2015 Race Season

With the completion of my last race of 2014, its now time to relax but also think about the exciting new races to come!

I am so amped for next season! I am hoping for a stronger year and I can't wait to see where my body will take me!


February:

• Sunday, Feb. 1: Kaiser Half Marathon

March: 

• Sunday, Mar 22: Oakland Half Marathon

April:

• Monday, Apr 20: Boston Marathon

May:

• Saturday, May 1: Wildflower Triathlon Long Course

August:

• Sunday, Aug 2: Ironman Philippines 70.3

I will possibly add a couple races here and there between May and August, but nothing on the docket just yet.

Fierce Race Nails

Every race since last year, I have had a race prep that got me geared up and ready for race day. Some people get their hair cut. Others shave their legs. I get my nails done (or at least do them myself).

Sparklin' it up for the North Face #ECSCA 50k!

The reasoning behind this is simple. I am fierce but I am also cute. I love the duality of it. I am allowed to be both strong and buff while also being girly and cute. Its part of who I am and I don't need to conceal it while I race. 

I absolutely adore Alysia Montano and Maggie Vessey. They don't let their speed take over their personality on the track. Sometimes my teammates poke fun of my fondness to cuteness but I dont mind. Wearing bight, pink shorts is a part of who I am and I personally believe that it keeps me feeling fast! Fast and Fierce! 

So, instead of keeping this to myself, I am gonna start to share on this blog my race nails :) 

My hope is that you get inspired to incorporate a piece of yourself while racing or even just going through your everyday lives. There's truly no harm in expressing yourself :) 

Go on and get fancy!

My first attempt at an Ultra Distance Race: A North Face Endurance Challenge California 50k 2014 Review

After a couple years of running, I found reasons to attempt the 50k distance. I was coaching my high school cross country team and wanted to push myself to new adventures as they would be pushing themselves during the season. I also wanted to get my off season started on a high note. I wanted to use this 50k to build mental strength for when I attempt the Wildflower long course (again!) and hopefully beat the course (at least in my heart)!

Anyways, months ago, I signed up for the North Face Endurance Challenge 50k in San Francisco, California. Its a race that's basically in my own backyard! Extremely accessible and I would be able to train on the same course as race day.

Race Outfit

Race day outfit!

I am including this piece because in my own search, I couldn't find many people's outfits for running a trail race of this nature. So here is my own 50k race outfit and my experience:

• Nike Dry-Fit Tee - The weather at that time was unpredictable. It rained a few days prior and I had no idea if it would be warm or cold, so I opted for a short sleeved t-shirt (which was nice when the sun came out to cover my shoulders from any burns). I kept it loose - which is different from my normal style but again, I was trying something new and it actually was not bad. It did mess with the fit of my race belt though.
• Victoria Secret Sports Bra - Fantastic running bra! Kept me from bouncing all day long. While I love it for running marathons, there were so many down hills that there was a bit of chaffing. Next time, I'll make sure to use some bodyglide for the anti-chaff.
• Running Skirts Arm Warmers -  These have great cuffs that I was able to wear over my hands at the beginning of the race, so i didn't have to carry any gloves. These are size small but were not as tight as I would have liked. But they did provide the warmth that I needed. I eventually took them off as the race heated up and progressed.
• Salomon S Lab Advanced Skin Belt - GREAT! It was my fault that I began the race with it fitting weird. By the first down hill, the belt was flopping around everywhere! My mistake was that I wanted to wear it on my hips. I think that could have worked but I figured out this belt works best on my waist. I just needed to tighten it up and loop a little knot on the side. Once I figure that out, this baby was sweet! It kept me hydrated when I needed a bit of water between aid stations. There was really no need to wear a huge hydration pack when there were aid stations about every 3-5 miles. The last time I ran a trail race, I used my hiking hydration pack and found that holding that much water was not necessary and just caused my shoulders and lower back to ache. This belt was fabulous! Held a couple gus, a flexible bottle of water, as well as my arm warmers that I had taken off mid-race.
• Running Skirts Run Buns (shorts) - Super cute! Sparkly! Colorful! Everything that I like about shorts! As for running in them, they were okay. Maybe I was just having a chubby leg day but I definitely got some chaffing on my inner thighs. But nothing that a little bit of bodyglide couldn't help. Would I wear them for other races? Absolutely!
• CEP Compression Socks - Purpose of these were to protect my legs from the inevitable mud on my calves as well as for warmth - again, the weather was a bit unpredictable. Compression was probably not necessary for this distance (as it was so long). I would have actually preferred to wear my Injinji Women's Trail Midweight Micro toe socks, which possibly could have prevented the blister that I got on my big toe. But that blister healed within a day, so its no big deal. But these socks did a great job for the race. My calves felt totally fine the next day and the following week. So maybe they really did help me during the race!
• Newton Boca Sol Trail Running Shoes - LOVE THESE SHOES! I've been training on cross country trails with these shoes. I've been training in the Marin Headlands in these shoes. I've loved them! They are fairly light (compared to other trail shoes I have tried) and they give me the bit of burst that I have become accustom to when I wear Newtons. Though I will always love my Newton Gravity's for road racing, these are my definitely pick for trail shoes!

