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Couldn't Put It Into Words! 1K In 2k11

2012-01-01T11:27:00.000-08:00

I just don't have the words to describe the feeling I felt when I passed 1000 miles last night at the end of the Fort Collins Resolution Run 5K. Therefore, I made a movie! Enjoy!

Occupy Las Vegas- The Vegas Half-Marathon Recap

2011-12-31T15:17:00.000-08:00

I realize it's been almost a month since I ran (sort of) the Las Vegas Half-Marathon and I haven't finished my recap. The thing is- I WANT to have liked that race- I really do. I want to have like it so much that I would go back and do it again next year. BUT...I just don't think I did- like it, that is. I have come away from that race with a feeling of "Well, that's done," instead of, "WOW! That was a blast!" or even, "Ok, that was a relatively good time," or "That was better than a kick in the ass."

So, overall, the race that I was looking forward to THE MOST this year, was just...blah. Not that it wasn't eventful- it was definitely eventful. It just wasn't the thrill ride that I thought running on the strip at night would be.

When I left off, we were lined up in our corral, getting ready for the race to start. The corrals in front of us were released and we were finally OFF! Well, not really...there were SO MANY people walking in front of us, it was hard to even get started. This is kind of typical in every race so, I thought it would eventually subside. Umm..yeah, no.

Hubby and I couldn't get into a rhythm even after a mile or so- the strip was so packed with people. And while it was very cool to run down the strip at night and see all of the lights, it wasn't so cool when people abruptly stopped in front of us to take pictures of said lights. To make matters worse, they didn't pull over to the side to snap photos- they just stopped- in the middle of the street, creating a domino effect when unaware runners smashed into them.

Our Only Wedding Photo

Three miles into the race, hubby and I arrived at the Mirage Hotel and Casino where we were participating in the run through wedding ceremony. We entered a roped off area on the sidewalk and made our way near the front of the group. A few minutes later, a Nevada pastor officiated a three minute ceremony and just like that, our wedding vows were renewed! At the end of the ceremony, the volcano in front of the Mirage went off and we reentered the race as the crowd cheered.

Once we were back on the course, it was more of the same. There were lots of walkers and people stopping every few feet to take pictures. We had to do a lot of weaving in and out, slowing down, and speeding up. At one point, a woman completely cut off hubby and I, causing both of us to trip and almost hit the decks. Oh man.

We tried to make a pit stop at a port-a-potty at one point, only to find that there was ONE available at the designated area. You mean to tell me that you organize a race for over 40,000 people and you have ONE toilet available?? Yikes. We ended up going into a McDonald's with what seemed like half of the race participants. I had to laugh when I heard a man say to his running partner, "You talked me into running these 13 miles with you, the least you could do is let me get a cheeseburger quick!" His race partner just raised her eyebrows.

After the bathroom stop, hubby and I made it back out on the course. This is when I noticed the orange cones lined up. Apparently the race organizers cordoned off a section of the course for the full marathon participants. Not only did they use tiny orange cones to divide the course, race staff members on bicycles were riding that line, yelling, "Half marathoners to the right, full marathoners to the left." So, let me put this into perspective for you. If I wasn't slamming into walkers or photographers in front of me, I was tripping over tiny orange cones or trying to avoid getting hit by a staff member riding a bicycle. Oh, and forget going to the bathroom.

Also, forget drinking any water, unless you brought your own (which we did, thank God!). As we got further and further into the race, the water stations seemed to have fewer and fewer volunteers staffing them until, finally they were simply closed down. I remember running through what HAD BEEN a water stop around mile 9 and it was folding tables, collapsed down on the ground and hundreds of paper cups littering the street. No water, no Cytomax, no volunteers...nothing. Nice.

After getting past the bathroom debacle, hubby and I had a few Gu Chomps and walked a few steps, around mile 6. At this point, I was super annoyed at the race organization (or lack thereof) and, just to add insult to injury, my iPod died. UGH! Luckily, I had my trusty back-up iPod shuffle so it wasn't completely a lost cause.

Throughout the race, I tried to stay with hubby as I really wanted to finish with him. The trouble with that was, hubby's knee was really bothering him so he'd slow down to try and shake it out and I wouldn't know since I had on my headphones. At one point, I stopped on the side of the road to see if he was behind me. He wasn't. I waited for a bit and then ran on. I kept doing this- stopping, waiting, and then running, thinking that I would find him sooner or later, right?

Eventually, I sent him a text message and he replied. Turns out, he thought he saw me run into a Burger King (you know, because the port-a-potties were so abundant) so, he followed "me" in there. It wasn't me so, after going to the bathroom, hubby started sprinting up the strip and was at least a mile AHEAD of me. I texted him, asking him to wait for me and the I started sprinting.

I caught up with him, finally and we ran on together. I miscalculated where we were in the race and I told him we only had a mile left (my Garmin GPS was WAY off due to the weaving and trips to McDonald's). So, WE started sprinting...and sprinting....and sprinting. I kept yelling to hubby, "FIGHT! FIGHT FOR THIS!" and we just kept sprinting. We were at least two and a half miles from the end. Oops.

We finally saw the finish line and we crossed it without much fanfare. Our time was terrible, but we'd finished. We got our medals and then walked through the finishers area. Oh man, this is where all hell broke loose.

Generally, races feed you a few types of snacks at the end of a race. This race provided Go-Gurt and granola, and...green bananas. BRIGHT GREEN. Yuck. Then, we walked towards the area to get our foil blankets (oh yeah, at this point, it started to RAIN!) and the volunteers were so overwhelmed. They were tearing the blankets off the rolls so fast, they were ripping them in half. Hubby was giving a tiny sheet of blanket that barely covered his shoulders. We couldn't protest though, because we were being shoved forward by the hoards of people trying to just get out of the finish area.

We made it to the inside of the Mandalay Bay hotel and, I'm not kidding, it looked like a Red Cross disaster area might look. Runners were laying on the floor of the casino, people were moaning and clutching their stomachs and some people were even throwing up. I have no idea what folks caught but according to some reports, thousands of racers were violently sick during and after the race. We tip toed around the mess and made it to the hotel shuttle. This area was even worse! Apparently, the runners were packed into the waiting area so tightly, that people were passing out and, due to the crowds, medics couldn't get to them.

Hubby and I decided to walk- painfully- back to our hotel. As we walked, we heard snip-its of stories about others' race experiences. People talked about runners being so violently ill that they had to be hospitalized. Some folks tripped over those cones and got hurt. Others finished the race and didn't even get a medal since they ran out! Oh boy.

Hubby and I finally got back to the MGM and we just wanted to eat. We got cleaned up and went to the Rainforest Cafe. Hubby got a burger and I got a huge Cobb Salad. Afterwards, we went to bed. As much as we wanted to celebrate our race and party all night, it just wasn't going to happen.

The next morning, we had breakfast with my parents and recapped the race for them. As we spoke, I began to realize what a calamity that race had been. Furthermore, we'd heard that they wanted to increase the race participation to 60,000 in 2012. Yikes- I hope they get everything straightened out before that happens!

So- that was that. I really, really, really wanted to love the Las Vegas Rock and Roll Half-Marathon. Truly, I wanted this race to become my favorite. But, alas it was not to be. Oh well, #10 is in the books.

Our one and only post-race picture

On to the next one!

What Happened in Vegas...

2011-12-10T12:35:00.001-08:00

Anyone that knows me, knows that I absolutely ADORE visiting Las Vegas. I'm not even a huge gambler- I just really enjoy the food, the party atmosphere, and the "anything goes" vibe of the strip. So, this summer when I saw that the Competitor Group was going to hold the Las Vegas Rock and Roll Marathon at night on the strip, I jumped at the chance to register hubby and I. I figured this race would be a great final race of 2011 and would take a big chunk out of my remaining miles on my quest to 1000.

The race was scheduled for Sunday night so my parents and hubby flew to Vegas on Saturday morning. Hubby and I had also signed up to participate in the race's "Run Through Wedding Ceremony" and we had a mandatory meeting for that on Saturday afternoon. After landing and getting the the MGM Grand, our hotel, we booked it to the expo to pick up our packets so we could make our meeting on time.

Hubby with his race number

The expo should have tipped me off to how the rest of this race was going to go. With 44,000 runner's participating in the race and countless family members and friends in attendance, I figured the expo would be enormous. Nope- not so. The rows were quite narrow and people were should to should trying to get through. I generally try to stay calm in situations like this but I was getting so frustrated that after we grabbed our packets and shirts, we only stopped at 3 booths and then we left. What a headache.

After the expo, hubby and I attended our informational meeting about the Run Through Wedding Ceremony. There were 106 couples who were either getting married for the first time, or renewing their vows. We got all of our info for the ceremony and then made our way back up the strip. We grabbed a cupcake at the Cupcakery in the Monte Carlo- Hubby had strawberry shortcake and I had lemon. Hubby definitely made the better choice.

Watching the Broncos and Vikings

After an amazing dinner with my parents at Diego in the MGM Grand, Hubby and I gambled a bit and then went to bed. We had a big day ahead of us!

TEBOW!

On Sunday, we decided to watch the NFL games in the Sports Book at the MGM. We grabbed some food at the buffet (OMG- bread pudding- so amazing!) and then tried to find a seat in the sports book. It was SO CROWDED that we ended up sitting on the floor after a security guard told us we could. About an hour later, a different security guard made us move so we went back out to the casino to finish watching the game. Luckily the Bronco game was on every tv in the casino and I went crazy when they pulled out another win! I even "Tebowed" in the casino.

So many people!

After the game, we headed back to our room to get ready. We got dressed in our gear and said goodbye to my parents. We had to head to the Mandalay Bay to meet up with the rest of the Run Through Wedding couples. We tried to ride the monorail from the Excalibur to the Mandalay Bay but the lines were terribly long. In the end, we decided just to walk.

Hubby's ready!

We finally found our group at the Mandalay Bay and took a couple group pictures (I didn't get one though :( ). A lot of the couples were dressed in wedding-esque running gear. There was lots and lots of tuile skirts and veils. I thought it was so adorable that some of these couples were getting legally married while running a race!

Our group got to start in one of the earliest corrals- Corral 14 and we were escorted there by one of the race officials. We had to stand in the corral for over an hour and while we were there, the sun went down and it got really, really cold. Luckily, we met some amazing people (two CSU grads and one woman who also works in Student Affairs!) that we chatted with to pass the time. We also got to watch some performances by the Jabawokeez and an 80's cover band on a big stage that was set up next to the starting line.

Finally, it was time to start the race...be sure to come back to see how it all turned out in the end!

A Thousand Thanks

2011-11-24T06:11:00.001-08:00

I haven't blogged since my last race because, frankly, there hasn't been much to talk about. I've been extremely busy at work- October and November are two of our craziest months. I have been trudging along, trying to finish my 1000 miles for the year, and I have been studying as I am taking a Chemistry course at the University where I work. So, nothing completely "blog worthy."

Today, however, is Thanksgiving. In the past (and still today!), I have looked forward to this day for the 1)food, 2)opportunity to see my family as we all live in various states, and 3) the Macy's parade. Typical, I guess.

This year, though, my attitude has shifted to one of pure thankfulness and gratitude. I am so humbled by the gifts I have been given and by the amazing people that have surrounded me, that I need to give thanks. And since this blog is my platform, I will do it here.

1) I am thankful for God and His son, Jesus Christ. I often don't publicly spout out about my faith (which, trust me, disappoints me) but I can feel a change occurring. I asked Jesus to come into my life on Easter Sunday, 2000. It was one of the happiest days of my life. Since then, there have been some pretty amazing times and some pretty dark times. It was easy to praise God on the good days and it was easy to turn my back on Him when things got rough. The great thing is that He can take it- He still loves me even if I haven't been very nice to Him. Jesus died on the cross for my sins (and for yours) and I can't think of a better reason to tell him, "thank you"- today and every day.

2) I am thankful for my husband. Jason is a gift from God (see point number 1). He, too, loves me even if I am not being very nice to him. His heart has so much love in it that I'm surprised it can hold it all. He's a miracle husband and I still can't believe he's mine!

3) I am thankful for my family. The Haptonstall clan is a tough, funny, loving, and loyal group. I have heard it said that you don't want to mess with one of us because if you do, you're going to face the wrath of all of us.

I am thankful for my dad who doesn't say much (yeah, I didn't inherit THAT), but when he does, you either marvel at his wisdom or are rolling in the floor, clutching your sides because you can't stop laughing. He missed his calling and either should have been a professor or a stand up comedian.

I am thankful for my mom, who is gorgeous inside and out. She's the hardest working person I have ever known. She also always challenges me to be better, even though she loves me exactly how I am. I know everyone says this, but my mom really is the best one out there.

I am thankful for my sisters and brother. While there is an age gap between the three of them and me, I have appreciated that. I have experienced being a kid while they were adults and have had three more protective grown-ups to guide me. Now, though, I appreciate being an adult WITH them. I love laughing with them and reflecting on stories from our past. It's funny to talk about something that I experienced as a kid and hear their perspective on it as adults. I appreciate having been able to watch them grow in their marriages- I have had the best teachers for how to have a successful, loving marriage. I also appreciate that they've given me space to grow into who I am. We live far apart and I am not the best at picking up the phone (I am SO awkward! Trust me, I am much cooler in writing). Honestly, I have needed my space to find out who I am. And guess what- I have found out that while I am uniquely me, I sure do have a lot of the three of them in me!

I am thankful for my in-laws who allowed me to take their son to the other side of the country. I am thankful that they let us grow into the couple that we are, all on our own. I am thankful that they embraced me as their daughter and pour out an endless supply of love to me- even though we are still far away from them.

I am thankful for my nieces and nephew. I have FIVE nieces and one nephew. I haven't seen the littlest girls, my gorgeous Nuss twins, since they turned one. I will see them this Christmas and can hardly wait to see the amazing people I am sure they are becoming.

I am thankful for my two younger nieces on the Haptonstall side. Although one of them isn't with us anymore, I am thankful that she reignited my love affair with God and reminded me to love those around me with everything I've got. I am thankful for my other youngest niece because she is fighting battles everyday, just because of who she is. She reminds me to stand up for the right thing and to always be 100% authentic.

I am thankful for my nephew because FINALLY, my dad will get the engineer that I wasn't cut out to be (just kidding- kind of). In all seriousness, I am thankful that he's embraced his intelligence and reminds me that being smart is cool.

I am thankful for my oldest niece- my first friend and sister. As kids, she taught me to be a little more patient. As adults she's teaching me to be refined by the fires in our lives. She has been to hell and back and has emerged as a woman who has grace, beauty, poise, strength, and a relentless will to survive. She's amazing- point blank.

4)I am thankful for my friends, both old and new. I am thankful for Facebook (yeah, I know- sorry) for allowing me to stay in contact with folks (remember my phone phobia??). I am thankful for the women of Delta Phi Delta, for Kelly and Mary, for 2nd floor Olin, for the cheerleaders, for Wes and my admissions folks, for my SDP family, for my USF peeps (VW, DG, DLM, Midhun, Liam, David, Shelby, Gus, Joel, Grace, Steph, BP, et al), for Brianne and Ben, for Jen, for Shalini, for Justin and Julie,Matt and Beth, Jackie and Ryan, and Jenny and Mike. I am thankful for the new crew of Denver friends that Kelly has introduced me to. As someone who struggled to make friends as a kid, I am blessed to have a long list of people that I have the honor of calling my friends.

5) Finally, I am thankful for my body. I haven't treated it very well in my 33 years and, yet, it's still going strong. I have been 12-120 pounds overweight on any given day. I've abused it with food and alcohol. I have had excruciating injuries to my feet. I have been beaten in the street by a robber and I have been hit by a vehicle. After all of that abuse, my body is strong, powerful, and essentially says to me, "what next? Let's do this." I thank God for my temporary abilities and this body because it is the only one I get and it's a pretty darn tough one.

Honestly, this is just a small dose of all of the things I am thankful for (because to be complete, the list would have to include the Denver Broncos, Sour Patch Kids, Diet Coke, and anything sparkly) but, to me, these are my most important blessings.

I wish all of you a day full of love, laughter, family, friends, and food. God Bless.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Battle Royale

2011-10-18T18:45:00.000-07:00

After work today, I wanted nothing more than to sit on the couch and watch my DVRed episodes of Private Practice. I got home, took off my shoes, and the battle began. I tried to figure out how to spread the miles I had planned to run today (4-4.5) over the next three days. I got our my calculator and my training plan. Seriously, running was sounding about as appealing as getting a root canal without Novacaine. I was tired. I was really, really tired.

Then, I thought about how angry and disappointed with myself that I would be if I didn't run tonight. I thought about how irritated I would be tomorrow when I had to add 2 miles to my run and run 6 miles instead of 4. So, with that, I took a step and put on my running clothes. Then, I thought about how heartbroken I would be if I fell short of my 1,000 mile goal by 4 miles. And then, I put on my running shoes.

So, there I was, in running clothes and running shoes, still tired, still not loving the idea of going out in the wind to run. But, I made a deal with myself- I would run one mile and if I wasn't feeling it, I'd turn around and come home.

And you know what happened? I ran 4.3 miles. It wasn't pretty, it was difficult, and I couldn't wait for it to be over. But, I did it. So, the winner of this battle was me- I won.

Denver Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon Race Report

2011-10-17T07:03:00.000-07:00

If you read my previous post, you know that I was in bad shape going into the Denver Rock 'n Roll 1/2 Marathon last Sunday. I was nervous, banged up, and unsure that I would even be able to race. Never a quitter, I sucked it up, took some Advil, and got ready to run.

This race had a really reasonable start time of 6:55 AM! I was so happy to not have to get up at 4:00 AM, which is what generally has to happen on race days <<sigh>>. My alarm went off at 5:00 AM and I got dressed.

I ate a quick breakfast of toast and Diet Coke (DON'T JUDGE- I always drink it before I race- some people do coffee, I do DC). I grabbed my gear bag and my sweet hubby drove me to the drop off area down in Denver.

This race started at Civic Center Park in downtown. It was so dark, and so cold, but the buildings were all lit up and there were tons of people milling around. I found the gear check area and, as usual, got in line for the port-a-potties.

Before I knew it, it was time to line up in my corral. I had to run to get there before the race started. Luckily, I was in group eleven, so I had to wait about fifteen minutes after the gun went off to even get up to the starting line. I stood in my corral, listening to my iPod, and prayed for the best. I figured I would either completely blow this race and finish with my worst time ever, or I would meet my goal. I was just going to go with it and see what happened.

So, off I went. I started the race and, as usual, the first mile or so was a mess. People were weaving in and out, trying to get past walkers and people running four or five across. I didn't feel the best as I completed the first two miles and even came to terms with possibly getting a DNF (Did Not Finish).

As I finished mile four, both of my lower legs cramped up very severely. Every step felt like a stabbing pain in my calves, Achilles, ankles and shins. I was in really bad shape. I kept trudging along and then, in front of me, I saw a woman with "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" on the back of her t-shirt. I decided to say a little prayer and, no kidding, I started to feel better. My cramps started to go away and I felt like my old self again! Through the rest of the race, I repeated this in my head when things got tough and, as you'll see, I not only survived, but I thrived!

I continued running along and realized that, although I hadn't had the best start, I was on pace to meet my goal. Then, out of no where, I saw a pace group (an organized group with a pacer) who were trying to meet the same time goal that I had. Interestingly enough, they had started the race before I had SO, if I stuck with them, I'd be sure to meet, and maybe even break, my goal time.

I ran along with this group for a bit and, wouldn't you know it, my foot hit a hole, or a crack, or something in the pavement and I was launched forward. I was sure I was going to wipe out. Out of nowhere, another runner crossed in front of me at the perfect moment and, instead of falling on the ground, I bumped into him. He didn't fall, and neither did I! Honestly, the angels were looking out for me during this race.

After a few more miles, I got ahead of the pace group. I was feeling so strong and really fast. I followed my fuel and hydration plan to the "T". While this was quite a hilly course, I only walked through the water stops. As I approached mile 11, I decided to pull over and have a few Gu Chomps and stretch my legs. While I was stretching, I hit yet another roadblock. My iPod battery died! Thank God I'd planned ahead and I had my 1,000 year old iPod shuffle in my waist pack. I traded out my iPods and off I went.

During my last 1/2 marathon, I'd missed the sign for the 13 mile marker and was disappointed because I didn't get my usual kick at the end of the race. I just turned a corner and, bam!, there was the finish. For this race, hubby promised me that he'd be at the 13 mile marker so I was sure to see it. I turned a corner and sure enough, there he was. He yelled "you have a quarter of a mile left, you can do it!"I looked down at my watch and noticed that I was 7 minutes ahead of my goal time. I yelled back 'I'm killing it!".

I turned one more corner and there was the finish! Not only was it close, but the last stretch of the race was downhill. I kicked it into high gear and crossed the finish line six minutes ahead of my goal. Instantly, I started to cry, thanking God and my lucky stars for not only getting me through, but letting me triumph. I saw my parents standing on the sidelines and I ran over to them, crying. They thought I was hurt, until I was able to sputter that I'd finished six minutes ahead.

I made it through the chute, getting my medal, some water, some popcorn, and my foil blanket. I stumbled off of the course into a stretching area and couldn't stop talking. I babbled on to my family about getting hit by a car three days ago and smashing my goal. I was so excited and proud of myself.

After collecting my bag from the gear check, hubby helped me back to the car and we headed back to my parents' house. Once there, I celebrated with champagne and a delicious breakfast casserole that my mom made. For the rest of the day, we watched NFL (poor Broncos!) and relaxed on the couch.

Beyond the fact that I got a PR and smashed my goal time, this race may be my favorite race that I've run yet. The course takes you trough downtown Denver, past the Sports Authority Field at Mile High, the Pepsi Center, and Coors Field. You also get to run through City Park and Civic Center Park. I absolutely plan to run this race again next year and I absolutely DO NOT plan to get hit by a car beforehand.

