HEAT RUNNER

Tortolita Mountain Loop and 7 Falls Trail Run

2012-02-05T23:14:00.000-08:00

Lately, i've been torn between my finals months of school and updating my blog. I really love this blog and all the other running/trail running/triathlete blogs out there. But I only have 3 months of my undergrad left. 3 months!

I know, I'm pretty excited about it. So, bear with me as I concentrate on my homework and graduating in May. As soon as I graduate, I swear to you, I will be a blogging machine! :)

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A few weeks ago, I ran my very first "race" with TTR (Tucson Trail Runners). I say "race" because you don't pay an entry fee, there are no awards, it's just a cool group of trail runners planning weekend runs and tracking everyone times. Really fun and it's kind of a big deal to me, the main reason being that most of them are ultra runners. I'd love to build up to this running level one day.

The run was in the Tortolita Mountains (west of Tucson). I brought Chance along with me (with much protesting from him). We left around 6:45am. This was where I ruined everything. It starts promptly at 7am (didn't realize that) and we ended up getting there at 7:15am. FAIL. Then, I realized I forgot my Garmin. SECOND FAIL. So, by the time we started running, I just wasn't feeling it. My first run with them and I screw it up.

On our way into the mountains.

The old ranger station.

The start of the difficult climb up...

We set out on the trail in the early morning, running after the rest of the group (who are way ahead of us at this point). We run in the wash for awhile, arrive at an old ranger station from the 20's, and then make the ascent. This is a hard run! That climb took everything out of me! We didn't even make it 3 miles when I said "screw this!".

Happy to be heading back...

We headed back down. We were the first to arrive back after 6 miles. I talked to the RD (run director) for awhile and then Chance and I went to breakfast with his parents. I feel bad about giving up so quickly, but some days you just don't feel it. Know what I mean? In the end, I didn't feel so terrible about turning around. I can't be a trail running pro on my very first run...

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On a another note....

I ran to 7 Falls a few weeks ago!

Big deal for me. Hiked this trail in high school all the time. It was usually an all day thing. Then, I decided to run 1 mile into the trail. And I just kept going. I couldn't stop. I didn't want to stop. I was having so much fun. And I felt awesome. The whole run was about 2 hours for 8.5 miles. I did a lot of looking around, and I spent a bit of time at the falls.

Some rocks to guide the way.
There were a TON of river crossings...

Love this trail, nice and shaded at times.
But you have to watch out for snakes...

Another river crossing.

One day, I'll take this trail.
It takes off just before you get to the falls. I think it's a 15 mile loop.

7 Falls. During the warmer months in high school,
I would go swimming in the pools.

On the way back...

I think I was just so amazed I made it there in the time that I did. It's so beautiful to watch the falls..so peaceful. :)

Beyond Tucson

2012-01-10T10:45:00.000-08:00

This past Sunday marked the 1 year anniversary of the Jan. 8th Tucson shooting.

It was a terrible tragedy that shook the whole Tucson community.

Beyond Tucson was a series of events that celebrated the spirit of community and the idea that we will work together to become stronger every day.

There were a few "main" events (at Reid Park, Kino Stadium, and Tucson Medical Center) and a ton of smaller events around town. One of the victims, Gabe Zimmerman, was a avid hiker and runner (also a member of the Tucson Trail Runners - TTR) as well as an aide to Gabrielle Giffords. A trail was named in his honor and a few events were hikes and trail runs.

The Tucson Trail Runners (Partnered with SAR, Southern Arizona Roadrunners) had a event at Sabino Canyon on Saturday morning. There were 3 options for running: up the road to the beginning of the 7 Falls trailhead, to 7 Falls, and the full Bear Canyon loop.

Since I convinced Chance and my friend Laura to go, we opted for the shortest run (about 4 miles).

TTR runners introducing the event.

Lining up to run the different distances.

The farthest line is the full Bear Canyon Loop. Apparently, there was an issue (as I read later on the TTR google group) with some runners having never run with TTR before. They didn't sign in when they got back so TTR thought they were still out there on the trail! O_O

I would have been freaked out. Please, please, if you run with a new group understand their rules so that they won't send a search team out for you! The 3 runners were apparently at home, without a clue.

Laura and myself, about to run! :)

I think I convinced Laura to run the Mt. Lemmon Half Marathon with me in April. So, I may have a new running buddy! *fingers crossed*

A beautiful day! The shortest distance was along this road to the trailhead.

We went fairly slow (considering I haven't run in awhile) but tried to push ourselves at certain points.

We arrived at the trailhead to 7 Falls quicker than I thought. Chance was waiting for us (he took off awhile ago because we were talking about girl stuff lol). I tried to convince them that we should run along the 7 Falls trail for a bit (that's the distance I really wanted to do) but they were not having it. Laura wanted to wait for her mom and Chance wanted to go back home and relax.

Oh well, it was still a beautiful day for running. Glad I got to experience it. And I got a little trail running in at the end. :)

We ran back along this trail to the parking lot.

So many saguaros! Beautiful!

It is so nice this time of year in the Southwest!

Since I start school tomorrow, I want to take full advantage of the beautiful weather and head back out to Sabino Canyon today to run along the 7 Falls trail.

It's turning out to be a great year!

Mt. Lemmon Half Marathon Race Recap!

2011-12-30T14:54:00.000-08:00

Seriously...

The Most Beautiful Race I have EVER Run!

My day started at 3:00am. I woke up, got dressed, ate a few bananas and raspberries, and hit the road. I had to be at the buses at Tucson Medical Center no later than 4:30am.

I got to the buses, and we were off! I tried to get a photo of the long line of red bus lights along the dark, mountainous highway but there wasn't enough light it get it. It sure looked cool.

We finally arrived at Windy Point. It was about a 30 minute bus ride. I was hydrating like crazy and I knew everyone else was as well, so that meant...everyone had to go to the bathroom when we got off the bus. EVERYONE.

And there were only 5 port-a-potties.

And the race was set to start in 10 minutes.

And I was in the last bus, out of 4 buses.

This is the line after the race started:

And this is the start line after the race started:

You can see a few runners up ahead.

So, I didn't get to start with the gun and, well, everyone else. I was a little bummed about it.

But the announcer kept reminding everyone in the port-a-potty line that our individual time doesn't start until we actually cross the line.
So, I was relieved and tried to calm myself down. But at the same time I was still upset that they didn't have more port-a-potties and they didn't think to get the buses there earlier.

However, the serenity of running alone during a race sure made up for it. And the amazing views didn't hurt.

Got a great view of the sun rising. It was so beautiful at Windy Point, which is what I'm passing in this photo:

Finally! A good photo!

It was so peaceful. I ran without music (I emailed the race director beforehand and he was pretty serious about taking people off the course if he saw headphones. However, I saw a ton of people doing it anyways...grr) which may have helped my time. I sang songs in my head that I semi-memorized and worked through an issue I was having at work in my head. I thought I would be bored out of my mind, but that little issue I was working through really gave me something to think about.

So beautiful! And so alone. :)

These are some great views of the other side of Mt. Lemmon, looking east. I had to stop for these views.

Different from the route last year, this year we took a left and went down a "residential" road. It had a ton of cabins I never even knew existed! A lot of people were out in their lawn chairs cheering us on. :)

Almost there!

I finished!!

Time - 2:46:58

Avg Pace - 12:44

Place - 128th
Elevation Gain - about 3190 ft.

The food afterwards:

Lots of fruit, muscle milk and eggs and tortillas. :)

Me and my parents. After this, we decided to go eat in Ski Valley (at the very top of the mountain) at the Iron Door Restaurant. Unfortunately, the staff couldn't get through the traffic so it wasn't open. :(

I actually emailed the race director later that day hoping to get more businesses involved next year (like the General Store and the Cookie Cabin). I would have loved to stay in Summerhaven for at least another hour. But there really wasn't much to do with all the businesses being closed.

Back in Tucson, about to eat at the Good Egg when I realized that I didn't get a photo with Chance.

Pretty sweet medal. :)

Overall, this race was amazing! Definitely a MUST. Yes, it's tough, but it feels great to finish. :)
I loved the solidarity, but next time around, I'd like to run with someone by my side. Or perhaps a group of people. Be prepared, you may see a Girl Scout team running this in April. :)

ONE HUNDRED!

2011-10-25T18:00:00.000-07:00

The Mt. Lemmon Half Marathon was so awesome! Recap to come soon. Until then...

For my one hundredth post, I will divulge 100 things about me.

I can't believe I have gotten this far with running. I wasn't sure how far it would take me, or how long it would be until I got bored. But I didn't! It has been a slow process, but I have finally gotten to my 100th post. I started this blog in February of 2010 and since then it has been an amazing journey. I have amazed myself in many ways and met some really fantastic people along the way. Thanks for following me on my journey and I hope for much more to come!

I stole this idea from Aron at Runner's Rambles. So awesome, thanks for the idea!

10 Facts About Me:

I was born January 6th, 1989
I go to the University of Arizona.
I am studying Archaeology and Geology.
I am a 5th year Senior, and I want to change my major (for the second time, to something like Education or CAMP. I can do that, right?)
Born and Raised in Tucson, Arizona. Lived here all of my life, the same house and everything.
I have one sister, JoAnn, 7 years older than me. Her blog HERE. She inspired me to start running, and biking, and tri-ing. She is amazing!
I have a red color in both of my eyes.
I rarely wear deodorant. (But I'm not smelly, promise!)
I have a mild form of asthma.
I have crazy sensitive skin!

10 Things I Love To Do:

Run
Bike
Hike
Hang out with my family
Play with my dog
Camp
Read
Daydream
Swim

10 Things I Hate:

weird smells (like ferrets)
watching too much TV
chocolate
mango
flan (so. gross.)
itchy clothes
being late
procrastinating
people who litter and use their resources unwisely!
traffic (I wish we biked EVERYWHERE)

10 Places I have Traveled to:

Japan
The Czech Republic
Germany
Austria
Wales
England
Scotland
Mexico
Alaska
Hawaii

10 Favorite Foods:

Udon Noodles in Memmi Sauce
Strawberries
Soups: Avgolemono, Minestrone, Butternut Squash, Vegetable, Clam Chowder.
Egg Salad
Sushi (especially Nigri)
Liver and Onions (seriously)
Pasta
Steak/Prime Rib
Avocados
Delicious glazed donuts (oh yes)

10 Current Songs on My Running Playlist:

Nicki Minaj "Super Bass"
Lena "Satellite"
Avril Lavigne "Girlfriend"
Matt & Kim "Daylight"
Kanye West "Stronger"
A.R Rahman & The Pussycat Dolls "Jai Ho! (You Are My Destiny)" Helps if you know the dance. :) Yes, sometimes I try to dance and run.
Die Atzen :Disco Pogo" This one is HILAROUS. Again, with the dancing.
Blink -182 "All The Small Things"
Glee Version of "Don't Rain On My Parade" from Funny Girl
LMFAO "Party Rock Anthem"

10 Current Obsessions:

My Bike and it's many speeds
Carmel Corn and Candy Corn (totally different, but it's a tie)
Instant Netflix
Yoga Meltdown
My tiny back porch garden
Cooking new and healthy foods
Blue Moon Beer
Photography
Spandex while running
Geocaching

10 Things I Think about while Running:

What I'm going to organize when I get home.
How many people I can say hi to on the trail.
I count how many people are nice (people who say hi back) and how many are jerks.
My breathing
Different ways to wear my hair on my next run (maybe I should braid it, pigtails, bun, etc.) My hair bothers me a lot.
What am I going to eat when I get home?
Why am I always broke? Oh yeah, I'm in college.
Can I try this dance move without anyone seeing? (This usually happens when I listen to Disco Pogo or Jai Ho)
How to hold my hands (clenched, dangling, holding an egg, etc)
The people running behind me/in front of me and how I must stay ahead/pass them

10 of my Favorite Workout Things:

Bike
VFF's
Nike+
iPod
New headphones that wrap around my ears
Spandex! I will not run in anything else lately. Too comfy!
Headlamp. Night runs would NOT happen without this!
Compression socks. Feels so good after a long run.
Foam roller.
Fuel Belt.