Start of the Race
The weather was brisk in the morning and I was glad that I wore a couple layers. The shuttle to the start was extremely convenient. Living only 3 blocks from the Marina Middle School shuttle pick up allowed me plenty of time to get ready at home and hop on a bus very easily by 5:40am. The ride was dark and quiet, as everyone was mentally preparing for the race. A few people were chit chatting but I kept to myself. It was just too early and cold to make conversation with anyone just yet. As we got closer to the start, it was fantastic to see the 50 milers running through the hills with their headlamps on.

Taken Thursday Night before the race - The ground was soaking wet and I was nervously anticipating the crazy race ahead.

The race start was a bit nerve-wrecking. I didn't know anyone and there were no seats. The ground was wet, so sitting on the grass wasn't going to happen. At that point, I reminded myself to bring 2 small camping chairs for tomorrow's race - I would be watching my husband complete his half marathon on the same course. With all the rain from earlier in the week, I could barely fathom the effects of the downpour on the trails but there was no turning back now. I, fortunately, found a couple familiar faces before the start of the race, which really eased my nerves. I didn't quite know why I was so nervous, it is not like I was looking to win at this race. I simply wanted to see if my body could endure a 50k.

After greeting a few people at the start line, the long race began. We raced down the first hill and after about 2 miles of running, I forced myself to slow down. While I knew that I had energy, I didn't know how I would feel after all of the hills and miles of this course. My body wanted to go faster and my mind knew it could go faster, but I chose to keep a steady pace. The weather was nice and soon after the start, I regretted wearing my arm warmers. I took those babies off after the first hill and they stayed in my Salomon S Lab Advanced Skin Belt for the rest of the race.



Steep and Wet Hills
The day went on with many uphills and down hills. It was comforting to go up hills that I have already seen previously. It helps the mind know that this is a possible feat as I had done parts of this race before. I ran up many of these hills during the Mt. Tam 30k (which was also a great race!).

The trails were extremely muddy and puddles were lengthy. The first quarter of the race, I attempted to keep my feet dry. I was worried that wet, muddy feet would give me blisters. But by the time I got to Cardiac Hill, there was no way to get out of the water. There were a couple super speedy 50 milers and 50k-ers already descending as i (along with a huge group of other runners) was making my way up the switchbacks. So as they came down, the people heading up hill made way for them (since we wanted to help them get to their super fast times). But the only downfall was the slippery mud that we tried to stick to when the speeders made their way down the single track trail. There were definitely many falls and I took part in it.

Top of Cardiac Hill with all the muddy gloriousness! Yup, I was happy!

I tried to keep my cute new running skirts shorts clean but with all of that mud, there was little hope. I slipped in the mud and got my side all muddy. But after that fall, I realized that what we were doing as racers was ridiculous. It was so silly how I would try to run and the ground was still holding onto my shoe! Maybe I'm crazy but I thought this whole thing was hilarious! We were out in the Marin Headlands running through the mud! A jolt of energy came from that and it kept me sane(?)... or kept me crazy cause from then on out, I was giggling from how silly we all were and how fun it was to be running straight through all the muck and mud! There was no longer time to dwell on staying clean and dry. That hope was long gone and now it was time to just have fun and get dirty!

The Aid Stations
Passing through the aid stations was the best! These folks were out there all morning and afternoon (and even night) to help us runners endure this course! They helped boost our morale when they dropped and kept supplying us with fantastic nutrients. There was never a time where there were limited supplies at any of the aid stations. My go-to's that day were saltine crackers and pretzels. First of all, I love crackers and pretzels! And second, I definitely had enough salt and electrolytes to get me through the race. They offered so many things! They had cups of m&ms, white potatoes, soup, and so many other treats! It was pretty amazing!

Seeing some familiar faces at mile 18 and 23 were kind of the best moments! When my eagerness dropped, a new aid station popped up and my homies were there to cheer me on! It was incredible how those few seconds and bouts of cheers truly helped me get through this race! As a result, I came out the following day and made sure my husband (and many friends who were doing the half marathon, 10k and 5k) got as much support as I could provide.

Mud!!! And lots of it!!! *See shoes... I swear they were teal when i started!

Second Half
By the time I got to the turn around point (mile 18), I felt great! My friend, Rich was up at the top and ensured that I was feeling good and ready to conquer the final portion of the race. The downhill felt amazing! There were bits and pieces of muddiness but as the sun shown down on us, the puddles were slowly drying up and I was able to race past them.

My major slow down happened after the mile 26 aid station. It was a long uphill that my body was just not happy about. But, fortunately, there were a couple other folks out there who were struggling up the hill with me. This made me realize how trail races were a completely different type of racing for me. People that I met were all rooting for each other. We were out there talking to each other and rooting for the other person to push and give their best. The people that I met out on the course were all fantastic and I am so glad I got to spend a bit of time getting to know them which helped loosen the focus of the pain of the uphills.

But as the hill went on, the competitive side of me jolted and told me that it was time to run. I got through those last few hills with some jog-walks. I would make little markers in my head of when I would start jogging and how long I needed to endure that pace, then I would give myself a bit of time to walk.

After many miles of uphills and down hills, it was sheer determination that was pushing me. Once I hit the final aid station, I knew it was basically all down hill from there. I took in a couple potato chips and a swig of cola and made my way down the long hill. I felt great and I knew there was a little less than 3 miles left of the race. I knew I could run in the final bits.

