Nike Womens Marathon: Pros & Cons

Marathon #3 is behind me now! It was nice to run a race so close to home. Thanks to Yurbuds, who sponsored me for this race, as well as Fitfluential, who got set it up! Now, here are the pros and cons of the race! The recap is coming shortly!

The Start Line @ 7 am

Pros: 

- Good snacks at the end. Luna bars, bagels, bananas, coconut water, frozen fruit (yum), Ghirardelli chocolates and water.

- The race shirts are made from recycled plastic bottles.  (*however, they did not hand them out until after the race)

- All the money from this race goes to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  I think I heard someone say that they had raised over a million dollars.

- The spectators and volunteers were awesome. They were very cheerful, cheered for everyone and were so encouraging and helpful.

- There were plenty of aid stations. I don't know how many, but there must have been one about every 2-3 miles. The fuel was Clif shot blocks, which were opened for you already.

- The firemen in tuxes handing out necklaces at the end. And the necklace is pretty cool as well.

- The weather. It was overcast / misty / foggy the entire time.

- The TNT coaches (pacers). They cheered for everyone, not just the Team in Training folks. Also they were very inspiring because they would run with any TNT person who was having trouble. I watched a few of them really get their partner going again when they were lagging.

- Free bras. I am not sure whether to put this as a pro or con because at mile 6 you could exchange your old bra for a free new nike sports bra. However, I wasn't clear as to HOW.  Do I take off my bra I am wearing, in the middle of a run, and change if for a new one? Or am I supposed to carry an old ratty bra for 6 miles and then carry a new bra for the remaining 26? I don't get it.

Cons: 

- You could sign up to have automatic posts to your FB wall, which is pretty cool. I did sign up; none of my posts got posted. I spoke with a friend who said she had the same problem.

- I had to pass a bunch of walkers who were in the way of the runners. I think they started the walkers earlier, which is fine. I just wish they would have reminded them to keep to the right and not to walk 3 (or 5. My dad said he saw one group walking 5!) abreast.

- There were no spectators on the hardest part. They used buses to get the spectators from place to place. They should have had a drop off at mile 20 or 21. Miles 19 - 24 were dead and hard and boring.

- The hills. They kicked my butt.

- The start line. It was a mess. I saw a lot of 10 minute mile people (we had bracelets) in my pace corral. Also, my corral was 7:30 - 9 minute miles. That seems a bit broad to me.

- The crowds. I have said it before and I will say it again: I prefer small races. The start and end and the expo were all extremely crowded. It really did not make me want to hang out AT ALL. I got my bib, shirt and food and got out of there each time. (I did try to find my results, which took me nearly a half an hour!)

- The half marathoners. This race has about 25,000 people. I am not entirely sure about this year, but last year only 4700 of them were marathoners. I really wish they had started the half marathoners later, and given them a separate finish section. At the end I was trying to dodge and weave around them to cross the finish line!

- Their website. They only have a FB page, no actual website. It's a pain. For a company so big and a race so big, I think they can afford to design a REAL webpage! 

All in all it was pretty good. Luckily I got pretty close to the start line, since a lot of the reviews I read complained about having a hard time getting around people in the beginning. I still like the smaller races better, so I probably won't do this race again, but I did have a lot of fun doing it this time!

A few fun facts: * The Nike Women's Marathon is not just for women, despite the name.  * Last year 10% of the runners were male.

Do you ever go and spectate a race just for fun? Would you rather run in rain or heat?

My Bye Week

I have to admit, this week, I am taking the lazy man's way out and having a cleaning out the fridge week! Luckily I made a few staples this weekend, so it should be pretty easy! Planning consisted of a couple variables this week.

(1) I got a food box. In it: broccoli, carrots, apples, pears, radishes, arugula, bok choy and oranges. I already ate all the fruit. For the veggies, I chopped up the carrots with some potatoes for an easy on the go dinner. The broccoli will be an easy five minute dinner as well. Yes, I often eat a bowl of veggies for dinner with a fruit and/or yogurt dessert.

(2) I went to the grocery store to get a few more fresh fruit and veggies. This week's buy: Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, spaghetti squash, a pumpkin, bananas, apples and persimmons! I love persimmons! These will also be used mostly as side dishes to other vegetables. Like I said, this is a lazy week. I am calling it a bye week, or should I say a NO BUY week. Ha.

