My Bologna Tastes Better Than Your Bologna

Happy Holidays All! I'm in Ohio right now, enjoying the holidays with my family. Ohio is different from Southern California in almost every way possible. I might as well be on Mars because Mars is about as different from California as Ohio is. Right now I am sitting in an old farmhouse that is surrounded by acres and acres of plowed cornfields. There is no trash pick up here, no cable TV, and no dishwasher; however, there is an indoor toilet, which is an improvement over where I spent a few nights last week--at our cabin in the woods of Western New York.

[Carrie in Ohio...need I say more?]

One of the biggest and most burdensome differences between the OC and Northwest Ohio is that Cali is warm and Ohio is cold! There is no possible way I would be able to run a half/marathon if I had to train in Ohio. It's flat as a pancake here, but running outside is just brutal. So, I haven't ventured out yet. My mom got a free treadmill from a couple who was foreclosing on their house, so I ran a mile on it the other day, but that's all I ran because I was contracting the cold my sister brought back with her from Colorado.

When I was in NY I went skiing, but since they only have hills there, and not mountains, I didn't really get all that great of a workout. I am going to try (no promises!) to go outside and run this week...arg. Another problem with running outside here is that there is nothing (seriously, nothing!) for miles and miles and miles so basically I just have to run down the same road forever with only dead cornfields to look at. It's very depressing and not motivating at all.

So, when I have been not running, I have been bonding with my family, which so far has included Christmas dinner, movies, and visiting our Amish neighbors in New York. The topics at Christmas dinner this year were especially interesting and included discussions about which local butcher makes the best tasting bologna and which local county fair has the highest number of broiler chickens on show each year.

The First Great Eight

Finally, I had a great week of running! Since I last posted I ran 4 miles around Aliso Viejo with Sara and then this morning I actually got up and was out the door at 6:05am to run 8 miles (22 total miles this week). It was so cold out and dark and I really didn't want to crawl out of my warm bed, but I figured that if I couldn't get out and run in this weather, then I'd have no chance of getting motivated to run in Ohio's weather when I'm there during the next few weeks. I felt great during the run and it was nice to see the dawn of a new day. Also, I'm glad running 8 miles didn't feel like a big deal to my body, especially since I have not run 8 miles since before my marathon (yikes!).

I Would Run 500 Miles

Last night I ran 3 miles at the gym and then I repeated that again tonight. I ran my fastest 3 miles ever: 24:18. I know, for all you "real" runners, that's not that fast, but it sure is a huge improvement for me considering that last year at this time I could barely run 3 miles in 30 minutes. I wasn't planning on running so fast today, but I was running on a treadmill next to a guy (who I saw running last night at the gym too) and, well, I guess I wanted to "beat" him. He had his treadmill set at 6.3, which is a 9:30 minute/mile, so I set mine at 7.5 and ran an 8 minute/mile for the first 2+ miles and then I slowed down a bit (7.1) and finished in 24:18.

Both last night and tonight I ran with my iPod. One guy running two treadmills over from mine was totally rocking out with his iPod. He was lip syncing to his music and dancing and waving his arms around like he was at a live concert.

Rock on!

Da Da Da Da Da Da Da Da Undela Undela Undela la la...

Ask Me Again Ten Years Ago

Last Saturday, instead of running (arg...), I went up to LA and went out with some new old friends: Britt, Janelle, and Heather. Britt, Janelle, and I went to high school together a million and half years ago and ten planets away from Los Angeles.

