Sometimes I make bad choices. For example, perming my hair in the 90's, having just one last cupcake, painting my toenails too close to bedtime, eating Mexican food the day before a race. You get the idea.
And today I made a pretty bad one...after my run, I decided to spend the rest of the day working in the yard, mowing, edging, and weeding. I spent hours hunched over in the garden pulling weeds, trying to get ready for the Spring planting. Unfortunately, I didn't finish everything. I finally decided to quit when I could barely making it to a full standing position when getting up from a squat. My body is going to hate me tomorrow.
Miles logged: 10.0
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Are we at the end of race season??
I had a bit of a panic attack today when I realized that racing season is almost over in Dallas and I haven't participated many races. Perhaps the 2.5 months since my last race has made me feel like I've missed out this year. Last year at this time I was pushing for Uranus level in Half Fanatics and probably ran 4 races from January through March. I had such a good time at the Dallas Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon last weekend, that I have the itch to run more!
So, today I signed up for the 2013 Fairview Marathon on April 6. It's a new race and a rural course, but has an awesome medal. The race was 98% full, so I barely made it in under the wire. With a runner limit of 650, it should be a nice race!
Miles logged: 4.0
So, today I signed up for the 2013 Fairview Marathon on April 6. It's a new race and a rural course, but has an awesome medal. The race was 98% full, so I barely made it in under the wire. With a runner limit of 650, it should be a nice race!
Miles logged: 4.0
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
He Said He'd Make Me Famous!
Joe Taracani, host of the Marathon Show, said he would make me famous. And he interviewed me for his 2013 Dallas Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon broadcast! Enjoy!
Miles logged: 0.0
Miles logged: 0.0
Sunday, March 24, 2013
2013 Dallas Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon Race Report
When the alarm went off at 4:45am, I was tempted to roll over and go back to sleep. I was really tired, it was really cold, and it was really windy. When I got up at 2:30 to take the dogs out and I saw how strong the wind was blowing, I actually said "holy shit" out loud. I'm not sure who I was talking to, but the wind was so strong that I felt it necessary to say it aloud. I started to get really nervous about how the wind was going to affect me on the race course.
My husband and I got up, ate some breakfast and dressed in as many layers as we could and still able to move. The temperature was in the upper 30s, with 20-30 mph winds, with wind chills making it feel in the 20s. It sucked. I wore tights and a pair of yoga pants on the bottom, and 3 dri-fit shirts and my windbreaker on top; plus gloves and a headband to keep my ears from freezing.
We took the train to the starting line at the Dallas Convention Center. It was full, but it was warm and we had seats; I actually fell asleep for a short while. We arrived at the start about an hour before it began and opted to hang out inside the convention center instead of looking for a friend of ours. It was just too cold to spend any extra time outside. It was nice to have flushing toilets and a break from the wind. I had nervous pee syndrome and had to go twice before we left to drop our bags off. And I felt like I had to go the entire race--in fact, I almost stopped at a port-o-pottie, but didn't want to put a PR finish in jeopardy.
Bag check was well organized, with DISD school buses doing the duty. I hated to part with my ski jacket, but I wasn't going to run 13.1 in it. Then we headed over to the tents to grab some last minute snacks before lining up in our corrals. Last year the food was completely gone by the time we made it over to the tents, but this year, the food was plentiful. It was either good planning, or some runners stayed home in bed because of the weather.
My husband left me in corral 10 as he went up to 5 with the fast runners. I wish there was a running etiquette booklet that they would hand out at race expos. #1: Walkers move to the side of the road. #2: Control your gas. #3: Toss clothing out of the running path. #4: Move out of the way once you've grabbed your gatorade/water. #5: Do not attempt movements requiring great amounts of space when you are in the corral. Some stupid girl kicked me in the shin as she was trying to do a crazy yoga move. She apologized, but should have known better.
Though this was my 3rd time running this race, it was the first time that I've run it alone, and I was a little sad about it. I had no one to talk to and no one to push me. But it was great running the familiar course, though they changed it a little from previous years. My 2 biggest fans, my parents, braved the cold weather and came out to support my husband and I. It was awesome seeing them on the course, holding signs for us and giving out high fives!
The wind wasn't as bad as I had thought it was going to be. We were shielded from it for most of the race, thank goodness, and it was at our backs for the last few miles. I felt good running today, despite the cold, and I was actually passing other runners. They may have been old or sick, but they were legitimate runners, and I passed them! I did get passed by Elvis though-white jumpsuit, gold glasses, mohawk, and blow up guitar. It was too funny to be disappointed about being smoked by him!
There were a couple of inspirational runners on the course this year. A guy dressed in Army fatigues, carrying a full pack, an American flag, and wearing a gas mask was out there today.
I also ran into Joe Taracani, of The Marathon Show, on the course today. Joe is such a joy to talk to during a race. His excitement is contagious! He also interviewed me for his show! I'll post the footage once it comes out.
