California International Marathon: Race Recap

As I said before, this was a great race. The course was beautiful and although there were rolling hills, there were no incredibly steep ones. And, like the sign on my back said, this was my first marathon. But, I am getting ahead of myself.

The expo was great. As I said in my Pros and Cons post, there were plenty of things to buy, there were discounts and there were samples. It was set up well and easy to find.

The race started at 7 am. I was ready! I struggled with what to wear. I was posing in front of the mirror for hours! Just kidding, I always have problems figuring out how to not wear too much and still avoid turning into a Popsicle. It was in the 30s in the morning. I wore shorts, a t-shirt, arm sleeves, a beanie, gloves and a fleece. I opted to not leave my fleece at the sweat check because I was still cold 20 minutes before the race. I actually did not end up warming up until about mile 8, so I am glad I decided to keep it. My goal was about a 4:20, so I started between the 4:10 and the 4:25 pace groups.

Obligatory blurry camera phone photo

The first few miles were fine. I felt great. I was running at about a 9:00 - 9:15 pace. I was a little unsure whether I should slow down and try to keep my energy or just keep going at this pace and see what happened. My fastest race pace is about an 8:11, so this would not be "all out" but it was a faster pace than I had been doing my training at (more like a 9:50 for long runs). I kept it up until mile 6, when I finally had to stop to pee, even though I really did not want to because there was a line. I lost a few minutes there, but it gave me a chance to take off my sweatshirt and readjust a little.

The best thing about this race is that since I am from California (and usually NEVER run races IN California) many of my family and friend came to watch me. They made signs and wore Santa hats and shook cow bells! I felt so loved! Here is my favorite one.

My biggest fan, Mom.

The plan was that they would be at the 13.5 mile marker, then once I passed, they would get in the car and drive to the 20, then once I passed, they would go to the end. I almost missed them at the first stop. Remember the Relay I was complaining about? My family and friends were mixed in with all the relay runners and spectators. But I did get a chance to give them a high five and hand over my jacket.

But back to the race. After the pee stop at mile 6, I maintained about a 9:10 pace. I still felt great. I had to stop (again!) and wait in line (again!) but except for the stops, my pace was pretty steady. I took my first chew at mile 5 and then pretty much took one roughly every two or three miles after that. There were a few hills which kicked my butt but I really did feel good. Miles 11 - 13 kind of dragged by, because I was antsy about seeing my fans (!!) and I also had the San Juan hills to contend with. There was a nice point right around mile 10 where you run through old town Fair Oaks, which is really cute! You also have to dodge chickens.

At the Half Marathon point, my time said 2:05 (but it took me about three minutes to get over the start line). I felt good about this, since my goal was 4:20 and if I could keep up my pace, that would be easy to achieve. I actually kept up my pace until about mile 20. I passed my family again, gave them another wave and a smile and I remember thinking, "what wall?" Right around mile 21, my knee started hurting and I slowed down and I felt pretty darn tired. I had to pee again and after that, I couldn't get back up to speed. My pace was around a 9:50.

Around Mile 23, as I was struggling to keep my pace under 10 minutes, the 4:10 pace group caught up to me. I thought to myself, "I will just run with them until the end". The pace leader said, "How is your first marathon treating you!?" I told her that my knee was hurting but my spirit felt good. She told me that it would all be worth it, that you only have your first marathon once, and that when I got to the finish line, I needed to make sure I raised my hands in the air and smiled at the camera.

I am not sure why, but that was exactly what I needed to hear. I quit telling myself that I would settle for hanging with the 4:10 group, and I picked up my pace a little.  The rest of the race was run at about a 9:20 pace.

Running down L street - Mile 26

I ended up beating the 4:10 group by two minutes. And Oprah, of course. My knees were a bit stiff but I felt good overall. I took the advice of John and drank a chocolate milk and two waters in rapid succession. 