Hit and Run

2011-10-16T11:30:00.000-07:00

If you follow me on twitter (@Princesks) or are my Facebook friend, you already know that last Sunday, I ran the Rock 'n Roll 1/2 Marathon in Denver. This race has been my "pie in the sky race"- I have had a goal time in mind for this race since May and I've been training my butt off to get it.

To be completely honest, when I train for a half-marathon (or even when I trained for me two marathons), I'm not the best at getting my weekly runs in. If my training plan says to run 4 times in one week, I might have run 3 times, or sometimes only 1 or 2. I'd always run my weekend long runs, but the weekday runs had ZERO appeal for me. When I started amping up my running for this Rock 'n Roll race, however, I vowed to run my weeklies- even if they weren't my favorites. So, in turn, I ran my weekly runs.

I felt really good going into race week. I'd planned a nice, easy taper and then three rest days. On Wednesday night of that week, I went out for my last regular run before the race. I got about a third of a mile from my house, running north on a fairly busy street in my neighborhood. I noticed some cars stopped on a side street waiting to turn right onto the street I was running on. I stopped before making my way across the road and then when it was clear that these cars were not yet turning, I started making my way across. At that point, the driver of the lead car was looking to his left and I was approaching from the right. He must have seen an opening in the traffic on the busy street and he zoomed out, turning onto the busy street and, in turn, HIT ME WITH HIS CAR!

Yes, that's correct, three days before what was to be the race of my life, I was hit by a gold crossover-type vehicle. I don't remember any of it except being on the ground, in the street. My headphones were detached from my iPod and I was screaming, "I thought you saw me!" The man stopped his car, got out, and ran over to me. Some other people helped me up off of the street (I don't know where they came from but they said they saw what happened).

The driver was so freaked out- I definitely remember that. He kept asking me if I wanted him to call an ambulance. I told him I didn't- I remember thinking that that would take too long- take too long for what, I'm not sure! I was in total shock. I did twist my ankle and my knee was skinned pretty badly. I could tell that I would have some bruises but, overall I felt ok. I got the driver's contact info and told everyone that I was just fine. As such, after they all drove away I continued my run and finished FIVE MILES (I admit, again, I was in shock- this was adrenaline that got me through it.)

I got home and called my husband- he was more worried than I was, at that point. I told him I was ok and then I watched some tv. No big deal. The next morning, however, everything hit me. My body was sore and stiff, I had huge bruises on my legs and knees. My ankle was swollen and stiff as well. Emotionally, I was a mess as well. I realized that things could have been much worse and I was kind of a head case. I stayed home from work that day, icing my ankle and doing homework (I'm taking a chemistry class, of all things).

The next two days were stressful, as I was worried that I wasn't going to be able to run the race at all. My legs were still so stiff and sore, I couldn't imagine running 13.1 miles in that condition. I powered through it, though and tried to think positive thoughts.

On Saturday, the weather in Denver was a disaster. It was actually snowing! if you recall from the last 2 half-marathons this year, I tend to always end up racing on freezing cold days. Since my parents aren't huge on going out when it's snowing, I drove myself to the race expo. I got my bib, t-shirt, and race bag and wandered around for a bit. It was a typical race expo with vendors and freebies. I bought a few really cute headbands because when I run on the treadmill, my hair curls up and goes crazy! i figured these couldn't hurt.

The most exciting part of the expo was meeting Dan from season five of the Biggest Loser. He and his mom, Jackie, are working for a foundation to encourage kids to be active. They've run every Rock 'n Roll race this year! We talked about losing weight and keeping it off and then we took a picture! When I was running the race, I actually ended up passing him (but that's a story for later- when I recap the run!).

I headed back to my parents' house after the expo and just relaxed for the rest of the day. I got a pedicure and then laid around. I got all of my race gear together and went to bed, hoping that I'd be able to fall asleep- I was so nervous! Turns out, I fell right to sleep and, even though I don't remember having any dreams, the next day was absolutely a dream come true! Stay tuned for my race recap...

License to...SLOW DOWN!

2011-07-25T09:04:00.000-07:00

I started noticing something a few weeks ago that really got me worried. Back pain. Not a "oh no, I can't even stand up or get out of bed" kind of pain- but a twinge. I initially thought it was my mattress- so hubby and I flipped it. Then I thought it was my feather bed on TOP of the mattress- so we flipped that too. Then I thought it was my chair at work...on and on I went.

Well, I think I finally figured it out- the back pain, as well as the pain I had experienced in my behind, and pain I had in my lower leg.

Let's see if you can figure it out- here's an excerpt from my running log:

June 27
Distance: 3.07 Duration: 29:21 Pace: 9:37

July 3
Distance: 3.51 Duration: 34:01 Pace: 9:41

July 6
Distance: 6.25 Duration: 1:01:44 Pace: 9:55

July 20
Distance: 5.86 Duration: 57:03 Pace: 9:44

Do you see it? Ok, ok, I'll tell you- I'm treating far too many runs like a race! My goal pace for my next half marathon is 10 minutes, 40 seconds per mile. And, while I've only listed 4 sub-10 min mile runs up there, believe me, there are a lot more. So, does that mean that suddenly I'm a 9:55 per mile runner? NO! It means I'm going way too fast, way too often!

I've found that on the mornings that I run 10:20-10:40, I have the most energy, AND- no back, butt, or leg pain! Interesting, right?

So, I've got to just keep reminding myself that, especially in this case- this is a marathon and not a sprint- literally!

Halfsies

2011-07-21T07:41:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, July 1 made an appearance (this blog entry is FAR overdue- I've been busy!). That day marked the half way point of my one year race to a thousand miles, so to speak. If you've been tracking me (see the widget over there on the right- that's up to date), you'll know that although half of my TIME is up, I'm still about 40 miles away from completing half of my mileage.

So, here's the thing- I'm a control freak so, it would make sense that I would lose it over the mileage gap that I have to make up for. Interestingly enough, I'm not worried about it at all. Weird. It's not that I don't want to meet my goal of running a thousand miles this year. I just seem to have more confidence in myself, and in the fact that I'm absolutely going to get there.

Honestly, this is new for me. Sure, I KNEW I'd graduate college and I KNEW I'd complete my Master's Degree- but this goal is different. Those goals played on the strength of my intellect and ability to understand concepts. This goal has to do with physical and mental strength and stamina. And this goal has to do with the wherewithal to get my butt out the door, and onto the roads, no matter how fatigued, sore, or "over it" I might be. In other words- school was fairly easy. Running, still not so much.

So why am I not freaking out?? I just think I'm turning a corner. I trust that my body is fit and capable. More important, I actually LIKE what I'm doing. I look forward to my 5:15 AM runs and use it as a time to clear my head, and have some alone time. I also look forward to my short runs with my hubby, who is coming back to running after an injury. Not only do I get to spend time with him, but I get to spend time with him doing something I like...or maybe LOVE?

As of today, I have 537.89 miles to run to reach 1000 mile by New Year's Eve. I'm trusting myself that I'm going to get there. Further, I have a very detailed training plan laid out for the next five months. What, you thought I'd just go by the seat of my pants? Yeah- I trust myself- but, come on, I am still the most controlling of control freaks!

Until the next!

RANDOM!!!

2011-06-21T12:01:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I started having trouble with my iPod. This made me extremely sad as I've put it through the paces, using it for at least 3 or 4 years. I figured out that the problem was either with the battery or the software so I took it to the Apple Store closest to my home. The Apple Genius suggested I reinstall the software before plunking down 70.00 to swap it out for a new one under Apple's battery program. So, I did that.

It's now working great- except for the fact that before my long Saturday run two weeks ago, I just forgot to charge it. I took off and got about 2 miles from home and, it died. Sigh. Now, as a pacer for the SF Marathon Training Program, I wasn't allowed to wear an iPod so I'm used to running up to 22 miles, music-free. But today just needed music- I wasn't going to make it otherwise. So, I circled back around to my house and pick up my iPhone that is loaded with lots of music.

I don't have a specific running mix on my iPhone so I hit "shuffle" and off I went. Oh boy- I was in for a treat. The following is the play list that resulted from my dead iPod/iPhone shuffle experiment:

1. Hot-n-Fun, N*E*R*D
2. Wait a Minute, PCD
3. Just A Lil Bit, 50 Cent
4. Lover Lay Down, Dave Matthews Band
5. Love Lockdown, Kanye West
6.Funhouse, Pink
7. Check It out, Will I Am & Nicki Minaj
8. Wanna Move, P. Diddy
9. I'm A Slave For You, Britney Spears
10. How's It Going To Be, Third Eye Blind
11. Louisiana Bayou, Dave Matthews Band
12. P.Y.T., Michael Jackson
13. Living Dead Girl, Rob Zombie
14. Army of Me, Bjork

After Rob Zombie and Bjork, I decided I'd had enough of shuffle mode and I headed home. Overall, it was a fun experiment but I was so glad to get my trusty iPod back into fighting shape!

Me and My Shadow

2011-06-13T12:21:00.000-07:00

When I was training with my friend J for the Colorado 1/2 Marathon, I figured out that I have a a fairly strange source of inspiration when I'm out running. It's not some moving song on my iPod or a motivational billboard along my route. No- it's nothing like that. It's...my shadow. Seriously! My shadow is really inspiring!

I'm sure other people who have lost significant amounts of weight can attest to this, as well. IT IS HARD TO SEE MYSELF AS A SKINNY PERSON. There, I said it. Even two years after hitting my goal weight, it is hard. The mirror is a tricky, tricky thing.

But, when I'm out running and I look down and see my shadow, I realise everything that I've become. My shadow is...well, she's fit! And she's working hard! She's running at a faster pace than she's ever run before and, it's easy for her!

So, on days when I'm not so motivated- I'm so lucky when the sun shines in the right direction and she comes out to cheer me on!

My Shadow- She's Tall!!

Why Does This Matter So Much? (AKA- The Post Where I Remind You Where I Came From)

2011-06-09T08:17:00.000-07:00

I was so excited yesterday when I figured out (well, really read on line how to) merge all of my various Google related products into one account. Finally, I could delete my obscure google account that was tied to a hotmail address and have everything under one nice, neat, GMail sign-in.

I wasn't so excited when, this morning, I took a look at my blog posts from days gone by and saw that all of my pictures have now been deleted- pictures that, I'm certain, I no longer have possession of. Google merge FAIL. I wanted to direct readers to a post I wrote back in the day to remind you why I think it's such a big deal that I'm even trying to run 1000 miles. The fact is, that a few years ago, I was so overweight that painting my toenails was a work out.

I wrote a this post back when I reached my goal weight on Weight Watchers that recounted my weight loss journey. I'm realising now that that was almost 2 years ago and I've kept all of the weight off! Honestly, I'm very impressed with myself- and this would be why.

I was overweight my ENTIRE life. I remember my mom being so worried about my because I'd eat entire blocks of cheese or four dinner rolls with butter, as a snack! I went to high school and, in my senior year, I tried out for cheerleading. All of the activity helped me lose some weight and I was really very healthy. Then, I entered college. When I graduated from college, I weighed an astonishing 265 pounds. When I got on the scale and saw that number for the first time, I couldn't believe it! There was no way that I'd gained 80-100 pounds in college! Looking back at my photos from my four years, however, it's obvious that I got heavier each year.

My First Year of Marriage

I lost a really significant amount of weight on the Atkins Diet and ultimately looked like this ---->. I went on to graduate school and I met my husband! After graduation, we quickly packed up and moved to California, where I started my first post-Master's degree job. That first year was so stressful- trying to learn how to be married, and then learn my job was overwhelming. When all was said and done, I gained about 70 pounds back.

A friend and I decided to try Weight Watchers together. I started the program in 2006 (same year I got married!) and hit my goal in 2009. Now, in 2011, I've maintained my weight and, as you know from reading this blog, I'm an ATHLETE! I've run 8 half-marathons, 2 full marathons, and countless miles on my way to 1000.

Me, Today- 117 Pounds Down

So, while 1000 miles might not be a big deal to a lot of runners (I know some who have hit 1000 miles already- in June!), it's an exceptionally big deal to me. A few years ago, I would have laughed in your face had you told me that, some day, I would want to a) run any distance at all and b) run 1000 miles in a calendar year. Today, I'm laughing in the face of anyone who thinks that I CAN'T do it!

Pain in the...

2011-06-08T12:50:00.000-07:00

If you are a Facebook friend or a Twitter follower (@Princesks) of mine, you are probably aware that I'm working hard on completing my goal of running 1000 miles in 2011. In fact, as of last night, I've run 324.88 and, therefore, have 675.12 left to run.

Now, if you are doing the math, you'll see that at the end of this month, I'll be halfway done with the year..and probably NOT halfway done with my goal. So, what's the hold up?

I'll tell you what the hold up is! My...umm..rear end! I have a literal pain in my behind. Now, don't get all weirded out on me- it's a muscle or a nerve issue the impacts my lower back, all the way down to my hamstrings.

I've had injuries before- a lot of them. I've had a neuroma, plantar faciatis, sesamoiditis, tendonitis...blah blah blah- and all of them were fixable! I got orthotics, I rested, I stretched- done. But this- this is driving me crazy because it just sticks around.

I've started seeing a massage therapist and I've learned some stretches that seem to be helping. And while I slowly seem to be getting over this...er..issue, the fact still remains that this pain in my...is becoming a real pain in my...!!!

So Much To Say! Three May Race Reports!

2011-06-06T09:46:00.000-07:00

Today is June 6- FAR later than I had intended to write this post (or, what really should be three separate posts). Nonetheless, I'm here, I'm posting. All is well!

Back in this post, I mentioned that my friend J and I were training for the Colorado Half Marathon that took place on May 1st. We completed a training program that I derived from a few plans I'd completed before, maxing out with a long run of 12 miles. More important than our race preparation, however, was our race OUTFIT preparation! We decided early on that we wanted unique outfits for the race and, in the end, we probably had the most unique outfits out there!

We made these race shirts with our names on the front and "We Run This Town" on the back. I got really scared leading up to race day that it would be too cold to wear our short sleeve shirts but, in the end, we just layered a few long sleeve shirts under them. We got tons of compliments on our outfits before, and during the race!

The race started at 7:00 AM but we had to board a bus at 5:45 AM to get to the starting line. This race starts up in a canyon and heads down into our town and cars aren't allowed up the canyon on race day. Hence, the buses. However, our bus driver didn't seem to know where she was going so she drove us half way up the canyon, and then turned around and brought us back to town. As if we weren't all nervous enough!! We finally found the race director who gave her directions and we made it to the start.

It was so cold that morning, both J and I had our teeth chattering. I wasn't sure how I was going to hold up in the cold since I'd had some lingering issues with my legs. To make matters worse, my iPod that I'd charged all night, decided to die...at the starting line. Luckily, I'd planned for this and brought my AWESOME first generation iPod shuffle with me. It's not trendy but it worked!

Finally, the race started. The course went gradually downhill for the first several miles. We did hit a significant uphill around mile 6 that was pretty rough. We'd trained on some hills but, clearly, not enough. Who knew? Around mile 8, my back and legs started to cramp up on me and we stopped and did some stretching. J got a bad cramp in her side, as well, so we took a few walking breaks between miles 10 and 13.

We rounded the last corner of the course and saw the finish line- thank God! We sprinted to the finish to find a big group of our friends waiting for us. My parents were also there with my hubby- it was the first time they'd seen me finish a half-marathon! After all was said and done, I did take over 4 minutes off of my previous PR! I was also so proud of J for training for, and finishing, her first half-marathon, ever!

Fast forward two weeks to May 15. I registered for the Kaiser Permanente Colfax Half-Marathon on a whim, even though it was only two weeks after the Colorado Half Marathon. Since this race was in Denver, I went down there on Friday and stayed with my friend, K for the weekend. She was such a great host, taking me to Target to get a long sleeve top (since, again, it was forecasted to be freezing cold!), and to Q'doba to get my requisite pre-race burrito.

On race morning, I woke up and K was already up. She said "I have good news! There's virtually no wind!" and I said, "What's the bad news?" and she said "It's 40 degrees!" K drove me to the starting line and it was a little rainy but the rain let up before the race started. I jumped in line for the port-a-potties and then it was time to line up in my starting area.

This course is an out and back course up Colfax Blvd. and back. It's a steady, gradual uphill climb for the first 6 miles, and then a steady, gradual downhill to the finish. I was very exciting as I was on pace to DESTROY my last PR by over 5 minutes until...my hip flexors got in the way. I've never had this problem before but on both legs, my hip flexors tightened up and I had to keep pulling over to stretch them. Luckily this was around the 11 mile marker when this started so I only had to deal with it for a few miles.

I did manage to finish with another PR, taking 2 minutes off of my Colorado 1/2 Marathon time. I really enjoyed this course and would absolutely run this race again- even if it's only 40 degrees!

Finally, Hubby and I decided to run the Bolder Boulder 10K. It's the second largest 10K in the country and it is supposed to have tons of community support. The race takes place every year on Memorial Day, so we booked a hotel in Boulder for the night before. In the morning, we got up early and walked to the starting area.

This had to be one of the most well-organized races that I have ever participated in. I guess you have to be organized when 50,000 people participate in your event. We stood in line for five minutes to check a bag and then made our way to our starting area. In this race, there were waves that started from 6:00 AM until 9:30 AM- each about ten minutes apart. There were staff members throughout the starting areas, checking bibs to make sure people were in the right areas. I was amazed at the how well coordinated everything was!

At last, our wave was schedule to start and off we went. Hubby hadn't run as much as I have lately, so I decided to stick with his pace and just do this race for the mileage. Along the course, we encountered people throwing marshmallows to the runners, a trampoline acrobatic team, bands, people passing out popsicles, and more! Hubby decided to try out the slip and slide that someone set up in their front yard. All was well until he got the wind knocked out of him. He encouraged me to run ahead while he took a minute to catch his breath. When he caught up to me, he had a donut in one hand, and a beer in the other. I think he was feeling better!

We finished the race in Folsom Field at the University of Colorado. It was an amazing feeling running into a stadium full of cheering people. Once we got off of the course and made our way into the stands, a group of Marines ran in, in formation- the crowd went crazy and I almost started crying.

Overall, May was a fantastic month for racing but I'm hoping to take a breath in June. I'm still working on logging miles to reach my 1000 mile goal, but I'm running for fun- for me- not because a race is coming up. It's been nice just running with no goal in mind. I did sign up for the Rock 'n Roll Denver 1/2 Marathon in October and I signed hubby and I up for the Rock 'n Roll Las Vegas 1/2 Marathon in December. I figure by October, I'll be ready to set a new PR- I have a very specific time in mind- if I make it, I'll tell you what it is! Until the next!

The Best Laid Plans...

2011-04-26T17:22:00.000-07:00

I'm still here and I'm still running! The only thing is, I'm not running as much as I should be. What gives? I'll tell you what gives- I have been TIRED. So tired that I want to go to bed at 7:00 PM and, even if I sleep ten hours, I'm still tired. So tired that my body wants NOTHING to do with running, or walking, or moving. Hmmm- this is no good.

I'm tired. And I'm worried about it. So, what does any intelligent person do? Google my symptoms, that's what! So, let's see, not only am I tired, but I'm perpetually cold and frequently dizzy. Boom- WebMd tells me I might be anemic and I should add iron to my diet. Sounds like a plan to me!

I got some iron supplements and took started taking them yesterday. Certainly, it's got to be too early to make any difference but, I swear, today has been one of my best days. I woke up and got out of bed with no problem and I was alert at work. I finished up my work day and was actually EXCITED to get a run in today. And, what do you know, my run was great! Again, it's probably just a placebo effect but I hope I keep feeling this energized. I can't slump again like I have if i want to complete my 1000 miles this year.

Speaking of running 1000 miles, I took my lunch hour to create a very detailed plan for the rest of the year that has me running my last miles on December 31, 2011. It's very realistic and I'm excited that I added some structure to this enormous goal.

So, I'm crossing my fingers and my toes that I can keep my energy up and am able to reach my goal. I'm also reminding myself to stay flexible because, you know what they say about the best laid plans.

Oh yeah, I have a blog!

2011-04-03T12:41:00.000-07:00

Wow- I guess I took an unintentional break from blogging. What's up with that? Well, frankly, quite a bit is up with that!

First, my hubby, poochie, and I MOVED! We moved to Fort Collins, CO so I could take a position as an Academic Support Coordinator at Colorado State University. We've been living here for about six months and have loved every minute of it. Hubby got a job (!) during the first week that we'd been here and he's enjoying that a great deal. We've also made a number of friends and are loving having other couples to do things with.

Since this blog is essentially about running, let's talk about that. WAY back, on Halloween weekend, I entered a 5K at the University, thinking, "This will be a nice way to ease back into running and start getting used to the altitude." So, I start the race and glance at my Garmin GPS at one point and see that I'm running at least two minutes faster per mile than I ever ran in San Francisco. Say what?? I thought that my Garmin was broken! So, it wasn't- I finished the race with a 5K PR. Hmmm...interesting.

Moving forward, I kept running and decided to register for the Colorado (Half) Marathon here in Fort Collins that will take place on May 1. I also convinced my new friend, Jen, to train for it as well. We've been running together every Saturday and, still, my pace is 1.5 to 2.5 minutes faster than my previous training pace. On Valentine's Day weekend, Jen and I entered a 4 miles race in Loveland, CO. Our finishing time was 37:48!!! I got a race PR and a mile PR all on the same day!