A huge thank you goes out to all the spectators and volunteers today. Your signs, cheers of support, and high fives are great encouragement to me! It was a cold race for the runners, I can't imagine how difficult the conditions were for people that were standing still. My fave sign of the day was: You can't quit now, you aren't the Pope!
Also, big props to the Rock 'n Roll series for having race times up quickly today. I PR'd at 2:19:41. I've been pushing to beat 2:20 for almost 2 years!
Miles logged: 13.1
My husband and I got up, ate some breakfast and dressed in as many layers as we could and still able to move. The temperature was in the upper 30s, with 20-30 mph winds, with wind chills making it feel in the 20s. It sucked. I wore tights and a pair of yoga pants on the bottom, and 3 dri-fit shirts and my windbreaker on top; plus gloves and a headband to keep my ears from freezing.
We took the train to the starting line at the Dallas Convention Center. It was full, but it was warm and we had seats; I actually fell asleep for a short while. We arrived at the start about an hour before it began and opted to hang out inside the convention center instead of looking for a friend of ours. It was just too cold to spend any extra time outside. It was nice to have flushing toilets and a break from the wind. I had nervous pee syndrome and had to go twice before we left to drop our bags off. And I felt like I had to go the entire race--in fact, I almost stopped at a port-o-pottie, but didn't want to put a PR finish in jeopardy.
Bag check was well organized, with DISD school buses doing the duty. I hated to part with my ski jacket, but I wasn't going to run 13.1 in it. Then we headed over to the tents to grab some last minute snacks before lining up in our corrals. Last year the food was completely gone by the time we made it over to the tents, but this year, the food was plentiful. It was either good planning, or some runners stayed home in bed because of the weather.
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| Batman was there to keep us all safe |
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| Brrr! It was freezing! |
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| Packed corrals |
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| The start line!! |
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| My biggest supporters! |
There were a couple of inspirational runners on the course this year. A guy dressed in Army fatigues, carrying a full pack, an American flag, and wearing a gas mask was out there today.
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| This dude is my hero! |
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| This dude is also my hero! |
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| My favorite fan! |
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| Happy runners! |
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Dallas Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon Expo
Today was packet pick up day for the Dallas Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon. I usually go to the expo on Friday to avoid crowds and never have enough time to spend there. Rock 'n Roll normally puts on a great event, and this year was no exception, though it was a little cramped. The expo has traditionally been in a much bigger space at the Dallas Convention center, but there was another event going on at the same time.
People and free samples were abundant. I won a free smoothie at the Jamba Juice booth, scored tons of bags of chips and energy bars, and met lots of great people. Oh yeah, and I got my bib and race t-shirt too!
The highlight of the afternoon was meeting Joe Taracani. If you don't know his name, you are missing out. Joe is the host of The Marathon Show, a broadcast of the races he runs where he interviews the audience. Joe claims that listening to his show will make you smarter, faster and more famous. I haven't tested any of those out yet, but he is one of the most endearing people I know. His excitement for the sport is contagious. If you ever see his bright orange shirt and "On Air" sign, make sure to say hi!
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| Sheer joy after winning my free smoothie! |
People and free samples were abundant. I won a free smoothie at the Jamba Juice booth, scored tons of bags of chips and energy bars, and met lots of great people. Oh yeah, and I got my bib and race t-shirt too!
The highlight of the afternoon was meeting Joe Taracani. If you don't know his name, you are missing out. Joe is the host of The Marathon Show, a broadcast of the races he runs where he interviews the audience. Joe claims that listening to his show will make you smarter, faster and more famous. I haven't tested any of those out yet, but he is one of the most endearing people I know. His excitement for the sport is contagious. If you ever see his bright orange shirt and "On Air" sign, make sure to say hi!
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| My husband and I with Joe |
Miles logged: 0.0
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Equal and Opposite Reaction
For anyone that took high school physics, you remember Newton's Laws of Motion, right? For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. I don't recall all the specifics, but have come to apply this in running to mean that for every good day, I'll have a bad one.
And I had a great day on Monday, so what did that mean for me today? BAD DAY. Thank goodness I'm tapering for the Dallas Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon on Sunday, so a botched day doesn't really hurt me, but it is bad for the psyche. I didn't even manage to get 2 miles in before I bailed out to finish out my workout on the bike.
Miles logged: 1.5
And I had a great day on Monday, so what did that mean for me today? BAD DAY. Thank goodness I'm tapering for the Dallas Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon on Sunday, so a botched day doesn't really hurt me, but it is bad for the psyche. I didn't even manage to get 2 miles in before I bailed out to finish out my workout on the bike.
Miles logged: 1.5
Running Marina del Rey
I went for my last long training run today. Yeah, I said training run. I'll be running the Dallas Rock 'n Roll half marathon on Sunday. This will be my 3rd time running the race and hopefully it will be as much fun as the previous years!
