More Tea Party!

Nice ascot, Jim.

Properly tucked pinkie finger.

Perfect Pimms Cup.

Can a dog get a sip?

Drinks

Where's your ascot, E?

Manda attended via skype.

Smoked salmon tea sandwich will be fine, thank you.

Wordless Wednesday

Don't forget

Don't forget how good you've got it.

Striving for Greatness - Mt. Shasta

I am happiest when I am making progress. Progress towards anything, really, whether its planning a vacation, stacking wood, working on our house, cooking a great dinner, running 10 miles, or working out for two hours till I can't walk. Making progress requires a sense of purpose, I believe. Each action that I take during the day is driven by the idea that it serves a purpose - if I vacuum the living room, I won't have to inhale dog hair when I do yoga later on - if I split and stack wood, we'll be warm this winter - if I spend a lot of time planning this vacation, we'll have a smoother time once we're traveling - if I run 10 miles, I'll feel hungrier for the gigantic plate of nachos I'm going to eat for dinner - if we work tirelessly on our house until it's done, we can rent it out sooner and start a financially-independent lifestyle that I'm so desperate for. You get the idea.

This concept is really important to me. I feel really good about my direction, and have a great sense of self-worth, when I am making measurable progress towards a tangible goal. Anyone who makes lists can probably identify with this concept. A lack of this seems to be the source of a lot of my frustration.

Along the lines of tangible goals I've set my sights on Mt. Shasta for the end of the summer. I attempted to climb this mountain in 2006 with E and his brother. We didn't make the top, so naturally I'm jonesing to try again. Here are some photos of our adventure.

Mt. Shasta

Driving to Bunny Flat Trailhead

Buddies

Looking up to the Red Banks from Helen Lake

View of Black Butte and the Trinity Alps

Lunch break

Traversing from Green Butte Ridge to Helen Lake

Green Butte Ridge

Gazing over Casaval Ridge from Helen Lake as the sun sets

Dinner time

Shasta Mountain Guides setup

View of the Trinity Alps from the Red Banks

Snowy ridge

Red Banks - tiny tents visible in a line near the center

Red Banks - stopping point for this crew

Packing up for the descent

Wordless Wednesday

Transformation

Run Through the Colors!

This race report is two months tardy.  That's pretty tardy.  But onward....

E and I traveled to the beautiful town of Nevada City in the sierra foothills at the end of October with plans for me to join my sister in the Sierra Club's Run Through the Colors 10k and 5k.

photo credit onthenarrowroad.com

The colors weren't quite as spectacular as in the photo above, but you get the sense that the race is well named nonetheless.  The course was beautiful and hilly.  The air was crisp and chilly.  The breakfast afterwards at Ike's Quarter Cafe was to die for.

We didn't get a lot of awesome photos from the race, but the pre-race photos are out of this world (?).  Apparently, I think I am way too cool for school.  And my sister.

The line-up

I placed third in my Age Group - first placing ever!  No medals, but the wonderful mountain scenery, challenging hilly course, and delicious "Plain Jane" breakfast special and multiple cups of coffee afterwards were all worth it!

So I ran a marathon...

 Half Moon Bay International Marathon - September 25, 2011

Pre-race hang out.  Waiting for the sun to rise.

Aid station at mile 2.5 before "Heartbreak Hill"

Running strong through mile 20

Crossing over...

Finish line of my first marathon!

Trying to stay warm after it's all over!

Checkpoint Time of Day Chip Time Chip Pace Gun Time Gun Pace Start 7:00:17.47AM 13.1 Mile 9:10:07.0AM 02:09:50 00:09:55 02:10:07 00:09:56 17.4 Mile 9:57:33.7AM 02:57:16 00:10:12 02:57:34 00:10:13 Finish 11:47:27.68AM 04:47:11 00:10:58 04:47:28 00:10:58

Overall: 82 of 111

Female: 31 of 44

Female 20-29: 6 of 7

Giant Race recap

I LOVE baseball, and more specifically, I love the Giants.  I did not start loving them in October of 2010.  No, I started loving them when I moved to California in 2004, moved in with a dude who loves baseball and has the world record for farthest object ever thrown (not a baseball), and who also had a television and cable.  I've always loved baseball, thanks to my dad who taught me how to swing a whiffle bat as soon as I could walk.  Summer evenings after dinner found my whole family in the side yard playing two-on-two whiffle ball until it was dark.  I joined ponytail softball, and then little league where I played as the only female in the entire league until 8th grade.  I can throw hard and far, and hit home runs.  I haven't played much since then, but ball is always fun and always on our summer evening barbecue to-do list.

