#AwareWithPink Friday Five

In solidarity of Breast Cancer Awareness month, here are five ways that I stay #AwareWithPink:

1. Educate myself: Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women and it accounts for 29% of newly diagnosed cancers. 

2. Celebrate life: It is easy to get bogged down in the rat race. I make a conscious effort to tell my nearest and dearest how much I love them. I also spent time geeking out over stuff that brings me joy (writing, playing with my dogs, hanging out with my teenagers, and enjoying the company of my awesome husband).

These two keep me young. 

3. Self care: I exercise 5-6 times a week, schedule regular mammograms, focus on the 80/20 rule of eating healthfully most of the time but still enjoying treats, and make efforts to minimize my stress. 

4. Be inspired: Three women who regularly attend my spinning class have been diagnosed with breast cancer over the ten years I have taught at the Y. Despite fatigue and hair loss, these women continued to come to spin class weekly. That beats any excuse I have about being too tired to work out!

5. Share the message: As a fitness professional, I am an influencer in healthy lifestyle choices. It's an honor to advocate for #breastcancerawareness. This post was sponsored by Aftershokz in an effort to spread awareness about their new Pink Trekz headphones, in partnership with Bright Pink to spread awareness about breast cancer. All opinions and words are my own. I appreciate all of the brands that support the Sweat Pink community.

#AfterShokz is an incredible company with an equally amazing product: wireless headphones that conduct sound through audio technology without obsucring the ear canal. They are donating 25% of all Trekz Titanium Pink proceeds to Bright Pink, which is an organization that focuses on saving women's lives from breast and ovarian cancer. 

Smarty Pants Review

Back at it again, Daniel! Yup. I was selected as a reviewer for Smartypants Vitamins. 

His and Her gummies. Happily ever after...

First, the pitch: The website calls their product the 'galaxies best tasting gummy vitamin.' They provide an excellent source of vitamins A, C, D (D3 instead of D2, btw...which is the form your skin produces when it's exposed to light), E, B6 and B12, plus zinc and folic acid. It contains no high fructose corn syrup or synthetic colors, flavors or preservatives. Non-GMO, too!

****

Most multivitamins are the size of a horse pill in order to 'squeeze' all the nutrients inside them, which are too big for me to swallow. Even after purchasing a pill cutter -- I don't play when it comes to my gag reflex, y'all -- I still was unable to swallow my multivites.

Okay. I don't look like this in any way, but you get the point.

So, yeah. I pretty much have to rely on a gummy vitamin if I'm going to take any kind of multivitamin. Besides, why do kids get to have all the fun? These gummies are REALLY GOOD. They have a multivitamin for both men and women (prenatal and kids, too). I was sent several samples of both -- and despite the fact that I'm not a guy -- I broke all the rules and tried the men's multivitamin; I really liked the sugary coating. They are just like tasty gumdrops! The women's version are more along the lines of Jujubes, but just as yummy as the boy version.

I asked my son to try the men's vitamin as well, and he liked them. Here's his contemplative pose:

Blueberry pancakes, milk and #smartypantsvitamins
Start yer day right!

This blogger's review is two thumbs up! They taste delicious and are a great way to make sure you get your daily vitamins. You can track them down on Amazon's link: http://amzn.to/1SWPLKx 

Star Wars Half Marathon Recap

Last weekend I ran the Star Wars Half Marathon at Disneyland. Needless to say, given my love for all things Disney, running and Star Wars, this was truly a trifecta made in heaven.

Trifecta of awesomeness:
Running, Disney and Star Wars

Originally, I was supposed to run this race with three friends; one friend apparently registered but never received confirmation, and the other two decided that 13 miles isn't half of anything and was just too far to run. [Grammar nerd alert: I just used two, too and to all in the correct context within the same sentence...booyah!] 

A friend of mine since childhood, who is not a runner but shares my deep love of Disneyland, had planned her vacation around this event and we were going to share a hotel room in Anaheim. As we got closer to the holidays, it was apparent that she needed to use her vacation time to visit her aging father. We decided postpone visiting the Magic Kingdom together until the spring.

This left me in a serious quandary about trying to find accommodations three weeks before the race. My sister-in-law lives 20 minutes away from Disneyland, but she wasn't sure if they would be in town that weekend or not. I considered staying with my bestie who lives in Ventura the night before -- so I was at least a little closer to Los Angeles the day of the race -- but it still meant I would have to leave by 3:30am to make the 5:30am start time. It seemed foolish and impractical to drive in the middle of the night. 

