Pocketful of Sunshine

I ran with the track club today. Yeah, I ran. 5.54 miles. I wasn't planning to run, but when I met with the cool ocean air, and a gorgeous sunny morning, breathing was less labored. I took it easy, though, and even stopped at the water station, and I usually never stop. I wouldn't say that I felt spectacular, the run felt good for my soul, but I was also running with the track club, and I was in good company.

It was high tide as we ran up the coast, and a few of the waves even splashed on the asphalt. I didn't quite get the waves splashing on the asphalt, but the tide was coming in, RIGHT THERE, just inches away.


I'm always awestruck, no matter how many times I'm at the beach. Every time is picture worthy. My timing was off and didn't quite get the ginormous wave shot because, well, I was also trying to run.

I also saw AKA Alice and the herd. AKA Alice was running as if she was on a mission! The girl was bookin' it up hill! I'd say she's back!

It felt terrific to be out, running again. I hope it feels as good working out on Monday.

Yesterday's Song:
It's a Heartache - Bonnie Tyler - Run-DMZ

PEACE

It's A Heartache

The cold is passing, but I still have a raspy "Bonnie Tyler" voice. I guess this round of colds is running a muck, though. It seems everyone has it. I'm beginning to feel fluffy, though, with no RU workouts or running this week. I know everything will go back to normal in a week or two.

On Christmas day my son was in a car accident. Don't worry, no one was hurt, just damage to the car. He was driving in a residential area of Ocean Beach and the police were responding to a domestic disturbance, but did not have their lights or sirens on. My son had the right-of-way and was already in the intersection. The police did not check for traffic and drove through the stop sign, hit the car my son was driving, spun it out, then hit a house. The police were at fault, but it has been a pain dealing with the city of San Diego, insurance, and being a car short. The car my son was in was a 2001 Volvo S80, which I called "The Tank" because it was so friggin' heavy and had lousy gas mileage. Not my favorite car, but safe for my son and all of his amps, instruments and PA gear (he's a musician.) The car was drivable, but it cost more to fix it than it was worth. This couldn't have come at a worse time for many reasons, and public transportation isn't the best here.

I went car shopping yesterday, but not before I researched several vehicles. I went out and test drove several cars. I wanted to get a pre-owned economy car, but the makes and models I wanted to see were sold out or had high miles. I called a few dealerships to see if they had what I was looking for, which was a Honda Fit, receiving outstanding reviews for a car in it's class. I happened to find only one place in town that just received three 2010 Honda Fit yesterday, with the protective plastic wrap still on everything. It had about two miles on it when we went to test drive it. I wasn't looking for a new one, but they had exactly what we were looking for, and well under our budget. Michael was hoping for a few more extras on this car, but we purchased the basic model, with just about no frills on it. We may add a couple of things later that will be more of a convenience, and the car will most likely end up going to my daughter. I just get to drive it first. Of course, today they've just posted a recall on it, but for the electric window button. Ah well. For a smaller economy car it drives quite well and feels really solid, unlike a few other economy cars I test drove, and the great gas mileage is a plus.

By the way, my son will most likely be driving the old Ford Explorer that my daughter now uses.

Tomorrow the track club is meeting at Carlsbad. I'll probably hang with the back of the pack, depending on how I feel and, perhaps, walk/run. I'm still a bit draggy, but I feel like I need some fresh air or something.

Wednesday's Song:
Piano and I - Alicia Keys

PEACE

Edit - The recall turned out to be on the 2008 and 2009 Honda Fit, not the 2010 model. Yay.

Piano and I

Yesterday's Song:
All That Matters - Addison Road - Run-DMZ

PEACE

All That Matters

Michelle at Go! Keep Moving! Go! tagged me. Wow. I haven't been tagged in a while, so thanks Michelle, because this is what I needed today. I won't be tagging anyone, but it's a nice little exercise in remembering happy things if you'd like to do this.

TEN THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY

10. When the kitchen is clean and I didn't have to clean it.

9. Race medals I've earned.


8. The way I feel after a really hard workout. Something about endorphins...



7. How I feel when I run. The endorphins thing again.

6. Music.



5. San Diego, CA - It's where I was born and raised, and it's where I live.


4. Original artwork that hangs in my house.


3. Friends.


2. Family.


1. Me.*

Yesterday's Song:
Girl All The Bad Guys Want - Bowling For Soup

PEACE

*Because if I'm not happy with me first, the 9 prior things aren't possible.

