December 3rd thru January 21st, 63.17 Miles Total

The continued prayer is, “Lord keep me focused. Keep my mind stayed on You. Help me to bring You praise. I know You believe in me. Please help me in my unbelief. Amen.”

It has been quite a while since I’ve made an entry and that is bad bad bad. I have been plenty busy and while my running schedule has taken a serious beating, I have been running fairly regularly.

At the moment, I have two races scheduled and I am also seriously considering the Pacific Half in March. I’ve done that one every year since I’ve known about it and while I have never PR’d on it, it remains one of my favorites.

I know there are many people out there who love to run trails and don’t bother lacing up for less than a 1000 ft climb, but I am not one of those people. I hate hills. Hate ‘em like pebbles in my running shoes. Another thing I really loathe is the New Year’s Resolution.

With that said, I have decided that 2013 is going to the Year of the Hills!! I hate the idea of course but I do believe that hill work is speed work in disguise.

Regular readers know that I am no fan of speed work. Focusing on speed robs me of the joy of running but becoming a stronger runner is ideal and, as far as I’m concerned, always the goal.

This brings me back to the Pacific Half Marathon and why I’ve never PR’d on it. It’s hilly. Very hilly. Almost all of it. Sure, there are hillier Halfs but for me, the Pacific Half is where I beat my body down every year.

Normally, I would register without a second thought and just do my best on it but this year, I have a 10-miler scheduled three weeks before. Do I think I can fully recover from a 10-miler in three weeks? Of course…. As long as I don’t injure myself.

But that’s exactly what happened between the RAD 10k and the Marla Runyan Half last year. I clocked one of my worst Halfs ever because I ran it injured and I may not have gotten injured if I had taken it easier during the two week period between those races. That had never happened to me before and I don’t care to repeat the experience.



There are many other first-time experiences since my last entry that I would *love* to repeat like:

Learning to shoot a high powered rifle.

Attending a Quincenera.

Finding funny, slightly passive aggressive signs posted in my neighborhood.

Finally cleaning out my workout bag.

Finally getting to see the suit MJ was laid to rest in < sniff! >

Doing a race with my super hot brother-in-law.

Getting completely hammered at a Masquerade Ball with some hot runner chicks.

Taking the fam to the aquarium in Long Beach.

And channeling Forest Gump, the most beloved Ultra Marathoner of all time, outside The Bubba Gump Shrimp, Co.

I’ll keep you posted on the hill running and let you know what I decide about the Pacific Half.
And now, On to the Run

December 3rd, 2012 – 3.16 Mile Run
December 4th, 2012 – 2.76 Mile Run
December 9th, 2012 – 6.26 Mile Run – Race Pace Jingle Bell Rock n Run 10k
December 11th, 2012 – 2.18 Mile Run
December 17th, 2012 – 3.82 Mile Run
December 23rd 2012 – 3.18 Mile Run – Reindeer Run 5k w/Uncle Ryan
December 28th, 2012 – 3.49 Mile Run
December 29th, 2012 – 4.02 Mile Run
December 31st, 2012 – 1.40 Mile Walk
December 31st, 2012 –7.42 Mile Run
January 1st, 2013 – 7.42 Mile Run – New Year’s Run w/Race Pace
January 12th, 2013 – 3.54 Mile Run
January 13th, 2013 – 5.06 Mile Run – w/Lisa from Race Pace
January 17th, 2013 – 1.11 Mile Run
January 20th, 2013 – 5.33 Mile Run – W/Race Pace
January 21st, 2013 –3.02 Mile Run