It was about 2 miles of down hill, half a mile of flat terrain and the final half mile was up a very gradual hill. By the time the final mile approached, I told myself to suck it up, and run the entirety until I hit the finish line. I finished with a time of 6:28:24. While I am so competitive with myself that I would want to get a faster time, I am thoroughly happy with my performance. I am proud of myself for sticking with this distance even when I kept telling myself to change it to a more accessible race that I knew I could do. I challenged myself and I am thrilled that I came to do what I said I would do.

This race was pretty incredible. I felt great at the end and could not wait to find my husband! There was no cell phone reception up there, so I just had to hope he would find me. But since I wasn't going anywhere soon, I piled a bunch of amazing food on my plate and chowed down while I waited for Patrick to find me.

All in all, the 50k was amazing! The views during the run were absolutely spectacular! The terrain was difficult. And the experience of running the trails and meeting new people was absolutely worthwhile. While I don't know if I would do that distance again, I am so happy that I pushed myself and completed it.

Muddy Muddy Ice Bath that felt soooo soooo good! Probably one of the reasons why I wasn't sore the second day out. (who knows how many other racers' feet have been in this little tub of water... yeeuck.)

p.s. Post Race:
A couple things that hurt but definitely made my legs happy the next couple days were:

• Foam Roller Stretches! They hurt so bad but they honestly help your muscles feel great the next day!
• Massage Stick: What you can't reach with the foam roller, massage it out with The Stick! My calves hated it at the time but there was a huge difference in how I felt the day after compared to my husband, who hates both the Foam Roller and the Stick.
• Eat healthy following the race: Though you will want to eat as much junk as you can (cause, hey, you deserve it) don't do it! Your muscles are like little hungry animals and they feed off of the nutrients that you are putting into your body. The more veggies and good stuff you eat, the better your body will feel post-race.

Pretty simple, right? I don't go crazy with any of my training demands - this could possibly be a downfall but I don't think so. I am a believer in moderation in everything. You need to make sure that you aren't going too crazy in training, or else your spouse will despise you. And you also can't go too crazy with your nutrition, cause your body (and your spouse!) will not like you. You gotta know whats good for your body but also take in some treats... cause you deserve it! Enjoy racing! And HELLO Off-Season!!! 

Bonus Pic: So proud of the hubster for doing a fabulous job on his race on Sunday!

My Hubby finishing his half Marathon (3 weeks after his wrist surgery!)!

Lululemon Bright Bomber Jacket Review

With the days ending earlier, I was in search of a reflective jacket that will keep me in sight of cars and other cyclists. San Francisco is a great city to cycle around but there is a huge population of drivers. And with that, there is a high risk of getting hit either while riding my bike or running around town. There have been a number of incidents recently that have made me very aware of my visibility, or lack there of. After slapping on my front bike light, rear light, and tacky yet bright reflective tape onto my bike, I knew these elements were still quite limited.

So, my search for the perfect versatile reflective jacket began. My search lasted for weeks! 

There are quick a few reflective jackets on the market but mine needed to (1) be made of quality material, (2) super reflective, and finally (3) had to be stylish. If I didn't like how it looked, I know I would rarely wear it.

I finally choose the Lululemon Bright Bomber Jacket because it checked everything off my list while also not being too expensive. It definitely was not cheap but the price was very reasonable for what I got. It's cute and crazy reflective! I now have a jacket that will keep me visible while running and cycling!

The bomber jacket has a nice zippered pocket that is on the left chest - great for holding my iPod nano :) . The lack of zippers for the larger pockets is upsetting but I can live without them as there is a tiny pocket in the right larger pocket that is great for holding money or keys without it falling out.

There are also zippers on each side of the body for quick ventilation (which have been great for running and cycling).

The jacket is quite warm so it's great for the winter but may be difficult once the weather starts to warm up.

But the absolute best thing about this jacket is it's super reflectivity! I've already gotten so many compliments on how bright my jacket is. The Bright Bomber Jacket is incredibly reflective at night while still allowing me to wear during the day without looking silly!

*with all of the lights off and the camera flash turned on - Reflectivity on the front and back :)

Mermaid Run SF 5k

This race was do fun! The vibe was amazing! The racers were great! And I got to do the race with my favorite work buddy!!!

The race organizers are fantastic and truly hope i can get more involved in their future events! This was my 3rd mermaid race and each event has been such a great experience! The Mermaid Series work hard to make each of their athletes feel special and strong!

1st Place Overall - 5

 I had a fabulous time racing and got to spend time with my friend/co-worker!

Mt. Tam 30k trail race

My first attempt at a trail race and man was that tough!!!

Throughout my run, I kept realizing that the only similarities to road racing and trail racing are that you wear running shoes and you are moving from point a to point b with a bib number. Other than that, they are in worlds of their own!

I had absolutely no idea what I was getting into, so at the start of the race, I positioned myself at the back of the pack. The first 2 miles or so, just followed what the people in front of me were doing. When they walked, I walked. When they jogged, I jogged. But after a while, I realized that I needed to go off on my own and really feel out this whole trail race.

The course was tough. 4200 ft of elevation gain and no forgiveness. But through it all, it was absolutely beautiful! The day warmed up and I started to realize that maybe I actually like this.

The first 3 miles just kept going up and up. Buy once the first aid station appeared, the course was downhill and glorious. I definitely had to have loose knees with the terrain but it was a great change compared to all of the uphill climbing. But you never get to go too long without more climbing.

