In the Home Stretch

My first half marathon is on Sunday….just 4 days from now I will be putting up my first 13.1. The thought is exciting, nerve wracking and scary all at the same time. I get butterflies in my stomach just thinking about it. I don’t really understand why especially since I have done 2 rather long training runs (a 13 miler and 12.5 miler a few weeks back) so I know I will be able to do the 13.1. Without breaking a sweat? Not likely. Without some pain? Not likely. BUT without having to be dragged across the finish line? Yes! Definitely.

As the day closes in I am also dealing with feeling a little….I don’t know….sad. Sad that the training is over (for now). Sad that my runs the past two weeks have been so short (tapering). Sad that I will never ever ever run my first half again. It’s a little surreal (that word is SO overused, but appropriate in this case) to think that the past 4.5 months will culminate with my first half in less than a week. I know that no other race (except maybe a full) will feel as monumental as this one. This is a HUGE milestone for me. And like all good things…the training leading up to my first half will surely come to an end.

I haven’t been really motivated to write much the past few weeks. I am sure a lot of that has to do with knowing I am almost there. All things considered I feel pretty good physically, but mentally I am just a bag of emotions. Emotions + work commitments + family commitments = blah. Hopefully once this race is over and done with I will be able to sort through everything and get myself right.

This post is intentionally short and simple. I just wanted anyone out there reading to know that you are not alone in feeling ambivalent about a milestone. Whether it’s 5k, 10k, 13.1, 26.2 or beyond.

Xoxo,

Mimi

Did I ever mention how much I love Kettlebells?

No, really. I love kettlebells. Aside from the facts that they are compact, portable and make you look like a bad ass while whipping them over head, they give you a really great cardio and strength training workout. If you’ve never done a kettlebell workout, you have to try it soon.

A kettlebell is basically a ball, about the size of a cantelope with a triangular handle on top. Some kettlebells are adjustable (i.e. you can add or take away weight) and others are not (I have the non-adjustable type, but have a 5 pounder, 10 pounder and 15 pounder – today I went with the 10).

There are TONS of different moves you can do with a kettlebell, but in my opinion, swings and snatches (get your mind out of the gutter!) are the best and give you the best burn.

A great example of an American kettlebell swing

A swing is basically what it sounds like. You hold the kettlebell with both hands, use momentum to swing the kettlebell up to eye level (Russian swing) or above the head (American swing) then bring the kettlebell back down between your legs whilst squatting. You do not need to have a lot of upper body strength for the move as the power for the move comes from momentum and your core.

The snatch – my favorite move!

A snatch is not what it sounds like (again – get that dirty mind out of the gutter!). Now, I may be oversimplifying it somewhat, but a snatch is basically a one-armed American swing. At the top of the swing (when you have the kettlebell overhead) you “whip” it back down. In other words, you use momentum and your core to whip the kettlebell up overhead, but don’t let it just sort of fall down. You actually whip it back down or use your core to force it down. The end result is a great workout on the way up and an equally hard workout on the way back down.

I was not feeling up to my planned long workout today (i.e. a 60 minute workout) and so I perused my treasure trove of Jillian Michaels’ DVDs (did I ever mention how much I love her too?) and decided I would go with Shred it with Weights today. It’s been far too long and my kettlebells were feeling a little neglected.

Jillian Michaels and cohorts doing a “windmill.”

The great thing about this particular workout is it’s just shy of 30 minutes (including warm up and stretching) so I have plenty of time to blog afterwards (yay me!). I would recommend basically any Jillian Michaels’ DVD (with the exception of Yoga Meltdown – it is neither traditional yoga, nor does it feel like it is melting much of anything). Usually, after I do this workout my quads, glutes and shoulder are sore for a few days afterward which is always a satisfying feeling to me. I am in much better shape nowadays than I was historically, so I am curious to see if the same still hold true.

I have a Body Media BodyBugg so I am actually able to see how many calories this workout burns for me (today it was 178). If you are serious about weight loss I would recommend a BodyBugg or Body Media product any day of the week and twice on Sundays.  It tracks calories burned (by YOU with the help of sensors that monitor skin temperature and moisture – sweat! ick!!!), steps taken, duration of activity and sleep. With the help of my BodyBugg and a lot of hard work I lost about 30 pounds within 6 months (and I have a small-ish frame at just 5’6″ so 30 pounds is a LOT of weight for me) before I went on a Hawaiian cruise a few years back. I was able to rock a bikini for the first time in years! The downside is it requires a subscription (boo!), but it’s just $7 a month and totally worth it in my opinion.

Okay….time for the sales pitch to end (but seriously, I paid for my JM DVDs and my BB and I am not being paid anything to recommend them – I just love them that much).

I feel really good today. It’s not a running day, but it is also a day I just did not feel like working out at all. I was going to skip it all together and relax, but a little voice in the back of my head kept saying “you don’t regret the workouts you do, just the ones you miss.” That was all I needed to hear to get my butt in gear because it is TRUTH!