This is where I got a little maudlin. None of my plans were panning out, and for a moment I considered scratching the race. 

Mind you, I said, 'for a moment...' Anyone who knows anything about Disney races knows this: they sell out hella quick and they are probably one of the most expensive races on the planet. Plus, if I was undertrained for my last half marathon in November, it paled in comparison to my training for this one: I hadn't run one day since then. 

Uh, oops. 

Running a half marathon untrained?
Arnold don't play.

It is stupid, Arnold. I can only rely on teaching spinning and past running experience for so much, and it's not like those miles stay in the proverbial fitness bank. It is a recipe for injury, and I should know better.

As luck would have it, my sister-in-law called me to say I was welcome to stay with them. I invited my niece and nephew to come with me to pick up my bib and they were completely onboard to check out the expo, which didn't disappoint. 

I had to snapchat this...because obviously.

Future 10k runners at next year's event!

This was probably one of my favorite photos of the
whole weekend: BB8 at the expo...and he was PISSED.

The force is so strong with these two :)
I adore being their aunt!

And of course, the obligatory Flat Babydoll the evening before to post on social media:

I thought I was clever in obscuring my race number
with a mini slot machine. I can't even believe
counterfeiting bibs is a thing. #lamesauce

I set my alarm for 3:30am to eat breakfast and give my body plenty of time to digest my food. I had brought a small tupperware filled with my tried-and-true oatmeal for race day. Believe me, one does not 'change up' the pre-race fuel unless you want to have it repeat on you over thirteen miles, or worse yet...frequent port-a-potty visits. 

Despite a lively discussion involving maps and where to park the night before, I decided to trust the wisdom that is Waze. While I can't say enough about this driving app (real time feedback with incredible graphics and directions), I am slowly learning that there is a difference between being impulsive and spontaneous - neither of which have their place in the predawn hours the morning of a race. Instead of following my brother-in-law's suggestion of how to get to the parking structure -- who patiently looked over the race book and used to work for Disney, for crying out loud -- I decided to enter the name of the parking structure right into Waze. 

Be ye not so stupid.

It steered me behind the structure and right into the employee parking entrance. You know, the one that requires a code to raise the arm to enter the parking lot? I had a small moment of panic that I would miss my race, but it wasn't going to be for lack of trying. I parked in a residential area and a hoofed it in the general vicinity of the Disneyland Hotel. A helpful volunteer at one of the crosswalks explained where I needed to be, 'It's a brisk 15 minute walk from here...' and I was off. This was at 5:35am.

The race officially begins at 5:30am, but because I'm not an elite runner -- we've already established that I hadn't trained for this race -- I was in the last corral. This was my third runDisney event; although I knew it was going to be close, I wasn't completely panicked because it takes a long time to release that many runners in waves. Fashionably late, I rolled in about 3 minutes before they released my corral:

Rolling in right before my corral is released.
It was actually kind of badass.

#represent

Me and Monstro. Storybook Land is my favorite ride in Fantasyland.

Another favorite: Pixar's Rex from Toy Story at California Adventure.

No, really: You da best.

I thought these droids were fixed to the ground, but I was wrong.
When C-3PO saw these two ladies dressed in gold,
he rushed over to them and mugged for a photograph. 

I need this window decal. 

Captain Phasma and Kylo Ren try to sway me to the Dark Side.

1970s Luke Skywalker

I heart R2D2

Best photobomb ever!

This dad carried his son on his shoulders
for at least a third of the race. So awesome!

Anyone who has done one of these races has heard about the notorious 'Balloon Ladies'; the 16-minute mile pacers who ensure the course is closed after four hours. Any runners caught behind them are 'swept' off the course and brought to the finish line. In the typical Disney grandeur, I envisioned princesses walking the course, wearing elaborate hoop skirts made from balloons; gracefully waving to the crowd and tapping on the shoulder of stragglers before being escorted off the course in Cinderella's pumpkin-shaped carriage. 

There goes my imagination getting away from me again.

Prior to the start of the race, I had seen a couple of young 20-something girls standing to the side of the course, each wearing a backpack with a single Mickey Mouse balloon tied to it. I didn't give it another thought, though. And at several points during the race, there were Disney race officials calling out times, 'Four minutes under pace. Keep it up!' 

