An Auction for my Carlsbad Half Marathon charity

On january 22nd, I run the carlsbad half marathon for one of the races official charities, Labrador Rescuers.

This year I am lucky enough to have an original piece of artwork to auction off for my charity! Chris Colfer, Kurt Hummel on Glee, donated an original drawing for me to auction off for my charity!!! Please spread the word about this auction! 100% of the winning bid goes to labrador rescuers!!!

Chris Colfer aka Kurt Hummel original drawing

First Half Marathon since May

And first time I've blogged since July! Wow slacker!

I am running the Long Beach Half Marathon tomorrow morning. Ugh- I don't think it will be pretty! Not really ready to run 13.1 and the weather is going to suck! Sunny and warm!

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Here goes nothing....

On July 31st at 8:35am I will be toeing the line at the San Francisco 2nd Half Marathon start line in order to get this. Yeah it's a medal, it's a special medal and I'm a sucker for a special medal!! This is the first year this "Half it All Challenge" medal is being given out.....and I "hopefully" will get it! I have 3 1/2 hours to slog my way thru the 2nd Half. I've run 9 miles lately and that is it. I just havent had my running mojo for long runs at all...but I'm still flying up to San Francisco, having my carbo load dinner with friends and will run/walk to that damn finish line to get that medal!

I ran the 1st Half last year..I was supposed to run the 1st Half again this year but changed to the 2nd Half for this damn medal....hell, my running sucks right now so I might as well get something for my effort!

I asked, pestered, bugged, pestered Linda  to help me run the last 3 miles of this race....and she said YES!!!!! I can't tell you how relieved I am that I will not be alone for the last 3 miles!! I know it's only 13.1 miles but 13.1 miles to me right now is like an effing marathon....

So, if you are in the San Francisco area and want to cheer me, push me, feed me beer along the course, whatever will get me to the finish, I will be starting in wave 5 (yeah the joys of changing from the 1st Half to the 2nd Half-they shove you in the back) and my bib# is 19949. I'm going to try to get in an earlier wave.....

I've heard the 2nd Half is kinda downhill-woot woot!!!

SLACKER!

I  

I have been off an entire month.....and I haven't blogged for 2 months-I am a blog slacker! I just havent had anything to blog about! I havent run any races since the Fresno Half Marathon so nothing really to write about!

I've been running-but even my running has suffered! I have lost my mojo! Running is a chore and it hasnt been fun!

I dont know if thats because I was so mentally and physically exhausted from my 11 months of working 70 hour work weeks. maybe my body just said NO! I've been sleeping! And running -as these pictures can prove! Nothing longer than 5 miles until the 10th of July when i struggled thru 9 miles!

Ugh! I have the San Francisco 2nd Half on July 31st-and I think I'm going to DIE!!! I'm not ready but must run it 1) because I have to get out of LA and 2) I want the new special "Half it All Challenge" medal for participants running the 1st and 2nd Half's in consecutive years! I will be the first group to get the special medal-the things i will do for a medal!!!

Other than that I have done nothing with my time off! I didnt take a trip, I've spent most of my time at home with my dogs, yes dogs....I have a new addition who is a fantastic running companion as well!

My new dog, Ceilidh (K-Lee) loves to run!! and she and Velcro have fallen into the perfect running pattern! Ceilidh on the right and Velcro on the left! The Double Buddy System rocks!

As for what happens next....well, I'd love to go on a trip soon-really need to go camping, but I think I'm running out of time!

I have the San Fran half on the 31st and then some "hopeful" races after that! It all depends if I get that "mojo" back. Come on mojo, where are you???

Anyone want to run the last 3-5 miles in San Francisco with me???? Let me know...I will accept all the help I can take!

The Inaugural California Classic Fresno Half Marathon

Yeah I know stupid! But how can one pass up a road trip with Kristy?? And to run and finally meet Row? And to see Ms V again?? Yeah thats why I'm putting myself thru another half marathon 7 days after Palos Verdes. I will say, this was planned months ago well before I fell into my running funk!

So tomorrow I will attempt to have FUN!

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Do I have to write this race report?

