Hello LA!
I’m here.
It hasn’t been without it’s pain and aggravation, and stress, but I am here and we are “moved in” to our new place. I say “moved in” with quotes because we’re in our new relatively large house with a couple suitcases of clothing, a card table, 4 folding chairs and a borrowed pull-out couch. The rest of our furniture and stuff should be here in, well, seven to ten (or so) days. BUT, I am writing this from our front patio, sitting in 60-something degree sunshine. So there’s that.
I took Friday and today off from training, but I did do my scheduled long run yesterday. I didn’t really know where to run for 2:30 hours, so I got up early and just ran and tried to see some of the LA sights. I ran from here (around Fairfax and Olympic) east on Olympic, then through Hancock Park and up through Hollywood, about to the 101, where I was just below the Hollywood sign. I turned back and ran west down Hollywood Boulevard, over all the stars in the sidewalk, past Grauman’s Chinese Theater to Fuller Avenue, where I turned north and ran into Runyon Canyon. I ran up one side to the peak, from which point you can see all of LA – from way past downtown to the east all the way to the ocean in the west. Supposedly, on a really clear day you can see Catalina. Yesterday wasn’t that clear. The run up to the top is SICK. It’s close to a mile of really steep switchbacks, without much of a break. Yesterday morning I was about the only dumbass actually running up the hill. I’d like to think that the people hiking/walking up looked at me and thought I was tough, but it’s more likely they looked at me and thought I was an idiot! I ran back down the hill to Melrose and weaved my way south-west back towards home. I got back here with about thirty minutes to spare and finished my run exploring the streets immediately around my new home. It was a fun way to see LA, and best of all my knee and back held up pretty much fine. My knee is a little achy and sore today, but nothing worth really complaining about – especially since I did put 17+ miles on it yesterday before 10:15am. I’m getting closer and closer to Boston and feeling better and better about my chances of being there.
For my next long run, I think I’ll head west towards the ocean.
We have a lot to get done here before I’ll feel even somewhat settled, but I guess we’re on our way.
Run/Walk – March 8
Distance: 17 miles
Time: 2:40 min. (10 min walk warm-up, 25 x 5 min. run/1 min. walk)
Average heart rate: 144
Course: All over LA
Conditions: Sunny and clear, high 50’s/low 60’s!