Imagine my surprise when I dawdled too long mugging for photos along the course and the two young girls I saw at the beginning of the race came up behind my group shouting, 'YOU CAN DO THIS, EVERYONE. DON'T GET CAUGHT BEHIND US!!' I don't know if runners pulled from the course still receive a medal for their effort or not, but I selected this race specifically as my 20th half marathon and I wasn't taking any chances. The last picture I took on the course was, fittingly, of Darth Vader carrying is son on his shoulders. 

Next year, I'm hoping to run the 10k with my niece the day before the half marathon for a chance at earning a third medal. #rebelchallenge

My race review: Despite being my slowest pace ever, this was one of my favorite half marathons. The Star Wars franchise is a little piece of my childhood, and the nostalgia factor alone had me happy from the moment I set foot onto the course. The other two Disney-themed half marathons had long sections in the middle where there was little to see and the miles dragged. I don't know if it was the extraordinary Star Wars fan base or what, but there was always something to see: huge turnouts of costumed Star Wars fanatics passing out Red Vines, and incredible custom-painted cars that had mounted blasters and a R2D2 copilot. There was also a large high school band and cheer squad presence as well, with a half dozen schools represented and encouraging runners and giving high-fives. This was the first race greater than a 10k that I didn't wear my water belt. Although it's my preference to run without something around my waist, I'm always afraid there won't be enough water along the course. The water and aid stations were plentiful, and there were hundreds of volunteers along the course and in the finish area keeping things moving. Good after-race food and electrolyte drinks, too. Great work, Disney!   

Santa Barbara Veteran's Day Half Marathon

Last Saturday was the Santa Barbara Veterans Day half marathon. Somehow I had in my mind that Veterans Day was late November, although I'm at a loss as to where that notion came from, what with Thanksgiving falling at the end of the month and all. Suffice it to say that the race snuck up on me and I wasn't ready, which is a growing trend that I need to buck. 

Packet pick-up never felt so patriotic!

This was the first time I spent less than $5 at a fitness expo. I picked up two Gu for race day (Espresso Love and a new flavor that involved salted caramel) for $3...only to set them down and forget them at the t-shirt table. Whoops-a-daisy! 

Not only was I untrained for this race, but it was mentally one of the toughest events I've showed up for. From the moment I woke up at 4:40 AM to the moment I stepped onto the course, there was negative dialogue going off in my head:

'I should just go back to bed.' 

'I'm too old.' 

'I hope I don't bump into anyone I know; they'll be shocked at how much weight I've gained.' 

'I should quit running.' 

Yikes! That's just a small taste of the negative self-talk that dogged my entire morning. We frequently talk about taking contrary action in the recovery community. If it were up to my head, I would have stayed home...but I knew I would feel even worse scratching the race for no good reason. Honestly, it was almost a relief to start running. 

The one thing that pulled me out of the hate-spiral was my bracelet. My mom gave me a slender silver bracelet about 7 years ago that I never take off. It has a small stamped sentiment on it, 'I always believe in you.'  It occurred to me that this doesn't mean, 'I always believe in you...except when you're overweight,' or 'I always believe in you...except if you run slower than a 9-minute mile.' Always means ALWAYS. It was the tiny blessing that I needed to get out the door and on with my race.

My game plan for the race was to follow the Galloway half marathon training method: 3 minute intervals of running followed by one minute of walking. This proved to be a good strategy for the first 5 miles...until the wheels fell off, so to speak. I was banking on muscle memory to get me through the first 10k, which was unrealistic. 'My muscles have lost so much muscle memory, there's nothing left to remember.' Ba-dum bum!

A polite and chatty crowd right before our start. There was a man 
that wore a giant foam cowboy hat and looked exactly like Stinky Pete 
from Toy Story. It still kills me that I didn't get a photo of him. 

A quick snapchat to my daughter before
I started running. Emoji are life.

Part of my race ritual is determining what I'm going to wear and what I'm going to bring during my run. The night before the race, I convinced myself it would be a good idea to wear underwear with my running skort. Prior to my weight gain, I was all about #teamcommando. However, since I'm the heaviest I've ever weighed, it's not a so much a matter of whether or not I'll chafe as it is where: neck, underarms, around the elastic band of my sports bra, etc. 

I'm sure you see where this is going. 

Despite being generous around potential trouble spots with Glide, wearing underwear was a bad call. I'll just leave it at that. Suffice it to say that once things started going south, so to speak, I switched my run/walk ratio from 3:1 to 1:3. It was bad. 

