My Bucket is Half Full

It's funny, if you asked me what was on my fitness bucket list a year ago, my main one would have been:

To run a marathon.

Period. A marathon. It seemed like something that I would do...in the future...in a long time...later...when I was faster or stronger.  Little did the me of June 2011 know, but that marathon was closer than I realized. I am not going to say it was an easy journey to get there, but I definitely underestimated myself. Running my first marathon made me realize that I was stronger, more determined and could do more than I give myself credit for.

So now my list of hopefuls fitness-wise is a lot longer. I may not get to all of them, but it's fun to dream, and I know I will do many of them! The list keeps growing as I find out about new, fun things, so there will always be things on it that I am wishing for, striving for, working toward and checking off!

1. A Marathon: The goal to run "a marathon" has become a new thing entirely. The new goals are to:

Source: google.com via Kyria on Pinterest

- BQ (and run Boston, of course)
- Run a destination marathon -- Paris, The Great Wall, The Inca Trail
- Run a marathon in every state

2. Trail Running: I have found that I like running trails more than I like road running. I have been a hiker all my life, so trail running, and racing, combines two of my favorite things...and gummy bears!

Source: google.com via Kyria on Pinterest

- Run a 50k
- Run a 30k
- Run the Rim to Rim to Rim
- Run the Western States 100

3. Hiking: Like I said, hiking has always been a part of my life and some of these things have been on my list for a while. Others are new. There will always be another trail I want to hike!

Source: milfordtrack.net via Kyria on Pinterest

- Hike the Milford Track (New Zealand)
- Thru Hike the Pacific Crest Trail
- Thru Hike the Continental Divide Trail
- Thru Hike the Appalachian Trail
- Hike Mt. Washington (NH)
- Hike the 7 Summits
- Hike in Colorado (I am not sure where yet -- any tips?)
- Continue to hike the US High Points (so far, I've hiked to the top of 4 out of 50) 

4. Other: There are always non-running and hiking things as well!

Source: google.com via Kyria on Pinterest

- Learn to Surf
- Do a handstand for 30 seconds
- Do a plank for 5 minutes
- Learn to Kite Surf
- Compete in a triathlon
- Buy a bike and ride it

There are many, many more on my list, and I could go on forever, but I want to hear from you guys. What is on your fitness bucket list? What have you already done that you think I should add to mine? 

You can find more of my fitness bucket list on Pinterest. Also, don't forget to go cver to Jill's  for more Fitness Friday inspiration!

Bay Area Ridge Trail

Recently, I found out about a gem in my own back yard. Literally, it's about 3 miles from my house (in Oakland). In my book, that is walking distance (in case it's not, there is a bus). It's called the Bay Area Ridge Trail. It's 325 miles of trails around the San Francisco Bay, with a proposed future distance of 550 miles, as you can see from the map below. I think this is great, since I grew up living ON the Pacific Crest Trail (2,663 miles from Mexico to Canada, through CA, OR and WA) and hiking, hikers and trails have always been a big part of my life.

I decided then and there that I was going to try to hike, walk, or run as much of it as I can. I found a trail tracker, where you can track your miles.

So, right now, since I am was living in Oakland, I started out with a few sections near my house. It was beautiful. The first day, I went for a 17 mile out and back trail run, which included sections of redwood forests and open grassland and had views of the bay area, including San Francisco and the headlands beyond. It was great. The only downside was that I took a wrong turn around mile 4 and ended up running through a grassland area (for about 8 miles. Oops). I only realized I was lost when I wasn't arriving at my destination when I thought I was supposed to.  Day 1: Skyline Gate to Robert Sibley, including sections of Redwood Regional Park,  Huckleberry Botanical Garden Preserve and Robert Sibley Volcanic Preserve. (4.3 miles)

Tilden Regional Park

The next day I took a walk with my friend and then ran back to the house via the trail I was supposed to have used the day before instead of getting a ride back with her. The walk was on a nice flat path and the run was a lot of ups and downs on a single track with some really good views of the Bay. I got lost once but followed, stalked was helped by an older gentleman with a 100 miler shirt on. Day 2: Nimitz Way to Robert Sibley, including sections of Robert Sibley and Tilden Regional Park. (5 miles)

