After running 16 miles through the unwanted humidity of Burbank and Glendale, I figured this week’s run would be half the distance since it was a recovery run. Well, I was in for a bit of a shock when I learned we would be running 12 miles. Considering I ran only one maintenance run this past week, this left me worried I would suffer more than usual. But on the upside, the weather was much colder than the previous week, and I figured as long as I got back to Griffith Park before the temperature rose above 70 degrees (and it did), I would be alright.

Before I go on, you probably are wondering why I did only did one maintenance run instead of two. To be honest, I think depression began to overtake me this past week. I’m not saying this to make an excuse, but instead to offer an explanation. Over the last few days, I found myself very unmotivated to do much of anything, and it got to where getting myself out of bed was impossible. Sleeping is wonderful, but oversleeping, while it sounds great, has became a rather nasty habit. I was determined to make enough money to take care of my escalating Visa bill, but I only made a tenth of what I usually make because I just couldn’t get myself to do what needed to be done. It is at times like this where I am reminded of how training for the Los Angeles Marathon has been a lifesaver for me. Exercising helps release endorphins and gets those serotonin levels up to where they need to be, so I have to remind myself of this when it comes to next week’s run as cardio training helps elevate my spirits during a time where we are forced to endure a terrible Presidential administration.

Truth is, I have suffered from anxiety and depression most of my life, and I am often reminded of how easy it can be to fall into the dark pit of despair. I am taking medication to combat these two illnesses which can be the best of bed buddies to one’s own detriment, but there’s more to taking care of these mental afflictions than just medicine. Also, maybe I need a little more caffeine and sugar in my diet.

Anyway, this run took us outside Griffith Park and into Burbank and Glendale, and there was a hill involved as we ran up Grandview Avenue. However, we did make a left turn on Kenneth, so this particular hill wasn’t as torturous as the one we endured in Griffith Park. Coach James encouraged me to run at a 3:1 pace, and I did just that to see how I would do. For the most part, I kept up with the pace, but I did find myself eager to take a walk break before my watch informed me with its beeps that it arrived during the last few miles.

I always have two water bottles on me while I run these miles which can at times feel incredibly endless; one which contains water, and the other which contains a liquid filled with electrolytes. This other bottle typically has Gatorade of a certain flavor, be it grape or orange or lemon-line. This week, this bottle had the closest thing to Pedialyte in it. Why? Because Pedialyte or its generic equivalent is filled with electrolytes and zinc among other things, and it doesn’t contain too much in the way of sugar. Pedialyte is meant for babies suffering from dehydration and diarrhea, the latter of which no one wants to talk about during a lunch break, and it came to my rescue after a night of eating sushi I bought from the supermarket. I won’t go into specific details, but my body kept pushing out unwanted materials even after my stomach felt completely emptied.

Thanks to the generic Pedialyte, I was never lacking in electrolytes. In fact, I began to wonder if I had too many of them floating around in my body. I need to get more sodium into my body even if it means eating salt. Yes, eating salt by itself can be rather disgusting, but it has the same effect on me as when Popeye eats his spinach. I suddenly become energized as the salt absorbs the water in my system, and I am able to escape the clutches of fatigue even if it’s only for a little while.

When it came to keeping up with my fellow runners, I did manage to catch up to them at one point. Of course, this was near the beginning of the run when we had yet to run past Walt Disney Studios. Still, it was nice to have them in my sights a little longer than usual before they inevitably disappeared. I also look forward as I always do to smelling the yeast coming out of the bread factory we past by on the way to Sonora. I always get a rise out of it!

Upon arriving back at Griffith Park, I was greeted by the sound of bagpipes and, of course, I thought it was all for me. Whoever was playing them was messing up the notes a lot to where I wasn’t sure what music he was trying to play. All I can say is it sure didn’t sound like “Amazing Grace.”

Coach James was on hand to welcome me back and did so with a smile, saying he didn’t actually wait long for me to return. To hear James say this made me feel especially good because it means I am making good progress in increasing my running endurance. He also confirmed that the bagpipes were not there for my benefit. If they were, I would expect much better playing of them.

Next week, we are going to be running 18 miles, so I will do my best to prepare for it and try to keep my depression demons at bay. There is much I have to be motivated about, so as long as I keep that in mind, I should be fine.

FUNDRAISING UPDATE: With my Pablove and Facebook pages combined, I have now raised $419 towards my fundraising goal of $1,500 for The Pablove Foundation. Every little bit helps, so be sure to make a tax-deductible donation today. If you can get me up to $800 by this Saturday, January 20, 2018, I will run through the streets of Burbank, Glendale and Griffith Park with an Eeyore by my side.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE ON MY PABLOVE PAGE

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