Finally, since I was unable to complete 1000 miles last year, I decided to make that my goal again this year. So far, I've finished about 200 miles and I'm on track to meet my goal. I've decided to not only run the CO 1/2 Marathon but to also run the Colfax Denver 1/2 Marathon, and the Las Vegas 1/2 Marathon in December. There's also a strong possibility that I'll run the Denver Rock 'n Roll 1/2 Marathon in October! I've decided that the half marathon is my favorite distance and, instead of fighting that by running full marathons, I'm going to tackle more halves and try for better times.

So, overall, I'm doing great! I'm healthier and happier than I've been in a long time. I'm also excited about rededicating myself to my blog. So, here I am. Let's do this!

I'm BAAAAAAAACK!

2011-01-02T15:39:00.000-08:00

Wow- I really dropped off the planet for a while eh? The last several months have been very exciting in general, but very lackluster in the running area.

I ran the San Francisco Marathon back in July and, as it turns out, it was a little overconfident. I was feeling great for the first five miles. Around that time, I hit my first big hill and ran it WAY too fast. I managed to hurt my Achilles (again). I really thought about dropping out of the race a number of times but I ran into my friends A and G who seemed to be struggling as well. The three of us ran/walked them remaining 20 miles and, as luck would have it, I finished ONE MINUTE faster than the year before. I hoped to run a sub-five hour marathon but this was not my year.

So then what happened? Well, I just kind of...stopped. I had zero motivation to run so, I didn't. My leg was bothering me and my life was pretty hectic. I interviewed for a number of new jobs and then landed one in Colorado. Hubby and I moved to Fort Collins in October 2010.

Then, I had the urge to run again. I signed up for a 5K on Halloween and surprised myself by running my fastest race EVER. Apparently thin air makes me fast! Then, I met some new friends. One woman, J, mentioned wanting to train for a half marathon. I told her that I would be interested in training with her since that is my favorite distance EVER. So, we've been training- and I've stuck to my program. I've even managed to run, and beat, my best mile time TWICE in the past two weeks.

Today is the second day of 2011 and I've decided that I'm going to shoot for running 1000 miles again this year. I came up (way) short in 2010 but I have a feeling that I can make it happen this year. This morning, I ran 3 (freezing cold) miles with J. And, with that, I say to you- I'M BACK!

Ik in 2K10- Never Satisfied!

2010-06-19T17:19:00.000-07:00

So- last week was HOT HOT HOT. This week, on the other hand, was windy and chilly. I am never satisfied with the weather, it seems. Nonetheless, this week was great for running, although the midpoint was slightly rough.

Monday:
Ran 4 miles with hubby. Today was a GREAT run- we both felt quite strong. We also were sort of speedy!

Tuesday:
Hubby's IT Band seems to be acting up so he took this one easy. I managed to complete 3.51 miles. The wind was in my face heading out and coming home. How does that work??

Wednesday-Friday:
Once again, I found myself to be exhausted by the middle of the week. I think last week's 20 miler, plus all of the fun I've been having (weddings, birthday parties) was taking its toll on me. Although I wasn't happy about it, I took these three days off.

Saturday:
Today was funny. All week, I knew that I had 15 miles on the schedule but since I'd run 20 the week before, 15 seemed like nothing. I didn't really prepare like I normally do (laying out my clothes and making my Cytomax on Friday). This morning, it all of a sudden hit me that 15 miles is still a LONG way. Luckily, the course was pretty flat and the weather was cool. My group and I ran our 15 miles (actually, we somehow ended up with 15.6) and then I decided to run home. THIS IS NOT SUGGESTED, BY THE WAY! Don't just "tack on" miles- or so says my coach. Anyway, I ended up with 17.5 miles today and, really, I felt great!

Total for the week:
25 miles- this put me over 300 miles for the year. I'm well on my way to running 1k in 2k10!!

Until next time!!

1k in 2k10- It Wasn't Pretty

2010-06-13T12:22:00.000-07:00

This week was quite an adventure! I managed to get all of my planned runs in, although at least one was, quite frankly, a sh@t show...

Monday:
Ran 3.75 miles with hubby. The weather was great, although it was kind of windy.

Tuesday:
Although we didn't run today, today is very pertinent to the rest of the week. Hubby and I didn't feel like running so we decided to work out with one of our Wii games. I'd received the Biggest Loser game for Christmas and hadn't tried it yet, so we put it in and tried it out. We did a 30 minute full body workout on the 'moderate' level. Oh. My. Goodness. I am in fairly good shape and I was DYING. There was sweat pooling in my ears. This workout was INTENSE!!

Wednesday:
Although we were extremely sore from our Biggest Loser Workout, hubby and I ran a FAST 4 miles. Again, I could have done without the wind!

Thursday:
Ugh- nothing about this day made me want to run. I was tired and still VERY sore. Hubby wasn't interested in it either but I needed to get 2.25 miles in to meet my weekly goal. We went out and ran a pitiful 2.5 miles as a snail's pace.

Friday:
Rest- note, I was STILL SORE from the Biggest Loser.

Saturday:
Today my training plan called for a 20 mile run. I wasn't worried about the distance but, the forecast called for clear skies and warm temperatures. That kind of weather is great for hanging out at the beach but not so great for running 20 miles. This run would test me, that's for sure.

I arrived at the meeting point at 7:00 AM and it was already getting hot. Our trainees gathered and Dean Karnazes addressed our group. He talked about running 50 marathons in 50 states, over 50 days. His 50th marathon was the New York City Marathon and his goal was to beat P.Diddy (which he did). He also has run the Badwater Ultramarathon NINE times. The first time, he 'saw' an old miner wandering through the dessert asking him for water. As Dean poured some of his water out into the miner's gold pan, the water hit the ground. He realized then that he was hallucinating!

After Dean's pep talk, we started running. We headed over the Golden Gate Bridge where the winds were so strong- it made running very difficult. When we made across the bridge, a number of my runners decided that they'd head home after going back across the bridge. The rest of us continued on our route.

It turned out that I was the only runner in our group that was planning to run 20 miles. I decided I would run the shorter route of thirteen miles (the training run for folks planning to run the half-marathon) and then I'd stop by my car and pick up my iPod and tack on an extra seven miles.

As we neared the ten mile mark, all but one runner and another pacer in my group had called it quits. The route was very hilly and the sun was relentless. It was tough to find a cool or shady spot along this run. The trainee and the other pacer decided to walk and I ran ahead.

I stopped in a public restroom to fill my water bottle and then headed out to finish the 13 miles. As I neared the stopping point, I reached into my waist pack and felt...nothing. My water bottle was missing. At the exact same moment, I felt a sharp pain in my achilies. Awesome.

I made it back my car and made a split second decision that I would drive my car back down to the public restroom where I'd stopped, just in case I'd left my water in there. Sure enough, my water bottle was sitting, untouched, on the sink in the restroom. At that point I decided I'd try to tack on a few more miles.

I ran along the ocean because I found there was a nice breeze there. When I got tired of running there, I found some shady, flat streets. I zig zagged around this neighborhood for a while and then went back by the water. I literally ran in circles, trying to stay cool. Eventually, I looked at my Garmin and noticed that I had less than 3 miles to go to reach 20. I decided to go for it.

I ended up taking a bunch of walk breaks but just before I got back to my car, I completed the 20 miles. I started screaming, "I did it! I did it!" Yes, people saw me and probably thought I was bananas. I couldn't celebrate for long, though, as a woman wanted my parking space.

My drive home was interesting. I probably should not have been driving- I was kind of out of it. I did start to feel really sick, though and just concentrated on not throwing up in my car. I didn't don't worry.

I can't even explain how proud of myself I am that I actually completed those 20 miles. I really wanted to quit several different times but I managed to hang in there!

Total weekly mileage:
30.25 miles

Next week is a down week- out long run is only 15 miles. Let's hope for some cooler temperatures, ok?

1k in 2k10- Exhausted

2010-06-06T09:00:00.000-07:00

This week was rough. I most definitely didn't meet my mileage goal this week but I suppose I have a good reason. For the past several years, I've had night terrors. Night terrors are very vivid nightmares in which I see things or people that aren't really there. I usually am in some state between asleep and awake and I interact with the things or people- generally screaming at them or trying to hide or get away from them. Over this past week, I had a night terror that the house was on fire and I saw smoke coming into our room. I also had one about some creature that was jumping around the room. In the past, they've included an earthquake, a refrigerator falling through the ceiling, people breaking in, spiders all over the bed, etc.

When I have a night terror, I usually don't remember anything about it in the morning. My husband has to fill me in. They also interrupt my sleep significantly. This week, I had a number of them and I was left absolutely exhausted. I worked from home two days because I was just so tired. So, my running was also impacted a great deal.

Tuesday:
After the long weekend, I felt great and went out with hubby. We ran 3.5 miles around our neighborhood. I felt like we could have run 10. Considering the rest of the week, we probably should have.

Wednesday:
Too tired to move

Thursday:
Too tired to think

Friday:
Too tired to blink but I also learned my lesson about running on Fridays before a long run.

Saturday:
The marathon training group had 18 miles on the schedule. The weather was strange in that is started out foggy, cool, and drizzling. As the run continued, however, the sun burned off the clouds and we had a scorcher on our hands. Two of the runners in my group had significant injuries so we were quite the bunch. We ended up cutting a bit off of the end of our run and ultimately ran 17.5 miles. I'm good with that.

Total for the week:
21 miles (I'm glad I have some extra miles banked from previous weeks!)

Next Saturday, my group has the first 20 miler of the training program. Check back as the 20 milers are always an adventure! I'm sure I'll have lots to say!

Ik in 2K10- Might as well have been on the sun

2010-05-29T21:32:00.000-07:00

This week, it was really tough for me to get out and run. I felt tired, run down, and overall I just wasn't having it. At the same time, I am determined to meet my 1000 mile goal so I made myself get out there and run. Here's a recap.

Monday:
I had an extremely busy weekend last week as I had to go in to work. On Monday, I had a rush of motivation so I convinced hubby to come out an run with me. We tackled a very speedy 4 miles.

Tuesday:
Hubby and I celebrated our wedding anniversary this week so we made plans to go out of town on Tuesday and Wednesday. Before we left, I got up early and turned out another 3 miles.

Friday:
Since I was gone on Wednesday and needed a vacation from my vacation on Thursday, I HAD to run 3 miles on Friday if I planned to hit my weekly mileage goal. By far, this was one of the WORST runs I've ever completed. I literally hit the 3 mile mark several blocks away from my house and decided that enough was enough and walked the rest of the way. It was absolutely awful in so many ways.

Saturday:
The marathon training group did not have an official run this week because of the holiday but one of the coaches put together a run anyway. A lot of people ended up coming out so it may as well have been a team run! Our training plan called for 18 miles but it was so hot outside that some people in my group peeled off early and did fewer miles. My group kept trudging on, although most of us were in pain and extremely tired. We finally got back to our starting point and my Garmin indicated that we'd completed 17.68 miles. I'll take it.

So, for the week, my mileage total is:
27.79 miles! I'm still meeting my goals!

1k in 2k10- Crazy busy week

2010-05-28T10:26:00.000-07:00

I work at a University and last week was finals week. That meant that last week was also time for all of the students to pack up and go home. That ALSO meant that I worked a crazy long week. I still managed to get my mileage in however. I was VERY proud of myself!

Monday:
On Monday, it rained so I hit the treadmill at the gym. I intended to run 3 miles but when I was over 2 miles into my run, the fire alarm went off! We all evacuated the gym. When I got back inside, I figured that I my allotted 30 minutes (our gym has a limit on the time you can spend on a cardio machine) started over! So, I ran a total of 4 miles!

Tuesday:
I got up early and ran 3.3 miles around my neighborhood.

Wednesday:
I did NOT want to run at all today but hubby and I decided that we'd run to...wait for it...a local cupcake store! That was super motivating and we ran 3.21 miles.

Friday:
I had to work on Saturday so I was so happy when the coach from the marathon training program proposed something to the marathon trainees and pacers. He was going to run 24 hours to raise money for cancer research. He would start at 10:00 AM on Friday and end on Saturday. He wanted people to sign up to run with him so I took and afternoon shift. I ran a 14 mile loop with my coach and some other runners and then tacked on an additional 2 to get to my mileage goal for the week. The guys I was running with were a little faster than I am but I was proud of myself for keeping up!

Total for the week:
26.61

I'm still on track!

1k in 2k10- Injury Version

2010-05-15T19:02:00.000-07:00

Overall, this week I completed my required 25 miles but not without some trouble. You see, what happened was...

On our 13 miler last Saturday, I thought my achilles tendon was acting up. I had some soreness and tightness in my lower leg as we finished the run. By the time I got home, I was limping. Oh no!!

I took my ice bath and then proceeded to ice my leg. Pretty quickly, I realized that the pain was not in the back of my foot, where my achilles lives, but rather on the inside of my leg, about an inch or two above my ankle bone. After Googling a bit, I determined that my issues stemmed from my soleus, or the smaller of the two muscles that comprise the calf. Over the course of the week, I did run but I also iced and massaged my soleus. I took two full days off and by today, Saturday, I felt great.

I felt great, that is, until I got eleven or so miles into today's fourteen mile run. I set up an appointment with my MD and I'm hoping to get referred to a Sports Medicine Doctor. In the meantime, I'm going to continue treating my leg and hope for the best.

Here's my mileage for the week!

Monday:
I set out to run three miles. My day at work was rough so I ended up doing five and a half. Oops.

Tuesday:
Rest day

Wednesday:
I wanted to try and finish up my weekly mileage today so I could rest my leg for two whole days. I ran three and a quarter miles in the morning and another three and a quarter miles in the afternoon.

Thursday and Friday:
Rest days

Saturday:
Unfortunately, all of the other pacers and I turned our Garmins off at some point in the run, therefore our mileage tracking was not accurate today. I know we landed around 14.2 miles, though.

Total miles for the week:
26.21

Cross your fingers that my leg cooperates this week!

Can I Get Your Number?

2010-05-08T11:52:00.000-07:00

...Your number of miles completed this week, that is!

This week, I felt great on all of my runs. I'm really happy with my performance.

Monday-
Today, I ran twice again, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. I decided to try out a few new routes and really had fun. Total, I ran 7.5 miles today!

Tuesday-
Rest Day

Wednesday-
Again, I tried a new route and added a new play list on my iPod. I completed 3.3 miles and my average pace was 10:37 minutes per mile. For me, that's BLAZING FAST!

Thursday-
Today, I did another 3.3 miles and this time, my pace was 10:11 minutes per mile. Wow! Somethings gotten in to me!

Friday-
Rest Day

Saturday-
Today, I was assigned to a faster pace group- not much faster, but faster nonetheless. We completed 13.02 miles and our pace was 11:53 minutes per miles. We did two tempo miles and tackled a couple gnarly hills...why must there always be hills?? Anyway, I was so proud of my group who, again, killed this run!

Weekly total:
27.12 Miles

I'm on my way to 1k in 2K10!

Mileage Check!

2010-05-01T13:36:00.001-07:00

Last week, I posted that in order to meet my goal of running 1000 miles in 2010, I'd need to complete 25 miles per week. Let's see how we did this week:

Monday:
I ran 6.15 miles but I had to do it over 2 runs. In th morning, I ran 3 miles and went back put after work for 3 more.

Tuesday:
No running but did an arm workout on EA Active.

Wednesday:
I ran 3.1 miles on the treadmill. I intended to go back out for 2 more but that didn't happen.

Thursday;
I ran 3 miles, again on the treadmill.

Friday:
Rest day

Saturday:
Today, I ran with my SF Marathon training group. We had 13 miles on the schedule. Again, someone managed to create a route that was mostly uphill. At one point, I forgot to start my GPS watch so my time and distance wasn't accurate so I had to go home and map it out on GMaps Pedometer. GMaps said we ran 13.23. Oops- I guess I gave my training group a little extra mileage. Today, I also took my first ice bath of the year! Check out the pics!

So- my total mileage for the week is: 25.48 miles!! Goal accomplished!

Let's hope I can keep this up!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Parker Ave,San Francisco,United States

Mileage Check- 1000 in 2010

2010-04-26T18:25:00.000-07:00

In January, I made a goal to run 1000 miles in 2010. The first four months of this year have been not-so-stellar, running-wise, so I thought I'd check my progress this morning. While I'm definitely not where I SHOULD be on April 26, my goal is still attainable.

Here are my (kind of embarrassing) stats:

Miles completed so far: 110
Miles to go: 890
Weeks remaining (including this one): 36
Miles per week needed to achieve goal: 24.7
Miles so far this week: 6 (but I have 19 more planned)

So- there you have it. I know I can hit my goal, barring any injuries. I'll keep you posted!

Project X- 12 Miles, Uphill...BOTH WAYS!!

2010-04-24T20:15:00.000-07:00

So, you know the cliche that everyone attributes to their parents or grandparents; the one about walking through the snow to school, uphill both ways? Well, I'm starting to think that we should lay off of them. I'm pretty sure that our grandparents went to school in the middle of the 12 mile route that I ran today. Why do I think so? Because, miracle of miracles, someone figured out how to map a run that resulted in us running UPHILL for, I'm not kidding, 95% of the route.

I never thought that this was possible but, it happened. We started at Baker Beach and ran up a series of steep hills to get to a trail head of Lands End Trail. Lands End Trail is GORGEOUS- but hilly. There's a staircase in the middle of it. Then, we had a little reprieve and ran a brief downhill by the Cliffhouse Restaurant. Then, we entered Golden Gate Park which, in and of itself, is a long, gradual hill. Great. My poor group was struggling because not only were we tackling hill after hill, but it was getting HOT outside.

Most of my pace group is running the half-marathon and they broke off from me and one other trainee at one point so they could complete nine miles. The other trainee, L, and I were determined to smash the twelve miler so we trudged on. We were lucky for a little bit as we had a good stretch of flat, shady road in front of us. Turns out, that would be it for "easy" terrain. We found ourselves climbing steep street after steep street. We turned into a golf course parking lot (it was on our route- we didn't get lost :o) ) only to find that this was another hill.

Finally, we reached the last mile and discovered that it was all completely....down hill. However, it wasn't gradual, relaxing, or even comfortable. This downhill was steep and our bodies ached with every step. The impact on this downhill literally sent shock waves through my muscles. I was cursing the coaches, the designer of the route, the sun, the person that invented running...pretty much everyone and everything at this point.

Eventually, it ended. And L and I had enough gas in our tanks to finish with a little burst of sprinting. Once we checked in with the coordinator of the run, though. we both basically collapsed to the ground and made a feeble attempt to stretch our destroyed legs.

So, the moral of the story is- maybe Grandma was telling the truth about her trek to school, uphill, both ways. It suddenly seems so much more feasible...

Project X- Reloaded

2010-04-11T15:05:00.000-07:00

Hello from rainy San Francisco...ugh. You probably think that they rained has washed away all momentum that I was gaining doing Project X. Well, you'd be right IF I didn't jump back on the horse this week and start kicking a$$ in the gym again.

So- why have I been on Project X hiatus? First, I was out of town for a week in Boston and, in all seriousness, I did work out while I was there. I ran and lifted weights, as well as did a few workouts on the eliptical trainer. Then, my friend D hurt herself and was out of commission for a few days. It's not that I can't work out by myself but it is helpful to have a buddy to hold you accountable. So, during that time, again, I worked out on my own a few times- but not at the intensity that I was reaching with Project X. Finally, my hubby and I visited my parents for a long weekend over Easter. While I was there, I made the mistake of weighing myself on their scale. Let's just say that I hope that their scale is highly inaccurate or else I'm in deep trouble.

So- I'm back on the horse. Earlier this week, I completed the Jillian Michael's Last Chance Workout DVD and it lit a fire under me. Then, on Friday, I talked to my friend S who asked if I would write her a workout for her arms. We agreed to meet on Sunday morning and I'd take her through it. D has also recovered from her injury so she came too.

First, though, I had to pace with my marathon training group on Saturday. This week we tackled nine miles. Ugh- my longest run this season has been seven miles- so it wasn't that big of a jump, but still- nine miles is a long way. To make things even more interesting, all of the runners that I pace have been trained so well that they have moved to faster pace groups, leaving me with no one to pace! So, I decided to just run with a faster group as well. In all, it was a pretty challenging run with some steep hills but the trainees did great- or else they are all really good actors.

So, today, I hit the gym a little early and completed a quick 20 minute workout on the eliptical trainer. Then S and D showed up and we got to work. This is what we did (be warned, it was intense):

Push-ups (2 sets of 15)
Staggered arm push-ups (1 set of 30)
Up and Down planks (completed as many as possible)
Dumbbell chest press on an exercise ball (2 sets of 15)
Bicep curls (1 set of 15 and 1 set of "7's")
Tricep dips (2 sets of 15)
Tricep press down (2 sets of 15)
W shoulder press with a leg extension (2 sets of 15)
Single leg front raise (2 sets of 15)
Side raise (2 sets of 15)
Stork stance chest fly (2 sets of 15)

...I think that's it- although it felt like we did about a million exercises- I'm so tired!

So- that's the update. Tomorrow, I'm supposed to run but it's going to rain. I guess that means I'll be on the treadmill. Tuesday, I will try to hit a spin class and Wednesday, I'll lift again with S and D. Barring any disasters, I'm really going to stick to this...I hope...

Project X- Day 16 and 17

2010-03-09T08:39:00.000-08:00

Someone mentioned yesterday that they heard D and I were doing "P90X." I laughed and tried to explain Project X- but really, I just failed. Anyway- here's what we're up to!

Day 16- Monday- Today was supposed to be my day off but hubby and I decided to do EA Active. Low and behold- the Wii system decided to deal us up a hearty round of squats..and lunges...and more lunges...and more lunges. Yikes.

Day 17- Tuesday- D is back in town finally so we hit the Spin class. I really felt those ten million lunges that I did yesterday! Ugh- and, we had Carrie- the teacher with the amazing arms and a sadistic streak. We worked HARD- trust me!

Today, I'm heading off on an adventure that MIGHT open some doors to more adventures. Cross your fingers!

