Candy Monster

Halloween is my 2nd favorite Holiday! (besides Christmas, duh) People get silly, dress up, the decorations are beyond awesome, and we eat candy. I think I have had 10 mini candy bars today. Scrape me off the ceiling please. This is why I don't keep candy in my house. I love sweets, but my ass does not.

Alright chunky and your double chin, after tomorrow...you are cut off.

Happy Halloween everybody! Be safe, eat candy.

Meow.

What Day Is It?

Man oh man has work been NUTS. My business comes in waves and it is crazy right now, which is a blessing in my field...I had a mini meltdown on Tuesday night and woke up Wednesday with my husband's cold that I had been avoiding the past 2 days. Nothing like getting sick when work is busy and you have a race the following weekend.

I was popping Zinc like it was my job, so I think I got the easy version of what he had but it sure is dragging on. A bit of a bummer because with a new running game plan, it forced me to hold back a bit and shuffle some days around.

Here's what I have:

Monday: 5 miles easy + Legs/Abs

Tuesday: 6 miles

Wednesday: 6 miles, speedwork (3x1600 @7:50 + warm and cool) <---- nailed it. 

                     + Upper body (still sore, ouch)

Thursday: Sick

Friday: 5 miles easy

Saturday: 5 miles
Sunday: Long Run Hmmm

Total for the week: 27

I had fully intended on a long run today, but with this cold now in my chest and not feeling really great, I reluctantly skipped it and will run it Monday am. Good times.

A very smart little blogger planted an idea in my head after I posted my San Jose RnR Recap. Her major points:

1. If you want to get faster, run more miles
2. Don't add more speedwork (1x/week is plenty, you will just get injured)

So simple, yet not. 

We exchanged a few emails and chatted about HOW I could do this and if it was realistic...and it is. It really got me thinking about how I feel when I run more per week vs. per less. And really...I feel better running more. I feel stronger, faster, more confident. I run between 30-35/week consistently (give or take depending on my current happenings) and she suggested I bump up to 40-50. A little scary but I think I can handle it. And really, full marathon training IS right around the corner, so it should work out nicely.

So there ya have it. It's not science after all. (well I suppose it is)

The weekend has been pretty great! A dinner date with Wade and a Sun's game on Friday night, lunch al fresco on Saturday, homemade soup and a movie last night. It's been lowkey and laidback, my favorite kind of weekend. Off to enjoy the rest of my WHOLE WEEKEND off, thank you Real Estate Gods.

All Mine

A few new obsessions, found in my greedy little hands and in my closet:

Some new Lululemon in my life...

{Star Runner Pullover. Deliciously soft and that ruffle, adorable}

{Cool Racerback Xtra Long, Ziggy Wee Caspian}

{Bright at Night Short, got em in 2 colors, love}

{MAC Cremesheen Lipstick in Japanese Maple. Perfect shade}

{Mossimo a la Target Moccasins. I'm looking at you, Dad}

{This moto jacket, a steal at Forever21}

{Lia Sophia Eden Necklace}

And these are NOT in my closet, but I really want them to be.

{Frye Melissa Trapunto Boot}

Cactus ChaCha Review

First trail run in the books! I didn't sleep a wink last Friday night, I was so nervous about this run for some reason. I don't know if it was because it was something new and I wasn't sure what to expect, or because I was scared to death of the hills and rocky terrain....but probably both.

Me and my Pops

I had a freaking BLAST!

It was a beautiful morning out in the desert and the race had a really cool laid vibe to it. The "gun" went off and Trent and I headed out after saying hi to several people we knew. The first half of the race was pretty much uphill, rocky and was a "single track" (one runner at a time). I used all my concentration picking through the course and trying to land as carefully as possible. My Garmin didn't work out there so I had no clue how fast I was running and that made it much more fun! I hear a few guys behind me talking about the switchbacks that were up again and I got a little nervous but kept plugging away...the people were SO cool and polite and helpful. I ran with the same group most of the race and they were all laughing, yelling and talking each other through the technical parts, it was really helpful and was something I had never experienced before.

 I focused on my breathing up those hills and maintaining the same effort up as I did running flat, and then let it fly downhill all while still being careful so I didn't eat shit or twist an ankle. Nothing like having someone on your heels to keep you moving forward. At one point I lost Trent so I just kept moving and stuck with Hal, an older, very experienced runner and he helped keep me focused on finishing. I really only ran alone for about .50 of the whole course...I can see how people would get lonely out there.

I was really happy to see that finish line and my Dad standing there yelling my name. My official time was 1:09:10 which was a 9:53 pace. I was REALLY happy with that. My feet, ankles and calves hurt in places that have never hurt before, but it makes sense because I didn't run in trail shoes and I hit a lot of rocks using muscles my feet aren't used to using.

My Dad did the Mini ChaCha (3 mile loop) and I was so proud of him. He is not a "runner"  and was pretty nervous at the beginning. He is currently working on losing some weight (down 25lbs whoot!) so this was a big step for him, and he did SO good!

AND I won a $50.00 gift card in the raffle to my favorite running store, The Tortoise and Hare!

I will be trailing running again in the future, it was so much fun.

A Trail Run Attempt

I'm doing THIS tomorrow.

