Small Victories

Today started the Mt. Wilson Trail Race training.  For those of you who don't know about the Mt. Wilson Trail race - it is a race 4.3 miles up a mountain and back - about 2000 feet of climbing involved. 

So victory number one today was getting up to meet the gang at 7 a.m.  Last year, I was too lazy to get out of bed that early on a Saturday.  But this year I have very specific goals and lots of events to train for.  Today, I actually woke up very early 4 a.m.  Eventually rolled out of bed, a bit worried about the cold - as it was about 47 degrees as I headed out.  It was a huge group, and always fun to see my friends.

Today's workout was Baldwin repeats.  Run from Kerstings Court (Baldwin and Sierra Madre Blvd.), up the street to Carter and then back.  It is about .6 miles one way, and most of the hill is between a 5% and 9% grade.  The goal for today was 3 repeats, rest half the total time.

Round One:
Up: 7:38
Down: 5:22
Total time: 13:00

Round Two:
Up: 8:04
Down: 5:26
Total: 13:30

Round Three:
Up: 8:01
Down: 4:56
Total: 12:57

Now the other small victory was that on rounds two and three, I did not walk at all on the way up (or down on any of the rounds).  It was the first time I had run up that hill without stopping -- and who knows how many times I had attemped it.  Usually I stop running and walk a bit - like I did on the first round today, where I ran to about Grandview, walked a bit and continued jogging to the top.  But at some point I have to get myself to continue to run up hill.  It's more mental than physical on most days.  So, today was a small victory in that I did it -- not just once, but twice. 

All in all, it was a great way to start a beautiful Saturday and always great to tackle these workouts with friends! And thanks to Joanne - who I could hear behind me on round two and who I chased on round 3 up the hill.