In a League of My Own

January 31
Group Run: 6 miles

WCRR Group Run
It's Saturday! That means group running day for the West Coast Road Runners. We met near the beach again and broke up into our pace groups to run the six miles scheduled for today. It was another beautiful day... sunny and perfectly warm.

If you read my blog about last Saturday's five-mile run, you know I had a miserable run. I'm happy to say that today's run, although a mile longer, went much better than last week. I did not run the whole way but I did run most of it (walking the hills).




Slow-Poke
I have to admit-- and I do so without shame-- that I am a slow runner. I don't mind that I'm slow. I really don't feel the need or the desire right now to run fast. I figure I can work on that after I get more running experience under my feet.

West Coast Road Runners has names for each of their pace groups. I can't remember all the group names but each is named after a marathon. For example, there is the Chicago group (for faster runners), the Boston group (for those working on qualifying for the Boston Marathon), the LA group (for the walkers), and the group I signed up for- the Catalina group (for those who run between a 10-13 minute mile).

The problem I have found is that I'm somewhere in between the LA group and the Catalina group. I would put myself in the LA group except that I don't want to walk. I would rather push myself to catch up with the Catalina group pace.

So, what do I do? I run by myself. In the past two weeks of training, I have found that I prefer to run by myself. It's not that I'm anti-social, I just don't feel the need for company when I run. I really enjoy the solitude in running... just me, my music, and my mind. I also don't like worrying that I'm slowing someone else down.

Introducing the San Pedro "Group"
During my mostly solitary, quiet run today I came up with my very own group name. I am now part of my one-person group called the San Pedro group. I'm not in LA... I'm not on Catalina Island yet... I'm somewhere in-between. So, San Pedro it is. That's a port where people board a ferry-type boat for the short trip to Catalina Island. As far as I know, San Pedro does not have a marathon of its own... but like me, it's on the way to Catalina.

Here are some pictures of the area in which we ran today:





"Good things come slow - especially in distance running."
~Bill Dellinger,
University of Oregon coach

Comments

Mel-2nd Chances said…
thanks for stopping by my blog! Your pictures are great, i'm so jealous!! :D I'll have to catch up on your previous posts... good luck with your training!
January 31, 2009 at 10:10 PM
Unknown said…
I love that you named your own pace group! Great attitude. :-)
January 31, 2009 at 11:41 PM
Run Mommy said…
That is great (pace group). I would really like to have a regular group to run with - is helps so much!
February 1, 2009 at 5:34 AM
Anonymous said…
Love that you have your own "pace group". I actually prefer to run by myself too. Of course, I prefer it because I spend most of my day with my children, who do not have off buttons or volume control. When I run, I want peace and quiet LOL.
February 1, 2009 at 7:03 PM
Rookie on the Run said…
I think that's why I like to run by myself, too. It's not too often I get to enjoy the peace and quiet! :)
February 1, 2009 at 8:27 PM
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