Nike Women's (1/2) Marathon - 2010

At the expo with Rachel and the bean

I really have a love/hate relationship with this race. I do love that it's mostly women. I do love that (the 1/2 at least) is very scenic. And I absolutely love how many spectators there are on the course. I hate the hills. I hate how many other runners participate. And this year, I hate the rain.

Beautiful views

So many runners

What puts it over the top? Firemen, in tuxes (in the rain) with little blue boxes.

I did finish in under 4 hours this year. This was in doubt at the start line. The last time I ran more than 2 miles was in August at the Peter's Canyon Trail race. I didn't run all of those 5 miles. I ran 2 miles Wednesday before the race. (Note: This is not a good half marathon training plan.)

I headed to the start with my friend Rachel. We met up with my friend Bethany and went in search of the bag check. Found some of Rachel's friends as we lined up in the corals. (Never was able to meet up with my friend Louise or my twitter peeps. It's such a cluster at the start!)

Me and Bethany at the start

As planned walked the first 2+ miles with my friend Bethany. We split off and I started to run. Ran past the wharf, up the cable car turn around, down into the Presidio, up Fort Mason. Took pictures of the Golden Gate, mile signs, and one awesome "Run like zombies are chasing you" sign.

The awesomest sign ever!

About 9.5 miles in my outer left knee started talking to me. At first I couldn't run the steep down hills. Then it was any down hill, then I couldn't run. As soon as I realized I was swinging my leg at the hip, I gave in and walked. I walked the last 3 miles. I should have walked the last 3.1.

I ran the last .1, as soon as I saw the finish line. It was pure vanity. As soon as I crossed the finish line a first aid worker asked me if I needed her. I shook her off and headed straight towards the the firemen and the little blue box.

Official time: 3:36:39

July Peter's Canyon Trail Race

Today was the 2nd of 3 trail races at Peter's Canyon. It was also the 2nd of 3 races I'm running between 7/3 & 7/11. (side note: the bean will be 6 months old on 7/11).

This course was the harder one, running the trail clockwise (up trail, not the hills). The trail has a slight grade to it. Last month's race, we ran up the hills, then down (read: downhill) the trail. This month we ran up the trail.

I still shaved ~2 minutes off my unofficial time. I'm excited about that. I'm thinking I'm probably not going to get under an hour in August, but I should get close.

It did warm up a bit, but the race weather was still nice. We ran up the trail, then over Devil's Crotch (not sure if this is an "official" name) and back down. I saw more mountain bikers than on previous runs. In the middle of mile 2 I ran into a pack of hot guys running down the trail. Almost turned around. *almost* But I did think that my bib number should be my phone #, or maybe my twitter name.

I did end up finding a groove after mile 2, as always. Had a hamburger after the race and headed out to pick up the bean. I do love a race where the food is actual food. Not just bagels and bananas.

The final race of this series is on 8/5. Wish me luck and persistence in following my training

Peter's Canyon

I know I've been a bit scarce lately. I'd like to blame it on the bean, but that's not completely true. There was some cleaning that needed to get done and I couldn't justify blogging over cleaning, so I just watched bad television instead.

But that wasn't all. Some anger/frustration/despair came knocking. The triggering event itself isn't going to be discussed now, except to say it had nothing to do with my baby daddy. It just shows that you never truly understand how much your life is intertwined with someone until you try to untwine it. (yes, I know untwine probably wasn't a word before I used it. That's how cool I am.)

So on to races!

I signed up for the Peter's Canyon Trail Race series. I love the attitudes of trail racers. Yeah, some of the fast peeps are really hard core, but they're still very courteous. And this race is awesome. 5 hilly miles on dirt followed by a BBQ and hangin' with your homies! (I don't get to hang too much as I have to get the bean from his dad's that day. It's yet another reason to get faster.)