Since my husband ran the LA marathon yesterday, I was on my own today. And we had been so busy since arriving in LA that I didn't have a chance to plan out a route. So I just started running around the marina, hoping not to get lost and to be able to get enough mileage in and it turned out to be one of the best runs ever!
Being a Monday, the marina was pretty deserted, giving me a free pass to go wherever I wanted. I saw the UCLA crew team practicing, a family of sea lions, a friendly baby sea lion, and the beach!! After running for miles and taking a daring turn, I lucked my way into finding the beach. It was amazingly beautiful and I was so happy to have found it! Seriously, I had to conceal my giant grin when passing others so they wouldn't think I was nuts!
This was the best run I've had in a long time, I only wish I didn't have to cut it short. But I had to get back to the hotel with enough time to shower and pack before our flight home.
Miles logged: 8.0
Since my husband ran the LA marathon yesterday, I was on my own today. And we had been so busy since arriving in LA that I didn't have a chance to plan out a route. So I just started running around the marina, hoping not to get lost and to be able to get enough mileage in and it turned out to be one of the best runs ever!
Being a Monday, the marina was pretty deserted, giving me a free pass to go wherever I wanted. I saw the UCLA crew team practicing, a family of sea lions, a friendly baby sea lion, and the beach!! After running for miles and taking a daring turn, I lucked my way into finding the beach. It was amazingly beautiful and I was so happy to have found it! Seriously, I had to conceal my giant grin when passing others so they wouldn't think I was nuts!
This was the best run I've had in a long time, I only wish I didn't have to cut it short. But I had to get back to the hotel with enough time to shower and pack before our flight home.
Miles logged: 8.0
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| UCLA crew team |
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| Happy sea lion family |
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| Adorable little sea lion |
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| I found the beach! I literally threw my arms up in the air and yelled when I saw this view |
Monday, March 18, 2013
LA Marathon
Today was the LA Marathon and I was only a spectator. My husband ran this, his dream marathon, for the first time, along with almost 30,000 other runners. It was the first time I've been to a race to support him and not run the race myself. In SFO during the summer, I ran the half while he ran the full and was able to make it to the finish line to take pictures and cheer him on.
This race, I abstained from running altogether (there was no half distance anyway). I dropped him off at the predawn starting line at Dodgers Stadium. Then I went to Starbucks for some breakfast to pass the time until the race began.
I first planted myself around the 5 mile marker, at the bottom of a hill in Echo Park and was fortunate enough to get to see the front runners and elite runners for the first time ever. The most amazing were the wheelchair racers. The first 2 racers were accompanied by the LAPD and whipped by me at 40+ miles an hour. I didn't get any pictures because I couldn't even figure out what it was until the convoy passed me.
The elite women started the race 18 minutes before the men and there was a pack of 4 out ahead. I could tell that they were getting close by the sound of the helicopters overhead. The same was true for the men's pack. And they were running FAST! I am very surprised that a woman won the overall race; the men were really moving.
I stopped at multiple spots along the course, miles 5, 13, 16, and 22. I tried my hardest to make it to the finish line, but the traffic and parking was impossible and I ran down but couldn't get through the closed streets to see my husband finish. I saw all kinds at the marathon, a man in a tutu with his entire body painted green, batman, a guy in a Mexican wrestling mask and a pair of running tights, and superwoman. At mile 13, one of the wheelchair racers named Richard was struggling, he came to a painful stop in front of me. Other racers stopped to give him encouraging words, pats on the back, and I cheered him on until he dug deep and was able to move on. I don't know if he finished the race, but it was a very powerful moment to see him push on.
Miles logged: 0.0
This race, I abstained from running altogether (there was no half distance anyway). I dropped him off at the predawn starting line at Dodgers Stadium. Then I went to Starbucks for some breakfast to pass the time until the race began.
I first planted myself around the 5 mile marker, at the bottom of a hill in Echo Park and was fortunate enough to get to see the front runners and elite runners for the first time ever. The most amazing were the wheelchair racers. The first 2 racers were accompanied by the LAPD and whipped by me at 40+ miles an hour. I didn't get any pictures because I couldn't even figure out what it was until the convoy passed me.
The elite women started the race 18 minutes before the men and there was a pack of 4 out ahead. I could tell that they were getting close by the sound of the helicopters overhead. The same was true for the men's pack. And they were running FAST! I am very surprised that a woman won the overall race; the men were really moving.
I stopped at multiple spots along the course, miles 5, 13, 16, and 22. I tried my hardest to make it to the finish line, but the traffic and parking was impossible and I ran down but couldn't get through the closed streets to see my husband finish. I saw all kinds at the marathon, a man in a tutu with his entire body painted green, batman, a guy in a Mexican wrestling mask and a pair of running tights, and superwoman. At mile 13, one of the wheelchair racers named Richard was struggling, he came to a painful stop in front of me. Other racers stopped to give him encouraging words, pats on the back, and I cheered him on until he dug deep and was able to move on. I don't know if he finished the race, but it was a very powerful moment to see him push on.
Miles logged: 0.0
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