So, because of that, dinners this week will look like this:

Monday: GIANTS game! Dinner = nachos and beer!

Tuesday: Turkey Chili (freezer meal), broccoli

Wednesday: Cream of mushroom soup (freezer meal), Brussels sprouts

Thursday: Garbanzo stew (last week's freezer meal), rosemary carrot and potato medley

Friday: Curried Chicken and Rice, roasted sweet potatoes

Saturday: Dinner w/ the Broski -- carbo load for tomorrow's Half. Mexican Fiesta (make your own burrito)

Sunday: Whatever is left over / Grocery shopping day

Head over to Laura and Jills for this week's link up! 

What's on your menu this week? Do you ever give yourself a bye week? If so, what do you eat?

10 Running Tidbits

Yes, it's another list. I am uninspired this week. Plus, last night I got last minute tickets to the A's game, which they lost, so I put a lot of the things on my to do list off until tomorrow. I stole this from Nancy. I haven't really talked a lot about it, but I will be running the Nike Womens Marathon on Sunday and will need all the help I can get, so I appreciate any good juju you can send my way!  

1. FUEL: Shot Bloks, GU, Energy Chews, Candy or Other?

I like Honey Stinger Chews and Gummy Bears.  I can make do with the chocolate raspberry Roctane or the regular chocolate Gu if need be.  

2. Race Length: 5k, 10k, 1/2 Marathon, Marathon, Ultra or Other?

Like seasons, each race has it's ups and downs. I love the feeling of speed and total energy drain that I get from a 5k or a 10k. Half marathons are probably my body's best distance, physically. However, I love the feeling of strength and accomplishment that I get from a marathon and from Ultras.  

3. Workout Bottoms: Skirts, Running Shorts, Capris, Pants or Other?

Nike Tempo shorts OR this old pair of black pants that I used to wear under my ski pants when I was a kid. I found them when I was going through and cleaning out my stuff and I put them on and they still fit, so now they are my running pants!  

4. Sports Drink: Gatorade, Powerade, Cytomax, you stick to water when you run or Other?

Water. I only drink water. I can't stand the sweetness of most of the drinks. From time to time, I will have a Nuun before running, but usually it's water all the way. 

5. Running Temperatures: HEAT or COLD?

Cold. Any day. Heat, and especially humidity, really drains my energy!  

6. Running Shoe Brands: Saucony, Mizuno, Nike, Brookes, Asics or Other?

Asics have been my shoe forever. Until this year, when I won a pair of Saucony Kinvaras. They are awesome! I may have to invest in a real pair someday.  

Saucony Kinvara

 
7. Pre-race meal: Oatmeal, Bagel, Banana, Eggs, Cereal or Other?

90 percent of the time, I have oatmeal with fruit and one cup of coffee. The other 10 percent of the time, I have Cheerios instead.  

8. Rest Days: 1x per week, 2x per week, never ever ever or Other?

All of the above. Normally, I run 4 times a week. Lately, my schedule has been hectic and I have been running 3 times a week. This week is taper week and I will run twice. I would rather do one 10 miler than a 4 and a 6. 

9. Music: Have to have it or go without it?

When running alone, I need Marshall Mathers to keep me company. If running with others, I am happy to talk your ear off or listen, whichever floats your boat.  

10. #1 reason for running: stress-relief, endorphins, you love to race, so you can eat all the cupcakes you want, weight-loss, love running for social reasons or Other?

Yes! No, really, the number one reason is that it makes me feel strong and happy and in control. 

If you run, answer one of the questions in the comments! If you don't run, answer anyway! What's your go to breakfast? What's your favorite brand of shoes? 

Don't forget to stop by Jills for Fitness Friday and link up! 

Finish This: October

I hope everyone is having a great week and is ready for a Giants win today!!! Fingers crossed! Also, today, 10.11.12, is my cousin's wedding day! Congrats to Bean and his new wife!! Today's fill in the blank idea was stolen from Lisa.

My friends Buster and Timmy

I wish I could get up earlier and run, but I really like that extra sleep in the morning!

I want an apron for Christmas.

I always eat the same breakfast every day. Oatmeal with fruit and nuts.

