yes, 26.2 miles is a long way, but....

Saw this article the other day -- can't believe the lengths people will go to to "win" a race. I'd rather come in last than be one of these folks... that said, no one is every going to believe that I won. :)

11 Ways to Cheat While Running a Marathon

oof

Wow. If any butt-kicking was done at Body Revolution yesterday, it was not by me. I may have kicked some early-morning butt... but Dillon sure kicked mine. I am sore and achy and I have that "it hurts to cough" feeling in my core. Still, awesome...

The other day Athleta sent out this "Finding Your Fitness Mojo" blog post... and I really liked their completely obvious yet also useful tips on staying motivated:

• Get rid of the excuses. No one is too old, too tired, too unfit or too busy to start an exercise program. You just have to make it a priority.
• Start small. Make your exercise goals achievable and reasonable. You will be more likely to follow through.
• Keep it simple. No need to spend $100 month to join a gym or to buy expensive gear. Get out for a walk or short run. Invest in a yoga DVD and do it in your living room.
• Have a plan for the week and write it down. Post it in a visible spot like the refrigerator, not in the bottom of your sock drawer.
• Make it easy to get out the door. Lay out clothing, set out water bottles, pre-program the coffee maker, whatever it takes.
• Pick a goal. Sign up for a 5K race or join a 30-day yoga challenge. Making a solid commitment increases your chances that you will stick to your plan.
• Surround yourself with like-minded people. You’ll be more likely to follow your fitness routine if your friends are committed to theirs. If your friends are all couch potatoes, they may influence you to be one too.
• Don’t lose your momentum. Stick to your plan. The more days that you have under your belt, the more motivation you will feel to continue.

I still struggle with motivation, now and again. So it's nice to get some timely advice!

Body Revolution at 6am...

So I skipped body revolution for three weeks in a row. After agonizing over whether I could "afford" it. Actually, whether I could justify it, I guess.

Perhaps it could be argued that by not attending for three weeks, I couldn't justify it. But hope springs eternal, right?

I knew I wouldn't make it on Wednesday night, so I rescheduled my session for this morning... At 6am.

Wow.

That Dillon totally kicked my butt. A couple of times I felt woozy. Not just tired, but borderline close to passing out. But in a good way. I think.

But starting at 6, and ending at 7 is pretty awesome. I could imagine getting in the car and driving straight to Bothell after, and showering at work. Maybe it is a better way for me to get my weekly session on? Especially when I start my "21 day jump start to fitness"...

I hope that I don't completely seize up while sitting in these conference rooms......

Completely awesome treadmill run!

Was having a lie-in this morning because I am going to the Seattle Interactive Conference today... which means I didn't have to leave the house until 8ish. But then inspiration struck: I could squeeze in a little run!

So I popped out of bed, threw on some running gear, and headed downstairs to the treadmill.

Sometimes I dread running, especially if I have missed a few workouts, but this morning went really, really well. I wasn't particularly fast or anything, but the running felt natural and easy. Really great to feel so relaxed on a run.

The only problem I was was that my treadmill goes into "cool down" mode after 35 minutes of you hit the quick start button. Oops. Once it goes into cool down, you can't add time. So when I needed an extra few minutes for my real cool down, I had to march on place while the program reset.

Still, it was a great little workout, and a good reminder that I am always happier for having worked out!

... Even if I did have to run out of the house with soaking wet hair....

Tomorrow I am going to the SIX a.m Body Revolution class. Wish me luck!

Pumpkin Push 5K Race Report

I've been to a lot of costume parties. I love dressing up. But somehow I had never managed to run a race in costume. Even with all of those Disney races I've run, I've never dressed as a princess, a pirate, or a pixie.

Until now.

Suz was looking for an October 5K and was considering the Dawg Dash. But what with T-Mobile being a sponsor and all, I convinced her to run one of the Halloween 5Ks instead. But which one to run? The Pumpkin Push? Or Run Scared?

Because Pumpkin Push benefitted healthcare for Seattle's homeless, it was a pretty easy choice. So, the date was set. But what to wear?!?!

A few weeks ago Wil and I stopped in at a Value Village in Lynnwood. I discovered an amazing bull costume. Not one of those 2-person models -- a proper costume in brand new black velveteen. Or velour. Whatever.

A padded velour "muscle" top (with sleeves that ended in "hooves"), black tights with attached tail and "hooves", and a headpiece with horns and ears. All that was missing from the ensemble was the bull nose. But that was a minor consideration. For somewhere around $7.50 with tax, it was mine all mine.

But even when I bought it, I hadn't considered the race. I just thought it was too good a deal to pass up.

Then when Suz and I were emailing about the race, genius struck. The running of the bulls!!!!

All she needed was a white top and trousers, and I would supply the red kerchief and sash. Perfect!

