stitch, no big problems arose during our run. Running 20 miles is never easy, but this definitely ranks as one of the better ones.

Since the trails were closed just above JPL, Linda and I ran a lap around the Rose Bowl first, which worked out beautifully since Katie and FJ were going for a run at 8am. By the time Linda and I completed the lap, FJ and Katie had just gotten there and were ready to go. We ran together for three miles before FJ and Katie turned back.

The second half of our run was to South Pasadena. We ran down Mission to Fair Oaks in South Pasadena before turning around. Unfortunately, we miscalculated when we should turn back. It wasn't until later that I realized that we turned back too soon, which meant we were going to be about 8/10 of a mile short of 20 miles. I broke the news to Linda and we opted to tack on the remainder at the end. Linda was feeling much better than I was, so she ran ahead. I thought she was going to turn around after .4 miles, but instead she kept going until she had made up the difference. Had I known that I could have psyched myself up. In the end, though, it all worked out. We ran 20 and then some by running back to our car.

I'm hoping that the weather will cooperate the next few weekends. This marks the taper period, but it's still important that I get those long miles in. Unfortunately it is forecast to rain next weekend.

So, the dreaded 20 miler turned out to be not too bad. We ran it in 3:09.

This Weekend

The following took place between Friday night, February 19, and Sunday night, February 21:

Ack! Bar?
As expected, I worked late on Friday night to prepare for the weekend's Gospel Brunch. I think after two years of handling the event's guest list and seating I'm ready to become an event planner. I actually enjoy it; it's almost like a puzzle. You take a seating chart, a list of names, and knowing the guests' various needs and egos, you seat them appropriately. This year's guest list was smaller, which in seating helped a lot. Doing the seating plan didn't take too long. What took a long time was that I handwrote everyone's names on envelopes and placed the tickets inside. This part was enjoyable too, if only I had more time to do it. I was getting a kick out of writing everyone's names as neatly as possible, but when I looked at the clock and hundreds of names to get to, I had to rush a little more. Still, those first few envelopes were exquisite.

When I finally headed home, it was raining. Kevin had invited me to hang out at Akbar and I had agreed, but coming home after a long day at work, all I wanted to do was make dinner and turn in, especially since I was going to run 18 miles in the morning (more on that later). But I reminded myself that it's better to be out with friends rather than at home, so I figured I'd spend a couple of hours at Akbar and get the last train back home. I wound up staying later than planned, but Paul gave me a ride home and I was in bed by 2 am for my 6:45 am wake-up time.

13 is the New 18
Prior to leaving for Akbar on Friday night, I shot my running buddy, Linda, an e-mail. It was raining and I wrote to tell her that if there was rain in the morning, I was going to stay in bed. I prayed there would be rain.

When I woke up, it was sunny and beautiful. I debated cancelling anyway since I was tired not just from the lack of sleep the night before but for the last week. But I forced myself to run. I scavenged some pretzels and cookies as breakfast since I was really hungry and would need the energy for the run. When I got to the Rose Bowl I told Linda how badly I wanted it to rain. Apparently she did too. We were both not feeling up for the run, but guilt and a sense of obligation to each other forced us out there. We compromised. We won't run 18 miles but will try for 13 instead. One thing I've been told as a runner is to listen to your body. My body was telling me that it was tired. Linda and I ran our 13 miles but it wasn't a great run. We might have both managed to do more, but I think we would have felt awful doing so.

Birthday #1
One benefit of running a shorter distance was that it afforded me time to go home and shower for Astrid's birthday lunch. Had we done 18 miles I would have been forced to just change clothes in my car and hope no one smells me--or I could have asked Astrid if I could shower at her place before heading to the restaurant.

The lunch was at Cafe Massilia, a French restaurant in Monrovia. It was a cute place and the Yelp reviews were good. The lunch and breakfast menu consisted of things that any regular schmo like me would stereotypically expect of the French--crepes, quiche, and...hamburgers?

I saw that they had escargot and the last time I had it was my last night in Paris, and since the Yelp reviews complimented the dish, I figured I'd order it. It turned out to be overwhelmingly garlicky, which luckily I like. The snails were served out of their shells and baked in garlic and butter. Really it was like eating a tapenade of garlic. I ate the snails and garlic oil on bread and it was a satisfying meal. I was hoping the snails would still be in their shell since part of the fun of eating them is fishing out the little buggers.



I also had a tomato and roasted bell pepper soup, which was fine. Everyone enjoyed their food, I think, if only for the company.