The part that really got to be was the last uphill climb. It was endless. There were  parts where I felt like I could just cry, especially being out in the middle of nowhere with only occasional people insight. But once I arrived at the last six station, I grabbed some chips and a sip of soda and I had all of the energy in the world! Knowing only 3.1 miles were left in front of me, I had a new jolt of motivation!

The race was fantastic and the volunteers were great! 4 hours and 5 minutes was a long day out on the course for me but its a great prep for my upcoming The North Face Endurance Challenge 50k! Now that will be a long day but I'm feeling ready for it!

Preparing for 2015

With the wedding a month behind me, I am amped for next season! I still have a fun olympic distance duathlon coming up November 2, A 5k run with a co-worker and my crazy 50k with North Face Endurance events but its really exciting thinking of next season!

After being bogged down by wedding stress, it feels so nice to finally be married and focused on training again. It was a tough season as there were plenty of ups and downs but at least I came out with lots of learning experiences that will push me next season.

Our big race next year that we just booked will be Ironman Philippines. I am extremely excited for this event! This is how my husband and I will be kicking off our honeymoon! While it is starting to look like a struggle with transporting our bikes after the Philippines and before heading to Thailand, I'm hopeful that everything will work out. Just as I am constantly saying at work, "we'll make it work". Thats just how life is. We prepare and prepare but we cannot foresee absolutely everything that may happen, so we gotta go with the flow and do our magic at making the best of things.


So far on the 2015 Race Schedule:

February: Kaiser Half Marathon
March: Oakland Half Marathon
April: Boston Marathon
May: Wildflower Long Course
August: Ironman 70.3 Philippines


I cannot wait until next we get back into competing again! Especially after watching the amazing athletes at the Ironman World Championship in Kona! Its a matter of how much work I can put into my training and the desire to overcome any pain along the way :)

First 50k!

Today was my first day coaching the Balboa High School Cross Country Team! It was so fun and I am so excited to see everyone push themselves to be their best! It was only a small group today, since most students still have to get their physical forms in.

As they challenge themselves to become stronger athletes, I want to make sure to continue to challenge myself as this is all a learning process for everyone... so i signed up for my first 50k! I'm excited to see how this goes :)

Newton Gravity Update

Just completed my first marathon in 3 years and I did them in some super cute shoes! Not only are they super cute but I never got the knee pains that would typically attack me by mile 20 or so in previous marathons.

Maybe its the training plan that I followed. Or maybe it was from learning how to run properly according to what I learned at a newton run clinic. But either way, I felt amazing! My feet, of course were tired by the end of the race. But while racing, they felt great! It took me about a month for my legs to adapt to the new type of technology that Newton uses but now I absolutely love how I feel in then and really can't wait to get a new pair as I start working with my high school cross country team!  Maybe I'll find a cuter pair - its its even possible :)

#NewtonRunning

Santa Rosa Marathon Recap

Sunday, August 24, 2014

     Last December I ended the year with a bang! I completed Ironman Cozumel with a time of 11 hours and 45 minutes. I was elated. It was an extremely long year (starting in January) with many half ironmans leading up to this race. But once the race was over, I was a little sad. What else did I want to accomplish? What would be my goal next year? I thought that my body and mind need a break from the long tri training days. So with a little persuasion from my coach, I decided to have a go at the marathon distance. 

     The last time that I did a marathon (without the swim and bike prior) was in 2011 at the NYC Marathon. My coach had this silly thought that I could qualify for Boston this year. I didn't let him know that my last marathon time was 4 hours and 23 minutes (almost an hour slower than a Boston Qualifying time for my age group). There was no way that it was possible. As I always do, I like to dream big though. I gave myself a realistic goal of sub-4 hours and a high hopes goal of 3:35 (the bare minimum for qualifying). I spoke with many people as the weeks approached on how they trained for their marathons. Most people said that they did their long runs at a really easy pace. For real?! I thought. How do you get faster then? At the NYC marathon, I kept my mind on keeping a steady pace and to finish strong, which I felt that I did. It wasn't the greatest time around but it was a personal best for me and I was ecstatic with it :) For the non-long distance runner that I am, it was as good as it gets. 

     The weeks leading up to the Santa Rosa Marathon, I was extremely conflicted. Six weeks before the race, I went on a long run - planned for about 18 miles. I went out running and I could barely get through 5 miles without feeling bad. I ran down the Embarcadero and made an early turn around due to my upset stomach. Fortunately, I was by the ferry building and hoped for an easy recovery from whatever was going on. I dreaded the run back home and felt terrible pains throughout. I decided to take a break and head home at mile 10 with the hopes of at least running an additional 5 miles when I felt better. Sadly, my stomach pains persisted! 10 miles was all my body would let me do.

     The following week, I competed in the San Francisco Half Marathon and again, stomach PAINS! Over 2 hours of upset stomach issues post race! I feared that I couldn't do well at Santa Rosa if this kept happening! I was turning 30 in a couple days and I thought my body was just breaking down on me. I was debating switching over to the Santa Rosa half marathon instead, at least I wouldn't die out there attempting 26.2 miles!

     The week after, I decided that I really needed to focus on my nutrition. I needed to stop thinking about my wedding weight and start thinking about what my body needs to compete at a high level. Carbs were my friend and they were going to get me through my 22 miler on the weekend. I decided to sign up for a Brazen Race Half Marathon and add on 8.5 miles to the front end. This was such a great decision! I was able to do 22 miles with an average 8:35 pace and felt so good that my last mile I ran a 7:15 pace! I felt GREAT! Maybe an 8:10 pace for the marathon was possible! I rode on that high for the remaining taper weeks before my big race.

