Finally a decent week... but poison oak returns

75 miles last week, which isn't anything to write home about, but it's more than I've run for awhile, and I had 2 good climbing runs this week.  The first, Eaton to Mt. Wilson and back:

I really like running down in the San Gabriels because you can run long uphills and long down hills, really lets me lock into a rhythm and hone my climbing and descending.

Saturday I ran with Dom and Tom, and Tom's dog Cormac, from Chantry up to shortcut, then to some other aid station of the Mt.D course, and back down to Chantry:

Absolutely loved watching all of the Mt. Dissapointment 50k runners pushing hard in the heat.  Saw a ton of familiar faces racing and helping out at aid stations.  Glad I wasn't racing it though, not quite ready yet.  I'm ready to run that far, but I want to seriously compete at my next race and it'll be a few weeks until I feel ready.  That next race will be Noble Canyon 50k, can't wait to go camp out and run a competitive race.

Got some poison oak running around with Dom again, hopefully it'll subside quickly.

Favorite Local Run - Elissa's Triathlon - New Hospital Building

(pic from last time I was up there)

I was stoked to run up Boney Mtn. in the Santa Monica Mountains this morning.  I haven't been up there in 5 months!.  Why the hiatus?  The last time I ran up there I got some nasty poison oak rashes.  The trail is overgrown, so I've patiently waited for the foliage to dry out a bit.  The poison oak didn't LOOK to bad today, and I scrubbed with Tecnu immediately after the run, my fingers are crossed.

Here's an elevation profile of my slow journey this AM... when I'm in shape, a couple pounds lighter, and do this on a cool day I can run every step to the top, not the case today unfortunately.

2,000' up in 3 miles, love it.  Didn't love the heat though, guess I need to start hanging out in the sauna again.

IF I don't get a gnarly poison oak rash, my plan is to run this route a lot in preparation for the Noble Canyon 50k coming up in September.  The competition will be stiff with the likes of Fabrice Hardel, Dean Dobberteen and Eric Clifton toeing the line, not to mention 220 or so others, and I'm sure someone I haven't heard of will tear it up... as per usual.

This trail is also great training for the next two races I plan on running: Los Pinos 50K & Ray Miller 50/50.  My route today didn't quite include any of the Ray Miller course, but I was able to look down on a lot of it.  It's going to be such a sick, tough race.  Stoked to have an awesome event coming up right in my backyard!  And I'm sure it'll bring out all the top dogs: it's a Keira race, there's a ca$h prize for the winners, and it's a gorgeous/brutal course.  BRING IT!

Elissa's First 70.3!

There she is, yellow cap, turquoise suit

I had a great long weekend crewing/photag'n my beautiful wife up in Windsor last weekend as she competed in a 70.3 mile triathlon.  Her fan club was rolling deep: me, her mom & dad, grandma, my aunt, cousin and cousin's daughter.  She finished well under her projected time and was walking around the next day in wayyyy too little pain.  Then we celebrated her dad's birthday and her birthday and dental hygiene graduation with her family up in Stockton.  It was great finally getting to see all of them again!  And of course we ate tons of delicious food.

Greg looks great for 15 doesn't he!

New Hospital Building:  most of the units at Children's Hospital Los Angeles have relocated to the new hospital building on campus.  I knew it would be difficult and there would be a lot of changes, but wow.  I had no idea it would be this different and that the move would require so much time, effort and resources.  I feel EXTREMELY fortunate to work with so many great people, and my hat goes off to all of my managers, putting in ridiculous hours to facilitate the move.

I had a tough time last shift, I didn't have a crazy assignment, or super sick patient, but there are many little stressors that pop up when so many actions I took for granted in the old unit, are now different, or require a couple phone calls before I can do what I need to do to take care of my patients.  

I'm telling myself that it's like running a long race... there are times when you feel great, times when you feel like throwing in the towel, but persistence and tenacity will pay off and things will get better.