I am off to enjoy my weekend. 4 easy miles of trail running Saturday and 5 road miles on Sunday. This tapering is tough stuff!

Xoxo,

Mimi

More Blisters! And a run in the hills.

A post about blisters? Yes. Sorry in advance.

One of the many unpleasant side effects of running is blisters. Blisters on your toes, blisters on your heals, blisters on your blisters. When I first started upping my miles a few months back I fell prey to blisters and ended up with two huge blisters on the tips of two of my toes on my left foot. I tried to leave them be, but ended up succumbing to temptation and popped those suckers. 

After that experience I didn’t change anything. I kept running in the same shoes (half a size bigger than my street size), same socks (non-cotton) and kept my toenails short. After that first experience I didn’t get anymore blisters until today. I have no idea why now all of a sudden I got a HUGE monster blister on the tip of my left middle toe and the side of my big toe. The one on the middle toe was extremely painful and so I painstakingly drained it and am now hobbling along.

I spent a little bit of time today reading various tips online to figure out what could be causing this new crop of blisters to form. After all, I have my first half marathon in two weeks and if I am dealing with blisters as painful as the one I got today I will be one very sad runner indeed.

According to Runner’s World this is what I have been doing right:

• Choose blister-free socks. Synthetic socks wick moisture away from the skin. Cotton may be lighter, but it retains fluid. Socks with reinforced heels and toes also help reduce friction.
• If your shoe now feels too tight, go up a half-size as long as your foot doesn’t slide around, making blisters a possibility.
• Wear shoes and socks that fit. Shoes that are too small will cause blisters under the toes and on the ends of the toenails. There should be a thumbs width of space between the toes and end of the toe box. Your socks should fit smoothly, with no extra fabric at the toes or heels.

And what I should try:

• Run with slick skin. Coat your feet with Vaseline or another lubricant before you run. Or use Second Skin, a padded tape that stays on even when wet. Both methods form a protective shield between your skin and sock.
• Double up. Wear two pairs of socks so the friction occurs between the two socks, rather than between the sock and skin.
• Moisten your feet. Just like sweaty skin, dry skin is also more prone to friction. Use skin creams and lotions liberally on a daily basis to maintain proper moisture.

So now I am planning to run off to Target tomorrow to stock up on Vaseline, mole skin, more socks and lotion. Hoping something works and I am able to keep on keeping on these last couple weeks.

On another note the training run today was pretty awesome. I got out the door at about 6:30am for my 8 miles (I am in my first week of taper before the big race!). I ran a few loops near my house making a mid-way stop at the Oakland Mormon Temple. For those of you who have never seen it in person:

Unfortunately it did not look like this today as it was about 55 degrees and foggy in the hills. Foggy in July? Yes. I live in the Bay Area. Be jealous.

Glad I got her done early as it is now sunny and warm while I sit here and type. That’s the crazy thing about training outside in the Bay Area. The weather is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.

Xoxo,

Mimi

What’s My Motivation?

I recently sat down and started mapping out my training and race schedule for the rest of the year and noticed a few glaring holes. I have zero races planned between October 1 and November 23 and after my November 24 Berkeley Half Marathon, I have nothing planned for the rest of the year. What?!? How did that happen?

On the one hand I feel like having some down time towards the holidays may be beneficial. I’ll be able to relax with family, get shopping and holiday related chores done and maybe catch up on the other non-running hobbies I have neglected for so long (scrapbooking and sewing mainly). On the other hand I am really truly worried terrified that if I am not “training” for a race that I will fall into old inactive habits. I’ll sit around on the my butt watching television and eating everything in sight. Trust me folks, it’s not a pretty picture. I am pretty sure in a past life I was the cat that inspired the Garfield comics.

It wasn’t until I registered for my first half marathon (which is in less than three weeks! Eek!!!) that I committed myself to a regular running and exercise regimen. Before that I did the 9 week C25k program and over the next couple months sort of started and stopped C210k a few times. I ran maybe once or twice a week and topped out at about 2-2.5 miles.

The moment I plunked down the $100 (or whatever it was) and told the world I was running a race I became so concerned about looking like a loser or a quitter to others and a huge disappointment to myself that I have really take this training thing seriously. At first I actually dreaded the training and looked forward to Monday, Wednesday and Friday each week (days when I currently do not run). After some time the feeling of dread associated with another 4 or 5 mile run faded and eventually I started to look forward to running. I think that a big part (not the only part) of that transformation was knowing that I was working towards a goal and seeing my progress. Feeling a sense of accomplishment from reaching a goal has influenced so many choices in my life (from my education and career to my aforementioned neglected hobbies) that it is no wonder I need that when it comes to running too. Without a race scheduled for more than a month this fall or anything on the calendar after late November, what do I have to keep me going?