I need to find a costume for Halloween. 

I feel tired. I don't have a free weekend until....um....

I think that as much as I like the farm box idea, I can buy my own veggies for a cheaper price.

I ask lots of questions about logistics. It sometimes annoys people.

I hear rain. It's starting to rain! Maybe I need some of these?

I smell greens and vinegar. It's because I tried to make it so my greens wouldn't be so bitter, but all it did was stink up the house.  

I ponder the disappearance of socks, and time, and that bag of dried coconut (that I just scarfed down).  

I seek new pumpkin recipes. (here is one good one)  

I play Ms Pacman like a 12 year old boy. Bring it on!  

I prefer mountains over pretty much anything else. The ocean is not far behind though! 

I wonder where I will be in 10 years, mentally and physically (and literally). 

I mean to travel again soon. The question is not if, but when and where!?  

I never have watched a lot of movies that everyone else has seen.  

I plan on having a house on the beach someday. 

I hope to get a new phone soon, but I am not sure if I want to switch from the iPhone to something else or to just get a new iPhone. These are difficult decisions, folks.  

I worry about not spending enough time with people before they are gone.  

I dislike fakers/posers. Be yourself. People may not like it, but at least it's honest. 

I struggle with feeling guilty when I have to say no to something that I really would like to say yes to.

What do you struggle with? What are your hopes and your worries?

Harvest 10k

Where I grew up, there are bears. We always joke around that you don't really have to be able to run faster than the bear; you only have to be able to run faster than the person who is with you. Since I normally run alone, I have nobody to run faster than, so I am in trouble. However, luckily, yesterday I had a partner to run with, so I have at least a 50 percent chance of survival if a bear comes. I ran with Broski in his first race ever.

However, it IS only a 50% chance...

...Because Broski rocked it! He would have just as good a chance to outrun the bear as I would!

We ran the YMCA Harvest 10k in Santa Rosa, which was a very small race (my favorite!) The volunteers were great, the route was a fun run through the local neighborhood, the crowd was easy going and the post race celebration was fun. Even the local junior high cross country came out and raced. Also, Broski's girlfriend and her sister came out and did the accompanying 5k! It was a family affair!  

Trying to show our #s! It was chilly at first!

Broski's goal was to run under a 9 minute mile the whole time. He has a fancy new Garmin which he can set at a certain pace and it will tell him whether or not he needs to speed up or slow down. However, as we started out, we realized that we may not need to use it. We started out a bit faster than planned and I tried to warn him to slow down but he said he felt good and that he would let me know if he needed to slow down. So, we kept at it. We stayed around that pace the whole time, even while running up and down a few rolling hills. We did slow a little bit on mile 5, but only by about 10 seconds. We even talked most of the time. Or maybe I talked and he grunted from time to time.

Before we knew it, we were at the 6 mile mark and we could see the finish line in sight. I asked Broski if he wanted to sprint it out and he said yes. What a good sport. So we got to the 6 mile cone and started booking it. It was really funny because we started sprinting and the crowd was laughing at us and cheering us on. Then I saw a lady coming up next to me on my left (Bro was on my right) and she was keeping up with us! It was hard to keep up the pace but we ended up sprinting the entire way (about 400m) and I think the lady ended up beating us by a millisecond! She was fast! Our last 400 meters was run at about a 6 minute per mile pace! I couldn't keep that up any longer though. Phew!

* Our mile splits were: 8:08, 8:08, 8:18, 8:15, 8:22, 7:45.
* We ended up as #45 (48:58) and #46 (49:00) out of 196 participants (with an average of 7:54/mi)

So, like I said, Broski underestimated himself. It looks like we have a new runner in the running community! I have to admit, I didn't push him at all. I can't even take credit for his speed; he did it all on his own; I was just there to be company for him. He is excited about his time and the race overall, even though he said after that sprint at the end he felt like throwing up in the bushes!

Next up: a Half Marathon!

Have you totally underestimated yourself on something? Have you ever run so hard you felt a little ill?

Lunch Time

If you haven't already, go here and see how taking stock is critical to easy meal planning! 

Next comes the meal planning. This week (and many), the plan went like this:

1. Shopping. Stock up on the things that are missing from this list. Usually this means going to buy a bunch of vegetables and fruits and sometimes a few of the staples. 