So that's me and baseball.  Last summer when I found out the San Francisco Giants were hosting a 5/10k and a 1/2, I was so excited.  Couldn't pull it off last summer, but this summer I lured both non-runner sisters into running with me, with promises of Tim Lincecum bobbleheads at the finish line for all.

The Giants haven't been doing so well this half of the season, so we were doubtful of actually witnessing a win.  We watched the Friday evening game against the Astros and won in typical Giants fashion.  The racer's expo was at the stadium that night and it was then and there I decided to downgrade my entry from the 1/2 to the 5k and run with my sisters.  Switching was no problem, but I obviously didn't get any money back.  Bummer.

Saturday morning dawned cloudy and slightly chilly.  Perfect running weather if you ask me.  We hopped on the muni that runs down the Embarcadero to AT&T Park.  We made a quick pit-stop for pre-run donuts and coffee, and continued to the start, located in the stadium parking lot.  The racers started in 3 waves, which allowed us time to chat, mill around and get chilly.  We also passed RIGHT by Matt Cain, my all-time favorite player!  Highlight of the day!

We ran a decent pace in the beginning, and I noticed we were too fast to maintain an actual running pace for 3.1, so I tried to reign us in for the sake of youngest seester.  Nonetheless, she called it good at around 1 mile and put in some time walking.  We got her going again and she made the turn.  She really wanted to walk again, and I told her we could walk while under the Bay Bridge, which was a perfect 1 or 2 minute break.  Amazingly, she made it to the finish line without walking again, and we had a blast.

 

My results:

Overall:	2060 out of 3487
Women:	1138 out of 2141
F 25-29:	329 out of 506
Age/Grade:	37.50% Place: 2084
Finish:	39:29 Pace: 12:43
Tag Time:	39:29
Gun Time:	45:13

39:29 is obviously a huge underachievement for me, but is also a 5k PR!  First and only, baby.  My foot hurt pretty much the whole race, and the whole rest of the day after that.  I was glad I didn't run 13.1 miles, but also really disappointed, as I had been anticipating the Half for a long time. 

And finally, the finish was a major major clusterfuck.  Granted, all my races have been really small so far and I have no comparison.  However, The 5k started 1.5 hours after the 1/2 and 10k, which means a majority of the 1/2 marathoners are trying to cross the finish line at the same time as 3000 mediocre/walking 5k runners.  Combine this with a finish chute the width of the warning track and you have a finish line FAIL.  It took us 5 minutes to cross the finish line, another 30 minutes to make it off the field and up into the stadium, another 30 minutes to get our finishers food, T and bobblehead... not fun.  No time or room to stretch post-race, just stand-still crowds milling in cattle-chute isles.  Oh well.

Post run we had delicious mexican food and beers at the Ferry Building and walked the Saturday Farmer's Market.  Giants won again that night, and the weekend was a success!

Race Report: Avenue of the Giants Half Marathon

This race was a serendipitous event. I trained day-to-day, never knowing if my IT band would flare up and prevent me from racing. After I had to scratch from my race in October because of it, I didn't want to lose another entry fee. So, my training was made up, and my race weekend was made up. The Monday before the race I was frantically calling around to all the Hotels, Motels and campsites up and down the Avenue trying to find a place to lay our heads on Saturday night. I finally found a basic camping cabin on the Eel River about 30 minutes from the start.