Robert Sibley

On the third day, I was going to meet up with my friend for a walk at 9 a.m. I decided to run from my house to meet her. From what I could tell, it was about 9 miles. I left at 7, which should have given me plenty of time. However, you may have guessed this already, but I got lost. I ended up doing an extra 2 miles, rounding out this run at 11 miles (but only 9 of it was on the BA Ridge Trail) Day 3: MacDonald Staging Area to Procter Staging Area, including Redwood Regional Park and Anthony Chabot Regional Park. (9.1 miles)

Chabot Regional Park

Total to date: 18.4 miles**

**I will have to do a more through calculation later, because I have also been on some additional portions of this trail without even knowing it (see stars on map above).

So, the general theme of the Bay Area Ridge Trail Exploration Project (that is the official name and has been approved by the FDA and the USDA) is my getting lost. I am not sure if it's my map reading skills or my navigation skills, or their lack of signage/good maps. Or all four maybe? I have had a lot of fun finding out the routes and making a point to try a new route, rather than the same one that I always do and am comfortable with.

I think it's a great way to see new areas near my home as well as to push my boundaries a little bit. I also feel that it keeps running FUN (or hiking/walking). And the views have been fabulous! I also love the fact that within the city there are such beautiful green spaces. It's like you are all alone running along a trail. I barely saw any other people and there are rarely even commercial structures in view. I can't wait to try some of the other sections!

Do you have any hiking trails near your house? Have you ever done any hiking on the PCT, Appalachian or Continental Divide Trails? Do you like to try new running/hiking/walking routes or do you stick to the tried and true?

Getaway For a Day

I travel a lot. I live out of hotels for anywhere between 150 - 350 days a year, mostly for work. I would like to say that all hotels are equal, but that is definitely not the case. Some of them are nice; some of them are not so nice. I am a bit spoiled; I admit it. It's amazing how you tend to start choosing hotels based on the bed, the breakfast buffet, the soap, the front desk staff...the list goes on. Here is my usual criteria. 

1) Location: Is it good? Can you walk around easily? Is there a good place for dinner nearby? 2) Staff: First impressions are everything. When I walk up to the check-in desk, I judge the staff right away based on how the front desk person acts. 3) Room: Is the bed comfortable? Is the room bright enough? Are the sheets soft (this is the one that really makes me keep coming back.)? Is there enough room for two people or do you feel like two sardines in the room? How's the view?  4) Amenities: This includes pool, gym, free breakfast, happy hour, welcome gift etc. 5) The Hotel: Is there a hang out area in the main lobby? How are the bars and restaurants?

Mr. Lovely and I took a trip to San Jose last weekend to stay at the Hotel Valencia Santana Row. The Hotel, as the name states, is located on Santana Row, which is home to more than 100 restaurants (like LB Steak and Maggiano's Little Italy) and stores (such as Anthropologie and Lululemon Athletica). I had never been to Santana Row before; in fact I have only been to San Jose a couple of times and Mr. Lovely has never been, so it was a fun way for both of us to explore a new area.

We arrived in the afternoon and checked in. The front desk staff was very nice. Our room was very large and had a really nice balcony with a view of Santana Row. You know me, the first thing I went and checked out was the pool and the gym! I knew I was going to have an indulgent night and wanted to get my run in early. The gym was fantastic. It had french doors that you could open up to a balcony, so you could see the view while you were running. It also had 4 treadmills and a few elliptical, as well as weights, exercise balls and other assorted items. There were towels and cold water and oranges for after. 

Our room (source)

After I finished my run, we started off our stay by relaxing and having a couple of glasses of wine, which was our welcome gift from the hotel. After that, we wandered around the Row, which was quite busy. It seems to be the place to be, to see and to been seen on a Friday night! 

For dinner, we walked to the nearby White Shallot, which is a French Vietnamese restaurant. Everything was delicious, but the best thing was the dessert! We had a the Cafe Gormand, which was a trio of desserts, featuring chocolate cake, an almond tart, and a vanilla bean panna cotta. I am a sucker for a good panna cotta, and this one was no disappointment! We also had the tofu custard with coconut creme, which I loved but Mr. Lovely was so-so about. I think if he wouldn't have known about the tofu, he may have liked it more. 