The thing is, I ran Peter's Canyon in 66:44. Back in 2008, I ran the reverse course in 59:39. I figure a 7 min (plus ~9 months of and a baby later) ain't too shabby. And I loved it. (PS, that was an iPod free 66:44. I had it on, it was just dead.)

I won't lie, there was walking on the way out. (I think the dust triggered my asthma, as there was a bit of breathing difficulty that I chalked up to me being out of shape.) And much walking up the hills of Devil's Crotch. But there was also much running. Down the backside and all the way back to camp. I probably ran the whole back 3 miles.

It felt great. I remember how running made me feel before. There were points when I thought I'd stop, but I couldn't. My body wouldn't listen to my mind. Finally my mind STFU and said legs, I hope you know what you're doing because I'm not going to want to hear it later.

This race catapulted me back into tri/running training. I want to do it. I want to get faster again. I need to train. It's helping me with my mom/Yas balance. I just need to get me some good, reliable sitters.

Races!

Yes, I said raceS.

I've run 4 races since the bean was born. 3 I ran. 2 I ran with the bean. He always beats me!

Surf City 5K was the first. I blogged about it, so we'll skip it.

OC Marathon 5K (yeah, I know) was the second. I was talked into this one. It was in Costa Mesa and Penny was running the 1/2. We planned to meet up with Glenn and get breakfast. Both of them strongly suggested I run the 5K. I figured it would be a good way to kill time, so I decided to sign up. Two days before the race. At the time, it was the latest I had decided to run a race. Usually, being the planner I am, my races are scheduled months in advance. Seriously.

This was my first postpartum "race". It was hard. I took the stroller, and like a good mom, lined up in back. With the walkers. I think I spent most of my first mile dodging the walkers. Some of them were more accommodating than others. In the end, my first race back was slower than my first race ever, but it was awesome none the less. The bean was awesome. Grumbled a bit, but slept most of the way.

Ave of the Vines 5K was next. My awesome friend Rachel decided to run the 1/2. I had wanted to visit the fam up in Northern Cali and hadn't picked a week. So it was easy to plan my visit around the race. The bean didn't join me on this one. He was at his grandpa's house, visiting with his great grandparents.

I finished faster, although the first mile felt weird without the stroller to push. It also felt weird because I couldn't catch my breath. I chalk it up to running in the San Joaquin valley, through the vineyards of Lodi, and all that pollen/mold.

The most recent, Saddleback Community 5K, was the latest I'd ever decided to sign up for a race. I volunteered to work the registration table with my little man. I caught up with some friends I hadn't seen in a while, or who hadn't met the bean. (He was a hit, as always.) I figured I'd go out and cheer on the Duathlon racers. They convinced me to run the 5K. Why not? It's close to the house, I could walk down, run a short 5K, cheer peeps on, then walk back home. So I signed up. At about 5:30pm the day before the race.

Turned out great. It wasn't a chipped race. We showed up late, but still ran. I'm pretty surer we were faster than the OC Marathon 5K, but with no chip time and a bit of a watch malfunction (ran into friends at the finish line and I forgot to stop it) I can't be sure. I think I shaved at least 30 seconds off our time. AND THERE WERE HILLS. Well, one hill. You ran down in first.

All in all, I walk/ran about 6 miles today. Pushing a stroller. With a 15+ lb child.

I had a great time.

Surf City 5K - 2010 edition

For the 3rd year in a row I have failed to complete the Surf City 1/2 marathon. This year, 28 days after having a c-section, I walked the 5K.

It was probably closer to 5 miles, since I started walking from where I parked and past the 1/2 marathon start before getting to Main St in Huntington Beach. I was also the latest start, I'm sure, as I showed up about 40 minutes after the "gun" went off.

I wasn't sure I was going to do the race. It was supposed to be raining and I didn't want to take the bean out in that kind of weather. I didn't want to leave him at home, either. When I woke up, I saw a friend's picture that she posted on Facebook. The weather was beautiful at my house and beautiful in Huntington Beach, so I woke up my mother and we got ourselves and the bean ready to go, then went.