____

The race!

     Patrick and I decided to forgo the high hotel rates for camping the night before the race. We have a fantastic car that allows us to camp easily and we could pick up and leave in the morning really quickly.

     After a delicious dinner at Olive Garden :), we headed to the campgrounds and set up camp. Throughout the night, it quickly became clear that camping in the car together before a big race might not be a great thing to do. We tried out a new sleeping configuration in the Honda Element which left us with little space for our legs to stretch out completely. Our air mattress was caved in and we both woke up feeling terrible. My right knee was sore and stiff from the awkward angle I slept in. To add to all the commotion, there was a strong earthquake that hit Napa! I woke up in the middle of the night thinking cows were attacking our car! It was pretty intense!

     Anyways, Patrick dropped me off about half a mile from the start and I began my slow calming meditation toward the start line. It was a bit lonely at the start as I didn't know any of the folks around me. But it might have been a good idea since I was able to continue to ease my mind for what I was about to attempt. At the start line, I found the 3:30 pace group and thought well, maybe I can try. If it doesn't workout, I can still find the 3:35 group during the race.

     The gun fired and we were off (at 6 in the morning!!). During the first mile, I felt pretty good. I tried my best to stay with my pace group. I had a fear that I would go out too hard and lose it during the second half (as others have mentioned happened to them during their marathon races). I was definitely running a faster pace than I thought that I could hold and was worried when I would begin to slow down. 

     By mile 2 or 3, we were running on a narrow road and I found myself passing the 3:30 group and saw the 3:25 group ahead. I was feeling good. My feathers were flaring and I just wanted to run with the boys! I was keeping up through mile 6! Then the miles kept coming and I would glance at my watch and see that I was holding a 7:35 - 7:45 pace! Cool... but running 6 miles fast is easy. Running 26.2 miles that fast? Insane!

     By mile 10, there as still pep in my legs! So i pushed a little harder and gained a couple yards ahead of the 3:25 pace group. By mile 13.1, I checked my watch and saw that I just PR'd my half marathon time... during a freakin marathon! WHAT?! I couldn't stop a tear from rolling down my face. But 13.1 is only halfway in a marathon haha. I had no idea how my body would hold up!

     I continued to keep my kick ass pace through mile 19 but I did start to have to slow down a bit through the aid stations. The prior rolling hills and the pace were starting to get to me. Could I really do this? This is too fast! Only one more hour. I can do this. STOP THINKING NEGATIVELY! YOU CAN DO THIS! It was a huge mental struggle but being a part of a pace group allowed me to stop my self talk and just focus on one step at a time. Unfortunately, by mile 21, the 3:25 group was growing a bigger gap from me. My heart sank a little. I couldn't tell if my legs could hold up. I forced myself to keep a 7:50 pace and stay strong. 4 miles is an easy training day! I could do 4 miles in my sleep! I truly had to focus on completing one mile at a time. By the time I got to mile 25.2, I knew I only had 1 more mile! My spirits lifted and I started to pick up my pace again. I cheered on my fellow competitors and half marathon runners as we made our way towards the finish. As I saw the 26 mile sign, a man on the side line yelled at me "You're a Boston Marathon qualifier!" Really?! I couldn't believe it! More tears, obviously! Those .2 miles were really long! I pushed other marathon runners to kick up our speed as we made our way down the final stretch and it felt great to sprint through the finish line!

    The announcer yelled my name on the loud speakers as I crossed the finish line and the first person I saw was my amazing fiancé who couldn't have looked any more proud of me. I cried. I couldn't believe I just ran that race the way that I did. Me. A non-fast long distance runner. I just qualified for Boston! FOR REAL?!? HOW?! I came in at 3 hours and 27 minutes. That's a 56 minute PR from my last marathon. I am still dumbfounded by it. I don't understand it but I won't question it. My coach believed that I could do this. He knew my potential and continually pushed me to be stronger. To never give up and sometimes feel the pain. During training, I stopped questioning myself and just followed my training plan and pushed myself to get stronger. There are 2 reasons why I think I got faster. 1) I trained really hard. I never went easy on myself (unless my training schedule told me to). 2) I stopped telling myself that I couldn't do it. Before, I believed that I wasn't a runner. I didn't have the build of a fast long distance runner. But this year, I said, shut up brain. You are fast. You trained your butt off. You better work!

---

    As I begin my opportunity to coach cross country this year at Balboa high school, I found myself thinking of how my determination can hopefully inspire other girls to strive for their best. I want them to know that their abilities are only defined by themselves. If they put in the heart and work, they can amaze themselves. They just need someone to believe in them. And I hope that I can be that person. 

*Boston registration begins in September and I truly hope that I get the opportunity to sign up for this race. I hope that I can use this opportunity to inspire my high school athletes to work hard and continue to dream big.

      

At the SR Expo. Free wine tastings, free bottle of "runner's red" wine and some awesome swag! Such a fantastic race! 

100 days of happiness

As my wedding approaches in less than a month, my full marathon is at the end of this week and students arrive back at the high school, I have found myself feeling stressed.

I feel that I tend to deal with all of these deadlines well but do fall occasionally. I'm learning how to manage my time to allow time for both professional needs as well as personal needs. But here and there, I do struggle with the fear of failure on any of these levels.

