Coronado - 8 miles

Time: 2:44pm
Distance: 8 miles (felt like 14) at avg. 9:23 pace
Route: Tidelands Park to Bike Trail along Silver Strand Road
Completed In: 1:16:04
Shoes: Asics GT 2130
Fuel: None
Mood: Happy to be out, nervous about the heat
Weather:Sunny and clear, 82-84 degrees
Of note: Little lizards about the size of crickets, shirtless men with Ken doll chests.

What gets me through the hot runs is the knowledge that training in the heat is going to make racing in San Francisco much easier and sweeter. Freezing 30% of my water bladder so I have cold water for at least part of the run (ice melts so fast here!) was a trick I learned early on. Hot water when you are overheating is a real bummer.

I've been running mainly in my neighborhood, breaking up the long runs by utilizing some routes I found via the San Diego Track Club website. Most of these routes are flat, so inevitably I'm going to have to go back to the Hillcrest/Wa. St./DT loop to get the hills in needed for both San Fran and Boston.

I was hoping this Coronado out and back would be more scenic. The first 2 miles are near the water and a golf course, then the bike route heads along Silver Strand Road, a 2 lane highway bordered by desert plants, with the bay in the distance behind a chain link fence.
My kingdom for some greenery!

I jumped the gun a little fast, covering the first two miles in just over 18 minutes. The heat overtook me pretty quickly though, and the final 6 miles were at a more moderate pace. When I turned around at 4 miles to head back I was met with a fierce headwind that cooled me down but made running a bit more difficult. In the end, my pace was between 9:16 and 9:23, depending on who you ask (Garmin vs. Motionbased).

Until I get really accustomed to this place, I don't feel confident that my running is going to bring me the same joy I had back home. I find the dry, yellow crispiness of the desert unsettling and the solitude of these runs somewhat wistful.
Sunday I have my first runner's group meet-up. They rarely fall on a Sunday, which is the only day I have totally free. I'm excited to meet other runners, get the scoop on races and the "in" on the San Diego running community. It will take some of the sting out of being away from my tribe and bring some camaraderie to my workouts. In the meantime, I have a month of pre-dawn boot camp classes to simulate AR's Saturday Morning Runs.