Project X- Days 11 through 15

2010-03-07T19:46:00.000-08:00

I have been a slacker with my blog. Yowza!! I'll try to do better, I promise.
So, Project X is still in full effect, eventhough my girl, D, went on a business trip. Let me tell you, we rarely travel, so when we get the chance, we jump at it- seriously, we compete with each other for the opportunity. But I digress...Here's what's happened recently on "Project X!"

Wednesday- Day 11- D left town today so I worked out solo. First, I ran two and a half miles on the treadmill. Then, I hit the weight room. Here's what I did (two sets of each):
1. Push-ups (15 reps- on my toes, thank you very much)
2. Step-ups with 10 lb dumbbells (90 second sets- these made me SWEAT!!)
3. Clean and press- 20 lb barbell (15 reps)
4. Squats with ball against the wall (20 reps)
5. Low pulley row- 40 lbs (15 reps with 40, 15 reps with 50)
6. Crunches- (20 reps)
7. Plank (1 minute each)
8. Dumbbell curls with 10 lb dumbbells (15 reps)
9. Tricep pushdown with rope- (15 reps with 25 lbs, 15 reps with 30 lbs)
10. Walking lunges (20 reps)

Thursday- Day 12-Ugh- I was SO TIRED- I took today off

Friday- Day 13- This was my normal day off- so I took it too

Saturday- Day 14- Today was my marathon training run with my awesome group. Today, we ran a fun, flat, six miles. The weather cooperated and, overall, it was amazing!

Sunday- Day 15- i went to the gym, solo again, and did 30 minutes on the elipitical trainer. I intentionally upped the resistance on the machine because, as usual, I really wanted to feel it- and sweat!! After 30 minutes, I did three one-minute planks and a set of crunches. Then, I headed home and hubby and I did a workout on our Wii EA Active. It focused mostly on upper body so we did a lot of bicep curls, tricep kickbacks, upright rows, shoulder presses, and rows. It's always fun to work out with hubby too!

Tomorrow, I have a scheduled rest day but may do the EA Active program again- it's not that intense, and, again, it really is a lot of fun!

So- that's the update for Project X. I can't wait for D to get back so I can kick her butt...err...work out with her in the gym!

Project X- Days 9 and 10

2010-03-02T07:46:00.000-08:00

Hello from the sweaty recesses of the gym!!! Here is a progress update for Project X.

Monday- Day 9- Like last Monday, today was a scheduled day off. In turn, I decided to eat my weight in sour gummy dinosaur eggs. Oops. I also needed to roll out the muscles in my back with my foam roller. I was pretty sore!

Tuesday- Spin class. I don't know if it was because it was raining so the classroom was really humid, or just because I am a weenie today but this class was...So. Hard.

And no- this video isn't a nod to what a Bad A$$ I am or anything like that...literally, the class was just really hard!!

Tomorrow- weight room- let's see what tricks I have up my sleeve!!

Project X- Days 5,6,7, and 8

2010-02-28T10:46:00.000-08:00

So- call me a liar...I haven't posted about Project X in a few days. My bad!

Thursday- D and I hit another spin class this morning. The tension on my bike was a little wonky- a tiny turn in the tension knob would make me feel like I was riding up Mount Everest!! Seriously- I had to pay such close attention to my bike it kind of took the fun out of the class. Oh well.

Friday- Day off! Today was a scheduled day off for both D and I. We deserved it!

Saturday- Yikes...I'm a slacker. I was supposed to go running today with my marathon training group BUT when I woke up, it was raining. I'm not about to get wet, cold, and potentially sick, so I didn't go. Oops. D, on the other hand, went to her hula class. Good for her!

Sunday- I wanted to sweat today- like, a lot. I went to the gym early and hit the elliptical for 30 minutes on the "hills" program. Yikes! Then I still had some time to burn before D showed up so, I did the treadmill, increasing the incline and speed every minute until I reached incline 11 and speed 4.0. After 15 minutes, I jumped off and then D arrived. Here was the workout I put us through (again, we did 2 sets of everything)

1. Push-Ups (15 reps) (I DID MOST OF THESE ON MY TOES!)
2. Squats with a body ball, against the wall (15 reps)
3. Sumo Squats- (15 reps- one set with a medicine ball shoulder press and one set with a calf raise)
4. Dumbbell press on a body ball (15 reps)
5. Dumbbells fly with a crunch on a body ball (15 reps)
6. W shoulder press with leg extension (15 reps)
7. Tricep dips on a bench (20 reps)
8. Tricep press down with a rope (15 reps)
9. Side plank (30 seconds each side)
10. Plank (30 seconds)
11. Crunches with punches (20 reps)
12. Ankle taps (15 reps)

Phew- just writing it down makes me tired...again...

So, I'm hoping this week will look a lot like last week, only with a few more runs thrown in on my part. Stay tuned!

Project X- Day Four!

2010-02-24T18:04:00.000-08:00

Hit the weight room this morning with D, after I put in a quick 2 mile run on the treadmill. We did arms and shoulders- a "tank top workout," if you will! Here is what we did:

1. Tricep dips on a bench
2. Bicep curls
3. Single leg front raises
4. Upright rows
5.Stork stance chest fly
6. Lateral shoulder raises
7. Crunches
8. Walking plank

Let me tell you that I had never DONE a walking plank before- and I may never do one again. Basically, you get into a full plank position and then "walk" your hands, first to one side, and then to the other. It's incredibly difficult. D and I laughed A LOT while we struggled through them!

Tomorrow- spin class, Lord willing!

Project X- Day Three

2010-02-23T20:57:00.000-08:00

For those of you that are counting- today is day three of Project X- the "get my butt back in the gym while helping out a friend" initiative. Day two, yesterday, was a rest day...and we needed it!

This morning, we hit a spin class at our gym. I walked in fifteen minutes before the class was supposed to start and snagged the LAST two open bikes. People are eager to work out at the crack of dawn, I see. Anyway, the teacher has these amazing biceps- I'm seriously jealous of her. Someday...

Ok- so, call me a wimp but the class was really difficult! I hope the teacher was just really trying to kick our butts because, well, she did. I had to lower the tension on my bike more times than I can count. Maybe I should have kept that a secret...

So, tomorrow- day FOUR- we'll be hitting the weight room again to do upper body. I'm also going to throw a quick run in there. Wish me luck- I may not be mobile tomorrow thanks to the spin teacher with the perfect arms!

Project X- Day One (AKA Project Freak!!!)

2010-02-21T19:43:00.000-08:00

As promised, today was the kick-off of my project(s). My friend, D, asked me to help her develop a work out program. Since I'm hoping to get my personal trainer certification soon (despite the one stupid, difficult test that's in my way), I told her I would. So- we've named that adventure, Project X- because I wasn't feeling that creative and, again, I'm hooked on all things Shaun White.

My selfish motive for helping her, though, is to get myself back into the gym. I ran 5 miles this Saturday, and while it was not difficult, it also wasn't as EASY as it should be. I feel like I've been slacking and just want to hit the weights and cardio hard. Therefore, in honor of yesterday's post, I've named my personal project Project Freak.

To keep myself accountable on both projects, I've decided I'll post about our workouts, my feelings, progress, and any funny incidents that are by-products of the project(s)- as I'm sure there will be. I can't seem to do anything without it turning into a circus!!

So- today was Day One. I headed to the gym earlier than I was to meet D because I wanted to get a quick run in. I hit the treadmill for a pathetic two miles- it was pretty slow-going- I did run yesterday, though. Then, when D arrived, she warmed up on the treadmill on an incline. Then, we proceeded to the weight room. Here was our workout (we did 2 sets of 15 reps of most of these exercises):

Push-ups
Walking lunges
Chest fly
Low rows
Leg press (2 sets 30- 10 reps in each of three different positions)
Hamstring curls
Incline chest press
Clean and press
shoulder raises
Bicep curls
Tricep push-down
Lower back extension
Plank pose
Crunches
Oblique crunches

Phew!! Tomorrow, we're taking a rest day and then Tuesday and Thursday, we'll hit a spin class. On Wednesday, I plan to lead D through another strength training workout. I also have to throw some runs into all of this for myself!!

Oh- and don't think that any of this scares me- it makes me crazy with excitement- it's the freak in me!!

Project Freak...???

2010-02-20T14:37:00.000-08:00

If you know me, in real life, you'd know that I have been strangely obsessed with Olympic Snowboarder, Shaun White. I'm talking relentless google-searching, changing my iPhone background, Tivoing all of his interviews, obsessed. So, what's the deal? The guy isn't THAT hot...

Yes, but he is THAT good. Today, I figured out that the thing that is so enchanting about Shaun White is that, literally, no one can do what he can do. He is the absolute best at what he does. Yes- there are people that are CLOSE to him in terms of skill level but, as his final Olympic snowboarding run proved, he is just the best of the best. That's kind of crazy to think about...

I was running with my group of trainees in the SF Marathon program today, and one of the remarked how much his fitness level had improved in just four short weeks since the beginning of the program. I told him that, yes, the time when a person first gets off of the couch to when they become an intermediate athlete is the time when they see the largest, and fastest, gains in fitness. I then, stupidly, said, "It's the shift from intermediate to advanced and elite that separates the humans from the freaks..." My trainee chuckled and I confirmed that he had made great gains and should be very proud of himself.

So- what's the deal...why is it so hard to go from good to great? Is it because most of us have full-time jobs, family responsibilities, school...?? According to my hubby, it's because we spend too much time on the internet. While watching the Olympics Opening Ceremonies, I told hubby that I was so amazed by the athletic ability of the Chinese. China always bodes well in the summer and the winter games. Hubby says, "They're so good because they don't have Google or YouTube..." So, I guess (human)- (YouTube)= Gold Medal???

Anyway, I've determined that there's got to be something else that boosts athletes to the next level. I'm pretty sure it's something like an "x factor"- or, better yet, a "freak factor". I mean, really, Michael Phelps, Apollo Ono, Meb Keflezighi, Lindsey Vohn, etc. all work VERY hard- and yet, there are athletes that work just as hard, and just can't catch them. So- there has to be something else at play here. What is it???

Since I'm pretty certain that I DON'T have the freak factor, at least not when it comes to running, I've decided that the only way I'm going to get better is to just bust my tail. Therefore, I'm launching a new project. My friend, D, has asked me to help her work out- so, that's going to be my excuse for getting back into the gym. Once I get there though, I'm planning to just go nuts- push myself like I've never pushed myself before. It begins tomorrow....because, really, just because I don't have the freak factor, doesn't mean that I can't just be a freak.

Apollo Ono- He's A Freak Too...

Back To It...

2010-01-30T10:56:00.000-08:00

Today, I got back on my horse and ran 3.5 miles, pacing for the SF Marathon training group. It felt awesome to be the person responsible for encouraging runners who, for some, are running the furthest they've ever run. I feel like I'm back...We'll see!

This was our route today.
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Just Can't Seem To Get It Together...

2010-01-29T10:26:00.000-08:00

So- I have this goal- a resolution actually- to run 1000 miles in 2010. All was going well until, well, life kicked in. I have been super tired, super stressed, and super unmotivated. To make matters worse, it's cold and rainy outside. These factors, therefore, generally lead me to take refuge on my couch, under a blanket, watching reruns of the Jersey Shore.

To make matters worse, I have taken to coping with my stress by "eating my feelings!" While I'm still sticking pretty close to the Weight Watchers plan, I, admittedly, have found myself at the bottom of a bag of Cheezits (thankfully, not a Costco size bag), or gummy worms, or whatever is available, one too many times lately.

So, what's this mean? Well, first, it means that I've gained 2 pounds since before Christmas. OK, not a huge deal- I am still under my goal weight- but, I can't let it get away from me. I have definitely been down this road before where two pounds turns into 10 pounds which turns into 80 pounds.

Second, I am pacing and training for the SF Marathon and, while we are in week one of training, I need to get on the ball before the mileage starts climbing and I can't comfortably complete the miles. Oh my.

So- here's the deal. I need to recommit myself to myself. I've got to find better ways to cope with stress. I've got to get motivated to put in my miles, no matter how cold or tired I am. Now...if I just knew how to do that...

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Three more miles done- What's on my playlist?

2010-01-05T16:20:00.000-08:00

Today, I completed three more miles in the quest to run 1,000 miles in 2010. I did them on the treadmill and it was pretty boring. This might be a long year!

The thing that keeps me going, in spite of the boring treadmill, is my iPod. I got it engraved at the Nike Women's Marathon expotique (yeah, I know- warranty voided. It's ok, it was worth it) and I'm just not the same runner without it.

Currently, I have a bunch of different playlists but have literally never run with any of them except for the one entitled "Marathon Mix". It's got 174 songs on it and I have never gotten to the end of it- not even when I actually ran a marathon. Here's a taste of what I rock out to:

1. Tik Tok- Ke$ha
2. Shut It Down- Pitbull featuring Akon
3. Now I'm The B*tch- Livvi featuring Pitbull (the guy is great for running)
4. Morning After Dark- Timbaland featuring SoShy
5.Sweet Dreams- Beyonce
6.P.Y.T- Michael Jackson
7.Living Dead Girl- Rob Zombie
8. Smooth Criminal- Alien Ant Farm
9.Music Sounds Better With You- Stardust
10. List of Demand- Saul Williams

So- my musical taste is all over the place but my playlist keeps me moving! What's on your running
playlist?

Three Down, Nine-Hundred Ninety-Seven To Go!

2010-01-01T15:43:00.001-08:00

I've successfully kept my New Year's Resolution for 16 hours! I plan to run 1000 miles in 2010 (I ran 500 in 2009) and, today, ran my first three miles on my parents' treadmill. The miles came easy and my feet didn't give me any trouble- 2010 is starting out just fine!

Did you set mileage goals for the year? How do you stay on track? Do you have a plan to run your goal mileage or will you just see how it goes?

1k in 2k10

2009-12-19T19:42:00.000-08:00

Four score and seven years ago, I ran a marathon and a few half-marathons...

Yeah- it's been a while. Since my last race (the Nike Women's Half Marathon in October), I've gotten custom orthotics and have rested the heck out of my stressed out sesamoid bones (those are in your feet). I think I'm ready to hit the road (or the treadmill, as the case my be) and I've set a new, and ambitious goal. I want to run 1000 miles in 2010!

This year, I ran a little over 500 miles. I also started as a beginner runner and I got hurt. I think hitting 1000 miles will be tough but I can do it! I am volunteering to be a pacer for the SF Marathong training program so that will certainly get to my goal! I'll use ths blog and dailymile.com to help track my progress.

Keep an eye on my blog- I'm sure my journey to 1000 miles will be entertaining- maybe moreso for you than for me!

Happy New Year!!

Nike Women's (Half) Marathon- Enduring More Than Just The Mileage

2009-10-19T12:54:00.000-07:00

As promised- here is my recap of the Nike Women's Marathon. Fasten your seat belts- this one was quite the roller coaster!!

On Thursday before the race, Hubby took me downtown to Union Square in SF to pick up my packet. I wanted to get there as the doors opened so we didn't have to wait in line BUT, little did we know, there was a conference going on, and the city was preparing for Obama's visit to the St. Francis Drake Hotel. It was a circus downtown! We finally got to Union Square and saw huge groups of people protesting as the President arrived. Hubby even got some pictures and sent them to CNN's ireport!

We did have to stand in a pretty long line at the "expotique" but once the Nike folks opened the door, it moved right along. I got inside, got my number, and walked around the expo for a bit. I have a Nike+ system (although I've abandoned it for my new Garmn 305- yet to be named) and Nike+ users got a few perks. As a member, I had to test out some shoes and vote for a "power song" and then I was entered into a drawing for some diamond earrings from Tiffany's! At the shoe testing area, they also analyzed my gait, telling me that I severely overpronate on my left foot (you think? Let's talk about all of my problems due to my left foot). I also was told to NEVER buy the shoes that I was testing out as they'd make my problems worse. Hmmm..ok, thanks.

That night, Safeway was also sponsoring Ladies' Night at the expo so there were snacks and drinks. These guys were blending margaritas powered by the stationary bikes! It was kind of cool. I also got my iPod engraved for free with 'Run Like A Girl". I was pretty excited! After the expo, hubby and I went to Niketown (as there were NO retailers at the expo) and he bought me the race hoodie that I wanted! What a guy! Before heading home, we decided to grab some dinner at CPK. I haven't eaten there in ages and it was delicious.

On Friday, I had an appointment with my podiatrist. I know it was stupid to wait until two days before a race to see her but, 1) I was in denial that anything was wrong with me and 2) I kept forgetting to call for an appointment. Anyway, I went to see her and explained that when I ran the San Jose 1/2 Marathon, I felt like I was running on broken glass sometimes or, that the bone under my big toe was going to come through the skin at other times. She then asked if I was training for something and I half-mumbled that I was running the Nike Marathon in two days. She wasn't very happy with me but said that if I wanted to do it, it would hurt, a lot. I also could end up with a stress fracture in my sesamoids (Google them!). She did fix up the orthotic in my left shoe and prescribed me some 600 mg ibuprofen to take a few times a day. She wished me luck and told me that the next option for me would probably be custom orthotics. Great.

Saturday, hubby and I just sat around the house and I iced my foot. I took my medicine and tried to relax before the race. Tried is the operative word because I basically couldn't calm down. I was so worried about hurting my foot that I considered not doing the race at all. Then I thought about maybe just running the half marathon but I worried that the race organizers would not give me my medal or finishers t-shirt or that I'd get a DNF (did not finish) since I'd be on the half-marathon course with a full marathon bib. I was so stressed out, in fact, that I did not sleep at all the night before the race. Well, maybe I got 20 minutes but, seriously, that was it.

At midnight, I got up (because trying to sleep was making me angry) and I started messing around on my computer. I noticed that one of my twitter buddies, @bicoastalie (or Julianne) was supposed to run the full marathon but had been issued a half marathon number. I quickly tweeted her and told her that I would switch bibs with her. Then, I talked to hubby and told him I wasn't going to run the full marathon but that I'd try the half. He thought that was a good idea.

I tried to go back to bed but then I just decided to get up at 4:30 AM. I got dressed and sprayed some biofreeze on my foot. I toasted a bagel and the proceeded to freak out again. Hubby got up and I told him I needed to call my mom for a pep talk. Luckily, mom lives in another timezone so it wasn't 5:00 AM at her house. Mom told me that I should try the half and if my foot started hurting, I should stop. She said she'd buy me a Tiffany's necklace (the race medal for Nike) if it meant that much to me. I felt a little better after talking to her and decided that the half was all I could take today. If the race organizers wouldn't "let me" finish the half, then so be it.

Hubby and poochie drove me to Union Square and dropped me off. I walked up to the starting area and was FLOORED at the number of people I saw there. It was PACKED. I don't think I've ever seen that many people at the starting line of a race before. I made my way to my designated starting area and then realized I had twenty minutes before the race began so I started walking around to take everthing in. While I was wandering, I got a text message from...Julianne! She got her race number corrected but still had her old one- for the half marathon. I met up with her (and met her for the first time!) and she was sweet enough to give me the number. I was so relived because I knew that no one would make a fuss since I had the appropriate bib on- even if it wasn't my number!

Finally, the race was about to begin and I went back to my corral. I met a really nice lady named Mary who was walking the race. We chatted a little bit and it turned out that she lives a block from Tom Brady's (the quarterback for the New England Patriots) parents! I told her my hubby would be jealous! We made our way to the starting line and Mary wished me a good race and off I went!

Even though I "said" (on Twitter and Facebook anyway) that I was going to walk the half marathon, I started running, while still promising myself that I would pull back or walk if my foot started to hurt. We made our way from Union Square out to the Embarcadero. These first six or so miles were flat and I felt great! I did, however, have to weave in and out of so many people who were walking four or more people across. I agree with another racer who said, as we made our way up a hill, "Come on everyone, let's be courteous. Walkers to the right, runners to the left!" No one really listened though. Hmph.

After running past Crissy Field, I came to the first of many big hills. This hill is not new to me- I've run it many times but today, I decided to take it easy. I walked up part of the hill and then ran the rest. I probably would have had to do that anyway, considering, again, all of the walkers on the course. Then, unlike the SF Marathon course, the hill just kept going- there was NO BREAK anywhere. Along this portion of the course, there were so many cute signs that said things like, "Laugh Like A Girl." I took a picture of the sign that said, "Shop Like A Girl."

So, to add to the weirdness of this entire race experience, I also had to stop and use the bathroom. I have NEVER stopped in a race to use the bathroom- not even in the SF Full Marathon. Anyway, I stopped and got in line for a port-a-potty. The strange thing was that even though there was a line, other people kept walking in front of me! Eventually, I was in and out of the bathroom and ready to finish the race.

The uphill portion of the course finally ended and I approached a long, steep, downhill segment. We passed the Cliff House restaurant and there was a huge video screen showing the runners. I was like twelve feet tall! At the mile 10 marker, I called hubby to let him know he could make his way to the finish line as I'd be done soon.

Following the treacherous uphills and long, steep, downhills, the course made it's way into Golden Gate Park where volunteers were holding signs with motivational comments about why the race belonged to us. One said, "Because you gave up sleeping in on the weekends" and another said, "Because you've nursed countless blisters." I wanted to see one that said, "Because you have sesamoiditis and running this race might leave you with a debilitating foot problem but you said, 'To hell with it' and ran anyway!"

The full marathoners and half marathoners split up in Golden Gate Park and the half marathoners approached our last mile. Mile thirteen was deemed "the Chocolate Mile" because volunteers were passing out Ghiradelli squares to the racers. I was kind of underwhelmed- come on, if you name something "the Chocolate Mile," we should get something cooler than one lousy Ghiradelli square, but I digress.

