Because it's cold and rainy and yes I will go run 20 miles, but indulge me first:
1. Tweeting/talking on your cell phone during a marathon is just weird to me. I thought the whole point of running a marathon was pushing yourself
2. I will probably own a running skirt in the near future (what? I can't rule out the possibility and everyone keeps telling me how comfortable they are) but I just cannot get behind those matchy-matchy running outfits where everything from hat to shoes is perfectly coordinated
3. If you take a gu during a race, don't drop the packet on the ground unless you're in the middle of an aid station. The Nike Women's Marathon went along my usual running route and after that weekend there was gel-packet litter EVERYWHERE. Just carry it to a trash can!
4. Running without socks is just better
5. I don't understand the concept of running a race just to finish. I guess a fun run every now and then can be fun, but if I'm going to the expense of registering for a race, I want to push my hardest, not just finish. Why settle for being mediocre? Why not see what you're really capable of?
6. I love race volunteers. Love them.
7. I always complain about how ridiculous it is to get a medal after every marathon and triathlon I do...and yet I just can't bear to get rid of them.
8. I don't think I'll ever buy myself a Garmin (I've run just fine without one for 13 years) but if one happened to be under the Christmas tree this year, I wouldn't be sad.
I'm sure you have unpopular opinions/vents/confessions....Please spill!
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
My weekend
I DID bake over 120 cupcakes for a wedding on Saturday night. (Really! You can read about it here) I DID NOT have very much self-control when surrounded by frosting for said cupcakes.
I DID manage to squeeze in a 5 mile run on Saturday before heading to the wedding. I DID NOT stop at 2 glasses of wine at the wedding like I told myself I should.
I DID have a teeny little hangover on Sunday morning. I DID NOT run my scheduled 12 miles. Ooops.
I DID eat donuts (plural) on Sunday morning. I DID NOT feel guilty about it...until my Boston confirmation popped up in my Inbox on Monday!
In college weekends like this were the norm...and it makes me really happy that they aren't usually like that anymore. My mileage has been around 30-35 miles a week lately, which I really need to step up so I'm ready for the Pfitz 12/70 plan (which starts at 55 mpw) in January. I'm also trying to cook more vegan meals because I've found that the fewer animal products I eat, the better I feel. (I don't think I'll be going completely vegan anytime soon though...give up cheese? Probably not possible)
I DID manage to squeeze in a 5 mile run on Saturday before heading to the wedding. I DID NOT stop at 2 glasses of wine at the wedding like I told myself I should.
 |
| Wedding reception with all 80s music + a bunch of friends from college = not the healthiest weekend |
I DID have a teeny little hangover on Sunday morning. I DID NOT run my scheduled 12 miles. Ooops.
I DID eat donuts (plural) on Sunday morning. I DID NOT feel guilty about it...until my Boston confirmation popped up in my Inbox on Monday!
In college weekends like this were the norm...and it makes me really happy that they aren't usually like that anymore. My mileage has been around 30-35 miles a week lately, which I really need to step up so I'm ready for the Pfitz 12/70 plan (which starts at 55 mpw) in January. I'm also trying to cook more vegan meals because I've found that the fewer animal products I eat, the better I feel. (I don't think I'll be going completely vegan anytime soon though...give up cheese? Probably not possible)
Friday, October 22, 2010
50K, here I come
After talking about doing an ultra for months, I took the plunge last night and signed up for my first 50K on December 18. I'm ridiculously excited!
It won't be easy...there's a total of 5,900 feet of elevation gain
but it's going to be beautiful running through the Marin Headlands!
Last week my long run was 18 miles, and this week I did back-to-back 10 and 11 miles because I'm trying to get my legs used to running while I'm tired.
A month after the race, I start the Pfitz 12/70 plan for Boston!
What's your next big race?
It won't be easy...there's a total of 5,900 feet of elevation gain
Last week my long run was 18 miles, and this week I did back-to-back 10 and 11 miles because I'm trying to get my legs used to running while I'm tired.
A month after the race, I start the Pfitz 12/70 plan for Boston!
What's your next big race?
