Surfers Point 5k Race Report

A docile Pacific Ocean.

Sea Side Race Sees Chilly Start

Cold down near the beach at 6:45 AM. Forty-seven degrees Fahrenheit according to the thermometer in our warm SUV. Back in sultry September, a nice cool beachfront run in Venture seemed a sterling idea. Not so much that morning.

Warming up with t'ai chi.

That Sunday, 5k-10k-half and full marathons were on the running menu for 361 participants. I love these smaller races. Running 5ks in LA, I usually have that many people just in my age group. Here is the 5k breakdown:

For the 3.1 mile run there were 90 participants; 36 men and 54 women, including my wife Joy—running/walking with me for the first time in 26 years. I stressed to Joy the importance of relaxation, fun, and breaking into a trot at the sight of an event photographer. (You can always shuffle later.)

Out and Back, Mostly Up, Then Mostly Down

Forget the milling cattle starts of big city races. Here the field opened up pretty early, save for a bike trail climb up from the beach. My Chi Running form worked well uphill. I was able to pass any number of huffing-puffing runners without significant increase in my cardio. This is highly motivating when you're old and overweight. Downhills were wheeee fun as I let gravity do the work.

Joy spots a photographer.

After the turnaround, I focused on passing the runner in front of me. This only worked when they were older and fatter. Nonetheless, I soon spied the parking lot and a cadre of high school cheerleaders recruited into encouraging the runners. Later in the morning, I noticed they broke into enthusiastic shouts whenever a cute guy ran past. For me, they didn't even stand up. ("You're almost there." Yawn.)

 And soon I was across the finish line. I handily beat both women in the race with strollers. Like Griffith Park, my form disintegrated trying to hustle at the end. However, this time I emerged without injury. And something else . . . .

Ready For Product Endorsements

. . . my very first age group medal. I was the third fastest in the 60 - 69 age group. (35:05; an 11:17 pace.)   Of course, there were only about eight of us, four on walkers and two on life-support, but, still, I'm prepared for any marketing opportunities or speaking engagements that arise. Except for Nike. Brooks, yes.

Joy displays her finish line bling.

A man glutted with medals. 

 A fine race and a pleasant mini-vacation for Joy and I. We might just give Surfers Point another try in May. Should my training progress, I'm considering the 10k worthy of my best efforts.  More on our plans soon.

Hallow Mass and Stalinfest 2019

quote ideas

No posts, nothing, a ringing silence, then a plug for Hallow Mass. Fancy a bit of seasonal scares and a boot in the butt to political correctness, give this horror-comedy tale a try.

Most of you may go away now as I intend to delve into things Stalinist.

My friend Dutch, author and raconteur, is moving after 35 years in Hollywood. I shared his dwelling for six of those years and remember the time as darn interesting. A ferocious reader, Dutch encouraged me to rummage through his book collection, an assortment mighty by any standard. Given our mutual love of history, I selected several books on a cheery little topic called Stalinism.

As an appetizer, I re-read Darkness at Noon. Arthur Koestler's fictional depiction of an old Red caught up in the meat-grinder of the Moscow Show Trials teased the palate, preparing me for the historically nourishing:

The Great Terror: A Reassessment by Robert Conquest. Reviewer Larry Slawson says:

"[Conquest's} reliance on such a wide variety of sources, in turn makes [the] book feel both informative and very scholarly in its overall approach. Conquest also possesses a superior writing style that showcases itself time and again throughout each chapter. The end result is a historical work that reads more like a novel with its narrative-driven style."

 I met Robert Conquest at the LA Times Festival of Books back in 2003. He mentioned a certain pride in deducing the terror's casualty figures. Considering the book was first released in 1968, I give the man mad respect. Back then, nothing emerged from the Soviet Union save weapons and propaganda, and several tank brigades for the disobedient Czechs. Amazed was I  by Conquest's accuracy as subsequent history would prove. (Sounded a bit like Yoda, did I.)

A break may be needed after "Terror." A stroll, a bit of fiction, I think.