Palos Verdes Half Marathon...May 14, 2011...the NEW course....

line for the buses to the start

I had grand plans to beat last years time...yeah, I should have known that would be almost impossible after working and getting beat up for 10 months and getting 6 hours of sleep every night. On top of that, the week before the half I worked 46 hours in 3 days- then had an 8 hour wrap day on thursday-total of 56 hours worked in 4 days. Needless to say, all i wanted to do was sleep-but didn't do much of that on friday and then BAM sunday I'm up at the butt-crack of dawn to run a half marathon. Seriously, what was I thinking???

Well, this year the Palos Verdes Marathon and Half were being run on a new course! It no longer started in San Pedro and ran up the 'Western Hill"...this year parking was satellite and everyone was being bused to the start line which was right beside the Terranea resort.

Dont get me wrong, I'm a big fan of Terranea Resort-love it....but I just knew this was not going to be the Palos Verdes home-feel course. This was going to be a tour of fancy houses, thru fancy neighborhoods with very few porta potties and honking cars.

I didn't like the new course at all. The start was uphill towards the Lunada Bay area. At Hawthorne Blvd, we took a left into a rather posh neighborhood. Hmm, where are the porta potties?? We saw the sea, then if was hidden by houses! We ran thru neighborhoods-and I'm sure they didnt want us here! no porta potties! Why are we running down some sort of alley???

A porta potty!!! But the line was ridiculous-and there were specatators standing in line...come on really?? So I plodded on. I had decided to run a 5/1 as a test....I thought since I was tired this might be the best way for me not to die....of course this course was supposed to be "flatter"...ha ha ha ..I don't think so...

I really had to pee now. We ran along Paseo del Mar to Palos Verdes Drive West...at the lookout there were a few people cheering.. but no porta potty! At this point my bladder was screaming at me. I was stopping at the next one-I didn't care how many people were standing in line!

Finally we made it back into Lunada Bay and there was heaven, ONE porta potty. I swear everyone in front of me stopped to pee! They were all complaining about the lack of porta potties...so needless to say, I lost a bit of time standing in line. Not that it really matters since I wasn't winning the race.

I had been running with the same people throughout the race. Kinda nice to see the same shirts when i passed them and in turn when they passed me.

We were now heading back to the start area.....up a hill to the downhill finish..oh wait.. TEASE you get to run past the finish for another 1.5 miles then turn back and run back! Ha Ha Ha!! Look at all the runners coming into the finish-not you penny because you are as slow as molasses and you are bringing up the rear! Good thing I saw Emil here cheering! Took my mind off the fact that I wasn't finishing but continuing to run!

The last 3 miles sucked ass and were horrible! My back was hurting, I had passed the finish line already and what a Debbie Downer that is! I did see my friend Vinnie Torres who was running the full. He was hurting but was powering thru! I just wanted to be finished! Just after the final turnaround at Wayfarers Chapel, I stopped to take a picture and as I started back running, fell off the curb and fell on my left hand! Stupid Penny. My hand hurt a bit and of course it didn't make my back feel any better, but I didn't hurt myself. But now I had to run about a mile uphill.

Really? A mile uphill back to the finish that I had already passed? Good thing I wasn't running the marathon, they had to run this course twice! I would have killed myself if I had passed the finish line 3 times before actually finishing!

I was done! I was not having fun and just wanted to finish. The only positive-the downhill to the finish. And I ran it all, picking up my slow slug like pace and running in with a girl i had met who liked my shirt ("my running partner has 4 paws shirt) because she runs with her dog as well!!

DONE! In an altogether crappy time of 2:48:39-absolute CRAP! To say i was a bit disappointed would be an understatement. I know, I should be happy that i ran after the week and the prior 10 months of work I had just finished. But I was disappointed, frustrated, irritated...

I got my finishers shirt, took my finishers picture and headed toward the small expo at Terranea and the food and shuttles.

By this time it was cold and windy. I had thrown away my throwaway (i had thought about picking it up since we ran back the way we ran out butI didn't !). So I put my finishers shirt on and put my arms inside and headed to the LONG ASS shuttle line. Seriously, I stood in line waiting for a bus for 45 minutes! HORRIBLE!!! this was by far the worst part of the race-and I already said I didn't like the new course. Once on the bus, I was one of the lucky ones to be standing as we made our way up Hawthorne Blvd, our 15 minute drive to the Shops at the Promenade and parking.

horrible...thank goodness for a Starbucks at the parking structure. I'm sure they made a killing off of runners!