10 Races I Want to Try in my Future:

Tucson Marathon
R2R2R
El Tour De Tucson
Bisbee 1000
Javalina Jundred
Mt. Lemmon Marathon
Big Sur Marathon
Tough Mudder
RNR Las Vegas (at night!)
The Amazing Race (does this count?)

10 Favorite Running Photos:

My first 5k since high school! Race for the Cure 2010.

Finishing my first RNR AZ Half Marathon 2011.

I love this one. Spartan Race 2011 was a BLAST. Can't you tell I'm having fun?

Finishing Muddy Buddy 2010! Such an awesome race, I wish they would come back to Arizona!!!

Stretching with my sister before we run the Sabino Canyon 4 Miler in 2010.

Running Spartan Race 2011 with my sister and a team from Phoenix.

My first trail race. :) Catalina State Park Trail Race 2011.

Our Ragnar Relay Team Finish! Such an amazing experience. Del Sol 2011.

I'm jumping over FIRE. Of course this is one of my favorites. You couldn't tell but I'm freaking out. Spartan Race 2011.

And most recently, a photo from the Mt. Lemmon Half Marathon.

Thanks for reading! Keep Running!

90% Mental, 10% Physical...right?

2011-10-18T12:39:00.000-07:00

Less than 1 week until MLHM. I'm excited and nervous at the same time! Excited because it's my second half marathon on a beautiful course, but I'm nervous because it's completely uphill and I could have trained harder. I have no intention of a PR, but I don't want to get kicked off the course! I have 7 hours to complete, and most of me knows that I will have plenty of time to finish. But then there's that annoying little voice in the back of my head. It's pretty much all mental, so I have to get that little voice out of my head!!!

What is mainly concerning me is my injuries. Well...my sort of injuries. More like bruises and strains. Last week, I dropped my U-Lock on my right foot. OW. That one hurt. Created a small bruise on the top of my foot which makes it hard to tie any of my shoes too tight. Then, last night, I twisted/sprained(?) my pinky toe on my left foot. Actually, I'm still not sure what happened to it. There's a shooting pain up along the outer edge of my foot whenever I walk. Seems like it could potentially be bad...

No matter! I'm running this half, even if a huge boulder falls on me tomorrow (knock on wood). I'm doing this thing!!! I paid for it, I've been wanting to do it for awhile. It will be a challenge, but I'm ready for it.

I'm ready!!!

As for my training...of course it could have gone better. Training is something that I would like to improve on. I wish my life schedule would let me stick to a training schedule...just for once! Unfortunately, that's not the way it happened this time. And that's okay. You just have to roll with the punches.

Mt. Lemmon...Here I come!

MLHM in 2 Weeks

2011-10-12T20:39:00.000-07:00

The Mt. Lemmon Half Marathon is in two weeks!!!

What I've been up to...

Training of course! I've been making it a weekly habit to ride up Mt. Lemmon, every Friday morning. Sometimes my friend Kali joins me, sometimes I go it alone. It's a fantastic ride! When you visit Tucson (I know it's on everybody's list, don't lie) take a ride up Mt. Lemmon. You. Will. Not. Regret. It.

Yes, people do actually bike to the top. I've only made it to Milepost 5.
Not my bike, but a pretty similar photo to the one I took.

Some cyclists on their way up. It's quite the incline!

This cute cafe is fairly close to the base of Mt. Lemmon. A perfect spot for cyclists to meet! (Thanks Google for all the photos!)

Working like a mad woman. I have recently taken on a few more projects at work, which in turn has taken up most of my free time. They are really rewarding! But also very exhausting. And it has been taking a toll on my training. Also, I am not full time right now, and it's feeling like a full time job. Definitely tough.
Geocaching! I have been browsing locations on Geocaching.com and there are a lot of caches in my area! So I had to try it. I made Chance come with me on a late night geocache hunt! It was a ton of fun roaming the park at night looking for "treasure". We didn't actually find one (geocaching is hard!) but we had a good time. I want to go hiking this Sunday in search for one! :)
School. Almost done! I'm working on my second to last semester right now. While this is my "full time job" for the time being, I sometimes find myself putting it on the back burner second to work and running. I'm so close to being finished with my undergrad, isn't 5 years in college enough??
Stressing. I have 2 laptops and they both broke. Imagine how stressed that is making me! Not only do I have homework and midterms, but I also have my blog which has been totally neglected. :c And I'm sorry for that. I also have my own photos (instead of the ones used above) but my computer wiped all of them. I. am. so. sad.
Just so I don't leave you on a sad note... The Mt. Lemmon Half Marathon is in less than two weeks!!! I am so excited!!! But the question is...Am I ready? I'll let you know in a future post... :)

Happy Running!

Training is in full swing!

2011-09-06T08:56:00.000-07:00

I went to the first TriCats meeting on Thursday.

And I won some cool swag. Which means it's a good sign I should be in this group. :)

I won this:

And I never win anything. I'm telling you...it's a sign.

Friday was the first swim practice.

No pictures from that...didn't want to be that girl taking photos of people at the pool. Maybe as the year goes on I'll get some pics...

That practice was fun, and crazy and hard all at the same time. I inhaled soooo much water. Let me remind you I haven't been in a pool for quite awhile. I was beginning to feel pain in my legs after that practice.

Then, on Sunday, we had our first running practice at Reid Park.

I had eaten a semi-large-ish dinner beforehand (i know, stupid, stupid). So, I wasn't feeling it. I ended up trailing behind everyone, with major cramps. Great first impression I left for everyone. And running is supposed to be my thing. Ugh. I could barely make it around one loop.

My legs hurt pretty bad that night.

And then Monday, Labor Day, I decided a hike would be fun, even with the pain in my legs.

Hahahaha.

What a fool I am.

Chance and I hiked from the Palisades Trailhead (#99) on Mt. Lemmon down to Mud Spring, and back again. The elevation started at 7850 ft and went down to 6700 ft.

Found it! It's hidden in some bushes. I know bears love this place! Lots of water, berries, and good places to hide. Good thing we didn't see any...

The spring is behind us. Isn't Sookie's backpack too cute?

Why it's called Mud Spring.

The trail near Mud Spring. A big change from the rest of the trail.

Great views. One day, I'd like to hike down to Sabino Canyon one day. That's about 15 miles one way.

Back up the trail to my car.

This is what finally killed my legs today.

It was about 6 miles total. 3 downhill and 3 back up. And that is one hard hike!

We hiked half of the red dashed line.

So, last night, I covered my legs in Tiger Balm. Smelly stuff, but it works. The pain in my leg has faded a little. But I have more practices coming up. I hope my legs can handle it!

*crossing my fingers*

Weekend Update

2011-08-29T13:32:00.000-07:00

First thing Saturday, I got myself a long over due haircut.

I tend to forget about myself when I'm busy. It's not a major cut, just the dead ends are cut off and it has been styled a little. Point is, it makes me feel good. :)

I also tended to my mini garden. One day, I hope to have a backyard and plant a huge garden. But for now, I live on the second floor and pots will have to do. Keep in mind: it is a growing garden. More will come soon!

My dill plant is peaking out from the soil finally! I love love love dill in almost anything, especially broccoli and cheese soup. Can't wait to use it!

My cactus and mint plant sit out front. Haven't used the mint yet, not sure of any good recipes. Any suggestions? I will be looking for some.

Basil is up next! I will plant him very soon.

I also rode around on my lovely bike this weekend.

I'm trying to get used to it for upcoming bike related things such as Tricats, El Tour De Tucson, etc.

I love my bike. :)
Don't you like it's accessories? I have three bike locks hanging on the bars. Yes, three. I have to do this since I leave it on campus. I may only be a little paranoid...

How was your weekend?

Three Things Thursday

2011-08-25T21:29:00.000-07:00

1. School started on Monday. I'm one week in and I'll be honest...I'm not loving it. There are so many people! I have been so close to running multiple people over while on my bike. Sure, I speed pretty fast through campus, but it's ridiculous to walk in front of bike traffic. Silly freshman. Also, why do so many people look nice when they get to class?? I show up sweaty, smelly and I'm basically a mess. WTH? And, there are motorcycle cops everywhere! Guess who they're after? Cyclists. Of course.

These guys would love to give me a ticket.

2. I am into Week 3 of my MLHM training plans. While I may not be completely sticking to the plan (yet) I am doing good enough. I plan on heading up to Mt. Lemmon sometime this weekend for a short trial run and to see how my body handles the altitude...again. I was up there for a little while this summer and I felt like my body was getting used to it. But, now I've been back in Tucson for over a month now. How do you train for high altitude races?

3. I joined the University of Arizona Women's Rugby Team! This is very exciting for me because I am very competitive and I'll admit, a bit aggressive. This. Is. My. Sport. Other than running and cycling, of course! Lets see if I survive the first practice....

I like to pretend this will be me soon.

Friday Favorites

2011-08-19T22:10:00.000-07:00

My last Friday of freedom. Not sure if this can be classified as a favorite. Yay for Friday, but I start the beginning of my last year as an undergrad Monday. Somewhat bittersweet. Although, I'm not quite sure how I feel yet. Give me a few days. ;)
I saved a dog yesterday. Really. I was driving home when I saw this small shih-tzu running around in circles in a front yard near a main road. I didn't see anyone in the front yard, so I stopped the car and got out, just to make sure. I'm a sucker for animals, so this happens all. the. time.
As soon as I got out, the little pup ran right over to me and tried to hide in my legs. She was muddy, shaking and soaked. It was storming pretty badly and I guessed she was freaked out by the thunder, escaped from her house and got lost. She was pretty small so I figured she wasn't far from her house. And I was right! My mom and I went door to door (yup, it was still storming) and about 5 houses later...we found her owner! And she was really really happy to have her back! I think I wouldn't have felt as great if they didn't even know she was gone. But that wasn't the case. They were really worried about her! It was perhaps the highlight of my week. I'm still smiling about it. :) :) :)
I love love love my job. I work for the Girl Scouts now and it is an amazing job that gets more and more rewarding each day. What more could I ask for?
I started my training plans for the Mount Lemmon Half Marathon. Yes, I'm moving down to the half and I'm okay with it. Sure, I had plans to run the marathon and I was so excited about it. However, life gets in the way, as it did in my case. But I made the decision on my own (as in, no one influenced me) and I'm proud of myself for stepping down. I know I can be very competitive, so this is a major step. All of my runs have been at night and I can't wait until I can starting running in the morning again. I have this wonderful plan of waking up early before school, biking over to the rec center, using all of the fancy machines, and being extremely fit this year. Think I can do it? *crossing my fingers* I sure hope I can!
I am seriously considering sending in an application for the Real World. One of my life goals is to be on The Challenge (it used to be called Real World/Road Rules Challenge). I'll let you know if I plan on doing it. I have to send in a video so I'll definitely have to show you that. :)

August Goals

2011-08-02T15:47:00.000-07:00

I feel it's about time I become organized with...everything. You know, like my training, specifically. And possibly my life, but that will come later (HA). I don't keep a training notebook or anything, so this blog is it.