Knowing that this was my last mile, I kicked it into gear and started sprinting towards the finish line. As I approached, though, I noticed that everyone was just...standing there. There was a huge backlog of runners trying to get their Tiffany boxes from the tuxedoed firefighters and the line extended past the finish timing mat, on to the course. I had to step around the line so I could officially finish and then get into the line to get my medal! I took a quick picture of one of the firemen but another racer stepped in the way. Oh well- I didn't think they were THAT hot...I'm married, go figure.

I made my way down the finishing chute and got my half marathon finisher's shirt. It's a really cute dri-fit Nike shirt! Then, I got some cereal from a volunteer, a bottle of water, my foil blanket (you know how I love those) and a reusable shopping bag with the marathon logo on it. I called hubby and he was waiting for me outside the finish area. We met up and he gave me a BIG hug and kiss. A photographer saw us and asked if she could take a picture of hubby putting my necklace on me. It was pretty cute- hopefully the pictures are good!

We headed home and I called my parents, letting them know that my meltdown was over and I'd finished the race and I felt great. Mom was happy to hear that but told me that I NEED to take a break and get my feet issues sorted out before I race again. I agreed with her.

Hubby and I got home and I took my ice bath. Today, it was strangely colder than usual and it was hard to stay in! After showering, we got some food and then, it was off to bed for me. I slept for a few hours and then woke up for dinner. Tonight, I dined on a vanilla cupcake and it was damn good!

After all of the stress I put myself through, I'm happy that I completed the half marathon and earned my Tiffany's necklace. Now, I am going to take a few weeks off from running and look into custom orthotics. I am hoping to race in the Kaiser Half Marathon on Superbowl Sunday with hubby. As for my actual second full marathon, we'll see...I may only be a half marathon girl.

So Much To Say...

2009-10-18T19:11:00.000-07:00

I will try to put together a Nike Women's Marathon recap tomorrow...there's A LOT to report on! For now though, enjoy a pic of me with my "medal" (TIFFANY'S NECKLACE!!). Until then...

Ready to run!

2009-10-14T12:27:00.000-07:00

It's race week!!! On Sunday, I'll be running marathon #2, the Nike Women's Marathon here in SF. Training could not have been any worse! As I've mentioned a few times, I've had shoe issues, injuries, and illness to work through. Nonetheless, I'm extremely excited for the race and am planning to really enjoy myself on the course.

Tomorrow, I'm going to the Nike Expotique to get my race number and timing chip. I also am planning to buy this hoodie! On Friday, I'm headed to the podiatrist to see if she can at least fix me up enough to get through the race.

Cross your fingers- the next time I blog will be my Nike race report!!

I Owe You Big Time- San Jose Rock and Roll 1/2 Marathon Report

2009-10-05T13:45:00.000-07:00

For several months, I've been trying to muster up the energy to blog about my continued marathon training. Clearly, I have not succeeded- until today!

Since the SF Marathon at the end of July, I've been on a modified training program to prepare for the Nike Women's Marathon and the San Jose Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon. My runs have NOT been great and I've been really worried about my messed up feet. I know that I have a Morton's Nueroma (Morty, as I like to call him) and I've been struggling to find running shoes that work for me. I even had to scrap a twenty mile run because my shoes were causing me to have Achilles pain. Finally, though, I think I'm on the right track with the stability shoes and orthotics combo that I'm working with right now!

Now- on the SJ RnR! Hubby trained for this race with me- the first half that he's run. We were really excited to run this course as we knew that it was fast and, even better, FLAT! No crazy hills here!

On Saturday, we drove down to San Jose and checked into our hotel. We stayed at the Marriott downtown, which is connected to the Convention Center where to Expo was and, literally, was a block or two away from the start and finish lines. We went into the Expo and got our race numbers, t-shirts, and goodie bags. The race t-shirt is a technical running shirt- I love it! The rest of the Expo was decent, although there weren't very many booths. I guess the economy is impacting everything!

We grabbed some lunch at Gordon Biersch (our first time eating there! YUM!) and then walked around San Jose. It was a pretty nice day but I, as usual, was really cold so I made hubby continuously cross the streets when we approached shade. Finally, we came upon the San Jose City Hall that was bathed in sun! I made hubby stop and take several pictures just so I could warm up!

After heading out to an outlet mall for a few hours, we ordered pizza for dinner and then it was off to bed to get a good night's sleep before the race! We woke up on Sunday, feeling excited and ready to run. I then realised that I'd forgotten my body glide, which is something I use on my feet to prevent blisters. I decided to substitute deodorant (because it provides a barrier from moisture) and, in the end, it worked! Anyway, I was also excited because my fuel of choice, Sports Beans, now comes in an easy open, resealable pouch. I couldn't wait to try it out on the course!

Hubby and I made our way to the starting line and looked for our corral. Argh- there were so many people trying to get in, there was a line! I don't think everyone actually got into the corral before the race started- they were just herded onto the course after the gun went off. Other than that, it was a really smooth start. We did the usual dance of weaving between people, trying to establish a good pace and get around people walking four or five across- ugh.

We'd set a goal of finishing in two and a half hours and had the mile times on wristbands to keep us on track. At the first mile marker, we were pretty much on track. We stopped for a few minutes to stretch and then moved on. At around miles three, hubby had to stop and use the port-a-potty and told me to keep running. So I did...and I didn't see him again until the finish. AH! This happened to us in Phoenix and it did not end well. This set me up for major anxiety for the rest of the race.

I kept a great pace for several miles and then, it happened. No, not Morty- my neuroma. He didn't show up today. I actually developed a new injury. I had an incredible pain in the ball of my left foot, under my big toe. It literally felt like someone was stabbing me in the bottom of my foot. The pain wasn't persistent- it came and went- but it was intense. A few times, I slowed to a walk but it actually made the pain worse. More motivation to keep running, I guess!

Eventually, I found myself at mile marker 12! I was really excited because I was on pace to finish right at two and a half hours. I teared up a litte thinking about getting a Personal Record (PR). I was brought back to earth, though, when a saw a really young girl on the sidelines, being worked on by paramedics! She was wearing a sports bra and shorts so I assume she was a race participant. I never found out what happened to her but I hope she's ok!

Due to my hyped up emotional state and my foot pain, I decided to get the race over with as soon as possible and sprinted my last 1.1 mile. I crossed the finish line two minutes UNDER my goal. I was ecstatic...and tired! Suddenly, I remembered that hubby was still out on the course so I pretended like I couldn't hear the race officials directing finishers to different stations (water, medal, etc). I walked over to a barricade by some spectators and tried to blend in while I waited for hubby. Luckily, I didn't have to wait long and I watched hubby finish his first serious race just a few minutes later! I was so proud of him!

We then moved through the requisite stations, getting water, medals, a banana, and posing for a photo. We stretched a little and then walked (slowly) back to our hotel. After a quick ice bath and shower, we packed up and headed out.

After the race, we spent the afternoon in Palo Alto, eating at P.F. Chang's (NOM NOM) and getting cupcakes at Sprinkles!! The day was deemed perfect when hubby said, "So which race are we doing next?"

So, as my post-race bliss continues, I start to look forward to the Nike Women's Marathon in two weeks. I know it will be challenging due to all of my injury woes but, really, I'm just hoping to finish. I REALLY want a Tiffany's necklace (that's the race medal)...what? At least I'm honest.

I'm Back!

2009-08-15T13:27:00.000-07:00

Ten days ago, I posted about feeling blah after running my first marathon. Well, I think the clouds have opened up and I have, once again, seen the light- at least when it comes to running!

This week was a tough week. I worked some crazy late hours and did not manage to log many miles. I did, though, make it to two spinning classes- I forgot how fun- and HARD- those are! Nonetheless, I wasn't really mentally focused on running until I set out for a twelve miler today.

Hubby and I are training together for the San Jose Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon which is two weeks before Nike. Last week, hubby did a great job and powered through six miles. This week, nine miles were on tap for him- twelve for me. We decided that we'd run the nine and then I'd do a quick three on my own while he went home to check on our separation-anxiety-ridden dog. Ugh.

Our nine miles started with a pretty steep hill leading up to the Golden Gate Bridge. If you remember, I "destroyed" this hill during the SF Marathon. It was just as difficult to run today as it was on marathon day! Nonetheless, up we went. Then we approached the bridge. I was so excited for hubby to run the GG Bridge as he never has and it is, literally, my favorite place to run in the city. Today was a perfect day on the bridge too because it wasn't foggy and there was a nice breeze. Awesome!

After crossing the bridge, we headed down in Sausalito. In order to get there, you travel down some pretty steep hills. Not a big deal until you have to turn around and go back UP the hills unless you plan to swim back to San Francisco. Ugh- once we turned around to come back, these hills were BRUTAL. They were steep and long and seemed to never end. Clearly, though, they eventually did. Thank God!

After crossing the bridge back into San Francisco, hubby only had one more mile left before he completed his longest run ever! I, on the other hand, still had four to crank out. No worries. We finished the nine miles and I dropped hubby off at our car after giving him a high five. I kept going down the road until I finished my twelve miles.

Overall, I felt SO GOOD on this run. It reminded me that I am am really strong and powerful! I love to run. Also, the twelve mile distance reminded me that I love half-marathons. I am very excited for the San Jose half..mostly because it's flat!

Hopefully this fabulous run sets the tone for the upcoming week. I need a little positivity in my life these days! Oh and check out hubby's first ice bath. I especially like the outfit!

Recover-eh

2009-08-05T17:59:00.000-07:00

It's been almost two whole weeks since I completed the SF Marathon and I have officially entered the marathon blues! I really just want to jump back hard core into training but I'm tired and have some dings here and there. I'm not sad, so to speak, just anxious to get moving again!!

Over the weekend, hubby and I embarked on a slow and easy seven miler. I looked at my training routes from the SFM training program and, strangely, found one that I had not run. Huh. It began near my house, and was (apparently) supposed to take us along a nice, flat route down Haight street and then back into Golden Gate Park. We started down Haight and it was early enough that there weren't any crowds of tourists or hitchhikers. After some time, we hit Market street and turned around to head back. So- I don't know if the elevation chart I had looked at was incorrect or if I just can't read but a significant portion of this route was directly UPHILL. Poor hubby- his first long run and I put him through this!

After battling the hills, we made it back into Golden Gate Park and I thought I was going to lose hubby. He was concerned about his ability to complete a half marathon (we are running SJ RnR in October). I reminded him that this was his FIRST long run- EVER and he was doing great!

As we were about to complete our run, we came to an intersection where we had to stop and wait for a red light. A man decided to just mozy his way into the street, stopping traffic. Then, he stopped in the road, pulled out an issue of Playboy, and held up the centerfold for all to see. Man, only in San Francisco.

We finished our run and headed home. I was so happy to be out running a longer distance, although I was pretty tired at the end.

Last week, I also discovered, through the help of some great salespeople at a local running store, that I have been running in exactly the opposite shoes that I should be running in, taking into account my "issues" (like Morty!). I dropped a significant amount of money on some new kicks and orthotics. I've been walking my dog in them and took them out for a 2 mile trot the other day. We'll see if they can help banish Morty for good!

Let's Do This...

2009-07-30T17:45:00.000-07:00

I figured that I've delayed this post long enough. It is now time to talk about...

MY FIRST MARATHON!!!

So, anyone who is my Facebook or Twitter friend knows that, at minimum, I finished the entire 26.2 miles AND, I finished it the same day I began- which, in all seriousness, what pretty much my goal :o). Check.

My marathon training coach, Greg, gave us a pep talk the week before, reminding us that we were well trained for the race and that all of the hard work was behind us. Hmm...sounds like something I would normally buy in to, although, I was still skeptical. Traveling 26.2 miles still sounded like a lot of work! Anyway, after that last (bittersweet) group training run, my pace group (now formally known as Jackie's Pack) toasted our hard work with mimosas! This was, in fact, my first drink in quite some time. Yikes.

So, on to race week. My nerves were starting to go into overdrive on Thursday or so. Some of my most inspirational bloggers/runners/tweeters, @Marathonmaritza, @Hellasound, @TML26, @chicrunner, @bicoastalite, and @runnersrambles gave me awesome advice and helped me chill- a little. I wanted to go to the race expo on Friday but couldn't sneak out of work. So, hubby and I packed up our poochie and headed to the expo first thing Saturday morning. This is a pic of poochie and I in the car, getting ready to go to the expo!

So, although I'm new(ish) to running, I am a first class nerd when it comes to running gear. Going in to a race expo is like setting me loose at the Diet Coke factory- meaning, I go bananas!! I LOVE gear! I love free samples! I was so psyched. The only thing that kept me in check was the fact that hubby and poochie were taking a walk outside while I "did a quick walk through" (that's what I told hubby was my intention- he knew better).

I checked in for the race and picked up my goodie bag, packet, and race shirt. I was sort of bummed out because when I registered for the race, I was significantly larger than I am now so I ordered a larger shirt. I asked if I could get a smaller shirt but they didn't have any extra. Oh well, now I know! I started walking through the expo and was, strangely, underwhelmed by the various stands. I wasn't interested in buying sunglasses or signing up for another marathon so I bypassed a number of them.

What I was looking for, however, was the RECOVERY SOCKS stand! Really, all I wanted was a hot pink pair of recovery socks like the ones I had seen on another blogger's site. So, I got them and a free pair or running socks and a headband to boot! YES!! Later, I developed a super hero costume with said socks and headband. Check out the pics! I also picked up a Tiger Tail massage stick as I'd been coveting one since I started training.

Fast forward to that night. Everyone told me, with a high level of certainty, that I WOULD NOT sleep the night before the marathon. Huh...I slept so well!! Maybe I have some kind of marathon induced malfunction? Anyway, I went to bed at 8:30 PM and didn't wake up until my alarm went off at 4:00 AM. Ugh.

My pace group buddy, J was so sweet and asked her roommate to pick me up and take the two of us to the starting line. That was a lot better option than taking public transportation at the crack of dawn. Before they arrived, I ate an English muffin and some oatmeal with peanut butter. YUM-O! Then, J got to my place and it was off to the races!

Since we are part of the SF Marathon "official" training program, we were granted access to a VIP tent where we could store our gear, meet up with fellow runners, grab some Cytomax, and stretch. There was even a bouncer checking our names off of "the list!"We met up with the rest of "the pack" and took loads of pictures. Then, J an I made our way to the hellacious porta potty lines. Lucky J, she chose a fast moving line while mine took FOREVER. Oh well. Then, it was off to the starting line!!

As we were getting ready for our wave start time, one of my fellow pack members, S, LOST HIS CONTACT! Well, actually, we know exactly where it fell on the ground but he couldn't just pick it up and put it back in his eye so, he ran the entire marathon with one contact! This made for some entertaining moments when S couldn't really see what was going on. Eventually, though, he commented that maybe he could save half of his money and only buy contacts for one eye from now on! Good luck with that S!

So, the race began and we were successful in NOT getting swept away by the huge rush of people who went out of the starting area too fast. We kept our (slow) pace and I'm really glad we did. We stopped and stretched at the water stop at about mile 2.5 and then, we met our first hill. When we were training for the race, the coaches and pacers told us that this hill was where we found out who 1) trained in SF or 2) came from a flat state like Iowa. As we made our way up, we saw that most of the people around us slowed to a walk. We then (silently and humbly) thanked our coach C, who consistently made us run hills :o)!

After another few miles and another (steep) hill (that we destroyed, by the way), we made our way across the Golden Gate Bridge. Sadly, it was so foggy that we couldn't see the awesome view that I've learned to love so much while running across the bridge. We kept a steady pace and made out way across and back. Here's a pic from the water stop!

Coming off of the bridge, we had another steady climb and then a long, steep, downhill that would destroy your quads if you weren't careful. I was happy to see my friend, C, who had started the SF Marathon training program and then, sadly, got injured. I guess she kept on going and ended up running the half. Nice work girl! I also saw a woman who had a shirt that said "60 and still running" or something to that effect. I tapped her on the shoulder and said 'Go girl!"

I started to get really excited as we approached Golden Gate Park because I had told my friends that that was a good place to see me run, if they wanted to. As I came up to the park entrance, I saw my friends S and V and then, further down the road, B and B! I hugged them all, disregarding the fact that I probably smelled like a compost bin! B and B made me huge posters too that they were waving. I was so excited and it really helped me keep going!

In Golden Gate Park, we passed the half way point and I felt so great. I even asked my running buddies if they thought we could get a negative split (that means we'd run the second half faster than the first). Soon thereafter, though, the sun came out, my knees started to ache, and Morty (remember him?) came out to play. Ugh. I took some Tylenol and hoped for the best. As we continued through the park (the park seriously went on forever), I saw B and B again, this time with my friend F, on his bike. I have the best friends ever!

At mile 19, hubby was waiting for me to accompany me to the finish. I was still doing pretty good and thought I could finish the race in a reasonable amount of time. Well, I thought wrong. All of those stories and fables about the final six miles of the marathon, hitting the wall, and so on...ARE TRUE! Miles 20 through 26 were brutal. It was hot, the race course was desperately boring, and I just couldn't take it. Hubby and I walked a good portion of these miles and stopped to stretch every few blocks. Seriously, had hubby not been there, I may have considered just stopping!!

Finally, we saw mile marker 25 and I began to feel a renewed sense of excitement. Soon, we could see mile maker 26 and I just about jumped out of my skin. Hubby jumped off of the course and I literally sprinted to the finish line. As I crossed, I ALMOST started to cry but then I got wrapped up in the flow of getting a water bottle thrust into my hand, getting my medal, having my picture snapped, and getting my foil blanket. I found hubby again and we made our way over to the VIP tent. I had separated from "the pack" over the course of the race and I wanted to see how everyone had done. I also just wanted to get my SHOES OFF!!

Eventually, I found my buddy, J and we snapped a quick picture. I also saw S who was able to finish, one contact and all! After changing my shirt and putting on my awesome Recovery Socks, all I wanted to do was get home to my ice bath and some food. We grabbed a cab and headed home.

The rest of the day was pretty boring except that I took a nap and refused to take of my medal. I also wore my medal in my ice bath. I earned it!! I also found that marathons make you lose your mind because although I don't eat red meat, I really wanted a cheeseburger. So, hubby braved the traffic and drove me to In 'n Out. He's a good one, I tell you!

I was pretty sore on Monday and Tuesday and felt much better on Wednesday. Today, Thursday, I ventured out for my first post-race run, a short 2 miler. It was great to pound the pavement again.

Running this marathon has made me so excited for the San Jose Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon and the Nike Women's Marathon, both in October. I know, I know, how quickly I forget the pain and agony of those last 6 miles...

So, now I begin a new journey- Marathon #2 and 1/2 Marathon #5. Let's do this!

That's it? That's it...that's the melody to Funky Town!

2009-07-27T16:40:00.000-07:00

So, as you know if you've read any of this blog, I trained for several long months to run the San Francisco Marathon. Well, this weekend, I did the darn thing. I'm still trying to get myself together to really figure out how to explain it all. Until then, please enjoy this excellent clip from a show that I NEVER watch, but frequently quote:

Reflection/Perception/Affection

2009-07-23T20:02:00.000-07:00

I work in a field that requires me to offers me many opportunities to self reflect. Sometimes, it's a welcomed opportunity while other times, it's simply something to endure until lunch time or 5:00 PM, which ever comes first.

Today, I was asked to reflect on where I am from. Unfortunately, this opportunity for reflection came after an emotionally draining training session. What followed was a very raw and real experience during which I discovered some "disconnect" (a word that is desperately overused in my field) between who I am and who I think I am.

Confused? Let me get to how this pertains to this blog. Over the past thirty few years, I've been a person who has been defined (by me and, let's face it by others) as an overweight person or as a person trying to lose weight. Now, I'm finding myself in an exciting position as I've reached my weight goal and now, I'm needed to shift my perception of myself to include a healthy person who is maintaining her weight. This is extremely tough! I have no idea how to operate in the world as a person who is not, for lack of a better term, on a diet. Further, I don't know how to be a person who is satisfied, or, even better, happy, with her weight!

So, this week, I weighed in at Weight Watchers to see how my first week on "maintenance" went. I lost .4 pounds and was really struggling because I found myself to be disappointed. I secretly hoped to see a bigger loss, even though that's not where I'm at anymore!

I guess I really don't know what else to say about this except that I know a big part of moving towards a new self-image is to allow myself the same level of care that I'd give a friend in this situation. I wouldn't tell a friend who's met her weight goal that she should be disappointed in herself. I'd tell her to celebrate her successes and give herself some props!

So, I'm on a new journey and it's going to be difficult but, at least my workplace
makes me gives me the opportunity to have these "ah ha" moments. ;o).

GOOOAAAAALLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-07-17T08:21:00.000-07:00

Wow- there's so much to talk about in this post! Hopefully I can get it all in.

First, last night, hubby and I participated in the Sunset Run. A local Fleet Feet store sponsored this run to benefit a running program for the Oakland School District. For a couple dollars, we got to run five miles (I know, running is free, right??) BUT we also got really sweet Nike running shirts and we were entered into some drawings for great prizes. Although we sadly didn't win anything in the raffle, hubby and I both ran our fastest five miles, EVER. Our friend, A. came with us and for some reason, that was enough motivation to make me move my @$$ a little faster. I also got to meet fellow blogger, John from Slow M oFo. I wanted to meet Tara from On the GO! and MarathonMaritza but the run started and off we went. Hopefully I will get to meet these cool and inspirational runners/bloggers soon!

So- let's get to the real news. After almost three years of following the Weight Watchers program, this morning, I hit my goal weight (and, actually, I am .8 pounds UNDER my goal weight)! YAHOO!!!! Although I've been really close to my goal for a while, I didn't really know how it would feel to reach it. Trust me, it feels amazing.

