The Year of the Run

Back in the Saddle Again

2015-07-12T23:41:00.000-05:00

I haven't been blogging much and truthfully, it's because I haven't been running that much. Between work, moving, and trying to get settled, a running routine has been hard to come by. And when you are out of shape and struggling to finish a run without puking, you really don't want to tell the world about it. But, sometimes, the stars align and you get something fantastic out of your run.

Today was one of those days.

I set out with 8 miles as my goal, fairly certain that I wouldn't make it that far (since I haven't run more than 5 miles in over a month. I switched things up and ran my "long" route backwards and opted for a 60's and 70's hits Pandora station in place of my standard playlist, thinking I could trick myself on the distance. At one point I was so hot that I thought I was in Dallas, but then I remembered it was only 65 degrees and that I've become spoiled. That quick dose of reality brought me back from the brink of quitting-at about 3 miles in. And for continuing on, I was rewarded with a grown-ass bald man driving down the middle of the street in a pink Barbie Cadillac, with his young son trailing behind in his jeep.

Yep, in place of those two girls was a grown man having the time of his life. I thought for a moment about asking for a ride, but I knew that thing could not hold the weight of both of us. The Barbie car brought a smile to my face and made me laugh out loud.

I went on to finish my run at the track and ended up with a runner's high. I managed to surpass my goal of 8 miles and it left me wanting more. I'm already feeling stiff and sore, so I scheduled a massage for tomorrow evening!

Miles logged: 9.15

Music Monday: Get Closer

2015-06-15T22:25:00.001-05:00

Artist: Life in Film
Title: Get Closer
Fave Line: "You gave them everything that's left, take in another breath"

Miles logged: 2.5

Happy National Running Day 2015!

2015-06-03T21:57:00.000-05:00

Hope you got out there to celebrate National Running Day. Whatever your motivation, I hope you enjoyed it. Here's mine...

Miles logged: 2.4

Music Monday: Ex's & Oh's

2015-06-01T22:58:00.001-05:00

Artist: Elle King
Title: Ex's and Oh's
Fave line: "One, two, three, they gonna run back to me, they always wanna come, but they never wanna leave."

Miles logged: 0.0

Race Report: 2015 Bands on the Run Half Marathon

2015-05-25T00:08:00.004-05:00

It was a cool and gloomy morning for the start of the 2015 Bands on the Run Half Marathon. I had signed up for this race earlier in the week and really took no effort to prepare myself well for it. In fact, I hadn't run at all in a week, due to a busy schedule at work and the night before the race, I still wasn't sure of the starting time. Boy was I happy to find out that the half marathon didn't start until 9am! With the starting line only 15 minutes from the house and the races capped at 500 people (for the 5k, 10k, and half combined), I knew I was in for a treat. I was able to sleep in and didn't even need an alarm clock to wake myself up before the race. I don't think that has happened in the history of me running races.

We arrived around 8, just to ensure we were able to get my packet and hit the bathroom line before the start. There was one person in front of me at packet pick up and only 3 in line for the restrooms. I knew this was going to be a laid back race. After all, we were running 13 miles on the beach, how could it be high strung or high pressure.

Packet pick up and the race start/finish, Morro Bay High School

There was BBQ at the finish, but you were going to have to change your pants.

The Morro Bay High School choir sang the national anthem and it was the most beautiful rendition I've heard before a race. And then we were off. The race took a bit of a detour around the school before heading down to the beach, where we would spend the vast majority of the race. At about 3/4 of a mile, we hit soft sand, which made it feel like I was running in place. My pace slowed down significantly, but I refused to walk. By the time I made it to the hard packed sand on the beach, I was huffing and puffing and had already changed my pre-race goal. I have never run a half marathon on anything besides pavement and was looking to finish this race with an average pace of 12:00 per mile. I had no expectations of a PR or breaking any land speed records. Instead of adjusting my time to be more favorable to the conditions, I changed my goal to be EVERY mile under 12:00 per mile. Considering I had slowed down to almost 14 minutes per mile with the soft, I had to get my butt in gear!

It was a long and quiet path

My husband and Eddie came out to cheer me on. They were the ONLY spectators on the entire course.