Sure, okay, people thought Suz was a matador.... and one elderly volunteer thought I was a Viking (huh?!?), but the literary minded instantly recognized it. Let's just call it a win, shall we?

Anyway, we picked up our bibs, timing chips, and shirts (dark blue... sigh), eventually found a bag check area, and then milled around a little. I was already warm (thermal tights, a thermal top, and of course a padded, velour top kept me toasty) while Suz was shivering when we stepped out of the sun.

But eventually it was time to line up -- and admire lots of fun costumes. I loved this guy's wolf man costume as well as this woman's Hulk Hogan costume. Awesome!

We lined ourselves up in front of the walkers but at the back of the runners... and then with the wail of a siren, we were off. 

We were moving along pretty well when, about half a mile in, Suz got a cramp down the front of her shin. She tried to stretch it or work it out, and ran on it a bit farther, but it was no good. In exchange for her sincere attempts to de-cramp, I did not gore her. :)

So we walked briskly around the loop, then hustled up the hill. It always surprises me how long that hill is! But I think the change of pace -- or perhaps angle? -- helped Suz's leg, and we were able to run for a bit more. Then down the hill, around the last bit of loop, and we could see the finish line.

We had gotten muddled up with people walking the 2-mile loop (no trip up the hill) so we had quite a bit of traffic to weave through... and Suz said she didn't think she had anything in the tank. Even when I threatened to gore her. But we trotted across the finish line (getting a literary shout-out) in just over 52 minutes. 

While we were running (and I was bristling at being described as a viking....) we started talking about other things I might be. And I hit on panther ... which inevitably led to Panthro. Thundercats, ho!!!! (So I've got next year's costume sorted, then...)

No more races scheduled for this year... but I can imagine doing either the Jingle Bell Run and/or the 12Ks of Christmas... even if that will almost certainly cause it to snow...

Things I learned today...

Highbrow, lowbrow -- I learned several things today.

1. St. Crispin is the patron saint of cobblers (and tanners and saddlers, etc.) Now, I'm not a cobbler, but I do work for a shoe manufacturer, so I have decided to feel a kinship. And it's a good excuse to watch Branagh's Henry V and the St. Crispin's Day speech (here mislabeled as "Eve of Saint Crispin's Day". We few, we happy few...



2. It is very, very difficult to run while wearing a bull costume. I'm going to have to do some major modifications of the headpiece. And I nearly suffocated from the nose.

3. It is amazing how quickly one can become ill while running 8-minute miles on a treadmill after two pints of beer, some tater tots, and some hummus. I might have been able to manage the bull costume had I not been fighting the urge to throw up.

Let's just leave it at that, shall we?

Oh, except for the fact that I am now feeling semi obsessed with running a race on St. Crispin's Day sometime... looks like I'll probably have to wait until 2014 for a Saturday, October 25. :)

Wil's back on his feet!

With the Tinker Bell Half Marathon now just 14 weeks away, and with Wil's foot officially healed (yay!), we decided it was time to start running again. We were just going to run around the neighborhood, but as we walked down 67th I noticed that the gates were open to the school track. I've wanted to run on that track ever since they resurfaced it, but have never been able to. (It always seems to be either locked up or in use.) So Wil suggested we just plod around the track as our first run in months.

Well, you know how uneventful a track run is -- we went round and round and round. Like Nascar, only much slower. We kept to the outside of the track, swapping lanes halfway through.

Wil being Wil, he is of course in better shape than I am despite having not run since June. But it was good to be back out there with my running buddy!

Haller Lake Run

Had a nice run with Suz in her hood this morning. Of course, I had forgotten that it would be pitch black at 7 when we started... But we set off and ran a loop around the invisible lake. A nice three miles with Suz!!!

Denver Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon Race Report

After two days on my feet at the expo, I was pretty beat. So I was more than a little worried about the race. But al I could do was get to the start and try to get to the finish. My goal for this event? To finish. And as a stretch goal, to finish under 3 hours. Not normally much of a stretch, but since I was liming on my way to the start, I figured I would just see what happened.

My hotel was about a 5-minute walk from the starting area, but I decided to get over there a half hour early to say hi and goodbye to Tara and the Gurus. Tara was very sweet and thrilled to hear that I (and Wil) would love to go to another event some time, if possible. She also gave me a VIP area wristband – sweet.

The sun had just started to come up when the race got underway. Rather than fight my way back to the corral, I just stood out of the way toward the front and stepped in when my corral (lucky 13) came forward. Clever clever me.

It was really really cold – 40 degrees – but the sun was up and the sky was brilliant blue. I had layered – jog bra, tank top, arm warmers, a long-sleeve thermal top, and my running vest. I also had a “disposable” top and sweats, which I took off when I entered the corrals. I had fretted about the vest – but in the end I was cold throughout the race, so I’m glad that I had it for the windbreaking warmth.