I know I will most likely be presented with a race that I want to do. I know I will have to register in said race in order to keep on pushing. I wish I was one of the few dedicated and driven folks who can run “for the love of running.” I am not that person. I need a goal, which for me involves being trained for a race.

Thankfully I live in California where you can find a race pretty much every weekend of the year within driving distance. I can’t imagine living somewhere that I may not be able to find a December or January race (hello Montana! How you doing?). For those of you who live in places like that and keep on plugging away – Bless your heart! I am very impressed with your dedication.

I guess the point of this is that if anyone out there feels like their heart is not 100% in the “sport of running” for running’s sake, I am right there with you. Some days I just want to get out there and run my heart out. Other days the only reason I get out there is because I can’t stand the thought of missing a training run. Either way I get out there. So whatever I (or you) need to do to get off the couch and head out the door – I just got to do it!

Xoxo,

Mimi

Getting back in the game!

As you probably know if you read my blog, I have been on vacation for the past week. I spent my birthday in Disneyland which meant that temptations were everywhere. Despite my best efforts I succumbed. I know, I suck.

Me and my daughter playing princess

I had my running routine all mapped out in my mind before I left. I was going to run 3 miles at least 2 days while I was gone. If I were home I would have run 14 miles while I was away so I figured this very modest schedule was totally doable. I was going to wake up at the butt crack of dawn to run before the kids woke up and we’d still have plenty of time to be to the park by rope drop. I was going to splurge on indulgence foods one meal per day and try to eat healthy-ish (it is a vacation after all!) the rest of the time. I failed on all accounts.

We arrived in Anaheim on Tuesday evening, went to dinner, walked around downtown Disney and got back to our hotel around 9:00pm. I set my alarm for 5:15am and laid out my running attire on the dresser. I got my yurbuds and shoes out and everything was ready to go. I was so dog tired from the long day (which started at 5:00am) that I was in bed and fast asleep by 10:30pm.

When my alarm blared the next morning, I hit snooze, but only once. I actually managed to haul my butt out of bed by 5:25am on Wednesday and I am glad I did. It was already 75 degrees in Anaheim at that time and the humidity did not help (I hate running in the heat!). I ran a 5k loop which took me down Harbor, turned on Katella, then Disneyland Drive, Ball Road and back on Harbor.

FUBAR post-run picture in front of Tower of Terror

I was even able to stop to take a not so flattering picture with Tower of Terror in the background. I really looked like s***, but I deserve a break – it was before 6:00am, hot and humid. Overall I’d say I looked damn good.

That 5k was it for my running adventures in Anaheim. The next three days were spent walking everywhere and eating, then eating some more and finally eating some more. I basically ate everything and anything I wanted and did not feel one ounce of guilt for it while I was eating it, but I am definitely feeling it now. I am fairly certain I gained 10 pounds on that trip. In case you’re wondering I ate bananas foster on Tuesday, Mexican food on Wednesday, corn dogs and all-you-can-eat BBQ ribs and chicken on Thursday (best meal there) and red beans and rice on Friday. I am not even mentioning the fast food I ate while driving to and from Disneyland because quite honestly, I am embarrassed and fast food barely qualifies as food.

Anaheim (and perhaps the area surrounding the Disneyland resort) seems to be a popular place to run. Throughout my stay I saw numerous people out running at all hours of the day. There were at least a handful of times when I saw someone running and I felt like joining them. Don’t think my husband would have been too pleased had I run off with some random stranger and left him with both kids. Good thing I restrained myself and stayed with them.

My son with a Mickey ears hat

When we finally got home on Saturday night (after more than 8 hours on the road), I was so exhausted that the idea of a run the next morning was abhorrent to me. That being said, having just 3 weeks until my first half marathon I knew I had to get in one last long run before my tapering weeks so I sucked it up and set the alarm clock for 5:15am. I planned 12 miles.

When the alarm went off I snoozed it and then decided to get up at 6:30am for my run. When that alarm beeped I turned it off and decided sleep was more important than running. I slept until 8:00am. I have a one year old. 8:00am is late.

When I woke up I was wracked with guilt. I knew I had to run. I had to get my body and my head back in the game. I told myself “run at least 5 miles and you’ll feel all right.” When I responded “I don’t want to run, I want to sit on my butt all day” I finally convinced myself that the hardest part of getting back in the game was getting dressed, lacing up and walking out the door. I was right. I don’t think I have ever dawdled so much in my life. It took me a good 10 minutes to get dressed when it should have taken all of two.

Of course my luck being what it is the temperature at 11:00am was already 70 degrees and the sun was beating down on me for the better part of my run. I ended up running 10 miles in my neighborhood which is very hilly. I could not do the full 12 I planned, but I figured all of the hills made up for those two miles because I’d take 12 miles of flat over 10 miles of hills any day and twice on Sunday! I took a lot of walk breaks and drank 24 ounces of water (on a long run I usually drink maybe 8-12 ounces). I really felt like my legs were made of lead and my heart just was not in it, but I banged it out.

