A Long Run: In the Zone

On Saturdays, I normally take care of the boys while my wife works.  The boys have karate lessons, we run errands, have a leisurely lunch, etc.  Sundays end up being my long workout days.  Yesterday however, my wife had the day off, so she took the boys to their lesson.   I was initially going to go with them, but she suggested I take the time for a workout.  

It was one of those picture perfect mornings after an overnight rainfall.  The air was clean, and white clouds hung in the blue sky creating endless patterns to gaze upon.  After putting away the laundry, I texted her and told her that I would run towards the karate studio and then either circle back or hitch a ride with them back home, depending on how I felt.  

I debated bringing my water pack if I was only going to run 4 miles.  I decided to give myself the option of a long run, just in case.  Good thing I did.  I set out with a very easy pace just to warm up and had no aspirations for speed or pushing.  For some reason, my right ankle has been bothering me since my 13.6 last weekend.  It's a stinger, and could either be tendinitis or a stress fracture.  I doubt it's the latter, but plan to get it checked out this week regardless.  But back to the run...

Heading out on my old flat course towards the Rose Bowl on Orange Grove Boulevard, the miles came relatively easier as I went.  My MapMyFitness app started to report 8:30 and 8:44 splits.  These weren't blazing by any stretch, but faster than it "felt."  You see, I have this theory about effort and performance.  The goal for me is to establish and find that "cruise control" pace that neither feels stressed or feels like you are holding back.  As your fitness improves this pace naturally gets faster.  Pretty basic, but instead of targeting pace times, it's more of a gauge on how one "feels" on the run than anything else.  

So the reported pace times were telling me that my "cruise control" was faster than I thought it was.  I held steady, and tried not to speed up or slow down.  I tried to maintain my foot cadence and breathing, which at this point was very relaxed.

I arrived at the karate studio to my wife's observation, "that was fast... you're here already?"  My younger son had just finished up and my elder son was about to begin his class.  They were going to be there for another hour, so I decided to continue on.  I figured another hour would give me the return trip back home and a shower.  

As I headed out of the studio, I felt that chill that you feel when you first head out for a run.  My body had warmed up in the studio and the sweat had accumulated in my shirt.  My "engine" had cooled.  It wasn't long however until my engine got back into gear.  I headed down Los Robles towards California Boulevard and intended to just take that back towards our house in East Pasadena.   

As I was going down Los Robles, I began to think about a longer run.  I felt great.  My legs were effortless, and my breathing was incredibly relaxed.  In fact, it was like I wasn't running at all.  That was it, I was going to go down to Huntington Boulevard and my old bike route.   

This was a downward trending segment, with multi-million mansions as my back drop.  I akin it to an augmented reality reading of Architectural Digest.  From the manicured gardens and driveways, to the impeccably designed homes themselves, Pasadena and San Marino are known for their beautiful homes and eclectic mixture of architecture.  Modern next to Spanish Revival next to colonial, etc.

I hit Huntington at mile 8 and was at this point cruising at sub 8:30 pace since leaving the studio.  For the next 4 miles along this relatively flat stretch, I was in another world.  My pace quickened without an effort, and I tried to calculate in my head how far I was going to go.  I wondered, if I feel this good, how long can it last, how far will it take me?  Do I turn up at San Gabriel? nah.  Do I turn up at Rosemead? nah... feeling it still.  Well then, I'll just take my bike route all the way home.  

This bike route is 25 miles and takes me in the same path I took towards the studio by progresses further west before it turns south towards Huntington.  I had shortened that route by going to the studio, but was now on the last few miles of that route heading towards Arcadia.  

There is a large park in Arcadia that I go by, and when I ride or run by it, it's normally crowded with people practicing Tai Chi.  Due to the fact that I headed out later than usual, and stopped by the studio, they were no where to be found.  I missed them.  They were a spiritual connection for me as the route took an uphill elevation and inspired me to finish strong.   

This was now at mile 13, and the elevation change began to wear on me a bit.  My breathing really didn't waiver, but I began to feel hungry and depleted.  I stopped and walked a bit here and took a Clif Shot Blok and a Gu.  I recently discovered Salted Caramel Gu's.  They are the bomb.   Taking in some water to wash it down, I tried to motivate myself that I could conquer the hills ahead through Arcadia and Sierra Madre.

It was at this point that my ankle really started to hurt.  It's a sharp pain that goes from my arch and up the interior of the ankle.  Every step or grade change is like a little knife stabbing me.  Some steps and grades help mitigate it, but the overall uphill grade was unrelenting and I could not get back to a stable point.  

Heading up Santa Anita Avenue, I dug down and just went for it.  Head down, I almost ran into a pair of deer on the sidewalk up ahead.  I guess to them I looked like a mountain lion coming to get them, because they promptly perked their ears up and scampered to the parkway in the street between the north and southbound lanes.  They were beautiful and galloped passed me.  We do not normally see deer this low out of the mountains, and I'm guessing the drought has a lot to do with it, but nevertheless, it was a rare and beautiful site - not to mention, a welcome distraction to the pain in my ankle.

As I turned on to Sierra Madre Boulevard and headed up towards downtown Sierra Madre, I could tell this was going to be a long last three miles.  I was amazed how quickly I went from the effortless feeling I had to feeling like my leg was broken.  Something is definitely up with the ankle, so rather than risk a more severe injury, I made the call - literally.  At mile 15, I stopped.  I ended the MapMyFitness session and stopped my music, and called my wife to come meet me at the Starbucks in downtown Sierra Madre. 

I've only made this call once before on a long run a couple of years ago.  It happens, but it's important to have backup plans and a cell phone.  I am proud I made it as far as I did, and had just 2-3 more miles left until I made it back home.  My legs are still fresh, and had my ankle not given me trouble, I would have made it back in good form.  Motivation for the next time out, I'll finish it and go beyond.

I really look forward to my weekly long workouts.  They are 2-3 hours of complete meditation and contemplation for me.  It's my "reboot" for the week and helps keep me sane in all of the complexities of real life outside of running.  Running is that fantastical escape for me, where I can dream of conquering Everest-like obstacles and feeling as strong as Dean Karnazes.  For the first 14 miles, this was an epic run.  Effortless, beautiful and one of those "in the zone" moments.  They don't happen every week or even every month, but when they do, you just to have to go with it and ride it.