Downhill Running

Today's lunchtime run around campus focused on hill training and exercising my mental stamina for the Big Sur Marathon and the scary bunch of inclines and hills throughout an otherwise scenic course. The uphills around UCLA offer some practice. And for that matter, so do the downhills…

Running downhill is not something I enjoy. It’s fun for the first two seconds, sure, but then it’s not. The problem is that downhill running pretends to be this carefree, easy, relaxed activity, when it can cause you to lose your form, get injured (hard pounding), and my problem – get bored. There’s a sort of monotony to it that really gets me antsy. The leg muscles used downhill are different too – and the soreness is more palatable.

Firecracker 10K next month will be good practice with its intense inclines and declines. I’m promised Dim Sum with the Legger gang at the end of it all. Hmm… Downhill to Dim Sum? I think I can manage that.

Chinatown Firecracker 10K, Year of the Tiger Official welcome

After my not so great week after the Marathon, I decided not to run Saturday and helped out with water stations for the Leggers instead. But I did go to Firecracker 10K on Sunday. How could I not? This event is crazy. It's crowded, packed with people from all races, ages, and abilities, and starts off with a bang of hundreds of firecrackers going off. I didn't actually see the firecrackers; but I heard them, smelled them, and saw the smoke. There was also a lively dragon dance - Just the right amount of cheesiness and fun.

I did the Firecracker 5K 2 years ago, so I knew to expect hills. And after that race, I vowed never to do it again. But I've worked on hill training since then, and I started off pretty slowly - running - but slowly. The 10K started half an hour after the 5K, and since I got there very early, I was eager to go. The hills were just as I remembered them, steep! But I was prepared and was able to run up them at a relaxed pace. The views were beautiful. Gorgeous clear day. Now the parts I wasn't as crazy about? The downhills. Steep steep downhills. Running with brakes at full force downhills. So I took little walk breaks there. No need to muck up my knees. Once I got to Dodger's Stadium, a little over a mile away from home base, I notched up my speed. I was feeling good and heading to the finish. My final time was 1:09:21 . And after it was done? I went home. Too crowded!

But I did spot the Tiger. He looked beautiful, happy, strong and hopeful. Happy Chinese New Year everyone.