Suddenly, we were off. Wil advised me to go out at 3:1s – because that had been so successful in Seattle. But it was really hard going from the very beginning. I found myself gasping for breath (I often have a hard time breathing in Seattle cold), and I started a dry, hacking cough. I also had a bunch of different pains – or perhaps just one pain moving up and down my left leg. First my hip, then my knee, then my foot, then a really sharp pain where my bone bruise is. But I plodded along.

The course was pretty – we passed the stadiums, ran through old neighborhoods, and then entered a park… where we spent mile after mile winding around. It was a little odd – at one point, I could see groups of people running to the left, to the right, and to the left. It’s somewhat dispiriting to realize that you’ll be running back and forth. But it was a very nice park.

At mile 7 I felt pretty awful, and sent Wil a text message from a porta potty. “Only at mile 7. Grim. :(“ But I just kept going… slowly…

Finally we left that park, and ran towards another park at mile 10. Just before the entrance, we arrived at the Dude, straddling the course. He always makes me happy – and I was happy to be only a 5K away from the finish.

Still, by this point I was essentially limping and shuffling along – but I knew that I would finish (unless something really awful happened) , and that, so long as I didn’t dawdle, I would finish under 3 hours. Trust me, this was an accomplishment today.

At the full / half split, I saw a couple of marathoners – and couldn’t help thinking how happy I was to only have 2 miles left – not 15. Wow.

The last mile or so we passed the original Wax Trax record store (lovely), somewhat near Molly Brown’s house (apparently), and – wait for it – the ORIGINAL Quizno’s. Who said the course wasn’t scenic?!?

Turned right and was running straight toward the golden dome of the Capitol building – hooray! A volunteer said “You’re point two of a mile from the finish, and it’s all downhill! Honest!!!”

Not that I believed her… until we made a left turn and I could see the finish. So even though I really didn’t have anything in the tank, I ran as fast and as hard as I could to the finish. Not pretty – just pretty grim. 2:56:11. And possibly the most difficult half I have ever completed.

I went through the finish area – nicely organized distribution (not that there were a lot of people there!!!!), a pretty medal, and then I was out. I headed over to the VIP area, where I had been promised a mimosa. The very nice lady behind the bar poured me a glass of champagne with a splash of orange juice (“You earned it!!!”), and I helped myself to a belated breakfast.

A little while later they announced the winners, and then announced the band. I wasn’t really listening, so I assumed it was just an opening band. But they sounded okay, so I wandered up to the terrace to watch. Imagine my surprise when they launched in to “I Can’t Get Enough of You Baby” – at which point, I turned to the guy next to me and said, “Umm, is that actually Smashmouth?” Apparently, yes.

Two mimosas and 30 minutes of Smashmouth later, I was ready to head back to the hotel. I stopped at the Give Your Soul tent and exchanged my slightly tired Trance 10s for a pair of Brooks Run Happy flip-flops – and the nice people in the tent were thrilled. I hobbled back to the hotel (not the most comfy or supportive of footwear…), where I got cleaned up, packed, and even had a short nap before checking out.

The race – and the trip in general – was really hard going… but it was a great first experience! And I am already scheming to see what race(s) I can go to next year.

Denver Rock 'n' Roll Expo

Oof. I'd like to go on record by saying that I have NEVER thought that working a race expo was easy. The set up was actually the easy part -- we were moving around, hustling. But while the race expo was open, we were just standing on concrete floors... and (this is the very hard part).... being NICE to people. My feet and lower back are killing me!

Expo was cool -- interesting to see the "backstage" areas and how things were organized. I chatted with some of the other vendors, especially with a very nice man from Run Disney. He was glad to hear that we had gotten in to the Tinker Bell Half before it sold out -- me too. It's amazing how quickly the Disneyland races sell out.

I never felt that the expo got super busy, or super crowded. We heard that this race had about 15,000 registrants, and 80% of them are local. Not sure how many people picked up their packets -- apparently the weather was really bad just 40 miles south of here, so some people may have just decided to def it rather than fight through snow.

I think I would have preferred it busier, so as to make time go by faster... but time passed just fine. I liked that the expo / event crew were all cool, nice people -- and it was fun to spend some time with the gurus. And most of the customers were nice. That said, I spent a lot of the day with a banging headache, feeling a little sad, and missing Wil and the kitties.

But it's 7:24 and I'm already back in the room, having some dinner (pesto noodles, a tomato and cucumber salad) and getting ready to have a bath. Just checked the weather report for tomorrow -- it's supposed to be "much warmer" than today -- which is good, because it was really, really cold today! Still, I'll be in capris and long sleeves... and perhaps even arm warmers.

Tomorrow is going to be tough... but I decided to pamper myself a bit and book "stretch" seating on the plane ride home. It also means I'll be off the plane quickly (not in the 3rd from last row...) and first on. Yay me!