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!