Anyway, we had a great time and our evening ended at Winston's Bar in West Hollywood, which was jam packed. Once inside, we managed to get someone to snag our photo:

Guess who that someone was?? Come on...guess! It was BJ Novak who plays Ryan Howard on The Office! Dunder Mifflin gave him 'The Hottest in the Office Award.' So...here's the story: We were hanging out and I saw BJ behind me and kind of recognized him (at first I thought he was Milo Ventimiglia from The Gilmore Girls), but I didn't want to do that whole "ohhh...who are you? you're famous, right?" thing, so I didn't say anything. But then he started talking to me and asked me to take a picture of him and two of his friends using his camera phone. It's clearly been too long since I've been spoken to by a guy who wasn't a close friend or family member and I didn't realize until a little later that the photo request was most likely just an icebreaker to get my attention (photos do not turn out well when taken in a dark bar using a camera phone). Anyway, after I took a few pics for him, he took the picture of us girls above and then we chatted for a bit (what do you do? where do you live? how old are you? what time do you have to be back in heaven? blah, blah, blah...) before he and his friends went back to their table and us girls left. Although he didn't come straight out and tell me that he was BJ Novak from The Office, he did tell me that his name was BJ, that he was a script writer/producer, that he was 28, that he knew Milo from Gilmore Girls, that he was with a friend who was a comedian (BJ is a comedian also), and that he was with friends from Harvard. So...all of that, combined with the fact that he actually looked like BJ Novak, convinced us all that he indeed was the real deal.

I'd say us girls from the cornfields of Northwest Ohio have come a long way...we're certainly not in Kansas anymore!

P.S. Just so that this remains a running blog, I'll state that I ran 4 miles at the gym tonight in just over 34 minutes, which I think is my fastest 4 miles to date. I ran for 1.5 miles at an 8 minute/mile pace and then eventually slowed down and finished at about a 9 minute/mile pace.

Where do you get off comparing your hands to my hands?!

Well...I've been doing a lot of things lately (working, grading, etc.), but not a lot of running. I'm horrible, I know. If I don't kick it into gear soon then I'm going to be slow as molasses during the half marathon race.

One thing I did recently that didn't involve running was make my debut as a hand model! My company needed some new photos for some new marketing materials and I was the female part of the photo shoot. How cool?!

[Photo by Dan Snipes]

Any hand modeling I do needs to be done ASAP because eventually, my hands are going to look like my Mom's (from left to right: Mom's hand at 49, Anna's hand at 18, and my hand at 25):

Besides hand modeling, I've also been eating a lot. It's part of my daily routine now: Get up, eat a cookie, shower, brush teeth, eat brownies for breakfast, and drink hot chocolate. Chew a piece of gum to freshen breath. Two minutes later eat cake for lunch. Recharge in the afternoon with some chocolate truffles. Skip running to stay inside and eat more cookies and maybe a cupcake or two for dinner. Hook up IV with sugar water to me so that I can have a constant supply of sugar in my body during the night. Repeat in a similar fashion the next day. In support of this new diet, I hosted my 2nd Annual Dessert & Coffee Party, which was attended by my very wonderful friends, who brought some very yummy desserts. Mmmm...mmmm!

[Sabina, Michelle, Nicole B., & Me]

[Felicia, Me, & Maria]

I should state that I have done some running. Since I last posted I ran 4 miles at the Mission Viejo gym and attended an hour long yoga class with Sabina, ran 6 miles outside with Diana, and ran another 4 miles at the Aliso viejo gym.

Here lies Carrie. She had two loves and lots o' shoes.

Last Thursday I went to a shoe shopping party at the new DSW at The District in Tustin with Sabina, Alanna, Nicole D., and Janet. And although I just refinanced my house (can I get an Amen?!) and I shouldn't be spending money, I found an awesome deal on a new pair of running shoes and I had to get them. Although online they are listed for $75-$80, I bought them at DSW for only $45 (including tax)! I hadn't bought new shoes since before my marathon (since last April, actually) and so I really needed a new pair. Sabina reassured me that it was okay for me to spend the money the next day by stating that buying running shoes is like buying toilet paper: I may not absolutely need the shoes right now (I mean, I'm not walking around barefoot), but soon I will need them when my other shoes completely break down, and so it's best to buy the shoes now when they are on sale. And so you should also always buy toilet paper when it's on sale, whether you need more of it right now or not, because eventually you will. Or something like that. I don't know. I have new shoes though and I'm happy about them! You can ask her about her toilet paper-buying philosophy.