There were individual artists playing their instruments every 3 miles or so. My favorite was a banjo player around mile 5. I, of course, forgot to take a picture of him. Despite the cloud cover, the course was beautiful. What else would you expect from 13 miles on the West Coast? Thank goodness for the cloud cover, otherwise it would have been too warm and there would not have been enough water stations. There were 4 stops for 13.1 miles, and the last one was around mile 8. I would have liked to have seen better placement on the water stations and more of them. The half marathoners felt like an afterthought to the race. Most of the focus was on the 5k, including a water stop that was there at the beginning of the race, but gone by the time we halfers came back through.

I was definitely not the winner, but I had several long solitary miles.

The Avenue of the Trees (note the soft sand)

I finished all by myself!

I had so much sand in my shoes, I couldn't believe it.
My main disappointment was that there was no medal for finishing the half marathon. This was the first race of this distance that I've run where I was not rewarded with a medal, but I'm trying to get over it.

Instead, I rewarded myself with this MASSIVE burrito!

Miles logged 13.1

The First Run in My New City

2015-05-03T23:13:00.001-05:00

We moved last weekend and while we're not completely settled, I had to get out for a run today. I planned to do a little exploring to see what's nearby. First stop, the middle school track. My main goal of stopping here was to see what "facilities" existed. I found a bunch of people playing soccer, an impromptu dog park and a port-o-potty. I was hoping for a water fountain, but didn't see one. The track was gravel, but the views were spectacular.

Then it was off to the ~~Effin~~ Elfin Forest, which is a nature preserve known for the pygmy oaks that grow there. It's on the bay and again with beautiful views.

That's Morro rock in the background.

I ran through the neighborhoods and found the beach! It was a nice run, but boy is Los Osos hilly! Good training!!

And a beach!

Miles logged: 5.35

Music Monday: Don't Wanna Fight No More

2015-04-27T22:15:00.002-05:00

Artist: Alabama Shakes
Title: Don't Wanna Fight No More
Fave Line: "There ain't nobody left, why can't I catch my breath?"

Miles logged: 0.0

SLO Marathon Race Report: Loving the SLO life

2015-04-26T21:36:00.004-05:00

To say it has been a busy weekend is an understatement. To give you a little perspective, it is barely 7pm on Sunday and I'm already in bed. I'm exhausted, but I couldn't have asked for a better weekend!

It started Friday with the SLO Marathon expo. My friend and I were running the half marathon distance of the race and my lunch break on Friday was the only option I had for packet pick-up. Thankfully, parking was easy, there were no lines for bibs or race shirts

Inside the expo tent. Wish I had time to shop the LeftLane sports booth.

I had a few minutes to stop by Clif Bar and try the Pizza Margherita goop. It wasn't bad for a salty snack. The Salted Sweet Potato was DISGUSTING.

The reason I had to go to the expo on Friday was because we moved into our new house on Saturday! Finally! After 4 months of living on the Central Coast, we finally made it to our forever home. The movers arrived in the rain at 9am and we weren't fully unloaded until 2:30pm. It was a long day, but I am so glad to be home.

Thankfully the rain subsided midway through truck loading.

I made sure to hand carry my running gear to the new house, for fear that I would never find it amid the move. Boy was I right. We had boxes everywhere, and most things we hadn't seen since we left Texas. We unpacked only the essentials yesterday. Then, my dear friend brought us dinner and spent the night so that we could get to the starting line together in the morning. Yep, less than 12 hours in the house and we had an overnight guest!

I think I had about 5 hours of sleep before the alarm went off. The race started bright and early, at 6:45, so there was no sleeping in for me. Thankfully, I slept really well for the few hours I was able to sleep.

The starting line about 30 minutes before the gun.

We were not planning on setting any land speed records or finishing with a PR, so we lined up with the 2:30 corral. My feet were already achy from being on my feet all day Saturday, so I was nervous about even being able to finish the race.

It was cold and windy, but we were in good spirits.

The dynamic duo pre-pain.

Only a few thousand people were running the half marathon distance, so the starting crowd thinned out pretty quickly. We ran through town and then made our way out to Edna Valley (wine grape growing country, or wine berry country as my Grandmother calls it).

The course was rural and scenic and I took almost no pictures!

It was a partial out and back course through the rolling hills of Edna Valley. It was quite pretty, but the streets had a severe camber and it was tough on the knees. I tried my best to stay near the middle of the road, but it was difficult on the out and back section. There were several challenging hills as well. I never looked at the course map in detail or the elevation map at all, so it was a bit unexpected. My friend and I ran the whole way together and it was nice to have someone to crack jokes with and point out interesting choices of running gear.

