Faster Bunny Running Blog

Running...Functioning?

2013-05-04T22:41:00.000-07:00

I haven't talked about my own running in quite some time.

This is for a couple reasons:

1) It's not exactly rocket science on my part. I have no magical training techniques and I remain quite the hobby jogger. Hurrah!

2) I was running really poorly over the fall and semi poorly over the winter. I like to brag as much as the much average Jane and when I run crappy workouts, there's little opportunity to do this. Dangit!

But I am still running. And it's going ok. Here's #proof.

A couple notes. Yes, that's a text string to OUAL and I still have her in my phone as "Sarah-Soon-To-Be"! Also, she broke her phone so it's not like she was a jerk to not reply to the upper congratulatory text.

I digress. The point is that I've actually been training. I'm planning to run the Mountains to Beach Half Marathon in three weeks and ever since I ran the Lucky Half in Sacramento I've been trying to add extra intensity into my workouts. I feel like there's potential to PR although no guarantee. Also, Mountains to Beach has an elevation drop of about 200 feet which is not enough to make it a cheater course (I think?) but enough to make it a damn easy course (I hope).

I've been running a lot of tempo-ish stuff on the treadmill at 1% incline. I've been pretty consistent about doing two tempo / speed sessions and one fast finish long run on weekends. I'm still not sure if running fast on the treadmill equals running fast without a giant moving belt under you outside, but hey, it makes it easy to get the workout in and workout > no workout, right?

Here are three workouts I've done that make me think I don't suck:

1) 6- mile tempo "wave" at around 7:04 about two weeks ago.

I don't really know the science behind the wave tempo, and I altered the pace from 7:30 to 6:40 throughout this run. All I know is that altering the pace every 800 meters keeps me from going insane or quitting.

2) 3 @ 6:54 pace, 1.5 @ 6:43 pace and 1@ 6:35 pace with 2.5 minutes rest between intervals.

I made this one up as I went along. I figured, start around threshold pace for a faster-side short tempo, and then run a little faster on tired legs. I was happy about it because 5 miles of tempo-y intervals around 10k pace can't be a bad thing, right?

3) 9.5 miles easy + 5 miles at 7:15 pace.

I did this today as some sort of "peak" workout for the half training. It hurt like hell (see above text). Honestly it felt harder than it should. This concerns me. But I've been traveling a ton lately, eating terribly, and sleeping not-enough so I figured, if I could do this feeling like crap, maybe it's a good sign for how I can run fully rested.

Which brings me to my next question: How do you prioritize running in your life? And how do you remain fully functional even if you get up really early, run a really hard workout, etc?

I struggle with this. I mean it's easy to say "Oh I wake up at 3 AM to run 15 miles and I just make myself do it", but I mean...if I do something like that, I am risking feeling bad for the rest of the day. I'm risking losing productivity because I need to go back and take a nap or just can't function well. I'm human and stuff and I am one of those people that needs sleep.

And with other priorities it can be tough to be productive when all you want to do is lay on the floor and foam roll. I noticed this particularly when I was in Florida for a work conference this week (it was honestly not all THAT stressful, see shark fishing pic below. It's "team building", y'all!). But it was time-intensive as are all conferences.

For Example: Prior to all the shark fishing fun, on the first day of the conference, I got up really early to run before all the festivities got started. Then I got ready to go to sessions, and I couldn't stay awake at all. I had to go back to my hotel and take a nap I was so exhausted. I felt guilty because I knew that my exhaustion was a result of my waking up so early to run (going to bed early was not an option because I arrived in town very late).

The same thing has happened when I've run really hard or long workouts before work.

So how do you prioritize your running and your time when you know it might cut into how you perform other activities during the day? Rearrange things? Say "screw running" for the day? Say "screw doing other important stuff" for the day? Be extra careful about nutrition (because maybe this is a factor)?

I'm still looking for how to balance things AND be 100% present for other things. And no, chugging espressos every 10 minutes along with slapping myself in the face to wake up is NOT an option. Not that I've tried that, of course.

Freak of Vacation

2013-04-23T07:22:00.000-07:00

I've found that the amount of exercise I do is perceived in different ways depending on the person I'm talking to.

People who are moderately serious runners, former college athletes, and the like usually shrug after I tell them I "only average around 40-45 miles or so a week" and tell me I should train harder.

On the flip side, a large portion of people look like I am A SUPER FREAK when hearing this mileage figure that I see as being very moderate. Because of this, I generally tend to avoid talking much about my running in detail with most people. Luckily for them, most non-runners don't give a shit about my 5 mile tempo run, so my avoidance of discussing this part of my life is really keeping them from dying of boredom as well. Win-win!

I mean...I kind of get it...like when I was in middle school and we had to run the mile it was about the worst experience ever. So if someone had told me they ran by choice on a daily basis, I would have thought they needed a mental exam. But at this point....easy 5 mile runs are about as easy as walking down the street. It's just a way to clear my head and get some fresh air.

There are a few times, however, when my policy of "non-running discussion" is not an option. One of them is when I visit my boyfriend's family mid-marathon training and I try to sneak out of the house before his sweet mom pounces on me to make me a bacon and eggs breakfast. (don't try to do a long run after this, you will regret it the entire time!).

The second time is when I'm on vacation. I know I may be in the minority on this, but I really enjoy running when on vacation. Not workouts, but slow 40 minute jaunts as long as the schedule permits. If it can't happen, it can't happen, but as long as there's a safe stretch of road and some time, I figure why not.

Like this last weekend, I went on a quick vacation. I went to Vegas for a bachelorette party! It was good times!

And for both of the mornings...even after heavy boozing....I got up and went on a run.

When people on a group vacation who don't know you very well realize you are running the mornings in a place like Vegas, they become perplexed and give you the super-freak look. It brings forth comments like "Oh wow, you'll really earn this buffet!", "You know I ran a half-marathon once", "Wow good for you...SO healthy", "You don't need to lose weight" and "Maybe I'll go on a run later..I DID bring my workout gear...".

All well-meaning comments. But I never know what to say in response! There are a number of reasons why I went on a runs in Vegas and it has very little to do with health or being virtuous. It's just something I do, just like getting dressed, eating meals, and going to the grocery store. The questions and comments make me a little uncomfortable because I don't think I deserve any compliments for going on a short slow run, and frankly it's slightly addictive behavior on my part. And I am certainly not trying to make anyone else bad for not exercising. So I tried to think of why I enjoy running on vacation:

1) I'm obsessive about patterns and routines as shit and so doing a daily run helps me feel normal and not freak out about other things. This is the main one. I admit it.

2) It's kind of fun to get a little time to myself in the mornings because I get overwhelmed in large social groups.

3) Why not? We got hella free time!

4) I've got some dope music on my ipod I want to listen to.

5) People watching, people watching, people watching.

and secret option 6) It's a nice day out and I like to run!

So unless the weather is bad, I usually just go with option 6 as my explanation. Unless the person is a psychiatrist and I'm in a chair, it's probably the best response.

I guess there's no end in sight to the "Super Freak Vacation Runner" looks, unless I manage to sneak out of hotel rooms at 3 AM and slip back into bed, sight unseen. I figure this pattern will just continue. I'll keep running when I can in random places, people around me will continue to comment on the fact that it's surprising that I'm running, and I'll continue to feel slightly like a freak when I try to explain why I went on a run.

I suppose worse things could happen :).

Boston

2013-04-15T22:24:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure if I have anything to add to this conversation but I feel compelled to write.

I am angry and sad.

First and foremost I am thinking of those who lost their lives. I am so sorry for their loved ones. It makes no sense and I have no words. Why.

I am thinking of those who were injured in the blast today. I can't imagine what they are going through.

I am sorry for the runners in the Boston Marathon who trained for months only to not be able to finish the marathon because an explosion occurred before they could reach their goal.

I am sorry for those who did finish the marathon, but tonight, instead of celebrating the glory of their finish, they mourn like the rest of us.

I am thinking of the people of Boston, who had their city attacked and one of their most cherished and happy traditions targeted.

I am also thinking of those who won the marathon. This moment is one of the greatest happiest moments one can have in the sport of running, and it was stolen from them.

I am sad for the running community. An attack at the finish line of Boston feels so personal to so many of us. Whether you've run Boston before, are an avid runner, or are just a part of the community, it's hard to explain how this feels, or what it means.

I am thinking of anyone reading this, who feels like normal everyday activities like going to the movies, going to school, or attending a sporting event are not safe anymore. To anyone who feels like they are losing faith in humanity, don't lose hope.

I know that many stories of heroism will come out of this tragedy. And I know that the running community will slowly heal. Thinking of all of you.

The thing about the shill...

2013-04-09T23:21:00.002-07:00

Have you guys read Roserunners latest blog entry? Like a lot of her posts, there's a really interesting discussion going on in the comments. And it's inspired me to write a post on a similar topic that's coming up in the comments on her blog.

Products and Bloggers

In the running blogging community, there seem to be two extremes on the whole "shilling / product placement" thing.

I feel like I fall somewhere in the middle. I certainly don't mind getting free stuff, especially free stuff I would have bought anyways (Mizunos..Nuun...). To be honest I've saved a considerable amount of money as a result of Mizuno's generosity. But then...writing about products is awkward. Even if I like the product. Not only am I am fully aware that a lot of people don't enjoy product placement type posts, I don't blog that often, so a post stays up forever. And I almost never blog about products or "what I wore" outside of a brand partnership. I am pretty sure no one cares what I wore or ate because I certainly don't :).

So what's appropriate in the blogging community when it comes to promoting products? Obviously you can't make everyone happy all of the time, but here's my opinion on the whole thing.

The Blogger

While I don't really agree with the "if you don't like it, don't read" philosophy (there are a lot of things that I don't like, but still can't stop reading), I apply this to constant giveaways and promotions on blogs and not even by choice. This is because I get bored and kind of forget about blogs that are constantly promoting products. Everyone has their own reason for reading blogs, and mine include looking for a laugh, good training advice / inspiration, or just keeping up with a friend. I don't need more reasons to be encouraged to buy more random shit I don't need.

That said, it's just mildly annoying for me. If someone tweets that wearing compression socks helped them win the race, I usually just roll my eyes and move on. I figure, the blogger doesn't necessarily owe me an entertaining experience. In the case of misrepresentation (saying something is awesome that sucks or not saying that they were compensated), I guess that's wrong, but I don't really take anyone's product opinion posted online that seriously anyways. People write fake reviews on Yelp, people post living social deals on Facebook just because they want to get it free for themselves, and people write random-ass product reviews on blogs. For better or worse, readers should be careful when reading any advice online.