They're New Balance, again, and look similar to my current shoes. I wore them for my runs last weekend and they felt great:-)
...the fact is, sometimes it's really hard to walk in a single woman's shoes. That's why we need really special ones now and then to make the walk a little more fun... (from Sex and the City)

Stella's Got Her Groove Back

I just got back from a 3.5 mile run outside around Laguna Niguel and I felt great! I felt good during the entire run and finished strong. I felt like I could just keep on running. Whew!

But All I Know Is That Everything's Gonna Be Alright

O vey! Running has been rough on me lately. I don't know what my problem is. During my last two runs I felt very sluggish--my legs, lungs, and heart did not want to participate fully in the exercise. Last Saturday I met Sara at her house in Irvine and we ran about 3.5 miles and then walked another 1.5-2 miles. We ran down to the Back Bay Trail in Newport Beach and then circled back to her house. As always, it was nice to have a running partner. Sara is great to run with and talk with I'm so glad that we can catch up on chit chat and get in our exercise at the same time!

On Sunday I ran 5 miles around Aliso Viejo and Laguna Hills by myself. It was a beautiful afternoon and I ran on part of a street that I've never run on. My route was Alicia>Pacific Park>Aliso Creek>Aliso Viejo Parkway>Laguna Hills Drive (that's the part I hadn't run on yet)>Paseo de Valencia>Alicia. I think I know why I hadn't run on Laguna Hills Drive yet--it's uphill! I survived though and got to run for a little bit on the Aliso Creek Trail while I was over that way.

I should have run 3.5 miles on Monday; I have no excuse for not doing that. None at all. I'm a slacker; that's my excuse. Well...I did get up at 5:20am to go running with Diana, but she wasn't up because her baby was fussy, so I went back to bed and then even though I got home early to sign my loan refinance docs (which I wasn't able to do because they were wrong!), I still didn't make the time for a run.

Tonight, I'm going to get back into my running routine though! I received a free Runner's World magazine in the mail yesterday compliments of Elite Racing (they are the company who organized the marathon I ran earlier in the year) and it got me all pumped up. Let's hope that I have more energy for my run tonight than I did for my runs last weekend.

Oh, and the title of this blog is a line from Alicia Keys' new song, "No One," which I just love. Everything is going to be all right!

...I Don't Worry Cause
Everything's Gonna Be Alright
People Keep Talking
They Can Say What They Like
But All I Know Is That Everything's Gonna Be Alright...

Pura Vida!

Lo hice bien a casa de Costa Rica después de tener unas maravillosas vacaciones allí con mi hermana. Teníamos un tiempo de diversión explorando el campo, comiendo el alimento, y vinculación.

*********************************************

I took a week off from running to explore the Costa Rican countryside with my little sister, Anna. We had a blast! Anna and I have spent everything Thanksgiving together since I moved to California; it's our tradition now and we really look forward to it. Next year, we're thinking about taking a Mexican cruise. Anyway, I obviously didn't get any runs in (although I did see other tourists out running in some of the small towns and I talked to one local waiter who asked me how much MP3 players are at pawn shops in the US because his broke and they are expensive in Costa Rica), but I still did get some exercise walking, hiking, zip-lining, and swimming.

If you know me, then you know I love to go hiking. I especially love hiking uphill. It's all about the challenge! We didn't climb any mountains in Costa Rica, but we did forge through some pretty rough and wet terrain:

One of the most fun things that we did on the trip was go on a zip-line canopy tour. I highly recommend it. The zip lines were fun, the rappel was pretty cool, and the Tarzan swing was wicked, to say the least.

After all of our adventures in San Jose, Arenal Volcano, Monteverde, and all the horrible roads in between, we ended up on the Pacific coast at Manual Antonio where we relaxed on the white sands and went swimming in the warm waters.