In an attempt to get my feet wet in the world of trail running I signed signed up for this little race. The distance is short at just 7 miles, but the terrain scares the shit out of me.

Rocks, inclines, steep drops, snakes and of course the HUGE potential to fall down. Bloody knees are a common sight in trail running. Gulp. I am NOT looking to segue into trail running, but since I agreed to pace my buddy for 15 miles of his 100 mile Ultra attempt at the end of this month, so I better get my ass in gear.

This race will be sad and emotional as the Race Director and Founder of this race passed away earlier this year while doing some altitude training at Humphrey's Peak in Flagstaff. He was kind and funny and he was the one who really got me excited about picking out a full marathon last Fall.

But there is something I am excited about! My dad is coming out for this run. And not just to watch, he is going to hike/walk the 3 mile loop! This means so much to me for many reasons, mainly because he wants to get his health and his weight under control, but also, to spend time with me doing something I love.

Wish me luck!

RnR SJ Race Recap

I still have a bit of a wedgie about my performance at the RnR on Sunday. I've been stewing over my race the last few days and will chalk it up to this:

1. I was mentally lazy the last 5K
2. I got warm/sun in face half the race (bad excuse from a Phoenician)
3. I wasn't rested (traveling the day before isn't ideal + crappy night's sleep)
4. I was hungry

My biggest issue really....I just need to try harder. I need to make it hurt, push myself. And that means DURING training and DURING the race. Why put all these miles on my legs and then not see improvement? All of this stuff was purely "me".

Yes, I beat my PR from February by seconds, (1:53:41 vs. 1:53:12) but I have put in a lot of miles since then and I should be making strides (pun intended) in my goal times.

But I'm over it now and it's time to move on. To work harder. Maybe I need to run less miles and the ones I do run I need to really push myself on? Ideas anyone? I am happy I can do this, to run and all that jazz....but let's face it, we all want to be better for ourselves. I do anyway.

The race itself was well organized as all RnR's are. Fast and efficient expo, I picked up and my packet and bailed so I can't say how it was from that standpoint. My biggest beef with RnR...not an option to get your bib ANY other way but picking it up. We had to drive to San Jose twice and that could have been avoided if they had a paid option to mail your shit. 

The race start was uneventful...I freaked out a tiny bit when I saw I was in Corral #3 and super close to the start line. I have only ever run the RnR in Phoenix and I was in Corral #7, which was a HUGE corral for a HUGE race. Not that any of this matters. J-Johns were plentiful and it was kind of cold so I stripped my jacket off and handed it Gio right before the gun went off. 

The course was boring and fairly quiet (except all the cute and peppy cheerleaders lining the course) and my splits were pretty good until I hit mile 10 and then they kind of sucked. Looking at them just pisses me off as I could have hit my goal if I would have tried a little harder. I guess it wasn't my day. 

Now that I think about it, I have never had a TERRIBLE race. I read stories about people having horrible, painful (OK Ragnar hurt) or emotional races but I don't, I just have good or OK and I'm alright with that.

I think my mind was not in the race, but with my friend waiting at the finish line and with the streets of San Fran. I couldn't wait to be done. And when I crossed the line, I was done.

Gio asked me "do you want to hang out, sit down or rest?" and I said "nope, let's roll". She was the dream race crew. She woke up early, had my pre-race breakfast on hand, drove my ass around, cheered me on (I saw her 2x on the course and she yelled SO loud and took pictures and gave me the play by play on all the girls outfits and was very perplexed at the amount of makeup she saw on girls faces) and told me she was proud of me even though I was grumpy for like, 5 seconds afterwards.

The End. 

Actually we went and drank a few cocktails and ate some food...and Matt put up with us for 2 solid days, he is angel because I know we are annoying...

Walked around (Fleet Week in SF is awesome) and caught part of the airshow...

I felt super "fall like" (or Lumberjack-ish) in my plaid shirt and you are welcome for this high quality vanity shot...

I soaked up some Cali sun...

 We watched bad TV, I shopped (hello Lululemon), drank wine, ate pizza and ice cream cones on a street side cafe and laughed MY ASS OFF until I went home Monday night.

 And ya know what, good friends are better than "OK" races.

#8 Done

This will be quick because I have an amazing city to walk around in today (and shop, hello) but I wanted to post briefly and let you all know that I got er done.

Time: 1:53:12....a new PR by a mere 30 something seconds.

I am mad at myself for dropping the ball the last few miles, I need to work harder. I got tired and warm and I never really got into the race, and the course was beyond boring. I knew I had it in me, but it will have to wait until next month. That Sub 1:50 will be mine....

Off to check out more of San Fran!

4 Day Weekend

It all started with an 80 minute massage, champagne and the pool....not a bad way to start if I do say so myself. The JW Marriott Desert Ridge is a favorite of ours, so I couldn't pass this one up.

I bought a deal through TravelZoo.com and it did not disappoint!

My bags are packed, my Garmin is charged and I'm heading out to San Fran tomorrow am - can't wait! There is a TON of fun stuff going on throughout the weekend so I have a feeling we will be busy girls.

(From facebook RnR page)

Busy race weekend, best of luck to everyone running/racing!