2. Planning. Depending on what is fresh, on sale and available, the weekly plan is made.

I know, this may be backwards. Shop THEN plan? To this I say, YES. I always have my staples so I have pretty much done the "planning" already. All I need to do after shopping is decide what I want to cook. 

Today I am going to only talk about the lunch planning portion. Each week, after seeing what the haul is for the week, I make a big batch of ___ (fill in the blank with a bean dish here). I also cut up all of my vegetables to go along with my meals. This usually means cutting cabbage or broccoli for salads, and cutting carrots and celery for snacks.

Cabbage Salad

This week, we had several vegetables left over from last week. This is normal. I always do a little bit of "overbuying" in order to have a quick snack or to anticipate extra hunger! But fear not, it does not go to waste!

Needing to be used up from last week: Red, yellow and orange bell peppers. Carrots. Serrano peppers.
Add to that from on hand items: Onion, Garlic, Garbanzo beans, Curry powder, Diced tomatoes, corn.
Put in Crock Pot for 8 hours and you get: Garbanzo Stew (recipe below)!

Garbanzo Stew

This was put into 8 one cup containers.. 6 of them go into the freezer and two go into the fridge. I like to put 6 in the freezer, so that way I will always have a variety to choose from. I usually eat 3-4 of them for lunch and then I have some from last week as well as having fresh veggies on hand so I am not always eating the same thing over and over.

Freezer mini meals

Remaining peppers were added to quinoa, basil and lemon to make a quinoa salad, which will be used as lunches as well. The I pair each one up with a various salad and lots and lots of fruit. I usually bring one or two pieces of fruit as well as some loose fruit, cut melon, grapes or berries. So this weeks lunches will look like this:

Veggies for quinoa salad

Monday: Garbanzo Stew, cabbage salad, fruit

Tuesday: Turkey Chili (last week's big pot meal), broccoli salad, fruit

Wednesday: Quinoa Salad, beet salad, fruit

Thursday: Garbanzo Stew, broccoli salad, fruit

Friday: Chicken Curry and Rice (week before last's big pot meal), cabbage salad, fruit

Saturday: Party food (@ my uncle's memorial)

Sunday: Clam House with Mom, Dad and Grandma for a  post race meal!

Garbanzo Stew: 

2 cups dry garbanzos
2 carrots, chopped
1 each red, yellow, orange bell peppers, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
2 Serrano peppers, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
1 can of yellow corn
5 cups of water

1 tbsp Curry powder
1 tbsp salt
2 packets of Trader Joe's concentrated chicken stock

Mix everything together. Leave in crock pot on low for 8 hours. 

How do you do to use up older veggies before they go bad? What do you eat for lunch every day?

Check out Jill and Laura's sites for more meal planning tips! 

The Month of Races

October is the month of races.

The broski, who works at a winery, was recently getting a little too comfortable on the couch a few too  many times a week. His job is "seasonal", which basically means that it is pretty physical for about 3 months of the year, during harvest, which actually happens to be right now. During harvest he works 10-14 hour days punching down grapes and doing other assorted grape related activities.

However, for the other 9 months, it is less physically demanding. So his pattern was this: get in pretty good shape each year from August to November; get out of shape from December to July. Repeat.

He got tired of this, and has been really trying to focus on getting out and getting some exercise. I have mentioned this before, but I am so proud of him for doing this. It is not easy to break a habit, especially a bad one, and it's even less easy to form new good ones!

So, he asked for me to join him in running a half marathon. He didn't have to twist my leg very hard for me to say yes. However, I suggested he try a 5k beforehand to see how he liked it before heading out for the long haul. He, being almost as stubborn and determined as I, said he would try a shorter race, but he was not giving up on the half marathon. So, shortly after, I found myself signing up for not one, but TWO races in October.

A few days later, I got word that I got into the Nike Women's Marathon.

The broski is doing great. He went from walking, to walk/running, to running 10 minute miles to running 8 minute miles. He is a rock star.

For his birthday, I got him a fuel belt and a tiger tail. 

He sent me this beautiful photo as a "thank you".

Sorry ladies, he's taken.