Finally earned that sticker

Capitol Mall, downtown Sacramento

Final time (still as of yet unofficial) 4:08:27
Pace overall: 9:27 (gosh darn potty stops!)
Potty stops: 4
Family and friends cheering me on: 20 +/-
My first marathon: Priceless

It was pretty good. I was pretty tired for a little while, but felt good physically and mentally overall. Will I do it again? I think so. Afterwards I walked 18 blocks (I needed to walk out the stiffness in my knee) to brunch, where I met up with my family at Cafe Bernardos and we gorged ourselves on Amaretto French Toast with Almonds. Okay, maybe it was only me.

To hear about other people's fitness journeys, stop by Jills for Fitness Friday!

Have you run a marathon? How was it? Have you ever set a crazy goal and accomplished it? What should I do next?

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California International Marathon: Pros and Cons

First off, let me say that I did what I set out to do…I beat Oprah! Hurray! 

source

Now, let’s talk about race pros and cons. The California International Marathon, held in Sacramento, starts at Folsom Lake and ends at the Capitol Mall downtown. It is a net elevation decline; however, this does not mean that it does not have hills! In fact, according to my Garmin, the total ascent was 3600 ft. and the total descent was about 3900 ft., which pretty much matches up to the course profile. 

The course itself is a beautiful course. There is still fall foliage. It runs mostly down Fair Oaks Blvd, which is a tree lined and sometimes winding road. The weather started out in the high 30s/low 40s and got up into the high 50s/low 60s by the end of the race. The race started at 7 am and although you could not drive to the start, there were free bus shuttles from several areas nearby. You could also pay to get the bus from several hotels. If you paid, you got to sit on the bus until the start of the race; if you took the free shuttle, you had to get off and wait in the cold. 

PROS:

Plenty of port-a-potties at the start of the race. In fact, there were probably near to 300 of them. This is a huge pro for me, since I have a bladder the size of a pea, especially on race day, when I am nervous and hyper hydrated.

Plenty of aid stations (17 total). There was an aid station pretty much every one and a half miles serving both water and Ultima Replenisher. There were three places where they were handing out Gu as well (miles 13, 20 and 23). They had the Gu stations right before the water stations, so you could take your Gu and then have a nice swig of water to wash it down, which I have found is critical. I carried my own water (24 oz) because I like to have more control over when I can drink, but I would have been fine without it.

Great race swag. The t-shirt for this race was a long sleeved technical tee. It came in both women’s and men’s sizes, which is great because the men’s shirts just don’t fit me quite as well. It’s light blue (the men’s were dark blue…what the heck), which is not that exciting, but at least it’s not white.

The Expo. The expo was huge. There were tons of vendors there, both selling and giving away things. There was a lot of information about other races in the area. REI was there, giving away money (I still don’t know if I won anything…fingers crossed!) It was well organized and easy to manipulate. I did not buy anything, since I pretty much have everything I need right now, but if I needed anything, this would have been the place to get it!

CONS:

The Relay. This race was not only a marathon, but also a marathon relay. What I did not quite understand is that they don’t split up the four legs evenly; it’s 5.9, 13.1, 20 and the end. Strange. Anyway, I wish that they had this as a separate race. The areas where the relay runners had to swap over was so congested. I think there were something like 1000 teams, so hundreds of people were lined up, ready for the exchange at the transfer points. At each transfer point, there were corrals and the relay people went one way while the marathoners went another. It was just a bit confusing and was a little too much hubbub for me.

Bivvys on the course. As I mentioned before, this is a very personal con for me, since I use the bathroom a lot. I had to go 4 times during this race. Each time I waited as long as I could, because all of the port-a-potties had long lines. At each aid station there were only 4 or 5 potties, therefore making this a con in my book. I think that without the bathroom lines, I may have been able to shave 5 minutes off of my time, maybe more! Or maybe I just need to learn to pee on myself, like the pros.