I’ve learned 2 things from my mini-break from running: 1) I have to run early in the day during the summer. Me + heat = bad times; and 2) No matter what, I have to get my runs in during the week, even if I am on vacation. I feel like not running for three days made a huge difference physically and mentally.

My new Kayanos. Aren’t they pretty????

On a related note – I finally got to break in my new Asics Kayano 19s – this is my second pair. I actually wore my old (now retired) pair when running in Anaheim. Crazy the difference new shoes can make. My knees actually hurt a little after my 5k on Wednesday, but not so much as a tingle today after 10. Word to the wise: out with the old and in with the new is a great rule for running shoes when you start to feel new aches and pains.

Xoxo,

Mimi

The Dreaded Thirty-bleep(!) Birthday.

Thursday is my birthday. Having yet another birthday gives you perspective. Each year like clockwork we are forced to re-examine our shortcomings, our goals and our current predicaments. It is pretty exhausting stuff. Thankfully this year I am taking a well deserved and much needed vacation with the family. We are heading to Disneyland for the better part of a week. I am bringing running shoes and clothes. I am planning to squeeze in at least 3 miles on 2 of the days we are there. Don’t judge me if I crap out and don’t run at all, okay? If I miss out on running I am sure to log a lot of miles walking (cross-training) so I won’t judge myself too harshly either.

Me and the family in January 2013. My face tells it all! I was almost 25 pounds heavier here than I am now.

Over the past year I have undergone a pretty dramatic transformation both physically and mentally. While I am still a work in progress, running has changed me for the better.  I started running and lost about 30 pounds and 12 inches (5 on my waist, 5 on my hips and 2 on my thighs). I look at pictures of myself  from January of this year and I am almost unrecognizable.

Physically I am in the best shape of my life. I can easily run 10+ miles and still walk the next day. If I tried that a year ago I would be flat on my back for weeks. I can climb 5 flights of stairs at the garage at work and not be gasping for breath at the top. I can run after my kids and not have to stop in mid stride to catch my breath. When my husband or kids say “hey, wanna go for a walk/to the park?” I don’t feel too lazy to go. I even got my husband to start working out with me (running is another story for him as he has exercise induced asthma). It’s pretty amazing what running has done for my body.

Running has also given me a whole new outlook on life. I wake up at 5 or 6 every Saturday and Sunday to get up and get a run in while the rest of the house is still sleeping.

June 2013. What a difference 6 months makes!

Rather than dreading these uber-early mornings, I look forward to them. A year ago you couldn’t pay me to get up while it is still dark. I am energized and enthusiastic. I have a passion that is all consuming and something that is just for me. Me! I finally have “me” time which is something that most parents (especially moms) struggle with finding. Running has given this to me.

So, on my thirty (bleep!) birthday I say a big warm thank you to running. It has been a great companion this year and has taught me so much. I will always consider this year as the start to a beautiful friendship between me and the run!

Xoxo,

Mimi

“Race” Recap: Run or Dye San Francisco July 2013

Yesterday I ran in my first “color run.” You know the one where you get doused with corn starch that has been dyed some awfully bright shade of pink, yellow, orange, green, blue or purple? Yeah, that one.

Run or Dye Color Run

I registered for the run back in January or February of this year because I had a code to get half off making it like $20. You can’t beat that. At the time I registered the idea that I would now be regularly running upwards of 10 miles at a time was not even fathomable and a 5k “race” sounded like a real challenge. Fast forward 5 months and hundreds of training miles later and a 5k sounded sort of dull really. I can run a 5k in under 30:00 without breaking a sweat (not that my pace is break-neck speed, but you get the idea). I was almost sort of dreading the run because I would have to get up at 5:00am on a Saturday, cross the Bay Bridge, pay $15 for parking at Candlestick park and to top it off, I’d be messy as hell afterwards. BUT I registered with one of my BFFs and my baby sister. They were both excited and so I feigned excitement too, woke up at 5:00am on a Saturday, crossed the Bay Bridge, (I didn’t pay for parking because I was the carpool – score!) and got messy as hell. It was a blast!

There are at least 4 race organizers who offer these colors runs and I am sure that for the most part they are all fairly similar. I have only been to this one color run so I can only vouch for how Run or Dye operates.

Pre-race selfie

There were 2 starting times, 9:00am or 11:00am. Since we were registered for the 9:00am starting time we got there at about 7:45am. My awesome sister, Mariel, picked up our race packets for us the day before the run and we were able to avoid the pick-up lines which looked pretty long and chaotic. We made our way over to the starting shoot at about 8:15am and sissy handed each of us (there were 6 of us running together) extra dye packets. We immediately started ripping into them and pelting each other and complete strangers with the stuff. We were “dyed” even before the run started.

My baby sister, Mariel (left) rocking the run at 6 months pregnant!