So...This weekend I am running a 10k with the broski; on the 14th, it's the NWM in San Francisco, and the weekend after that, it's the Harvest Half Marathon (which better have some wine involved!)

Our number one goal this weekend? Have fun! But we are also hoping to keep it under a 9 minute per mile pace. I think we can do it. We already talked logistics. The broski said he probably won't be able to talk while we are running. So I asked if it was okay for me to talk the whole time. He said, "sure, it will be just like being at home with my girlfriend". Ha. Ha. I am totally telling on him.

Do you have family members that run? Did you have a friend/coworker/family member that got you into running? Do you talk while you are running with someone?

Head over to Jills for more Fitness Friday fun!

Currently: October

Current Book - Running The Rift - Naomi Benaron

Current Favorite Celebrity - My boy Crawford. Love the curls buddy. Don't cut them off! 

Current Drink - Avocado Smoothie: 1 avocado, 1 cup coconut milk, handful of ice, bit of sugar. YUM.

Current Excitement - GIANTS! I got tickets to the NLCS game Two. Now they just have to make it that far. Fingers crossed! 

Current fashion trend - I am loving those colored pants, although I don't think I would ever be able to pull it off. It's just not me. 

Current Favorite Blog/Website - Yummly. You can search for recipes based on what you have, what you like or what you don't have or want to add. It's pretty cool and a great way to figure out what to do with those leftovers!
 

Current Garden Item - 
 

pepper

Current Love - Evenings spent watering the garden. It's calming. 

Current Food - Butternut squash, mangos, melons

Currently Pondering - The weather. Yesterday it was 80 degrees at 10 pm. Today it is 50.

Current Indulgence - An extra cup of coffee with lots of cream

Current Mood - Madness, as in taper. I am going crazy! 

Current New Find - Two new brunch places nearby that I want to try!

Current Outfit -  

Obligatory bathroom photo

Current Peeve - Loud talkers 

 

Current Song - The Shins It's Only Life

Current Triumph - I finally crossed of a few things from my To Do list that have been on there for a while! 

 

Current TV Show - Parenthood. It's back!

Current Wish-List - More time on the weekends

Currently Delaying - Doing all the other things on my To Do list!

What are you currently up to? Do you keep a To Do list? What's your current peeve?

Book Confessions

My favorite book of all time is A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.

I wanted to be just like Francie Nolan and read all the books in the library, starting from authors who's names start with "A". 

I used to go to Barnes and Noble and write down quotes from my favorite books. My friend and I would spend hours doing this some nights.  

My dad used to leave me at the library as he ran errands. I used to love chilling in the beanbag chairs and reading Choose Your Own Adventure books (the only ones short enough to "finish" before he picked me up). 

My aunt is a librarian. I want to be just like her when I grow up. 

Even when I go camping and have to carry all my things on my back, I always carry a book (and sometimes two!) I carried a book while hiking the Himalayas. 

I own about two dozen Lonely Planet books.

I am a member of two online book clubs.

My first library card was a piece of paper with my name typed on it. I recently went back to my childhood library and asked them if they would still take that one. They made me get a new one (I still have the old one though!) 

My mom is my reading inspiration.

My grandma is too. Plus her house smells good.

I remember going to visit my grandma in Massachusetts in the summertime and we would take a walk to go to the pond to feed the ducks, to the penny candy for some loot, and always to the Library! 

My favorite books I had to read in High School: The Three Musketeers, To Kill a Mockingbird

The Jungle made me become a vegetarian. For 15 years.

Some of my other favorites not from high school: Les Miserables, Hiroshima, Corelli's Mandolin

In 2011 I read 66 books.

I never read the Babysitters Club.

I did read Nancy Drew, Sweet Valley High and lots of VC Andrews.

My favorite childhood authors/books were probably Beatrix Potter, CS Lewis, Shel Silverstein, Charlotte's Web, Winne the Pooh, and Paddington Bear. 

Childhood Books

This year I have spent $0 on books. That is not to say I haven't WANTED to spend money, but so far, I have abstained.

I went to Oscar Wilde's grave site in Paris.

My brother got me a Kindle for my birthday last year. I love it, but I still love real books!

My next book on deck for reading is  The Snowball: Warren Buffet and the Business of Life by Alice Schroeder. It weighs about 47 pounds. It is NOT on my Kindle. I may need a chiropractor when I am done lugging it around in my purse. Hopefully it will be a quick read. It's only about 700 pages.