Thank you for saying so! About a dozen of these hand-drawn posters 
appeared after the wretched switchback onto Las Positas Road.
The timing couldn't have been more perfect.

Despite being served a slice of humble pie -- in 2011, I PR'd my half marathon time by running this same event 85 minutes faster than last Saturday's effort -- it was a gorgeous day and a great course. The displays of patriotism reminded me of how fortunate I am to live where I do, and how grateful I am to my dad and all the veterans for their service to our country.

This gentleman saw us off safely and agreed to a selfie.
Thank you for your service, sir!

The man in front of me wore last year's 
race shirt. What an incredible sentiment! 

I dedicated the final mile of my race to three veterans: my father Joe,
my incredible SIL Michele, and my friend Bob Trimble. 

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous!
The last half mile was stunning and all downhill.

My race review: The organizers changed things up significantly this year by moving the start location onto the university campus. Although I was disappointed not to pick up the Obern trail right at the bird refuge, it was a spectacular course. It was also a nice change of pace, if you'll forgive the pun. Most local races begin and end in the same location, essentially making for an identical course over and over. This new change was well received. Variety is the spice of life, right? 

A month before the event, the organizers did away with the full marathon completely. I'm sure many people who were registered to run 26.2 miles were disappointed by this decision. The race officials offered full marathon participants three options which I thought were fair: a full refund, entry to the half marathon and a refund of the cost difference, or reduced fee for the half marathon in 2016. This race has been called three different names in the 5 times I've run it, and I'm certain putting on a road race is an expensive endeavor. I am sure eliminating the full marathon was a decision the officials did not take lightly. I was pleased with the new route, the volunteers were fantastic and the water/aid stations were plentiful. There was a good afterparty that included food trucks and a beer garden, and the morning concluded with an incredible airshow. I'm grateful to have such a prestigious race in my own backyard.  

6 Signs That I've Fallen Off The 'Clean-Eating' Wagon

For some, this may be more than you ever want to know about my poor eating habits...but if you relate, then we can commiserate together. Here are my top six 'fell off the healthy eating' wagon issues:

1. Watching TV, playing on my phone, or working at the computer while eating. Do other people do this? The reason it's an issue is because while I'm happily playing Hay Day or checking my email, I am missing the 'full' cue from my body. I am much more likely to absentmindedly consume extra food that I wasn't actually hungry for. Since I'm distracted, there is a disconnect between what I'm eating and if I've had enough. 

2. Eating ice cream. I'm sure that sounds nuts, but it's the truth. My teeth have a high sensitivity to hot and, particularly, cold foods or beverages. If I'm eating ice cream, then it's a sure sign that things are out of control with my sugar consumption. 

3. Drinking soda. When I was growing up, my mom seldom bought soda at the store. If she did buy any, the only kind she would get was caffeine-free Diet Coke. Ugh. I mean, why bother? It's never been a habit of mine...until recently. I'm especially fond of all those delicious, delicious chemicals in Diet Dr. Pepper. 

The problem is that sodas and coffee are diuretics. If I had to create a sub-category, it would be 3a. Not drinking enough water because I'm am frequently dehydrated more often than not. Reaching for a soda that makes me even more dehydrated is not helping things along. I recently read a comment someone made that 'soda will be the cigarettes of the next generation.' And they're right: there is nothing beneficial in soda. My trainer's compromise: I can have a soda, just make sure I've consumed my minimum water requirements for the day first.  

4. Eating processed foods. I generally avoid fast food restaurants and hand-to-my heart, my son has never been to a McDonalds...but that doesn't mean we eat clean; white flour and sugars are a part of our daily diet. When I lost almost 25lbs a year ago, it had less to do with exercise and everything to do with what I was eating. 

I recently complained to my trainer about the weight that I've gained back. Her reply was a tough one to read: the reason I can't lose weight is because I continue to bring tempting foods into the house -- that I can't resist -- for my kids and my husband. She said that until I realize that it's no better for my family than it is me and we make a lifestyle change, I won't be successful at keeping the weight off. 

Ouch. 

She's right, but man, did it ever piss me off to read that. 

5. Not eating enough freggies (fruits + vegetables = freggies). The name of the healthy lifestyle game is fiber. The harder my body has to work to extract nutrients from fiber-dense foods, the better it is at stoking my metabolic furnace. Unfortunately, my freggie intake drops as soon as I fall back into the bad habits above. 