Girl All The Bad Guys Want

2010 CARLSBAD HALF MARATHON RACE REPORT

RACE DAY EVE

Michael and I drove up to Carlsbad and picked up our race numbers. It was nice to have a clear day, especially after all that rain all week. With all the people milling around the venue, I was really happy to find one of my running blogger friends! Look! It's Penny!

Me and Penny near the Labrador Rescuers, the charity she raised money for.

After retrieving our race numbers, Michael and I 'trolled the venue for socks, then went to PF Chang's for lunch. Nothing more report on, just another pre-race day, and followed our usual protocol, with nothing out of the ordinary.

RACE DAY

Michael and I arrived at the crack of dark to the race venue, at the Carlsbad Mall. We couldn't figure out why there was no traffic, but it was only due to the fact that we arrived extra early (about 5:30 AM). The mall was open so we used their restrooms. When we first went inside there were no lines, in fact, we were just about the only ones in there, but that soon changed with in the rise of the sun and more people arrived. Yes, there were port-o-potties, but it was much nicer inside the mall, and worth the wait once the lines became long. Michael and I just waited in the car until the sun came up, did a second round at the restroom (in line) then went to the starting corrals, and found a few of our friends.

Michelle and Jane huddling to keep warm! It was about 48 degrees at the start.

Say cheese!

Wave 4 corral

Then we were off. Everything was going OK. I had some brand new tunes on my iPod that I wanted to try out, and were songs I wouldn't normally select for myself, yet were refreshing.* I wasn't pushing hard, but had a decent, consistent pace that would have lead me to a 2:15 half marathon finish.

With all the biblical rain we had last week, it was nice to have a crystal, clear, crisp day for the race. It was absolutely GORGEOUS running along the beach.

I'm somewhere around mile 4 or 5. I took my camera out to get a shot of the beach, but a really nice lady said she'd take my picture. Still feeling good here.

I ran with many track club friends for a while, here and there. It's such a boost to see familiar faces. I was doing well until I hit mile 10, and then everything just sort of fell apart. I had been good about taking water from the volunteers along the route, and I had my own electrolytes, I never pushed myself hard, BUT... I suddenly felt like I wanted to throw-up. I kept taking sips of my electrolytes and had water at every hydration table AND kept running, however, I felt my 2:15 slipping away, especially when the the 2:20 pacer went past me. No problem. I just wanted to finish running, not walking, so I did, but it wasn't pretty. Those last 3.1 miles were the longest ever.

I ran through the finish line, and they even said my name over the PA system asI went through, but most of us had our names on the front of our race numbers. FYI, the song on my iPod when I ran through was "Girl All The Bad Guys Want."

The medal - One of the prettiest finisher's medals I now own!

I must have looked like death warmed over because a volunteer rushed up to me and asked me if I was OK, handed me a bottled water and escorted me to the medical tent. I sat there for a while as they asked me a few questions about my general health and symptoms. I mentioned something about feeling like I wanted to pass out and throw-up, so they helped me to a cot, where I immediately had the shakes, they gave me a mylar blanket, and also gave me some sweet tea to sip on.

While I was laying there, shaking, there was a film crew filming me and another lady being treated. I'm not sure what they were filming for, perhaps the Tri-City Medical Center, sponsors of the event, but it felt weird knowing they were filming us and we were NOT at our best.

The shakes were an odd thing. The only other time I've had the shakes like that was after giving birth. The nausea passed a little, and a half hour later Michael found me and I got up to walk around the finish area, but I wasn't in a state for socialization, which was a bummer because that's a part of the post-race I love. I even remembered my camera this time, but I just didn't have it in me to do much of anything. I just wanted to curl up in the fetal position and zone out.

We found a place to sit near a band, then Michael went to the car to get my jacket. I just kept scoping out places to hurl if I needed to -- but never did. Everyone kept asking me where I got the mylar blanket, since they really weren't giving them out to everyone. In the mean time, Doreen from the track club kept me company and to make sure I was ok. She was awesome. Eventually we were joined by her daughter and husband Mitch.

Soon Michael returned with my jacket, we said our good-byes and went back to the car intending to leave right then. The traffic leaving was so bad that we barely made it from where we were parked to the next lane of parked cars. We decided to just stay in the car in the parking lot and wait. I slept in the back seat while Michael ate a sandwich. I'm not sure of the time frame, but I'm guessing it was at least a half hour waiting in the car before it looked like we could leave. On the way home the coughing began and some asthma kicked in.