All in all, I am really disappointed in my local race! I dont think i will run it again if they keep this course!

RUN: 13.1 miles in an abysmal 2:48:39

Wow over a month since my last post-ULTIMATE FAIL!

I am finally finished shooting season 2 of GLEE. Now I have time to run, tweet, blog, sleep, eat you name it! So what did I decided to do....I'm running the Palos Verdes Half Marathon tomorrow! This is my local route-but with a new course this year! I dont know if I'm ready but I'll be at the start line with a smile on my face! I would like to beat last years time and to finish happy!! I'll be writing a race report tomorrow since I have LOTS of time now!!!

Now I must get some sleep! I slept 11 hours last nite-until 11 am, cant be doing that tonight!!!

Race starts at 7:30am! Go me!

Postponed until May! Run For Japan

Had to Postpone until may due to my work schedule this past friday nite! But please dont forget to donate!!! And come may we will be out there running for Japan. I will follow with a new date!


"A massive earthquake, the seventh largest recorded in history, struck the east coast of Japan on Friday the 11th of March 2011. The earthquake, measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale, triggered a tsunami which hit the east coast of Japan with 7-metre-high waves, leaving a trail of destruction.

With a death toll in the thousands, an economic cost in the billions, and the threat of nuclear meltdown imminent, the people of Japan face their greatest disaster for decades."-http://runforjapan.com/about.php

I had to postpone the original Run for Japan on April 9, 2011 at the Pier in Hermosa Beach California at 5:30pm.I am rescheduling for a Saturday in May - most likely May 7th or possibly May 14th at the Palos Verdes Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K.  A $10 donation is appreciated, or more! 

Please spread the word about The Run for Japan, and if you cant join us in Hermosa Beach, please log a run on the Run for Japan website (  http://runforjapan.com/index.php )  and please donate. Lets help the people of Japan!

Let me know if you will be able to join us in May...if not let me know if you'll be joining us in the virtual Run for Japan-just let me know what distance you run and then either donate to the Red Cross for the Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief (http://american.redcross.org ) or to JEARS (The Japan Earthquake Animal rescue and Support http://jears.org/

Thanks so much!!!

The Coaster Run 5K

start line - 2500 runners

Cute medal!

I came....I ran....I ran pretty darn fast for slow me...and I finished the Coaster Run 5K with an over 40 year old PR and the fastest 5K I've run since 2004! Actually.the 6th fastest 5K i've ever run...and I started running 5K's in 1997.

And after I crossed the finish line ahead of alot of people (yeah thats a novel concept as well) I got the cutest medal!! Yep, Snoopy is in da house!

And then I inhaled a yummy piece of Boysenberry Pie ( a Knotts Berry Farm piece of pie).... did I say i inhaled it? yeah it was gone fast!

PIE

 I stayed long enough to get my results, wow you get them early when you run faster than normal. Check these numbers out!!!

Time: 30:53.6
Pace: 9:58 (yeah you read that right sub 10:00!)
Overall Place: 363 out of 1294
Sex place: 161 out of 819
Div Place: 20 out of 91

Yeah, I may bask in this small glory for a week!

The view from my 8.3 miler

After I got my results, I headed home! My legs were getting stiff. I had planned to run at least 7 miles that night, but decided that if I got home and sat on the couch, that would be me for the night! So I grabbed velcro when i got home and went out for more miles! I ran 6.7 miles with my girl. She is beginning to show her age-she tires and slows down sooner than she has in the past. Then I decided to get a total of 8.3 miles in....to bring my daily total to 11.4

with my girl

Yeah, I was feeling it but it felt good! This was the most miles I had run since the Surf City Half in February! Yeah I've been a bit of a slacker with my running. Work and lack of sleep have really caught up with me!! But after this weekend I feel like I'm getting back on track!!

Runs...

March 13th - 5.01 miles
March 16th - 2.6 miles
March 18th - 3.1 miles
March 19th - 4.5 miles
March 22nd - 2.6 miles
March 23rd - 2.0 miles
March 24th - 3.1 miles
March 26th - 3.02 miles
March 27th - 3.1 miles + 8.3 miles = 11.4 miles

Run 4 Christchurch Virtual 5K

I hope everyone ran their 5K for the people of Christchurch New Zealand this weekend!