The things that work for me are keeping accountable with a food journal, drinking lots (and lots) of water, and incorporating fruits and vegetables into every meal I consume. The less sugar I eat, the less sugar I crave.

What kinds of things make you successful in eating healthfully?

Comfort Zone

I'm not really sure how it played out this way, but in the last week I did two things that were completely out of character for me, plus one thing that is completely reckless.

First, I held a scorpion:

My face says it all.

Yes, it's real. I asked if the scorpion was a 'stingless' variety. (It's not.) I asked if the sting hurt, you know...kind of like a bee sting? (The sting is similar to a bee's sting, except x50.) I was reassured to learn that the scorpion sting was unlike the bite of the brown recluse spider. (The flesh doesn't rot.) I still don't know what possessed me to hold this critter...but I have photographic proof of my momentary lapse of good judgement.

Second, I went stand-up paddle boarding for the first time:

The paddle board rental company is called 'Sup'.
I assume this is short for 'What's up?'

Success! The former headbanger in me often confuses
with 'metal' hands for 'aloha' hands. \m/ \m/ 

There was some concern about a large swell coming in, which made getting out and coming back in more challenging. The rental guy told us that he didn't really recommend it for newbies, but it was our call. I decided that since I had psyched myself to drive down there and give it a try, that I'd better just go for it.

There is a reason this girl doesn't do triathlons anymore; I am terrified of the open water. I enjoy the beach, but I'm much more comfortable playing in the surf than I am going out into deeper water. It was almost better to have a sense of urgency; we were instructed to get into the water and out past the waves as quickly as possible. I was in the water and on the board paddling on before I had a chance to even think. I was so hyper-focused on getting past the waves, I didn't even notice if the water was cold or not. 

My friend Jessani told me, 'You're so athletic, you'll catch on really fast!' Her vote of confidence was very sweet, but I was convinced I would fall right away. My legs were shaking from the adrenaline and trying to keep my balance. I was definitely out of my comfort zone, and it took me a good 20 minutes to settle into some sort of a rhythm. Paddle boarding was one of the hardest things I've done in a long time, but I can't wait to do it again!

And the last thing: Are you ready for the completely reckless and unexpected?

I'm going to Hello Kitty Con in November:

Amy Poehler font: Yeah, that's right. I'm 46-years old
and I'm going to Hello Kitty Con. Jealous?? 

Rock It

I'm a terrible shopper. I am notorious for buying clothes without trying them on with the rationale that I can return them, as if I have the luxury of all this extra time on my hands. 

On several occasions, I have purchased an outfit that I love but that wasn't offered in my size, but I bought it anyway. My logic was that it would be a great incentive to lose 5lbs. Yeah, that idea might be great in theory - but it's never worked out to my advantage. 

Anyway, about a year ago I bought a dress that falls into the above category: adorable and super sporty, but just a teensie bit too small. It's made out of a wicking material, similar to Title 9 or Athleta's workout clothing line. I recently rediscovered it in the back of my closet, and without really thinking it all the way through ('It's a dress...and I'm riding a bike.'), I decided it might be cute to wear in my spin class. 

I tried it on...only to discover that I couldn't take it off. 

Time was getting short before I had to leave, and I finally had to throw on a pair of Lulu capri pants underneath and rock the outfit - just like I had intended to wear a dress to spin class. The funny thing? Since I had resolve to just go with it, it actually looked kind of cute. I got a few compliments, and taught one of my best classes of the summer. 

ETA: I managed to get the dress off myself, but only after I sent desperate texts to my daughter asking when she'd be home to help me get unstuck.

Mountains2Beach

I mentioned back in January that I finally joined a running group. Despite having run two full marathons and almost 20 half marathons, I have never had a formal coach. Plus, this group uses a kinder, gentler training program called the Galloway Method. 

Established by Olympian Jeff Galloway, the training program uses a less-is-more approach to running: two 30-45 minute maintenance runs, two cross training days, and one long run that progressively increased in mileage each week. The long run includes walk intervals, with the walk/run ratio determined by each runner's average pace. My ratio was 4:1...run four minutes, walk one minute.

This was really hard for me to buy into at first. Only three days of running? You have to be kidding. When I trained for my marathons, I was running 5 days a week, and logging around 40 miles a week at the peak of my training. I suffered from bulging discs afterwards, but hey! I was a marathoner, right? The notion of walking goes against every fiber of my being; every time I took walking breaks previous to this training method, it sabotaged my remaining mileage. The rest of the run was sluggish or I ended up walking more than I ran - that is, if I was able to keep running at all. 