Back to the table after my walk and right into a second Robert Conquest book, Harvest of Sorrow. From a review at Barnes and Noble we learn that those harvested were peasants of the Soviet Union in 1932 - 33. Stalin caused:

"a "terror-famine," inflicted by the State on the collectivized peasants of the Ukraine and certain other areas by setting impossibly high grain quotas, removing every other source of food, and preventing help from outside—even from other areas of the Soviet Union—from reaching the starving populace. The death toll resulting from the actions described in this book was an estimated 14.5 million—more than teetotal number of deaths for all countries in World War I."

Quite the under reported slaughter, though the New York Times reporter Walter Duranty wrote that everything was just fine and, besides, who couldn't stand to lose a few pounds? That's why I was glad to discover a few years back that Anne Applebaum had written Red Famine: Stalin's War on the Ukraine. Her book will constitute Stalinfest dessert as I look forward to encountering such new information as might have emerged since Conquest's 1986 book.

Anyone left reading? I thought not.

JP Mac Fiction, Non-Fiction, and Running

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My tale of murderous witchcraft in a Hollywood apartment building has been selected by Soteira Press. "Mark of the Bruja" will appear in an upcoming anthology of stories themed around horror in California. Keep an eye out for publication updates. A lot of water under the old author bridge since I last published a short story. Nonetheless, no better promotion for a writer.

"Prostate" inches toward publication as a softcover. The PDF should be finished by tomorrow and, hopefully, the back cover and spine by Tuesday. Possibly a dummy copy will be in our hands by week's end.

On the running front, my knee has been tender since early July. I've still been going out 3x a week, but taking it easy. Yesterday, I put in 3 miles, but failed to arise early and suffered from the late summer heat. Slow on the running front, but speeding across the literary veldt like a cheetah on the keyboard.

Griffith Park Luau 5k: Thoughts, Insights, Ruminations

Back with yet one more huge 5k medal.

I loath 5ks that allow strollers and dogs. Especially when the women pushing the strollers are faster than I. Also, it's not a grand idea to run 3.1 miles along Griffith Park bridal trails on a Saturday morning, which is a peak usage period. People training for marathons and sundry other races bolt through the pack and around the runners with dogs stopping to talk to non-runners with dogs. For the second 5k in a row, I felt a slight lactic acid buildup at the start, followed by fatigue, and the desire to quit and walk the race. Fortunately, such thoughts, if unentertained, turn listless and meander off.

On the upside, this was home ground. I often train on these very trails during the week when no one is about. On mile three, I was passed by a woman pushing a stroller and talking on the phone. This was too much. But I knew something she didn't. The final .1 mile featured very loose soil. Tricky for runners, especially those pushing wheeled conveyances. I passed her in the home stretch. But she found a patch of solid ground and came on strong. I gave it the gas and almost reinjured my knee, but extended myself enough to keep from being picked off at the finish line.

Thanks to this woman and child, I achieved my modest running goal for the race. (Sub 36 minutes, if you must know.)

Oh, Chi

Back in May, I noted different features of Chi Running. Today, I did quite well staying with cadence and leaning forward. But I lacked a speed burst. When stroller woman kicked, I fell out of chi running form and tried to race old school. This resulted in a tortured hybrid style that inflicted a sharp knee pain—the signal that I'm doing something wrong. This week I'll mark out 200 meters or so and practice sudden accelerations. In case I encounter more strollers.

Hallow Mass Volume II Outline  

Sloppy, scattered, but underway. I need to set solid deadlines if I hope to publish by Christmas of this fine year. I reread the original and was pleasantly surprised it didn't offend me with as many errors and poor writing as I'd feared. But onwards to December. 

Running and Prostate

Maximum Performance

A lonely ebook seeking softcover company. 

Both are doing well, thank you. Ran 4.4 miles today in new Brooks trainers. (Maybe not so new. I've had them 11 years, ever since injuring my knee.) Reading old 2008 posts, I was quite an optimist. Even with a known tendency to push myself and get injured, I always recovered eventually. The idea that my marathon days were a memory only registered very slowly.