We went back to the hotel and went to sleep on the (very comfortable with the softest sheets EVER) king sized bed (heaven). The next morning we had a complimentary continental breakfast at Citrus, one of the the hotel's restaurants. Sometimes when you get a  continental breakfast, it is just some bread and jam and coffee, but this was a great spread. There were pancakes, oatmeal, omelets, tons of pastries and fresh fruit and a cured meat plate with tons of meats and cheeses! I have to admit, I only tried the fruit and an omelet, but thanks to Mr. Lovely, we tried one of everything and the verdict was that everything was great! 

After breakfast, we wandered around the shared spaces of the hotel. The main level had a great outdoor sitting area with fountains. The pool and hot tub were up on the 5th floor and had a great view. After finishing our self tour, we settled down in our room to watch the Euro cup before heading home. This rounded out our stay nicely (except that Portugal lost). My only regret was that we didn't have more time. We could have easily stayed longer! 

The outdoor courtyard (source)

  

Do you ever take a day to get away from home, even if the getaway is close to home? What criteria do you look for in a hotel? 

*Disclaimer: I received this room for free in return for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Currently: June

Current Book - The Night Circus -- Erin Morgenstern  (so far, I am LOVING it) 

Current Celebrity Crush - Ibrahim Afellay from the Dutch National team. I know, he looks young, but he is 26, so I am not rocking the cradle too badly. He's a great athlete. I find that very attractive.

  

Current Drink -  Coffee w/ vanilla creamer.

Current Excitement -  I found a thrift store near my house with 50% off. You would think that would mean they just double the price and then give you "half off" but it's really cheap. I got an REI dry wicking hiking shirt for $1.50! 

Current fashion trend - For my birthday, I received some new running shorts. I am not sure if they are fashionable. You decide. 

Current Favorite Blog/Website - I am really loving Nilsa's blog lately. She brings up so many great points and backs them up with great writing. Also check out her list of trends that she "missed out" on. 

Current Favorite Film -  Spaceballs. Another classic. 

Curent Food - Cherries. I ate about a pound of them today. 

Current Guilty Pleasure - Ice cream. 2 times in one day on Sunday. 

Current Indulgence - Going to the beach. I went twice yesterday. Not to sunbathe but just for a walk. It was great. 

Current Mood - sick, blah, bleh

Current New Find - Running on East Cliff Drive

Current Outfit - Jeans, sweater and sneakers (yes, I put on pants today!) 

Current Peeve - People who leave trash on the beach. Really, people? 

Current Song - It's an old one, but this She Wants Revenge song really gets me going. 

Current Triumph - Under a 7:30 pace for my last half marathon. 

Current TV Show - Nothing. (See above re guilty pleasure)

Current Wish-List - A new car (mine is back in the shop...again)

Currently Delaying - Running. I don't feel good. I want to run, but I don't want to at the same time. 

What's currently going on in your life? Are you fashionable? Have you watched any of the Euro cup? 

Monday Misc

Happy Monday everyone! I hope everyone had a great weekend. I sure did. I have so much to talk about, but I am without my own computer today and I don't know about you guys, but when I am using a borrowed computer, it seems like I am much less organized. I mean, am I the only one who gets bothered by having to put my password into everything all over again? Or the history bar not auto populating when you go to check out your favorite blog? I know; it's not a big deal, but all my photos and downloads and everything are on my computer and it's just so much more convenient to use it! Now that I have rambled on about nothing for the last five minutes, lets get to it!

- I guess I am the snake woman, because yesterday during my run, I saw a snake...eating a mouse! I mean, the mouse was tail end in the snakes mouth and he was being devoured as I watched. Luckily (am I the only one who thinks this is lucky?) Mr. Lovely was biking with me and he had his big camera and he got some nice shots of the entire process. I think stuff like that is cool. If you are a vegetarian or a mouse lover, I apologize.

- I developed a bit of a cold this weekend. In order to try to alleviate it, I had one of these. I think it helped.