The key is to use a wristwatch with an interval timer, and only walk for 60 seconds. During the information meeting, Coach Rob explained the premise behind the walk intervals. It flushes out the lactic acid from the muscles, which shortens post-run recovery time. Also, and surprisingly, it improves performance. A person who runs 5 miles without stopping will actually finish slower than a runner who breaks up their mileage with walking intervals would.     

Coach Rob went on to discuss the basics of running, and laid out all the stuff I had to learn the hard way...right there at the information meeting, for free. Hydration, wicking fabric, and proper shoe fit were all covered. Had I gotten a coach 13 years earlier, I could have spared a half-dozen toenails and much chafing. My apologies for the visual.

I had also hoped that the running group would make me more accountable. Typically, training for an event gets me out running. But as I've gotten older, creakier - and more likely, lazier - training for a race has proved to be less of a motivator. After running fewer than five training runs for my last (miserable) half marathon, I knew the motivation of a race alone was no longer sufficient. I hoped to make some new friends, and even possibly find a running partner. We met each Saturday for 12 weeks, training for a half marathon called Mountains2Beach. 

Warning. Rant ahead. 

Mountains2Beach? The absence of spaces make me spitting mad. I mean, really. It reads like a bad text. You know, back in the day when everyone had crappy data plans? Everyone was limited to a ridiculously low number of characters, and had2resort2usingnumbers&nospaces4brevity. 

The running group planned on meeting in a designated spot prior to the start time. It was so wedged with bodies, aside from briefly running into the other coach, Tom -- who is just about the nicest person ever, and also happens to have the most magnificent arm hair and Caucasian afro -- I saw no one else from our running group.

Coincidentally, my best girl's friend Dana, who ran Dirty Girl and the Warrior Dash with us, was also running this race with her sister. We discussed meeting up at the race on Facebook, and I was able to connect with them. I figured we would chat a few minutes post-race, and then we would part ways once the race began. I was pleasantly surprised that they ran my pace, and we ended up running the whole race together. It was nice to have company, especially during one isolated stretch with an abandoned factory filled and rusty silos, 'Look kids! That's where you go to get hepatitis!' Dana proved to have a wicked fun sense of humor. 

The last three miles were pretty hard; there was so much concrete that my hips, hamstrings and knees were screaming. There came a point over the last mile where we saw runners looping back, but the turnaround wan't visible. For a moment, I panicked that we had missed it...and were actually on the full marathon course. We came into the last half-mile, and Dana's sister Breanna pulled ahead of us. I can say with certainty if I wasn't running with Dana, I would have broken and walked. As my friend Ange would say, it was a ride on the struggle bus - but we finished together with a time of 2:34:08. 

It turns out I did make a new friend and meet a running partner, after all. If all goes according to plan, we'll run the Star Wars half marathon at Disneyland together in January.

Right before the race...Go Babydoll!!

Contrary Action

It's taken me over 6 months, but I managed to lose 25 lbs since July by eating tons of veggies, avoiding sugar and all processed foods and staying accountable for my food choices by emailing my food journal daily to a friend. I looked good and felt great. 

Awesome sauce, right? Right. Except that I've fallen back into some bad habits (not drinking enough water or eating enough vegetables, eating sweets, and frequently getting take-out food). I stopped emailing my food journal to my friend, because 1) it was a hassle, and 2) I felt like I couldn't email her forever. 

I have gained back 5 pounds over the last month. Not only are my clothes tighter, all I want to do is eat the house down. It was so hard to lose weight the first time. And trying to give up sugar again totally sucks it.  

I want to eat what I want to eat. WHICH IS ALL THE THINGS. Right, Scooby?

A lot of the weight gain also has to do with my erratic exercise schedule. In my last race, my training consisted of running only a handful of times over three months. I do not recommend this. It doesn't make for an ideal half marathon experience.



I decided to get out of my comfort zone and I joined my first running club this week with the goal of training and running a half marathon* in May. Although I've run two full marathons and 15 half marathons (I think? I'll have to go back and tally those up), I have never worked with a coach. We will run each Saturday as a group, gradually adding more mileage each week - and then run on our own for 30-45 minutes twice during the week.