I've decided to record my goals for each month and a recap of each past month. August will be a little weird because my new training plans start on the 7th and school starts on the 22nd, etc. Bear with me.

Join TriCats (a triathlon training group at the University)
Stick to half marathon/marathon training plans
Eliminate soda

I'm keeping it fairly simple for now. As the month progresses, I will add a few more goals.

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I hear this before leaving the house last night for a run: "You look like an alien"

Do I? Chance said it. So what if I'm wearing a headband, my headlamp and my headphones? Fine, I admit, I look a tiny bit ridiculous, but I don't look like an alien. Love you too. :P

Also, took this picture. Thought it was cool. What do you think?

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Expect some kind of change soon. Ok, ok, I won't surprise you. I'm planning a change in my layout, so don't be alarmed. I'm almost up to my 100th post (!), so it might be for that celebration. :)

Dancing in the Dark

2011-08-01T12:40:00.000-07:00

Have you ever been out running an errand and suddenly decided to do something else completely? Story. Of. My. Life. I'm a pretty distracted gal, but once in a while I love spur of the moment happenings.

A few nights ago, I was driving around, dropping movies off, shopping, etc. I drove over a bridge and looked over to see a crowd gathering. I immediately pulled over, parked, grabbed my camera and walked down to the bike path. I asked around to make sure I stopped for the right thing, and sure enough, I did. I stopped because I wanted to see the bats.

I'm not even going to bother posting the photo I took because you can't see anything in it. Just a lonely bridge. Yay for lousy photo taking skills. :)

So I found a better photo (thanks Google!):

I went the night after as well. This time, it was planned and I took Chance. The only downside: if you sit too close you can get a good whiff of bat feces. Yum.

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In other news, I've gotten back into night running. At our old apartment, I loved running at night. Mostly because there were street lights, and sidewalks and I just felt safe running where there was a good amount of traffic and I wouldn't be kidnapped. Seriously, I'm afraid of that happening. And it's a legitimate fear, I think. But recently, we moved up north towards the river and there's a lack of street lights and traffic and it's just too darn quiet at night. So, I've been freaked out about running after hours.

But now, thanks to Chance, we've been running the past few nights together and I'm feeling better about it. We donned our headlamps and some reflective gear last night and I felt pretty good about running on the river path. Then again, I did have my big, strong man to protect me. :) But, I may be ready to go for a run by myself tonight. I definitely plan to invest in a Road ID and some pepper spray though. I'm not a fool. It's still dangerous out there, especially at night!

But the night time and I are becoming good friends once again. Good thing too. It's hella hot during the day. Even early morning runs are hard to get through this time of the year. And who doesn't like breaking out their reflective Ragnar gear? Brings back good memories. :)

Back from Camp and Back to Training

2011-07-23T21:24:00.000-07:00

I got my wish! It finally rained and I was able to go to back to camp. It only lasted for about a week but it was well worth the wishing, the waiting and the many, many rain dances. I also got a couple runs in. Yes, as in 2. However, so worth it. Cool mountain weather, scenic trails, being alone in the forest, etc. I even took the highway for part of my run, as part of my training for the Mt. Lemmon Marathon. It was really really difficult. Sometimes I ask myself if the marathon is the right thing to do. I wonder if I'll switch to the half at one point. I really do want to do this. Everyone tells me I'm crazy, which never helps my attitude about it. But at the same time, I tend to push myself more when people doubt me. I hope I'm doing the right thing for me. *crossing my fingers*

I'm currently in Week 3 of my training. I've missed a good portion so far but I plan to make it up in the next few weeks. Apparently, I have a 14 miler this weekend. Not sure if I'm ready for that. Thankfully, I've taken up the intermediate training plans so I can fall back on the beginner plans if anything goes wrong.

I'm going to write a "Back to School" resolution list. This will help keep me on track with training and eating, for the most part. School is my biggest fear with training. I can get so off track with either one. One day, school is more important and my training lags, and then suddenly my training jumps to the top of my list and school seems the lesser of the two. I can't have either of those happening. I need to find a harmonious balance. This is my last year of my undergrad (stayed an extra year to finish my minor) so I would like great grades and fantastic recommendations from my professors. But I also want to stay fit and active. I tend to get bored if I don't have any races coming up. So, I'll work on a plan that meets both of those needs.

A recap in photos of the past few weeks:

I went back to camp and I scared the CRAP out of one of the counselors by hanging these lovely men in her bungalow...

Played Quidditch at camp and bruised my face and almost dislocated my pinkie in the process...

Went swimming all the time...

On Mt. Lemmon after a rain...

On my breaks, I ran, of course!

Much of the forest in my area is burned and the trails are difficult to find, but I still had some amazing runs. :)

“Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve.”

~ Napoleon Hill

Training and Stress

2011-06-26T20:12:00.000-07:00

My training for the Mount Lemmon Marathon starts in a week!

Eek!

Since Mount Lemmon shut down a few weeks ago, I've been pretty depressed about it. I was planning on training up at camp on the trails, but that may not happen for at least another few weeks. And then I was planning to run up the highway, along the marathon course. But no runners or bikers are allowed on the road due to evacuation concerns. So all of my plans thus far have be derailed. I am considering buying a month gym membership at the Racquet Club so I can run on the treadmill. But I don't want it to go to waste. As soon as it rains, my butt is back up that mountain and that could be anytime. And I already told you how hot it is outside down in Tucson.

So I'm in a predicament. And it's ~~kind of~~ really stressing me out. I haven't run in weeks because of the closure. I can't stop thinking about how my training starts in a week. But I also can't stop thinking about much I want to run this thing. I have been waiting awhile to do a marathon. I was so intimidated by it at first and now I know I can run it. I have to run it. I'm going to run it.

I just wish I could stop stressing about everything. Everything will work out. It has to rain soon....right?

Mountain Closures

2011-06-22T17:43:00.000-07:00

I left you with intention of living on a beautiful mountain all summer as a camp counselor, running it's trails and enjoying the cool, crisp mountain air.

Unfortunately, I return from that, a week after I left (which turns out to be a few weeks ago), to be forbidden from returning to that mountain.

Well, okay, that's a little dramatic, but that's how I see it!

The Catalina Mountains (where my camp is located), the Santa Rita Mountains and the Rincon Mountains have all been shut down due to overwhelming concerns of the safety of the forests. Understandable. If you haven't noticed my lovely state has been all over the news once again....but this time with extreme fires (one that is now the largest in state history). All human caused. All pretty much uncontrollable. And the wind sure isn't helping.

http://www.kvoa.com/news/mount-lemmon-closure-cancels-camps-for-boys-and-girls-scouts/

I am saddened by this.

I am angered by this.

I don't know what to think or what to do.

Yes, my job was up there, but thankfully the council gave us temp jobs for the summer. So I'm not worried about money and bills or anything. That's all okay.

What I am worried about is my running. I am running the Mt. Lemmon Marathon in October. So it makes sense that I was training up there. You know, get used to the altitude and all that. Unfortunately, with the closure, I am unable to run any trails.

At first I thought that would be okay. I'll just find some good trails in Sabino Canyon. That has some shaded parts. Nope, closed.

Catalina State Park? No, they closed that as well.

Well poop.

Guess what the temperature was today? Almost 110. Running outside right now is not an option...unless you have a death wish. I am so close to buying gym passes for the summer. Just to run on a treadmill. I'm sure you know my feelings about treadmills....

The only reassurance I have right now is rain. If When it rains, we are all allowed back on the mountain. Please PLEASE do some sort of rain dance. Go wash your car. Anything. We need rain so badly.

Time Flies When You're Having Fun!

2011-05-24T18:27:00.000-07:00

Awesome, crazy, fantastic fun!

Love LOVE summer.

It's the most wonderful time of the year. :)

Well folks, technically I only have one more year of undergrad. Woohoo? Not too excited about going back for another year (I transferred schools and all of the credits did not transfer, meaning I have to go back for another year...) but excited that I don't have to get a grown up job yet. Yay.

But I kept myself busy since school got out...

I went for a hike on the most difficult trail in Tucson (Finger Rock if you're interested...)

Twice

And did not make it to the top. Bummer. It was definitely tough! Before I hiked it, I was considering doing some trail running on it. HA. Maybe one day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Then, I went to Vegas!

You know, the usual. Drinking some drinks...

Throwing down the Benjamins...

...and going to clubs, getting our photo taken and put on random websites.
My hair looks craptastic and that is the sign for loser, yes I know. It for Localites, people! Obviously.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Then, I met up with a local couchsurfer and went trail running with her on Mt. Lemmon.

And Sookie came with us, of course!

If you don't know what CouchSurfing is, then go the website HERE and check it out! Basically, it's a community of people all around the world. And you can travel for cheap by sleeping on peoples couches. Brilliant.

You can friend me if you want. :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And right now, I'm in the middle of nowhere:

Grants, New Mexico.

Oh Grants, you're so classy.

I'm here doing inventory of the collections for the parks El Morro and El Malpais. Not terribly exciting, but it's nice to get away for a little while. And I've never been to New Mexico! Another state crossed off my list.

It's also crossed off the list of states I have run in.

Yes, even though Grants, New Mexico looks super creepy...I went for a run. There is pretty much nowhere to run here. I found a little side road but it ended quickly. So I found a dirt road off the other side of the highway, but I didn't take far. I have to save something for tomorrow's run. The only other places to run are along the highway (no thank you) or I have to drive to get to another road and I don't want to have that sort of responsibility of a university issued car.

So, I'm limited in my runs but at least I'm running. :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I leave for camp next week but I'll be sure to post before then!

Heat...it's pretty darn hot

2011-05-09T20:08:00.000-07:00

It's that time of the year! All the flowers have fallen off of the palo verde trees and the air conditioner is pointless. It's summertime here in the Old Pueblo. Actually, it's been summer for a few months. We don't really have a spring. Or a fall. Or anything really, except hot. Which is fine by me. I was raised here so I''m pretty used to it. Cold is something I cannot handle.

But since I only started running a year and a half ago, I'm not quite used to running in the heat. Actually, I'm not sure if anyone can become accustomed to running in such high temperatures. People sure do try though. Like the Badwater Ultramarathon in Death Valley. That. is. Insane. Temperatures that get up to 130 degrees. No thank you.

It actually sounds awesome, but insane. Definitely. Look at that outfit.

I am not, however, running in 130 degrees. The high summer temps here in Tucson usually range from the 80's to the 100's, which is still very hot for a run. Most days too hot. Many people usually opt for a morning run or a night run.

And those are great times for a run...if you have that kind of time.

Lately, the only time I have for running is during the hottest parts of the day such as when I get home from work. Mornings are too hectic and I now live in a part of town that doesn't have street lights. But my afternoons are wide open. So, I run when it's very hot. I don't call myself heatrunner for nothing you know. :)

The whole point of this post today was to talk about running safely in the heat. But then I went for a run and I thought, "It's really not that hot out". And I lost all momentum for blogging about heat. So. You'll have to wait for that post.