The Companies

All the anger directed toward companies that work with bloggers doesn't make that much sense to me. In my day job, the main things that would influence my working with a blogger would be :
1) The amount of revenue/exposure that could be gained in the partnership
2) Are they a fit with the brand
3) They are not an ax-murderer.

I don't care if the person is the worst writer in the world, if they have a huge loyal following, I would want in. As part of the company, it's not really my opinion to form. The way I see it, these companies are just trying to make a buck, and for smaller companies, it can be a good way to get some brand awareness and traction.

People don't get angry in the same way when Coke shows up in a product placement in a movie, or when they constantly hear the "Tostitos Fiesta Bowl", and I don't see how working with bloggers is that much different. It's annoying to be bombarded with the same product over and over again in social media, but it doesn't mean the company owners are assholes. Seems to me like they are just trying to make a buck like the rest of us.

Is there a way to do it right?

Even though product placement doesn't bother me that much, it clearly annoys the crap out of a lot of people. And that needs to be considered, because unfortunately for my ego, my opinion and emotions are not the only ones that matter.

I think in running blogging, it's a particularly sensitive subject, because there are elite runners out there who don't get anything for free, and people who run 15 miles a week who get valuable products and compensation. It's not like being a fashion blogger where someone can't say "she sucks at dressing herself, how come this elite dresser didn't get these Chloe boots instead?". Running blogging is less subjective.

So...is there a way to still partner with a brand in a way that feels authentic and not in a way that's comes across as fake, annoying, or misleading? The only thing I know that has worked for me is to work with a brand that or product that I'd buy anyways. So that way, if I tweet about something, I feel a little awkward but at least I don't feel like I'm lying. But who knows. Maybe I still annoy everyone. I don't really get much more than occasional products and Starbucks money off my blog anyways as I'm not in the class of bloggers trying to make substantial cash off their blogs.

What do you think about product placement / giveaways on blogs?

Is there a good way to partner with a brand? Or is it all just too annoying?

Locking Down That Man in College

2013-04-05T08:59:00.000-07:00

Have you guys heard about some Princeton Alumna named Susan Patton advising current students to "Find a Husband on Campus Before You Graduate"? Basically Patton is arguing that when you are in an elite college, you're surrounded by people who are as smart and ambitious (and rich?) as you and so this is the best time to lock down a man. Not a husband OR wife...just a husband. Because this was directed towards straight girls.

There has been a huge response to this, with many people saying "What the F" and then a number of others saying that she may actually have a point.

First and foremost I have no problem with the prioritization of relationships at any point in someone's life. If someone really wants to find a mate at any point in their life, more power to them and best of luck in finding what they are looking for. So that's not my issue with this. Here are my issues:

Snottiest attitude ever!! It seems that Patton is assuming that people at Princeton are the most desirable...period. Forget things that student may really be looking for the most like sense of humor, being generous, humble, loving, etc. which are not exclusive to the school. Or even wanting intelligence and ambition which believe it or not, exists outside of the Ivy league.

Why was this just presented as an argument for girls? Studies show that men who get married are happier and make more money than those who stay single (I couldn't find the happiness study, but it exists..). In the case of earnings women tend to earn more when they delay marriage or do not marry at all. So if we're just focusing on shallow stuff like status already, why not focus on this earnings stat and encourage the men to find themselves a Princeton woman?

source

Is every girl at Princeton both straight, and wanting to get married? Seriously...you'd think after all this press about gay marriage, Patton would have remembered to include groups that won't be needed or wanting to lock down a man.

Friends and Networking: I 100% agree that college is more than about just classes. And I would encourage any girl or guy going to college to make friends that are smart, ambitious, friendly, caring, loving, etc....that way they'll have a wonderful network of friends to have as a personal and professional support as they go through life. And if one of those friends happens to be one they want to marry, wonderful. If not, that's fine.

Do what you want, but if marriage is your only goal, don't take the spot of someone who actually cares about the education. If someone is really coming to an Ivy league school with the main purpose of finding a spouse, I would argue that they should GTFO and give the spot to someone who cares about the education. If you really just want to meet Princeton boys, live by the campus, hang out at the coffee house while wearing a cute sundress, and go to their frat parties. I'm sure something will work out.

If you're not ready you're not ready. When I was in college, I had a really wonderful boyfriend for about 2 years. There was absolutely nothing wrong with him, he had a ton going for him and I am sure we could have gotten married afterwards. But I wasn't ready. I don't know why and I can't explain it, but it's true. I know it's a jungle out there if you are dating the real world, but you can't rush feelings, and the ability to commit.

Become an engineer! Ok this one is kind of a joke. But if you want to be surrounded by a bunch of smart dudes in college, get in the engineering program. The closer you get to completely male dominated disciplines like Electrical Engineering, the better. I guarantee, at least 20% of the class will have a crush on you. If you're lucky, you'll find your man in college. If not, rest assured, you have the rest of your working life to be a minority surrounded by intelligent (although potentially nerdy) boys. Hooray!

So. Thoughts on the article? Should I be sad I didn't lock down a Rice University man?

Hard Work Beats Talent?

2013-04-02T08:03:00.001-07:00

You know Evan Jager?

Yeah...that gangly long-haired steeplechase dynamo who you know...holds the American Record in the 3000 meter Steeplechase. Well this is what his twitter profile looks like (not that I'm stalking):

"Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard."

Hard to argue with that in his situation. Although...I suppose it depends on the level of talent. I feel pretty certain Shalane Flanagan could kick my butt in the mile even if she decided to stop running for 5 years and race me while doing the backwards crabwalk.

So maybe "Fairly talented/ hard work beats ridiculously talented when ridiculously talented doesn't work hard". Doesn't have the same ring, does it?

Of course, there are some pretty crazy stories of what has happened to people who weren't at the top from day one:

There's Ariana Hilborn who went from running her first marathon in 4:38 to getting an Olympic Trials "A" standard just a few years later. Or Desi Davila who, while she was a high school standout, there was nothing in her 19:10 5000 meter college debut that indicated she would be an Olympian. On a smaller scale, I get to watch many of my running friends run PR after PR and improve to run times that are truly great.

Amazing and inspiring stuff! Obviously the product of crazy hard work and countless hours doing workouts.

But then I can think of my own anecdotes of the differences in talent in people:

Like during my high school track days where...honestly, it was just obvious who had more natural talent. We all ran similar workouts. As a high school mid-packer, there were people that would never ever beat me, and girls who I would never beat in a million years. It wasn't that one person was working a lot harder than another....some people just seemed to benefit from the training or were just fast out of the gates from their first season.

source. This is the cross country team from my high school 8 years after I graduated creepily taken off their website. Because I don't have any pictures of my own team. Go figure, no social media or digital cameras back in those days.

People are different too in the amount that they see improvement. I'm a decent runner out of the gate, but it's really hard for me to see major improvements. Although who knows...maybe I'm just not working hard! I certainly don't put in the miles that many others do.

This can be a sensitive topic. You don't want to tell someone who has gotten really fast at running that they didn't work hard to get there, or assume that someone who trains hard but is near the back of the pack doesn't train hard at what they do.

So here are my conclusions:
1) If there is room in your life to work harder, there is the capacity to improve, even if it's by a few seconds.
2) People are different in their natural talents, but also in their ability to reap benefits of hard work AND their capacity to train really hard without their bodies breaking down.
3) You can be fast and lazy, and slow and hard-working, but to be anywhere near the elite scene you must be both.
4) There is probably a great benefit in learning all the technical stuff like VO2 max and lactate threshold etc etc to make training more effective. Not that I've done this.
5) Super Fast People: Remember to count your blessings on the running front and not just hashtag how much you believe in yourself. If you're near the front of the pack, it's likely a result of both hard work and talent.

So what do you think has the greatest part in being a successful runner? Have you improved a lot through training over months / years?

The New Normal

2013-03-29T07:45:00.001-07:00

When I was a kid, I would make up little lies when I'd talk to my friends. Stuff that I thought would make me fit in, but that didn't really matter.

I remember telling my best friend in 3rd grade that after dinner every night we would eat a cake.

Because that's what I thought other families did. I remember her being like "Really?? You eat a cake EVERY night?". Then I backed out of my lie, saying it was only every now and then. She accepted my change of story. I was just trying to try to be "normal".

I also remember panicking when seeing the packaging for toilet paper at the grocery store. They featured pictures of a lot of babies on them, usually laying on a roll of toilet paper to show how soft they were. You know, the Angel Soft brand. I thought, WTF is my family doing using this toilet paper for this disgusting purpose after we use the bathroom when really it's supposed to be a pillow for babies.

I figured, making pillows for babies....now that is what normal people would use this for.

source

I was obviously an extremely gullible and awkward kid.

I'm not exactly sure why I always felt a little out of the loop. I grew up mostly without a TV which I'm sure led to a little bit of the awkward feeling due to zero knowledge of pop culture of the time. I am still confused when people bring up stuff like Saved By The Bell and other shows, although I've tried to watch reruns so that I can understand what people are talking about.

By the time I got to college, I realized this whole "making stuff up to fit in" technique didn't work that well. I decided that I was going to say whatever I felt, at exactly the time that I felt it. It actually worked pretty well. I made a lot of friends that I feel truly close to. There's nothing like a drunken conversation at 3 AM with a friend to pour your heart out.

The part that I struggle with now is adulthood. You can't just run around saying exactly what you want as an adult. I mean...assuming you want to have a job and a place to live. Which I do. In fact, I just wrote a post a couple weeks back telling people in their twenties to essentially control themselves and act mature and plan for shit. Which tends to yield results.

But...in this moment, I feel frustrated.

Is it normal to feel frustrated?

It's hard to know because I feel like the real communication I used to have with people becomes more and more difficult as you get older. I don't stop by a best-friend-at-work's desk just to shoot the shit and tell them about random stuff on my mind and listen to them because we both care too much about getting shit done at work to talk.

Because productivity gets you a lot more in life than talking about your feelings. We have responsibilities.

I have no idea what people's romantic relationships are like because people are either 1) Married and in that secret contract where they don't really share details of their relationship anymore 2) Too busy or 3) More interested in telling you how fucking great brunch was on Instagram.