Finally at 9:00am they started letting runners go, but only groups of perhaps 200-300 go at any given time. Because we were not right up against the starting line we had to wait until probably around 9:05am to start. Finally it was our turn and off we went. I am the only serious runner in our group and though I had fully intended on walking the 5k with my sister (who is almost 6 months pregnant) I couldn’t help myself and I took off. The race is not timed. If you come to one of these things with the intention of setting a PR you’ll be sorely disappointed because the vast majority of participants either walk or run slowly. And because most of the participants do not regularly participate in races, they don’t know the “rules” of the road (e.g. slower traffic to the left, don’t stop in the middle of the road to tie your shoe, etc.) and I spent and awful lot of time weaving around people and trying not to trip over them.

As you run the course you go through 5 or 6 color stations where volunteers hit you with handfuls of this colored powder.

My niece Mila (11 years old) did awesome!

The first couple stations I went through I ended up with powder in my mouth and teeth. It is harmless really, but powder in your mouth is not a pleasant sensation. I learned my lesson and started running through the stations with my hand over my mouth. I also wore sunglasses to keep the powder out of my eyes (which didn’t work all that well as I did get some in my eyes early on).

The course was confined entirely to the parking lot at Candlestick park (current home of the San Francisco 49ers and future ghost town after this football season). It was flat for the most part with a very modest “hill” that was perhaps a 1/10th of a mile long). It was clear the course was designed for all runners/ participants in mind.

My sister from another mister Anjulee (right) is now a 5k junkie

At this point I should say that I ran naked yesterday. No! Not that kind of naked! I didn’t want to frighten children and embarrass myself all at once. What I mean is that I did NOT run with my usual music and Run Keeper app chiming in my ears. I figured I’d give it a shot running the 5k au natural and I am glad I did. It was definitely much more pleasant than I thought it would be. I don’t know if I could do it on my training runs, but it is good to know that I have the option for a short race.

Because I ran naked I was able to appreciate the atmosphere of the race and interact with fellow runners. I must have High 5’d at least 2 dozen people coming the opposite direction when running. I must have thrown dye at a dozen complete strangers and been hit with dye by even more. I think the single best part of this race was the crowd. Everyone was clearly there for a good time and checked all their crap at the figurative door.

When I finally saw the finish line I started to pick up the pace a little bit and crossed where a volunteer greeted all finishers with a High 5 and a “good job!” It was pretty neat.

I was the first of the group to finish and I hung out by the finish line so I could nail each of the members of my party with orange powder one last time as they crossed.

The whole group post-race

After reuniting with the group we all picked up some freebies including Noosa Yoghurt. I am NOT being paid by them to tell you that is the best f***ing yogurt I have ever had in my life. The people handing out containers told us to take as many as we wanted and I probably took at least a dozen of them. I don’t even like yogurt. That should tell you how good it was.

Before getting back into the car we all changed clothes, shook out our hair and put plastic bags on the headrests in the car. I was pleasantly surprised that there weren’t any stains on my tan colored cloth seats.

My beautiful shoes!

I was also pretty worried about my shoes being wrecked (even though they were my newly “retired” Kayanos), but surprisingly they look practically brand new after a little rub down with a baby wipe.

All-in-all the race was a lot of fun. So much fun that next time my husband and kids are coming with me. I am going to Color Vibe in September 2013, so that will be subject to another review afterwards. I recommend that any level runner participate in at least one of these. It gives you a little perspective and perhaps a little ego boost regardless of your level because the course is so beginner friendly.

When I got home I stripped (imagine my shock when there was orange powder in my underwear when I undressed (?!?!)) and hopped in the shower. The dye easily came out of my hair and off of most of my body. That being said my armpits had a faint purple tinge, under my nails were grey, I had pink stains on my face and my snot was technicolor. Sorry, no pictures of that! Luckily my skin (both on my face and under my arms), nails and snot have all returned to normal, but my opinion of “fun runs” or “color runs” may never be the same.

Xoxo,

Mimi

July 4th Trail run and my Live Ultimate Race Pics!

Happy 4th of July everyone. What better way to celebrate the birth of our nation and freedom we all enjoy than to hit the trails or pavement today? I can’t think of one.

It is set to be a real scorcher in the Bay Area today and I was planning to hit the trails for my first ever trail run . I’ve run “trails” here and there, but for only very small snippets of my overall run. I’ve never set out with my trail running shoes and the intention of devoting my entire run to a real honest to goodness trail, but today I did.

I researched the local trails to find one that I thought would be suitable to break my trail running cherry and break in my Brooks Cascadias (they are AWESOME by the way). I am so lucky to live in the East Bay as we have got a fabulous system of trails that all interconnect. If you were really crazy you could easily run a few ultra-marathons on these trails and never have to loop around or do an out and back. I can’t wait to get out next time and explore more of the trails, but today I selected the Huckleberry Botanic Regional Preserve. 