All that sun was baaaad for my pathetically white skin, despite SPF 45 and so I retuned from Costa Rica last Sunday feeling like burnt toast and looking like a lobster. People as white as me should be banned from beaches. Here's the photo documentation of both of our sunburns at dinner in our last night in Costa Rica:

Since I was so roasted toasted from the beach and also since I had to dive right back into work and teaching (and unpacking, cleaning, meetings, etc.), I wasn't able to get back to running until this morning at 5:40am when I met Diana for a 3.5 mile run. I am hoping to get some nice runs in this weekend, despite the cooler weather that is in our forecast (cool for SoCal at least). Stay tuned...

Oh, if you'd like to see all of my pics from Costa Rica and read the story of our trip, click here.

A Run Through the Night

It's that time of the year. The evening breeze is chilled, the slight rustic smell of dying leaves wafts through the air (even in SoCal!), and the sun sets before I freakin' leave the office at the end of the day. Yes, Daylight Savings Time is over:-( And so, I have begun to run outside, after work, in the dark. Luckily, I live in a populated area and the places I run in and around are very well lit. On Wednesday night I ran 3.5 miles around Laguna Niguel...down Alicia to Aliso Creek to La Paz to Pacific Park. I felt great during the run and am very glad to be back into the routine of running, even if it means I'm back outside in the dark.

I skipped out on my Thursday run and instead had dinner with Sabina and watched "The Office" with her. Ack...I'm down 2 miles.

Tomorrow morning I'm waking up before the crack of dawn to go running with Diana during the opposite end of the dark. We're planning on a six mile run and it should be light before we finish for bagels and coffee at her house.

And then...on Sunday...I am going to Costa Rica for a week with my sister!!! I won't be running while I'm on vacation, but I will be hiking and zip-lining and swimming and playing with monkeys.

One more thing: You may have noticed a few changes to the header of this blog. I am no longer running in the P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona 1/2 Marathon and am instead running in a race closer to home, the Surf City USA 1/2 Marathon in Huntington Beach. I'm hoping to recruit a group of friends to run in the 1/2 marathon with me or to run in the 5k race at the event. Instead of racing through the streets of Phoenix on the 13th of January, I'll be gliding down the ski slopes at a resort in the Rockies.

Alright, I'm running out of steam for the day and week. My wit is nil. Check back here in a week to see what sort of non-running adventures I had in Costa Rica with Anna.

Why don't you stay?

I can't stay. I need to run.

Last week I ran 4 miles at the gym on Monday night, 3 miles outside on Wednesday morning with Diana, and 3.5 miles at the gym on Thursday super early in the morning. Then on Saturday morning I picked Megan up (she was in town--yeah!) and we ran 3 miles around the Laguna Niguel Lake and then up to Diana's house to visit with her and Cameron. It was fun to be running with Megan again and I think she enjoyed being back in her old neighborhood. I love my running partners!!!

This is a picture of Megan and me on Friday night at dinner:

And this is a picture of Diana, Cameron, and me at her house midway through Megan's and my run on Saturday morning. I told Diana that she'll have to save this picture and pull it out on Camron's first date...it's too funny that he is picking his nose!


I should have run 5 miles on Sunday, but instead I slept in and then got a mani/pedi with Nicole B. And then it happened...it's gone..I didn't want it to stay though...it was time to go. My left foot's big toenail finally got axed. Literally cut off. The woman doing my pedicure said that she had to cut the dead toenail off because the new one was growing in underneath. And so, almost half a year after I ran my marathon, the final bit of me that was hanging on to that once-in-a-lifetime experience fell off. I guess everything in life must move on...must be renewed...must change and grow. Even, or rather, especially, toenails.

This morning I was at Diana's house at 5:30am again and we ran 3.5 miles outside. I cannot stress again how thankful I am to have Diana and my other friends as running partners. Running with these ladies gives us a chance to talk, share our lives, bounce ideas off each other, get free therapeutic advice, laugh, and get to know each other even better. This morning, ten minutes after Diana and I finished our run, we were still standing outside on her driveway talking.