It was a bittersweet event. I was jonesing to run and jealous of the 1/2 marathoners who were getting to complete my favorite distance ever. When I had seen this race in my head I was carrying the bean or he would be waiting for me at the finish line with the person I love. and who loves me. I will admit there were tears. There were more mutterings and thoughts about how this wasn't how it was supposed to be. This was not the life I planned. My life was not supposed to be this way.

Even though this is not my choice, it is my life. In the end, Nathan was waiting there with the person I love and who loves me, my Mom. It may not have been the scene I had in my head, but it was still a great memory.

I really have to learn to lean on the support I have, use them when they offer.

Nike Women's (1/2) Marathon

I entered this lottery because everyone I've talked to who has done it told me how awesome it is. I didn't think I'd win a spot. I didn't think that I'd get pregnant so soon.

All I do know is once I got it I was set on doing it. Once I found out I was pregnant, it defined my identity as being an athlete.

The biggest obstacle I've had to overcome during these past 7 months was the limitations the pregnancy has put on me. I've heard it all: it's only temporary, it's so worth the sacrifice, you have the rest of your life to run/bike. I don't care. I didn't realize how much I depended on running as therapy, a reset, a stress reliever, until I didn't have it any more. I took this frustration and focused it on training for this 1/2 marathon.

Let me be the first to tell you that I didn't train more than 8 miles on any of my walks. Some serious crap went down (which I may share with you all at a later date) and I didn't stick to my plan. However, when the weekend of October 18th came around, I was ready to prove all my naysayers wrong. I didn't realize it would help me reclaim myself.

Race Day:Rosemarie and I in our hotel room, all Nike'd out

I did not treat this as a race at all. I woke up and got a chai latte from Starbucks of all things! I'm not Glenn. My race morning meal is NOT an apple fritter.

My Tri peeps and other friends before the race.
Everyone else was running.

We lined up in the wrong corral, but I was okay with it. We were with the 12-14 min/mile peeps. It was a big cluster, so I figured we'd be okay if we stuck to the side. When I found out I was pregnant and told people, I asked my mom to walk the race with me. Yes, she was a bandit. Little did I know my aunt would walk some of it with us.

Miles 1-10:
were great. Yes there were hills but I made my mom stop almost every mile to take a picture. I couldn't believe the views and the camaraderie of the walkers. I did stop before mile 2 for my first of 4 bathroom stops.

Me and the fireman that let me use the firehouse restroom.
It was clean and it flushed!

My mom was starting to take off a bit faster than I had planned. I had to reign her in, which is funny, since that is what I always do.

Me and mom at Pier 1

We spent the whole time talking about random stuff. It was fun. She went back and forth about wanting to walk the race again next year. She was all for in the first 5 miles, the hills made her change her mind, but I think she's back on board.

My aunt, me and my mom at mile 5.
There is ~ a 20 min difference between the clock time and our actual time.

The Golden Gate and me.

Miles 11-13.1 (or 12.99 if you trust nike+ thing down there):

Let me be the first to tell you, walkers are mentally strong. I will not compare myself, as a 1/2 marathon runner, to any of these 1/2 marathon walkers. We came up on 4 hours and I was done. I just wanted the race to be over. I wasn't really having fun anymore. Any of the give aways were gone before we got to them. But then we came upon some friendly walkers. They were still chatty, if not smiling. One pair even offered us licorice. We were bitching about our feet, the blisters that we knew we'd find at the end of the day. The fact that we swore they moved the mile markers. They were awesome.

My mom cut out right before the finish. I got my necklace, t-shirt (the wrong one which they want me to send back and are going to send me the right one), and food for us both. It was a pretty race and a good experience. I can't wait to run it, at least once.

I can't tell you how great it felt. To know that I could do it. To prove to everyone who said I was crazy, that I wasn't. That I still have some level of fitness, even if I don't have the same core strength or arm muscles, or even leg muscles really. That I'm still me somewhere in here.