Pain Killer

- My little veggie plants are wilting. I haven't talked about them, because I wanted to be able to say: hey, I am growing plants and they are fabulous! But they are not. I think it's a combination of bad drainage and over watering. Or do those go hand in hand? I don't know. I started a bunch of seeds and they were doing so well...until I transplanted them and then? Saggy McSagster. Phooey. I may just have to buy whole (half grown) plants. Otherwise I won't have tomatoes until December at this rate (or never).

- Between the car breaking down and my moving, I have been without the Garmin for a couple of my runs. What I found out? My "comfortable", Garmin-less pace is around an 8:30-8:40, which is good because I am supposed to be doing my easy runs at about that pace! I don't mind running without the Garmin as far as the total run goes, but I do like having the data afterward to look at and analyze.

- Last but not least, Laura gave me the One Lovely Blog award! I am supposed to 1) Post the award logo and picture on your blog and link back to the person who nominated you. 2) Tell seven things about yourself. 3) Nominate up to 15 additional bloggers whom you think deserve the award. 4) Post a comment on the blog of each nominee to tell them they have been nominated! Since I already told you 4, here are three more little facts.

- I am 4th generation Scottish. My great, great grandparents came over via Canada. They lived near Banff (I can't remember if they lived in BC or Alberta) for a while before coming south to the US.

- I keep my fingernails very, very short. I don't bite them, but I can't stand having them as any more than a tiny sliver of white. I also do not paint them. The chipping drives me insane.

- I could eat a burrito any time of day. I love them.

- Speaking of burritos, yesterday I went for a burrito and decided to try the menudo, since they only serve it on the weekend. If you are not familiar, it's a soup made with intestine that is a very traditional Mexican dish. I have never tried it, not because the guts part grosses me out, but just because I like burritos, so I usually don't order other stuff. But I was hungry and I decided to give it a whirl. It wasn't bad, but it definitely has a distinct smell to it!

(apparently I can't count, because that was four more, but I am leaving it as is)

- As for the tags, I am going to give this award to a few lovely ladies: Lisa, Amber, Amber, Nilsa, Stephany, Robyn, Carrie, Elle, San, Suz, Vanessa and Nora. Ladies, if you already did it, great! Everyone else, if you want to participate as well, I encourage it!

Are you adventurous when it comes to trying new foods? Have you ever witnessed an animal eating another animal? If you could eat one thing only for the rest of your life, what would it be?

See Jane Run: Race Recap

First off, I am excited to say that I have a post up over on FITBLOGGER. If you get a chance, please go check it out! It's about running, naturally. 

_______

And now, back to our regularly scheduled post.

For all that I did have some cons for this race, the actual running of the race itself was pretty good. The course was well marked and mostly flat, there were several aide stations and the volunteers were awesome.

However, the parking was not. I opted to drive to this race, because, although I could have walked (5 miles each way), I did not want to do so and then race and then have to walk back. So we drove. Mr. Lovely came with me and spent the time doing research and drinking coffee in a local coffee shop down the street. We got there with plenty of time to spare, but it took us probably 15 minutes to find parking, which was not very close, probably about a mile and a half from the start of the race. By the time we got to the start line, I had to use the restroom, but it was about 10 minutes to start time and the line was L.O.N.G. I got in it anyway, just to see if I could make it. I did, but the race started while I was inside, so I got out of there fast and ran to the start line just in time to....stop short. The crowd was not moving. Well, it WAS moving, but very slowly.

I crossed the start line and started doing the weave of death. I must have passed a couple hundred people before the path widened to one lane of a two lane road. I started passing people on the left, which was also to the left of the cones, and I got yelled at a few times by the local police (MAM, stay to the LEFT of the CONES!!!) I swear I passed another hundred thousand people but it was hard going. It wasn't until about mile 3 that it started to get to a point where it was easier to find my pace and pass people.

Mile 1: 7:03, Mile 2: 7:05, Mile 3: 7:23

My goal had been to stay below a 7:40 pace in order to get a 1:40 finish, but after the first few miles, I noticed I was going a little faster, so I resolved to stay under a 7:30 instead. After mile 3, there was one girl that was pretty much running at the same pace as me, so I would follow her, then she would slow a bit, and I would pass her, and then I would slow a bit and she would pass me. We did the "dance" for a while before she slowed down to about a 7:40, and I passed her and didn't see her again.