Sunrise at Huckleberry Botanic Regional Preserve

This “hidden gem” of the East Bay is literally five minutes from my house (be jealous) and the major trail is a loop that goes from about 1-1/2 miles to 3 miles, depending on whether you veer off slightly to neighboring trails. I planned on taking one particular path twice that would have had me out for a 5 mile jaunt. Yeah, that did not pan out so well. See, I got out super early, but it was so hot  (70 degrees at 6:15 in the freakin’ morning – geesh!) and I made a huge mistake by wearing the wrong clothes (I guess I was overly paranoid that I might encounter a tick or spider or something creepy crawly and I decided to wear running tights and a long sleeve top). Because of my stupidity poor planning and the fact that this was, in fact, my first real trail run, I ended up going about 3 miles total. I am so glad I didn’t not push it to 5 because those 3 miles kicked my ever-loving a**. BIG TIME.

The trail is what I would consider a beginner-intermediate trail and consists of rolling hills. It is very narrow (hence the reason dogs and bicycles are not allowed) and hangs on the edge of the mountain (i.e. there is a HUGE drop into a canyon if you fall off the trail).

Narrow section of trail

Because the trail is at the top of the Oakland hills you get some fantastic views. On one side of the mountain you see Orinda, Lafayette and Moraga (LaMorinda to East Bayers), on another you see canyons in the Oakland hills and yet on another side you can eek out a view of San Francisco. The views alone are worth the climb up the steep hills to get to them. Fan-freakin’-tastic.

These rollings hills are for the most part under cover of a canopy of trees – live oaks and bay laurels – and are lined with ferns and faunas of all species. The ground is somewhat damp because of the level of moisture protected by the tree cover which makes the air under the trees fairly humid.

Good morning Bambi!

There are yet other parts of the trail that are fully exposed to the sun and I could imagine on a hot day you’d be roasting!

The best part of my run this morning? Peace. And. Quiet. Seriously. I have two kids (5 and 1) and though I love them more than life itself they make mornings rather boisterous. There was not a single person on the trail besides me. My only companion was a young deer who I happened to run across (not literally) while I was just about to finish up my loop.

ON ANOTHER NOTE ENTIRELY I got suckered in to buying all of the photographs from my first race (Live Ultimate Quarter Marathon). I just had to. Despite the $50 price tag for digital downloads my husband convinced me I would regret it if I did not buy them. It was my first race after all!

Golden Gate Bridge in my rear view = awesome!!!

Crossing the finish line!

Another action shot

My favorite picture. I saw the photog and nailed the double thumbs up!

Xoxo,

Mimi

My First Race and Live Ultimate Run Series San Francisco 2013 Race Recap

Holy S***. If I didn’t already love running, yesterday would have cemented it for me. I am hooked. Addicted. I am a running junkie.

For those of you looking for a straight recap of the Live Ultimate Run Series San Francisco 2013, scroll down. For those of you who want my own personal details, keep reading!

I woke up on Sunday morning at about 5:00am. The race was not scheduled to start until 8:30am, but I was unable to go to Sports Basement at the Presidio the day before to get my bib and timing chip. Day of race bib pick-up was from 6:30am-8:00am and I am always worried about being late to events, so I erred on the side of being too early instead of late. In hindsight I could have slept a bit longer because I was there WAY early and I am still exhausted today which I chalk up to lack of sleep.

I engaged in my normal Sunday morning long run day ritual of eating a banana, drinking a cup of strong coffee, piddling around a little and using the restroom. Because I knew cameras would be at the race I dressed in a matchy-matchy pair of running shorts and tank top. I also put on a little makeup and pulled my shoulder length hair back so I could leave my hat at home (as an aside, I’ve been suffering with horrible acne on my forehead the past couple months which is odd for me as I generally have pretty clear skin – I finally figured out it was from my hats and visors – duh!).

5:45am Race Day Morning

By 5:45am I was ready to go. I collected my things, headed out the door and climbed into my car. I started listening to my race music on the ride over to get pumped up. It definitely made me visualize running the race and helped me shake off the remnants of fatigue from my early morning.

I arrived at Crissy Field (the staging area) around 6:30am and was relieved to see I was one of the first cars in the parking lot. I made the ten minute walk to the finish line area where they were taking care of race day bib pick ups. By this time I was starting to get a little antsy/nervous. I did not go with anyone (I do all of my running solo and don’t really know any “runners”) and I felt a little lost. Thankfully there was no line to get my bib and I was able to go back to my car and relax to calm my nerves a bit.

Because I got there so early I had a LOT of time to kill. After I finished attaching my bib (#1606!) and my timing chip, I sat in my car listening to talk radio and fiddling around with my cell phone for a good 45 minutes.

I finally decided to make my way over to the starting line area at about 7:30am. I scoped out the port-a-potties and decided to use them while they were still clean and there was a relatively short line. I used the “hover” method and held on to the handle on the inside of the door. I highly recommend the hover method for all you ladies out there because those port-a-potties were unpleasant even that early in the day. You men are so lucky!