But my run was very nice. :)

Only 80 degrees today, partly cloudy, and a cool breeze. Unusually nice.

The River Walk

Oh, I forgot to tell you I bought Vibrams awhile ago! They are so awesome! I have pretty much ditched my other running shoes. Don't know why, I just love the feeling of my Vibrams. I feel quicker when I wear them and I don't feel so weighed down. Makes me feel nekkid. :D

It looks like I'm running barefoot!

Some beautiful flowers along the path.

End of the run, ran 5 miles, feeling good! Yay for 80 degree running weather! :)

Running in the River

2011-05-03T12:15:00.000-07:00

Lately, I've been spending a lot of time in the Rillito "river" behind my condo.

Okay, so it's not a river. Currently. It's really just a wash. But you know, sometimes Tucson has rivers. Sometimes.It's true. There's something called monsoon season. And the water usually comes in a form we like to call flash floods.

Not my photo, but this is from late July 2006. That's a bridge I usually run under.
See? A river, is it not?

Okay, but yes, most of the time it looks like this:

Dry. Peaceful. Empty.

and a great place to run! That's a photo of me and my dog Sookie enjoying the freedom of the "river"!

That's why I've been trying to be out there as much as I can! What's also nice is that I can run during hotter parts of the day. The riverbed is usually cooler and the high walls and the bushes give some shade if I need it.

I really love running here. Since I don't live that close to a lot of trails, this is sort of similar to a trail. It sucks running in sand but I can see a difference in my strength after running in it for awhile. When I ran the Catalina State Park Trail Race, there was a small section of a wash we had to run through and I seriously thought I was going to die. It was awful! Partly because I had never run in sand before and it was such a surprise when I first stepped into it.

What's also great is that the Rillito River Path is just above the wash. So, if I get tired of sand, I can switch to a hard surface easily. And it's not street sidewalk or running down a road or anything like that. It's a beautiful path, made for walkers, runners and bicyclists. There is also a little side trail, not paved, so that horses and their owners can use it too.

It is paved from Craycroft Road all the way to the I-10. That's hella far. I've only run up to Stone.

You can still go farther than Craycroft, I think. But at that point it's only a dirt trail, which is fine by me.

One day I'll run all of it. But for now I'm content with my "river" running. :)

Do you have a favorite place to run in your town?

Catalina State Park 5.2 Mile Trail Race

2011-04-25T11:10:00.000-07:00

I woke up at 5am to a gray and sleepy morning. It was pretty chilly outside, but I assumed it would get warmer (more like desperately wanted it to get warmer) so I dressed in shorts and a tee. Only sort of regretted that later.

Chance and I drive up to the State Park. I was bugging Chance the night before about getting there early because when I was helping out with packet pick-up the day before, everyone was telling me to get there early or I’ll have to park down the road. And since I have never been there before, I had no idea how far that would be. So, we ended up getting there at around 6:30am and the parking lot was pretty much empty. Oh well. Better safe than sorry!

Since the race didn’t start until 7:40am, Chance decided to take me for a little hike. We walked up the road, down a wash and then walked along a trail to Romero Ruins.
But I forgot to take photos of it. Maybe next time.

During our hike, the sky seemed to be getting a little darker, making me nervous, but I thought, “hey, it’s Tucson, it won’t actually rain.”

We got back in time to see some of my Ragnar teammates, Dave and Kendra, who were running the 10-miler. Basically, the 5 miler is one loop of the trail and the 10 miler is two. It was no easy loop. I definitely have respect for those 10 milers now.
The 10 miler started 10 minutes before the 5 miler. So, as it was starting we headed over to the start line to watch everyone.

Right after the race started, I started to take off my warm clothes. I striped down to my shorts and t-shirt. Super cold!

I headed over to the start line with minutes to spare and did some warm up stretches to get me ready. I saw a few people with gloves on. I remember wondering if I should have brought some but kept talking myself out of it because I heat up so fast. Then we were off!!

We ran down the paved road for about 30 seconds and then hit dirt. Yay! My first trail race. It was all very exciting. But then we took a left and suddenly had to asend a HUGE hill. We were in single file and shuffling for a little while because the 10 milers were coming down the other side. We were really packed together at this point. Finally, we go to the top of the hill and ran along the top of a ridge. It was so gorgeous! The clouds had moved in through the ranges in the mountains. The air was so fresh and crisp and cold and almost prefect running weather. Soon we made a turn around and headed back the way we came. Finally, the rain came. It wasn’t hail or anything, just a light sprinkle. It felt great! After all that hard work up the hill, a little bit of rain was just what I needed. :) It didn’t last long though and only got me partially wet.

I flew down the hill and took a left down another trail. Actually, it more like a wash. It was very sandy and extremely hard to get a good footing. A bunch of sand got in my shoe because I don’t have gaiters yet. Lame. It’s on my to-buy list. I saw the photographer up ahead so I tried to look like I was having fun.

Ran down this trail for a bit. Then the rain started to pick up again. My shirt and shorts were starting to get soaked. I could feel the water in my shoes building up. Every time I took a step I felt the squishiness.

Dislike this photo. I look old. And tired. And pale. I definitely need to work on my trail race photo face.

And then I saw the stair climb. And immediately I realized I should have done some more trail training before this. I did what I could which was walk up it…slowly. I turned around to see if anyone else needed to pass me but instead what I saw was this long line of other runners…all walking up this hellacious stair climb. I imagine it wouldn’t have been so bad if I just ran it before. I’ll learn one day. :)

I wish I took more photos but it was so wet and so cold it was almost impossible to get the camera out. My fingers were numb at this point so just taking it out for one photo was hard enough. It was even difficult to get my camelback closed! And don’t even get me started on my shoelaces. I swear, I had to bend down to tie them every few minutes once they got wet.

A water station was at the top of the hill. I took a breather and went on my way. At this point, I was soaked though to my underwear. The rain didn’t feel like ice pellets anymore. It actually felt really good. I felt alive. The next mile felt the easiest. I was taking in the sights, the smells, the cold rain, I was loving every minute of it! My mind was no longer focused on my body, but instead everything else around me. On another section of trail I was able to see everyone in front of me and that helped to distract me as well. I really liked getting a look at everyone. It’s cool to see how many different people come together to run. LOVE IT.

Flew down another hill. I remember feeling how cold the wind was. My thighs, my fingers, my arms were so numb but I couldn’t really feel it. My shoelaces came untied a few more times before I finished. I couldn’t even really tie them near the end, my fingers were so numb, so I shoved them into the sides of my shoe with my knuckles.

I came out from the last loop, on to pavement and saw the finish line. I ran as fast as I could when I saw it. It hurt but I love feeling completely exhausted when I cross a finish line. It makes me feel like I accomplished the task I set out to do.

Miles- 5.2
Time- 1:03:50
Avg Pace- 12:16.5
Overall Place- 156
Age group Place: 3RD!!! So awesome. :)

Chance brought me a towel (thank goodness I keep those in my car for the dogs) while I stood in line to get my t-shirt. Pretty cool design. As soon as I picked mine up headed back to the car to get changed. Since I wasn’t moving as much anymore it got cold…fast. I began to shiver like crazy! Chance helped me over to the port-a-potties so I could change inside. Not as gross as you may think. It was a small race so they were fairly clean. Also helps if you have a towel to sit on. I warmed up my hands with the towel the best that I could before trying to change. It is impossible to do with numb fingers! I felt stupid and helpless. Finally, they started to warm up a little but it had already taken me about 20 minutes. Poor Chance, standing in the rain, waiting for me. I love you!

I came out and I went to go get the free Mexican breakfast and smoothie that always comes with this race. SO AWESOME. I love Steve Landaus races. They are the best. Especially since they usually have free massages. Unfortuantely I looked over at the ,massage tent and it was empty. :( I doubt I would have stayed for one anyway. Definitely next time. I took the food back to the car and ate like I was homeless. Seriously. That food was gone in a few seconds.

6 things I learned about trail races:
1.) ALWAYS bring a change of clothes in your car. No matter if it looks like it will clear up or even if it’s a beautiful sunny day. You never know what will happen. This is something I always try to do, no matter the race. It would have been a major bummer if I had forgotten it for this race though.

2.) Bring a towel while you’re at it. So glad it was already in my car. It really made the difference, especially since I had to change in a port-a-potty.

3.) You should probably buy shoes without shoelaces.

4.) Gaiters would have been helpful.

5.) I didn’t wear headphones for this race and I LOVED it. I recommend you leave them at home for trail races. You’ll miss too much of the experience! I believe there’s enough variety in a trail such as turns, rocks, hills, animals, etc to keep you focused and not leave you feeling bored.

6.) Not sure about other races, but this one thankfully had lots of food for the runners afterwards. When I run another one, I’ll be sure to bring my own food just in case. As soon as I finished I was so hungry, I felt like I could eat a horse!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That weekend, I also ran the Race for the Cure 5k. I didn't take any photos because personally, it's my least favorite race. It's for a wonderful cause and I support it entirely but the course sucks. And there's too many people for it to be a fun race. So, I concentrated on finally breaking a 30 minute 5k and guess what?

I DID!

Time- 29:49

Avg Pace- 9:36

Overall Place- 431

A New PR!!!

You can fight without ever winning,

but never ever, win without a fight.

--Rush

Tackling the Mt. Lemmon Marathon

2011-04-14T11:57:00.000-07:00

I'm going to do it! I'm switiching from the Mt. Lemmon Half Marathon to the Mt. Lemmon Marathon.

This is very exciting for me because:
1.) This will be my very first, mi primer, marathon!
2.) It is a mostly uphill course with an elevation change of 5250 feet! Loving the challenge!
3.) A lot of people are intimidated by this marathon, they refuse to do it. They think I'm crazy for even thinking about doing it.
4.) I'll have an extra 13 miles to take in the amazing views.

Last years winner.

Mt. Lemmon means a lot to me. I was born and raised here in Tucson and Mt. Lemmon has always been right out my window. I spend almost every summer up there as a camp counselor. I also hike and camp up there too during the other times of the year. It's pretty much my home away from home. I love Mt. Lemmon. And now, with the opportunity to run up it, it is very exciting and it makes me happy to be a runner.

Check out that view!

I regret not doing it last year. Last year was it's very first year and I felt a little intimidated by it since I had just started running in January. I wanted to be involved however, so I volunteered. I enjoyed seeing the runners tackle this crazy race. I loved seeing the motivation and their strength.

I even got to meet Bart Yasso!

So this year is the year. I'm finally going to do a marathon and I'm going to do the one that means the most to me. This is the training plan I picked up on the website:

I like it because it's tailored to running the mountain. Other plans I looked at don't factor in the intense incline.

I'll be adding in trails, of course. :)
I'll be up on the mountain as summer so I'll have plenty of time to train during breaks at camp.

Official Training will begin on July 3rd!

Anyone else planning on running it?

Two race recaps are coming your way, just as soon as I upload the photos.

A trail run is planned for this weekend on Mt. Lemmon. I need to get used to the elevation before training starts.

Happy Thursday!

Busy Busy Weekend!

2011-04-09T20:29:00.000-07:00

I had 2 races planned for the weekend:

The Catalina State Park Trail Race (5 miler) was today

and the Race for the Cure 5k tomorrow.