And then, I decided that I would register for a shit ton of races:

April 5 - Warrior Dash (San Dimas, CA)

May 18 - Bay to Breakers 10k (San Francisco, CA)

May 25 - Mountains 2 Beach* half marathon (Ojai/Ventura, CA)

July 3-7 - hiking the Grand Canyon (down and out, approx 26 miles round-trip)

August 31 - Disney Half Marathon (Anaheim, CA)

What was I just saying about getting out of my comfort zone? Jebus.

My trip to the Grand Canyon (which will be a whole other post of it's own) is not a race. Regardless, I am going to have to train for that like nobody's business.  

The first and last races on my schedule will be with Girldoll. I am so excited to run these events with her, especially the half marathon in August! It will be her first half marathon...and I know it will be the highlight of all of mine.

ETA: Is it obvious that I am suddenly obsessed with GIFs? I would like to acknowledge Danielle at The T-Rex Runner for all of her help with the nifty GIFs you see in this post. I can't thank her enough for her kindness or support! 

Ten

Over the next couple of weeks, I will post some highlights and favorite memories of my 15 year running career. Here is one of those stories:

April, 2007 - This race was a local 10-miler and one of my best distance races ever. I finished in 1:35. 

A racing event - or any running for that matter, is a tricky wicket. There are so many variables (nutrition, hydration, training) that it's almost impossible to duplicate a successful race. I'll be the first to say that running is a fickle little bitch.

But on that day, running was my bitch. I had been pacing a friend who was running her first 10-miler. At five miles in, I got an endorphin rush and told my friend that I'd see her at the finish line. I took off like a shot and I felt like I could run forever. 

Perfection!  

Pier to Puke

Over the next couple of weeks, I will post some highlights and favorite memories of my 15 year running career. Here is one of those stories:

In September 2005, I ran the Pier to Peak half marathon. It is the most difficult race I have run. Ever. The event takes place at sea level and makes a 4,000 foot elevation gain to one of the highest peaks overlooking our town. It is absolutely grueling. So, naturally - I ran it again in 2009 and 2010. 

The first year that I ran Pier to Peak was my best effort out of the three races, finishing with a time of 3:16:53. That doesn't seem too fast - but in 2005 I was running a personal best of 2:05 for a half marathon, if that gives any indication to the intensity of the course. 

Mr Doll was out of town, so I had asked My Best Girl spend the night. The plan was that I would leave at 5am and she would drive up after the run later in the morning, and pick me up the top of the mountain with Boy and Girl Doll. 

The kids worked my friend pretty hard and weaseled a carbonated soda out of her to drink during the ride up. What makes this event so memorable wasn't the run itself, but the ride home when Boy announced that he didn't feel good - and then threw up all over himself and the back seat. Both kids were crying and Girl Doll yelled, "Why did you have to throw up?! IT SMELLS SO BAD!" My Best Girl pulled over to the side of the mountain road and we all fell out of the car from the stench. 

While all the other runners wound their way down the mountain past us and onto parties where they celebrated their nubile bodies and added another notch on their Pier to Peak belt - I stood on the side of the road, quickly stripping Boy Doll out of the vomit clothes and into a dry, spare change of clothes I kept in the car...you know, in case of the apocalypse or times like this. I dumped almost a whole container of baby powder on the floor mats and back seat which seemed like a good idea at the time - because who doesn't like the smell of baby powder? Instead of covering the odor, it just made everything noxious. 

Dude. Nothing kills a runner's high faster than having to deal with vomit. We drove the rest of the way home in silence...punctuated by the occasional dry-heave.

Summer 1999

Over the next couple of weeks, I will post some highlights and favorite memories of my 15 year running career. Here is one of those stories:

For my 30th birthday, I was 'gifted' a triathlon. Prior to that, I had never raced in any event. 

I was a total amateur.  Until I began training, I hadn't run farther than a couple of miles in my lifetime, and didn't even know how to swim the freestyle stroke. I took swim lessons and trained for two months. The morning of the event, I worked frantically to get the baby's bike seat off the back of my mountain bike. 

I'm not superstitious, well, not much, anyway - but I remember freaking out when I pulled the bib out of my racing packet and saw my number: 1313. We decided that it had to be good luck to get a number like that. And it was. 

I didn't set any records or even place in my age division - as a matter of fact, some tool volunteer disqualified me for crossing a double-yellow line and not adhering to the laws of the road, but I completed it. 

Winning!