Longing for St. Lawrence
I knew it wasn’t going to be a great running weekend early Saturday when Rebecca yelled from the other room, ‘I know it’s only 7 o’clock, but it’s already 79 degrees.’’ Yikes. I have concerns about training for a marathon, but I never had to worry about this type of heat before.
And while the website for the Quebec City marathon boasts an average temperature of 60 degrees at the start, and 68 degrees at the finish, it does little to help my training in the San Fernando Valley, where I am readying for the daily onslaught that slaps me in the face that this is a desert.
So there I was, up by 7 a.m. each day and getting ready to run. Now, as a sports writer, it’s in my blood to be a night person. While Rebecca wakes the sun up many mornings, I find it best to not know the world exists before 10 a.m.
But even running early this weekend, it was hot. I tried to imagine the cool breeze blowing off the St. Lawrence River -- much of the marathon is run along it -- and somehow I hope the wind is at my back going upstream and downstream.
During training I sometimes come up with ideas that seem good, that is, until it is time to execute them. This week I had a doozy.
I decided to end my 9-mile Sunday run at the top of Reseda Boulevard. For those unfamiliar with the area, the finish offers one of the best views of the Valley. The problem is getting there. I remember talking to a person in a local store who told me the elevation was close to 1,600 feet, most of which comes in the last 1.5 miles.
Again, great idea in midweek, but about 300 feet up the climb and the thermometer already breaking 80, I was thinking more about how I should committed for coming up with such an idea.
But thanks to Rebecca and Kyan handing me bottles of water to poor over my head to cool down, I finished it, without stopping or walking, although to the occasional passerby it may have appeared otherwise. I think the run accelerates my training, mostly because for the rest of my training, every time it gets tough, I can say, ‘Well, at least I’m not running to the top of Reseda.’
As I mentioned above, living in the Valley makes this a less-than-ideal time to be training for a marathon, but I had to do it. For all the marathons out there, Quebec City struck a cord with me.
Why?
Well, you now know my story of what I went through last summer, and I believe much of it was due to the death of my dad when I was 3-months-old. As it turns out, my mom and dad honeymooned in Quebec City.
After talking to my mom, I thought it would be cool to go back there and run, because I think it’s a great way to experience a city. She’s going to meet us there, as are my sister and her three kids as we stage a mini family reunion. Other family members said they would think about joining us, but it’s been a few months since I heard from anyone else about it.
With training (and the weather) heating up, start looking for my blogs twice a week now. I will post one after my Thursday training runs, and again on Sundays.
This week looks like this: 4 miles (Tuesday), 7 miles (Wednesday), 4 miles (Thursday), 7 miles (Saturday) and 14 miles (Sunday).
Comments
Great run. Be happy you dont live in Needles.. it was 117 yesterday.....
Posted by: rudy | June 5, 2006 6:13 AM
Great blog Brian. I agree with the, "I find it best to not know the world exists before 10 a.m.", way of life. You are on a mission and it is awesome to see how you are getting it done. God Bless and keep it coming! Ted
Posted by: Ted Bloom | June 8, 2006 9:31 AM