Birthday #2
I was thoroughly in need of a nap by the end of lunch. I headed straight home and took one and then woke up to finish some last minute things for work. Then I got dressed again and picked up Kevin to go to Stuart's karaoke birthday extravaganza in Eagle Rock. We also swung by the Coffee Table for dinner since I was famished.

The evening was a lot of fun even if I didn't get up on stage to sing and even if it took hours for Stuart to take his turn. When he did, though, he and his friend Lauren blew the roof off the bowling alley with a fun rendition of "Love Shack." It was fun just singing along at the back of the bar. It was also great to see the GLU guys. I left earlier than everyone else since I had to work in the morning, but I definitely got my fill of fun for the day.



Hallelujah, it's over!
The 12th annual Gospel Brunch was a success, as far as I can tell. Things seemed to go off without much of a hitch. We'll see if the money starts pouring in.

Set-up and preparation went smoother this year because there was no early show. We had plenty of time to set up and get the tables ready. Even at check-in there were little to no snafus. It was a success!



More pictures from the busy weekend can be found on my Flickr page.

Now another work week looms. Next weekend should be lighter than this past weekend, with the biggest thing being an 18 or 20 miler. I'll probably also make a trip to West Covina to see the family.

Yes, I survived the weekend!

16 Miles with a very special appearance by Shia Labeouf

Perhaps I should have checked the calendar. I thought that my planned 20 miler in two weeks will perfectly land three weeks before the race, but in talking with Linda today, I realized I was mistaken. Next weekend marks three weeks left until the marathon. The 20 miler should be next week. Yikes!

Even if I do 18 miles next week I think I'll be okay. I've done enough races and I'm sufficiently trained to complete a marathon. I doubt I'll be setting any personal bests, though, but I think I should still manage to finish. Linda and I decided to shoot for 18 miles next Saturday, and if we're feeling fine, we may add on a couple more miles. However, if I'm feeling anything like I was today, that might prove to be tough.

Today's run was a down-up-down experience. Katie and Rob ran with us for the early miles. Katie left after 7.5 miles and Rob joined us for a couple more miles before turning around. For most of the first seven miles I felt very sluggish. I had no particular problems but I just felt slow and off. We were going to run a little past JPL but we were astounded to discover that the recent rains have washed out a road leading up the Angeles National Forest trail right by JPL. I can barely remember what the bridge looked like. I imagine the small, quiet stream that normally runs under it must have been a raging torrent that day. There were tree trunks on the road and lots of debris. The road was passable but there were signs posted prohibiting entry and there was a Forest Ranger truck parked down the road, so we just turned around and headed south.

We took a little break back by our cars to drop off Katie. Rob offered us some gum drops and I think it worked wonders. I ran a great stretch for the next four miles, barely taking any walk breaks. I may have paid for it in the backstretch, though, because I lost fuel coming back. I wasn't breathing well and had to slow my pace a bit. The warmer temperature and the sun beating down on me played a part. However, that four miles towards South Pasadena was a terrific stretch. I was in a groove and felt like I could keep running for a long time. Runner's high! Too bad it didn't last.

Needless to day I did make it back. The worst stretch was the mile along the arroyo from the horse stalls in South Pasadena to the La Loma Road bridge. I felt a little better after catching my breath but I ran a little slower and focused on my breathing. There were still some hazards along the way. A black dog ran right into me and almost tripped me up. Then there was a rather large Viking on the trail.

At the end, though, I was given a little reward. As I shuffled to the finish line a scruffy, shirtless guy was walking towards me. He wasn't overly buff but had some nice definition. He looked natural, which I liked. It took me a while to realize that it was Shia Laboeuf. He smiled and slurred what sounded like a hello. I'm not a big fan, but I can't deny that he's a good-looking kid. Really, it was a nice way to end a tough run, but next time I'd prefer Paul Rudd.

A Trivial Victory

Pochi Pochi won again at trivia! We've been on a roll these last few months. I can't remember the last time we finished lower than second. Tonight we won in a dominant fashion by scoring 117 points, outdistancing the second place team by 20 points. As usual, the sports questions were the ones that gave us trouble. There were a few history questions tonight and even a flower question, which we miraculously got right. A friend of Clint's joined us tonight, but I think we may have overwhelmed her with our testosterone.

Since I didn't run last night I promised myself I would run tonight. Rather than order my usual Guinness at Casey's, I went with a lighter beer, a Hoegaarden. A pint of Guinness renders me almost too lethargic for any activity. It just sits in my stomach and I feel like I've eaten a bowl of rice. So I lived up to my promise and ran six miles, my normal route. It wasn't a great run. I felt a little bloated and, as I have been all week, I was distracted and couldn't focus on my breathing and pace. Still it's an accomplishment just to get out there and run. I'm planning to run again tomorrow night, a slightly longer run perhaps. Maybe I'll pick an eating establishment as my destination and reward.