13.1 miles in 4:36:44 ...

29 weeks pregnant. I did it!

I may have exaggerated the bump here...

Once I stepped up to the start corral, I knew I was going to finish this thing. I'll write a longer (probably longer than many of you all want to read) race report later in the week. I just wanted to let all my peeps in blogland know that I did survive. I did finish. My mom hung in for the whole time, even bowing out at the end as they were checking for bibs at the finish line. My aunt did a 10K+, after thinking she wasn't going to get out of bed until long after the sun rose.

My Aunt, me and my Mom

(The clock time was 20 min faster than our actual start time.)

I didn't I registered the tux wearing firefighters (although maybe I should have studied them more closely and gotten a picture with one like my friend Louise). I didn't even take a look at my finisher's shirt until I got back to my parents house! (I got a marathon one instead of a 1/2 marathon one, I'm going to see if I can change.) I just wanted to get back to my mom, who didn't get any of the glory, not even a picture at the finish line.

We may have finished faster if we didn't stop to take so many pictures! I'll post more of those later, too.

Game Day: Surf City 5K

AKA my race with Viv and Pokey AKA (maybe) My last 5k

When I signed up for this race, I was hoping for a PR. It's flat. Not flat like the Carlsbad 5000 says it's flat. It's completely flat. However there were extenuating circumstances.

1) I was recovering from a cold or the flu, whichever one gives you all over body aches. It was awesome.

2) I spent a good part of Saturday traipsing down the coast with Viv and Pokey.

3) Even leaving 5:30 from my house and getting to the Beach Blvd exit at 6:05, I didn't make it to meet Viv, Pokey and Misty until 7am.

Okay, that last one isn't an extenuating circumstance, but I couldn't believe it, nonetheless.

I ended up paying way too much for parking, but it was next to the start line for the 1/2 marathon (about 1/2 a mile south of the start line for the 5K) and I was able to start the race on time. I called it a tie.

I enjoyed the sights this year. It's amazing what you notice when it isn't pouring and you're not frozen. The navy was back, singing/chanting up a storm. There were tons of spectators and volunteers. I talked Viv and Pokey's ears off. I saw Brianna and Robin walking the 5K. I didn't even know they were doing it!

We finished the race, most of us smiling. Then went to watch the 1/2 marathoners.

This was great. I saw Jill, Jillian, and Stacey from the TriDivas. Misty cruised by on her way to her PR. I missed Dina, probably due to my need to pee after the race.

All in all it was a great weekend. I had tons of fun with the out-of-towners. We drove down the coast and just hung out at some beaches. They waited for me when I was stuck in the traffic jam from hell (who knew that all 18000 people would show up?)

We're doing the 1/2 next year.

Southern California 1/2 Marathon AKA My Last Race...

in the twenties. I have the Carlsbad 1/2 in a couple of weeks, but by then I'll have aged up and be in the 30-34 age bracket.

My plan was to run a good 10 miles, then run/walk the last 5K, depending on how I felt. I mean, I had to run 10 miles on the weekend anyway, why not do it on a course I knew was assisted. And if I had to plunk down a few bucks, why not?

So here we are. Flat course? Check. Fluid stations every 2 miles? Check. Wind gusts up to 45 miles an hour? Check, well maybe not 45, but probably 20.

I ran 10 miles in under 2 hours, about an 11:22 pace. Not too shabby for me. I ended up with a time of 2:30:32, giving me a 11:30 pace for the race. Only 2 seconds per mile slower than my first 1/2 marathon. I think I would have been faster if it had been a nice, calm day. Not one with gale force winds.

Somethings I learned during this race.

Even on race day those first 2 miles are a bitch. I tried to keep up with the sheriff's recruits, but they picked up the pace and I knew when to cut my losses and run my own race.

I don't think of my weight when I run, unless it's to wonder if the people I pass are berating themselves for letting someone like me pass them.