Insert weight loss/gain background here:
I graduated from college in 2000 and I was quite heavy. I hit the beer and the pizza one too many nights and it definitely took it's toll. Promptly, I gained more weight because I lived alone and had zero cooking skills. In turn, I ate a lot of fast food and breakfast generally consisted of a few donuts on my way to work. Eventually, I weighed 265 pounds. The picture here is me at about 250, I think.

Around that time, the Atkins diet was gaining popularity and some of my coworkers were on it. I decided to try it (all the bacon you can eat? Yes please! Well, actually not anymore- I don't really eat meat!). That diet worked for me and I lost about 110 pounds. In this picture, I'm about 150 (also, it's Halloween and I was a Charlie's Angel- or something like that).

Ooh ooh, I bet you can guess what happened next!! Atkins is a DIET. That means that you eventually go off of the DIET and got back to REAL LIFE. Well, in real life, I still didn't know how to control my portions or prepare my own meals. Yikes. Also, I started dating my now hubby and most of our meals were, of course, eaten out! Eventually we got married, moved to SF, and I found myself at 214 pounds. This picture is from my very first staff retreat and my weight was around 210.

At that time, I worked with my good friend B. and we had these deep conversations about making change in our lives. After some thought, we decided to join Weight Watchers. So, in September 2006, we went to our first meeting and joined. I found the meetings to be very inspirational and I learned a lot of great things. After the first year, though my weight loss slowed WAY DOWN and I got discouraged. Then, I had a tragic string of events happen to me. My niece was killed in a car accident, my friend B and I got attacked by a women with a handgun, my mom had to have brain surgery, and my dad got sick! All of those things took a huge toll on me and I wound up gaining a little weight back.

It all turned around, though, when I started running- and, as you know, this blog has chronicled most of that journey. I've found an activity that helps me keep the weight off and that I really enjoy. It's a perfect fit for me!

As an indicator of hitting my goal, I got this star to put on my WW key chain. For those of you that aren't familiar with WW, when you lose 10% of your weight, you get a key chain. Then you get small charms for various milestones that you hit. I have a 16 week Stay and Succeed charm, a 25 pounds lost charm, a fifty pounds lost charm, and now, a star. I love my key chain, although, strangely, I don't carry keys!! All of my work and house doors open with a card swipe- like a hotel! The other picture is me- today- literally, like five minutes ago!

So- after losing 65 POUNDS, it's time to start maintenance. I'm honestly pretty terrified because I've NEVER EVER EVER been in a place when I wasn't trying to lose weight- except for the donut era post-college. I know that I've learned a lot of things about myself and about weight control and I'm sure I'll be fine. In fact, I'm sure I'll be better than fine- I'll be awesome!

Oh- and next week, I get to try for my next goal- finishing the San Francisco Marathon. Hopefully it doesn't take me three years ;o).

I'm Not The Only One

2009-07-13T13:25:00.000-07:00

I was so excited to learn about this study out of the UK. Basically, researchers found the when people are in pain, swearing helps them endure it longer than people who don't swear.

Why am I so excited? Because this study proves that I'm not alone when I blurt out colorful strings of inappropriate words, especially when I take my post-run ice baths. Sometimes, I get really creative with my curse words. Sometimes I turn innocent words into curse words! For example, while in a particularly cold ice bath about a month ago, I started in with my usual @#$?& and *$@&!^ and then turned to some commercial jingles. Specifically, I started screaming "la la la la la la la la TJ Max!" Not sure why- it just seemed to be the thing to do.

So- if you find yourself in pain or discomfort, try a curse word or two. They f-ing help.

Marlene Is Celebrating Her 500th Post- Check Out Her Giveaway!

2009-07-10T15:12:00.000-07:00

Marlene is celebrating her 500th post- check out her awesome giveaway!
Happy 500th Marlene!

Mission to a(nother) Marathon: Giveaway!

Mission To The Moon

2009-07-08T14:53:00.000-07:00

In this post, I mentioned that Hubby and I were going to travel to Colorado for the 4th of July weekend. While we were there, we ran a four mile Liberty Run. Having never run in Colorado, I speculated that running in the "mile high city" may be akin to running on the moon (due to the thin air and lack of oxygen).

The run was scheduled to begin at 8:00 AM on Saturday, the 4th. We were visiting my parents and staying at their house so we enlisted my mom to come and cheer for us (and we needed to use her vehicle!). My bff also came to watch us as well. We have fans! Anyway, while on the way to the race, we inevitably got lost. Hubby and I have a knack for ending up lost- a lot. So, I got frustrated- I also have a knack for that- and demanded that Hubby use his fancy iPhone to get us unlost. He did- good job Hubby!

We made it to the race and checked in. I was really excited about this race because it was the first race in the United States that did not use paper cups at the water stops. Instead, included in our race fee, we were given a HydraPouch. You clip to your shorts and then fill it up at water stops. It's far easier to drink from than a paper cup- no spilling half of the water or sports drink down your shirt!

The weather was really nice at the beginning of the race but I could tell it was going to get hot. We started at a nice, steady pace but, soon, I could feel the impact of the altitude. I could hear hubby breathing harder than usual and was able to gasp, "It's hard to breathe, huh?" He said, "Uh yeah." We carried on in silence and, eventually, it got much easier to breathe. Soon, Hubby had to stop at the porta-potty so I ran on without him.

Although it was only a four mile race, I still played a few games to get me through it. I chose people in front of me that I wanted to pass. I got especially fired up when a race walker was ahead of me. I thought, "I HAVE to beat the race walker!" So, I did.

I continued running and realized that my husband had not caught up with me yet. I started to get a little worried that he'd maybe thrown in the towel due to the altitude. As I was coming around a corner directly before the finish line, I looked over my shoulder and I saw him! I yelled, "Good job!" and he waved me to keep going. I sped up and finished and he crossed a few seconds behind me. We were both extremely happy that we finished and maintained a great pace- for us, anyway!

After the race, my parents, my bff, my sister and brother-in-law (who were also visiting from Texas) and Hubby and I went out to breakfast. That night, we went to the Colorado Rockies baseball game- they lost *hmph*- but we saw some AWESOME fireworks. Check out the pictures! I wonder if they saw them from the moon...

Giveaway At Nikes and Ponytails

2009-07-08T08:39:00.000-07:00

Here's a yummy snack giveaway over at Nikes and Ponytails! Check it out here!

Clean It Up

2009-07-01T19:17:00.000-07:00

If you've followed my twitter or facebook status updates, you may have seen that hubby and I started getting Farm Fresh To You produce delivery. Farm Fresh To You is a company that delivers organic, and local produce to customers on a weekly, biweekly, or monthly basis. You can check out the website here .

I knew about FFTY through the University that I work for but didn't really consider it for my household until I read the book Harvest For Hope by Jane Goodall. Without launching into a full on book report, the book talks about the global crisis that is taking place because of factory farming. One of the things that will help address this problem is if people purchase food that is locally available to them, especially from small, independent farmers.

So, we got our first delivery on Tuesday and we received bell peppers, oranges, basil, cherries, blueberries, carrots, and a head of lettuce. We've been cooking some great, organic meals with our vegetables and we've thouroughly enjoyed the fruit for breakfast and dessert. I did have a sad moment when I put together a pesto sauce using the basil in order to freeze it for later use. Having never made pesto, I may have burned the pine nuts. I threw everything in the food processor anyway and now I think it's ruined! I guess I'll find out when I thaw it out to use it.

Overall, I'm so pleased that hubby and I have taken this step to clean up our diets and, at the same time, helping to clean up the planet.

On a running note, hubby and I ran a little over five miles today. I managed to forget my watch and my iPod with Nike+ died around the 2 mile mark so I was completely unware of our time. It was kind of nice to just relax with my thoughts and run without worrying about my time or pace. Certainly, I'm too much of a control freak to ever do this on purpose, though!

Hubby and I are off to Colorado for the 4th of July where we'll run a four mile race. Let's hope that we don't completely die from the altitude. Compared to SF, running in Colorado may be a little bit like running on the moon. We'll see...

A Contest Over At chicrunner.com

2009-06-29T11:23:00.000-07:00

Are you desperate for some new running gear? Check out this contest:

Chicrunner is giving away a $75.00 Zensah prize pack. Click here for the link. You can check out the Zensah website here. Good luck and Happy Monday!

Morty and the Big 2-0

2009-06-28T18:52:00.001-07:00

Yesterday marked the BIG 2-0 for me! No, I didn't turn 20 (although my birthday is just a few short months away), but I did complete my twenty mile training run. Not only did I make it through twenty miles, I did so on one of the hottest days of the year in San Francisco. Holy moly!

My training group generally meets at 8:00 AM and we start our runs shortly thereafter. On this day, however, we were joined by our counterparts from the SF Marathon Training Program-East Bay, so it took a little longer to get everyone organized into pace groups. The coaches also wanted to simulate the start of the actual marathon so they lined us up by pace- my group was near the back- and released us in waves. With all of this circus, my group didn't leave until close to 9:00 AM.

We ran the majority of the actual SF Marathon course, minus a few miles on the Golden Gate Bridge and a few miles in Golden Gate Park. We ran our first seven or so miles on the Embarcadero. It's always pretty out by the water but on Saturdays, they have a farmer's market at the Ferry Building which leads to lots of weaving in and out of crowds. To make matters worse, Warped Tour was held near the Embarcadero at the same time as our run as well. I've never seen so many hipster kids in the same place, at the same (early in the morning ) time.

We reached Fisherman's Wharf and then the sun really started to beat down on us. I could tell that this run was not going to be easy- AT ALL. Looking out at the Golden Gate Bridge was a little trippy because, although it was so sunny and clear where we were, the bridge was COVERED in fog. I didn't have the energy to stop and snap a picture though- ugh. We finally made it to our first water stop before making the climb up to the bridge.

Miles seven through twelve took us up and partially across the Golden Gate Bridge, and then up a semi-steep hill. Around mile 13, I literally started to go a little crazy. I am pretty sure that the heat was really getting to me. I took a short walk break and ate some sports beans. This seemed to help a little bit.

At this point, I think I need to explain who "Morty" from my entry title refers to. When I first started my training program, the toes on my left foot often would go numb while I was running, and then the ball of my foot would start to burn. I went to a podiatrist who diagnosed me with a "morton's neuroma." Basically, there's a nerve between two of my toes that swells up and causes the numbness and burning. It also causes me to feel like there's a marble in my shoe. When I went to the podiatrist, she injected my foot with cortisone which seemed to take care of the problem. Well, yesterday, "Morty," as I like to call it, reared his ugly head. A few miles into the run, I started to feel the numbness creeping into my foot. Ugh. Later, the burning started and then the marble. Awesome.

We got into Golden Gate Park and my pacer and I stopped at a bathroom. I crouched down and then, on my way back up, got dizzy. My pacer saw that I was light headed and she mentioned that she'd gotten the spins as well. We were really going to have to work together to get through the rest of this run.

We took several walking breaks during the last five miles of the course, trying to run in the non-existent shade. A few blocks away from the finish, we spotted one of our group members who had run ahead. The three of us powered on until the finish came into view. Suddenly, we all managed to build up a burst of speed and we raced to the end! We'd done it! We completed twenty miles in a freaking inferno!!

Our start and finish spot was a local sporting equipment store. When we got inside, we basically planted ourselves on the floor of the store- who cares if people were trying to shop! Poor shoppers! I collected my stuff, and my thoughts and walked, in my socks, to my car. On the way home, I was still trying to figure out what had just happened. I really couldn't believe that I'd run twenty miles.

I was kind of concerned on my drive home because my hubby was texting me messages like, "are you on your way home yet?" and "are you almost here?" I was certain that something had happened to him, or to our dog! Well, in reality, nothing had happened. Hubby and our poochie were waiting outside in the parking area for me with a cute sign that said, "Way to go Mama!" Check out the picture!

I'm happy to report that several weeks ago, I anticipated that Morty would return so I made an appointment with my podiatrist. The earliest she could see me is Monday- tomorrow! So, hopefully on marathon day, Morty will stay home!

Book Review- Marathoning For Mortals

2009-06-25T08:03:00.000-07:00

My Latest Read
When I start something, I get SOOO into it. Since I've been training for my two marathons, I've just been ravenously reading running blogs, websites, magazines, and books. My latest read was Marathoning For Mortals, by John Bingham and Jenny Hadfield.

Initially, I was drawn to this book because I'd heard John "The Penguin" Bingham speak at the Team in Training pre-race dinner when I participated in the San Diego Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon. He was such a great motivator, and extremely funny. Further, he was realistic. He talked about what it's like to spend five or more hours on the racecourse. He even quoted a fellow runner who said he thought that the slower runners and walkers were the real champions because they have the mental where-with-all to withstand that much time on their feet.

I picked up the book on a recent shopping binge at my favorite sports store, Sports Basement and started reading it that same day. The book includes chapters on Deciding to Train, Choosing a Training Program, Injury Prevention, Nutrition, Gear, Race Strategy, Goals, and Objectives, and The Post Race Party. It also includes a self-assessment so potential marathoners can determine if they are prepared to walk a full or a half, walk/run, or run/walk either distance, or run either distance. Finally, there are eight training plans included!

This books was a fun read. Both John and Jenny contribute not only content but also their voice to the book. John is very clearly a reformed couch potato and speaks from that perspective while Jenny lends more coaching advice. I found the book to be a quick read as well.

My only issue with this book, and it's pretty minor, is that it seems to be intended for people who are only now considering training for a race, or even considering running for the first time. The book even states that the authors want readers to complete the book first and begin a training program only after they've finished. In this sense, it wasn't as helpful for me because I've been training since January and will run a 20 miler in two days!!

I did find the chapter on setting goals and objectives for your training plan, but also for the race itself. The authors also caution that runners and walkers often need to rework their goals and objectives during a race- and sometimes minute by minute. That was good information for me as I tend to be pretty rigid in my goal setting and get disappointed when I can't fulfill them- even if the environment or circumstances prohibit it!

On the whole, anyone who is looking for motivation to start a training program, anyone looking for advice on gear, nutrition, cross training, or anyone brand new to running should pick up this book. If you've been running for a while and are well into a training program, you can probably skip it- or just borrow it from me!

Happy reading- and running!

What Happened Was...

2009-06-23T08:44:00.000-07:00

In honor of my new blog, I thought it might be important to write a post about how I got into running. It's been a much longer journey than this one six-month training program!

Back in 2005, I was dating this guy- he's now my Hubby so it's not weird that he's going to read this- and we were eating a LOT of, well, crap. We ate Wendy's on a regular basis and Dairy Queen was almost a nightly thing. I joke now with Hubby that he used to consider Doritos a side dish! Considering that I've battled with my weight for my entire life, this "lifestyle" (if you can call it that) was a recipe for weight gain and disappointment in myself.

See, in the years prior, I had worked really hard and managed to lose over 100 pounds. I worked out with a personal trainer and ate a very clean diet. Vegetables, lean protein, and whole grains were my friends! I guess when you meet someone that you get comfortable with, you, well, can also get complacent. And that's what I did.

One random day, I saw something about Team In Training online and noticed that there was an informational meeting at the library close to my house. I attended the meeting and was immediately moved by what I heard. I could run a marathon, a half marathon, bike a 100 mile race, or complete a triathalon, all while raising money and awareness for blood cancers. I thought this would be a good way for me to lose some of my "relationship weight" and support a great cause.

I remember telling my Hubby about my plans. 'I'm going to run a marathon," I told him. "I guess you should probably go outside and run then," he responded. Umm..ok. But I had never run before. Sure, I'd played tennis and been a cheerleader in high school. I'd run the requisite three laps around the football field before practice, grumbling the entire time, always finishing last- but I had never tackled anything like this.

So I started to run. I lived by a little park with a little pond. I started by running around the pond once. Then, on a different day I ran around it twice, and so on. Eventually, I was running up to sixteen miles on trails!

And then it happened. I trained too hard, too fast and I got hurt. I developed a severe case of Plantar Fascitis in both feet. The marathon was just around the corner and I could barely walk, much less run. A doctor strongly urged me to stop training and try again next year. I sadly informed the TnT folks that I couldn't participate in the race and life went on.

I got married in 2006 and we moved to San Francisco. I had put on more weight- duh, I was married now- no need to worry about snagging a partner! I met this great friend, B, and she and I discussed starting Weight Watchers together. We also began walking every morning in Golden Gate Park. It was fun and we were able to start losing a little weight as well. One day, I started telling B about my marathon aspirations and she asked me if I'd ever consider walking the marathon. At that point, I knew she was on to something.

I contacted my old friends at TnT Iowa and asked if I could train for the upcoming San Diego Rock 'N Roll Marathon. They said they'd love to have me on their team (also I'd already raised all of my money so they wanted to me to benefit from that, at least). I started walking long walks on the weekends and realized that maybe a half marathon would be a better starting point.

In June, 2006, I went to San Diego with Hubby and I walked/ran the San Diego R 'n R half-marathon. I don't remember my time- I know it was slow- but who cares?? I'd done it! I was so proud of myself.

After finishing that race, I moved on to walk/run the San Francisco Half Marathon in 2007, the San Jose R 'n R Half Marathon that same year, and the Phoenix R 'n R Half Marathon in 2008. Hubby got inspired and did those races with me!

Flash forward to December 2008. I saw an ad for the San Francisco Marathon Training Program online and I was intrigued. I'd had a terrible year- seriously, 2008 can kiss it- and I was still struggling with reaching my goal weight on Weight Watchers. I talked to my parents and they agreed to pay for the training for me as a Christmas gift. What great parents!

So, I started training- to run a full marathon. I started with 2 miles, and now, as you can see from my last post, I'm on the verge of a 20 mile run. Has is been easy? No! Has it been fun? Heck yes! And, with each day the marathon grows closer and I get more and more excited. I cannot wait to cross that finish line and finally complete the goal that I set for myself back on that fateful day when I told my skeptical Hubby, "I'm going to run a marathon."

SMASHED IT!

2009-06-20T18:07:00.000-07:00

I've been putting off writing this post for a little while because I'm not really sure what words would be appropriate to describe my 18 mile training run today. I've thought about the words, "awesome," "exhilarating," "challenging," and "humbling," but I'm not sure those really fit. I simply can't describe the way I'm feeling about my accomplishment!

I went into this run with a completely different mindset than I entered the 16 mile run with. I (strangely) wasn't nervous or uptight. I just decided I was going to run the run and see what happened. I also refused to focus on my "time"- I would finish when I finished.

These things coupled with a relatively flat and fast course, set the stage for me to have, literally, the best run of my life. Yes, I was tired and my feet started to ache but I felt strong. I felt fast. I felt like I was going to finish and that I have the strength and will to finish the complete 26.2 mile marathon. This is a crazy change of heart from how I was feeling just a few days ago in this post.

All in all, I feel like I'm walking (well, kind of limping) on a cloud. I definitely don't want to go out right away and run another 18 miler but I'm looking forward to seeing what the 20 miler next weekend brings.

Oh- and I think I figured out how to describe what I did today. As my running buddies and I exclaimed at the top of a giant hill, "We smashed it!!"

*This post is dedicated to my running buddies in Jackie's Pack!!

Friday Fun- Giving Up Running...

2009-06-19T10:45:00.000-07:00

So, I've been inspired to change my fitness routine up totally. I will no longer spend hours upon hours of time trudging through the streets of San Francisco in my running shoes. I've recently learned of a new fitness craze sweeping the nation and I want desperately to participate! I am studying to be a personal trainer- maybe I can get certified to teach some of these classes.

It is...D-Bag Aerobics!! I saw it on my new favorite trashy tv show, "Is She Really Going Out With Him." Check it out!

D-Bag Aerobics
Uploaded by launch353. - See more comedy videos.

Doesn't it look fun?? Oh wait, no- it looks stupid! Ok, running it is.

Happy Friday!

Thirty-Nine Days

2009-06-17T09:08:00.000-07:00

Before last Saturday's training run, the head coach, Greg, talked about positive attitudes and self-motivation. He basically reminded us that we've been training for this race since January and that we do have the ability to finish the marathon. I needed to hear that! I've been getting very nervous and doubtful about my ability to run 26.2 miles. I've also been worried about the fact that race day is fast approaching! Well, realistically, I have MORE THAN A MONTH of training left!!

I'll be fine...

SF Marathon Countdown

I Get So Emotional Baby!

2009-06-15T19:25:00.000-07:00

I'm such a softy! In my pursuit of training for not one, but two marathons, I started reading blogs of runners- all women- who had completed at least one marathon. I came across a video that one runner posted on YouTube and, I admit, I almost started crying. I can't wait to run my own marathon!

Here's the video:

(This woman is a singer and also recorded the background music!! So talented!)

When Is 11 Bigger Than 16?

2009-06-14T09:35:00.000-07:00

When it's a run that includes FIVE giant hills and an enormous flight of stairs!! Yesterday, I was so excited for my "short" eleven mile run. In fact, I had been looking forward to it all week. We'd conquered the sixteen mile run last week, this week we'd run a quick and easy eleven. What could be better??

Lots of thing could be better!! First, we started the course heading up a large, winding, hill. Ok, fine. One hill, no big deal. After a flat stretch, our groups decided we would change our route to avoid one street that is riddled with stop lights (stop lights generally add tons of time onto a run because you are, that's right, constantly stopping). We moved on block over only to be met with...dun dun dun...a stereotypical San Francisco hill. It was super steep, and several blocks long. Seeing as how I tend to think of myself as a Superhero when I'm running, I tackled the hill and ran to the top. Two hills, no big deal. Our course then took us along the Lands End trail where I was able to snap a few more pictures of the excellent view. We continued running and I as I looked ahead, I began to be filled with a huge sense of dread. We were coming upon a GIGANTIC flight of stairs. Yes, there's a hill on a trail that is so steep that some engineer put a staircase on it. Seriously- I snapped a picture of it and then marched my way up to the top...but I wasn't happy about it.