The Catalina Trail Race was AWESOME. I will post a recap shortly. :)

Must get some rest for the 5k tomorrow morning!

Saturday Morning Bike Ride

2011-04-07T11:23:00.000-07:00

I got a new bike!
Ain't it a beauty?

Kali and I went for my 1st official ride Saturday morning (the rest have been rides to school so of course it doesn't count as official).
We took the path down the river and rode down to Craycroft. Not all that far, but you sure start to feel it...you know....down there. Not so comfortable! I will definitely need some tips on this!

It wasn't a very serious ride. Not like those of you training for a tri. Nothing like that. I promise. But super awesome. :)

It was so beautiful outside! Cool temps in the 70's. A beautiful, big, blue sky overhead. No cars nearby. Perfect for riding. And running. We saw a TON of runners. Most of them were WAY fit. You know, the abs, the legs, the whole fit runner package. I was little jealous. I was very close to jumping off my bike and going for a run instead. I have a runner's mentality.

These pictures are taken at the end of the paved path. There's a longer path down the opposite side of the wash, but it's all dirt. :c

Sometimes, I wish my bike was a transformer and could transform into a mountain bike when I needed it to.

Plan on doing any awesome rides or runs this weekend?

Super Spartan Race 2011 Recap!

2011-03-29T12:05:00.000-07:00

Aren't you all lucky ducks? 2 recaps in a row!?! What is this craziness!?

The day didn't start as early as I had imagined. Thankfully, Joann lives pretty darn close to Rawhide (this cute western town with a steakhouse, but it's twice as big as Pinnacle Peak/Trail Dust Town for you Tucson townies). So we woke up a little later than usual (I ♥ sleeping in).

We got to Rawhide and wandered through the town to the start line/to find the group Joann signed up with. We walked past one of the obstacles. It was a wall with little planks of wood nailed on to it. Very intimidating. I was only a little worried at that point. Then, we walked past a dry wash with stacks of Duraflame lined up neatly. I asked Joann what the Duraflame was for. And then...oh.

We finally found our group, put our stuff in a car and got pumped. Joann and I wrote our numbers on each others arms. We walked around to see some free samples we could score. I grabbed a free 5 Hour Energy for later.

Then we saw this wall. We joined in and wrote our names on it.

Then, it was time to start the race! I made a poor decision and downed the 5 Hour Energy before our wave was about to start. So. Freaking. Gross. I had this cough medicine taste in my mouth for quite awhile.

People started to move. Then some broke into a run and then there was smoke. Everywhere. Apparently, being a Spartan means you have to run though a cloud of smoke. And I'm not talking bearable smoke here. It was so hard to breathe. I already have a lot of trouble with cigarette smoke. This was awful.

Here, we think, is Joann and I. She found this on a website covering the race. You can sort of see my orange shirt, black pants, maybe? And Joann is to my left? Tell me what you think. Anyway, this was the smoke.

Next, we ran over some hay steps. Not too bad, I'm thinking. But after we rounded a building we saw more smoke. Uh-oh. We rounded the corner and realized we're going to jump the fire NOW! Holy Crap!

That was one of the scariest things I have ever experienced. Seriously. That fire looks small. But when you face it head on, it's a HUGE WALL OF FIRE. For a split second, I told myself I couldn't do it. But then realized the men with the fire hoses wouldn't let me catch fire and die.

We jumped, survived, then almost was knocked over by the intense pressure of the hoses. We ran though a tunnel, and along a path for a while. I was doing good, until I saw the water. As in "river" water (man made).

It was a big man made river! It felt like it took forever to cross it. And it was cold. The cold knocked it out of me. My shoes were weighing me down. So were my shorts. Good thing I told Joann not to wear pants this morning, I was thinking. Finally, we made it across, but we had to walk because the cold was so shocking. Finally, we got our groove back...for a little while. Then we saw we have to cross the river again.

We ran for awhile on a small desert trail. People were starting to break up and it gave us a little more room to run. I really like when that happens. :) Got some water (finally). Seriously. If it's one thing this race needed more of, it was water. You know, to drink. Not to swim through, there was enough of that. I may have to suggest that. I know, I know, it's not very Spartan of me...

From that, we did some more crazy stuff.
We ran though a very small tarp covered river, through tunnels, and then crawled though a mud pit with barbed wire. Fun. NOT. Look at my face. It tells all. That was not nice mud either. It was rough, rocky, hard, not fun mud! I'm pretty sure I got a mud burn.

After that, we climbed some walls, jumped through tires, and pulled some cinder blocks. Yup. Sure did. Just before that we had the option of solving a 4-square Rubik's cube or 30 push-ups. Guess who did the push-ups as soon as she heard she had to solve that hellacious thing. ME. I will not deny it.

We ran some more, almost died of thirst. We had to climb a very tall wall. Painful. Ran some more. Almost died of thirst...again. Finally, we neared the little town of Rawhide. We had to cross the cold, little river again (but this time it felt amazing!) and climb a slippery wall. I think this obstacle is where I got an ugly bruise on my leg.

Yay! Finally a battle scar. Can you believe I have never gotten a bruise, scratch, black toenail, etc from a race? But now. It's all changing. I'm actually proud of myself.

We got to Rawride, ran though the town, reached the walls we had to climb across (if you fall you have to do 30 burpees!). So tired at this point. Then we had to throw a spear at a target. But I missed so I did 50 push-ups. Yay push-ups. We had one more mud pit to cross and we were done! Of course, we had to get past the gladiators first.

Thankfully, I got past them without being knocked over and finished!

Not sure about my time yet, but when I do find out I will update.

We both got our medals, and used our meal ticket to get our burgers and beer/soda. LOVE that we get food after. Every race should do that. No matter the distance.

You can check out some awesome photos of my sister from this race HERE. (her blog)

Hope you enjoyed it! I loved the challenging aspects of this race. It really pushed me to try harder and go farther. I also liked the fact we were in a team because yes, it was cheaper but I liked meeting the other people who ran as well. They had some good stories. And runners are usually awesome people. :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I have so many things to tell you about! I got new shoes, new medals, a new bike, new races in my future and I met a new group of people that I was welcomed into and would love to get involved with! I'm so excited! You should be too. Also because I'm sort of close to my 100th post. That probably means a giveaway!! Get ready, it's approaching. :)

Ragnar Relay Del Sol 2011 Recap!

2011-03-20T21:39:00.000-07:00

Wow, sorry for that wait! I have been studying my butt off for midterms and now I'm done!!! Spring Break has come and gone, the Wildcats are in the sweet 16, and life is good. :) So I finally got a chance to sit down and do this!

Also, I have been sort of embarrassed by the lack of photos I took for this race. It was so crazy! I wasn't sure what to expect and how to time things and so on and so on. Excuses, excuses. I know. So, I stole a lot of photos from my teammates facebook pages. I hope it's enough for this recap. Also, I did bring my video camera but I didn't really get anything good. I can't really explain why but I guess I was in this weird, sleep deprived, adrenaline fueled state the entire 33 hours. If you've done a Ragnar before, you may understand what I'm saying. If not, you better get out there and do one cause it's definitely an experience you won't ever forget.

Since I took so long to do this recap, there may be some details I'm missing. But you'll get the general idea...

Alrighty! The recap! Sorry about the photos, facebook has this weird thing now where they won't let you save the photos. I had to screen capture mostly everything!

I want to start by saying my team was freaking awesome! Most of us were strangers but by the end we became very close! We plan to do this next year, maybe even do Ragnar in Las Vegas in August. We had a blast! It was the perfect group of people. I'm on the right. And yes, it was cold.

Here I am starting off the race (in the orange shirt and blue hat)! I was runner #1 and I had a blast starting it off! The elevation was not fun however. I needed my inhaler before I even hit the halfway mark. Didn't help I was wearing compression socks and it was uphill! UGH. But it was challenging and fun. :)

The scenery was beautiful on my first run! Wickenburg may be in the middle of nowhere, but at least it's a pretty place to be.

The rest of the way was crazy! I'll admit I have to work on my photo taking skills for next year because I missed a lot.
The following photos are a mix between what I took and what I got from my teammates:

Decorating Van 1.

Exchange 3.

Casey supporting Lori on one of her legs.

Kendra coming into an exchange.

Kevin's Ragnar face.

Exchange 6!

Sleeping at a high school before Van 1 starts the 2nd set of legs.

Kevin during one of his legs.

Kevin and Clancy acting silly. Must be the lack of sleep....or not...

Guy during one of his legs.

Waiting for Christine to come in.

Waiting to start my 2nd leg!

Laura getting pumped up for her night run.

Christine being super reflective.

Exchange 12!

After my last leg! I came in during the sunrise. It was so pretty! :)

Meeting some biggest losers at an exchange.

Finally, we made it to the beer garden!! ...I mean, the finish line...

Waiting (in the beer garden of course) for Christine to get closer to the finish line.

Here she comes!!! Our last runner, Christine, comes running into the finish. So we all join her...

We all run to the finish!

WE FINISHED!

Place- 265th

Finishing time- 32:57:47

Sorry for the short and sweet recap, but I think I like it that way. Leaves more to the imagination! :)
My goal for next year to have a better plan for capturing photos so that my recap won't be all over the place. Also, it's hard to do a recap when you're sleepy.

Hope you all enjoyed it! My team plans to do the Del Sol relay again next year. We may even consider the Las Vegas one coming up, but that hasn't been decided yet. I'll have to do another post with the metal, it's pretty sweet. :)

And, my sister and I ran in the Super Spartan Race in Chandler last Saturday, so you'll get another recap shortly!

HAPPY RUNNING!

RAGNAAAAR!

2011-02-24T09:17:00.000-08:00

Check out our awesome team shirts!!!

The DMC stands for 2 things: The obvious, of course, the band. And also the Daily Mile Connection. It's where we all met and formed the team. Notice the Daily Mile leaf? :)

I'm super excited for Ragnar! It's going to be a crazy awesome experience and I can't wait to tell you about it!
At 7:30 AM tomorrow, I'll be starting the first leg of the relay! O.O

Wish me luck!!!

Hiking as Cross Training

2011-02-14T21:03:00.000-08:00

First of all, Happy Valentines Day!!! Hope your day has been wonderful and full of love. Chance took me out to dinner tonight and I got some sweet gifts. You'll have to wait until the end of this post to check them out...or you can scroll down and cheat... :p

Secondly, I have less than two weeks before the Ragnar Relay. I'm a little nervous. So, this weekend I tried some cardiovascular cross training: hardcore hiking. Chance, 3 friends, five dogs and I took to the Santa Catalina Mountains last Saturday and hiked the Green Mountain Trail.

This hike was tough, as you can see. I was a little worried that I wasn't able to get in a run this weekend, but after the hike, I decided this was even better than a run.
We parked at the General Hitchcock Picnic Area and hiked uphill for 3.9 miles. Plus, there was ice on the trail (really bad in some parts) which called for more coordination.

Seriously Uphill.

Aside from certain parts of the difficult terrain, this is a great hike. It's challenging and a great workout (for us humans as well as for the dogs). I'd love to run it one day.

..............

Now, on to some new awesome stuff!

These were gifts from my parents/Chance, mainly to help out with Ragnar. Thank you!!!

I'm definitely feeling better about Ragnar knowing I have the necessary items!
Only 11 more days! O.O

17 Days

2011-02-08T09:37:00.000-08:00

17 Days until Ragnar!

I've been doing the usual: training, mentally preparing and, of course, freaking out.