The finish line frenzy!

Happy to be done!

There were a few things that the race organizers performed really well, several not so well. The course was well marked and the volunteers were great. There were several flavors of Clif Bar sports gel at every aid station. Unfortunately not every aid station was well stocked with water, there was an extra $10/person charge to take a shuttle to the starting line (it was a point to point race), there was a MASSIVE line to get out of the finish area (turned out to be the official photo line, but we waited for several minutes before someone informed us that we could skip it), and there was no free beer. This was quite an expensive race, so overall, I am disappointed with it. It's a relatively new race, so hopefully they'll improve on the areas of runner feedback.

Miles logged: 13.1

Guilty

2015-04-08T22:25:00.002-05:00

It was with mixed emotion that I followed the Boston Marathon bombing trial verdict today. I was not happy to hear guilty on all 30 charges. There was no joy in hearing the verdict, but relief. I believe many victims and their families needed this day to move forward in their healing process. I know the running community needed this closure. Unfortunately, having someone to blame for this tragedy will not bring back the 3 that were killed, nor regrow the lost limbs, nor heal the emotional wounds of those that were there on that disastrous day.

The sentencing phase has been hotly debated, with the majority of Boston residents in a recent poll favoring life in prison over the death penalty. Whatever the outcome, I hope the victims and their families get the resolution they need.

Miles logged: 3.25

Music Monday: Hollow Moon (Bad Wolf)

2015-04-06T21:41:00.000-05:00

Artist: Awolnation
Title: Hollow Moon (Bad Wolf)
Fave Line: "I've been running from it all my lifetime"

Miles logged: 0.0

Random Musings for the Week

2015-04-03T22:02:00.001-05:00

1. There's a right way and a wrong way to heckle a woman.

Did you know that April 1 was National Walking Day? My company hosted an event to promote and encourage our employees to get out and walk, with prizes, healthy snacks, and walking trails. It was Wednesday, or as I like to call it, Run-at-lunch-day. As I was towards the end of my route, someone honked at me and I turned around to wave, nievely thinking that it was someone from the office, encouraging the participants. It was not. But a man yelled out the window, "Looking good!" Instead of interpreting this to mean that I was a piece of meat, I took this to mean that my form was still strong and that I was not heel striking.

2. A massage can be too rough.

I got a massage this week with a new masseuse and I learned that some techniques can be too rough. The masseuse was very diligent, spending time focused on my tight areas like my hips and IT band. My IT bands have been sore to the touch since Tuesday. I noticed last night that they are bruised too. I have about 10-12 small bruises up and down my thighs. It looks like I might be the victim of some freak accident. But I'll be going back!

3. Running outside isn't always hunky dory.

Nothing's worse than staring at a wall while you knock out 10 miles on a treadmill. I ALWAYS prefer to get my mileage in while breathing fresh air. Unfortunately, it's not without it's problems. This week has been the windiest of my life. Not sure where it's coming from or where it's going, but damn it's been blowing hard. If I had a windmill, I could probably quit my day job. I actually got windburn last weekend during my long run from the 20mph winds that were blowing. Let's hope it calms down a bit!

Miles Logged: 2.5

Music Monday: Beggin for Thread

2015-03-30T22:14:00.001-05:00

Artist: Banks
Title: Beggin for Thread
Fave Line: (please excuse the poor grammar) "Sometimes I got edges that scratch, and sometimes I don't got a filter"

Miles Logged: 3.0

Two Workouts, One Day

2015-03-26T22:25:00.002-05:00

I feel like a true athlete today. I worked out TWICE today! I don't think I have done that before. Ever.

The company I work for encourages its employees to be healthy, and offers exercise classes throughout the day for employees to take. I went to a new yoga class today for Vinyasa yoga. It was apparently also a power yoga class. I rarely go to a yoga class and didn't realize that power yoga is a euphemism for the hardest workout you'll ever have. It was fantastic though. My arms shook, my legs quivered, I was dripping sweat (this was not a hot yoga class either), but I was also energized and impressed that I made it through the entire hour without crapping out. I will definitely go to this one again.