Walkers. This may be of no fault of the CIM, but what is up with the people walking in front of me when I was corralled in the 4:10 – 4:25 area? Shouldn’t they have started farther back? The race start was not corralled per se. There were only signs telling you what pace should be starting here, but no actual cordoning off of people (like when I ran in NY). I am not fast enough that it really made a difference to my time, but it is still annoying that people slower than me must have started way up at the 3 hour pace mark, when they are obviously not going to finish in three hours. I admit to sometimes corralling myself in a 30 second per mile faster than I normally run, but not HOURS!

SOME STATS:

Before the race started I asked a lady at the port-a-potty line how many people had signed up. She said 25,000. I remember thinking, “Holy &^%$”. Once the race started and I had been running in a pretty thick pack of people for about 2 hours, I assumed she must have been right. The crowd barely thinned; even by the end I was still running alongside a lot of people. Afterwards, we checked online. Here are the official numbers.

Marathoners signed up: 7909

Marathoners finished: 5900 (not official)

Relay Teams signed up: 1056 (x 4 people)

Course Record: 2:10:06, Jerry Lawson, USA, 1993

This Year’s Winner: 2:11:50 Erick Monyenye, USA

All in all it was a great race. I was pretty tired at the end, but I made it. I finished. Stay tuned for the race recap on Friday!  

Have you ever been to Sacramento? What did you do this weekend?

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California Love

Today, as you are reading this, I am probably doing this:

Source: runcim.org via Kyria on Pinterest

Actually, if I am lucky, I am doing this instead:

Source: google.com via Kyria on Pinterest

But most likely, I am doing THIS:

Source: google.com via Kyria on Pinterest

Until the race is over and I get my butt in gear to write a recap, I will leave you with a few photos of What I Did Last Week (inspired by Kim) and a few words from Dr. Dre and TuPac: California...knows how to party! 

I went to San Francisco and....

Ate chicken feet (along with a butt-load of other dim sum!)

Walked along the Marina.

Went running here. 

Danced with this guy. Yow.

Dreamed about buying one of these.

Enjoyed this view.

Went to Ocean Beach.

And the Palace of Fine Arts.

All in all, it was a great week! I ate a lot, walked a lot, visited a lot of friends and got to be in my favorite city!

How was your week? Have you ever been to San Francisco? If so, what is your favorite thing to do in the city?

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Hope Endures 5k

Yesterday I ran a 5k for Ashlyn, Courtney's daughter.

My time was 26:09 or an 8:44/mi pace. It was not a PR, but it was for a good cause. You can still sign up; the race runs from December 2nd to the 6th. All you have to do is go to Courtney's site and let her know you are going to join. Then run the race and time yourself and voila, there you have it. It's not about winning. It is about change and love and hope. Which are all great reasons to run in my book!

I chose the same bib number as I will have on Sunday. Hopefully it will bring me good luck!  I ran around Lake Merritt in Oakland, which was very beautiful. The weather was warm, about 67 degrees!

It was my last run before the Marathon. It is strange to run so little in one week, but that is what taper is all about and I am not trying to reinvent the wheel. However, I feel like I should be running more. 

*******

Today I am in downtown Sacramento, picking up my packet and meeting up with family and friends for a pasta feed before the big day. I will do a more detailed post about this later in the week.

*******

All my bags are packed and I am ready to go. Oprah, watch out. I am hoping to beat you.

Have you ever run a virtual race? Have you ever been to Sacramento? Do you think I can beat Oprah tomorrow?

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26 Miles, 26 People, 260 Minutes

In two days, I run my first marathon. I have been training for a long time for this, both mentally and physically. Most of my time spent training has been by myself. But that doesn’t mean that I have not had a lot of help and support along the way. As I run my marathon on Sunday, I plan to have a person every mile to inspire me. Some of them have inspired me physically, some have inspired me mentally and some are just inspiring in general.