And finished those days may be. But I'm game for one more go. After all, this time I have a book to write. Speaking of which, another marathon possibility might be my old target of the California International Marathon.

On the subject of books, I advance at a glacial pace in formatting my prostate ebook for softcover. Niggling details of a fraction here added to a fraction there. Such exacting trivia. I'm considering adding artwork, but if it looks like too much effort, I'll put it off for another edition. 

A Marathon for Me?

What's happened since July 4? Steady progress and early morning runs to beat the heat as I continue my plan of running a monthly 5k. In addition to augmenting a considerable technical tee-shirt collection, the races keep me focused and motivated to pick up the pace a bit on my 3x a week training runs. Coming up in August: the Luau 5k in Griffith Park.

Was a Marathon Mentioned in the Post Head?

 

Yes, good catch. I have set a goal: to RUN a marathon. Not soon. Not in 2019. Possibly in 2020, or so. But that distance will be target as I intend to chronicle my running comeback with a book detailing the decade of injuries, operations and dashed hopes that upended my dream of completing the Boston Marathon. The attempt to once more cover 26.2 miles—locally—will be the scaffolding upon which I construct a tale of defeat and . . .? Time, effort and a bit of luck will write the ending.

Who Are the Fine Contenders? 

Van Garner suggested I shoot for the all-downhill Ventura Marathon. A solid choice. Another selection might be the Surfers Point Marathon, a flat ocean-front course. In fact, my wife shall be joining me this November for a 5k along a portion of said marathon. Courses fast and flat or all downhill lack terrain variety and can stress your leg muscles through repitition. But I wont' be breaking any records. To finish an upcoming marathon, is to wear victory laurels—from a writing standpoint.

Hopefully, I don't end up like Pheidippides.

Santa Clarita 5k 2019

Back home and safe in time for the earth to move beneath my feet.

(Wow. Hot little earthquake just rocked the house as I sat down to write this. On it shook. But everyone is okay and the Internet didn't cut out.)

Back up in the foothills once again for a 5k. Super running weather: overcast with temperature in the mid-60s. I've run this race in 2007 and 2010. As you may note from the picture to your left, Santa Clarita has succumbed to the giant 5k medal bug.

No goodie bag, but a nice technical shirt.

I slept poorly last night, hated getting up early, and almost walked the whole thing, but I stuck it out for a 36:57 finish. That's seven minutes off from my January 5k.

Like '10, there are no more mile markers. Many people now run with phones in hand, listening to apps like Runtastic. Not me. I focused on my goal: finishing before anyone with portable oxygen.

Glad I went and did what I did. Happy July 4th! The grand experiment continues!

UPDATE:

My official finishing time and pace.

Running, Writing, Vital Jake Plug

In Motion

Running consistently the last few months. My weight slowly trends down. With a 5k race approaching in three weeks, I'd like to work in some speed—a relative term when you're fat and slow.

No Story Like a Short Story

I'm hurrying along to finish another tale with a June 30 deadline.

T.L. Schreffler

Cohesion Press craves stories combining military and horror with an emphasis on last stands. I just so happened to have an unsubmitted story from last year that can be arranged to meet said criteria. Plus, I'm employing a new proof reader, which has forced me to advance my deadline. But we're talking upscale problems. 

"Prostate" eBook Selling Well

Very consistent sales, with a few purchases in the UK, Canada, and Australia. I welcome my English-speaking brothers in prostate cancer—and assorted side effects. I'm told this is Men's Health Month, a period dedicated to heightening the "awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys."

Back to Golf

In keeping with the spirit of the month, author Janet Farrar Worthington has been kind enough to excerpt part of my post-op cancer story on her VitalJake blog. Janet is a tireless booster of men's health in general and prostate cancer in particular. She's been a proponent of my book and I'm grateful for her promotion. 

With all the above in mind, I'm announcing the softcover version of They Took My Prostate: Cancer-Loss-Hope will be available August 9. I'll put up a pre-order page on Amazon for those who'd like to gift a guy facing this particular challenge. 

And a pleasant Sunday to all.