Around this point, we were seven miles into the eleven mile run and we realized that we had not stopped for water!! I had about a half of a cup of luke warm water in my water bottle (oh yeah, my fuel belt broke again...major Scotch Tape FAIL). Ugh- we'd traveled seven miles with barely any water but I guess the massive hills distracted us. So, we then had to make a slight detour back to our starting point to fill up our water bottles. Let me tell you, there are few things in the world that are more cruel than parading a group of tired, thirsty runners back to their cars, only to make them leave again to run four more miles. Coming back to our starting point also meant having to climb the first, winding hill again. Not only was the winding hill steep, it was then followed by a LONG, slow climb up to the Golden Gate Bridge. The ONLY upside to this hill was that at the birdge, we would turn around so the end of the run woud be completely down hill!! HURRAY! Oh, and at this point, I was suddenly crippled by a stitch in my side (the first one I've gotten during this training program!) and, trust me when I say, I felt like someone was stabbing me. ARGH!

So, finally, we made it the full eleven miles. On the upside, I did not get any new blisters thanks to the blister shield powder that I coated my feet in. I also managed to stay in the ice bath for fifteen minutes this time because, like I said, I am a Superhero!

So, in the end, the only time when eleven is bigger than sixteen is when I'm running.

5 Mile Miracle

2009-06-11T19:11:00.000-07:00

Today, I needed to run an easy 5 miles. It's a nice day and I was pretty psyched. I even convinced Hubby to come along (although I kind of lied initially and said I needed to do 3 miles.)

So, what made this easy run blog-worthy? I decided to try not one, but about ten new things that, if they didn't work, alone or in combination, would make my run very, very long.

First, I "fixed" my fuel belt with scotch tape (see the pic!). It's the only thing I could think of that might hold the clasp together. Second, I decided to try out my new shoes. They are the same model as my old shoes but not as perfectly broken-in. Third, I pulled out the old running skirt. Yes I have a skirt- and I run in it- well, I RAN in it. I'm significantly smaller now than when I used to run so now the skirt is too big. Finally, as I mentioned, I tricked Hubby into running 5 miles with me.

So, I had the potential to end up walking home with my fuel belt in one hand, several new blisters on my feet, my new shoes in the other hand, my skirt around my ankles, and my angry and tired Hubby grumbling about divorce lawyers behind me.

BUT- none of that happened!! My shoes felt great, my scotch tape stayed put, my skirt was a little big but I managed to not give Golden Gate Park a free show, and Hubby powered through all 5 miles.

Today was a good day.

Sick Day :(

2009-06-10T08:33:00.000-07:00

So, it seems that my body has decided to revolt against me. Today, Wednesday, I was prepared to attend my first track workout with my marathon training group. What do I wake up with? A neck and shoulder so stiff that I cannot move my head! Are you kidding me?

Oh, and I'm also sick to my stomach. Great. I love it when, while training for a marathon, my maladies have nothing to do with my legs, yet manage to derail my progress, if only for a day.

Awesome.

Gut It Out

2009-06-07T09:18:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I woke up in a really bad mood. After much consideration I figured out it was because I was nervous about having to run 16 miles with my marathon training group. I mean, I had run 13 miles without much trouble but, for some reason, 16 was terrifying to me.

Now that the run is over, you might expect me to say, "It wasn't that bad." That would be a lie. It was very difficult, mostly because I had so many problems during the run. I had some blisters on my feet covered with moleskin and the moleskin came off inside my sock. Then, the clasp on the water bottle belt that I wear broke and for about a mile, I struggled with trying to fix it. My pacer then suggested that I tie the two loose ends (duh- she's so smart). So, I tied the belt around my waist and it was SO TIGHT. I struggled with trying to catch my breath for a little bit because of the water belt. And all of this was at mile 5!!!

After the water belt debacle, I had to run up the Great Highway and Point Lobos Ave, into the Presidio Golf Course. For people not from San Francisco, that equaled about a mile of uphill climb, and several flights of stairs (!!). I did manage to stop and snap a quick picture of the Sutro Baths from the top of the hill.

In the end, I finished the run and I was so proud of myself. I took my weekly ice bat h (the pics are below- Mickey Mouse had to coach me through it because I stayed in for 10 minutes- a new record!). I also had to ice my knees and my arches. My poochie decided he wanted to help so he sat directly on my lap to keep me company.

This morning, I am miraculously NOT SORE. I really thought that my legs would be so sore, I'd have to amble around like Frankenstein! I guess the Mickey Mouse ice bath worked.

Cut Film To Vent

2009-06-05T13:18:00.000-07:00

I am not a good cook. Hubby thinks otherwise but that's just because I'm able to follow a recipe without totally screwing it up. So, in lieu of creating wonderful gourmet dishes, we are often relegated to eating frozen dinners. Today, while I was heating up my Lean Cuisine, I read the directions, as I always do, but today, for some unknown reason, I actually thought about them. Specifically, I thought about "Step 1: Cut Film To Vent."

Not to be overly philosophical but I think "Cut Film To Vent" can be applied to humans as well. How many times have you just been irritated? Maybe not totally ticked off or ready to explode, but just annoyed. Or maybe you are teatering on the edge between a little tired and exhausted and, while you can continue to sit through that meeting, or finish that project, you know that one more annoying comment from a coworker will do you in. What we need at those moments is to have our film cut! We may not need an all out vacation but we do need to break. We need to release the steam lest we explode in the microwave (of life...hee hee).

Although I'm not stressed, or even tired, I do have a slight headache today that's making it hard to complete the items on my to-do list. I need my film cut. I was walking home from a meeting and, for the first time, I noticed all of the gorgeous, and diverse, flowers that cover my campus. Stopping to photograph them with my ever-so-technologically-advanced cell phone camera cut my film. I took a much needed breath and don't quite feel like I will lose it.

Here is the link to my photos:

A Walk Home

Other things that help "cut my film":
1. Feeling my doggie's feet on the back of my legs as he jumps up to greet me.
2. Having a long lunch with friends.
3. Finishing a long run.
4. Taking a warm bath.
5. Reading a blog.
6. Watching a reality tv show.
7. Vacuuming!
8. Eating a cupcake.
9. Going to bed early.
10. Having hubby tickle my feet.

What cuts your film?

How Much Is Too Much?

2009-06-04T22:13:00.000-07:00

Hubby and I signed up for the San Jose Rock 'N Roll Half Marathon today. It's scheduled to be held in October- two weeks before I'm supposed to run the Nike Women's Marathon. Ok- so those two races sound do-able except that I'm also running the SF Marathon at the end of July.

This has me wondering- do I have an addiction to running? Better yet, do I have an addiction to racing? I think I have a little bit of both. Considering that instead of looking at cosmetics and celebrity gossip online, I look at running blogs and the Runner's World site, I'd say that I definitely have a strong attraction to running.

So, what draws me to running? It's the fact that some people think it's HARD. Sometimes people think it's something they could never do themselves. I'm attracted to the mental challenge of running 10 or 20 miles. Sometimes, it's a mental challenge to run 2 miles! I'm also attracted to the community that running creates. There's nothing like running to the top of a San Francisco cable car hill with your running parters, in silence, until one of you is able to catch enough breath to say, "good job everyone!" Right now, I run with a group of people that, without running, I would have never met. I know more about some of my running mates than I know about people that I call my friends. You can get really close to someone when you've conquered sixteen miles with them in the rain.

Like running, races provide a mental, as well as a physical, challenge. While I'm certainly not going to win any of these races (seriously- there's no way), I still have goals in mind (finish both marathons in 5 hours or less- the second faster than the first). Even though the element of competition isn't that important, I still get nervous before a race. I wonder if I can really do it. Will I finish? How will I feel at mile 1, mile 5, mile 16, or mile 25? Will I look terrible in the post-race pictures (yes, this is a concern!). Every time I run a race, I prove to myself that I am strong, that I am athletic!

So, do I think that three long-distance races over the course of three months is a little much? Yes, I do. Am I excited to feed my addiction? Yes I am!

United We Fall

2009-06-03T20:15:00.000-07:00

So, do I think that three long-distance races over the course of three months is a little much? Yes, I do. Am I excited to feed my addiction? Yes I am!

The Challenge Game

2009-05-19T18:17:00.000-07:00

According to comedian Dane Cook, women like to play what he refers to as "the challenge game," with our partners. The challenge game begins with a woman saying, "What would you do if..." and then we fill in the blanks with some absurd statement like "I took all of your baseball cards and sold them on ebay in order to buy new high heels?"

Oh Dane Cook. That might be one version of "the challenge game" but it definitely isn't the only version. In the Nuss household, "the challenge game" goes a little bit like this...

Kayla- "Do you think I should wear this dress?" (I really don't want his opinion...I'm challenging him).

Hubby- "If you don't want to wear that dress, then don't wear it." (Deflection of my challenge).

Kayla- "Are you saying this looks bad on me?" (I turn up the heat...let's see what happens).

Hubby- "Uh...(stutter stutter, sweat, wipe brow)...no babe, I think the dress looks fine but if you want to wear something else, then wear something else" (A noble attempt).

Kayla- "FINE?? You think I look FINE? " (Going for the win)

Hubby- "No, I mean, you look hot, great, good, perfect...??" (Thinks he's out of the woods).

Kayla- "Well, I don't want to wear this. Wait for me while I change." (I win!)

Hubby- *turns on ESPN, opens beer, pets dog, licks his wounds, waits for it to begin again*

And that, my friends, is the Nuss Edition of THE CHALLENGE GAME, not available in stores.

Before and After

2009-05-16T16:19:00.000-07:00

So- this isn't a Biggest Loser style blog post where I show you pictures of myself before and after losing weight. Oh no no. This post is about what happens BEFORE you run 13.1 miles and the AFTER you run 13.1 miles.

Before- apply sunscreen
After- have sunscreen and sweat burning your eyeballs

Before- put a blister shield on big toe
After- develop blister next to the blister shield

Before- trot effortlessly to the starting line
After- limp painfully to the car

Before- eat a blueberry breakfast bar
After- eat everything in sight because you're starving

Before- stand smiling in a new running outfit (see picture)
After- sit grimacing in an ice bath (see picture)

So- running 13.1 miles is no picnic but I wouldn't have it any other way!

Locked In...To What Exactly?

2009-05-14T17:40:00.000-07:00

I am kind of embarrassed to admit that I follow P. Diddy on Twitter. Every post (or "tweet"- see, I'm still cool!) he makes has to do with being "locked in." So, I'm wondering...is P. Diddy trapped in some closet (no, wait, that was R. Kelly) and he's trying to send his Twitter fans pleas for help?? I'm so confused.

What i THINK he means is that he's committed to something. So, in that case, I'm LOCKED IN too! On Tuesday, I said I was going to commit to doing Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred three days per week. Today, I was SO tired, and SO close to throwing in the towel (I know, on the second day of my "challenge". Great.) but, I did it. AND, I even did every one of my least favorite move, the lateral raise with a side lunge. Ugh, just typing it makes me cringe. So, at least for now, I am LOCKED IN- please don't send to police, though.

I Think My Identity Was Stolen By A Mariner's Fan

2009-05-13T17:45:00.000-07:00

About five minutes ago, I signed into my hotmail (aka my spam depository) and saw an email with this subject line:

"The Stars Are Aligned: The Red Sox, GIants, and Angels are Coming to Safeco Field" and it was from Mariners.com.

So, I've definitely gotten weird email before but this was a NEWSLETTER. So, I said to hubby, "I don't even know a single guy on the Mariner's team." To which he said, "You know Ken Griffey Jr." And I said, "Oh yeah, and I know that other guy." He said, "That other guy? You mean Ichiro? The guy who's just about the best player in baseball? That guy?"

SO- I'm just saying that the Seattle Mariners should be embarrassed that I, of all people, am on a list of supposed "Mariners fans". They should be paying people to keep clueless people like me OFF of their list.

On a final note- if I stole someone's identity, I'm not sure that the first thing I'd do would be to sign up for an MLB newsletter. But that's just me...

Getting Shredded!

2009-05-12T15:10:00.000-07:00

I....have...not...blogged...since...September!!! You've got to be kidding me. Well, I'm back, and better than ever!

First, the woman who attacked my friend and I downtown SF is in a mental hospital. The Good: She's getting help if she needs it. The Bad: I've never had an opportunity to tell a judge what happened to me. The Ugly: I had to call the District Attorney several times before I learned that she was moved to a hospital. So much for victim's rights!!

Second- I'm training for, not one, but TWO marathons. It's honestly been crazy fun! I joined a training group and we do long runs every Saturday together. Last Saturday, we ran ELEVEN miles! The Good: I RAN ELEVEN MILES. The Bad: I still have 15 miles to go. The Ugly: I STILL HAVE FIFTEEN MILES TO RUN!! Yikes! What's really cool is that I will run one marathon in July, while I'm still 30, and the second marathon in October, when I've turned 31. So, I can say I've run a marathon every year in my 30s! Yay!

I've also decided to try my own version of Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred Challenge. I don't think it's realistic for me to do this DVD every day for 30 days due to the marathon training schedule. What I will try to do is do this DVD three times per week. There you have it- today is officially Day 1. Let's go!

Kayla's Workout Plan

2008-12-26T13:02:00.000-08:00

In honor of my idol, Jillian Michaels from "The Biggest Loser", I put hubby and my nephew through a circuit training workout. Everyone kicked bootie and worked off the Christmas Eve dinner!

I have been looking into programs to get certified as a personal trainer. While expensive, I think I would make an awesome trainer. I would have a lot of fun helping people meet their fitness goals. We'll see what happens in the new year.

I've stayed on track with Weight Watchers so far this vacation. I've learned a lot about planning and making better choices. For example, we cooked two frozen pies last night. I could have had a piece for 7 points but instead took one bite of someone elses. Guess what- it wasn't that spectacular.

B&B wise, I have not made it to any after Christmas sales yet. Hopefully tomorrow!!

Taking My Life Back

2008-09-27T11:39:00.000-07:00

One week ago today, my friend and I were attacked and robbed by a woman with a handgun. We were in the middle of downtown San Francisco in the middle of the day on a Saturday. There were many people around and we were in front of the GAP of all places. The woman was either very bold or very crazy, or both. In the end, she was captured and my purse was returned to me.

Since then, I've been a prisoner in my apartment. I'm extremely scared to go outside because I'm afraid of strangers! I've never been afraid to live in this city until now. I've gone to therapy, to the doctor, and on a trip to Target (in the car) but other than that, I can't bring myself to go anywhere that requires walking.

The other problem is that when I'm nervous, bored, scared, or stressed, I eat!! So, this week, I've put so much junk food down my throat that it's resulted in a three pound gain. Ugh- I've been battling a ten pound gain that has resulted from my 30th birthday celebrations- both in Vegas and here in the city.

So, today I begin again. I've rededicated myself to tracking my Weight Watchers points and to drinking my water. I also had started Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred workout program prior to the incident last week. Today I'll begin that program again. Also, I plan to take my dog on a short walk- we'll see how that goes.

I feel really strong today and I can only hope to get stronger. Keep your fingers crossed!

No Tomorrow

2008-06-18T22:08:00.000-07:00

For a few weeks, I've been meaning to blog about new beginnings. I've moved into a new apartment and have taken a new position in the University. I wanted to talk about how sometimes we intend to do so many positive things when given the chance to "start over" but how, really, when it comes down to it, we slip into old habits really swiftly. For example, when I moved into a new apartment several years ago, I made a vow that my space would be simple and clean...a place to relax and unwind. What soon happened was I filled the space with stuff and it became as crowded and as overwhelming as all of the other spaces I'd lived in before.

This time is different. Three days after moving into my new place, my partner and I went on vacation. Three days into our vacation, I received a phone call that my perfect and beautiful 20 year old niece had been killed by a drunk driver. I was in shock. How could this be? She was so young...and she had the desire and the ability to change the world for the better. She was a social justice advocate and really aspired to "bring down the man".

Without going into a long diatribe replete with cliches, I've realized that there is no tomorrow. There is right now, and there is eternity. I can intend to keep my new apartment orderly and peaceful but intentions are nothing. It only counts if you DO IT.

I will return to dance classes this week. I will pick up my clothes tonight, I will tell my husband and my family that I love them right now because the opportunity to do so later may escape me.

Me niece is amazing in that, even in her absence, I've learned more from her than she could have ever learned from me.

In short- right now, I love all of you. I love all of you forever but we might not have another opportunity to say it...so, say it...do it...live it...right now.

Pseudo-Celebrity

2008-05-07T09:31:00.000-07:00

Long time, no blog!!

Over the last few weeks, I've been intending to blog- however, work has gotten the best of me and, frankly, I've had nothing interesting to blog about. How sad!

Recently, my BFF, Kelly, came to the City by the Bay for a conference on money making. Or money laundering. Or something like that. (Aside- the only things I know about Kelly's job is that "If the market is open, I work." and that she moves cash around for high roller types. In the end, she's kind of a big deal).

Moving on...We wanted to take BFF to a cool restaurant so I resorted to one of my favorite websites, www.yelp.com. I read reviews and discovered that the head chef at Circa was none other than Erik Hopfinger from Top Chef Chicago. Hoorary! A real live reality TV star! Excellent Smithers!

Hubby and I meet BFF at the restaurant and it's kind of swanky. It looks a little like the inside of the Planet Hollywood Hotel in Vegas- minus the girls in bootie shorts serving cocktails and the perpetual c loud of cigarette smoke. We are seated and BFF promptly orders a bottle of wine. I knew there were reasons why I really liked her, besides the fact that she is a rockstar.

As far as food goes, we got mini sliders with truffles, lobster mac and cheese, fried chicken, lobster corn dogs,and calamari. I, unfortunately, had to send the calamari back because, one, the sauces it came with it were terrible and, two, we found a hair on the plate. AH!!! Otherwise, our food was awesome. Our favorite dish was the lobster corn dog and, ironically, Chef Erik was voted off of Top Chef because he made corn dogs that were soggy! Bogus! I think he was framed.

In the end, I had a full tummy and a great wine-induced idea. I wanted to meet the Psuedo-Celebrity chef and take a picture. So, I said to our waitr ess, "We are big nerds and watch a lot of reality tv so we were hoping to meet the chef and take a picture." She kind of laughed and said, "No problem!" Chef Hopfinger came out and asked us how our meal was. I managed to censor myself because I'm pretty sure I wanted to say something about the hair in the calamari. We took the picture and then I blurted out, "You got robbed on Top Chef! Soggy corn dogs?? Yeah right! You were our favorite!." Chef Hopfinger laughed and thanked us.

So, in the end, I had my first encounter with someone from reality tv. What makes reality tv stars different from the rest of us? They've already had their 15 minutes of fame...oh, and some of them can make a damn good lobster corn dog!

Sad Mac=Enraged Kayla

2008-03-03T08:53:00.000-08:00

Flash back to last Tuesday. I call hubby at home and ask him what's up. He tells me that his MacBook (his brand NEW MacBook) has just died. I ask him to kindly repeat what he said and he does- loud and clear. The computer has made a loud noise and subsequently shut down. Hubby is sad. Kayla is pissed- first at hubby. I said "How did this happen hubby??? What have you been doing??" Hubby defends himself and I'm convinced that the computer has died of natural causes.

On to last Thursday. Hubby and I make an appointment with the so-called Apple Geniuses at a local mall. We arrive and many smiling Apple employees jump to help us. I remark, "Hubby, they are so helpful!! What great customer service."

So all is well until we meet with our "Genius". It goes a little like this...

Us: "Hi friendly Genius. Our MacBook that was recently puchased is sad. Please help!"
Genius: "Ok let me take a look." (at this point he removes some screws). "Oh yeah, I see the problem- there is liquid damage to the computer. Not our fault- it's really bad too. Gonna cost you 900 big ones. What do you say?"
Us: "Oh no Genius, that's impossible. This computer has never even been close to liquid."
Genius: "Too bad, so sad. Warranty voided. Take it or leave it."

So we leave...well, I leave. Actually I storm out because I'm pissed and I'm a big baby. Hubby follows. We stress out about the computer for a few days. Very intelligent coworkers, friends, and family members encourage us to go to a different Apple store and talk to a different Apple Moron, I mean Genius. So, we do.

Flash to Saturday. We enter the downtown Apple store just as a man in handcuffs is being escorted out by police. I think he's probably made a scene after being told that his new MacBook has imaginary liquid damage.

We are called the the Genius bar and are met by a nice young man, Dan. I begin to explain to Dan that the computer died, we went to another Apple store, liquid damage blah blah blah, impossibility, please help us...and then I start to cry. Poor Dan!! He looks terrified of me. He says he will look at the sick MacBook.

Dan is gone for a mighty long time. I'm talking thirty minutes or more. When he walks back out, he has the MacBook and it is...ON!!!! He fixed it. What a Genius!

Then Dan tells us the bad news- there WAS liquid damage. Not only that but the inside of the computer smells like vanilla candles. WHAT?? He asks us if we ever spray air freshener around the computer. Why yes, Dan the Genius, we do. Well, my friends, that is enough liquid to literally fry your computer's logic board.

What Dan didn't do was tell us what he did or make us pay any money. My thought- Dan did the $900 repair for free but couldn't tell us so he didn't get in trouble. My other thoughts...Dan you are the MAN! If Dan doesn't have huge blessings coming to him, I'd be shocked.

So, the morals of this story are:
1. Continue to press the issue if you aren't getting the service you want.
2. Sometimes it pays to show how frustrated you are. (i.e. Crying in the Apple store).
3. You can get the help you need if you can find a helpful person.
4. And finally- no matter how much you or your hubby stink, NEVER EVER EVER spray air freshener around a $1200 piece of machinary.

And One More Makes Four

2008-01-14T10:11:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, hubby and I completed the PF Chang's Rock 'n Roll half marathon in Phoenix. Overall, the race was fine. I was determined to run most, if not all, of the race- which I did- but my time left much to be desired. Oh well, I finished!!