Mile 1: Mira, who was my first running buddy. She was the one who helped me get through my first long run. We used to run along the levee in New Orleans, from work back to our room, which was a 10 mile run. She was great company and a fabulous running partner. I ran my first Half Marathon with her by my side the entire time. 

Mira and I at the Newburyport Green Stride Half in October

Mile 2: Dad. My father was my first fan, and is still my greatest fan. He has sacrificed many a Sunday morning to not only cheer me on but to take photos, run the 5k races and even sometimes jump in to finish the last quarter mile with me. He even brought water and Gatorade for Mira and I when we ran our first long run. 

Dad came in 3rd in his age group in the City of Roses 5k!

Mile 3: Granddad. There have only been two people in my family who have run a marathon. One of them was my Granddad. He died when I was a teenager, but I always remember thinking he was crazy, because he would tell me how he got up at 5 am to get his runs in. Now I know what he was talking about (it is still crazy though!) 

Mile 4: Craig. My uncle was the second person to run a marathon in our family. Even better is the fact that he ran the same marathon I am running. When he ran it, he was also about my age. This is very special to me that we have this in common.

Mile 5: Lea, my friend who always tells me that I inspire her. What she doesn’t know is that she inspires ME every day, by believing in me and being there for me no matter what.

Mile 6: Jack is another CIM alumni and my friend who will be keeping tabs on me and promised “not to make fun of me” if I run really slow. He ran this marathon last year, but got hurt around mile 20. He walked the rest of the way but still ended up finishing. Not finishing fast, but finishing all the same! I can finish this too!

Mile 7: Hal Higdon. He doesn’t even know me, but I used his training schedule for both my half marathon and this marathon and I have felt great the entire time. I may be a little premature in thanking him, but even so, I do.

Mile 8: Bloggers who run are great people. Everyone is always so encouraging, whether you are running a mile or a marathon, whether you run a 20 minute mile or a 5 minute mile. People have given me advice on everything from what to wear, what to eat or where to run. When I express nervousness about a race or have questions about a run, the running bloggers are there for me. For a taste of some of the bloggers who inspire me, go to Jill's Fitness Friday page! 

Mile 9: Bloggers who don’t run are also great! They still are encouraging, even if they don’t know exactly what I am always talking about or going through. They are still there for me when I feel scared, excited or nervous and when I am having either a good day or a bad one. You can see some of my favorites over on my right sidebar under "Some Blogs I Follow".

Mile 10: Lisa, my friend from Minneapolis, who has been a wealth of running advice and support. She introduced me to the Yasso; she has suggested nutrition and hydration methods and products. I met up with her earlier this year to run a 10 mile race in MN, so mile 10 is for her.

Mile 11: Chris and Alan, my second set of parents, who have not only put up with my stupid, crazy, idiotic antics for years, but are letting me stay at their house AND driving me to the start line early (the race starts at 7!) in the morning on Sunday. They will be cheering me on from somewhere near mile 11, so this one is for them.

Mile 12: Bart Yasso. He doesn’t know it, but he helped me realize that I could be faster. His program for intervals helped me become faster, but more importantly, gave me confidence in myself. I was running at a certain pace, which was “good enough for me” but then I pushed myself a little and realized that I can be faster if I just work a little harder.

Mile 13: Grandma S, who always keeps up with what I am doing and is very supportive. Here is what she said recently via email: “Think of you a lot as you practice and then run those horrendous marathons! I admire your stamina!”  So, as I am reaching the halfway point of this “horrendous marathon” I will be thinking of HER a lot!  Also, hopefully I still HAVE stamina at this point!

Mile 14: My East Coast Family, who I got to spend Thanksgiving with this year. We had a great time, as always, and it was great to catch up with them, to eat, drink and be merry and to remember how great times with family really are. My Cousin and Aunt have also both lost weight recently and are getting out more, walking around and eating healthier and I am so proud of them!