Once we made it home, the conundrum was "do I ice because that's what you're supposed to do after a long run, or do I take a hot shower because I feel like crap and am about to cough up a lung?" Screw the ice.

Hot shower
Jammies
Hot tea and other liquids
Tylenol
Bed

Michael picked up some Chinese food and brought me some egg flower soup. I just stayed in bed, watched a Leonardo DiCaprio movie on TNT and zoned out.

This morning I have a bad cold. It's pretty much the same cold that kept the kid out of school for three days last week. It's the usual, low fever, runny nose, congested chest, achy every thing cold. No wonder I tanked at mile 10. I wasn't feeling bad prior to the race, just SOME lingering cold symptoms. I've run a marathon with a cold before, and did OK. I guess this cold was more over the top, I suppose. I can't pin-point what caused the major wall hitting at mile 10 (other than the cold decided to manifest itself then) since I did nothing out of the ordinary. It is what it is, and that's OK.

I'm feeling OK about the race because I surpassed my Las Vegas half marathon time, and that was my goal for this race. Not a PR, but it's all good.

Official Results:
Overall: 4491 out of 7105
Women: 2394 out of 4394
F 50-54: 95 out of 251
Age/Grade: 53.80% Place: 2512
Finish: 2:22:30 Pace: 10:53
Tag Time: 2:22:30
Gun Time: 2:31:37

Michael PRed with a 2:40:32!

Wednesday's Song:
The Stairs - INXS - Barbie2be

PEACE

*I checked out the celebrity playlist section on iTunes, and used Christian Siriano's Playlist (sans the Maraiah Cary song he had), along with songs from my own past playlists.

The Stairs

Friday's Song:
Ridiculous Thoughts - The Cranberries

PEACE

Ridiculous Thoughts

Random Thoughts

Have you ever researched a product you were thinking about buying, and read through the customers comments/reviews? Before purchasing my Garmin, and more recently a Keurig coffee machine as a family Christmas present and a Cuisinart juicer to replace the cheap-o one that broke, I researched these items to see which models would work best and fit my needs. I've discovered when reading the consumer review section, that the people who had the most problems with the products usually didn't read the directions, or never went past the "getting started" page. Seriously. I guess people just want to use their gadgets right out of the box, sans directions.

It's raining hard in Southern California. Finally.

My little girl cat was initiating play with the dog when she thought we weren't looking. I wonder if they really get along when we're not home, and if all those dirty looks and growls are just for show?

I have the Carlsbad Half Marathon next weekend and I'm not ready. I have been running and working out , and I know I can finish it, but the most I've run since the Las Vegas RNR HM is 5 miles. Going for a PR is not in the equation.

I receive a call on my cell phone from an unfamiliar number, and answer it anyway:
Me - "Hello"
kid - "Mooooooooom?" "Tyler just spray painted my room!"
Me - You have the wrong number.
kid - *phone disconnects*
I'm so glad I'm not the mom in that scenario...

I'm finally using Daily Mile for my workouts, as well as my runs.

I ran with the track club on Saturday. It was a five miler. It was so much fun to see most of my running friends again, plus many brand new faces. It's going to be another great year of running!

Chargers. *sigh*

My son took it upon himself to clean out the work shed in the backyard, and we all got into it. The shed turned into a catch all for the stuff we no longer use or need, and it was embarrassingly full. The shed also contained boxes of random household items leftover from our move here, three years ago. (Can you say "procrastination?") Obviously, we didn't need all of that stuff. My daughter made so many trips to Goodwill that they now know her. Our recycle bin is crammed with cardboard, and the trash can is equally full. We have more to do, as that space will some day become become an office, but it's much better.

Wednesday's Song:
Yummy, Yummy, Yummy - Ohio Express

PEACE

Yummy, Yummy, Yummy

Wordless Wednesday





Monday's Song:
Start Me Up - Rolling Stones - Miss Rachel

PEACE

Start Me Up

...because I just can't get in gear.

Since we've been back from our trip I've been busy, but at the same time I feel as if I'm going in slow motion. I've been fending off a cold since I've returned. It never went into a full on cold, but it was enough to make me tired.

I'm back with the San Diego Track Club's Rockin' 'n' Runnin' marathon training program. I'm still not sure if I'll run the whole marathon, half marathon or relay. I'm going to wait a few weeks before deciding. I attended the first meeting last Saturday, (*yawn* it went a bit long, and I was not feeling up to par) and opted out of running that morning due to the residual cold symptoms. During that time I caught up with Cindi*, who is on a running hiatus for an injured foot. I did get to see several returning runners, as well as many new faces.