The morning started at 5:15 am when hubby and I got out wake-up call at the hotel. Hubby was not happy as our race didn't start until 8:30 am but our hotel was only running one shuttle to the race- and it left at 6:00 am!!

So we arrived at the starting line village where it was dark and FREEZING. Luckily, I had talked to someone who had run this race before and she warned me about the early morning frostiness. Hubby and I had brought pants, jackets, hats, and gloves but we were still cold. I had "borrowed" (ok, I stole it) a blanket from our plane trip to Phoenix so hubby wrapped up in that. I then discovered that Saturn was sponsoring a heat garden!!! A what? An area that was designated for stretching that was filled with space heaters. God bless Saturn- those heaters saved us. The pic is of me snuggled up with a space heater.

Our race finally started and hubby made the mistake of saying, "If you want to run, go ahead." I took off and didn't see him again until the finish (sorry hubby)!! I ran my little heart out and earned three blisters, a finishers' medal, and a lousy time. On the other hand, I also earned enough Weight Watchers activity points to feast on a cheeseburger AND ice cream.

In the end, it's all good because I am now certain that I am capable of running a full marathon. And that's what I plan to do. In October 2008, I plan to complete the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco. Stay tuned to hear about my training!

Oh and the prize for THAT race? A Tiffany's necklace. If that doesn't motivate me, nothing will. Trust me.

Things I LURVE

2008-01-08T18:23:00.000-08:00

In the spirit of my obession with "To Do" lists, I thought it might be fun to make a list of things I cannot live without. This could be fun- more fun than waking up with you head stapeled to the carpet, at least! :)

I love:

1. Office supplies. Yes, it's true, I have an obsession with buying office supplies. I love to look at calendars and planners, markers and binder clips. OOH BINDER CLIPS! Those are my favorites- keeping everything clipped together so nicely. I generally buy a whole bunch of cool office supplies and throw them in a drawer where they sit, unused and depressed. I'm sorry office supplies.

2. Lip gloss. Hubby can attest to this- I have approximately a billion lip glosses, most of the "pinkish-brownish-nude-ish" persuasion. My lips are very thin and have very little natural pigment so I'm always on the lookout for the perfect color and consistency. The hunt continues- sorry hubby.

3. Vanilla/any food scented body products. My BFF/ex-roommate thinks it's ludicrous to want to smell like food. I think it's charming. So, I buy any and all "angelfood cake/cotton candy/ cherry soda/ baked potato (just kidding)" scented lotion/body wash/body scrub. I figure that if I slather it on my skin, I'll be less likely to want to eat the "angelfood cake/cotton candy/ cherry soda/ baked potato" in real life! This brings me to...

4. Body scrubs. I am obsessed with soft skin and what better way to get soft skin then to scrub to crap out of it with sugar/salt/sand/pumice/jojoba/wood chips (gotcha again!). I use body scrub every day and no one can ever convince me that this is a bad idea. So there.

5. Shoes- especially pointy toe high heels. Damn the man who brought back the flat. While comfortable and practical, the flat makes everyone look like they have cankles. Really, take a look the next time you sport some flats. Not that this had dissuaded me from jumping on the flat bandwagon- I've purchased one or two or fifteen pairs. I live in San Francisco! You have to have something comfortable to march up and down the hills in. Anyway, my original point is that pointy toe high heals are SUPER SEXY. So sexy, in fact that they should design a superhero whose super power is sex appeal and who runs around is the highest, pointiest, awesomest heels. Yes!

6. My new cell phone. Hubby and fam got me a Palm Centro for Christmas. First, it's sparkly black. Who doesn't appreciate a sparkly phone??? Second, it has an application for blogging built into it. Pure genious. Third, I can email, get on the internet, and keep my appointments on it and it fits in all of my purses. Swoon!

7. Diet Coke. Ok, this is a no brainer for anyone who knows me. My worst habit, healthwise, is that I love Diet Coke. I used to down several trillion gallions a day until I realised that it was very unhelpful in my weight loss pursuit. I still drink it but limit myself to one, MAXIMUM TWO, per day. Once, at Dairy Queen, I chose to have a Diet Coke as my desert. Weird, huh?

8. Books. You thought I was just a high heel wearing, lip gloss loving, body scrubbing air head, right? WRONG! I am a book worm. I will read just about anything and usually have three or more books going at the same time. In fact, over the weekend, I read one and one half books. One of my favorite activities is sitting in the bathtub with a book and a Diet Coke. Go figure.

9. The Colorado Rockies baseball team. In 1992, I was in ninth grade and a huge nerd (see above- the bookworm nerd thing runs deep). What was cool about me, though, was that my mom was obsessed with baseball and decided to buy season tickets to the expansion Colorado Rockies inagural season. That meant that virtually every night during every summer of high school, I was off to the ballpark with my parents. I never had to worry about not having dates with boys because I had dates with MEN- the men in pinstripes, that is. This year, the Rox went to the World Series and my deep love for this team was renewed. It was just like high school- except the team was actually good and I get dates now- with my hubby, but dates nonetheless.

10. Las Vegas. When I turned 25, I had blond hair, a fake tan, and spent my birthday in Vegas with my mom. I know- "with your mom??" Seriously- my mom knows how to get down. Anyway, the best thing about Las Vegas is that NO ONE CARES about what you look like, how much money you have, where you are from, or how many degrees you have. You can rock your fanny pack, and sandals with socks and you will still have a blast in Vegas. You are expected to eat too much at the buffet and make a fool of yourself on the dance floor in the club where the band plays Stevie Wonder and Billy Ocean covers. Some mght think Vegas is tacky (it is) but I can't help it- this nerdy, office supply addict will gladly pack up her lip gloss and new cell phone and hop a plane!!

Home Alone!

2008-01-06T15:31:00.000-08:00

Hubby went to visit his fam in Iowa so I am home alone. How have I been keeping myself busy? Let's find out.

Friday: I only had to work a half day because they closed my University due to a huge storm. I came home and then I had a scheduled two hour power outage!! I spent my time taking a long bath and I read Janice Dickinson's newest book from cover to cover. She's really REALLY funny. There were three new shows on Lifetime- the best was "How to Look Good Naked" with Carson from Queer Eye. Definitely check it out!

Saturday- I went to Weight Watchers (see my post from yesterday!!! Woo-hoo) and then grocery shopping. Then I came home, gave myself a manicure, facial, and a pedicure. I went downtown and spent my Sephora giftcard. Then I went to the movies with my friend/coworker V. We saw Juno- YOU MUST SEE THIS MOVIE. It is so clever yet very deep- really, you might tear up a little bit.

Sunday- I slept in (hubby will be ticked when he reads this because I usually wake up really early on weekend and he wants to sleep in). I washed dishes, I spilled an entire Lean Cuisine spaghetti all over my pants, and then I took another bath. Now I am watching a marathon of True Life on MTV.

Moral of the story?? Hubby I miss you! Life is really boring when you are gone- except for the spaghetti incident, that was slightly exciting...yet disgusting.

50 Pounds- See Ya, Wouldn't Want To Be Ya!

2008-01-05T10:50:00.000-08:00

Today was the day. I went to weigh in and I was down 1.2 pounds for a total of (wait for it)...50.8!!! YES!!!

Obviously, I follow the Weight Watchers program but I thought I could list some tips that helped me get here.

1. Measure your portions. Almost every day, I eat a cup of cereal with a half cup of skim milk for breakfast. You'd think I'd be able to eyeball how much to put in the bowl. No way Jose, I get out the measuring cups everyday and measure my food. Then I always know how much I am eating.

2. Write down everything you eat. I have notebooks worth of daily menus from the past 15 months. It keeps me accountable throughout the day so I am sure to not overeat.

3. Drink water!!! Here's a story for you- one week I worked out three times a day and followed Weight Watchers to the letter- or so I thought. When I weighed in, I was UP three pounds!!! How could it be? I realized that over the course of the week I had drank very little water and was probably extremely dehydrated. When you don't give your body enough water, it clings to the water it does have- thus you retain water, making you heavier. The next week when I did drink the water, I lost 5 pounds and exercised far less.

4. Don't drink soda- even diet. Or at least cut down. I was on a very LONG plateau (the scale didn't move) and when I cut back on my soda intake, ot started moving again. Soda is just a bunch of chemicals anyway- you might as well throw back a few bottles of nail polish remover. It would probably be better for you.

5. Enlist allies. I have lots of people on my side when it comes to Weight Watchers. Hubby is naturally thin yet he eats all of the healthy foods that I eat and has improved his own health. I have several friends from work who have joined Weight Watchers which makes for an awesome support network.

6. Find an activity that you think is fun. I really get into competition so I started training to walk races. I get really pumped up when I train for an event and it boosts my weight loss as well. Also, hubby has joined me in participating in races so it's a great couple activity for us.

7. Be patient!!! It took me six months to lose my most recent five pounds but I didn't give up. I've recognized that I'm changing my life here, not going on a 12 week program after which I can "go back to normal". This is my new normal and it's a good normal.

I don't know everything about weight loss (clearly- if I did, I'd be some celebrity's dietician) but I've learned a thing or two...or seven.

PS- If you are a celebrity who needs a dietician, CALL ME!

I LOVE Work So Much...

2008-01-03T07:39:00.000-08:00

...that I've made a list of my favorite websites that I like to visit. Certainly, I'd never surf the web at work ;o). Here are my favorites!!

1. www.yelp.com- Hubby would go so far as to say that I'm ADDICTED to yelp. I may, in fact, be addicted. I love to check out this site and see what other normal (and some not so normal) folks in the city of SF are saying about restaurants, clubs, shops, etc. I've found so many new places to check out thanks to yelp- you should try it, you might like it!

2. www.pinkisthenewblog.com- Trent is a celebrity blogging genious. In the decade of Perez Hilton, I find Trent much less annoying and far more clever. Bulk up on celebrity gossip each and every day with pinkisthenewblog!

3. www.makeupalley.com- I spend HOURS, literally, on this site. You can check out product reviews on any makeup product, perfume, bath and body product, and home fragrance product that exists. Not sure if you should get that new miracle skin cream? Look it up on makeupalley first- see if some other sucker wasted their money and then you don't have to!

4. www.dailycandy.com- I actually get a daily email from Daily Candy but there's also a pretty sweet site you can visit as well. Daily Candy updates you on events in your area as well as new boutiques, salons, restaurants, bakeries, candy shops, etc opening in your neighborhood. You can look at posts from your city or from across the country.

5. www.weightwatchers.com- Anyone who's ever tried a "diet" and failed should go straight to this website and never look back!!! Based on a system of couting points for food consumed and earning extra points for exercise, Weight Watchers is the best weight loss program I have ever tried. Trust me, I have tried many! This website will get you started and also serves as a great tool if you do join the program. You can look up virtually any food and find out what points value it has. You can also use the site to track your daily points. There's also a message board feature and inspirational stories from members who are reaching their goals. If your resolutions unclude "lose weight", you NEED this site.

6. www.gmap-pedometer.com- I participate in half-marathons and have to complete some LONG distances while I'm training. I use Gmaps Pedometer to create routes of various distances. You simply enter your starting address and a satalite image appears on the screen. You can then create your route and even save it as a bookmark. Anyone who runs, walks, or bikes would lurve this site!

7. www.delivery.com- Somewhat contradictory for a Weight Watchers member, delivery.com allows you to order various types of take out without ever speaking to an actual person. Hubby and I order chinese and an occasional pizza from the numerous restaraunts listed on this site. It even lets you create an account and store a credit card number so you can just sign in, order, and wait for your food to come to you. Now, if only we could figure out a way to avoid having to get off of the couch when the deliveryman arrives...

8. www.sephora.com- Sephora is actually my homepage, which makes most, if not all, of the people who see my computer die laughing. I used to have a pretty severe cosmetics addiction- which has given way to new bath and body product and internet addictions. Nonetheless, Sephora is the ultimate makeup retailer and I still get a kick out of perusing it from time to time.

9. www.hotmail.com- Who doesn't have a hotmail address these days? This is extremely cliche to list hotmail as a favorite website but, in all honesty, it is one of my faves. I get several e-newsletters each day (Daily Candy, The Biggest Loser, Real Simple, Jillian Michaels, etc) so checking my email is like Christmas- but without the alcohol fueled family akwardness.

10. www.meetup.com/www.craigslist.com- I like to check out both of these websites in order to try and meet new people. Meetup is a great site for joining special interest groups and I currently belong to about ten different groups that hold events once a month or so. While I've only been to a handful of events, you still feel super popular just to get so many invitations for social gatherings. Craiglist is a cool site for buying and selling items but you can also post ads for friends or activity partners. Another priceless part of craiglist is the "best of craigslist" section. Here the most absurb and hysterical posts are higlighted. Check it out but be warned, you might snort coffee through your nose.

So, there they are- the ten reasons why "Be More Productive" can NEVER be one of my New Year's Resolutions. Enjoy!

Leaving On A Jet Plane

2008-01-02T07:41:00.000-08:00

Today, Hubby and I fly back to the city by the Bay. In the spirit of travel, and in honor of New Year's Resolutions, I thought it would be cool to make a list of places that I have not traveled to but will before the end of my days on this planet. Here we go...buckle up.
1. New York City. I have been heavily influenced by Sex and the City and Gossip Girl and I am dying to check out NYC.
2. Paris. Remember when Carrie Bradshaw went to Paris with the Russian? What a sexy city!!! And the women? They don't get fat. What better motivation to visit??
3. Hawaii. I would visit any island in Hawaii- I don't discriminate.
4. LA. Crazy, right?? I live in Cali and have not been to LA. In reality, it's kind of a far drive but now, Virgin America flys for cheap. This one might be crossed off sooner than later.
5.Greece. Any country that celebrates feta cheese is ok in my book!
6. Rome and Venice. My brother used to live in Italy- jerk. Wine, pizza, leather goods, and fashion? Yes please!
7.Japan. I don't know anything in Japanese except how to count to five. I'm sure that will come in handy!
Now to figure out how I am going to finance these trips...I am taking donations. They may or may not be tax deductable.

Happy New year!!

2007-12-31T17:37:00.000-08:00

For the first time...oh, ever...my resolutions do NOT include "Lose weight"!!! What do they include? Let's take a gander, shall we?
My New Year's Resolutions for 2008:
1. Be more, shall we say, tidy. Hubby would love for me to keep my clothes off the bedroom floor. So, I will resolve to be more tidy.
2. Be a size 6. I know, I know, I said my resolutions did not include "lose weight". In actuality, they don't include "begin to lose weight" as I have already begun. 2008 will mark the END of my weight loss journey. I resolve to end me weight loss wearing a size 6.
3. Save money. Self-explanatory.
4. Go out more. I resolve that "but (insert network TV show here) is on tonight" will no longer be an excuse for not going out. We live in a f-ing fantastic city and need to be out in it!
5. Be more timely with birthday cards! I resolve to get it together enough to send birthday cards on time- instead of three months late!
I think that's a good list. Let's hope that I don't give them up for Lent!

Peace Out 2007!

2007-12-31T09:50:00.000-08:00

As we close out 2007, I thought it might be fun to recap some of the top moments of the year. So here we go!!
#11- NYE 2006. My entire family packed up two SUVs worth of household goods- including a microwave- to spend one night in San Antonio. We danced on the Riverwalk at midnight and froze our butts off!

#10- Night of December Closing. After closing my residence hall in record time, hubby, coworkers and I killed a bottle of Red and a GREAT bottle of champagne. Then we ventured to a fabulous party at our friends' B&B's apartment.

#9-Half Marathon Finish #2. Hubby and I struggled through 13.1 miles that took us through our amazing city. It was a fast course and we finished with our fastest time. So why only a #8 ranking? I went semi-insane in the middle of the race. Bless hubby for putting up with me!!

#8- Kelly's Visit/Wine Tasting.
Hubby offered to drive BFF and I to Sonoma so we could go wine tasting. This marked the beginning of my wine obsession. We started an amazing wine collection and hubby was so sweet to drive our drunk @sses all the way home. After returning to the city, we ate Poppeye's chicken and watched the Warrior's game with B&B. A great day overall!!

#7- Half Marathon Finish #3.
Hubby and I entered the San Jose Half Marathon in October. We had a great race and it was a gorgeous day. The only downer was the GROSS gel that they passed out on the course. Hubby and I both gagged on it repeatedly. Thinking about it now makes me shudder!!!

#6-Half Marathon Finish #1.
In June, I completed the San Diego Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon with the Team in Training. Hubby and I were amazed at the number of people who ran this race in support of finding a cure for Luekemia and Lymphoma. It was extremely emotional to both finish my first race and to attend the pre-race dinner and victory party. This race also inspired hubby to start participating in races with me.

#5- Etiquette Lounge Opening Night.
We drank, we danced... HUBBY danced, hubby lost his crappy cell phone, and we ended the night at Carl's Jr. because I wanted a Hot Ham and Cheese. What did I get? A Cowboy Cheeseburger. Why? Because I couldn't find Hot Ham & Cheese on the menu in my altered state. Hubby got a laugh from that for sure!

#4- Thanksgiving 2007.
My mom and dad visited us in SF and we played tourists for the weekend. We went to Cirque du Soleil, went to Napa on a wine tour, went to Sausalito, and took a Hornblower brunch cruise. The piano player on the cruise was the same one from our wedding. Mom was afraid that Hornblower would remember our wedding insanity and not allow us on the brunch cruise. Luckily, none of that happened. What a fun weekend!

#3- Colorado Rockies vs. Boston Red Sox.
Miraculously, my team, the underdogs, the Colorado Rockies had an amazing streak and wound up in the World Series. But who would be their opponants? The one and only Boston Red Sox...and who loves the Red Sox??? Hubby does, that's who! All of our friends, counselors by trade, offered up their ears, and if necessary, their couches, should this mark the end of our marraige. All of that was unnecessary, however, because the Red Sox killed my Rockies and Hubby was very kind through the entire ordeal! Who would have thought that our two teams would ever play for a national title?? We sure didn't!

#2- First Wedding Anniversary.
Our marraige had it's first birthday this year. As I took on a summer responsibility with our summer conference program, we didn't have much time to celebrate. We went to the Santa Cruz beach boardwalk for the day and had a great time riding the rides.

#1- Birthday Cruise to nowhere!!
This year, my birthday consisted of a dinner out with a few friends and free champagne at Etiquette Lounge. We finished the night at B&B's eating chocolate and cheese twists- don't ask. Then we left to meet my parents on what was to be a Mexican Riviera cruise. Hurricane season dictated, however, that it would be a cruise to nowhere!!! We literally sailed in circles, stopping in Catalina Island, San Diego, and Ensenada, Mexico. We did meet some fabulous people on the trip- when you sail in circles, you can't help but meet new people, there's little else to do. On a side note, we did consume many "drinks of the day" which I deduced to be that very same coconutty, pineappley drink, each day, with different food coloring in it. Anyway, I think we'll be planning a few trips to visit our new friends in 2008!

There are so many more things that happened in 2007 that were awesome- these we just a few highlights. Let's see what I can come up with in 2008. Knowing me, hubby, and everyone we associate with, the list will be long!

My Debit Card Begs Me To Let It Get Some Rest!

2007-12-28T15:28:00.000-08:00

After Christmas Sales + Outlet Mall = Overweight suitcases on the flight home. Yes, today I finally made it to the mall. I did very well for myself, I must say. I got great work clothes and a cute "going out" dress...wait, this means I probably need to start going out!

I did hit up the Bath and Body Works semi-annual sale. I got an amazing haul for 20 bucks! Do I need more body products? Define NEED...

I also weighed in today and guess what... I LOST... Point 6 pounds. Yes, that's right, I lost six-tenths of a pound. Who loses three-fifths of a pound? Oh yeah, that's right. I do. So the race to 50 pounds lost is still on. Damn this is a long race.

No worries, no matter what I weigh, at least I'll be well moisturized.

White Hot?? No- ICE COLD!

2007-12-27T13:54:00.000-08:00

For the second time this vacation, we are snowed in. Not only are we snowed in, it is absolutely freezing outside. There will be no frolicking in the snow today, thank you very much.

I have spent the better part of the day glued to a recliner watching various reality shows. There was a Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency marathon on- I am a sucker for a marathon!

I have a hair appointment today. I will be getting a trim and maybe some color. My color is a little funky right now- and not in a "ooh you're from San Francisco" way. More in a "you kind of look like a clown" kind of way.

I still have not made it to Bath and Body Works but have made some extensive buying strategies. Hopefully I can put them into effect tomorrow.

I did, however, try some of hubby's new Jack Black hand cream. Holy smoke- this stuff is great. I wonder if hubby will notice if it goes missing.

I hope to weigh in tomorrow. Let's all hope that I finally get to 50 pounds lost. I would be exstatic. Cross your fingers- but put on gloves first, it's cold out there!

Merry Christmas To All!!

2007-12-25T09:15:00.000-08:00

Today is my 30th Christmas and I'm pretty sure it's only about the 10th where it has SNOWED! Seriously, it is snowing like crazy outside. Granted we almost got snowed in last year but flew to Houston so our Christmas was hot and sunny.
This year I realised that I was more excited to watch other people open their gifts than I was about opening my own! My hubby got a great bunch of gifts, Red Sox and Patriots related of course. My dad managed to make my mom cry for about the 100th consecutive year. We all scored some great Colorado Rockies gear too.
I have managed to stay true to Weight Watchers this vacation. I've even run on my parents' treadmill in their semi-creepy basement. Only one more pound to 50. I can't wait!!!
As for makeup and B&B related news, I am super psyched to pick up some Vanilla Bean Noel goods at the Bath and Body Works semi-annual sale. Luckily I have lot's of room in my suitcase.
Overall Christmas has been amazing. Hope you have all had a blessed day!