Mile 15: All my friends in New Orleans. NOLA was the first place I really ran seriously. It was where I ran my first half marathon and where I did the majority of my “firsts” (first 8 mile run, first 10 mile run…) There were a lot of people there who I was hanging out with in those days (you know who you are). They were my family away from home. They were there when I was taking my baby steps. 

My first Half Marathon: Mardi Gras Marathon

Mile 16: The Race Volunteers. These people are tireless and friendly and sometimes not even runners! They do it out of the goodness of their hearts. Without the volunteers, there would be no races, or the fees would be much higher! They give us water, Gu and directions! Without them we would literally be lost.

Mile 17: My West Coast Family. Many of them will be cheering me on from the sidelines on Sunday. They are great to be around and I always have a good time with them. I can’t wait to see them and am glad that an event like this is bringing us together, even though it’s not a holiday! I just hope I don’t fall asleep at the table during lunch.

Mile 18: My San Francisco friends. I actually got to see many of them last weekend when I visited the city. I miss them and it was great to see them, although I did not get a chance to see everybody. I had a great visit with some of them though and will be thinking of all of them (and dreaming about buying a house in the city someday) as I run mile 18.

Dinner in North Beach. Bad photo, but good people!

Mile 19: Karen and Nadine, my other “mother” and her daughter, who is my oldest friend. You know those people who you don’t see for years and when you meet up, it’s like no time has passed? They are like that. They are family. And they make a darn good coffeecake! As I am eating a Gu at mile 19, I will pretend it’s Nadine’s coffeecake.

Mile 20: When I hit the wall (and feel like crying) at mile 20, I will think of my Mom. She is always encouraging me no matter what I am doing and I will remember her kind words in my head, and she will help me through my struggle. I usually don’t run races near home, so she watched me for the first time only last month and will be here on Sunday to support me once again. Thanks Ma! 

Mom and I at Almond Bowl Half in November

Mile 21: Kara, my friend who has an energy that I can never match. She recently got married, had a baby, bought a house, moved and got a new job. In between that she does about 4 million other things. Hopefully during the race I will have her energy to get me through the wall and to the end.

Mile 22: My honorary nieces and nephews. They are little bundles of energy. They are full of life. As the miles start to drag, I will keep them in mind, knowing that they believe in their Aunty and that I can do it for them. This mile is for the children!

Mile 23: My Uncle Jay, who died of Cancer last year. He fought it and fought it and was very positive about things until the very end. He didn’t let anything get him down. I will fight these last few miles like (and FOR) Uncle Jay! 

Uncle Jay, Christmas '09

Mile 24: My Brother, who is a huge pain in the butt, so, when I am getting my butt kicked by mile 24, I will think of my brother and I will kick the butt of mile 24. I will not let it beat me. I will beat it, just like I still  used to beat up my brother ;)

Mile 25: Mr. Lovely, who has put up with my running, racing, sweating, smelling bad, telling him repeatedly how many calories are in things, talking about running blogs, nagging him, making him drive me places, making him wait for me, making him be the event photographer, boring him to death with talks about running, running shoes, running pants, Gu, the newest fad and the fact that I am hungry (again) and I need my bunions feet massaged. To top it off, all my races are on Sundays (football days). Since I was a difficult pain in the butt to him for the last several months, I will think of him on this most difficult mile. 

Yes, it's a Lovely Mustache. It may look ridiculous, but it won 100 bucks in a contest!

Mile 26: Myself. This one is all for me. I will finish this race for myself. I am going to cross the finish line. I may not be fast, but I will finish. For all the work I have put into this. For setting goals and attaining them. For proving to myself that I am strong enough. The last mile (point two!!) is all mine. I am going to own it.

My goal is 260 minutes, or 4 hours and 20 minutes, which is a 10 minute mile. I don’t know if I will make it, but that is what I am shooting for. If I don't attain that, I will still be happy. I just want to finish. 