Mile 4: 7:25, Mile 5: 7:30, Mile 6: 7:24

After mile 6, the crowd was pretty thin. It seemed like I could see the start of the pack way up in front of me. At this point we were running along the bay and it was beautiful. I decided that I would try to pass one person each mile, of course at the same time trying to maintain approximately a 7:30 pace. Mile 7, I passed a couple of people. Mile 8, one person. Mile 9, 3 people. I maintained my 7:30, even though it was getting hard. I remember hitting mile 8 and thinking (with my limited math + running skills) that I was almost done, but then realizing I still had 5 miles (5! How did that happen?) left.

Mile 7: 7:29, Mile 8: 7:34, Mile 9: 7:29

Mile 10, 11 and 12 went by pretty slow. I could see the front few girls in front of me. From what I could see, there were three. I passed one during mile 10, one during mile 11 and really pushed to get the one at mile 12 (I was really tired by now)! Thank goodness for two things (a) the view -- I can see the city and the bay and the headlands in the distance, and (b) the spectators -- there are people all along the route cheering. They really lift my spirits. Although my hamstrings are still killing me.

Mile 10: 7:26, Mile 11: 7:22, Mile 12: 7:23

I didn't know if I was first or not. Then I saw her. A girl waaaaay up in front of me. I wonder if there are more like her? Darn it.

Mile 13: 7:19, Mile 13.1: 7:30

I cross the finish at 1:37:17. A new PR.

I look for the race results. They are not posted. The MC says that they are online. They are not. I need to know! Unfortunately, they did not get posted online until late that night. Also unfortunately, there was a hidden posse of girls ahead of me.

I tried to get a photo of the 5k clock with my time on it

Results: 1:37:17
Age group: 5/266
Overall: 15/1432

The Verdict? I ran this race to see if I REALLY have a chance to BQ. I don't want to have unrealistically high expectations when I really need to just keep training and wait until next year. I don't want to let myself down. According to the McMillan Pace Calculator using this race time, I should be able to run a 3:25 marathon. That means 7:50 pace for 26 miles! I am still unsure (read: scared of failure). But I am working on it!

Are you scared to try things sometimes because you are afraid of failure? How do you talk yourself into it or have confidence in yourself during times of doubt?

The Voluntourist

Have you ever felt that your life was lacking something? That you needed to give back somehow? Have you ever been to another country and seen how the locals live? Do you love to travel?

I have. I do. That is probably why this book spoke to me. It is about a man who, once entering his 40s and having his beloved father die, wonders if something is missing from his life. He wants to have children but his wife is uncertain. At the same time, he wants to give back and to be the man that he saw his father as being, which was a good man and a kind one. He wonders who will remember him and honor him the way that he remembers and honors his father. To find out, he travels to several different places around the world, doing volunteer work for a few weeks at a time.

I enjoyed this book. I always enjoy reading about travel and travelogues are one of my favorite genres. This book did not disappoint. It got my interest with some of the stories from abroad and I found my head nodding to some of the descriptions of the countries, the locals, the feeling of helplessness when you can't communicate, as well as the satisfaction of communicating without words at times. I have done volunteer work abroad and loved it and so this book brought back fond memories for me.

The book was split up into 6 sections, which each described one of the author's trips. I felt that it was organized well and was easy to read. I would recommend this book to others. It makes me want to put on my boots and get on the road!

If you are interested, you can see what other members of the tour thought of the book HERE. You can contact the author here: Website | Facebook

I received a complimentary copy of this book from TLC Book Tours in return for an honest review. I was not compensated, nor was I required to write a positive review. 

Do you like to travel? Have you ever volunteered in a foreign country (or at all)? How was your overall experience?

Aye Car-umba!

I don't drive very often. I prefer to live in a place where I can walk or take the bus to where I need to go. However, sometimes it's a necessary evil. When I say evil, I say this because I have not had the best luck with cars. This may be due to the fact that I usually have an older car. Since I don't want to spend money to buy a new car, instead I spend money fixing an old one. I guess you have to choose and this is what I have chosen.