I think one thing I need to do firing this time is to remind myself of reasons why I should be happy with all that I have in life.  And to encourage this, I am going to complete the #100daysofhappiness challenge. If you want to follow me, I will be posting on Instagram @bgirlannemal

Take a moment in your busy day and remind yourself of what made you happy today :)

New Newtons!

Just picked up a new pair of newtons! PINK!!! If they are anywhere near as awesome as my last pair, I am looking forward to some great runs to come!

An update to come after my track workout tonight!

Sometimes life gets in the way...

This tri season, I've really struggled. I haven't been putting in the type of effort that I put in last season. I want to. I try to. But my mind is all over the place! 

I thought this summer was going to be all about training! At the end of my first year as a high school special education teacher, I was told to enjoy the summer. Don't work if you don't have to. Since I chose not to work, I thought I could train like a professional triathlete! I had the highest expectations!

Reality came when summer finally arrived. The first week, I was preparing for race weekend (Folsom Long Course). So I was trying to focus on race mode. While also trying to relax after a great, yet intense first year of teaching.

After that week, I was going into full on wedding planning! There was a whole lot that I didn't realize I would be thinking about. There are so many options, decisions, and once I thought I made the perfect decision, I began to second guess and worry about what I would think about those decisions in years to come. Decorations! Who would have thought that I would worry about decorations! I worry that what I like now would later look tacky when I look back at pictures.

On top of that, I am engaged! And I plan to only be engaged once in my lifetime. And I want to enjoy it with my wonderful fiancé. Which I have :) And I have been loving every moment of it! While we love enjoying brunch when we can, brunch is peak training time! Thus, training took the back seat. 

dancing in the street with my silly fiancé :)

But you know what? There's always next year's race season. Sometimes, you need to allow life to get in the way and enjoy it. I know this year is going to make me an even better athlete. If I don't allow it now, I may regret it later. And nothing is worse than regret! So, though I haven't been placing on many podiums this year, I know its not the end of the world. I'll get married. I'll enjoy every moment of it. And then, I'll get back in the game! :)

Challenges

Since completing Ironman Cozumel last December, I have been trying to find new ways to challenge myself. This year, I have decided to see how fast I could push myself to run a marathon. While I have done 3 marathons in the past, I never looked at my time (nor did I even wear a watch to run races) and focused on surviving whatever distance was ahead of me. This time around (3 years since my last marathon), I wanna see what these mighty legs could do!

But as that marathon approaches, I am looking beyond that and wanna see how else I can challenge my body. And I'm debating if I could do a 50k. Can my legs hold up for over 30 miles? Will the hills be too much to handle?

I think as I become a cross country coach this year for Balboa High School, I need to push myself as much as I need to push my athletes. As I race, I know I think about them (as well as my tennis team) and know I can't be a hypocrite. I push them to dig deep in themselves and become the best athlete that they can be. As I race, I need to do the same.

Here's to new adventures!

My AHA Moment!

My fiancé thought it would be nice to take some time and remember my "aha moment"... As in the moment when I realized that I really love what I am doing and I am not too shabby at it.

For years, I have dabbled in both triathlons and marathons. I never thought I was much competition to anyone, I just enjoyed being active and having something to train and look forward to. I was never the skinniest girl nor did I believe I was the most athletic. I grew up playing tennis but constantly found myself giving excuses why I wouldn't take it to the next level. I was complacent. I was healthy. I was having fun. I didn't need to be the best in the world.

The same goes for triathlons. I grew up seeing cross country runners sprint past our high school tennis courts and I would think that they were beautiful with their gorgeous long and lean bodies. They were fast because they were so trim. Since I didn't fit that physique, I never thought that I could be a competitor. But last year, while out on a training ride with my Pacwest triathlon team, I was having a conversation with my buddy Ian and we talked about how amazing one of our teammates was. Ian said that our teammate was built for triathlons. She had such strong legs that could help propel her to top speeds. That moment, I thought, wow, really? My body is kinda like that! Maybe my body was built for triathlons too! I've got muscular legs - these babies can probably build up some speed.

And crazy enough, once I changed this outlook on my figure, I started to be a really strong force in my triathlon field! I have a great coach who constantly pushes me to be a tougher and stronger athlete. I have a fabulous group of training friends who made tough rides and runs actually fun! And of course, I have Patrick, my fiancé, who believes that I can do absolutely anything that I put my mind to.

For years, I've allowed my silly thoughts to create this belief that I didn't have what it takes to be a strong competitor but with a quick conversation all of that changed! And now, I can't wait to see what I can really push my body to do! No more excuses!

Lady Thighs - my running shorts review

Its funny, as my long training day mileage increases, I'm realizing that my favorite go-to running shorts just aren't cutting it!

Personally, I LOVE booty shorts. I'm sorry, I just really love how comfortable they are. Well... sorry, not sorry :) My mama blessed me with some good leg genes and I can't help but show off my favorite asset.

But many of my booty shorts that I wear to boot camp and track just don't quite work for long runs. I'm constantly fighting against their tendencies to ride up... and you know when booty shorts ride up, they no longer look like shorts, gurl!

At track, I love wearing track shorts. I have a Pearl Izumi pair that has a high slit. As well as an adidas high slit short (which sadly I think they have discontinued them) and lululemon running shorts with a somewhat high slit. All of those that I mentioned are great for track workouts and my shorter runs during the week but when I started adding miles (16+ long runs), I also added chaffing scars :( I was sad cause I loved each one of those shorts but my non-gap thighs just kept scrapping and tearing at each other.