As well, I went for a run this evening after getting home. I made sure to bring my phone to capture that terrifying snake I've been seeing. Unfortunately, or fortunately, I did not see that effer. So instead, I took a picture of the spectacular sunset for you. How lucky am I, to see this EVERY DAY (and I do, I have been at the beach for sunset every day this week)? I really just can't get enough of it.

It's no snake, but it's quite beautiful

Thank goodness for the two workouts because I ate at least 6 pieces of pizza today, no lie. Mid morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, and dinner. Maybe I worked off 3 of them?

Miles logged: 3.25

Today is a 2 post day! Shocking!

2015-03-24T22:23:00.003-05:00

I figured that I couldn't let today's run go by without sharing it with my readers. I saw that damn snake again (or another one, but I can't tell the difference). Only this time it was the business end. And it scared the ever living shit out of me. I screamed at the top of my lungs like Ben Stiller in "There's Something About Mary," only a little less painful.

Thankfully the wind was blowing hard and carried my cries away with it. I'm going to carry my phone next time so you can see how terrifying the snake is with your own eyes.

Miles logged: 3.25

Careful Runners

2015-03-24T22:14:00.002-05:00

We've all made bad decisions for our commitment to our sport. Mine usually involves running while I'm hungover. But let's all take a moment to reflect on the dangers of running on a road with a posted 55 mph speed limit, with no shoulder or sidewalk. Unfortunately, this runner was hit by a car while running on a road that was not meant for pedestrians, at sunset, when the sun is in your eyes and you can't see anything.

Please be careful out there, it's dangerous!

Miles logged: 3.25

Music Monday: Budapest

2015-03-23T21:03:00.000-05:00

Artist: George Ezra
Title: Budapest
Fave Line: "And baby if you hold me, then all of this will go away"

Miles Logged: 0.0

Trying my Best

2015-03-17T22:28:00.001-05:00

I haven't been running or blogging much lately; I sound like a broken record. Ever since we moved out to California, I've had a hard time getting into my groove. I've been loving running out here in the perfect weather with the beautiful scenery, I just haven't been able to get a routine going. I've got a lot on my plate both at work and at home and it makes it tough to squeeze it all in. It's 8pm, and I'm just sitting down for dinner while I type this blog. I worked all day, stopped at the grocery store, drove 45 minutes home, walked the dog, ran, and finally showered before inhaling an egg salad sandwich. It's been a long day!

Thanks to daylight savings, I was able to get all of that accomplished before it became pitch dark outside. And good thing, considering I came across a snake on the trail we usually run in the dark. I have no idea what kind of snake it was, but about 18 inches of it (tail end) was sticking out of a bush. I nearly stepped on it, but once I saw it, I yelled (which was so helpful) and careened out of the way. This is the place where I regularly walk Eddie, so we'll no longer be doing that!

I haven't signed up for or run any races since we've moved out here, and I think I need to. This is normally half marathon season for me and I haven't run one since October. Time to get something on the calendar. Any suggestions?

Miles logged: 3.0

Music Monday: What Kind of Man

2015-03-02T22:54:00.000-06:00

Artist: Florence + the Machine
Title: What Kind of Man
Fave Line: "You inspired a fire of emotion"

Miles logged: 0.0

Garbage in, Garbage Out

2015-03-01T16:21:00.002-06:00

I'm sure you've heard the saying, "Garbage in, Garbage out." It can apply to many aspects of our lives, but is especially true when it comes to being an athlete. If you do not put the right things in your body, the right foods for fuel, your performance will suffer. This is why my long run last week wasn't really a long run, as my legs felt like logs from my wine tasting spree.

Today though, was much better. I asked for a long run and my body came through for me. I wanted to reward it with an afternoon of brunch and mimosas, but instead came home and made myself this salad with a glass of coconut water. It was super easy and a delicious post run meal, so here's how I made it.

Ingredient list:
1 Head organic baby green leaf lettuce from my bi-weekly produce box.
1/4 Bacon avocado. It does not taste like bacon at all and is purely vegetarian. Picked a couple up at the Farmer's market a few weeks ago and they are finally getting ripe!
4 Organic radishes, both red and purple varieties. Also from my produce box.
1 Handful of grape tomatoes
1 Sprinkle of feta cheese
1/2 cup pre-cooked peeled deveined shrimp from Trader Joe's. So easy, just take out of the freezer and thaw. If you do not have a Trader Joe's near where you live, move. There is no substitute and your live will immediately become better once you can go to one on a regular basis.
Fresh cracked pepper
A drizzle of jalapeno infused olive oil
A drizzle of lemon white balsamic vinegar

Miles logged: 9.0

A Lunch Workout!