I am talking about this because my car broke down on Monday. I probably use my car once a week, usually to meet up with my friend for a walk (she lives about 45 minutes from me, so we tend to meet somewhere in the middle). I know this is ironic, driving somewhere to get exercise, but sometimes it's fun to try new places where the bus can't go. This time, however, I was on my way back to Oakland to pick up some stuff to take to Santa Cruz. After a stop along the way, I was getting back on the freeway and it just sputtered and died (on the on ramp). So I called AAA. I am getting to be pretty good at dealing with breakdowns, as I have had several over the years, some better than others.

Mid 90s: I get my first car. It's old. The starter stops working, but luckily if I park on a hill, I can pop the clutch. This leads to my profound knowledge of every hill/slant/bump in my hometown. When there is no hill, my friends help me push my very heavy car far enough to pop the clutch. This leads to me not having any more friends. I start leaving the car running when I go into stores (yes, you can do this in my hometown). I finally end up taking out the starter myself THREE times and having it re-lathed three times. This is quite costly, even though I have done the work myself. Finally we find out that the part that was needed was a tiny piece near the starter that costs mere dollars.

Late 90s, same car: I am driving to my friend's house for NYE and I break down on the Sacramento causeway due to overheating. This was when I didn't have a cell phone. Several people call 911 because they think I am on fire. Thank goodness they do, because I have the firemen call me a tow truck.

Mid 2000s: A different car. Still old. I am commuting from Sacramento to San Francisco and the car decides to call it quits on the Bay Bridge right AT the toll booth. People are honking and giving me the finger. On the plus side, the tow truck comes VERY fast. Also I save $5 on bridge tolls.

Present Day: About a month ago, I went to use the car for my once a week jaunt and it wouldn't start. I know a couple of things about cars, mostly that (a) it was not a problem with the battery, (b) it was not a problem with the starter and (c) I was not out of gas. As soon as the AAA guy comes, he asks me if the car is out of gas. I wonder if some people are unsure of the answer, because the guy that came to get me on Monday asked the same question. 

One of my many friends

Basically from 2000 to present day, I have made do with public transportation, my feet and a rental car for work. So I haven't had any problems. Now I am back to having a car and back to having problems. I am on a first name basis with the mechanic, who is actually awesome. I also am very adept at making small talk with tow truck drivers, since I often have to ride with them to the mechanic. Monday's driver was a very nice man and it was a pleasure to spend 45 minutes hanging out with him. However, I have already used 2 out of 3 of my allotted AAA calls, so I am hoping to get the problem resolved quickly and to not have it happen again! Every time I break down, I am trying to get somewhere! (ha)  

Do you often have car trouble? Have you ever tried to fix your own car? Have you ever ridden in the tow truck with the driver?

See Jane Run: Pros and Cons

This post could have also been named: What Was I Thinking?

I prefer smaller races. There, I said it. By smaller, sometimes I mean less people and mostly I mean less commercialism. I don't mind not getting a t-shirt if it means I can feel like a person instead of a number. I don't mind the results being handwritten on a post it note if it means I feel a connection with the other racers, the race director or the volunteers. Not saying that this doesn't happen to a certain extent with larger ones, but sometimes you just feel like you are lost in the shuffle.

Also, and people are probably going to get mad at me for this one, I'm starting to dislike races where it's geared towards the fun runners. I am NOT saying we can't have fun when we run and I am definitely not trying to discourage people who are running (or walking) their first 5k. However, I think next time, I would rather volunteer or spectate when that is the case (the 5k people, NOT the fun part!) It's just TOO big. There are too many people and some of them are lollygagging around, which is FUN, but I don't want to lollygag; I am here to run.

I signed up for this race last minute, because I needed a "fast and flat" race so I could analyze my fitness level and speed for the upcoming marathon. I have been running trails a lot and so have not been worrying as much about time. The original price for this race was $105. I normally do not pay that much for a race. But when I saw it on Google Offers for $57, I thought why the heck not. It was right in my backyard, and most of the other races this summer are trail races (and I need to continue the 12 in 2012 challenge!)

So. I ran it.