So it's hard to know if daily frustrations, struggles, and pure happiness you have are common.

It's hard to know if the random feelings of jealousy that I have when someone does something awesome are normal, or just make me an asshole.

It's hard to share things that are secrets that you're not proud of because maybe your friends would be mad. Or think less of you. And say that you're too old not to know better.

It's hard to know if you're just being an ungrateful asshole for being minorly dissatisfied with so many areas of life when in reality, you are so freaking lucky.

And of course...other feelings that I'm not willing to type on a public blog. Because I'm embarrassed. And I don't want you to think less of me.

I've heard that if you think you might be crazy, you're not. Maybe that's true. Maybe no matter how good you have it when tallying up random check marks on a sheet, we're sometimes going to feel a little directionless, scared about the future, and desperately hoping we're making the right choices.

I imagine these are normal feelings. But who really knows.

source

Fifty Shades of Confused

2013-03-25T08:36:00.000-07:00

You guys...really?

I just finished 50 Shades of Grey and I am just about speechless.

This was 100 shades of bad, guys! Terrible enough that I now feel awful for any author out there that is struggling to make it and to get published: Forget what you learned in school about writing, clearly all you needed to do to make it as a writer was to write a soft core porn about a nerdy virgin turned sex-bot. I mean...duh... Right?

The first thing that struck me about the book is how terrible the writing is .... And this is coming from someone who enjoyed Twilight AND The Hunger Games! My standards are low.

In case you haven't gotten a chance to read this masterpiece, here are some amazing favorite quotes from the book:

"My inner goddess is jumping up and down, clapping its hands like a five year old"

"My Mouth goes dry and desire blooms in my body....whoa"

"Oh my...sex in IHOP"

"Oh, crapola. Don't get your panties in such a twist...and give me back mine".

Actually these aren't my favorite quotes. These are quotes that I found within 5 minutes of scanning some of the pages. Gold, pure gold!

orig source

The Characters

The next thing that perplexes me are the characters. Even the minor characters! We've got Jose, the token Hispanic friend who exclaims things like "Dios Mio!" ( what is this, a Speedy Gonzales cartoon?) and Katherine who pretty much exists in the book to assure Ana how hot she is. "Oh Ana you're so shy but you're so hot!". etc. etc.

Frankly, I'm hoping they both get killed off in a mysterious kidnapping in book 2.

And then there are the main characters, Ana and Christian.

These two?

MAKE THEM STOP PLS PLS!

Ana seems nice enough but dude, who exists like this in real life? I knew plenty of shy, studious types In college, and I can't think of one who would have been up for an S&M sex slave relationship with an elusive billionaire in his late 20s with mental issues.   At least I think not.... Maybe I need to reevaluate what these folks were doing when they said they were "studying".

And then there is Christian. Am I alone in thinking this dude is a nut-job?

"Elusive billionaire enjoys causing pain to others in private."

It's like Batman meets Jeffrey Dahmer! I'm also kind of hoping that in book 2, Ana realizes that Christian has killed all of his ex-girlfriends and that she might be next. Car chases and suspense ensue sort of like this:

"Holy Moly! I realized that Christian is right behind me with a knife ready to kill me...but he is SO HOT! Maybe I should let him do this?! Because he is SO HOT! I looked at his expanding member and forgot that he is a serial killer. TAKE ME NOW!".

Maybe I need to write my own fan fiction?

I think the thing that confuses me the most, is that crappy sex-fiction has been around for years. Why did everyone decide 50 Shades of Grey was better than the Fabio romances?

source

Maybe they are all kind of terrible in a fun way?

Or maybe a lot more people are into S&M literature than I thought?

Alright, 50 Shades of Grey fans...out with it. What do you like about this book? And does Christian end up pulling a Dexter on Ana in book 2?

The Glorious Art of the Humblebrag

2013-03-19T23:09:00.001-07:00

Back in the late 80s, when I was making my way into Elementary School, I got into some new program in my school. I was pumped.

A couple days later, I was playing with some friends while their parents were hanging out. For some reason, I thought that was the perfect moment to let one of the little boys know how awesome I was.

"Oh yeah? Well did you know how awesome I am?" And I proceeded to brag my face off about my fabulous 7 year old academic opportunity.

I still remember the look in one of the parents eyes. It was one of total disappointment and annoyance...because you know...it's really rude to brag.

Or.

At least it used to be!!!

Fear not, childhood braggers like me, there is a new way to let people know how awesome you are! It's called humble-bragging.

The good news is that it's easiest to humblebrag on social media. Here are a few examples on how to get started:

1) The "I wasn't really trying": Sometimes, it's important to communicate that even though you weren't giving an activity 100% you still managed do better than everyone else. It's a double win, because you get to both communicate that you could have done even better than you did, AND you get to assert superiority over the peons who competed against you.

Example: "It's so crazy that I won that 10k even though I ran it as a training run?! Can't wait to see what happens when I really try!".

2) The "So Blessed": You don't need to be religious to use this one (In fact, if you are religious, it's sadly not as much of a humble brag). The key is to use the guise of being thankful to brag about almost anything. Be as creative as you want!

Example: "Just got the most AMAZING Christmas present from my boyfriend! He is going to take me to Hawaii! FIRST CLASS TICKETS TOO! Hehe. #soblessed #sexyboyfriend #ihaveaboyfriend #hawaii"

3) The "OMG why so much attention???" This humblebrag is one of my personal favorites. It's perfect for communicating how hot other people think you are. If you are creative in humblebragging, it can also be applicable when trying to show people how smart or popular you are as well.

Example: "I just went out in sweatpants and no makeup and just got hit on by this hilarious guy while standing in line for my latte! Hehe I should go out in sweatpants more often!"

4) "So charitable I can't hold it in!" This is when you want people to know what a great person are! Especially worthwhile if you can provide a backhanded commentary on those who did not participate.

Example: "At the amazing charity celebrity ball I organized! It's crazy how many people are thanking me for what I've done and how awesome it is. Don't know why other people don't do this more! #overwhelmed #loveothers #loveyourself".

5) "I can't believe it": This one works best if you're a celebrity. But fear not, you can express disbelief at any minor achievement and tell everyone about it through a humblebrag!

Example: "It's so crazy to be recognized on the street! I'll never get over it. Sometimes I'll just bump into someone and I want to say sorry but then they want a picture with me! "

These are just some examples on how to get started. How do you like to humblebrag?

Bonus points for anyone who can combine all 5 types of humblebrag!

Marissa Mayer and Working From Home

2013-03-18T07:17:00.000-07:00

I may be a little late to this, mostly because I've wondered whether it was appropriate to write an opinion on this topic. But...I decided why not....

You've probably heard of Marissa Mayer, the CEO of Yahoo. She made headlines when she was appointed the CEO of Yahoo, and more recently when it became public knowledge that she'd changed the "Yahoo working from home" policy. She is also absurdly gorgeous, but I digress....

Jealouussss!

I found out about the Yahoo memo that will end working from home this Spring from a Facebook post of a friend of mine. The post was something along the lines of "SHAME ON YOU MARISSA MAYER. You are the worst ever and hate women trying to balance home and work."

Whoa.

And then a multitude of other articles came out with a similar sentiment. And...I don't get the vitriol. I definitely feel for anyone who was working hard from home and now has to rearrange their life to come into the office, but the outcry has been more than from just people who work at Yahoo. It's been everywhere and has ignited a whole work-from-home debate.

Here are my thoughts on the the topic.

1) Yahoo needs help.

source

Do you use Yahoo to search? Yeah...me neither. Also, according to Forbes the productivity of a Yahoo employee is around 40% of a Google employee and some Yahoo work from home employees rarely logged into their work computers from home.

Yikes.

So the company needs help. Changes are needed.

2) Double Standard? I believe much of the outcry against Mayer has been because she is a woman and a mom, in addition to being a CEO.

For example, Best Buy did a similar change in policy for work from home lately and there hasn't been the same outcry. Apparently Mayer was able to build a nursery next to her office, which additionally pissed people off. But I mean...what else is new? Since when did CEOs not get insane perks and get to do stuff the ordinary person can't? (See Larry Ellison buying airline that will serve his Hawaiian island).

I really feel like the best thing Mayer can do for women, is to kick ass at her job, get Yahoo to be more successful, and show the world how great a female CEO in tech can be.

3) Expectations: My mind is blown by the amount of people who think coming into work should be optional when you have a job and are getting paid for it. I mean sure, if you applied for the job with the understanding it would be a remote position and the policy changes THAT BLOWS and I'm sorry. But, it's not unusual to see policies change over the years in companies, especially when there is abuse of the policy.

Maybe I'm just bitter because I can't work from home regularly.

4) How good YOU are at working from home: I think a lot of the outcry is coming from people who are seeing themselves as a Yahoo employee, even if they are not. Or those who think that Mayer's decision will change how other companies do things.

It's possible her change will cause other companies to follow suit, but I kinda of doubt it as it's not like this is some revolutionary policy that has never been thought of.

I can see in a job that is pretty standard (recording medical billing, for example) where there is little reason to come into the office. And I get the "I'm more productive from home" statement...because yeah...sometimes I am too. But Marissa Mayer's policy change isn't a statement on what the whole world should do, just what she thinks is right for Yahoo.

5) It's hard to argue with teamwork: Time for a running analogy: I almost always run harder and faster when in a group. This is why elites tend to have training partners. We learn things from each other and become better athletes (employees?) and friends when we spend time together. There is definite value to being around coworkers and building a team environment.

Soooo....What do you think about the work from home policy change? Have you ever worked from home? How did it go?

I think I'm in the minority in how I feel here, so I would love to hear what you think!

Lucky Run Half Marathon Race Recap!

2013-03-12T22:07:00.000-07:00

After running for the Surf City Half Marathon in early February as a training run, I searched for a reasonably priced, fun looking half marathon to run a little later so I'd have more time to train.

Enter....THE LUCKY RUN!!

source

It was in Davis, CA, which was not too inconvenient because Anthony's family lives nearby and he works close by during the week. It's also at 8 AM which is awesomely late for a half marathon and has day-of packet pickup! Even better, I found out that Page was registered. I randomly emailed RoseRunner as well to see if she wanted to come out and run a few miles with me, and...she decided she would come out and run! Awesome.

