Well, now that it's almost a month after my trip to California, and I've been doing a bunch of other things, I thought it was high time I wrote some about my trip out to California... from a running perspective!
I was quite inspired by my friend, Ingrid, who wrote a fantastic blog about her running experience. She is amazing and continually inspires me.
As a quick side note, Kara Goucher has really been so awesome lately. I love how her priorities are just so... incredible. What a great way to look at being both a mom and a runner. And what a runner she is!
And while I will never be a Kara, I do still love my runs.
About a month ago, I took a long weekend trip out to California. (Check out some photos from the trip and other info, on my blog page here.) I didn't run the first morning I got there, but instead got ready for the day a bit to go skiing with my cousin up at China Peak. The drive up was beautiful, and up there, too, it was a gorgeous day, and we got in a half day of good skiing... with only a couple of falls on my end. I like downhill skiing, and sometimes doing things other than running really can be quite good for the body. I always notice in winter than my hips and knees and ankles get a lot stronger from the factor of ice to run and play on... and my core. Love it! That constant re-balancing factor!
Ooh! And on the way down the mountain, definitely saw an amazing sunset! Loved that I even went to California... to ski? Haha... ironic, especially considering the crazy snowstorm Minnesota got that weekend.
The next morning, though, I did go for a run. I was in the San Joaquin Valley, and it was not exactly cold (50's?). I didn't go for a long run, and I found the air kind of... "heavy"? I have heard that there is a greater pressure from gravity the closer one gets to sea level, not to mention a bit of fog. Kind of fun, but I actually sort of preferred the idea of a decent MN winter run. (For that one, at least.)
From there I went to the central coast foothills, where more family lives. Early on the 3rd morning of my trip, my cousin and I got up, and went for a run. I absolutely loved that run... Hills, fog, and my cousin (who is rather like a sister)... made for such a fun run! Pretty much perfect! Coastal hills, fresh air, comfortable temps (40's when we started), and I could definitely see myself kicking it hard and pushing it quite readily if I was living there. We only we 4-5 miles (I can't remember exactly right now), but definitely a great run. We were off to church after breakfast and showering... You know how awesome it is to share a great breakfast with family after running together? Good conversation, run, church... and then, even better! We went to the ocean that afternoon...!
Where... we taught ourselves how to surf with a body board. Not standing yet, but that will come on another trip or two, I'm sure! We couldn't have asked for better weather! 80's, crazy cold water (full-body wet-suits a MUST), sunlight... perfect day. We hung out at the beach, walked around in Pismo, stopped and saw the monarch butterflies on their trip south, and stayed in the waves until our feet were stiff and almost painful from the cold. Had a fantastic supper, watched the sun set... felt the sand in our toes, and salt water in our hair... water, sunlight, sea salt, fading light, and crashing waves. Yes. Mmmm. Surfing is a fantastic feeling, a great alternate to running, eh? And if I lived on the beach, I would probably run the sand, too, like I saw a few people doing. Glorious day.
Definitely decided that there is something about the rhythm of the ocean and waves that sets into a person, calms them. And so, I fell in love a bit more with surfing and the ocean than I even had before, when I was growing up in California. (I had body surfed, just no board ever.)
By this point, I was getting definitely tired from all the activity. I didn't really push myself to complete exhaustion in anything--I was out to enjoy myself, and I definitely was enjoying myself!
On the 4th morning, I got online on my phone to check the weather in MN. Still in bed, tired, and debating about whether or not I really wanted to get up and go for a run by myself before getting on the road to head back to the airport to fly home... I thought perhaps the Minnesota weather would potentially motivate me.
It did.
It was negative something degrees.
So, I pretty much flew out of bed, pushed myself a bit faster and harder for a short run, and was SO VERY GLAD that I did.
I did make it back to Minnesota... with a sigh remembering temperate running conditions, but a bit excited to attempt some runs on the crazy snow that happened while I was away.
And that... friends, is a bit of my lovely trip to California.
I'll write again soon to tell you about something else I've discovered this winter! And that... is running with snowshoes! :)
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