Today's song of the day is "Stay," by Sugarland. Although I have never dated a married man, the song still speaks to me and gives me goosebumps when I hear it. I think it's because at the end of the song, the woman finally gets the strength to stand on her own two feet and move in a more positive direction in her life. She realizes that she does not deserve to be second place in her married lover's life. I am finding that same strength within myself these days and it's pretty cool--and very empowering.

I've been sittin' here stairin' at the clock on the wall
And I've been layin' here prayin'
Prayin' she won't call
It's just another call from home and you'll get it and be gone and I'll be cryin'

And I'll be beggin' you baby
Beg you not to leave
But I'll be left here waitin'
My Heart on my sleeve
Oh for the next time we'll be here seems like a million years and I think I'm dyin'

What do I have to do to make you see
She can't love you like me

Why don't you stay
I'm down on my knees
I'm so tired of bein' lonely
Don't I give you what you need
When she calls you to go
There is one thing you should know
We don't have to live this way
Baby, why don't you stay

You keep tellin' me baby
There will come a time
When you will leave her arms
And forever be in mine
But I don't think that's the truth
And I don't like bein' used and I'm tired of waitin'

It's too much pain to have to bare
To love a man you have to share

Why don't you stay
I'm down on my knees
I'm so tired of bein' lonely
Don't I give you what you need
When she calls you to go
There is one thing you should know
We don't have to live this way
Baby, why don't you stay

I can't take it any longer but my will is gettin' stronger
And I think I know just what I have to do
I can't waste another minute
After all that I've put in it
I've given you my best
Why does she get the best of you

So next time you find you wanna leave her bed for mine

Why don't you stay
I'm up off my knees
I'm so tired of bein' lonely
You can't give me what I need
When she begs you not to go
There is one thing you should know
I don't have to live this way

Baby why don't you stay

Here's a YouTube clip from their performance at last week's CMAs:

Slowly Movin' Along

Slowly, slowly, I'm advancing in my training. Let's see...where did I leave off. Oh, yes, I last posted that I ran 3 miles at the nasty 24 Hr. Fitness in Aliso Viejo. That was Monday. Last Wednesday and Thursday I met Diana super duper early in the morning and we went to her gym and ran. We ran 2 miles on Wednesday and then worked out for 20 minutes on the elliptical machine and then we ran 3 miles on Thursday. I also did "buns of steel" (i.e., lunges) on Thursday. My buns just stopped hurting from that little exercise yesterday! On Sunday morning I again went running with Diana (I'm SO glad I have her to run with). I met her at 6:40am and we ran 3 miles around Laguna Niguel. Cameron, her 14 month old son, came along with us in the baby jogger. I was supposed to run 4 miles on Sunday, but we only had time for 3 and so that had to do. After our run, though, we did have time for coffee and bagels at Diana's house. And, I had time to play with her son, who is absolutely adorable. Sometimes eating, bonding, and playing are a lot more important than running!

Tonight I need to run 3.5 miles...which I'll probably end up doing at the gym since I'm going to get home later due to a bowling event that my work is sponsoring.

I'll post more updates later in the week...and a rant on the end of Daylight Savings Time...sigh...I miss you already DST!!

Gym Review: Aliso Viejo 24 Hr Fitness

If I were to rate this gym using the standard hotel star-rating system, this gym would get one star. It's the gym equivalent of Motel 6. Pathetic.

On Monday evening I went to the 24 Hr Fitness in Aliso Viejo to run 3 miles. When I walked in the girl working at the front desk hardly even looked at me, let alone scanned my membership card or checked my ID. I walked over to the treadmills and found one in front of a fan and next to some other dude (everyone was huddled together beneath the fans because they keep the thermostat so freakin' high there). The dude on the treadmill next to mine informed me that my treadmill didn't work. Wonderful. So I find another treadmill beneath a fan that isn't on and I climb over the treadmill and reach up and turn on the fan. I'll have nice breeze now, right? Well, yes, if by "nice" you mean a disgusting, dusty, dirty, germy breeze. The fan was covered--caked--plastered with grey dirt and dust--all blowing in my direction. Gross! As I look around I notice dust and dirt everywhere--all over the floor and the machines. And now that I'm looking, I see that the windows in front of me are streaky and dirty. What are my $16 dues a month going towards?? Well, I guess I'm getting what I pay for (which isn't much). After my 3 mile run (during which I had two guys, on both sides of me, running...one would increase his speed and then the other would...it was commical) I figured I would tell that girl painting her nails at the front desk that as a paying patron of this facility, I expect better service! Clean fans! Clean equipment! Streak-free windows! I demand to have a cool, clean breeze blowing the wisps of my hair as I run in place on the treadmill! Yeah...well, she had vacated her post at the front desk and no one was there.