It's hard to imagine how incredibly tired you'll be feeling during a 24 hour relay. Rae from Ragnar told us to train like we would run during relay. For example, I'll run my longest run (8 miles) in the morning before work/school, continue my usual daily schedule, then head out again and run my longest leg. I may even add another leg onto that. That's about how exhausted I should feel. And yes, I'm doing this for fun. :)

The big weekend is getting closer and I still have yet to meet most of my teammates. While some may think this could be problematic, I think it could be fun. If I end up meeting most of them the day of Ragnar, I wouldn't have a problem. I enjoy meeting new people! However, as of this moment, I am posting to our team page on Facebook about meeting up next week, so we won't be complete strangers. :)

I'm not really sure what to expect. This will definitely be an experience, and hopefully I'll come back with loads of information to share with you. Until then...I'm not quite sure what I'm doing. *crossing my fingers*

RNR AZ Official Photos

2011-01-27T08:18:00.000-08:00

I love these photos! I had so much fun at this half! :)

Snot Rockets

2011-01-24T11:18:00.000-08:00

It's an art, people. And perfecting it takes some skill.

For those of you who don't know what a snot rocket is (from Urban Dictionary):
When you plug one nostril with your finger, and blow out of the other nostril with everything you have, sending a snot projectile out of the nose.

"Without tissue, all I could do to clear my nose was to blow a snot rocket."

I was first introduced to a form of snot rockets by my friend Margo. We were hiking in the Tucson Mountains when she suddenly needed a tissue. I had none so she quickly resorted to bending over and slowly blowing the snot from her nose. Her method was slow and drippy and messy (she thinks its funnier that way). I would not recommend it. But, I got the idea. No tissue? No problem.

Kind of like Margo's method...except this one is for sale on the internet somewhere.

When I run, I become a snot factory. No joke. A few months ago, I decided I should bring along a washcloth on runs because it was so bad. even in one of my race photos you can see where I wiped my nose on my shirt (I forgot the washcloth). Classy, right?
Honestly, it doesn't bother me. Running is a messy sport. Blisters form, pus oozes, skin chafes, sweat drips, noses run, body parts swell, toenails turn black and fall off, etc etc. However, to the rest of the non-running population, it's pretty gross. Especially snot rockets.

When I was training for my half marathon, I felt very comfortable launching snot on runs. It may have helped that I was usually alone when the deed occurred. But on Sunday (the RNR AZ half), I became super nervous about doing it! There were so many people! Then my nose started to run and I knew I had to (washcloths look so tacky in race photos) . I ran off to the edge of the course, made sure I wouldn't hit a spectator, and gave it a try.
Surprisingly, I didn't feel too awkward. I had seen other people spit (I'll have to cover that one in a future post) so I wasn't nervous about that. But not once did I see a snot rocket in progress. Seriously. 13.1 miles and no booger launch from nada. WTH? I thought "Am I the only one with this problem??"

I know I'm not. But I always wondered about etiquette during a race. I looked around and I think Made to Run said it pretty well:

"Race day etiquette suggests you do a couple of things as the nose blow’er. First thing, check to your left and to your right and immediately behind you before you launch a snot rocket. If there is someone behind you please make sure they are at least 3-4 strides behind so that they don’t run through the mist of your nose blow. If you are crowded in during a highly populated race, then you can always take the sleeve of your shirt and blow/wipe accordingly. If you end up running into the path of a nose blower please don’t lose your cool. It certainly wasn’t intentional and running is a friendly, community oriented sport. Let them know to be a bit more careful next time and go on your way. Lastly, if you decide to run with a cold I would recommend stuffing some tissue or a hankerchief in your shorts pocket so that you can wipe or blow frequently without disrupting others."

I wish there was some sort of cure to this. I pretty much despise shooting out snot rockets every so often. I like my runs to be snot rocket free please!
Does anybody else have this issue? And what do you do about it?

Happy Monday Y'all! :)

RNR AZ Half Marathon Recap!

2011-01-18T17:05:00.000-08:00

I'm a half marathoner! :D

The weekend began with the RNR AZ Expo in downtown Phoenix. My sister drove us there (thankfully, otherwise I would have been very lost) and took us around the expo.

We won some awesome Brooks beanies and posed for some photos. Check out our awesome time!

They also had wine at the expo. Great idea!

I also met Lauren from When I get a little, run run run. It's so cool to meet other bloggers! I swear I looked around for you Adam, but you weren't anywhere to be found! :p

It was great meeting you! We'll have to meet up again next time I'm in Phoenix.

And I got some free stuff and my RNR t-shirt, of course.

The next morning was the big day. I'll admit I hit the snooze button a few times. I didn't have to be there until 8:54am technically, so why wake up so early?

Joann was trying to convince me that getting there early would be a good idea. It probably would have been. Considering I ended up in the wrong corral.

The race begun at 8:30am and my corral (20) was set to leave at 8:54am. I was dropped off at about 8:25-ish and then I stood in the horrendously loooong line to the smelly port-a-potties.

And that took a few minutes. I jogged down along the fence that held the runners (like cattle, seriously) and had to jump the fence because there was no way to get in.

I stood among the other runners for about 10 minutes, getting very antsy. I decided at that point I came too early and the waiting was driving me crazy. That's when I started to look around and I noticed a sign that said Corral 22. Oops.
So, I darted through the crowd and under some ropes and I was finally in the right corral. Yay.

The beginning was in sight and we were off!

My family was waiting for me up the road, which meant that they got to see Kara Goucher! Jealous.

It's a little blurry, but she's behind that guy. And she has pink shoes.

Unfortunately, I am not elite enough to run at Kara's speed so I was not able to meet her. Sorry.
But I can give you a mile by mile recap.

Mile 1: It was very cold and since I didn't want to wear my sweatshirt, I was freezing in the beginning. I remember my hands being very stiff and cold. I kept shaking them out and it probably looked like I was dancing.

Mile 2: I saw my parents, my sister and Chance here! I loved that they came out to support me! :)

Mile 3: This was somewhere in a neighborhood and this is when the muscles/tendons/I'm not exactly sure what it was above my ankles started to hurt. I felt both sides pulling and I was freaking out that I may have injured them.

Mile 4-5: Just cruising along to my music. Taking in the sights of Phoenix.
Mile 6: I was eating a Gu when I saw my family at the 10k mark! I had texted them at mile 6 (yes, I was running and texting, but only a little and off to the side of the road, promise) and I wasn't sure when I would see them again. Apparently they got there a few seconds before I did. Great timing!

Mile 7: Zoning out to my music.

Mile 8-9: At this point, all of the cytomax drinks they were handing out (and I'm sure the Gu too) kicked in and I got this weird energy boost. I was speeding down the road, passing people like crazy! I felt really good and unstoppable. I also saw my family again at mile 9-ish. I was in a little pain, but nothing too bad.

Mile 10-11: At the end of mile 10, I really started to feel the pain creeping up my legs. I never felt this pain before! It totally freaked me out but I just kept running. It was really hot at this point and I remembered I didn't put on any sunscreen.

Mile 12: We ran over the bridge over the lake. It was beautiful! Best part of the course in my opinion. Near the end of this mile, I saw people wearing medals. That gave me a kick in the butt to keep moving! I also saw the more photographers. I took off my sunglasses and flashed a few smiles. :)

Mile 13-13.1: I remember seeing so many people with medals along the side of the road and I knew I was close! My legs were screaming at me and I'm sure my finishing photo is a look of pain. I saw my family a few seconds before I crossed the finish line. Wow, I saw them 4 times! They were really running around! And I finished!!!!

Time: 2:41:22
Overall Place: 13141
Sex Place: 7212
Division Place: 712
Avg Pace: 12:19

I got in line to get my photo with my medal, got some snacks (they had Mojo frozen yogurt!) and went painfully in search of my family. Thankfully, Joann found me wandering (I had NO idea where I was going) and we took some photos (again, pain face Jamie).

Overall, I had an awesome time! At some parts of the race, I wished I had someone to run with, but it was also nice at some parts to enjoy it by myself. I wish I wore sunscreen. I have added some more weird tan lines to my collection. And I wish I trained harder. I would have been in less pain at the end had I done that. But it was fun, and I'd like to do the marathon someday. I wasn't particularly fond of the scenery at the beginning of the race (at least up to mile 9). How is the scenery with the marathon? Any different? I know it's not all about the scenery, but it's sure a plus!

This recap was very detailed, but there was a lot to say! I would totally recommended running this half at least once. It's a nice tour of downtown Phoenix and some surrounding areas, and the views at the end + party are well worth it. :)

RNR AZ - It's almost here!

2011-01-14T19:48:00.000-08:00

My first half marathon is in 1 day! I'm excited and nervous and unsure and intimidated and etc etc... I know I can do this. Sure, I never ran 13 miles before. Okay, let's be honest, I never ran more than 8. This will be interesting! Remember, they say it's 10% physical and 90% mental. Let me just say though...it's very hard too keep to a schedule when you go to college and have 2 jobs. I am exhausted from all of that during the school year. And I know everyone has jobs and they are exhausted too. So. I'm not complaining, I'm just trying to do the best that I can do. And 8 miles was the best that I could do last year.

This semester, I have my weekends free (yay!) and a little tiny bit of time off during the week. I feel a running schedule may be more manageable. I never actually stuck to a schedule last year, I pretty much just got out there, ran short-ish runs during the week and saved my long runs for the weekend. Very simple. I never did any speed work but I hope to incorporate into my training this year.

I'm a little worried right now though because I don't have a big race planned...yet.

I'm looking at either the Mt. Lemmon Marathon to be my first marathon

vs. the Tucson Marathon.

However, those are both at the end of the year. Would I go crazy with the wait? Who knows. But that's all I got so far.

RNR San Diego (in June) is sort of an option, but the cost to get over there worries me as a college student. I do have cousins in San Diego, but I'm not sure they'd let me stay over; I haven't seen them in years. But we are family, so I'll ask. Does anyone know of any marathons (or half's) in the SW US that I may not be aware of?

.......

So far, I have new music from iTunes and a CD from my sister. I'm making a playlist tonight after class. I'm staying hydrated, especially for the next day. I'm trying to eat well, but it's hard when ramen is soooo cheap. :) (just kindding, I don't eat ramen all the time...)
I think I'm ready.

Oh! And I'm going to the expo packet pickup on Saturday. I'll probably get there around 9-10 am and hang out for a bit, maybe go hear some people talk about running, you know. So, if anyone is running the race and will be there around that time, let me know!! I'd love to do a blogger meet up! That would make me so happy!! :)

22 Years

2011-01-13T13:51:00.000-08:00

I'm 22! My birthday was actually on Thursday (January 6th), but so much was going on that I never got to it. Finally: I'm getting to it!