Crissy Field – San Francisco

I stood around listening to music on my iPhone and people watching for the next 30-45 minutes. It was a beautiful day in the city and I was having a great time just relaxing and zoning out.

It was somewhere around 8:00am when I realized that we were getting close to gun time. More and more people began crowding into the starting line area and the parking lot/port-a-potty area where I was waiting. I saw the lines growing for the port-a-potties and decided to go one last time. I looked for the line with the most men in it because I’ve heard those lines move the quickest. After waiting for what felt like an hour (but was more like ten minutes) I finally had my turn. When I came out it was close to 8:15am.

I looked for the pacers who were supposed to be available during the race. I scanned the crowd several times over. I know they were there, but did not see a single one. Oh, well. Maybe next time they will be easier to identify.

I waited about 100 yards back from the official starting line and saw the crush of people moving forward. I am not a super fast runner (I estimated I would run a 10:00 mile pace) and so I hung back. Eventually someone came on a microphone and started talking about something or another and the crowd erupted into cheers. I can only assume the guy’s job was to get the crowd fired up because I could not hear a word he said. Then, out of nowhere, I hear “30 seconds until gun.” That’s when I really got nervous and started trying to get my RunKeeper app ready. I felt butterflies in my stomach and began breathing slow and deep to help steady my nerves.

Then the final countdown – 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 – GO!!!! It took me about a minute or so to reach the starting line and off I went! I find it to be challenging pacing myself at times and I had to continually repeat my inner mantra “start slow, finish strong” several times. I deliberately kept my pace that first 1/2 mile at about 10:30 per mile. My goal for this race was two-fold: FINISH and have negative splits; So I kept repeating my mantra over and over in order to remind myself to conserve energy for the final push.

That first mile I eased my way into the run. I spent a lot of time looking around and observing other runners – how they passed each other, how they rounded corners, whether they stuck to the left or right of the road. I was getting the hang of this racing thing.

Somewhere around mile 2 I got a little giddy and realized I was grinning like a moron. I am sure there is a picture or two from the race where I look like a space case smiling and bouncing along like a weirdo. Can’t wait to see the official race pictures to see if my suspicions are correct. I will definitely share the photos here when they are ready.

Miles 3 and 4 went by so fast I did not even realize I was half way done with the race.

Around mile 5 (at least I think it was mile 5) I felt my energy waning a little so that’s when I started saying my other mantra: “mind over matter” over and over again. Between “start slow, finish strong” and “mind over matter” I had all bases covered and felt pretty good.

Post-race glory!

At the 6 mile marker I saw the finish line. I started to speed up a bit to around a 9:00 pace. When the finish line was about 200 yards out I kicked it into high gear and full out sprinted for the finish line. I threw up my arms as I crossed and felt awesome!

Armed with my shiny new finisher’s medal (draped around my neck) I strolled through the grass by the waterfront and had my fair share of coconut water, iced tea and other post-race goodies. I was shocked how many people I saw bogarting Zico and granola bars like they were at a buffet. I deliberately took one of each thing and made sure to leave the rest for other racers. There were quite a few people still running and walking when I was done and I will bet that someone ended up getting shafted because of the obviously greedy and/or gluttonous jerks hoarding all the swag.

I left and headed back to my car feeling pretty good about myself. It was a great first race and has made me even more sure that I am absolutely head over heals in love with running!

I finished at 1:02:44. My pace was 9:35 per mile. Not the best I could have done, but better than my bottom line goal of 10:00/mile. I placed 295/888 overall, 135/590 for women and 58/243 for my division. Not too shabby for my first race. As for my second goal – negative splits – I did pretty well there too:

Mile 1: 10:14

Mile 2: 9:43

Mile 3: 9:26

Mile 4: 9:14

Mile 5: 9:22

Mile 6: 9:13

Mile 7: 8:49

Now to get down to the nitty gritty – aka THE RACE RECAP!

THE ORGANIZATION: The Live Ultimate Race Series is based out of Florida, but over the past year or so they’ve been trying to establish a presence on the West Coast with San Francisco being the latest city added to the roster. This year’s race was the inaugural event in San Francisco and two distances were offered – a 5k (3.1 miles) and a quarter marathon (6.55 miles). I opted for the QM. The race benefited the Live Ultimate End Child Hunger Initiative and was sponsored by Whole Foods, Zico and Verizon amongst others.

THE COURSE: The race was on a lollipop route where the 5k went once and the QM ran the course twice. It was very flat and was mostly on paved streets/asphalt though a portion of the course (perhaps 1/2 mile or so) was on gravel. The starting line was located on Old Mason Street and turned left through Crissy Field onto the pathway that ran along the shoreline, turned around at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge and ran back along Old Mason to the starting point.

