Dec. 27: ~ 4 mi. on the cart path of a golf course

Dec. 29: ~ 6.5 mi. around the new neighborhood

Jan. 4: 6 mi. on a high school field where one lap = .5 mi.

Jan 6: 6.2 mi on a hilly route with local TnT chapter

I usually log my mileage and time pretty accurately, but during yesterday’s run (back in NJ), the battery on my running watch zonked out, and since I hadn’t yet logged the recent runs that were stored on it, I lost that data.

I am recently returned from a two-week trip to Southern California. I had to deviate from my training schedule more than I anticipated, but I still got in a few runs, including a very enjoyable run with the Ventura County Marathon Team of the Greater Los Angeles Chapter of Team in Training. (That’s quite a fingerful when you type it all out, so from here out, I’m calling them “Team Ventura”.)

Since I was running in an unfamiliar area, my first couple of runs were not very planned out in terms of either target distance or what route I would take. I had a fuzzy goal of about four miles, and just made up the route as I went along. For the first run, I knew there was a golf course across the street, so I went to check it out and pretty soon I was running the cart path. I didn’t know whether it was a public or private course, or if I was allowed to run there, but I decided I would plead ignorance if anyone busted me on it. There weren’t a lot golfers out, and whenever I got close enough to any to worry that I might distract them, I’d stop until they were done swinging. It made for a very pretty run, and I was thinking maybe this was something I could get used to until I heard, “Foooore!” and a golf ball landed about fifteen feet away from me. From that point on, I enjoyed the scenery but probably wouldn’t make a habit of it. The next run turned into tour of the neighborhood, and I ran much of the time with my head on a swivel, so I could check out all the new landscaping.

Both of the first two runs offered novel scenery, but the terrain was very hilly, and I was running on concrete or asphalt the entire time. With so many hills and hard surfaces, my right knee started hurting again and by the last mile or so of the second run, I was walking to protect it. I took a few days off and for my next run, I picked a large grassy field at a nearby high school that would be boring to run at, but I picked it for the softness and flatness, not the scenery. It wasn’t the most even of running surfaces, but it was at least more forgiving than the previous runs. My knee did better there and I did run the entire time, but there was still tenderness at the end.

Two days after the field run, I had my most enjoyable run of the trip, joining Team Ventura for their weekend run. Varda, my TnT mentor, had helped me find a local TnT chapter, and when I got in touch with them to ask if they had a local run scheduled that weekend, their Campaign Manager, Amber, invited me to the Saturday run.

It was interesting to see the similarities and differences in how that team did things compared to mine. For example, both teams make it standard practice to have a “why we run” moment before the run starts, where someone either shares an inspirational story, or maybe gives an update on honored teammates, but Team Ventura threw in a little ritual I hadn’t seen. They formed one of those huddle where everyone puts their hand in, then they’d do a “Go, [Teammate]!” thing where people would shout out who they’re running for, and the group would shout, “Go, Haley!”, “Go, Bob!”, or whoever it was. For the last one, it was, “Go, Team!”, and then the ran began.

Not surprisingly, there didn’t seem to be anyone else on Team Ventura training for the New Jersey Marathon like me, so the events they were training for had them at a different stage of training than me. Most were running 10 or 12 miles, but a few people were going shorter distances, so I ended up with those. I ran most of the way with Linda, who was a very nice (and nice-looking) running companion. She’s recently engaged to a guy who was an Army Ranger, completed his service, and now he’s going back for more. She is a kindergarten teacher, which makes her about the third teacher I’ve met already in Team in Training. (I like teachers - I married one.)

There was a water station at the halfway point (halfway for me, anyway), and another little difference from my NJ team was that there was actually a person stationed there, as opposed to the necessary items just being stashed there ahead of time by a coach. However, this was also at a street corner in the middle of a route that was all street, not at some more remote part of a trail like the kinds of spots that usually serve as water stations in our NJ runs.

I ran as long as I could with Linda, but it was another hilly run on asphalt, and the last half was mostly downhill (harder on my knee than uphill), so with about a mile to go, I parted company with her and joined up with two walkers, Kyle and the team’s walking coach, Wendy. They’re less than two weeks out from walking their event, the Carlsbad Half Marathon.

When we got back to the parking lot where we’d started from, another TnT support person, Emma, was there with more snacks and drinks. She also guarded the box o’ car keys that was another nice touch I hadn’t seen before. (Cold weather gear often has pockets, but otherwise, there’s often no good place to stash your key for a run, especially if it’s on a chain with other keys.) I could have taken off at that point, but I lingered to get a shirt. I noticed a few people wearing a long-sleeve running shirt with a cool TnT design on the back, so I asked where they got it and found out that Marilyn from Team Ventura had them made and was selling them as a fundraiser. If I waited until she got back, I could get one. She was out for the full distance, so that gave me plenty of time to mill about and mingle with Ventura teammates.

I chatted with Amber (Campaign Manager), who was already working her recruiting magic on me to be a mentor next time around - even though I’m only about five weeks into this thing so far. I helped Brooke stuff envelopes for her fundraising efforts - which reminded me I need to kick mine into gear soon - and found out she has a running blog too. In her Jan. 6 entry, she mentions how “COLD” it was, which I find funny, because it was one of my warmest team runs yet. I won’t say I didn’t shiver at all standing around in my shorts and t-shirt before the ran start, but hey, it was warm enough to be standing around in shorts and a t-shirt before the ran start! Some of my Ventura teammates dressed like they were expecting snow. I can relate, because I grew up in Southern Cal so I don’t do cold well myself, but I guess I’ve gotten a tiny bit more cold tolerant, judging from last Saturday.

When Marilyn arrived, I was able to buy the shirt I was waiting for. It’s the same material (Cool-Max) as the shirt I got from TnT for signing up, but it has the advantage of being long-sleeved. On top of that, buying it from Marilyn instead of just going out and buying that kind of shirt somewhere meant that I was supporting a teammate’s fundraising efforts. It’s a white shirt, and on the back, in colors and lettering that complement the official TNT logo at the bottom, it says, “If you think doing a marathon is hard, try chemotherapy!” (If anyone is interested in ordering one, there’s an order form available on the Team Ventura’s individual fundraising page.)

Team Ventura were a very enjoyable group of people to chat and run with, which is lucky for me, because there’s a good chance it won’t be the last time I run with that chapter. My thanks to Amber and the rest of the team for making me feel so welcome.

In closing, I have to pay off the title of, “Golf run, Home run, Field run, Team run” with a short summary of my CA runs in Seuss-i-fied verse:

“Running here won’t be a chore,”
Methought until a shout of, “Fore!”

The pretty yards were nice until
I turned around to run uphill.

One lap, two lap, all the same.
At least the knee’s not quite as lame.

Running long seems too extreme
unless I’m running with a Team.