So, I decided to write 22 things about moi that you may have not known, in honor of the day of my birth:

I began this running obsession in Jan. 2010
I am studying/training to be an archaeologist even though the job market for that isn't looking too good. But I am being very optimistic and hopeful!
I've worked at a toy store for 3 1/2 years and I have a super fun shift every time. I mean come on, I get to play with all the toys. :)
During the summers, I am a camp counselor and it is the best job ever!!
I dislike chocolate.
I love making new friends, but I'm sometimes too shy to talk to new people. :/
My favorite color is lime green
I have played every sport at one point in my life except softball.
I currently go to the University of Arizona studying archaeology and geology.
I have a German Shepard/Chow mix named Sookie (yes, from the novels/tv show) and I love her so much!! However, Chance and I don't have a backyard at the apartment we are at right now, so she stays with my parents. Hopefully one day, my baby pup will come to live with me.
Chance tells me I have OCD. I only believe him sometimes like when the books on the bookshelf need to be straight and stacked from tallest to shortest or when I like to arrange my pens and paper on my desk to be parallel to each other.
I have a terrible memory! If you need to tell me something important to remember, make sure I write it down somewhere! You should see my desk at work, post-its everywhere.
When I was little, I was diagnosed with ADD. While I've mostly grown out of it (or so I think), some days I still feel as if I just can't pay attention and I blame it on that.
I have a purple belt in Taekwondo.
I love to read! But, I am a super slow reader and my to-read pile is growing too fast.
I like to talk talk talk nonstop around my friends and family...whoops... :)
I want to run an ultra-marathon one day, more specifically, an ultra trail race!
My favorite food is Japanese. I lived in Japan in high school as an exchange student and I fell in love with the food. I really love zaru udon noodles (plain udon with dipping sauce) and egg-don (cooked egg on rice). So good, sugoi!!
I am a huge klutz.
I've kind of secretly always wanted to be a massage therapist, sports medicine specialist, or a trainer.
I love pushing myself to my limits because I know it makes me an all-around stronger person.
When I was in high school, I was told I had exercise-induced asthma. Ha! Look at me now! I still have my inhaler, but never need to use it anymore. :)

For my birthday, I took a walk up Tumamoc Hill with Chance (which is quite the walk) and then went to join my parents for a sushi dinner! Yum. What a great birthday.

I also got some rockin' bday gifts. My parents got me a cutting board (definitely needed!) and a tea set. My sister gave me a Totoro t-shirt (please go watch the movie if you haven't seen it, it's really cute! Your kids will love it, promise!). I got some money from my aunt and uncle (going toward trail running shoes!). And Chance got me a Wii Fit Plus and Jillian Michaels Yoga Meltdown (which I did last night and I'm super sore from it!). Yay for presents!

...

In other news, my first half marathon is in less than 3 days (EEK!) I will have another post soon on my feelings about this half. So far, they are all good. But you never know, a lot can change in 3 days.

A Tucson Tragedy and Freeze Your Thorns Off Virtual 5k

2011-01-10T21:06:00.000-08:00

I'm really sorry I had to combine the two, but I really wanted to do both of these posts at once.

Saturday morning, a few miles north of where I live, 19 people were shot. 6 died from their injuries while the others are still struggling. Some are in a stable condition, while others are not. Of those shot was Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. I'm sure you've heard the news, and if not, please go read about it. This whole ordeal really upsets me. While I personally wasn't close to Gabrielle, she is an alumni of my high school and every so often she came by and spoke at our debates and through that I met her. She is a big supporter of education so this shooting especially affected me, as I know it did to others. Right now, she is still alive but in critical condition. I am praying and wishing and sending her all these good thoughts. I want to see her make it and come out of this strong.

Then comes the Freeze Your Thorns Off Virtual 5k. Since it happened that same day, Jan. 8th, I was in no mood to run, especially on a treadmill. But I did it, knowing I couldn't stare at the TV any longer because staring wouldn't give me more information. So, I walked down to the exercise room around 9:50PM (ten minutes until it would be closed, whoops), hoped on that dreadmill, picked some loud annoying music and started to run. Running really is a wonderful therapy. I was able to think without the constant outpour of incorrect information (seriously fox news and cnn, Tucson is not spelled Tuscon...and 19 people were shot, not 12 or 25, you can't just pick a number and throw it out there...).

So, while I may not have had the best time with this 5k (sorry Adam, hopefully next year, or this summer!) I did realize for like the 1,000th time that running is amazing and it can cure you of almost anything, in a way....

Miles: 3.10
Time: 00:35:10
Avg Pace: 11:20

Mighty slow and it probably didn't help that I had to keep turning around to see the TV to see if there was any new information. Slowed me down a little...

Tomorrow night, Chance and I will walk to University Medical Center, where all the surviving victims are staying, and will light candles and make some big wishes.

Wasson Peak Trail

2011-01-05T15:30:00.000-08:00

Today, I took the day off and went for a run with my friend Kali! What a great way to spend a day off!

It was a beautiful day! Partly cloudy, and it felt like a great temperature. Perfect day for running! We took the trail that starts in the wash (one that people have a hard time finding, so no one was on the trail) and headed up to the abandoned mine. I didn't get any photos of that because there were a few people hanging out there, so I couldn't get a good shot. Don't worry, I'll be going back.

We had a great time, as you can see. I'll admit, it was tough! This was my first ever trail running experience, so I wasn't too sure how it would go. It was a lot of fun, I just wished we picked a flatter trail This one is uphill and it hurts! We didn't have that much time either (Kali had an appointment to get to) so we didn't go up the trail very far. We both had fun and we both agreed it was a good challenge and we'll have to train here more often.

We traded between the fuel belt and the backpack just to see how they would feel on the trail. The fuel belt doesn't really work with the rough terrain, it just kept bouncing and bothering the heck out of me! The backpack was great though, and I may look into buying some trail running shoes.

Hope your first week of 2011 was fantastic! I'm going to try and catch up on all the blog reading I've gotten behind on!

2010

2010-12-31T17:14:00.000-08:00

This year has been fantastic! Especially since running has been introduced into my life. I don't know where I'd be without it. I started running in February of this year sometime after watching my sister run another race. I was inspired by Joann, who had already run a few marathons. I knew if she was determined enough to do that, I could too. And so I begun on my journey to get healthier and more kick-ass, like all runners are known to be. :)

I ran a few races here and there, but I have to say, I wasn't really pushing myself. I just ran for fun and never thought about PRs, speed, or anything. I just wanted to get my feet wet in the world of running. And I think I have. And now, I'm ready to set some real goals that I will hold myself accountable for. I'm ready to start this new year off with a bang!

I'm so excited about it. I also feel really nervous because I know I'm setting some lofty goals for someone who hated running in her high school cross country team. Why was I even on the team? Seriously, who knows? I was bored and looking for something new to do. Unfortunately, it didn't stick back then. Thankfully, it stuck now. I am so thankful for running, you have no idea. It has made me more excited about life, and the world around me. I have met many interesting and awesome people through this sport; people that I hope will stick around. I have learned about so many new events that I could train for (tri's, ultramarathons, etc) and believe me, I want to try them all. I have learned what I need to do to push myself. I have also learned that being alone for an hour or more with you and your own thoughts is very zen and I'm really loving it. Running rocks my world.

Goals for 2011:

I will blog at least twice a week. This will keep me more accountable with my training and gives you lovely readers something to read. With this, I give you my new blog segment to help me out: ... Actually, I'm still working on. :)
I also want to start up a monthly segment as well. This one will be like Rave Run in Runners World, but with a different name, for obvious reasons. It will give me the chance to try some different routes and show you the beauty of some of my runs. Still working on the name.
I will keep better track of my monthly/yearly mileage.
I will incorporate a stretching routine into my weekly schedule.
I will join Run for the Bling of it! (HERE) and have an awesome time with that. :) Go check it out if you do not already know what it is.
I will run 400 miles (at least) in 2011. This goal is with a few friends on DailyMile.
I will better document my races and runs! I love looking at all of your blogs and the awesome photos you've taken. I'm jealous. And I will change that. :)
I will run a marathon. And I will stick to a training plan. This one is the scariest run goal for me. First of all, my schedule is hell which means training plans are nearly impossible. And secondly, I'm a little frightened of the 26.2 distance. But I WILL do it. Maybe towards the end of the year, but it's on the list and it must be accomplished.
I will be good to my body and I will not get hurt. This would suck and I'd like to avoid it.
I will join some sort of running group, even if its only on the weekends. I want to meet some more running peeps! You guys rock!

That's about it...for now.

There's always a chance for me to add more, I just wanted to get it started so I have something in the works. Now for my upcoming races!

Planned Races in 2011:

January: Freeze your Thorns off Virtual 5k
Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Half Marathon

February: Ragnar Relay

March: Sunrise at Old Tucson Cross Country Trail Run

April: Catalina State Park Trail Race
Warrior Dash

May: Tucson Heart Group Cinco De Mayo 10k

June: Meet Me Downtown 5k

July: Run with the Roosters on Kinney Road 5 miler

October: The Great Pumpkin Race 5k
Mt. Lemmon Marathon (or half)

December: Tucson Marathon

I don't have all the months filled up but I have exactly 12 races for Run for the Bling of it! Perfect. I may add some, lose some, whatever my schedule permits. Hopefully, I can do all of them. I really want to! :)

Happy New Year to all of my blogger running friends! I've had a blast reading your blogs and following your progess! I hope you will continue to do the same for me! You are all my online support group! Thank you!

Happy New Year! Keep Running. Be safe. Have fun!

How Awesome is Christmas?

2010-12-29T22:15:00.000-08:00

Way awesome.

Okay, this post is a little late, but work has been nonstop! Which makes it difficult to write a good post. :)

My Christmas was pretty excellent, as usual. I love when family gets together, it just makes me so happy. We play games, we eat, we drink, we tell stories, and I love it all. Plus, now that there is a little one in the mix (my sisters toddler) it's even more fun! We all end up acting a little more childlike to please her and it makes for a good get together.

Cookie making took up all of Thursday night and very early Friday morning. Then, we were off to Phoenix to my sisters house. We ate some food at her parents in law's house and did the yearly white elephant gift exchange and pictionary game. Then, in the morning we had yummy breakfast and then Joann and I went for a Christmas run! Great idea, let me tell you. It was beautiful, warm (maybe too warm actually...) and there was a lot of friendly people out saying Merry Christmas and whatnot. We had forgotten it was Christmas until someone said it to us as they passed by. I guess it's a little weird to go running before opening presents on Christmas day, but that's just us. It was a short run of 3.75 miles. We took it slow, chatted and enjoyed sister time. :)

Joann and I after our run. You can see her daughter in the background mesmerized by Yo Gabba Gabba.

Then, it was time for presents!
This is the running related stuff I got:

An iTunes gift card for some new running music,

sweet running shirts,

awesome red laces for a cause,

a great book that everyone has been telling me about,

the famous bondiband wicking ponytail hat,

and a freaking awesome Nathan fuel belt!

I also got a gift certificate to a race (the Catalina State Park Trail Race) and a facial/stress buster gift certificate at a spa! I love them all! I can't wait to use them!! And I'll definitely let you know when I do!

My next post will be about my goals for sure. We have only 2 days left of 2010 and I need to start planning for 2011. It's been a crazy year, with many ups and downs. I wish I had written everything crazy down so I could share with you. *Maybe a goal for next year?* There will be talk of upcoming races, upcoming distance goals (there are so many run this many miles in 2011 on so many different blogs, whose should I join in on?), and lots of other things. I'll be devising my plan tomorrow for the new year. So much planning and thinking to do!!!

Happy third to last day of 2010! :)
What are your goals for 2011?

Twas the night before Christmas...

2010-12-24T23:07:00.000-08:00

...As Jamie wrote a last minute post.