My training has been going decently, but I haven't really raced since July (not counting the crappy California International Marathon race), and I haven't been feeling confident at all. The night before the race I was fantasizing about shutting down the blog, never racing again, etc etc. Granted, I usually get really nervous / morose before races in general, but it's been worse than usual lately. I also have been seriously questioning whether it makes sense for me to devote so much time to a hobby. But, I figured there was no way I could duck out of the race the night before, with Page and Caitlin coming out.

The morning of, I woke up and drove out in Anthony's giant SUV out to Davis. It was perfect weather for a race: Sunny and Cool.

The race is pretty small, so parking was easy. Caitlin texted me and said she was 20 minutes away and I got my packet. Before I knew it, I saw Caitlin and she yelled something like "Bunny!". Honestly it was a funny experience because I'd imagined her to be like six feet tall...and she is totally not! Normal height! I told her I really wasn't feeling racing and was hoping we could just run 7:30s. We lined up and then ran into Page! (She actually is really tall! Also surprising!). It's always so funny to meet blog friends for the first time because I always feel like hugging and acting like we've known each other forever is totally appropriate. I was really excited to meet Page because she was one of the first running blogs I ever read and very excited to meet Caitlin because come on...it's RoseRunner...

And we were off! Surprisingly, I felt pretty good.

Mile 1: 7:25

Mile 2: 7:20

Mile 3: 7:19

For the first three miles, Page and RR were chatting like they were running 9 minute miles. It was amazing!

Mile 4: 7:16

At this point, I started feeling a little mentally defeated. I considered asking the girls if we could just run 8:30s. Then I decided to suck it up.

Mile 5: 7:26

Mile 6: 7:21

Heyyoooo...halfway done!

Mile 7 : 7:18

Mile 8 : 7:17

At this point, Caitlin and Page stopped to use the bathroom. I didn't wait up, figuring that both of those girls are so fast, they could catch up to me no problem. And they did!

Mile 9: 7:20

Mile 10: 7:29

I hear the girls yelling at me from like 20 yards back. I turn around and felt so relieved to see them! I was really excited that they would be there to finish with me and we could push each other to the finish. (ok...they would push me, not vice versa!).

Mile 11: 7:11

Roserunner starts putting the pace into high gear. She says that none of us are getting 5 yards from her. I try to keep up.

Mile 12: 7:10

Page says "Where the eff is the mile 12 marker??". I grunt in agreement. Words weren't really an option at this point for me.

Mile 13: 7:18

Page sprints ahead, and Roserunner loops back to finish with me. Almost there!

Extra Point 1 - no idea. My mile splits were pretty far from the mile markers and I forgot to stop my garmin anyways!

Final Time / Place: 1:36:47. 11th Female, 2nd in 30-34 age group.
(of course I was really the 12th female because RR let me ahead of her by like .2 of a second).
7:23 pace.

After we caught our breath, we walked around together, pet Page's cute dog, drank small beer samples (Like 2 ounces, WHY SO SMALL???), and ate free powerbars.

And of course...took pictures: (credit Page)

And more pictures...

(Roserunner and Page share the 3rd place in 25-29 AG prize!)

Final thoughts:

Ok. I know this is no PR. BUT I am really happy with this race. It was ridiculously fun and honestly kind of a privilege to run with such fast girls. They were so encouraging and I thought it was hilarious that they were able to hold a conversation almost the whole race. I know that I finished faster because they ran with me.

I also felt like I might have had something left at the end and have felt pretty good post-race which isn't exactly a good thing when you race but it makes me hopeful for my future ability. As I mentioned before, I have felt so down on running this year, and even one mile at my half marathon pace sounds fast to me. So it felt good to run a respectable time (for me) and I now have hope that I might have a PR in my future if I work hard or get really.....lucky.

What I learned in the 20-29 age group

2013-03-05T07:44:00.001-08:00

Meredith M won the Albion Fit cute shirt giveaway! Email me Meredith. Sorry it took me so long!!!

Speaking of things taking long, I've been out of town a lot lately. I went to Vegas for a bachelorette party. And then to Palm Desert to ~~retire~~ go to a work conference. Here's what it all looked like:

I'll be going to Sacramento this weekend as well to run that half marathon. I think Page and Roserunner may be there as well! To be frank, part of me is hoping that I get hit by a bus (and am miraculously unscathed except for on race day) so that I don't have to run. I'm afraid to embarrass myself and I'm afraid of the pain of racing.

MAIN POST

I had a twitter conversation with Jocelyn where I jokingly said that I needed to write a "guide on what not to do in your twenties". This is mainly because she posts a lot of articles on similar topics. Also, I screwed up infinitely bad a billion times between ages 20 and 29. So I feel I'm an expert on messing up! Not to say I know everything now, but you know...I'm learning I'm learning.

Of course, this reflects my own experience of being an average college grad, not married, who graduated in decent economy (2005).

Everything I learned while in the 20-29 Age Group.
(second title don't do as I do, do as I say).

This is your time to do everything random you ever wanted to: Even without a bunch of cash, you can do a lot of cool shit in your twenties. It's not too late to learn. You wanted to join a roller derby? Do it. You want to learn a language? Find some CDs to listen to (or Mp3s!).

Just because your coworkers dress in Forever21 club gear doesn't mean you have to: Look at how the higher ups in your office dress and conduct themselves. Then copy them. If you're not sure if it's appropriate, it's probably not.

Professionally network. And pretend it's fun: Take every opportunity you can to attend industry dinners or sessions in your job field. Don't have your dream job? Find someone who is and become their best friend. Tag along to their industry activities. This stuff can be painful, but just tell yourself you're just "making friends". Be respectful and careful but have fun. Personal connections are the best kind of connections. Try to find a mentor.

Try to meet a ton of people, but be careful who you become close to: This ties into the last pieces of advice. All these activities will allow you to meet people. Lots of people are awesome. But many are not. Don't be afraid to keep your distance from friends and coworkers who make you sad or upset. Try to surround yourself with people who make you happy or are a good influence. Bottom line, if you hang out with a bunch of people you admire, you'll probably end up becoming closer to the person you want to be.

You're not too good to work at McDonald's: No one is. Just remember this, even if you never have to work in fast food.

Don't bring your personal life into work:  I spent endless hours over-sharing my relationship woes at work in my early twenties. I cringe to think of the details I shared and am amazed no one told me how unprofessional I was being. Ew. This also applies to letting your personal life emotions bleed into your work life. I still struggle with this, but if you pretend work is a "safe place" to not think about other shit going on in your life, it can take you far.

If he only wants to talk to you after 12 AM or when drunk, he's an asshole. Erase his (or her!) number!!!!! 'Nuff said.

Things don't always work out. It's seldom personal: You know how you sometimes feel lonely or sad or unable to forge a good relationship? Yeah, other people are like that too. Don't take every failure or rejection personally - this can really be a soul-killer. It's usually a combination of factors.

Don't drink excessively/do drugs:   McGruff was right (Edit...just realized this is the crime dog so this reference doesn't apply, oh well, there goes my trying to be funny...). I'd argue that the chemical effects of these activities are only part of why you should stay away. People who are into these things can be a generally bad influence (not always, but often). Odd are, you're probably better off making friends and blowing off steam by joining a soccer league.

Help others: Whether it's just helping a friend move, or becoming a regular volunteer at an organization you feel passionately about, get involved. This helped me a lot in my early twenties. If you feel you're directionless in every other area of your life, it can really help to start volunteering and feel needed.

Don't allow people give you less than what you deserve: Both personally and professionally. Research average salaries in your field. Know what you are worth. Salary negotiate if possible. If a friend or romantic connection is making you feel bad, try your best to move on from them. People will respect you for it and confidence is sexy.

Remember it won't last forever: This applies to life in general. No matter how terrible or awesome the experience is that you're going through, if you wait a little bit, chances are life will have changed. Hang in there.

Go get 'em. (What advice do you have for me or others?)

Mizuno Winner and Albion Fit Giveaway!

2013-02-17T17:21:00.000-08:00

I hope you had a great weekend. Mine was taken over by a lot of errands but it was beautiful beautiful weather here. I did a terrible long run on Saturday (I went slower than slow and stopped about 1000 times. Weird because the rest of the week's running went well). I also went on a bike ride today. On the beach.
Pics or it didn't happen?

Oh it totally happened.

Mizuno Contest Winner!

Thank you for all of your entries!!! It was so fun to read about the bright things you own. I really wish Mizuno would let me give shoes to everyone but I guess that would be a bad business practice. Anyways, the winner of the giveaway is:

NATALIE TORRES! Time for you to start wearing Elixirs and Inspires! Email me! I'll try to track you down as well. Congrats!!

More Giveaway Stuff! (Where I pretend to be a fashion blogger)

Apologies to those of you who find giveaways boring. I get it. I probably won't do another for 6 months after this one, it was just random that I got two cool opportunities that I wanted to do at once.

A couple weeks back, a representative of Albion Fit contacted me about trying their items and doing a giveaway. I'd never heard of them so I checked out their site.

Turns out it's pretty cute stuff! I think the style of their stuff is...Retro 50s meets Lululemon meets Mod Cloth. I actually especially like their bathing suits section. Albion Fit is also family-owned and they state on their site that they have a commitment to sustainable business practices. All good stuff. For these reasons (as well as the reason of "Hell yeah I want you to send me a cute shirt!"), I am happy to do a giveaway for their products and share information about them.

Here's the item that I chose off the site to try and what you can win. I'd consider it a layering basic that could work for everything from light workouts to a casual work environment to brunch with friends.

The Go-Long Crew with Thumbholes in Rust

I really like this shirt. It's ridiculously soft to the point that I slept in this the first night I got it (Ok sometimes I'm just to lazy to change into PJs as well). I think the shirt is pretty flattering and I like the longer cut to it. While it's billed as a workout top, I'd definitely consider it more of a lounging around watching TV / stretching the night before a race/ light yoga kind of shirt. You COULD run in it, but I don't think I will. It also comes in white, grey, and purple. I can't speak to the longevity of the product as I've only had it about a week, but I'm really hoping it holds up for a long time!

Sooooo who wants a cute long-sleeve tee? Here's how you play:

1 Entry = Comment. Tell me about your favorite comfy clothes. (Ok you don't have to do that, but it's fun to read the comments!).

1 Entry = Follow Albion Fit on Twitter and Tweet at me (@fasterbunny and @albionfit).

1 Entry = Like Albion Fit on Facebook.

It would be awesome if you could comment in the 1) 2) 3) format so I can easily count as well.