The track club has a mentoring program for the marathon training program, but this is the first year the mentors are distinguished by red hats or visors. I just happened to wear my red had that morning. Someone asked me a question about the mentoring program. Eeek! I'm not a mentor, but I knew what to tell the guy. My husband had his long-sleeved navy blue San Diego Track Club shirt on. A few newbies asked him quesitons, too. I guess he looked official.

Also, on Saturday, was the Jackie Bristow Memorial 5k run. This run was to remember my friend's daughters who died from complications of an eating disorder. I had planned to attend and participate in this 5k, but returning home from the trip a bit under the weather caused me to stay in town. It would have been a 2 & 1/2 hour drive north, which isn't that bad, but we would have stayed the night and made the most of the trip, perhaps visiting other friends from college. It was not to be, but I made a donation to the event instead. From all accounts, it sounds like they had a successful event. I felt sad not attending, but I promised my friend that we'd see each other this year.

This morning I was on the upswing and managed to show up for my first RU workout of the year. It wasn't difficult, yet it really got me going. My impending half marathon was discussed, and it's pretty unanimous that I won't be attempting any PRs, but to finish. I've only run 3 miles since returning from Mexico. I'm not opting out. I'll run it. It doesn't have to be pretty.

I also managed to take down the Christmas decorations today. I honestly wasn't planning to put up much of anything this year, perhaps the little fiber optic tree we bought at Target for $20 last year, but a certain 6 year old boy kept asking about the big tree and ALL the decorations, so I buckled under the pressure and put up the big tree. Now I just need someone to dig out the storage boxes so I can put everything away.

Loose Ends:

Several people asked about how safe we felt in Mexico, in light of certain events that recently took place while we were there. I actually never felt in danger while we were on our trip. Bad things can happen anywhere, not just in another country. Flight security was just as tight in Mexico as it is in the United States, in addition to walking past a scanner that checked body temperature. There was never a sense of unrest in the small cities/villages we had been to. We're already talking about a return trip in a couple of years.

I'm still waiting on my pictures. My husband copied my photos onto his laptop, then copied them to a flash drive as "read only." I could not change the "read only" option to upload them onto Blogger or Photobucket. He brought the laptop home to copy the photos onto our main computer, but he couldn't get that to work, either. Today he said he copied the photos to a disk and is bringing that home. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Most of those photos are from the first half of our trip.

Waiting at the bus station in Queretaro. I've become good at waiting. I'm till waiting for my pictures!


Wednesday's Song:
Street Of Dreams - Frank Sinatra - Lala Ween World

PEACE
*who was equally bored and texed me a few times during the meeting.

Street of Dreams

Wordless Wednesday




Yesterday's song:
Travels - Pat Metheny Group

PEACE

Travels

Michael and I on top of the roof of Sam's childhood home in Guanajuato, Mexico.

We're baaaaaaak!

There are so many stories about the places we've been to, people we've met, things we've seen. I'll post some highlight pictures in another blog post. I was planning this great photo collage for my first post of the new year, but most of my favorite pictures aren't with me at the moment.

I'm thinking I need to follow Anne's lead and initiate a "Wordless Wednesday." I took so many pictures that I ran out of space on my media card, and had to download the pictures to Michael's laptop. Yeah, he took the laptop on our trip so he could do some work. *grumble* Next time I'm bringing extra media cards.

In just under 10 days we visited so many places - I counted about 10 cities/villages/sites, but I know there's more. Sam kept saying we were living like gypsies because we were always on the go. I think there was only one down day in Queretaro to do laundry, check e-mails and rest. I came home inspired and with an entirely new perspective of Mexico. I was awestruck. I have TONS of pictures, but for some reason the media stick Michael transferred the photos to (from his laptop) isn't cooperating.* I have to wait until he brings his laptop home from work, just so I can download some pics here. I have some great shots.

We had some of the best food from the street vendors and in farmer's markets, not to mention super cheap. We were stuffed full, beverage included for about the equivalent of two or three American dollars. Everything was super fresh and made to order, right in front of us. We were constantly on the go, so we mostly had only two large meals per day, and perhaps a light snack at night. We were so busy that I was able to maintain my weight.

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season. I'll catch up to you all, soon.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Tuesday, December 22, 2009's song :
It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year - Andy Williams, etc...

PEACE

*Discovered that he copied the photos to the stick as "read only." DOH!