PROS: 

- The weather. It could not have been more perfect. 55 degrees and a bit overcast for the most part. Perfect running weather. If you are looking for a cool run in the summer, get thee to thy Bay Area.

- The course. It WAS fast and flat.

- After you run, you get champagne. And why not? Also you get chocolate. Two big wins in my book. Surprisingly the champagne line wasn't even too long. Another plus. I even went for a refill.

- There were a ton of vendors at the park afterward. Free samples/treats included: water, bananas, muffins, Luna bars, Zyco coconut water, Pop Chips, FRS and Ocho. Other vendors (not free) were Newton, iFitness, Jamba Juice and several others.

- Port-a-potties aplenty. Thank goodness (see: all women race). 

- The t-shirt is cute. It's red and it says: I run for champagne and chocolate. And it's moisture wicking!

CONS: 

- Besides the ones I mentioned above, which are mostly personal opinion (lollygagging, commercialism, impersonal feeling)...

- All women race PLUS strollers are allowed. Sorry moms, I am not against you, but next time I will try to research my races better! This is my own fault, not the race director's or the other runners! (I have a friend who runs with a stroller and I have been trying to find a race for her -- maybe she should run this one next year and I will cheer for her!)

- The lines. To get most items at the expo and after the race, there were a TON of people. And since they were all lollygagging around and having fun (not like me. I don't like to have fun) they were in no hurry to get the photo and get out of there. Maybe I should take a page out of their book and slow down and enjoy it more, but for now, that is a con.

- Last but not least, is the price. I know that many of the larger races have to close down streets and hire police etc but I guess I am irked by the fact that running used to be a fun, cheap thing you could do anywhere and now people are capitalizing on it. I guess it was bound to happen, but I don't like it. It's like the Mardi Gras Marathon. I ran it in 2007 when the New Orleans Track Club was putting it on and I think I paid around $50 (which was still a lot to me at the time!) Now that it's an RnR race, I think the price is over $100. Shameful.

Now, I am off my ranting, complaining soapbox. I apologize for using you as a psychologist. Race recap to come soon!

Did you run or race last weekend? How do you feel about big crowds? How much is too much to pay for a race?

A New Place

It's kind of fun moving to new places all the time. I do it a lot for work; I work a few months here, a few months there... and now that I am home for a little while, I have lived in two different places and am now moving to my third place today. I am a planner kind of person, so before going to a new place, there are a few things I research.

(1) Running Clubs -- I don't join the running clubs, but I have found that they can be an excellent source of knowledge about where to run, races and other running related things. I found out about the Ohlone 50k that I volunteered for through a running club in Oakland; I found out about where to run in NYC through a running club there. As you probably know, runners are fun people and like to talk about, you guessed it, running. So I try to find a runner and ask them questions about what I want to know!

(2) Running Routes -- Even if I don't find a person or club to get advice from, one of the first things I do is get on Google Maps or Dailymile and find out where the good running routes are near my new place. A few things I look for: (a) trails, (b) routes where there are minimal street crossings and (c) routes that have a nice view. For Santa Cruz, I can run in the mountains or on the ocean cliffs. I am looking forward to both, as well as finding new routes.

Where I will be running this week.

(3) The Library -- I always find out (a) where the nearest library is and (b) what the card policy is. In Missouri when I was working, if you were not a local, you could pay $15 per year to have a card. In Oakland, cards are available to any CA residents. In Santa Cruz, if you have another CA Library card, you can have visitor privileges. Luckily, there is a library about a mile from the new place!

(4) The Burrito -- I always say, if there is not a burrito within walking distance, I don't want to live there. Luckily, there is a taqueria only about a half a mile away. Yes, this is a criteria.

(5) The Grocer -- I also like to walk for groceries. I found no less than 5 grocery stores (including a natural food store and a neighborhood bodega) less than a mile away.

2 = running route, 3 = library, 4 = burrito, 5 = grocery store (scale = from 2 to 3 is about 2.5 miles)

I always start with these. Of course there are man other things I like to research, but these are the basics!

What do you always find out before you move to / visit a new place?