And so, I began my search for cute shorts that will accommodate my beautiful, lady thighs. And I came upon a pair of spandex running shorts at my beloved lululemon (you have to admit that they have got some way cute stuff!). I had high hopes. I love spandex shorts and they are lululemon... what could go wrong?

*Just ran 22 miles in these babies*

Well, so far, I have used these shorts for boot camp, track and a 22 mile long run. And for all of the events mentioned, these shorts have been WONDERFUL! I love them! I will definitely wear these for the Santa Rosa Marathon!

I didn't experience any chaffing, riding up, or crazy other actions that some other shorts like to do. These were absolutely perfect for me. They are long enough that my thighs won't rub against each other yet they are short enough to still be airy and cute.

Plus there are so many pockets! There is a zipper in the back, 2 pockets in the band for keys and such AND there are two side pockets - perfect for holding a gel or whatever nutritional item that you would need during your run.

I would highly recommend them :) I would put up a link to their site but lululemon isn't selling these specific shorts on their website. I purchased mine in store at their Union Street location (San Francisco). Hope you get a chance to check out a pair!

San Francisco is BEAUTIFUL!

     After leaving Chicago, I felt incredibly saddened when I arrived back in San Francisco. It could have just been the fact that I travelled all day (3am Central Time and finally arriving back in my apartment by 2pm Pacific Time) but all I could see through the muni bus windows was drab, old San Francisco. I was in such awe of Chicago, it made me believe that SF was such a bore.

     The following Tuesday, I knew that I needed to make some changes to my workout routine. I had gotten so used to the same old routes. While training for Ironman Cozumel 2013, I ran Crissy Field endless amount of times with so many loops. In my head I was preparing myself for the 3 loop course on race day. But now, months after that race, I started to dread running. Running was no longer fun and thrilling. It was a chore! Something needed to happen soon cause marathon training with that mentality is so detrimental!

     Anyways, I jumped in with Sports Basement Presidio for one of their Fun Runs. It was a tough course and I was running to show that I could keep up with the big boys too. But throughout the course, I kept seeing reminders of how amazing San Francisco is! Sure, its a big city but bounce into the Presidio through the trails and you will caught gazing out at the most amazing views! This group took me out to a trail that I have never seen before and it was fabulous! I was kicking myself for even believing that SF was mediocre!

     The run was great. The people in the group were fantastic and challenged me to push a bit harder. I definitely will need to keep this up. Running with a group is a completely different world compared to running solo. Its a whole new element that I am beginning to truly love!

Thank you Sports Basement Presidio! See you soon!

<3

Chicago Fun Run

Lately, I have been worried. I didn't know where my passion for endurance activities went. Maybe it was burnout. Maybe I lost it  in the distractions from work or my personal life. But wherever it went, I had been on a long search to find it.

Fortunately, I think I found it! It lay in the adventure ahead. I got stuck in a little rut of doing the same workouts and same routes. Nothing was intriguing or engaging. But lately, I have been forcing myself to run outside of my element and it has been fantastic!

First, I got the opportunity to run a great trail run during my bachelorette party with my fabulous tri ladies. And just today, I had so much free time during my stay in Chicago that I decided to make a running tour of it.

Today, I ran a couple blocks away from my hotel to the Lake Shore trail and found myself running with a smile. I was trying to take in the sights and found that Chicago is quite magnificent. On one side of me I had Lake Michigan and on the other was the beautiful parks, gardens and architecture. I had planned a shorter run but I had no where to go and I was just enjoying everything around me.

I had a wonderful time experiencing Chicago for the first time and I kinda hope to find a swim group tomorrow so I can continue this amazing trip!

 

The worst feeling - DNS

Bronchitis? Something worse?

Just got an x-ray and waiting on my doctor to give me more info about what's going on with my body. I am struggling to run! My lungs are having difficulty breathing with hard exertion. This is SO WEIRD! I've never felt like this before!!!

I was signed up for the Morgan Hill Sprint triathlon last weekend. I was hopeful to push through and compete... but as the day approached... prospects didn't look good.

Not fully accepting of it, I decided not to compete at the race. I was embarrassed. I was upset. I hated the thought. But I decided to take the time to rest and get better and be strong for my next race: Folsom Long Course. I slept all day. I was awake for about 4 hours - the rest I slept. My body  must have needed the rest.

I hope to speak with my doc soon and figure out how to get better so I can feel normal!

WILDFLOWER and BRONCHITIS

I just competed at the 2014 Wildflower Triathlon 2 weeks ago and it was a crazy experience! With the reservoir empty, the swim was moved to another location 2.2 miles away from the traditional start.

The days leading up to the race, I started to cough a lot. I pushed it out of my head though - its race prep time, there's no room for getting sick! Unfortunately, I wasn't sleeping much since I was waking up multiple times through the night to cough. I lathered on some vicks and sucked on some cough drops and hoped for the best. Patrick, only now, told me that he knew I was super sick but didn't want to psych me out of my race mode. Its pretty amazing how you can trick your mind into believing what you want it to believe.

Anyways, here came the actual race:

The day started off really early but fortunately, it was not hot - as is the case on a typical wildflower day. As the waves kept being called up to to the start line, I sat behind a sign and tried to keep calm. A 10:25am start is pretty late after having to rack our stuff at 7:30 in the morning. 