So wiped my dirty, sweaty face and hands on the jacket she had left on her chair.

Just kidding...maybe...

Registered!

I've actually been registered for the race for at least a month now. There's no backing out now. I'm really looking forward to running this race with Katie and possibly her husband, mother-in-law, sister, brothers, and friend (Andi). It's going to be fun to have a supportive running group and cheering squad!

Last year Katie and Andi ran this race together and they are now semi-famous after having their picture taken in matching pink shorts at the start of the race. Their picture has been plastered on the race's Web site at http://www.rnraz.com/ and on brochures, promotional e-mails, and other marketing materials all over the country.


When I was in Fort Collins, CO, in September I was excited to see them on a brochure at a bagel shop!

The Official Schedule

Here it is...the schedule I'll be following to train for this beast of a race. Props go out to Hal Higdon for devising it.

On your mark, get set...

...train!

Yup, my training for the half marathon has officially begun! This morning I woke up well before the crack of dawn and met Diana at her house at 5:40am. We went over to her association's fitness center in Rancho Niguel and I ran 3 miles on the treadmill. I walked for about another .4 miles and then we worked out on the elliptical machine for 10 minutes before I stretched and went home to shower and head off to work. Tomorrow we plan on meeting at 5:20am...yikes! It's so nice running with Diana again though! The workout flies by and even though it's hard, in the end I like waking up early and getting my workout done before work instead of after work (especially since it's getting darker earlier and earlier). After the smoke from all of these files clears we'll be able to run outside again. Until then, we be up in the gym just workin' on our fitness...

She said I think I'll go to Boston...

I think I'll start a new life,
I think I'll start it over, where no one knows my name,
I'll get out of California, I'm tired of the weather,
I think I'll get a lover and fly 'em out to Spain...
I think I'll go to Boston,
I think that I'm just tired
I think I need a new town, to leave this all behind...
I think I need a sunrise, I'm tired of the sunset,
I hear it's nice in the Summer, some snow would be nice... oh yeah

**************************

I spent last weekend in Beantown, exploring the historic city with my Mom. I brought all of my running clothes, but didn't end up actually going out for a run. But, we did a TON of walking--all along the Freedom Trail, Newbury Street, the Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Harvard, and so much more. We toured all of the historic sites, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and the state capitol. We also saw a musical at the Boston Center for the Arts (A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum) and cheered on the Red Sox at a pub near Quincy Market. Good times.

I've heard the song I quoted from above, by Augustana, many times on the radio. Each time it plays I swear it's being sung just for me, luring me to leave the stucco-sided buildings, palm trees, and celebrity-obsessed everything of SoCal for the traditional brick buildings, maple trees, and intellectual minds of New England's beautiful Boston. I loved visiting Boston and learning more about the city, but after visiting it I had a hard time picturing myself actually living there. Perhaps it's too big of a city for a girl who's originally from a small farming town with less than 300 inhabitants. So now my dreams of moving away from the Orange Coast are focused more on Portland, or better yet, Denver, where at least one person will know my name (my sister!).

Today's song of the day is obviously Boston, from Augustana:

In the light of the sun, is there anyone? Oh it has begun...
Oh dear you look so lost, eyes are red and tears are shed,
This world you must've crossed... you said...

You don't know me, you don't even care, oh yeah,
She said
You don't know me, and you don't wear my chains... oh yeah,

Essential yet appealed, carry all your thoughts across
An open field,
When flowers gaze at you... they're not the only ones who cry
When they see you
You said...