Monday, October 18, 2010
I'm in!
After a VERY stressful 50 minutes, filling out the same form dozens of times only to click submit and end up back on the same page, I received this BEAUTIFUL email
Hard to believe it sold out in less than a day... I have a feeling qualifying is about to get a lot tougher, so I'm glad I made it in when I did!
Sunday, October 17, 2010
A running kind of weekend
This weekend has been alllll about the running.
Friday after work Mike and I set off for an 18 mile run. I've never attempted a long run like that after work, but it went really well, plus it was the longest he's ever run!
Saturday we got up bright and early to volunteer at a trail race in Clayton (Mt. Diablo State Park). The company that put it on gives you FREE race entry when you volunteer for 5 hours, so it was definitely a good deal. They're putting on the 50K I'm doing in December so I wanted to check out their operation and I was super impressed! Everyone was friendly and very into Ultras so it was a cool group of people to be around (and get some great tips on loooong trail runs!) I was glad I wasn't running that particular race, though...over 8,900 feet of elevation gain over the 50K course sounded intense!
Today we drove down to Pacifica for a 5K with the Dolphin South End Runners. I LOVE their races because they're so small and laid back! It was a little rainy but the temperature was perfect for running. Another club member got this photo of me mid-race... I was feeling good!
The course was out and back on a bike path that went over a big hill and had a ton of switchbacks, so I knew I was probably not going to PR...but Mike did! He ran 20:33 and I ran 22:31...good for 5th male and 2nd female overall! (Have I mentioned how much I love SMALL races?)
I was pretty excited about my red 2nd place ribbon! I love that our weekends revolve around running now.
Friday after work Mike and I set off for an 18 mile run. I've never attempted a long run like that after work, but it went really well, plus it was the longest he's ever run!
Saturday we got up bright and early to volunteer at a trail race in Clayton (Mt. Diablo State Park). The company that put it on gives you FREE race entry when you volunteer for 5 hours, so it was definitely a good deal. They're putting on the 50K I'm doing in December so I wanted to check out their operation and I was super impressed! Everyone was friendly and very into Ultras so it was a cool group of people to be around (and get some great tips on loooong trail runs!) I was glad I wasn't running that particular race, though...over 8,900 feet of elevation gain over the 50K course sounded intense!
Today we drove down to Pacifica for a 5K with the Dolphin South End Runners. I LOVE their races because they're so small and laid back! It was a little rainy but the temperature was perfect for running. Another club member got this photo of me mid-race... I was feeling good!
The course was out and back on a bike path that went over a big hill and had a ton of switchbacks, so I knew I was probably not going to PR...but Mike did! He ran 20:33 and I ran 22:31...good for 5th male and 2nd female overall! (Have I mentioned how much I love SMALL races?)
I was pretty excited about my red 2nd place ribbon! I love that our weekends revolve around running now.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
For real this time?
I have to confess...I did not run the last 2 days, and I at a whole bunch of crap. As a a result, I now feel like total garbage. The 4 mile run I just slogged through was also total garbage. But in some way, I'm kind of glad I had that major slack session.
I think the best part of not training for anything is just being able to do what I feel like, and if that means lying on the couch eating handfuls of white chocolate chips (pshh who would do that?!), then that's what I'll do. And inevitably, a day or two later I feel absolutely disgusting and it helps jolt me back to the reality that I actually do LOVE running, being active, having goals, and eating well. So what does this mean now?
I have my sights set on a 50 K in the Marin headlands on December 18. It's probably not in my best interest to attempt my first Ultra a few weeks before kicking off my training for Boston, but I didn't get to do that 50K I wanted to in August, and I think it would be a perfect way to round out what has definitely been the best running year of my life. It also means I'm going to run 18 miles after work tomorrow. YIPEEE!!!
Friday afternoons have become "find a new trail" time for Mike and me. Last week we drove down to Millbrae and ran 8 glorious miles on the Sawyer Camp Trail. It was BEAUTIFUL and I loved that every half mile was marked! Definitely not the last time we do that...
Very peaceful and relaxing. Apparently it's a crazy mad house on weekends, so it was nice to run it at such a perfect time.