I wish I could bottle the feeling I had during mile 8. It was awesome. I felt like I could do anything. Of course by mile 9 all I really wanted was for the race to be over. I felt better at the end of 10 miles.

One thing is for sure, I needed new shoes. I stopped by Roadrunner Sports and picked up some new Hurricanes. I love those shoes.

Game Day: Subaru Sprint Triathlon

I now have a new most fun race ever. Or at least a most fun race as a solo event ever. The Subaru Sprint Triathlon. All women, competitors and completers alike.

This race starts like all the rest, with me getting to transition early in the morning. We got there a bit before 5 and were the 3rd or 4th group in line at transition. Who was first? Jillian and Liz. They even worked some magic on the race director/officials. See, at the course talk the day before, the race director told us they pushed transition open back to 5:30am, but the website said 5am. She asked if they'd open it at 5am because that's what it said on the website, making no mention of the fact that we heard them say 5:30 am. They let us in about 5 after 5. Score!

I set up and got an end cap, the one closest to swim in, bike out and run out. Jillian got the one behind me. Set up and waited. Ate my uncrustable (peanut butter and honey on wheat bread) and waited some more. There were bathroom trips and pictures and me eating my gel.

Swim
This was my second in water start. My first truly in water start. See, we were pretty much in the water at Danskin, but we were standing in it, not treading water waiting for the horn.

The horn went off, we went vertical and I started bobbing and weaving through everyone trying to keep up. At one point the first yellow hat (the wave after mine) passed me. I could have sworn it was a fellow diva, and speedy swimmer, Rani, but I found out later it was not. My goal was a 20 min swim, came in bit faster. I hugged the buoys as tight as I could and sprinted in to the ramp for the finish.

T1
Slow. My wetsuit didn't want to come off, I stopped to put on my flip flops, when I should have just run without them. Lessons learned.

Bike
Here's where I deviated from my game plan. I left my Garmin at home and was trying to go on perceived effort. I didn't succeed in pushing myself as hard as I wanted to until Kara passed me.

See, at one point near the end of the first loop of Fiesta Island I had the thought that I might not be pushing myself as hard as I could be, but as long as Kara from Ladera doesn't pass me, I'm okay. Not a minute later (seriously it was 30-60 seconds after I had this thought) that I heard my fellow diva shouting encouragement. I didn't exactly return the comments in kind, but I know Kara knows I love her, and she'll leave anything I said on the course.

After that I pushed, trying to keep Kara in sight, passing everyone I could safely pass. Next thing I know, I'm off the Island and heading back into transition.

T2
Wobbly and here's where I think I messed up my run. See I'd drank my 190 calories of Cytomax on the bike, here I shot a Mocha Clif Shot (mostly for the caffeine) and set out on the run. I wanted to down the gel before the first aid station so I could wash it down with water. I think I took in too many calories in a short amount of time.

Run
First of all, I couldn't feel the last 3 toes on my right foot. I'm really going to look into getting new shoes. The numb toes act is getting old. Second, I developed a bad stitch in my side, see above hypothesis in T2 commentary. This all lead me to walking more than I wanted to on the run, but guess what, I still finished it in under 32 minutes. Which means if I'd had run the whole thing I'd have posted my fasted 5K to date. Not my fastest run time in a triathlon, my fastest 5K to date ever.

I loved this course, fast, pretty flat, all about you and your body.

I'm so happy that I shared it with the divas who started out with me in the Spring, as well as new and seasoned divas alike. I'm sad that it's over, but I'm already plotting out my running race season and trying to see how I can fit in more half marathons.

My name is Yasmin and I am a Triathlete.

Game Day!!! - Laguna Hills Memorial 1/2

I'm alive and I crossed the finish line in one piece, with 2 new blisters.

My time : 20:31:15

Cal Burned: 1320

Cal Eaten Whilst Racing: 400

Cal Eaten Since: ~300*

*it will be if I can shove these Smart Puffs down. And I know I didn't do it for the calorie burn, yeah that's it.

