Keeping Going, The San Diego Report and a Stern Warning

The health and fitness challenge my company is having is going well. My team is in third place, hopefully our points from this week will push us even closer to top.

One thing this challenge has done has kept me moving. I am approaching a record month for mileage. I will have a full report on my miles May 1st. Stay tuned!

My flight to San Diego left Orlando at 6:30 AM EDT Wednesday morning. I had a layover in Houston and I was able to sleep most of the way to Texas. I even slept some of the way from Houston to San Diego. I arrived in San Diego at 10:30 AM PDT.

It makes for a long day because I work until 5:30 PM PDT in the office. I got checked in to my hotel by 6:00 PM and around 6:45 PM I went out for a run. For the first time ever, I set the Nike+ on my iPod to time and I selected 30 minutes. I wanted to keep it short because I had my heart set on a harbor run in the morning.

I gotta tell you, choosing the time setting really sucks. I never really think much about the time. I just do my thing. I figure most songs are about four minutes, but it doesn't really register. When the five minutes completed announcement came on, I was a little disappointed. That's it? it's only been five minutes? Are you kidding me?

I had picked my Old Town route that I have only ever run on the early mornings. I didn't think about that fact that at dinner time, the sidewalks would be packed with people headed to eat some of the best Mexican food North of the border. I weaved my way through the crowds and up and around Presido Hills golf course. It wasn't exactly an out and back course, but I was able to time it almost perfectly to get back to the hotel in 30 minutes.

I was feeling sluggish and tired from the travel, so I called it a night and I was asleep well before 9:00 PM.

My alarm was set for 5:15 AM PDT and I was out the door soon after for my harbor run. The temperature was in the mid 50's and there was no humidity. It really felt nice. I ran my usual loop past the Star of India and the U.S.S. Midway and through downtown back to my hotel. It's just about six and a half miles. Thursday I made it back two minutes faster than my first trip out this month. It was a new harbor run PR!

That day I had lunch with a co-worker and fellow runner. He asked if I had run to Harbor Island. I told him I had not. He told me how to get there and suggested I check it out.

Friday morning the alarm went off and in no time I was out the door and headed toward the harbor. I didn't know exactly how far Harbor Island was and I needed a few extra minutes to check out of the hotel so as I ran the first couple of miles I contemplated heading to Harbor Island or just sticking to my regular route.

When I got to the point where I needed to either turn right for my route or left to head to the island, I decided to be adventurous and to the island I went.

I didn't have enough time to run the whole Island but I did get a little distance. The view from this side of the harbor was breath-taking. I could see the ships that I had run past on Thursday with downtown San Diego in the background. A cruise ship was entering the harbor. It was spectacular!

I passed two male ducks next to a bush. "Quack quack quack. Quack quack quack". I said to the boys.

I kept going and almost forgot that I had seen them. On my way back the bushes were rustling. As I passed, a female duck jumped out and started chasing me, quacking her displeasure. A stern warning indeed. Did she have babies she was keeping me away from? Or was she jealous that I spoke to her men friends? I told here I was leaving and I kept moving and she dropped back. It was really funny.

This run turned out to be just over seven miles. In three days, I ran over 16 miles. It's always a great way to start the day!

Friday night I took the red-eye through LA back to Orlando. I was able to sneak three miles in last night.

And I am hoping to get a few more in tonight, but I need to get moving before it's too late!