Giveaway ends Monday, February 25th at midnight PST.

PS: Even if you don't win, you can take $15 off a purchase of $50 or more at Albion Fit using the code fasterbunny15 until March 3rd, 2013! Hope you like their stuff!

Ragnar Track Adventures

2013-02-14T07:20:00.000-08:00

Thanks for all of your entries in the Mizuno Elixir Contest! I haven't picked a winner yet but I will get to it in time for my next entry. And I'll try not to be super lazy about it.

Ragnar Track Party

Since I moved to LA, I've been doing 95% of my workouts on the treadmill. Which...honestly, makes no real sense. I live in one of the most beautiful and easy to run in climates in the country. I don't have any kids to watch at home. I live pretty close to a lot of running paths...and...the one treadmill I have access to really sucks. It's hard for me to even swing my arms the right way because the front bar gets in the way.

But I've been doing it anyways. Mostly because I doubt my ability to run workouts by myself. And once I start running a few workouts on the treadmill the doubting voice in my head tells me I can't run the same quality outside.

It took SarahOual's idea of having a track party where we meet in the middle between Orange County and LA and my friend Gisele's constant offers of "COME RUN WITH US ON THE CSU LONG BEACH TRACK!!" to get me back out.

So that's what we've done. I've now been there three times.

Running at the Cal State Long Beach track is a funny experience for several reasons:

1) It's Unlit: Or in the words of Sarah, it's "Ragnar Track". Which means it's pitch black except for random stadium lights from a soccer field a few hundred yards away. This promotes a complete "deer in headlights" syndrome where I can't see anything at the same part of the track each lap. I also can't check my splits very well which is weird for me as I like to check track splits every 200 meters.

2) There are Massive Amounts of Small Children: They hang out at this track running laps in what are apparently "track leagues for 5 year olds after dark". They are cute but it's also kind of weird/unexpected. You could not have paid me enough to hang out at a track when I was that age.

3) The Track Kind of Sucks. The surface is really hard and was probably constructed during the Reagan administration It's actually kind of sad that California is so broke as a joke that they can't finance a halfway decent track for one of their larger universities.

Oh yeah, about the workouts.

Last Thursday, I met Sarah and Kristina for a track workout that I'd never done before in my life. 2 sets of 8x400 meters with one minute rest between each repeat and three minutes rest between each set. It was actually surprisingly fun and not like a death march. We started our paces around 1:42 for the 400s and gradually decreased ended with a 1:28. By the end I wanted to semi die but not completely. Right where I want to be.

Sarah and Kristina couldn't make it this week, so I had to decide whether I would stay home....OR get my ass kicked running the workout with my friend Gisele who runs 1:28 half marathons like it's flipping burgers. I decided on the ass-kicking, of course.

I met Gisele and another friend of hers at the track and they told me they were doing 3x1600 meters. So I did them too. By the time I was 400 meters into my first repeat with them, I was dropped. I figured I could run around 6:30s for my miles and those two speed demons had to be running at least 6 flat. Needless to say, I spent most of the workout thinking "DON'T LET THEM GET MORE THAN 100 meters in front of you!!!!"

Of course, I failed every time. Dream big though, right?

We finished the first two repeats (mine were around 6:32 each I believe) and it was time for the last one. I rounded the first corner of my first lap and like each time before, I was blinded by the stadium lights and also trying to dodge small children milling around on the track. "Track!", I yelled, in an attempt to not bulldoze a tyke. Just like they had in the first two 1600 meter repeats when I'd passed them, the kids responded with a combination of heckling and cheering. Pretty much none of them ever moved though.

I went through the 800 meter mark around 3:13 and rounded the giant headlights/child area again. The kids were lined up to run a repeat. I passed them and ran about 150 meters until I could hear some little kids who started after I passed catching up to me. "Damn, these kids are gonna pass me," I thought!

"Tracccckk", I hear behind me in some little kids voice. I chuckled to myself between the hard breathing. The kids were learning! I moved into lane two to let two little girls pass me. Of course, I was not about to let anymore 2nd graders kick my butt after those two and picked up the pace until the lap finished. I was counting on the fact that these kids couldn't be running more than about 300 meter intervals. Yes, this is what it's come to. I race elementary schoolers.

I went into my last lap, safe from being chased down by toddlers and back to my original focus of not losing sight of Gisele and friend. They continued kicking butt and I came in far behind right around 6:30.

Not the world's fastest workout, but it could have been worse, right? The part that made me feel better is that the workout felt moderately hard but nothing close to a race effort.

I know running with all these girls will help my confidence and make me a better runner. But that's not completely why I do it. Big secret? My favorite part of the workout is the cooldown. We ran three miles on the track cooling down, just talking, laughing, etc. It'll be even better when Sarah and Kristina can make it.

So I guess a big reason of why I run is for the friends. And of course for the opportunity to play real-life frogger in the dark with fast kids.

Mizuno Elixir Giveaway! (and Surf City)

2013-02-05T08:18:00.000-08:00

I ran the Surf City Half with my friends Sarah and Sheila this weekend! Kristina joined us for a few miles too in the middle.

As you know, we decided to make it more of a fun run due to a lot of semi-bad circumstances for each of us (I was sick...and still am dangit...and yes, I am slightly disappointed in myself)...and in that way, it was a huge success! It was a really beautiful day for a run, and Surf City was well-run as always. It better be for the billion dollars it costs for the entry fee, right? We ran around 1:46 and change and stayed together the whole time. It was great to spend time with those girls.

Our pictures definitely put any Healthy Living Bloggers race pics to shame. Hah! I am definitely having more fun than you are and the pictures are #proof!

(sorry for stealing your pics, marathonfoto).

I have also tracked down a new race (Lucky 7!) in Davis, CA, which will be an attempt for a more serious race attempt of a half marathon. Health and non-laziness in workouts for the next month, willing, the stars will align that day for a closer to PR effort. Who wants to sign up for this race with me? COME ON PLS? It's only $50!

GIVEAWAY OF MIZUNO ELIXIRS!!

I'm really excited to be giving away a pair of the Mizuno Elixir 8's today, thanks to Mizuno Running!

The Elixir is my favorite shoe out there on the market. I love it because it's light and smooth enough to run workouts in but stable enough for me to use an an everyday trainer. It's generally made for mild overpronators who want a light shoe.

The updates over the past couple years have been relatively small, IMO, so if you loved the Elixir two years ago, you'd probably still love the latest model.

It's also ridiculous in it's styling and in my opinion ridiculously beautiful. I love looking down and seeing these badboys on my feet.

So here's how you enter to win some new shoes:

1 Entry: Comment (and maybe tell me about a crazy loud piece of clothing you own?)

1 Entry: Follow Mizuno Running on twitter and tweet at me (@fasterbunny) and Mizuno (@MizunoRunning)

1 Entry: Like Mizuno Running North America on Facebook.

It would be awesome if you could comment on the blog with a "1, 2, 3" format of how many entries you get so that it's easier for me to count fairly.

Ie "1) I own a neon jumpsuit 2) Followed Mizuno on twitter and tweeted about it 3) Followed them on Facebook"

Fine Print that's actually bolded: You have to live in the US (sorry), contest ends next Tuesday at 9 PM PST, and you can actually get another model from Mizuno if Elixirs aren't your style / don't work for your stride.)

Good luck!!

Track Dates of the Future

2013-02-02T16:17:00.000-08:00

Brief Notes:

I'm doing two giveaways next week! One with Mizuno and one with Albion Fit. I'm excited for them, but I know that's not everyone's jam, so just a heads up either way!!

Unfortunately, I won't be racing Surf City all out tomorrow unless a miracle occurs because I'm somewhat sick. Boo-urns. Right now I'm planning to run it easy with Sarah and Sheila who are also not looking to race. It sucks, but honestly it wasn't like I was going to PR anyways, so a few more weeks of training for something new won't kill me. Big sad! Let me know what all the cool kids (you) are running in March-ish so I can sign up too!

Track date with Sarah

You guys. I know Sarah already gushed about our Track Party Tuesday night edition on her blog, but I need to do it too.

Sarah, Kristina, and I used to meet on Tuesday mornings down in Orange County for track workouts. It was amazing because it was a way to get some good speedwork in and get girl time in all before 8 AM. It's really hard for me to motivate myself to run fast without other people, so it was helpful for my fitness as well.

So Tuesday night, the band got back together (minus Kristina who was clearly there in spirit). My friend Gisele was there too, but she is too damn fast to even consider running with at this point. The track was unlit ("This is like Ragnar track" - Sarah), it was a bit of a drive, and...well...the track kind of sucked too, but the whole experience was freaking awesome. How lucky am I to have running friends willing to make a drive to meet for a track workouts?

Pretty dang lucky, that's for sure.

Running in the Future

Running has changed a ton in the past decade. Races are more expensive, sparkly gear is all the rage, and dry fit and compression is common gear. There are all sorts of opinions on whether the changes of late are good or bad. But what's going to happen in the future for running?

I thought about it and here's my wishlist:

1) Race packets that can be picked up online: Not sure if this will happen due to expo business, but who knows? It would be awesome for out of towners to not have to pick up a packet the day before. Bad news for expo business? probably. Good news for convenience though!

2) Race packet transfers and exchange platform: In my perfect world, not only will we be able to transfer our bibs to other people, but there will be a website where people can easily sell race bib transfers (at the sale price or lower so that scalpers don't become a thing) to others. This way people can get some money back if they get injured, and people who really want to run legally at the last minute can see if there are bibs for sale. I'm sure this isn't great for Race companies who count on a certain no-show percentage but it sounds awesome to me!

3) Treadmills that....somehow actually simulate being outside: I have NO idea how this would be manufactured, but I'd like a treadmill that someone simulates real road conditions a little better than they currently do. Any ideas?

4) Hologram training partner: They made a Tupac hologram at Coachella last year, why can't they make me a virtual Kara Goucher? It would be awesome. We could run track workouts together and be best friends.

What's on your running future wishlist?

A Brief Run-In with the Law

2013-01-28T23:21:00.000-08:00

A quick update on running: I'm running a half marathon this weekend. I'm very unsure of how it will go. Unfortunately, I have been very inconsistent lately. I had two pretty decent workouts (a tempo run of 5 miles at 7:05 and 2x3200m at 6:45) followed by an attempt at a workout that I completely failed. I was supposed to do 8 miles at goal half marathon pace (around 7:20?) and made it through about three miles before quitting and struggling to finish the run at easy pace.