9.8 Miles

After pigging out all weekend in Las Vegas, I desperately needed to burn off some calories. Serendipity 3 was great, but with chicken and bacon waffles and a frozen hot chocolate in my system, I probably consumed enough fat and sugar to last me a week. I was thinking I'd be good for a run when I got back last night, but all I wanted to do when I did get home was to put on my pj's and watch a movie.

So tonight I went for a long run. 9.8 miles. I ran from my place and ran west on Wilshire, headed north on Fairfax, turned east at Melrose and south on La Brea before heading back to my place by running east on Fourth Street. Having not run since Thursday, I was well-rested and had a pretty good run. I felt good for most of the run save for a little tightness in my left hamstring and slightly rolling my ankle running down Fourth Street. I blame that on the darkness and the terrible condition of the street at Hauser. Luckily no harm done.

With about six weeks left until the marathon I really need to be stricter about my training. This week I'll hopefully run a couple more times culminating in a 16 miler this weekend.

2009: The Year in Running

2009 wasn't the most eventful year in running for me, but it was still enjoyable. I think it was the year when running became a hobby and not so much a focused exercise. In a way I began to take running for granted. My workouts became less frequent and I was easily persuaded to skip runs, which sadly manifested into an expanded waistline. Part of the problem was that I didn't renew my gym membership. When I used to go to the gym I would go right after work. I'd do weights and run. Now I go home straightaway, which makes it so easy to get lazy. There's something about being at home that makes me just want to slink into a chair and not move. It may be home, sweet home, but to me it's also the place you go to get fat.

In 2009 I only ran one marathon: the Inaugural Seattle Rock n' Roll Marathon in June. In terms of training for the race, it was one of my least trained marathons. Still I managed to run my second fastest marathon at 3:53:24, but then again I fainted an hour after the race too. Not so good. To put things in perspective, I ran my fastest marathon, a 3:49 effort at San Diego, in May 2007. It has been over two years. I really ought to be improving every year, but instead I'm at a plateau. I'm glad I haven't gotten too slow and running sub four hour marathons is certainly a good showing, but I should be pushing to improve. Other than the marathon in Seattle I also ran a half marathon in Las Vegas last month, but that wasn't much of an effort. I treated it like a training run and wound up running just over two hours--the slowest half marathon I've ever run at over two hours. I've never run a half marathon more than two hours!

The only other run worth noting was the Ragnar relay. I don't know my splits exactly, but our team rocked and finished third in our division. But more importantly it was a blast. We're planning to do it again this April.

For 2010 the only race on the docket so far is the new (and improved?) Los Angeles Marathon. I'm hoping to finish under 3:45 for this race but so far my training has been haphazard. Fortunately the race isn't until late March, so I have some time to put in some quality running. I have to start now, though. I'll consider doing another race in the fall. Maybe I'll submit my name to NYC or Portland. There's also the Inaugural Los Angeles Rock n' Roll Half Marathon in October. Maybe I can finally post a sub-1:40 half marathon at that race.

So, here's to a good running year in 2010. 2009 wasn't bad, but I was definitely disappointed in my self for not putting in more of an effort. Gotta stop being lazy about running from now on. I'll start on that tomorrow.

Raul is Running Again

Time for a reboot. After four months of silence I'm hoping to get back in the swing of blogging again. And so I announce that I have signed up for the 2010 Los Angeles Marathon and managed to get almost all my running buddies to register as well. The course will certainly be the most scenic yet and it might be easier too with a downhill finish, but still there are inclines in the middle of the course. They don't call it Beverly HILLS for nothing.

Training "officially" started with a 6 mile run this past Sunday. This Saturday I'll be walking 13.5 miles along Adams and Washington Boulevards as part of the Great L.A. Walk. Even with that scheduled I still plan to run 8 miles this Sunday. We'll see how I feel, though. If it's anything like last year's Walk then I'll be mighty sore.

Race Report: LA Marathon - 03.02.2008

Mile 26!, originally uploaded by savemejebus.

Time: 4:47:26
Pace: 10:57/mile

It wasn't my fastest marathon--just seven minutes faster than my very first LA Marathon--but it was certainly the easiest, the most relaxed and the most fun. It was the first time I ran a marathon all the way through with others, and it made a huge difference. It took us almost five hours but the miles flew by. The next thing I knew we were in downtown heading out for the final six miles.