But through the wait, I was able to see my love run out of the water and he looked great! I am so proud of how strong he has become at the swim. He truly shows how practice and determination can help you improve! 

When my wave finally came, I was surrounded by so many women! 30-34 women had 3 waves! This is my first year in the 30-34W age group and my nerves were going a little crazy! I had no idea what to expect. Good thing cause when we took a warm up swim in the water, I could only see black! It crazy! I had to tell myself that it was okay, we were just taking a little mud bath. Our bodies love this stuff!

As the gun finally went off, I knew that I just wanted to feel good in the swim and enjoy it. I was going at a pretty slow pace but once I hit the first buoy, I got my stride. It felt great. I know I'm not a fast swimmer right now but I knew that my time wouldn't be too off from the other girls.

Once I got out of the water, first thing I hear from the volunteers was to wipe our faces! EVERYONE was leaving the water with mud beards. It looks pretty awesome, actually. Must be the hipster in me.

Anyways, once I got to my shoes, I felt SO dizzy! I couldn't understand what had caused it! I felt terrible! Running up that ridiculous ramp was no fun but once on the sand, I started to get my stride back. It was pretty terrible though. Throughout those measly 2.2 miles, I kept having these thoughts of quitting. "Once I get to the bike transition area, I'm quitting. Why did I sign up for this race. This is ridiculous". While running I also remembered, in the midst of all the shuttle frenzy that the production group created in the morning, I forgot to put my bike chains into the easiest gear. I have seen too often people getting on their bikes only to realize they were in their hardest gear and flop over from the first hill climb. 

Once I got up the ramp and to my bike (just as planned :) I take my time adjusting my chains. No need to look foolish in front of the crowds! Once on my bike, I felt great! I climbed up lynch hill with ease. Training camp a couple weeks prior really helped prepare me for what was to come! I loved every bit of the bike! I didnt let anyone pass me and helped myself to a couple passes up the hills. I felt beast! I think I took the bike a little too easy though. I was over-compensating for the run - which I always do! I need to learn how to race at an appropriate pace. Not dying but also not leisurely. 

Anyways, arriving back at transition was great. I felt strong and didnt want the bike ride to end! The bike was definitely too short! Not many bikes were back from my transition row area and I felt great! But once I started running, I found weird difficulty. During training camp, the run was a breeze (with a swim and bike prior) - it was fun and I felt fast. But this day, I was anything but fast. I dont know what happened to me. I just couldn't run. Every couple minutes I'd have to walk. I kept telling myself that I could endure the pain, I too can push through it - like my awesome pacwest teammates. I was mentally down. All of my training made no sense. Those 4 miles were horrible. I just couldn't do it. 

To make matters worse, by the last mile, a woman my age passed me! I built up some energy to try to catch her but as I sprinted down lynch hill, there seemed to be no way to catch her. I tried hard but found that by the finishers shoot, i missed her by 6 seconds! 6 SECONDS!

6th place in my age group - 6 seconds from podium. I was bummed... but which sucked cause this was still my fastest wildflower olympic distance yet! I should have been ecstatic! But I knew that I didn't push enough during the run. I was disappointed in myself cause I couldn't seem to figure out the run. BUT this was my first time at Wildflower Olympic that I clocked a time under 3 hours! 2:55! 

See the pain?  

The following week, there was something wrong. I couldn't stop coughing. I was miserable at work and was having coughing attacks while I spoke with students. Up until the race, I had forced myself to be ignorant of any signs of sickness. I had to brush them off and believe that I was race ready! But now that the race was over, I was full on sick.After speaking with my fiance, he let me know that he knew that I was super sick before the race but didn't want me to tell me since he knew it would jinx me. It had been almost 3 weeks of terrible coughing... so by the end of the week, I decided to go to my doctor (now that it was a good period between races!). 

Welp, my doctor said that it was bronchitis. Yuck. Makes sense though. As much as I tried to run through this, I just couldn't. 

But even now (a couple weeks since), the doctors are still trying to figure out whats up since my body isn't getting better! Hopefully its an easy fix cause there are still lots of races left in the season! I'm crossing my fingers for a quick recovery so I can get back to full training!     

FlipBelt Review

I dont know why it took so long for me to finally write a review for FlipBelt but I need to! I’ve been using my sweet neon orange FlipBelt for about a year now and I absolutely love it!

The main reason that I wanted this belt was to hold my phone on long runs or workouts at the gym. This has done that so well! I used to use a spy belt but for some reason, I could never get it to just sit in one place. It bounced around more than I liked. But this FlipBelt holds everything in! 

I carry my HUMONGOUS Galaxy S4 phone, id card, and key during my runs and this things stays on my hips and wont budge. I love that they have sizes, so you can choose the perfect size and you wont have any need to keep readjusting throughout your run. 

I love this thing!

#FlipBelt

New Shoes!

Just got a pair of new shoes last Friday and am getting some great mileage in them so far! 

I am loving my Newton Distance S III shoes and how they feel on my feet. I am naturally a forefoot runner, which these shoes are perfect for! Compared to my old running shoes, these are giving me the support where I need it while also keeping the weight of the shoes low. 

I just got done with a hill and speed workout and these shoes held up fabulously!

These are my first pair of Newton shoes but for sure will not be my last :) Can’t wait to go back and purchase some brighter colors!!!

#NewtonRunning