In Passing

Both our coaches named Katie set personal half-marathon records on Sunday. Because of horribly snarled traffic, I started the race late. I was outbound at mile 2 or so when they zipped past on their way to the finish line. We said 'hi' and 'bye.' They looked strong. They finished the 13.1 miles together in 1 hour and 37 minutes. That averages out to 7 minute 26 second miles.

Also, two of my Hawaii teammates ran a 10K that day in Redondo Beach. Ernesto bested his 10K time from last year while Nick cruised the 6.2 miles in "54 minutes and change," cracking 9 minutes a mile.

And so good things occurred on a disappointing day.

But I did get the big surfboard finishers medal.

And free ice packs.

Go Team!

Injured my leg yesterday at the Pacific Shoreline Half-Marathon. I'm at mile six, cruising along at pace, when the very tendon I praised in earlier posts for healing so well turned on me. Sharp inflammation. I slow. More pain. I walk. I walk for two miles. More pain. I walk slowly. Young and old — running and walking — pass me.

By mile nine I'm limping. If there were a First Aid tent in sight, I think I would've quit. I've fallen so far back, I'm surrounded by marathoners. (They're on mile 16.) I walk as far to the slow side of the course as I can. Still, some runners speed past and cut sharply back in front of me — like drivers zipping around slower motorists out of spite. Their actions stand in contrast to other marathoners who cheer me on as they pass.

My sweat dries and I start to chill. Now I'm cold and hobbling. The sun is out, but still misty behind the clouds. At mile 12 I spot the Huntington Beach Pier and speed limp. I finally cross the finish line in 3 hours and 23 minutes. (That would be a great marathon time.)

I head for the First Aid tent. Grabbing an ice pack, I sit on the curb and numb my tendon and knee. A few members from my Team in Training chapter stop by. They ask if I can make it to the parking lot shuttle. I can and do. Eventually, I arrive home to ice and the Super Bowl and an assignment that had to be turned in Sunday night.

During the run — and subsequent long walk — I was glad to be wearing my purple TNT jersey. There were lots of "Go Team!" from runners and spectators. I had the sense of never feeling alone. I was indeed part of a team. That's something I'll always remember about the Pacific Shoreline Half-Marathon.

Tendon to Business

Big farewell dinner for the Winter Team last night. Many members will be back for the monthly alumni runs and several intend to race San Diego on their own. Still, it was the last official time we'll gather as a team.

Speaking of racing, I ran my 3 mile time trial on Wednesday afternoon. I had the Rose Bowl practically to myself. My time was 27.53. But that night I felt a pain in one of the big tendons running down my right calf. I iced but next morning there was swelling around the knee. I iced again and elevated the leg, but ended up dashing about on errands more than I cared to. Today the leg is much better; swelling is gone. But I need to ice it over the next two days. If I still feel any tenderness on Sunday, I won't run. I'll just show up and support the Katies. (Both our summer coaches are named Kate and both are running Sunday to set personal records in the half-marathon.)

I really want to run the half marathon, even though it will just be to practice pacing.

Pacific Shoreline has a cool surfboard finishers' medal.

Cemetery Dance Rejection

Had a short story returned from Cemetery Dance Magazine. They rejected my submission but encouraged me to try again. As horror magazines go, they are on the high end, publishing the likes of Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and, hopefully, me some day.

Back to work.

TNT SGV Marathon Team Kick Off!

Summer TNT officially began today. Teams from all over the greater LA area met in Culver City. Great bunch of folks. When I first encountered TNT last July they were so upbeat and positive I thought they were cult members planning on marrying all the new comers to each other in a ball park. However I learned that the outgoing attitude necessary to fund-raise coupled with massive running endorphins helps to produce such positive people. And they reinforce each other in goal setting and goal reaching. A far cry from many of my bitter, sarcastic writing friends.

As I've mentioned, the first San Gabriel Valley team run is next Saturday. But since my knees are hurting a bit, I'm planning on icing until Wednesday, running my three miles solo, then icing again until the half-marathon on Sunday.