I feel as though I have two different bodies showing up to workouts these days. We'll see who shows up on Sunday. Hopefully not the one that sucks.

Adventures with Law Enforcement

I've driven the same car since high school. It's a 1999 Prism. With 178k miles. It's seen a thing or two. I refuse to get rid of my car despite the pleading of Anthony and the ridicule of others for a couple reasons.

1) Why buy a new car when your old one still runs?
2) $$
3) It's been with me since I was a kid back and forth from Virginia to Texas, out to California, etc. Silver bullet, I can't quit you.
4) I kind of like the fact that I can put trash in it like old soda cans and not worry about messing anything up. I keep a lot of random crap in the car. It's embarrassing but not embarrassing enough to stop doing it.

Anyways, just painting the background for the story - this is what I'm working with.

The other night, I was driving back from Seal Beach after having dinner with a friend. I pulled off my exit in West LA with music blasting, happy to be almost home. I looked in my rear view mirror and saw cops lights flashing. I got really nervous and and pulled over. Was I speeding? I didn't think so...it's hard to even speed in my car if you want to anyways.

He asked for my registration and I handed him an expired copy. (I am also really bad about keeping updated copies of registration in my car. It's partly out of protest because law enforcement can easily see if my car if registered in their system and it's partly out of laziness. Either way, they never seem to care.).

"Your light is out".

Relief flooded over me. Sweet. I wasn't doing anything wrong, I can just get that fixed. Something is always wrong with my car.

"Oh I'm sorry officer, which one?".

"Your right front."

And then a question I wasn't quite expecting....

"Are you in trouble with the law a lot?"

I kind of snorted and said no. What a weird question. I got out of the car to see the light that was out and then saw that my front light wasn't out at all. It was just a little dim.

I thought it was kind of lame to be pulled over for a headlight that was the same amount of brightness it had been for years, but I wasn't about to start an argument. Then I noticed another cop out of the car who was shining his light in my front seat. The flashlight was on all the old water / Nuun bottles I had been too lazy to clear out. Shit.

I got back in my car and the first cop started talking to me again.

"Are you on any medication?".

"Uh no...". (I briefly considered telling him about my BC and then thought that there was no reason to make things more awkward than they already were, as fun as that might be.)

"What about any head trauma?"

"No." (Where is this going? I can't believe my tax dollars are paying for this.)

"You know you have very enlarged pupils. That's very common in users of Cocaine and Meth."

Uh what?

While I was tempted to tell him that I've recently started watching Breaking Bad and that I hadn't seen anything about enlarged pupils on the show, I kept quiet. And then told him to give me any test he wanted to. "I haven't even been drinking!". I also tried to make some awkward conversation about the symptoms of drug use so that we could become friendly. It did not work so then I told him that my eyes have always looked kind of wonky.

The guy decided shine a flashlight in my face for about 30 seconds to see if I was on something. I busted out laughing about halfway through. And then went back to looking at the bright light.

"Ok. I believe you." said the Cop. "We're just going to give you a fix-it ticket."

This is ridiculous given that my light is not out, but whatever.

"Drive safe out there."

Uh ok. I drove off. That was certainly an unexpected experience but at least they didn't arrest me or something.

I know what I'll do the next time I get pulled over and randomly questioned about drug use though. I've been watching enough Breaking Bad to have it down.

"License and registration?"

"You don't need that. You know exactly who I am. Now. Say my name."

........

"You're Heisen-Marg?"

You're goddamn right.

The Best and Worst of Running 2013

2013-01-20T21:49:00.000-08:00

You guys. The most beautiful shoe in the world has arrived.

I just got the new Mizuno Elixir 8 in the mail (Thank you Miz I am so grateful). I haven't been more excited about a shoe since I bought super skanky high heeled boots back in 2006. (Whatever those things were awesome.).

The Elixir is my favorite shoe model (it's a lightweight trainer) so I'm excited to run a lot in the update. I'll let you know what I think. But let's forget about the functionality and gush over the completely over the top design for a minute.

Pink racing flag design? Yes please.

I am not ashamed.

Ok I'll stop.

For now.

Main Post

Running has changed a lot in the last couple decades.

I decided to make a list of my favorite and least favorite progressions.

The Best of Running:

1) Online Posting of Race Results: This is awesome for many reasons, and not just for stalking random people to know if you are faster than them.

Running a race but can't stick around for the results? That's cool, just look online.

Did a friend run a race and you don't know whether to call them up to congratulate them on a massive PR or leave them alone because they probably don't want to talk about it? Look online.

Think a Vice-Presidential candidate is lying about his race results? Look online?....Yeah. You get the idea!

2) Energy Gels: I am not the hugest advocate of eating while running (especially short distances), but it's hard for me to know how people ran marathons before these little packets of joy. Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches? Powerbars? Just run without eating? I guess but that all sounds painful.

I tried running with a bag of sour patch kids once and instantly regretted it. I know that's worked for some people though.

As someone who easily gets sick to my stomach and likes a little sugar during long distances, I am infinitely thankful for the Orange Flavored Gu.

source

3) Sport Wash: I must be disgusting because this is the only way I can keep my shirts from smelling like a rat died 2 months ago in them. It is the laundry detergent of the gods.

source

4) Timing Chip: Because of the invention of the timing chip, we can have our race times measured from when we cross the start line.

This is awesome because now no one will crowd the start line or line up outside of their corral. Oh wait....

Shamelessly stolen from SkinnyRunner

The Worst Of Running:

1) Garmin- Distance: So the Garmin shows us how far we went. But during a race, even if the course WAS long, what are you gonna do about it? Chip time is chip time. Frankly, I just rather not know. It's also not completely accurate. It's like running with a stopwatch that has an accuracy of recording your time within +/- 2%.

2) The "processing fee" on Active.com: Oh Active: You are the ticketmaster of road races.
I'm not sure what the other features of Active.com are. But I know one looks like this:

Ah yes, an extra ~8% tacked on to have the privilege to run a $50 dollar 5k at 2PM where people throw stuff at you. Granted, I have no idea how this processing fee plays into Active's finances or those of the race. Maybe they are really necessary? But they are also freaking annoying.

3) Social Media Sites: If someone goes on a run and doesn't tell facebook, did the run really happen?

In addition to the constant feed of people posting that they killed their 30 minute ellipitcal sessions, I have noticed a disturbing trend. I was cruising Yelp last night and I came across a number of entries describing their workouts as an intro to a brunch review.

Too far, Yelpers, too far.

5) The association of Dessert and Running: When people say that they just run to eat more cookies or something, it just feels awkward to me. I mean sure, running as a great weight control tool but it's silly to think of it as only a calorie purge thing. Also, in what other sport does this happen?

"I love to play football because I really want to eat Oreos at night" - NFL linebacker.

Sounds silly, no?

..................

Alright, enough complaining.

What are your favorite / least favorite random things in running?

Hurt So Good

2013-01-10T23:40:00.000-08:00

There are a lot of reasons why people run. Some of them are obvious mostly because they are shoved down our throats in every single fitness publication ever.

Better health, weight loss, the fun of doing athletic events even though we're old! Omg cardio! So fit!

I have finally learn how to use "Pinta", the MS paint for Linux.

Or some people run because of the sheer efficiency of the exercise is attractive. I have to admit, that is one reason why I run. I feel like I can get the same workout running for 30 minutes that I could get doing anything else for maybe an hour. I like efficient things.

Like many others, I love to get outside on a beautiful day, see the sun, feel my feet hit the pavement, and feel so alive. This is a big reason that I run.

But honestly, that "Magical beautiful day I feel like I'm flying" is a pretty rare experience for me. Those days are few and far between. Most days I feel more like an elephant than a bird. I don't really feel like waking up and getting out the door, and more often than not I just slog through it at a pace that is slower than it should be. Like my partner in crime, Sarah, I am not a lover of every run.   I'm indifferent at best.

But there are some things about this sport that really do it for me.

The first thing I love is in the beginning of a race when I am so pumped up and scared. The gun goes off, my heart is pounding, and the first mile feels like I am walking, when really it was faster than my 5k pace. Of course, I've paid for going out this fast and have learned not to do it due to the awful consequences later in the race, but I love this feeling.

But there's another aspect that's really hard to explain without sounding somewhat psycho. And I guess it is a little crazy because a lot of people who are runners are a little bit crazy. (Probably why I get along with them so well.)

One of the big reasons I run is because of the crazy discomfort of pushing yourself in a workout or race, and the elation I feel right afterwards, and potentially for the rest of the day.   It's crazy uncomfortable but crazy good.

Rounding the last 400 or 800 or mile of a workout or a race, knowing that I put in the groundwork for a successful workout and all I have to do is hold it for just a minute or two longer is the best.   I feel so freaking alive.

Kind of masochistic to love the pain of running, no? Maybe the oddest part of it, is that I feel proudest of myself when I've run races where I've been barely able (or completely unable) to stand at the finish line. It's arguable if this is a healthy outlook or a good way to treat your body, but hey, I never ran only for health reasons. It's the feeling of control of mind over body, or something.

(And I think it's part of why there's such a prevalence of similar control based issues in the sport as well. It takes a certain kind of person to be able to ignore a level of pain and thrive off that, but that's another post that will probably never get written..unless I'm feeling hella serious).

In the past few months, I've felt like I'd lost these things that I love so much about running. During workouts, I haven't wanted to push through the discomfort and I've lacked the mental toughness to get through the hard moments. In races (granted I've barely raced, but at CIM), I felt no buzz at the starting line. I just wanted to get it over with.

I had a high school coach that said "you gotta wanna". And I haven't wanted anything.

But the good news, is that I feel like little by little these exciting pieces for me are coming back. I'm not loving every run, and I have no idea how my half marathon in a month will go, but I'm feeling that excitement again, and that joy in pushing my limits. Many of your encouraging comments on my discouraged blog posts lately have helped a lot to motivate me and remind me why I do this. So thanks for that.

I know there are a lot of reasons why people run, but these are two big ones for me that I don't talk about much. They might sound a little crazy, but I can't be the only one?

Cheap like it's my job.

2013-01-02T06:48:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! We survived one more! High five.

I added a tab with my New Years resolutions on it if you're interested. They aren't a great read or anything, I just felt that I'd be more likely to follow through if I made them public. Thanks for indulging.