You don't know me, you don't even care, oh yeah,
She said
You don't know me, and you don't wear my chains... oh yeah,

She said I think I'll go to Boston...
I think I'll start a new life,
I think I'll start it over, where no one knows my name,
I'll get out of California, I'm tired of the weather,
I think I'll get a lover and fly 'em out to Spain...
I think I'll go to Boston,
I think that I'm just tired
I think I need a new town, to leave this all behind...
I think I need a sunrise, I'm tired of the sunset,
I hear it's nice in the Summer, some snow would be nice... oh yeah,

You don't know me, you don't even care...

Boston...where no one knows my name... yeah
Where no one knows my name...
Where no one knows my name...
Yeah Boston...
Where no one knows my name.

Running in Portland

This past weekend I went to Portland with a co-worker to work at our company's booth at the Great Western Council of Optometry meeting. Even though we were there to work, we still had time for a little fun, and I had time for a little run:-) In addition to working on Friday, we also walked around NW 23rd Street and went out to eat at an amazing restaurant called Papa Haydn. On Saturday morning I woke up early and went for a three mile run in the morning mist. I ran on the Riverwalk (next to the Willamette River) and across the Steele Bridge. It was very invigorating to be running around a new city.

After my morning run we went to the Saturday Market, back to the convention center to work, and then to lunch at Mother's Bistro...where we ate at a table next to Jennifer Aniston and her mom!!! My co-worker commented that it was ironic that we had to come all the way to Portland to see a movie star (especially considering how close we live to L.A.). After lunch with Jen (that's what her peeps call her), we browsed through Powell's Books before heading back down to sunny, superficial SoCal.

Sigh...I think I could run and live in Portland on a permanent basis...

New Running Partner!

Last night I went for a run with a new running partner—Sara. She met me at my house after work and we drove down Alicia and parked the car and then ran around Lake Laguna Niguel in the Laguna Niguel Regional Park. I love that park! The run was probably a little less than 3 miles, but it felt good to be outside, to be running, and to be chatting with a new friend. Most of the run is pretty flat, with one small hill. The trail hugs the lake and at one point is crowded with 50+ ducks and geese. Autumn is definitely in the air and on the leaves. Reminds me of my old cross country days...ah...

Humbled

It has now been four months since I ran my marathon. Not the San Diego marathon, but my marathon. Emil Zatopek said that “We are different, in essence, from other [wo]men. If you want to win something, run 100 meters. If you want to experience something, run a marathon.” And what an experience I had! Running in that race was honestly one of the most inspiring things that I have ever done. I still get a little verklempt thinking about it. Give me a moment. Talk amongst yourselves. I'll give you a topic: A thigh master is neither a thigh nor a master. Discuss!
Okay, I'm better. So, since my last blog, 26 While 26, ended, a few things have happened in my life, as they tend to do. My toenail that fell off is growing back (I’ve been eating lots of roast beef). My right foot’s big toenail that went to the market got its butt kicked while fighting for the last free sample of a broccoli bagel bite at Costco and came home barely hanging on to life. It has been determined that the toenail is not going to make it and right now I’m just waiting for the day when it, too, falls off.

In July I disappeared for a weekend into the San Francisco fog where I visited with my dear friends, the Bells. Megan and I reminisced about the days when we ran together in the OC and we went for a run on a new trail—one that went from her apartment in the tony Russian Hill neighborhood to across the Golden Gate Bridge! She put Madison in the baby jogger and we ran for about 6-7 miles, through the city streets, Presidio, and finally across the very cold and very windy bridge. What an experience! When we got to the other side of the bridge, we called her husband to come pick us up (hey, one way was amazing enough; there was no need to flip it and reverse it back 6-7 miles!).

After my cool weekend in San Francisco, I jetted off to Casa Grande, AZ, to spend a weekend with my other dear friends, the La Salvias. And finally, finally, Katie and I got to go running together again! Katie is my longest running partner—I’ve been running with her since 8th grade! We woke up super early in the mornings to beat the suffocating desert heat. Katie, now it’s your turn to come out to CA and run with me by the ocean!!

