Arielle Silver
  • Music
  • Yoga
  • Writing
  • Patreon
  • LIST
  • newalbum

Envisioning the Hollywood Half

4/2/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
15 mile training run on March 24, 2013. photo by Susan MacDonald
This Saturday, two hours before sunrise, my boyfriend and I will purchase round trip tickets for an early morning train ride to the Hollywood/Highland station three stops away. The first train leaves the North Hollywood station at 4:31 am, and we'll be on it. Despite the weather forecast for Saturday highs around 72, Los Angeles' dry air holds no heat in the dark hours. We will arrive at our destination by 5, shivering against the pre-dawn chill. As usual, I'll have second and third thoughts about what I decided to wear when I was laying out my clothes in the warmth of our house the night before. Is it better to be too-cold early or too-hot later? This is an internal debate I will consider throughout the morning as the sun rises over my 13.1 mile race route.

In the early morning dark, the Hollywood streets will flood with lights. The normally busy intersection will be empty of tourists. In their stead will be the nervous excitement humming with over 7000 runners and their companions. Fifty minutes later, under a lightening sky still thirty minutes from sunrise, a local diva will sing the Star Spangled Banner. My boyfriend and I will kiss goodbye. He will take my jacket and water bottle while snapping a few "before" shots. A fog horn will sound at 6 am for the first corral, and then 3 or 4 minutes later for my assigned corral. As I cross the start line I will think, "Settle in. You'll be running for two hours. Enjoy it."

It's funny to think of settling in to run, but for most of us, a half marathon is not something we can rush through. This will be my third half-marathon in the past six months. Between the races and the training runs, I know that at these distances I've got to maintain a steady, sustainable endurance. The excitement at the start line makes it tempting to race off at top speed when the fog horn sounds. Even without the costume that many will wear for the Hollywood Half, I'll feel like a superhero when the crowd cheers us off, but the excitement tapers a quarter mile down the road and then there's another 12.75 miles to go. As I cross over the start line into the rest of the race I'll forget about the destination - the finish line - in favor of enjoying the slow-motion trip around the city. My only task is to run, and as daunting as the distance is, my body knows how to do it. Run, and stay positive. Until we're back on Hollywood Boulevard and the finish line comes into view, I will settle in to the waking of Tinseltown, the rising sun, and the surround-sound pitter patter of running shoes on the pavement.With the finish line 13.1 miles away, a run this long is not something to wish away. It is something to savor.



UPDATE: I finished the Hollywood Half in 1:59:59.9
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Subscribe to our mailing list

    * indicates required
    Email Format

    Archives

    May 2019
    April 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    October 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    July 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    November 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012

    Categories

    All
    1000 Tiny Torches
    40 Days Challenge
    Antioch Mfa In Creative Writing
    Big Sur
    Books
    Boston
    Burning Man
    Creative Flow
    Criticism
    Door To The Shore Run
    Election
    Failure
    Faith
    Family
    Fear
    Gratitude
    Grief
    Half Marathon
    Happiness
    Injury
    Inner Voices
    Kickstarter
    List Of 100 Things
    Los Angeles
    Love
    Lovember
    Love Them Apples
    Marathon
    MFA
    Music
    New Album
    Recording
    Rejection
    Running
    Shed
    Sick
    Social Activism
    Songwriting
    Stepparent
    Success
    Swimming
    The Written Run
    Throw Back Thursday
    Tour
    Type 1 Diabetes
    Valentine's Day
    Workshops
    Writing
    Yoga

Worlds

Music
Yoga
Writing

Contact

MUSIC: booking@ariellesilver.com 
PRESS: amanda@TrendPR.com
RETREATS: alexa@getgurud.com
BHAVANA FLOW YOGA: darby@bhavanaflowyoga.com
© COPYRIGHT 2015. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Music
  • Yoga
  • Writing
  • Patreon
  • LIST
  • newalbum