Then and Now: May

Another month gone by already. It seems like only yesterday when I was talking about how I couldn't believe it was May already. Today is my Dad's birthday! Happy Birthday Dad! Now for the Who, the What and the Where -- May 2011 vs. May 2012.

The Who: 

In 2011:

I spent some time in Australia with Mr. L, then it was back to the US for:

Baseball with the broski, his lady and Gma, and my friend Hashi and his lady

Birthday fun with the parents

Mimosa Brunch in the Mission with K and A

In 2012: 

 Good times were had by my Relay team

Another Giants game with the trio (a tradition, it seems)

Mother's Day/Birthday with my two families

My, look how she's grown! 

2011 vs 2012

The What: 

Books:
2011: / 2012: 8

I definitely had extra time to read this year, due to the fact that I was traveling a lot last year vs this year. Also, my computer was down for about a week and a half in 2012 and it's amazing how much reading I got done because of it! Some of my favorites: Secret Daughter - Shilpi Somaya Gowda, Three Cups of Tea - Greg Mortenson & David Oliver Relin. See my Bookshelf page for more!

Running:
2011: 0 / 2012: 157

This month was not only the start of the ramp up for marathon training, but I also added a few miles due to some longer trail runs and a new goal to try to complete an ultra. I think that this is my highest mileage month to date.

Races:
2011: 0 / 2012: 2

This month I participated in The Relay, which for my portion was 23 miles over 4 runs over 24 hours. I also completed race number 5 of the 12 in 2012 challenge, which was a trail race in Oakland called the Cinderella Trail Run. You can check out my Races and Places page for more!

Cakes: 

2011 vs 2012

Apparently I turn 5 years old every year.

The Where:

In 2011, after getting back from Australia, 

I spent a lot of time in California. 

Also, note that it snowed. I think that photo was taken on May 28th.

In 2012,  I also spent a lot of time in California. 

San Francisco, Sierra Nevadas, Napa, Oakland

 
The verdict? My hair is longer, my fitness has improved tenfold, and it seems like the birthday baseball game with grandma and the kids has become a tradition (as well has the Mother's Day with my second family). It does seem like May is when the weekends start being full of outdoor related and other fun activities, no matter where I am! All in all, I would give two thumbs up to both May 2011 and May 2012!

How was your May this year? How is it different from last year? Is it better, worse, or the same? 

Foodie Reveal: May

This month I thought it would be fun to participate in Lindsay's Foodie Pen Pal program. It's pretty easy; you just sign up. On the 5th of the month you find out who you are buying for and who is buying for you! You have 10 days to get to know them and figure out if they have any food restrictions or preferences before you have to send your box! It's a great way to try new things and to meet new friends!

The person who picked me was Andria. She is my kind of girl: a runner, a user of strange pantry items and a lover of red wine and dark chocolate. She did a great job picking out items for my box! You can tell she put a lot of thought into it and paid attention to what I said I liked and disliked!

The Loot

1. Dark Chocolate Bar: I used this to make the Garbanzo Brownies and I think that it had a huge (positive) influence in the way they taste! Of course I tried some beforehand and it was delicious! 80% cacao! Yum. Andria did such a good job of picking not only things I love, but this chocolate is also fair traded and organic, which is an added bonus.

2. Homemade Maple Oat Muffins: These were so good I ate them all in about two days. Well I didn't want them to go bad!

3. Lara Bars: She didn't even know it, but these are my favorite (or maybe she snooped on my blog)! I love trying new ones, so the Blueberry was a nice treat!

4. Spicy mix: This was gone after the first day, since I took it with me to my parent's house and together we pretty much demolished it!

5. Coffee: YUM. French Roast? Even better! Another local treasure!

6. Justins Nut Butters: I have never tried these, as they tend to be a bit expensive, but have always wanted to! I love peanut and almond butters and since I travel/move around a lot, this size is perfect!

7. Spicy Curry Mix: I am saving this for a curried tofu dish I want to make! I love curries and trying new things when cooking, so I am excited to try it out! 

Thanks again Andria! You can also go over to Amber's to see what I sent to MY foodie pen pal! 

Have you ever tried any of these items? What is your favorite Nutrition bar? Have you ever had a pen pal, foodie or otherwise?