Also, Suddora sent me a running headband a couple weeks back and I'm giving them a shout out to say thanks. You can get 10% off using "fasterbunny" in the code field if you see anything you like. Here's what I got.   It's reflective and pink and I'm liking it so far!

Main Post

In honor of all this fiscal cliff stuff and going back home for the holidays I decided I'd write a post about stuff being cheap.   Or "frugal" if you want to sound fancy.

Also, that Thrift Shop song is really popular now so it's really hip, right?

I grew up in a family that tried to save as much money as possible, often to the point of absurdity. Most of the time, I hated it and rolled my eyes every time my mom went up to customer service to point out that we were overcharged by 30 cents. But...she found everything!

In order to get some more ideas on absolute cheapness, I enlisted the help of my friend Anisa who somehow seems to get everything free or discounted. She is the master. Numbers 12-14 on this list are directly from her.

I don't know if I'd actually recommend doing all of these things, but I thought it would be funny to write about them. Anyone grow up doing any of this stuff or do it now?

1) Trash Bags: You know those bags that people give you your groceries in? Those are kitchen trash bags. Yeah sure, they are a little smaller but that just means you'll be a little more on top of taking out the trash. Paper bags are the best ones.

2) Speaking of Trash: (I've actually never done this one): You know that 10 dollar a month fee for trash pickup? Yeah, you don't have to pay that. Get your lazy butt in gear, get your trash bags together and drive them over to the local landfill.

3) Shampoo: You're all out? Are you sure? Put some water in the bottle and use a few more times. There's always a bunch of shampoo that doesn't come out at the bottom!

4) Milk: You're buying the stuff in the jugs? Aw hell no. Powdered milk is nutritionally the same and lots cheaper. Sure, it tastes a little funny but that's ok. Update: Apparently the prices of powdered milk have gone up since 1989! It's not all that much cheaper than regular milk anymore! Sad.

source

5) The Heat: If you have that above 60, put on another sweater and turn it down. Gloves maybe too. Also, no one really needs the heat on at night unless your pipes are going to freeze. Just put the covers over your head and go to sleep.

6)   Paper Towels: If you just dried your hands off with it, don't throw it away.   It's still good!

7) Price Adjustments: Many stores offer price adjustments but I'm not here to tell you about that. I'm here to tell you about how to adjust the price if you're not in that time window anymore. You need two people: One to return the item, and one to hang out by the area where they put the returns, grab it up, and buy again. Done.   Potentially dishonest. Depends on where your retail morals lie.

8) Thrift Store: Even thrift stores have 20% off days and stuff like that. Go then. Just don't buy underwear from the thrift shore. I don't care how cheap you are, that's nasty.

9) You Can Bargain on Anything: I once bargained with the tire center at Wal-Mart and got a discount. This was right out of business school when I was flat broke and really needed a tire. Desperate times, desperate measures.

10) Check Receipt: Guaranteed your cashier made mistakes on your checkout sometime recently. Read the receipt before you leave. Then find customer service when it's wrong.   Although they probably already know you if you've been doing this a while.

You might even get the item for free!

source

11) That Penny on the ground? Yeah, pick that up. It's still money. A dime? Even better.

12) Coffee: "Post any holiday shopping is a good time to get stuff. Patience. Find things you don't immediately think about. Everyone knows wrapping paper goes like 75% off (btw hallmark stores have the best quality) but Starbucks holiday blend coffee goes 50% off. Stock up."

SarahOual has also suggested double brewing coffee. Is double the coffee better if it tastes worse? Jury still out.

13) Walgreens: "Best store ever: Walgreens. They have free items each week. I try and get them every week whether I need them or not. If I don't need them I can donate them to a shelter. I have not paid for toothpaste in years."

14) Travel: "We have also been using some cheaper methods of travel. Look up the mega bus. $3 from San Antonio to Houston. I have no idea how they make money. I have used Greyhound to get to austin. Buses and trains are often overlooked."

What things have you or your family have done to save money? Any great stories? No shame.

Quitter. (Adventures in workouts.)

2012-12-19T07:32:00.000-08:00

Back to the regularly scheduled programming. Thanks for indulging me in talking about the Newtown tragedy. I know I'm no Anderson Cooper (who is the new love of my life due to his late twitter exchange), but sometimes it's really nice to be able to talk about other things on this blog. So yeah, you rock.

No one likes a quitter. Especially me. Especially when I'm the quitter. That really sucks.

Like this morning, for example:

Because I'm trying to get into good half marathon shape, I've been trying to do some long intervals and tempos. They've occurred mostly on the treadmill because I am lazy and don't like being bothered with setting my own pace. That, and I think I can push myself harder there than on a road by myself.

So a 5 miler at 7:08 was scheduled this morning. Except I figured I'd go at 7:12 because I'm still easing back into this "speed thing".

I was a little nervous about this run because I've been quitting tempos halfway through since this summer. And everyone knows that once you start quitting things, it's hard to stop. This would be a challenge given my current speed ability.

I ate some mango chunks and told myself "you won't quit this workout, you'll stick it through". "Yes, I got this." I stepped out the door to warm up into the 40 degree LA weather which if you didn't know, feels like -20 degrees to us. I got back and stepped on the treadmill. "You won't quit this time", I told myself.

I put the treadmill at 1.0% incline and 8.3 mph. The first mile was easy. I blasted some old techno song. Crystal Castles I think. Around two miles in, doubt started creeping into my mind again. "How the hell am I going to run for three more miles?".

"I really feel tired". "If I feel this tired now, how will I feel 15 minutes from now?"

And then that same stupid voice started coming into my head. Like one of those cartoon devil versus angel over my shoulder. "Just hit the stop button". "You're tired".

And damnit, 2.75 miles into this stupid tempo run, I looked down at the stop button...tried to stop myself for a minute...but then as I have many times lately, I hit it. The treadmill slowed down and within a couple seconds I was instantly pissed at myself. How the hell am I going to improve if I just keep quitting these workouts? This keeps happening.

Then the cartoon angel (ok, more like a cartoon personal trainer) came back into the picture. "Come on, Margot. The least you can do is try to finish the tempo".

I decided to get right back on the treadmill and go another two miles (cutting off one quarter). I cranked the inclined down to 0% which I guess is cheating but whatever, I need all the help I can get.

Somehow, the tempo didn't seem to mentally hard when I could think of it as two miles left without already having mileage down. That, and the 60 second break helped.

I finished the two miles at 7:12 and got off the treadmill, still annoyed with myself. And very sweaty. But at least kind of happy that I tried to finish the workout.

There is no inspirational end to this blog post, because it hasn't happened yet. How do you stick it out? I've thought of some ideas...

1) Allow myself to take a 60 second breather during one more tempo, then cut it down to 45 seconds, then 30, and then it's so small I must be able to just keep going right?

2) Adjust the treadmill speed up and down every half mile to avoid boredom and get a sense of achievement every 3-4 minutes.

3) Get someone in there to workout with me. I don't know about you, but I workout way better when there is someone there with me. Essentially, I don't want them to think I'm a total loser and that is motivational enough.

4) Chop stop button off and build cage around treadmill so it is impossible to escape.

How do you get yourself to complete workouts? Have you ever had the same dumb issue as me where you just stop because you don't feel like running any more? And it's easy to do because you're in a pattern of quitting?

I gotta find a way out of this pattern. Or in the words of Daniel Bedingfield, I gotta get through this.

(Dance Party Time)

A small thought on Newtown

2012-12-17T09:19:00.000-08:00

This is a bit of a deviation of how I normally blog, but how are you guys doing in the wake of the Newtown tragedy?

It's unimaginable, isn't it?

I can't imagine what the families of children at Sandy Hook are going through. When I was driving home from the grocery store last night, the services were being broadcasted on NPR, and I started crying just listening to them. Of course, I ran into several neighbors on the way home and I'm pretty sure now they are sure I'm crazy after they've seen me walking up with about six grocery bags, all teary eyed.

There have been a ton of comments about gun control, school safety, and mental health awareness. I don't know enough about these issues beyond knowing that what we're currently doing is probably not the best.

This blog is relatively small, but I wanted to write this anyways because who knows if someone from the media reads it:

I wish the major media channels would make a pact that the next time this happens (because unfortunately, it probably will) to not broadcast the name or pictures of the shooter. Sure, I guess people will find out from other sources, but 1) I don't want to see that asshole 2) I am tired of giving these people their 15 minutes of fame and 3) Who knows if this could help prevent others from wanting to do a mass shooting, but maybe it could.

What do you think? (*edited to add based on Kelly's comment - Is it possible to do this but still address the mental health issues or other factors that contributed to the tragedy?)

I hope you are all (especially those of you with children) are doing ok.

Run Faster, Suck Less, Write More Yelp Reviews

2012-12-12T08:02:00.000-08:00

Yelp, Internet Law, and other things I don't understand.
Have you guys heard of the lady being sued for her Yelp review? Interesting stuff. I don't know anything about internet law really (beyond some of the stuff I do for work), but I think we're definitely still in the Wild West period of being on the internet. The world is still feeling out what's allowed and legal, etc.

I'm usually the last person to advocate for regulations like restricting what you can say on the internet, but I do think it's very easy to destroy the reputation of a business or person online based on untrue statements. But where is the line between providing an opinion and damaging something/someone based on untrue claims?

If you're a lawyer, let me know what you think? Or even if you're not.

New Shoes New (s)Hoes

On a totally different note, I am loving the new Mizuno Inspire (9th edition). I've had it for about three weeks.

They've updated the feel of the shoe (it almost feels like a lightweight trainer) and increased the cushioning in the forefoot. It's also quite a bit lighter. I feel like this shoe might appeal to people who aren't as die-hard about Mizunos as I am, while not alienating their base. I know I'm biased about the brand, but I think it's a great update and wanted to pass it on if you're looking for a stability trainer.

Source

The Plan to Suck Less and Speed Up

I decided to start getting more serious about running about two years ago. I ramped up by doing some speedwork and trying to get ready for the Boston Marathon. I ran a 3:35 which I was happy with based on the amount of preparation.

That fall, I increased mileage to around 40-45 miles a week, did speedwork three times a week and started road biking. I set pretty the majority of my PRs during that time and was feeling pretty good.

Then I started looking at the mileage that other people ran. And it was way more than what I did. So when I trained for Eugene, I tried increasing the intensity of the speedwork and mileage. I was freaking exhausted. I ran a minor PR, but fell short of my expectations. And this summer and fall, I increased mileage quite a bit (I think I peaked around 60 miles a week) but stopped doing much speedwork. And I am noticeably slower.