Course Map

The entire course was in the sun and on a hot day (like Sunday was) you most definitely could roast. Fortunately there was a good breeze while running along the water.

One HUGE complaint I have about the course was the mile markers and lack thereof. I saw markers for miles 1, 2, 4 and 6, but nothing for 3 or 5. I had planned on starting to speed it up around mile 5, but because I did not see the mile marker I just plumb forgot. And the marker for mile 4 was flipped around so if you did not know it was there you would have run right by.

WATER/FUEL STATIONS: The organizers set up one water station (5k passed by it twice and QM passed by it 4 times) on the course. When I passed by the tables I did not see any volunteers passing out water, just a table with big dispensers and tons of cups. I stopped once (between mile 2 and 3). On my first pass by the water tables I almost stumbled on someone because it seemed everyone decided it would be a great idea to come to a dead stop and grab water. I get that it was hot and this was a race where there were tons of walkers and “fun runners,” but come on! It would have been just as easy for them to slow down and move to the side rather than coming to a dead halt right in front of the runners. UGH!

FINISH LINE: The finish line for both the 5k and QM was in the middle of Crissy field and you had to run up a very gradual slope for the last 1/4 mile or so. This is where I decided it would be a great idea to sprint. I went all out. I wanted to stop sprinting about 1/10 mile into it, but there were so many people waiting at the finishing area I couldn’t let up and risk embarrassment. Coming across the finish line your name and home city/state were announced. This is when I threw up my arms like I was breaking a world record or something. I am sure my finishing line picture will be awesome though. After crossing through the finish I tried to keep jogging through but everyone else came to a complete stop. It was really annoying.

ACCOMMODATIONS: The port-a-potties were plentiful along with the other public restrooms throughout the course. I did not use the restrooms after the race started so I cannot vouch for their condition then, but when I used them in the morning they were fully stocked, though still nasty. I don’t like port-a-potties at all so maybe someone more seasoned than I am would think they were in great shape.

Parking was great. There were 3 free lots available on a first come-first served basis. I don’t know how long the parking lasted, but the event organizers sent out multiple e-mails the week leading up to the race reminding everyone the parking was limited and to arrive early.

Public transportation to the race was a virtual impossibility for me. I live in the Oakland Hills, about a 25-30 minute car ride from Crissy Field. In order to get to Crissy Field by 7:00am via public transportation I would have had to be on a bus by my house at 4:20am. No bueno.

CROWD/OTHER RUNNERS: For the most part I will say that I think the crowd at this race was pretty cool. Everyone seemed happy to be there, excited to run and supportive of each other. That being said there were WAY TOO MANY walkers, run/walkers and slow runners hanging on the left side of the course. I thought it was an unwritten rule that slower traffic should stay to the right? In addition there were a ton of groups of said walkers, run/walkers and slow runners that stayed in their bunches stretching 3-6 people across. I am sure I lost some time dodging these folks. I am all for a race being inclusive, but I really hoped people would use common sense and have some manners – there were plenty of us who had to continually weave in and out of these groups. Finally there was this one guy who ran in front of me from mile 2 to mile 4. He kept slowing down, stopping, swerving back and forth, and generally acting like a d*** while he took hundreds of pictures of the Golden Gate Bridge, the old brick buildings, the grass, his feet, rocks, you get the idea (okay, maybe not hundreds of pictures, but more than he needed to). For the love of all things holy – just stop running and stand off to the side so I don’t have to keep trying to guess what you are going to do next!

RACE SHIRTS/BLING: Each participant got a gender specific race shirt (pink for women, orange for men) which was a cotton/poly blend.

Shirts and Medals

I saw TONS of people wearing these at the race. Besides being cotton (and as a result being terribly uncomfortable to run in) I thought it was bad luck/bad form to wear the race shirt before you’ve actually run the race? Maybe I’m wrong, but I wouldn’t do it. The women’s shirt is fitted and super soft. I will most definitely get plenty of wear out of it and I am happy to add it to my lounge collection.

BLING! BLING!

But the star of the show is my medal. The first of many I hope. It’s very different from any race bling I’ve seen in the past and incorporates the Live Ultimate Run Series logo which is pretty cool. I saw on another blog (forgive me, I can’t for the life of me remember which one) that someone said the medal could be used as a weapon. After seeing this sucker I believe it. You could very easily gouge someone’s eyes out with the points of the U.

THE FINAL VERDICT: Will I run this race next year? Yeah, I think I would. There are definitely some kinks the organizers need to straighten out (better mile markers, someone to manage the flow of the water station), but overall it was a very enjoyable race. You can’t beat the location and the crowd was really great. Plus with the Groupon the price could not be beat.

Xoxo,

Mimi

p.s. Hey! I need your input! This is my first race recap. Let me know what else you’d want out of a recap. Was there anything I missed? Did I overshare anywhere? Were my assumptions about proper race etiquette wrong? Let me know!!!