I thought we were cursed. As I drive toward the start line parking it starts to drizzle, then rain lightly, then drizzle as I park and walk around to the port-a-potty line. It's Surf City all over again. It stopped misting about 10 minutes before start, which was when I found my friend Stacey, her SIL and husband. We took a picture before the race (see below) and then we were off.

Stacey and her SIL were awesome. We were talking until about mile 5 when I realized A) my knee was talking to me like we were already at mile 10/11, B) I was running my short distance pace, not my long distance pace and C) I had taken no walk breaks, except a short one when I got water at the aid station around mile 2.5.

Carp! I told them about my knee and not to worry about me. I started running MY race about 1/2 way through the race. Not good, not good at all. I started my run a mile, walk 1-2 minutes. then run about 5 minutes walk 1. I blame this on my fast start.

On the course they had Cliff Shots, awesome!! AND they had the mocha ones with 50 mg of caffeine, so my last 2 Cliff Shots were the mocha ones, the first 2 being apple pie, natch.

Around mile 10.5 ish I met up with this woman who had come out to run the last 3.1 miles with her friend. In fact, the woman actually running the race had a total of 3 friends that came out to run the last bit with her. I thought that was awesome. It was great for me too, because Katie, she was the only one who's name I got, ran with me for a quarter of a mile and the last half mile of 13 another one of her friends kept me going. I wanted to wait and watch her cross, but after I finished I couldn't stop moving, or my muscles were going to freeze up.

Did I tell you there was a hill at the end? There were hills through out, but how do to they end with a hill? Well, it was ending a the community center and the hill was just us running under the street and to the park.

I wanted to cry so bad, my hips were aching, my knees were aching, the right one more than the left, but I was done, and Martha was right there at the end, talking to some other peeps, so I know she wasn't really waiting for me, but it was awesome to see her there. I then filed in line for the food and drink and got my commemorative finisher's glass.

I wandered around for a bit after that, kinda dazed. I had called Jer back at mile 10 telling him if he couldn't make it down in about 30 minutes, not to bother, because I was going to finish faster than I told him (my estimate was 2:40-2:50). He got up early for no reason. There was no way he could get down and at the finish line in 30 minutes, and I knew that. He promised me that he's be early to the next one. It wasn't his fault, really, it was mine for being too speedy!

I did end up seeing Stacey and her husband again, where I mistakenly told them there were medals. Well, there were, for the top 3 in each age group. California Pizza Kitchen was there, giving out slices of BBQ Chicken Pizza. It smelled good, but my tummy said no. I signed up for a massage, but there was about a 10 minute wait, so I walked around and picked up a FRS peach mango can (my fav) and headed back to the massage place.

I stretched whilst waiting for the 5-10 minute massage I was going to get. I loved every minute of it. After I was done, I ran into Martha and her daughters. She asked how I felt, and I told her great, for not really running my race. She and her friend from the OC Tri Club were talking about starting out too fast. Funny really.

I trekked out to find the shuttle back to the start line parking, where I saw Stacey again, and I headed back to my car and drove home. Here's my after picture.

I was greeted by my wonderful husband and my animals. I didn't realize, but my face was all covered in salt, as was my whole entire body. I tried to take a picture of it. Please realize it's not a glamour shot! Also, following are pictures of my salt removers.

Can you see any of the salt? My salt removers helped get me cleaner.


Dusty and Buckwheat licked my face. It was their way of helping...

Today was the last run for these shoes. Oh New Balance 1123's you served me well. I'm sorry I over estimated the mileage/cushion I had left on my shoes. I think this contributed to my early knee pain. I hear by retire thee.

I came home and iced my right leg after I took a shower and rid myself of all the salt I excreted. I even used a stuffed animal/dog toy to hold the ice pack on my leg. I knew that monkey would be good for something (thanks Jesse).