Higher mileage just doesn't seem to work for me. Also, I don't like it and find it mentally exhausting. Maybe those are related? There are only so many episodes of This American Life one can listen to on a long run...

It also makes me absurdly hungry all the time, so I struggle not to gain weight when running a lot.

So it's time to go back to how I trained in Fall 2011. This means running about five times a week, biking twice, and running the hell out of any speedwork / tempo sessions. I'm going to try to combine workouts from Running Planet and RLRF again. Also, it's time to do minor weight training. It's embarrassing how much my upper body gets sore in races. Let me know if there's a good resource online about weight training for runners.

Next race is the Surf City Half. Unless a small miracle occurs, I won't be in PR shape by then, but hopefully I'll be close.

What makes you a better runner? Increased miles? More Speed-work? Form drills? Reduced cookie consumption? Do tell...

California International Marathon Recap (CIM)

2012-12-03T23:29:00.000-08:00

I don't know how to start this recap because I don't really know what to think about this race.

This fall has been weird. I've run a lot of miles with little focus. It's been uninspiring to say the least, and bad for my general running ability. I've learned a lot of about what doesn't work for me. (running every day, long runs, low intensity stuff, etc.)

When the NYC marathon was cancelled I decided to jump into the California International Marathon that was taking place a month later. I figured, why not? Anthony has family there, I knew friends that were running it, and I may as well put all those long runs to good use, right?

So here it is. If you read other running blogs, you probably know the weather sucked, but damn straight I'm going to complain about it too :).

California International Marathon

The night before CIM I could barely sleep. It was a combination of nerves and of the wind whipping around the house. It was loud! I woke up and Anthony drove me out to Folsom where the race was starting. I think we both felt pretty crappy, and I took a Tylenol. Usually I have no problems eating before a marathon (or really any time!), but the most I could take down was a Luna Bar and half of an Espresso Gel.

Anthony dropped me off into the abyss and I took a quick shuttle to the start. Everyone was wearing trash bags and hair nets. I huddled under a gas station awning with hundreds of people marathoners as the wind blew sideways into us.
"This is f'ing crazy". I thought. "We are all completely nuts". I probably would have just not run, but I had already inconvenienced Anthony enough by asking him to spend the weekend in Sacramento, having him use his points to get me a ticket up there, been super lame all weekend, etc. that there was no way I could not run no matter how bad the weather was.

source

After a long time of trying to avoid the rain, it was about time to start and I moved to the 3:40 pacer. I figured running a 3:40 in my shape and in this weather would be good enough. I ran into Madison, Sarah, and Kristina there too! The race started and I instantly lost Sarah. About a mile in, I purposely fell off Kristina as well as I knew that I wouldn't be able to hang with her that day.

I just tried to duck behind people in the 3:40 group and not get blown away. The first few miles were pretty uneventful as much as torrential rain and wind is uneventful. A giant branch feel around mile 4 and everyone in that area of the race said "Woooooaaa" at once. Fun stuff.

The only major wind issue I had is that my hat blew off at some point and I had to go back and get it, nearly killing about a billion people on my way to get it. Sorry about that - I did not consider the logistics at the time, only that I couldn't survive the race without a hat.

From the glorious XLMIC. What is this guy still doing in a trash bag?

Throughout miles 1-10, I pretty much convinced myself that the only way to survive this race would be to stay with the pace group. I also told myself not to expect too much of myself on this one.

I went through the half at about 1:48 and started having dreams of negative splitting. I thought, maybe this isn't so bad! Maybe you're not in bad shape.

I told myself that miles 13 - 20 would be called "The Lonely Ones". (This is a dumb rendition of what Sweaty Kid called them in a blog post when she killed the Philly marathon. Check it out.)

Thinking about these miles as being lonely actually helped me to get through them. So much that I turned to the pacer guy next to me around mile 15 and said "You know...these miles are the lonely ones.". He gave me a confused smile and told me that I wasn't alone.

Also from XLMIC. In the thick of "The Lonely Ones".

I still felt somewhat confident around mile 19. I kept having fantasies of breaking off from the pace group and running a ridiculous negative split. I fantasized about being able to tell people I had a great negative split performance...and did absolutely nothing about it.

In fact, I completely dropped off the pace group at mile 21. I guess I hit the wall? I definitely was eating less on this marathon than on others that I've run. What really gets me is that there was no excuse for dropping off. I was tired, sure, but the truth of the matter was that in that moment, I just didn't care.

I just wanted to be done. I'm really disappointed in myself for this because I want to walk out of every race feeling like I've given it all that I had. I mean...what the hell was the point of running for three hours in the rain to phone it in for the last 5 miles?

originalsource

I'm pretty sure at least 40 women passed me during the last 3 miles or so and I didn't want to chase any of them.   Lame.

I swore to myself that I would never run a marathon again unless I was properly trained and prepared to run fast and with heart.   I still stand by that.

The bright spot? Right before the finish, I saw Paige, Aron, and XLMIC (and maybe others??) and Mason cheering.   You guys are amazing for standing in that mess.

AMAZING.

As I turned the corning to finish, one last woman came to pass me and with 100 meters left, for the first time I got some fight. I raced her in and she raced back and that was kind of a fun way to end. Because I'm sure it mattered whether I was the 319th or 320th women!

So my time was a 3:41 or a 3:42. It says it's a 3:42 on the website with unofficial results, but it also records my gun time as my chip time, and I'm pretty sure I wasn't standing at the starting line with the elites.   And yes, I will try to claim that extra minute even if my time was nearly a PW.

Afterthoughts

So that kind of sucked. But I'm glad I did it. I felt completely miserable afterwards for hours which I think was from being out in the rain in wet clothes for hours.   But it's all good now - the only thing I really have to show from the event are a few giant chafing cuts on my boobs. Hot.

It's hard for me to have a ton of emotion one way or another for this marathon, but it was an interesting experience to run a long race in bad weather. And I am infinitely thankful for all the volunteers and people who came out to cheer. And those of you who PR'd or came close to PR'ing at CIM? You are amazing. Those of you who ran your first marathon at CIM? Equally amazing.

As for me? It's time to find a real training plan, focus on my training, and try to improve. No more marathons for a while as well.   It's time to change things up and get some speed.

Adventures in Neighbors and Marathons.

2012-11-27T07:26:00.001-08:00

A couple things I want to get out of the way before the main post that has absolutely nothing to do with running. Or really anything. So sorry if you're bored to tears.

1) By a couple twists of fate (mainly being able to get a random bib and having easy access to Sacramento), I'm running CIM. So is 50% of the rest of the running blogger community! I don't know if I'm excited or not, but it's happening ready or not. After CIM, I want to focus on either the 5k or the half. Time to try to PR in shorter stuff. If possible. If you're up at CIM let me know so we can say hi or look for each other!

source

2) Compex has a 20% off code for their machines. I know these things aren't cheap, if I do think it's pretty sweet if you're in the market.
Code = TU20 http://www.shopcompex.com

3) It's past Thanksgiving, but I wanted to say thank you for reading my blog. It's very fun to be able to have a voice and even better to be able to meet people through the blog. I know there are a billion other blogs to read and you are busy. So thank you.

Main Post

I live in an apartment complex that is poorly constructed. It's probably about the same quality as 90% of the thin-walled, made-for-10-years-of-use apartments throughout west LA.

Which means I can hear almost every move my neighbors make. And they can probably hear me too. This was fine until about a month ago. A song here, an explosion from a movie there, what sounds like a giant dog running around the floor...sure, why not. Comes with living in an apartment, right?

But about a month ago, something changed. "Never-sleeping-dudebro" moved into the complex. I don't really know about the comings and goings of my neighbors but this guy has made his presence known morning, noon, and night. I feel like I know him better than I should based on his blasted musical selections of Sublime, Third Eye Blind, and The Foo Fighters.

AT 7 AM!!!

It's like he's partying like it's 1997 and there's no stopping him.

"Bump. Bum. Bum." is pretty much what I hear when getting ready for work, making dinner, and getting ready for bed.

source

A few days ago, I decided I'd had it. I asked Anthony about it and he gave the typical chill dude response of "Eh. I usually don't say anything because then if I'm loud they won't say anything about me."

And...

"If it really bothers you just go ask him to turn it down."

Too easy. So I did nothing. Then I fumed a few more days and got up the courage to knock on the wall we share. No dice - same noise.

Yesterday night I finally got the courage to walk down the hall and ask dudebroneversleeps to turn down his speakers.   I knocked on the door next to me, and after a couple minutes a confused looking old guy answered the door and said "May I help you?".

There was no music. Clearly this wasn't the right apartment. I explained that I hear loud music 12 hours a day every day and that I had thought it was him.

"Yeah I hear that too! I've filed a couple complaints and nothing! I think it's the guy above us."

Now I was on a mission. I thanked the old dude and ran up the stairs. I could hear music blasting from this apartment. I had found my culprit.

All of a sudden I got scared. What if this guy is a serial killer and he plays loud music to lure people to his apartment to kill them? After all, what kind of weirdo needs 120 decibels at all times and doesn't respond to complaints? Visions of a Dexter-like episode went through my head and I stepped away from the door.

"Well at least that old guy from downstairs knows I'm here if I get killed. They'll track this guy down in a minute if I go missing", I thought.

I knocked on the door. ....A dog growled and the music turned off. My life flashed before my eyes.

"Shit he's got a giant monster dog too!", I thought. "Maybe first the dog attacks and then he does!".

And then...a small, 23 year old, Mark Zuckerberg look-alike type dude holding a cute 10 pound dog opened the door. There was a giant lit Christmas tree in the background. Not what I was expecting at all!

"Hi? Uh I'm Margot.   I live downstairs. Uh...your music is a little loud. Would you mind not playing it early in the morning or late at night?"

He looked embarrassed. "Yeah definitely! I had no idea people could hear it. Sorry about that!".

Wow. Too easy.

I said thank you and goodnight and went back to my apartment. It was blissfully quiet. I sat back down on the couch and put up my feet.   And contemplated how I made that much harder than it needed to be. Maybe it's just tough to talk to strangers, even if they are my neighbors. But it worked out ok. I guess I should meet the rest of my neighbors too. You never know when you'll need a cup of sugar, right?

This place is gonna be all hella Mayberry.

Well maybe not, but at least it might be quieter.