2015-02-25T22:36:00.001-06:00

I did it. After approximately 13 years in the workforce and 2 months of psyching myself up, I finally worked out on my lunch break. I am fortunate enough to work for a company that truly promotes the health and well being of its employees. I also work around a number of people that regularly work out at lunch, confirming that it can actually be done.

I felt strange walking through the halls in my work out gear, not because I didn't fit it, but because I didn't feel comfortable being so casual in the work environment. I snuck outside as quickly as I could after I had changed and went for a run in the neighborhood across the street from the office. I didn't plan a route, so I just ran down to the end of the street and turned around to come back. I did notice a trail that I will have to investigate.

I managed to eek out 2 miles in a ridiculously fast time for myself, at just under a 9:41 minute per mile pace. I also managed to make it back to the office without being too disgustingly sweaty. I cleaned myself up with a bunch of baby wipes (and was told that I didn't smell, because I made sure to ask!) changed my clothes and got back to work!

Miles logged: 2.1

Red Sky at Night, Sailor's Delight?

2015-02-24T22:28:00.001-06:00

The days are getting longer, so that stinking daylight savings time change is right around the corner. Tonight we made it down to the beach a bit after sunset, but while there was still light in the sky. We saw the most amazing colors of crimson and pink in the west sky. It was like nothing I've ever seen before. Of course, I didn't have a camera on me, so you'll just have to take my word for it.

I looked up on the internet what a red sunset means (thinking that it was probably a sign of the end of the world), but apparently it means that tomorrow will be a beautiful day with a high pressure system moving in. I'll let you know tomorrow if the internet is a liar.

Miles logged: 3.25

Music Monday: Cecilia and the Satellite

2015-02-23T21:24:00.000-06:00

Artist: Andrew McMahon
Title: Cecilia and the Satellite
Fave Line: "Through all the things my eyes have seen, the best by far is you."

Miles Logged: 0.0

I'm getting too old for this

2015-02-22T22:27:00.000-06:00

I'm getting too old for this shit. No, not running, though that's probably debatable. It's the drinking too much and eating like crap and then thinking I can knock out double digit miles. Yeah, not so much.

One of my husband's best friends was in town visiting us this week. He was our first overnight houseguest since we've moved and he miraculously survived, I, on the other hand, had a tougher go of it. Yesterday we threw a hail mary and drove inland in search of some sun and we were handsomely rewarded. After a late lunch and some beer at a taphouse, ~~I forced them~~ we decided to stop at a winery so that he could get a taste of Central Coast wines. One winery turned into 3 and the evening ended with me sleeping off my hangover on the couch.

Happy as a clam

But the drinking ended early and I felt like I was in good shape when I finally peeled myself off the couch to continue sleeping in bed. And I woke this morning to feeling pretty normal. So, why not eat a bunch of crap at brunch too? French toast swimming in butter and syrup- the perfect way to carbo load. Or maybe not.

I did make it out for a run around lunchtime, and not because I was moping around with a hangover, but because I was trying to wait out the rain. I managed to get out while the temps were quite cool, but the sun had broken out, my ideal running weather. Except my legs felt like they were logs filled with lead and even the slightest incline had me huffing and puffing for air. I was planning to run 9 miles, but could only manage 5.

Miles logged: 5.0

Music Monday: Sugar

2015-02-16T21:28:00.000-06:00

Artist: Maroon 5
Title: Sugar
Fave Line: "Need a little sweetness in my life"

Miles logged: 3.25

Consistency is King

2015-02-15T22:06:00.003-06:00

I've been a more consistent runner than blogger lately (I can only focus on one thing at a time, OK). 3 runs this week, with one being a long run to boot, and I was feeling under the weather again. As you can tell, I'm pretty impressed with myself. I'm not in marathon shape, or even half marathon shape, but I do feel like I'm getting back to my old habits (the good ones, not the work late and drink a bottle of wine for dinner ones).

I finally got the elliptical hooked up in the garage of the house we're renting this week. We've only been here 2 months, so it's about time! It's a bit dusty and a tight fit in between all of our boxes, but at least I can get a cross-training workout in.

Now all I have to do is keep it up!

Miles logged: 8.0