Now, 3 and 1/2 hours after I finished, I feel better, still a bit sore and walking funny, but better. I've had my Luna Recovery Drink mixed with milk (it's chocolate milk people), I'm drinking water. I'm eating my Smart Puffs, but I don't think I'm going to finish them all.

You know, for all I talked/bitched about having to find a bathroom around mile 9, I didn't need it. Maybe that's because I ran in the morning instead of the afternoon? Or because I sweat it all out running too fast. Who knows?

Thanks everyone for all your support, good thoughts and words of encouragement. I really appreciated it.

Cancer Sucks

and I hope never to wear pink. I did run/walk the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer 5K in Sacramento. The survivors wear pink.

You know the biggest factors for getting breast cancer are being female and getting older. Crap, that's me, so please women, check your boobs. One of our good family friends, as in she knew me before I was born, is a 16+ year survivor.

The race was great. I stuck with my cousin's daughter, as even I won't leave a 15 year old girl to fend for herself so I can get a better time. Especially when she's related to me and I like her.

I shouldn't have thought I'd be able to race it anyway. I tear up every time I see a pink shirt, an in memory of sign, or even an in celebration of sign. There were so many people, we must have walked .1-.25 miles before we could start jogging. Although I should be annoyed, I'm not. This many people coming out for a great cause can only make me smile.

Thanks to everyone who helped me reach my fundraising goal. I actually exceeded it by more than $50. Thanks peeps.

Carlsbad 5000 and other stuff

Last night I watched as my friend Leia entered wedded bliss. This morning I ran the Carlsbad 5000. I wish Leia and Rob a lifetime of happiness, but on to me.

Let me just tell you, I don't think I've been to a more stressful event. It was mainly in the parking. Downtown Carlsbad is ate up with churches and it was Sunday. There weren't any signs for parking, although I reread the parking instructions and they do say that it's only street parking, but we parked at the senior center.

The race itself was great. It's billed as a fast course, and it is. It isn't all flat, as I was lead to believe, but there was only 1 hill and we hit the ascent fairly quickly off the start and the descent was on the way to the finish line, which gave me a boost at the end.

My official race time was 31:04, the fastest I've ever run a 5k.

What else has happened since I've last blogged?

More tri and 1/2 marathon training. My run on Thursday was okay. It went as well as it should have, given I didn't really train for a week and a half.

I swam Saturday morning, for about 25 minutes. I think the arm and body motions are starting to click, but the breathing isn't. I'm going to consciously slow myself down next time I'm in the pool and make sure I'm breathing every 4th stroke. It's hard to get through my brain, but I need to try or I'll freak out during the swim.

Oh, and I was tagged to describe myself in 6 words. I'll do that on my DOR, which is tomorrow.

Surf City 5K - 33:54

Yup, you read it right, 33:54 and it was raining.

At 7:15 am in Huntington Beach, CA it was 51 degrees with a wind speed of 3 and light, but constant, rain. It wasn't pouring, but it was definately not misting. I was soaked through at the end of the run.

All in all it turned out well. I set a PR, in the rain. That makes me happy.

Let's do a whole run down of the day:

I woke up about 5:45, I wanted to be at the parking lot, waiting for the shuttle, by 6:30.

I left the house about 6:15, later than I wanted, without my FRS (I like the diet orange powder mix) and my luna bar, which I forgot on the counter in my kitchen. My gas light was on, so I had to stop for gas. I ended up getting to the parking lot ~6:55 AM.

The shuttle was really a school bus, yes a big orange/yellow bus. She didn't really know where she was going and actually did a U-Turn, yes we flipped a bitch in a full length school bus on a residential street, and headed down to Main Street.

We got there around 7:16, after the race was supposed to start, but there were 3 Waves and we arrived 2 minutes before the last wave was going to start.

I passed up all the pace signs and settled myself at the back of the pack. And we were off.

I was cold and wet, but I kept going, telling myself I couldn't walk until the last mile. I saw a group of ROTC or maybe enlisted military, running, ~ 1.8 miles in, chanting their song, so I kept running.