“To finish the moment, to find the journey's end in every step of the road, to live the greatest number of good hours, is wisdom” Ralph Waldo Emerson 

Who is your greatest supporter? Your most inspirational friend? What do you do to get through tough times, physical ones or mental ones? 

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Busted!

Did you know the average person gains 5 lbs between now and January 1st? If you are anything like me, you probably ate a lot of turkey yesterday. And mashed potatoes, pies, cookies and stuffing. From now until after the new year, it will be hard to stop. Yesterday marked the first day of a long downhill stretch and a rolling snowball of food, eating, making merry, drinking and hanging out with friends (in order to eat, drink and be merry!)

Those 5 lbs which took only a mere month to put on will take at least 3x that long to take off. So, instead of falling into that trap, I chose to join up with Amanda to take charge of that extra weight. I am saying, "back, vile extra pounds, back, I say!" Enter the Holiday Booty Buster Challenge.

What exactly is this HBBC, you ask? Well, you get points for any activities you do as well as extra points if you eat at least 7 servings of fruits and veggies a day. Here are the point breakdowns.

1 Point per mile (run/walk)
1 Point per 3 miles biked
1 Point per 20 minutes of weight lifting, Pilates, yoga, stretching or abs
1 Point per 15 minutes of low impact cardio (i.e. low impact aerobics, easy biking, skiing, skating, water aerobics, snow shoeing)
1 Point per 10 minutes of high impact cardio (i.e.spinning, kickboxing, lap swimming)
1 Per day where you reach a minimum of 7 servings of fruits and veggies (here are details on what is a serving)

It started November 20, but you can join up at any time. It ends January 7th. You can go to Amanda's page for more info, but there are prizes and everything! Or you can just do it to help keep those vile pounds where they belong! I think that keeping track of what you eat and what activities you do really helps to keep you accountable.

I keep track of my miles using Dailymile and RunningAHEAD, because each one gives me a little something different. Both are not only great for keeping track, but they also give you routes to try, race info and information about where your friends are running! And my favorite thing about dailymile is that it tells you how many donuts you have burned (earned) so far!

In order to keep track of my food, I use LoseIt. I know a lot of people have also had success with MyFitnessPal. You can use this app on your phone or the computer, so it's easy to do it every day. It really makes you realize how much better a correct portion size is as well as what you would rather put in your body, for instance a) a glass of wine b) a handful of cheeze-its or c) a cup of baby carrots, 2 tbsp hummus and an apple. I realized that the cream I was putting into my coffee was adding up to 200 calories a day (yes I drink a lot of coffee! Or maybe I should say a lot of cream with a little coffee!)

So, this week (Nov 19 - Nov 25) I ate 7 servings of veggies every day and I ran 25 miles, so I have 32 points so far. My goal for next week, since I am in the taper and will not have high running mileage, is to incorporate something else, whether it's yoga, or some crunches or a few push ups.

Don't forget to go to Jill's blog to check out the other Fitness Friday blogs! Also, it's only 9 DAYS until the marathon! Yikes! Eeek! Egad!

What are you doing to combat the vile pounds this holiday season? Do you have a plan? Are you going to do the HBBC?

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Come on, Ride The Train

I know you were wondering, "don't you have a marathon coming up in a few weeks?" Or maybe you had forgotten, since I haven’t talked a lot about it. I do have one coming up and believe me, I have not forgotten. Each weekend, I have been dragging myself for hours down a path, a road or a trail, so that I can get my long run in. Every week, four times a week, I run up mountains, over dales and around bear poo, in order to get those training miles in! I was joking with my Mom the other day about how it’s not the mail carrier who braves the elements, it’s the runners! I've run in hail, sleet, rain and snow! Uphill both ways! Barefoot! (okay I may have gotten a tad carried away there)

It’s been pretty cold, with temperatures in the 40s and winds and sometimes snow, but the train must go on. So, how is it going, you ask? In fact, it’s going pretty well. I have been supplementing runs alone with races on the weekends, which definitely makes the running time go by faster. Here is a quick recap.