In August my Mom, Grammy, and Great Aunt Nancy came to visit me. Since my Grammy is now 87 and my Aunt Nancy is almost 77, they weren’t really up for a long run. Instead, we did a lot of walking—in Balboa Park in San Diego, down the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and all around my condo complex. While we were in San Diego we went on a trolley tour of the city and I excitedly pointed out to my family (and everyone else within earshot) all the places I passed while running the marathon. “Look! That’s the hotel I stayed in! And this is where I lined up at the start line! And this is where I crossed the 10k mark! And this is where I saw that guy peeing on a tree! Oh, I ran down this road…and this one…oh! And this one too! Ah! And this is where I finished!!” So basically everyone on the trolley paid thirty bucks each to relive my marathon experience with me. Dang…now that I think about it, they should have paid me that money! I put on a good show!

August was full of birthdays: Sabina’s (30!), Kara’s (30!), Nicole D.’s (29!), Grammy’s (87!), Cameron’s (1!), and, ug…mine:-( It happened. I turned 27. I am still having a hard time adjusting to this new age. Yeah, yeah, 27 is not old. But the thing is, I feel like I’m 27 going on 45. You see, I’ve got an old soul. 26 was a good year—mostly in part to my marathon quest. I’m scared about year 27. What will my goals be this year? What will I accomplish? What good (and…yikes…bad!) things will happen this year? Honestly, the whole thing is freakin’ me out. One day I actually sat in my office in tears because I wanted to be 22/23 again. Now I really know why Hallmark makes all those birthday cards that make fun of age: Getting old(er) sucks! [Note: If you’re over the age of 27 and reading this, please do not send me hate mail. You see, you are the lovely exception to this getting old thing. In fact, you don’t look a day over 17!]

After my birthday I hopped on a plane and flew to Denver to spend Labor Day with my sister. We didn’t go running together, but we, of course, did go hiking. This time, though, we didn’t have to hike through any snow fields.

In September I ran 5K in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Newport Beach with Sabina and Nicole B. I wasn’t super speedy, but I finished in 27:56 and I was happy with that.

In 2 ½ weeks I am going to start training to accomplish my next goal: My first half marathon! Frank Shorter said that “You have to forget your last marathon before you try another. Your mind can't know what's coming.” And so it is time to forget about last year, forget about the seven months of training, forget about my 26 While 26 mission and blog, forget about my marathon, and forget about being 26. It’s time to move on. I’m looking forward to this new goal in my life. I’m ready for my running shoes to hit the pavement (and treadmill!) again. If you can’t join me for a run, you can at least keep up with me in cyberspace as I train to run 13 miles on January 13th.

Bill Rodgers said, "The marathon can humble you." And it has. I pray that this next goal, this next race, humbles me even more. It is fitting, then, that today's song of the day is Humble Me, by Norah Jones:

Went out on a limb
Gone too far
Broken down at the side of the road
Stranded at the outskirts and sun's creepin' up
Baby's in the backseat
Still fast asleep
Dreamin' of better days
I don't want to call you but you're all I have to turn to

What do you say
When it's all gone away?
Baby I didn't mean to hurt you
Truth spoke in whispers will tear you apart
No matter how hard you resist it
It never rains when you want it to

You humble me Lord
Humble me Lord
I'm on my knees empty
You humble me Lord
You humble me Lord
Please, please, please forgive me

Baby Teresa got your eyes
I see you all the time
When she asks about her daddy
I never know what to say

Heard you knocked the bottle
And helped to build the church
You carry an honest wage
Is it true you have someone keeping you company?

What do you say
When its all gone away?
Baby I didn't meant to hurt you
Truth spoke in whispers will tear you apart
No matter how hard you resist it
It never rains when you want it to

You humble me Lord
Humble me Lord
I'm on me knees empty
You humble me Lord
You humble me Lord
Please, please, please forgive me