Tonight was the night for our Run 4 Christchurch Virtual 5K. I had no time this week to make a "real banner" for our "race" so I put one together today at home.

I have never been to New Zealand.One day I hope to! I live in an earthquake area so I felt the need and desire to do something for the people of Christchurch who were devastated by an earthquake! So I joined the virtual 5k run 4 Christchurch and recruited some of my friends!

Jordan, Bob, Tina, lauren, Kari, Me, Kristy and Velcro

We met at the Redondo Beach Pier at 5:30pm. This was going to be a sunset run!! We had 4 runners, 3 walkers, 1 dog and 3 "cheerleaders".

We set off toward Torrance beach (heading south) and witnessed a beautiful sunset! It was perfect running weather! Chilly!


I wish Velcro could have run with me-dogs aren't allowed on the beach path, so she walked her 5Kwith my dad above the beach. But we hit the path and off we went!!

Did I say it was a wonderful night! The weather was perfect, the company was great and we were running for a great cause! And considering I have had crappy sleep lately and didnt get home from work until 3am this morning (and in bed at 4am) I was pretty darn pleased with how I felt!!

We rana nice pace-we stopped for a walk break and then I powered to the finish to a "throng" of cheering friends!!! Bob was there snapping photos at our "finish"...it was a wonderful atmosphere! Kristy and Kari came in next and Billy, who ended up running about 5 miles, came in to the final cheers of us all!! Our Run 4 CHCH walkers had shortened their walk so that they could cheer us in!

We ended up going for beer and dinner afterwards. The company was greta but the restaurant was HORRIBLE!!! never go to kilkenney's on the Redondo Beach Pier-horrible service!

All in all it was a wonderful night of charity, running and friends!!!

Thank you all for joining me! We raised $86 ($116 NZ) for the people of Christchurch and I had a wonderful saturday night with friends!

Please check out all the races held around the world for Run 4 Christchurch! So very happy I was able to support in some way! I do feel very honored to have been included!!!

Remember you can still donate to the fundraising effort!
http://www.fundraiseonline.co.nz/run4chch/


RUN: 3.35 miles (37:13)


I want to thank Jordan, Bob, Tina, Billy, Katie, Lauren, Kristy, Kari, my dad and Velcro for coming out and showing their support for the people of Christchurch by either running, walking or cheering and donating!! thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Please Run 4 Christchurch with me

On march 12th at 5:30pm, I will be running a virtual 5K for the people of Christchurch, NZ. Please come and join me! I'll be starting at 5:30pm at the Hermosa Beach Pier. The only requirement is to wear red and black and come with a smile!

Please visit the Run 4 Christchurch website and donate any amount you feel you can-any amount will help! And then on saturday please join me for a 5K in support of everyone in Christchurch affected by the earthquake.

Run 4 Christchurch

Remember Saturday March 12th at 5:30pm and if no one commits to joining me in hermosa beach, I'll be running on my own...

Coastal Trails LaJolla Canyon 5.5 mile race

A saturday race??? What was I thinking?? I coerced a twitter friend, Kari, to run this race with me. So when she signed up I knew I couldn't back down. But wow, when saturday morning came around (and that was yesterday) , after the work week I had had, and I had to get up on a rainy saturday morning at 5:15am, I was really wondering what had gotten into me! I usually cant do anything on saturdays!! I veg on my couch! Not today!

So I fed the cats, made my tea, shoved my clothes on (that I had laid out 2 days before) and grabbed velcro and we headed to the car. I took my greek yogurt with me and ate it in the car. We had to pick up my son first, who is on the way anyway, and ended up getting to LaJolla Canyon around 7:20am. the race started at 8am but I had to pick up my bib and find Kari.

with kari

I had Velcro, so i was easy to spot! We both picked up our bibs and then I headed back to the car with velcro and my son and put my shoes and dirty girl gaiters on.

All the distances started at 8am. Us short 5 milers (it ended up being 5.5 miles) had the pink ribbons. We headed up the hill. Yep, up up up! I started off tired and it took me a bit to get into climbing!

We walked the steeps and ran with very short steps some of the less steep parts. Kari and I talked the entire time! Just getting to know each other! We passed a few people and maneuvered thru some awesome mud!! I was expecting it to still be raining-but we ended up getting brilliant blue sky and about 48 degrees. perfect temps-I had wanted to rain...but instead of rain we got MUD and lots of it!