AND...some big news in the family: my dad qualified for Boston on Sunday (at the Portland Marathon) so we will be running it together in April! We've talked about this since I first started running marathons 5 years ago, so I'm more than a little excited! Congratulations, Dad!
I think the best part of not training for anything is just being able to do what I feel like, and if that means lying on the couch eating handfuls of white chocolate chips (pshh who would do that?!), then that's what I'll do. And inevitably, a day or two later I feel absolutely disgusting and it helps jolt me back to the reality that I actually do LOVE running, being active, having goals, and eating well. So what does this mean now?
I have my sights set on a 50 K in the Marin headlands on December 18. It's probably not in my best interest to attempt my first Ultra a few weeks before kicking off my training for Boston, but I didn't get to do that 50K I wanted to in August, and I think it would be a perfect way to round out what has definitely been the best running year of my life. It also means I'm going to run 18 miles after work tomorrow. YIPEEE!!!
Friday afternoons have become "find a new trail" time for Mike and me. Last week we drove down to Millbrae and ran 8 glorious miles on the Sawyer Camp Trail. It was BEAUTIFUL and I loved that every half mile was marked! Definitely not the last time we do that...
Very peaceful and relaxing. Apparently it's a crazy mad house on weekends, so it was nice to run it at such a perfect time.
AND...some big news in the family: my dad qualified for Boston on Sunday (at the Portland Marathon) so we will be running it together in April! We've talked about this since I first started running marathons 5 years ago, so I'm more than a little excited! Congratulations, Dad!
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Milestones
My husband has gotten so into running lately that not only will he get up and run with me at 5 AM and accompany me on mid-week, after-work 10-milers, but he's now beginning to train for an ultra! Obviously this requires additional distance, so week by week we've been stepping up. Last Saturday, we ran 16.2 miles, which was the farthest he's ever run! It was a great run that included the Lake Merced path, Great Highway, and a GIANT set of stairs on the trail from Sutro heights park to Sea Cliff.
When we got home we celebrated with Green Monsters!
My usual recipe is:
1 frozen banana
1 cup almond milk
2 tbsp carob powder
2 tsp flax seeds
2 tsp chia seeds
a few handfuls of spinach
SO GOOD!
Another milestone happened the weekend before last.... I won a race!
OK, so it was a tiny race with only 89 people, but I've NEVER been first overall female before, and this time I was! I ran 5 miles in 36:31 (7:18 min/mile) which was good for a 9-second PR and that pretty blue ribbon.
I love the Dolphin South End Running Club...they put on this race and the half marathon a couple weeks ago (and have $5 races pretty much every weekend). If you're ever in San Francisco, definitely try out one of their events! Everyone is super friendly and you can't beat the price.
I have been really loving just kind of doing my own thing with regards to running. I hate to say it, but I don't really miss tempo runs or track workouts (mainly because I haven't found a track close to my house yet). I'm still figuring out which plan I'm going to use for Boston, but until Dec/Jan, I'm winging it and loving it!
When we got home we celebrated with Green Monsters!
My usual recipe is:
1 frozen banana
1 cup almond milk
2 tbsp carob powder
2 tsp flax seeds
2 tsp chia seeds
a few handfuls of spinach
SO GOOD!
Another milestone happened the weekend before last.... I won a race!
OK, so it was a tiny race with only 89 people, but I've NEVER been first overall female before, and this time I was! I ran 5 miles in 36:31 (7:18 min/mile) which was good for a 9-second PR and that pretty blue ribbon.
I love the Dolphin South End Running Club...they put on this race and the half marathon a couple weeks ago (and have $5 races pretty much every weekend). If you're ever in San Francisco, definitely try out one of their events! Everyone is super friendly and you can't beat the price.
 |
| The Finish Line |
I have been really loving just kind of doing my own thing with regards to running. I hate to say it, but I don't really miss tempo runs or track workouts (mainly because I haven't found a track close to my house yet). I'm still figuring out which plan I'm going to use for Boston, but until Dec/Jan, I'm winging it and loving it!
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