The weather turned out to be not much of a factor. It was sunny and warm, but it didn't bother me too much. Still, I would have preferred running the race during Saturday's weather.

FJ, Andy and I ran a very even race. We stuck to about an 11 minute pace and got through the run with no major hassles. Andy held up extremely well in his first marathon even though his longest run was an 18 miler. Truth be told, though, he has been training for his first marathon for the last three years. The anticipation was so great that an entourage followed Andy to support him. By mile 19 our entourage grew with the addition of Jimmy and Kate who ran the rest of the way with us and Katie joined as we were going over the 6th Street bridge. Even without the big posse, though, Andy said he realized with an hour left in the race that he was going to finish. And we did!

When I got home I ordered Thai food and tried to sleep. The sleep wouldn't come though and I wound up staying up until 2 AM. The food, though, was tasty. For dinner I cooked a steak, but the Thai food was what hit the spot. When I woke up this morning, I was barely sore. It felt like I had just gone on a 16 mile training run. Perhaps the days of incapacitating soreness after a marathon are gone. Recovery is faster as the soreness subsides within a day. During the race, though, my legs felt quite heavy while my breathing remained calm and steady.

The count now stands: 4 straight L.A. Marathons, 6th overall, and many more to come.

Just When I Think I'm Out...

26 Mile, originally uploaded by savemejebus.

Before last year's Los Angeles Marathon I told myself that it would be my last one for a while. There are many other marathons out there that I have to run and three was enough--for now--of the L.A. Marathon. For the rest of the year I was secure and satisfied with the decision and looked forward to cheering friends on in the race. With my recent move to Hollywood, it also put me in the perfect location to catch the runners at mile 3 at Hollywood and Highland, hop on the subway and catch them again in Koreatown, then to downtown. I was happy.

Two weeks ago, I got the itch. I looked up at a billboard promoting the marathon and I thought it looked cool. I bet the shirt would be awesome this year. Maybe I ought to run it and get the shirt, I thought. A shirt! $100 and 26.2 miles of running for a shirt! I quickly dismissed it but the seed had been planted. I then let it drop to my running buddies that I'm "mildly considering" running the race. It took very little persuading, actually no persuading, and I agreed to do the race.

I guess I really did want to do the marathon after all, but this year will be different in that I'm running it for fun. Honest. I'm not trained well for it, I still have a nagging issue with my knee, and I'm just not in the mindset to run a fast race. FJ and I are doing it to support Andy on his first marathon. If we post a PR, which I doubt, it would be fantastic. I'll be there to soak in the crowds, run with friends for the first time after being very much a solo runner at my previous marathons, and enjoying the wonderful soreness that will follow.

So look for me somewhere on the course. This will be L.A. Marathon #4 and my 6th overall. See you there, L.A.

Race Report: 02.03.2008 - Surf City Half Marathon

Distance: 13.1 miles
Time: 1:49:32 (8:22/mile)
Where: Huntington Beach, CA

It was a good news/bad news kind of race. Let's start with the bad.

BAD
The main culprit of the race was the weather. The rain would have been tolerable by itself. You get used to being soaked. Throw in the wind, though, and it's just horrible. The wind slows you down and it made the inclement weather even more intolerable with the rain blowing into you. The weather not only wreaked havoc during the race, it also made a mess of the race start. The line to the shuttles were long, the gear check-in was a mess, and the Port-A-Potties were packed. It was ugly out there, which made it more surprising that so many people still showed up.

My race could be viewed as ugly too. At 1:49:32 it marks the first half marathon or marathon where I didn't PR. In fact it's my second slowest half marathon ever. It's five minutes faster than my very first half marathon, which was this race in 2005, but it's also six seconds slower than the 2005 America's Finest City. Last year, I ran a 1:43:48.

Due to a hectic pre-race, I wound up starting the race 15 minutes after the gun went off. I must have been in a Port-A-Potty when the race started. I used the bathroom three times before the race and once after. My tummy was misbehaving. As a result of using the toilet, I had to play catch-up and I had to squeeze myself through slower runners. Last year's race was a clean, fast start with the third or so corral. This year was much slower.

I felt stiff early on and it didn't go away immediately, so I resolved to take it easy rather than risk injuring myself. I also felt unprepared and out of shape, so the confidence wasn't there. I hoped for a respectable time and I think I got it.

GOOD
Like I said I took it easy during the run, and it seems as if I had a lot left in the tank. I wound up speeding up throughout the race. At the 7.75 mile mark, I was running an 8:43 pace. I finished with an 8:22 pace and felt like l could keep going. As I crossed the finish line I felt great. I was tired, sure, but by Monday there was little soreness. It felt like I had just gone for a long practice run. Even though it was one of my slowest times, it was also one of the easiest races I've done.