Saturday I hydrated like mad, consuming probably 3/4 of a gallon of water throughout the day. I also ate really well, and feasted on veggie burger + curly fries + root beer for dinner. I was worried the greasy food would prevent me from 'going' in the morning, but all was well. I woke at 6 and made coffee and ate spelt bread with peanut butter and banana slices. I snacked on raspberries on the drive to the start.

The nerves really hit when we exited the highway onto the road leading to the start at 7:10 am, and realized it was bumper-to-bumper traffic for five miles. Woah. It took us an hour to go 5 miles - many people ditched their cars to run the 5 miles to the start (marathon began at 8). I jumped out of the car as soon as the Event site was in sight and registered. I had just enough time to grab my schwag bag (nothing to write home about) and head to the gates. I thought I didn't have a chip, and rushed back to registration because of it, and was told it was embedded in my bib. Oh.

10 minutes of milling around and we were off. Cheering and merriment ensued. At this point I wasn't nervous, just ready. I was feeling good, confident, but not knowing really what to expect. I started towards the end of the pack and it took 1:12 for me to cross the mats. We ran up an over two bridges within the first mile. The pack was still really thick, and I was having trouble passing many casual walkers, and was keeping pace with a few serious power walkers too.

I don't remember mile two but I do remember thinking it felt like 4 miles when I finished only 2. After mile 2 (or 3?) there was an Aid Station with water and gatorade. I passed, but realized I was hungry. I think at this point I decided to eat a few sugar coated gummy bears I'd stashed in my waterbottle holder. After 4 miles the Aid station appeared in the town of Weott with banana slices, watermelon and oranges. I passed. I ran for a while with a group of girls who talked the whole time. They decided to stop at the aid station and although they were entertaining, I knew I was going to keep moving. After about 5 miles we passed the first of the half marathoners coming back. We cheered, and the whole feeling of the race became fun for me. I was still feeling good, nothing hurt. Another aid station with H2O and gatorade at the campground. The turnaround.

At the turn I was still feeling great, unbelievably. I was enjoying the run and kept looking up at the ridiculously gigantic trees towering over me, lining the whole course. Beautiful. About every mile, sometimes more, I would eat two gummy bears and swig my camelback liquid. I was definitely hungry but keeping the pangs at bay. I was planning on stopping at the Weott station for a banana and a watermelon. I was really relieved when I saw it, and knew that if I could just eat those two things I would be able to give it a little bit more for the finish.

I ran for a while with a dude wearing sandals. Seriously, sandals. Like hiratchi sandals from the running tribe of South Americans. He had great form, but I passed him. The final three or four miles of the race I was just trying to keep pace with those around me, passing them on the uphills and downhills...letting them pass me. When we passed the 25 mile marker for the marathoners, I thought I only had 1 mile left so I decided to kick it into high gear. I realized I had enough left to bust some ass for a possible 8 minute mile finish.

So, my calculations were .3 miles behind, but it was all ok. I felt like I sprinted the entire last 1.3 miles. Then, they throw in the timing pad that apparently transmits your name +bib info to their computer in advance of your finish so they can call out your name as you cross. I thought that was the finish and almost stopped, but somehow realized I had to continue.

Funny as I crossed the finish line I looked at the Marathon clock which read 2:38:xx and I was instantly bummed... I couldn't figure out how I'd run so slow! Whoops! And the first marathoner finished 15 seconds after me.

We milled around, watched some more finishers, bought last years' t shirts, and decided to head out. We drove right to the Woodrose Cafe in Garberville for a delicious plate of huevos rancheros and smoothie. It was then time to soak my poor legs in the icy Eel River - an ice bath, if you will. We walked a bit, and then checked into our posh hotel on the river which we didn't leave again until 10:30 the next morning.

What an amazing experience!

I loved the whole race, and can't really describe it in as much detail as other long runs because it just seemed so easy. I am excited about the whole event and keep revisiting thoughts of adding another 13.1 onto my current distance record ;-).

snap(s)

First photos ever posted on my blog. Hmmm...

lining up in the gates - it's pouring rain and freezing cold

running just past the Pudding Creek trestle - it's still pouring and starting to hail.