Thank you, Pacific Grove, California!

This week I was on the central coast of California for a work conference, chillin at Asilomar Conference Center (pronounced uh-SILL-o-marr), a California state park and beach that’s located in this “micro climate” where the temps never got into the 60’s. That’s all LOVE! (Sweet Jesus, I might have to move! -kidding) But you DO know that running in any kind of sun/heat is not my thing…that I love the fall best of all…it was running perfection that made up for the spotty internet connection, the NO TV thing, and the “rustic” room, which is code for “me no like.”

I'm so proud of my running this week. I've given every run EVERYTHING I had. Everything. I pushed myself hard. It's a good feeling to know that you did your absolute very best. You know we always make these parallels to running and real life, but it's true. Why would you not do your best? Shit's always gonna be hard, at least sometime in your life, right? But I SOOO don't wanna go through life and at the end, know that I didn't give it my all. That I chose the "easy" way out, but in the end I shortchanged myself. Life is yours for the taking. I'm taking mine, I'm gonna push myself as hard as I can to get the things that I truly want/need...I don't feel I deserve any less. And I owe it to myself.

In the words of Spike Lee: "Sho Nuff * Ya Digg?"

Here's a breakdown of my runs this week, followed by some pics from my long run:

Sunday Run: 4 miles along the coast (10:05 pace)

Monday Run: 4 miles along the coast (10:14 pace)

Tuesday Run: 4 miles along the coast (9:45 pace)

Thursday Long Run: 16 kickass miles! Here’s the breakdown:

Mile 1 10:04

Mile 2 10:24

Mile 3 10:45

Mile 4 11:02

Mile 5 11:08

Mile 6 11:06

Mile 7 11:06

Mile 8 11.28

Mile 9 10:50

Mile 10 11:50

Mile 11 11:57

Mile 12 11:30

Mile 13 11:11

Mile 14 12:03

Mile 15 11:48

Mile 16 11:35

Total: 2:59:45 (pace 11:14)

Now of course, I realize I did a terrible job at maintaining any remnant of a pace. But an 11:14 pace overall? O. M. G. I have NEVER had a run for that long at that kinda pace. I'll work on a better pace next time and just bask in the glow of my kickassery ways right now. For those of you who consistently run at the back of the pack with the 12:00 pace groups, you gotta know how big this is, right? I'm GEEKED. GEEKED enough to use the word GEEKED without feeling like one.

Anyway, here's some awesome pics to end this post:

Kicking off my 16-mile run in the "micro climate" along Sunset Drive:

Heading into Monterey along Monterey Bay on a bike trail. The sun is out and about 15-20 degrees warmer:

Moving away from the bay, the bike path wound around into a shady wooded area. So pretty, right?

These plants lined the bike path (although I took these during one of my shorter runs):

Sigh. For God so loved the world that he created the Pacific Ocean Coastline:

Farewell, Pacific Grove, goodbye, ocean! I won't forget this week, and especially that kindred soul who was here, but not here...pushing me through every run. Thank you.