My knees also held up very well and didn't cause any problems at all. Soon I hope I will be as fit as I've ever been and when I do the race next year I will run a sub-1:40. I hope.

Also good is the fact that my friends Astrid, Preeti and Quynh all completed their very first half marathons--in the rain, no less.

So, yes, it was a slow race for me, but it also yielded some positive things. Hopefully in better weather I'll once again start posting personal bests.

While You Were Working

How do bloggers with full time jobs do it? Work has been very busy. Throw in the long commute, overtime and a messed up sleep pattern, and what's left is a couple of hours to eat and relax. It hasn't been all work, though. The long weekend allowed for some entertainment.

* * * * *



SUNDAY
Saturday found me bored out of my mind. I sat at home and edited the tags on my posts. I had been putting it off for a while, so the lazy day was put to good use in taking care of a neglected chore. Regardless of how useful the free hours were, I had no intention of staying at home all weekend.

While reading my e-mail, I came across Charles Phoenix's Slide of the Week e-mail, which then led to me visiting his website. It was on there that I found out that there were still spaces for Phoenix's (possibly) last Disneyland tour of Downtown Los Angeles. I had been dragging my feet about doing it, mostly because of the price, so that I ultimately decided to put it off another day. I was also under the impression that the tour had been sold out. Faced with no major plans for the weekend and the fear of missing out on a one-of-a-kind tour of downtown, I went ahead and booked a spot on the tour.

I'm so glad I did. The tour was a blast. Phoenix is a true LA original. I saw his slide show a few weeks ago and had a terrific time. He's funny and also quite knowledgable. For the tour, Phoenix sought out to show that Southern California has two Disneylands, the second being found amidst the living, breathing surroundings of downtown Los Angeles. We started off at Union Station where we then took the Monorail--er, the Gold Line--to the next stop in Chinatown. We explored the various shops in Chinatown and then boarded our yellow school bus for Olvera Street, or as Charles called it: Old Town Los Angeles. Charles treated us to a taquito.

The tour included stops at Clifton's Cafeteria for lunch, a walk through the Arcade--LA's oldest shopping mall, a visit to the Bradbury Building, Grand Central Market and an old Dutch chocolate factory. Our next stop was at Bob Baker's Marionette Theater where we were treated to a short show. I thought puppeteering was a dying craft, but here they were training young men to be the next great puppeteers. Bob Baker, himself, came out to perform an amazing tap dance routine with his puppet. After the show, we we had some cake and ice cream while Bob Baker took questions. We then took the bus to Angelino Heights and the Victorian houses on Carroll Avenue before finishing up at Bunker Hill for a scenic walk through the sunken garden, then up to Disney Hall. On the bus back from Disney Hall, Charles and his crew gave us parting gifts, which included a marionette from Bob Baker's theater. Six hours after we started, we finished back at Union Station, said our good byes and looked forward to the next tour. Pictures from the tour can be found on my Flickr page.

Still not wanting to go home, I stopped by Audrey and Nate's neighborhood and had some bbq.

MONDAY
Despite drinking a bit of wine and beer at Nate's, I woke up early to meet up with FJ for an eight mile run. Again not the best run, but we finished strong. I doubt I'll be setting any personal bests in San Diego, but I think I should at least finish. Breakfast afterwards with Audrey was a debacle. The restaurant was understaffed and, of all things, took forever to bring Audrey's oatmeal--the simplest dish we ordered. It took us two hours to finish our meal, most of it spent waiting for food.

FJ invited me to a bbq at his place later in the day. He warned me that all the guests are neighbors and to expect old fogies and their little spawns. I had a great time talking to FJ's neighbors even though I was the only single non-parent there. I felt like I was living out a scene from Little Children. Still I had a good time and ate some great food.

The rest of the evening was laundry.

TUESDAY
To kill time as traffic died down after work, I went to see Voxtrot at the El Rey. Good show, but I was kicking myself that I didn't get Erica and Liz's phone call. Apparently they had an extra ticket for the Arcade Fire show. I missed it!

WEDNESDAY
Work. Work. Work. After work I ran six miles at the gym.

THURSDAY
Drove to San Diego for work. The event went well but the drive was rough.

FRIDAY
Quiet day at work.

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So that was the week. Tomorrow I drive back to San Diego to sign up for the marathon. If all goes well I should finish the race in about four hours.

I'm dog tired. Time to sleep!