October 30: My long run of 18 miles was a few weeks ago. It was long. I ran in a place that was new to me and I accidentally ran on the wrong trail, which took me up a hill and caused me to have to backtrack, as well as being tired due to the additional hills. It was also about 75 degrees, which I was not expecting, since I had been running in 40 degree weather. So I had too many clothes on and ended up drinking a ton of water and still being a little overheated afterwards. In fact, I felt a little nauseous, but it must have been the heat factor, because a Frappuccino made me feel much better!

November 6: Luckily the long runs are staggered, so for this weekend I only* had to run 14 miles. I took advantage of this and signed up for The Almond Bowl Half Marathon. It went really well (click link for race recap).

November 13: The dreaded 20 mile run. This was my last long run before the taper started.  I was a little nervous beforehand becuase a) it's TWENTY miles! and b) I was going to visit a friend of mine and had never run in her area. It went fine. Another friend ended up running 5 miles with me and then heading back. I felt good actually, as in, not as bad as I thought I would. I think I am going to live, folks.

TODAY: I am really, REALLY glad that the taper is beginning. Especially since it is pretty good timing with Thanksgiving coming. I couldn't have planned it better myself.  This means that this weekend I only have to run 12 miles and next weekend, I only have to run 8, which is...I have to admit, a blessing. And then it's Marathon time! I would be lying if I told you that I wasn't nervous. 

BUT, in the last 457 weeks, okay 18 really, I have come pretty far. I feel good about that. 18 weeks ago I could barely run 2 miles. Not only do I feel more focused and healthier, but really I feel that am ready for the marathon. I may not be the fastest person there, but I will finish. I have it all tested out. I have my hydration belt worn in; I figured out what fuel works best for me; I have my lucky pair of shorts; I have a pair of shoes that will carry me. I know I can do it, but that good old reliable nervousness is starting to set in anyway. 

So, two more weeks of training and then...the big day. And a lot of turkey in between! 

*OhMyGoodness. I just said “only” 14 miles. That was weird. 

 Are you training for anything right now? Are the holidays going to cause a setback? What is the weather like where you are now?

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Hal's Schedule: Take II

source

"Do one thing every day that scares you" - Eleanor Roosevelt

So you have probably already heard me say this...a dozen times last week...or on Facebook...on on Twitter. Yes, I have been wondering for the last week or so what the heck I was thinking when I decided to bite the bullet and...

...sign up for my first Marathon! I have been wanting to do it for a while (it's on my Life List) but I have had doubt in myself. And then I talked to a bunch of wonderful runners, who have faith in me, even when I don't have it in myself. They are encouraging and strong and they made me feel like a rockstar. So.... I signed up. Then I immediately began to be scared. Are you happy Eleanor?

It's not like I didn't think about it for a while before doing it. 

It's not like I am not ready for the training. Although running in the dark and the cold, especially for 20 miles, does not sound that fun right now, as I sit in my warm room in my pajamas. However, since I had already run a half marathon a couple of weeks ago and have another one scheduled in three more weeks, I fit right into week 9 of the Hal Higdon Schedule of Hell (which will be even MORE hellish now, I bet!) **you can keep track of my progress HERE**

It's the ice baths that scare me. Like we don't already torture ourselves enough.

No, in all seriousness, I think that I can do it, but the training is a bit daunting. The other thing that I don't know a lot about is fuel. I have never eaten a Gu. I don't like Gatorade. All of those sports drinks are too sweet. So, I went to Walmart and got one each of some of the different types of candy fuel (I also have a Cliff Shot, not pictured). I plan to gag a lot practice with them over the next several weeks. I also need to get a hydration belt. I already bought a Road ID. What am I missing?

So, I need your help. Does anyone know of a fuel source that is not too sweet? Any training tips? All you seasoned veterans out there, what should I do to keep motivated?