Once I hit mile 2, I was set, only a mile left, only .75 miles, only .5, only .3 - oh wait, really .4, I forget that last pesky .1.

Then I was done. I avoided the first chip cutter and went to the second, then I was off on a quest for food. I hadn't had anything all day, except a cup of water during the race. It took me awhile to figure out where to go. I was wandering around the Expo tent for about 30 minutes before I realized that I had to go outside and around to the backside of the tent.

I grabbed an energy bar sample and a smoothie, both quite good, and I was off on a quest to find the shuttle back to the parking lot.

I boarded the school bus and exited at the civic center. It was here that I stepped in more puddles than were on the race course on the way to my car.

I was done, soaking the driver's seat, I didn't think about bringing a towel, or even a trash bag, and I went home.

Now I've had a hot shower and 2 cups of tea and I'm feeling warm. I've set up a space heater to dry my shoes and orthotics.

I'm off to get ready for a Super Bowl party. It's a good week so far.

Dinosaur Dash 2007

The Dinosaur Dash is a 2K, 5K, 10K race that raises money for the Tustin school district. I knew about it for a couple of months, but when I realized one of my friends I met at my WW meeting teaches for the Tustin school district, did I decide to sign up.

After recovering from the shock that the Dino Dash was on Sunday, not Saturday, I did pretty well on this 5K. I mean, 36:07 with walking 1/4-1/2 that last mile, amazing to me.

My lungs attacked first. Before I got through mile 1 I had to whip out my inhaler and take some puffs. Just because the air doesn't smell smokey I guess it still wasn't good for asthmatics. Especially asthmatics who decide to do a 5K at 8:45 in the morning, just 2 weeks after fires burnt near the race track.

I was not prepared for running up the freeway overpass, twice. So I walked up it when my ITBS decided to make it's presence known. Shortly after mile 2 my ITBS came to stay. I walked most of the last mile. However I am vain. When I turned the corner and saw the street lined with people coming to the finish line, 1/4 to 1/8 of a mile at the most, I ran. I couldn't bend my right knee so much, but I still ran. Had a little hitch in my giddy-up though.

This race was bittersweet. I finished, and in my shortest time yet, but I realize that 3 weeks wasn't enough rest for my ITBS problem. I already have my outfit for my Thanksgiving Day 5K, so I'll see if I can run the first 2 miles of that, completely flat, course. After that I'm swearing off running, for at least 6 weeks. I want to be ready to run a 5K in Huntington Beach with another WW meeting friend.

Game Day - Disneyland 5K

Here are three reasons why the Disneyland 5K wasn't the best race evah:
1. It's a run/walk that didn't separate runners from walkers at the start
2. It's a Family Fun Run so it wasn't chipped.
3. It's full of funnels

Honorable Mention:
1. It was hot (high 70's, low 80's hot) and humid at 7am.
2. I had to pay the full $11 for parking.

I'm not an uber fast runner, but I'm even slower when I have to dodge walkers. I'm not discriminating against walkers, I just know that when I've walked, races the runners line up first and the walkers second. However, the stroller police were out in force, pulling people with strollers out of line. I didn't see a single stroller on the run.

It wasn't chipped, 'nough said.

There were many places along the race route where we narrowed and widened. I hated when I was finally getting into a rhythm and it was ruined by a narrowing of the route.

Things that went right:
I ran in my Brooks skirt with compression shorts and it was wonderful. I think I might have died if I wore pants. I got to run through Cinderella's Castle. My uncle cooked me yummy pancakes afterwards. And I beat my last time, if only by ~40 sec. I did have to use my rescue inhaler, but I didn't let myself stop running.

I think I would do this event again, but walk it. Or try to get there much earlier. I arrived at 6:15, but didn't get into line until 6:30. In talking to people there who were doing the 1/2 marathon the next day, I was encouraged to train for it. Apparently you get to run the through Angel's Stadium. When will I ever be get the opportunity to run on a MLB field and not get arrested?