Parts of the uphill were muddy and then it would be dry! After going thru the mud, i felt like I had mud snow shoes on. It was awesome and squishy!!

I knew the downhill would be entertaining especially going thru the mud! But I was enjoying the beautiful views, the cool crisp air and a friend to run with and squishy mud! can you tell i was enjoying the mud???

We made it to the top of the hill and were greeted by a true mud fest! it was awesome! Slip sliding away. Mud collected on my shoes, slop slop slop...it was great!

At the turnaround point, I decided to tie my shoe laces a bit more. I had felt my heel pulling out of my shoes every step I took in the mud. So with my tighter shoe laces, off we went down the hill and into the downhill mud!

mud during the race

The first mud we hit was spectacular. We ran thru it and I realized how much easier it was to run thru it than to walk thru it. So off we went! We ran down the entire hill, thru the mud, passing people and chatting up a storm! We would pull to the side when the "speedy kids" running the longer distances came by. And in true trail running fashion each one of them said "great job ladies" I love trail runners! No matter what your ability, you are cheered on!!!

On our way down, we passed a hiker entered into the 5 mile race who had given up on the mud and taken off her shoes!! She said she just couldn't take the feeling of her feet coming out of her shoes every time she went thru the mud. I don't know if I could have done that! Happy with my shoes and playing in the mud.

We were racing down the hill-I looked down and saw we were running around a 10 min pace on the trails thru the mud-not too shabby!

post race mud accumulation

I mentioned to Kari how great I was feeling. i'm not sure how or why...maybe it was the cool weather. It sure wasn't the great amount of sleep I got! But i really felt great and was having such a great time!!

We got to the finish and were cheered across the finish line. I saw the time of 1:25...wow, not too shabby considering the elevation climb, about 1200'. and the mud we ran thru!

I had an amazing time. And to top it all off, I was first in my Age group!! Yes 1st!!!!! That has never happened! I was the only one in my age group but I was still 1st!!!!!! I got a medal!! Woot Woot!!!

I realized today that trail running and races are my favorite!!! I have now signed up for next sundays PCTR Malibu Creek 25K! A stream crossing will be in my future next sunday as well as a 6 mile uphill! Bring on the trails!!!

RUN: 5.5 miles on the trails approx. 1200' elevation climb 1:25:08

Untitled by southbaygirl at Garmin Connect - Details

Bandit Trail Race 15K.....

Bandit 15K on February 20th 2011.....First trail race of the season!!! And it was up hill for over 4.5 miles. Yeah, that's trail running and I love it!!

This was the first time I had run any trails in Simi Valley-I had no idea the trails in this area. So I came into this race not knowing what to expect!

I knew we'd be running up to Rocky Peak-hmmm that should have keyed me in on what the course was like, and that would be rocky!!!

The first 1.5 miles was pretty technical-there was alot of scrambling and walking up the single track and rocks-and because we had had alot of rain these rocks were pretty slick! So being the old slow gal that i am...I took these slow!

Once past this point, we were on fire roads-and even these were rocky! I ran when i could but some of the "ups" were pretty steep and i find my walking is faster than my running!

The sun was out for the entire race...good thing it was relatively cool! But i was a bit over dressed-good thing I wear a camelbak so i can stash my jackets in it! Gotta love that!

At the turnaround point, at mile 4.2, I stopped and filled up my water bottle and then headed back down. I had picked up a fellow runner, Dan. He and I stuck together the entire downhill. I ran the downhills, until I hit rocky areas and then I cautiously "trotted" over them. We chatted the entire way down!! It was nice to have someone to run with!!

We were joking about the last 1.5 mile technical downhill-we both said we'd be on our asses sliding down! We practically were and then bam-we were passed by one of the "speedy kids" who obviously felt a bit more comfortable running the slick rocks than dan and I did! Oh well!! I was feeling the quad burn and this technical descent wasnt helping! Dan had rolled his ankle just before this part...and I rolled mine just coming off the technical part-silly!!

But we finished with smiles are our faces and just behind three 30K runners-yeah we're slow!!

I realized this was going to be the year for more trail races! I love the trails! i love the feeling of freedom and watching your step! It's fantastic running!!

RUN: 9.4 miles on the trails( 4.2 miles uphill) 2:50:33 with over 2000' elevation climb!