Also, I just want to say thanks for ALL the support so far. To the running and blogging community, which Rocks and makes me feel so much more confidant that I normally would alone. To my friends and family, who don't get it but still like me anyway (and have already promised to come and cheer me on!) And for the future, because I know I am going to be bugging people about this for at least the next...8 weeks. Thank you!

Don't forget to link up with Jill for Fitness Friday!

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Das Boot

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I don't buy a lot of "things". I usually spend my money on experiences such as travel or dinners out or events. However this week there must be some itch I am trying to scratch, because lordy, I hit the internet hard! So, instead of grabbing a beer and looking what I did this week (inspired by Kim), it's time to grab a beer and: Look What I Bought This Week. But first, a beverage.

Have you ever drank a tall boot full of beer? I have. If you ever go to NYC, go to the Heidelberg on 2nd Ave and get their 2 liter boot-full of beer. To get it, you have to put down a 60 dollar cash deposit. It's that good. I also recommend the Schweineshaxe, but you have to wait until dinner time to order it. It is completely worth it.

So, in honor of Oktoberfest, I give you: Das Boot.  Prost!

 

And now for the ridiculous stuff that I bought. 

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I bought a tent a few years ago and it took me forever to pick it out. I wanted to use it for a backpacking trip, which meant in had to be light (it's amazing what ONE extra lb will do). I was traveling with a friend so it had to fit two people, PLUS two backpacks. I bought a nice little 2 man tent from the REI outlet and it worked out well. However, my Dad borrowed it to go to the Grand Canyon and one of the poles broke. The good thing about REI is, they have a lifetime guarantee on a lot of their stuff. He took it back and got a refund for the full value put onto a gift card.

I didn't want to go through the whole tent buying thing again, but I got an email saying that all the camping gear at the outlet was half off, so I went and got this:

It's a three man tent with an extra door (which we needed before) and it cost less than the other one. The downside: it's 2 pounds heavier. That makes a HUGE difference when you have a sleeping bag and a stove AND the tent on your back! But I think it's worth it to be able to put your backpack INSIDE the tent if it rains! 

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Next I bought a marathon. Yes, a marathon. And YES this counts as "stuff" to spend money on. I think I am in race hoarding mode lately. Since I have a limited (read: a suitcase) amount of space,  and am craving buying something, I am buying stuff that just doesn't take up as much space but still satisfies the purchasing urge. 

Now I just have to train. Hmmm... maybe I should have just bought a new pair of shoes instead. 

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Speaking of shoes, I bought these: 

I have never tried Brooks before, but have heard good things. I just received them today and they are comfy for walking around the house but I have not tried them outside yet. I will keep you posted.

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Obviously I will be doing even more running now and since it is darker earlier and Lisa and I just discussed how sometimes people don't really know where or when you went running, it can be unsafe... I am all for "safety first", so I bought this. It goes on your shoe and has your info on it in case you get injured, since I usually carry little more than my iPod with me on runs. Obviously that is not my info.

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Okay, I guess that's it. It seemed like a lot since I bought everything in the same week! Here are a couple other things I want need (someday). Kate just bought a new camera and she keeps telling me about these things that are so handy and not too pricey!

This bounces the light so your flash is not so harsh. I think it's about 30 dollars as opposed to the hundreds that an external flash will cost you.

Lightscoop

This is a remote so I can take more photos of myself, naturally. 

Wireless remote

 This lens is very wide angle and is cheaper than many of the others.

The nifty fifty

Or any of these, really. (KIDDING!)

Speaking of camera gear, I thought it would be fun to get an underwater housing for my camera. I did a little research and...they are a "tad" over my price range. The CHEAPEST one...was $1400.

So maybe THIS is more my price range. $56 for a 5 MP Waterproof (up to 10 ft) Sharper Image P&S.

So, have you bought anything exciting this week? If not, what's on your wishlist?

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