Oh, and start fund-raising too.

Also, I should get a job at some point.

A Novel Idea

As soon as I think I've seen it all, something happens to remind me otherwise. The company that I passed on has made yet another unconventional financial offer. The offer has good points and bad. However production starts the week after next and many other issues remain unresolved. I'll make a decision Monday. Meanwhile I'm pressing ahead on an outline for a young adult novel. It's about a teenage guy who must confront an ancient evil that his relatives helped unleash.
The novel features a big tree, monsters, Indian lore and lots of jokes about California people. Events span 3 centuries, so I'm writing a time line listing story points in chronological order. Afterwards I'll play with the order as I build an outline.

There's a sense of urgency here. My agent likes the story and is willing to shop it around. That means it's up to me to write the outline plus the first four chapters. No excuses — like having to make money. I've leaned on that one a lot over the years. If I could finish the marathon, I can write the book.

As soon as I'm done blogging.

That's A Wrap!

When I posted about the job offer last week I was on the brink of flying back to Chicago to meet the client. However we couldn't agree on various financial matters. So this morning, after talking with my agent, I pulled the plug. It's tough to let work go, especially since we're eating the seed corn around here. But I think it's the right call.

Ran a hard three miles yesterday without walk breaks. Thought I'd see how things felt before next Saturday's time trials. My pace was erratic and I need to focus on consistency.

That's the upside of turning down work: more time to run. I'll be the fastest man in the unemployment line.

Story Editor Gig

E-mails from my agent pile up. I'm in line for a story editing job on a new animated show. She's scrapping with the client for additional money. I tell her the more the merrier since her agency takes 10% off the top and taxes will nab another 40%. Of course, TV animation salaries, in general, tend to be far lower than what live-action TV commands. If you think of Hollywood, California as the entertainment industry hub, TV animation would fall somewhere in West Virginia. Such is the way of things. Still, a job would be nice.

Bad Teeth and Track Intervals

Back again today for my first root canal of the new year. (I'm running out of nerves to remove.) This latest one stems from an ancient root canal — my very first back in 1977 — that finally grew infected. We're heading it off before the thing balloons out my jaw in a big pain bubble. Perhaps I'll get a new Flinstone's toothbrush.

Tomorrow night I start interval training on a track. (Intervals are a series of short fast runs that build stamina and speed.) I'm preparing for the first workout of Summer Team in Training in February. There's a timed 3 mile run around the Rose Bowl that determines what pace groups we'll train with. I'd like to make a good showing.

When training begins, we'll do long runs with the Team on Saturdays. The Saturday pace is slow, two minutes slower than you'd normally run. This relaxed pace builds up aerobic capacity and endurance. Eventually you work up to 20 miles, then taper off toward the marathon.

Our Winter Team members ran well at the P.F. Chang Marathon. Phoenix is flatter than a billiard table which surely helped. But hard training did the real work and I congratulate them.

And now, time for dental fun!

Another Round of TNT for Me

Turned in an exacting script last Friday: a half-hour animated show crammed with characters and gags. Fitting everything into three acts proved tedious — like writing a thick technical manual. I'm delighted to be finished.

Yesterday I attended the summer Team in Training info meeting at our local library. Of the twelve San Gabriel Valley Winter teammates who ran Hawaii, five are returning to fundraise and run the San Diego marathon in June. We'll have a veteran team by any measure. Practice starts the first week in February — the same weekend four of us, plus Katie, our summer coach, are running the Pacific Shoreline Half-Marathon.

My best to our P.F. Chang marathoners, running today.

Phoenix Marathoners Depart

Bid farewell and good running to the last members of our Winter Team. They're off to run the P.F. Chang Marathon/Half-Marathon in Phoenix this Sunday. It was a mini-reunion with members present from the other Team in Training winter events: Santa Barbara Half-Marathon in November and the Honolulu Marathon last month. I almost signed up for Phoenix, but my wife wanted to go to Hawaii. And so we did.