I cannot read more than one book at a time. I don't understand people who are reading two or three at once. 

There are 218 titles on my Goodreads "to-read" list. For every one I take off, I add two more.

I read the Red Badge of Courage in Spanish.  It took me about 8 months.

Little Women made me cry the second time I read it. I was on an airplane. It was a little bit embarrassing. 

I do read books more than once.

I have never read Moby Dick. It's on my Kindle though.

I am a late bloomer. I don't usually read books until they have been out for a while (I just read The Handmaidens Tale this year).

I will read anything. I do love a good murder mystery, WWII historical fiction and books that teach me something without being boring.

I am a book hoarder. I recently gave away 4 boxes of books. I still have plenty more.

Some of the Plenty More

I just checked 6 books out from the library. It was not on purpose. They were all put on the hold shelf at the same time. I probably will not finish them all before they are due.

I am kind of on a running book kick.  

Current Library Haul -- Run + Buffett

I think I've read almost all of Stephen King, John Grisham and  Elizabeth George's books.

I am currently reading Running on Empty by Marshall Ulrich. I think he is wonderful and strong and inspiring and cocky and annoying and big headed all at once. 

I almost always finish the book I am reading, even if I don't like it. There have only been a couple books I did not finish. One of them was Catch 22. 

I keep a list of the books I've read each year.

Right now the only reading I am doing is on the bus. This equals about a half an hour a day. It is not enough.

I love how the Kindle has a built in dictionary. No more penciling in the margins!

*Inspired by Amy and Rachel.

Are you a reader? What's your favorite book? Confess your reading "sins"!

Then and Now: September

Every time I do these posts, I think that it doesn't seem that long since I did the last one, even though a month has gone by. I have had many people tell me that as you get older the time goes by more and more quickly. Well stop it. Stop it now.

As you know, I like to recap my last month with a comparison to what I was doing last year at this time. It started when I could say, "Last year at this time I was traveling in ____". Now I can't say that, but it's still fun to look back and see what things have changed and which ones stay the same. Without further ado, here are the Who, the What and the Where for September 2011 vs 2012.

WHO:

2011: 

Dad, Lisa, Raquelita 

(not pictured: Red, Gma S, The B family)

2012: 

Kalish, J&E, K&A and the goats

(not pictured: the broski, his lady friend, Gma B)

WHAT:

Read:
2011: 4 / 2012: 3


My favorite September book in 2011 was probably The Guernsey Literary Potato Pie Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. In 2012, I really enjoyed Emergency Sex by Ken Cain, Andrew Thompson and Heidi Postlewait, which is about being in some seriously dangerous countries while working for the UN during the 90s.

Run:
2011:  95.2 / 2012:  187.4

In 2011, I was training for a half marathon in September. This year, I am training for a marathon. However, it is still a surprisingly high amount to me, even though I did run two 20+ runs this month.

Raced:
2011: 2 / 2012: 3

In 2011, I ran my first half marathon since 2009 (see photo above with Dad). After that, I went to MN and raced a great 10 miler with Lisa and Raquelita (see photo above)! In 2012, I ran Mommy Run Fast's  Labor Day Virtual 10 mile and Labor Day Virtual 5 mile  as well as joining up with a friend, and thousands of Giant's fans for the Giant Race! 

WHERE:

2011: 

The M States: 

Missouri, Massachusetts, Minnesota

2012: 

The Bay Area: 

Oakland, San Francisco, Berkeley

As you can see, last year I traveled more than this year. Nearly every weekend in September I went somewhere. I went to MA the first weekend, Dad came for the race the next, then it was MN, then Kansas City the last weekend! This year I have stayed closer to home!

I also met a lot of new friends both years. Last year it was Lisa and Raquelita; this year it's some new running buddies, new people at work and new local folk.  September in both years have been busy with running! This year I feel as if I have more time to foster old friendships as well as making new. Last year with the traveling and working away from home, I felt as if I were doing the opposite and losing touch with old friends, even as I was making new ones. So this year has been a welcome change in that aspect!

What things have changed in your life since last year? What has stayed the same? How many "M" states have you been to?