Merry Christmas Eve! I have 15 minutes to get this out to the world before the big day. Here goes:

It has been quite the busy week! Here's what went down:

Chance and I set up and decorated our very first Christmas tree! It's four feet tall and wonderful. I put toys in it because that what we've always done at the toy store and it just felt right.
I made cookies! A whole lot of them! Unfortunately, didn't take any photos of the finished products, I mostly gave them away as gifts and there was just no time. I stayed up until 2am Thursday night baking them.
The weather has been perfect in Tucson which = perfect running weather! The temps have ranged between 70-75 degrees. I love where I live! :)
And...I got my Christmas cards from my Christmas card exchange group! They were great! I usually don't get many Christmas cards so they really made my day. :) Thanks! I didn't snap a photo, but I will tomorrow.

And that's it. It's midnight...which means....

...It's Christmas!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I'm looking forward to many things ~~tomorrow~~ today especially family, friends, great food, fun presents and of course...the Dr. Who Christmas Special.

Okay, okay, it looks ridiculous (/awesome). And it's not the most important thing on my Christmas day to-do list. But I'm still excited about it!
Merry Christmas!

Weekend Update!

2010-12-21T17:21:00.000-08:00

The past couple of days have been totally crazy! I’ve been helping out at the toy store so its busy busy busy because of Christmas shoppers. Which = nonstop wrapping, selling toys, moving around and of course, nonstop fun. :)  It’s always nice to have a job that lets you play with the merchandise.

The weekend begun with some seriously painful body aches. I was sent home from work two days in a row. My neck pain became so painful at one point, I decided to give Minute Clinic at CVS a try because I didn’t want to wait at the ER forever. Apparently, they can’t help people with these issues because they have no diagnostics like x-rays. Makes sense. I just wish they could have done something. I ended up going home and using the heat pack like crazy. But, then our friend Ben called and he wanted to hang out before he went to go pick up his girlfriend in Canada (long story). I can’t really reveal all the details of Friday night but basically I ended up bruising my right hip & knee as well as twisting my right foot. And not at the same time. There may have been some running in the desert…in boots…and running out from random washes because a homeless man ~~lunged at me~~ scared me when he moved in the shadows (same thing). So basically, I had neck and back pain and my entire right leg was temporarily disabled. Woo.

Then, I went into the toy store where I heard some terrifying news. My friend Becca’s apartment burned down the day before. She was supposed to work with me that night. I feel so awful for her! She lost all of her furniture and her kitten. The store has set up an assistance fund in her name so she can get back on her feet.  All of my love is going out to you Becca!
                It’s a little difficult to complain after that but yesterday at my other job I also had some shocking news. I was informed my lunch hours are not paid for and I need to pay them all back.

  I’ve been working here for almost a year now. So, that’s about 50 hours. WTH. I was told a 30 minute lunch was paid for at the beginning of my job. And it makes me angry that they just realized I was doing it wrong. Goodbye to saving up for next semester.

  I swore to run when I got home just to process what happened this weekend. So I did. I was planning to run as soon as I got home but I had to go shopping for some last minute gifts. I ended up running on the mill at 8 instead of running outside like I wanted to.

Miles: 4.24
Time: 00:46
Avg Pace: 10:50

And I hated it. That was one of the worst runs on the treadmill ever. I really hate that exercise room too. It’s so awkward at night when the whole world can see me sweat my buns off. First of all, the mill is facing away from the TV and out the window. ??? I know. It would make sense if the window was looking at something pretty and not into some dudes apartment. Who leaves his blinds open. And light on. WTH? I don’t need to see your messy apartment buddy. And I definitely do NOT want him looking at me.

Don’t worry. I have a plan. The days of my complaining about this treadmill may be over. I plan to move this sucker. I will move it so it faces the TV and all will be happy. Unless someone likes looking out that craptastic window.  Then, I may be ruining somebody's day. Not to be mean but...too bad.

Here’s what I’m working with:

Please note how stupidly this room is set up. The TV is directly behind of the elliptical as well. Makes no sense. And yes, I'm the weird girl taking photos of the apartment complex exercise room.
Think I can handle it? I may employ Chance in my brilliant scheme. He has already moved two of the bikes so he can see the TV better.

Hopefully the rest of my week is relatively relaxing. Crossing my fingers.

achy

2010-12-15T21:17:00.000-08:00

I am achy. and sore. all over! But mainly my back. and neck.

I do have good news however. I am finished with tests for the rest of 2010!!!

:)
Not completely finished with school. I have a few more things to turn in and then I can focus on some good 'ol running. But tests are done and done. Take that Fall semester of 2010.

Back to my pain. Today was the worst pain I have ever felt in my back. I have been having lower back issues since late August. But only recently it has been killer pain. Today it moved up into my neck. Chance rubbed some Tiger Balm (awesome stuff) on my back and it feels a little better. I need to go get this checked out. I'm glad it hasn't affected my running. Actually, I feel much better when I run. It's those days when I don't get a run in. That's when it hits me.

I'm calling the doctor tomorrow and I will make an appointment before the end of the year. I need to figure out what's wrong with me! I'll be sure to post any updates. Crossing my fingers and hoping I'm not dying...

Okay, a little dramatic, but hey. I'm a girl with some bad aches.

Running an Errand (Literally)

2010-12-12T16:20:00.000-08:00

I read THIS article a few days ago and decided I should actually try it. The article from Runner's World online talks about getting chores done while running. That way, if you don't have a lot of time, you can still go running.

I decided to try it out. I had some checks to deposit so I put my house key and debit card in my running pants pocket and my two checks in my water bottle. It worked perfectly. I didn't feel like I was carrying anything different from the usual. And I overestimated how far the bank was. It's only about 1 mile from my house, which makes for a SUPER easy run. I refuse to drive there ever again. It's too simple. Why did I ever drive in the first place??

I also had to go to the post office and drop off my Netflix, but I figured that was a little too far for a quick run. But I will try it soon! The article also talks about using a backpack for more errands. I'm not sure I could handle that, just yet. It seems intriguing though and, of course, something I have to try.

So, I got 2 miles in today. Awesome. I figured I wouldn't get any in due to my studying for finals. And blogging (of course). :)

Miles- 2.07
Time- 19:41
Avg Pace- 9:30

Go run some errands!

Ragnar Woes

2010-12-09T16:47:00.001-08:00

Getting a Ragnar team together at the last second can have its downsides. When I first heard about the Ragnar Relay it was from the University of Arizona running club. Before I joined sometime last January (something I never got around to doing actually) they were trying to pull me in with this Ragnar race. I was like “whoa, 202 miles?? You guys are CRAZY” and I brushed it off. Then, sometime in the lull of summer, I checked it out again and I really REALLY wanted to do it. I tried emailing the new captain about joining up but never got a reply (jerk). I’m guessing because they already had their team, or something. Anyway, moral of the story. It’s easier to get a team together when you do it every year. When they first told me about it, I seriously doubt they would have let me run it. I probably would have been a driver. They were just getting me psyched for the next year. Which they TOTALLY did. So when my friend Kevin said he was interested in doing it AND the deadline for early registration was coming up in a week, I was SO IN. We checked on Facebook and DailyMile for any takers and we had our team in week.

Now, we still have our team, for the most part. There are at least 10 of us who really want to do it. We had 2 people drop out in the last few weeks, one of which wanted their money back. Which in my opinion is COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY RUDE. Find someone else to take your spot and pay up and THEN ask for your money back. It’s hard enough on our teammate, who laid down $1000 for us and then waited for our checks. He is still out $90 (we never actually got a 12^th teammate) and now this other guy wants him to be out $180? Crazy. It’s our fault though. We never laid down the rules in the beginning about people who decide to drop out and what not. I guess we got too excited about our team and never even thought for a second someone would drop out. Silly us.

Things have changed now. We’ve learned. We let everyone know that if someone decides to drop out, they need to find their replacement and either let them use their money or have them pay for it themselves. One of our gals drop out due to family issues and she found her replacement immediately (and she didn’t want her money back, so he was even more willing!). However, she was our 6^th girl. Since we are a co-ed team, we need AT LEAST 6 girls, so it’s fair. And now we need to find another one.

So, we have two spots open. At least one of the spots is open to a girl (or both!). I hope no one else drops out. We have about 12 weeks until the race in February. Our team is going to a Ragnar 101 info meeting this Monday at Fleet Feet. Maybe they’ll tell us how we can look for more runners. *crossing my fingers*

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

2010-11-28T21:51:00.000-08:00

That title...that's me being sarcastic. Most wonderful time the year...HA.

***WARNING ~ THIS IS A FREAK OUT POST***

This is probably the worst most awful time of the year. I say this because finals are near, my time is precious, money is tight, and Christmas is right around the corner. How is a college student supposed to deal with all of this!?! AND THEN I go and make it worse by planning to run a half marathon in January.WTH was I thinking??
I wasn't. You're absolutely right. I wasn't thinking. At all. I thought I could do all of this and I really don't think I can. And...and...

That was my head exploding. Except I am not a man and I'm pretty sure I'd have a way more intense expression on my face. Just sayin'.

Okay, I'm done complaining. I just need to take one thing at a time. Money, for example, is always going to be tight. I will accept that fact. And Christmas presents are not going to be the most fabulous (it's really the thought that counts, seriously!!!) And finals are always near (they like being close, it makes them wanted...because nobody loves them...). and I will study my a** off, believe me.

It's that half marathon that keeps getting to me. I already paid for it, and I don't want to drop out. I want to do this. I know that when school gets out in 3 weeks, I'll have a ton of time to think and I'll keep telling myself that I should have done it. I won't let it get that far. It's going to happen.

The thing that is worrying me is injury. I hear all too often too fast, too soon usually leads to injury. I've been running 10 miles a week at least and I have 7 weeks before the half. The most I've run is 8 miles. I'm planning on a 10 miler next Saturday and 13-14 miler the Saturday after. Is too much before the race? I felt fine on my last 8 mile run (yesterday) with only a little bit of stiffness.

Miles: 8.12
Time: 1:41
Avg Pace: 12:28

I thought it went really well. I was actually going to push myself to run 10 but freaked out about injuring myself. There may be some currently injured bloggers out there to blame for my fear (but I won't name names). My knees only hurt for a short while afterwards. If anyone out thinks this is a terrible idea and sees some awful flaw in my plan....let me know! I'm not in a running group currently and I don't have anyone else to ask about this. Help a girl out. :)

Otherwise, life is pretty normal. I'll take things slow and one day at a time. :)

I'm Thankful

2010-11-25T13:59:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to shout out my thanks to everyone in my life!
I'm thankful for everyone who supports me like my parents, my sister and my boyfriend.
I'm thankful for my friends, new and old. I'm thankful for all of the new ones yet to meet.
I'm thankful for the ability to run. I'm thankful for my energy and health.
I'm thankful for life! I love this life that I have and I intend to go far with it!
And I'm thankful for all of you, blog readers, for reading what I have to say.

THANKS!

Have a wonderful and enjoyable Thanksgiving!

Happy Turkey Day! :)

Muddy Buddy 2010 Ride & Run Recap!

2010-11-20T20:53:00.000-08:00

Well hello there. It’s been awhile, hasn’t it?

I’ve been busy, of course, with school, work and running. I recently did Muddy Buddy and the race recap will follow shortly (yes, that means you have to be patient). I am currently in training for the RNR Phoenix Half Marathon in January. So, hopefully, I will have some great posts about my exciting training. But, I have to remind everyone that finals are approaching (way too fast) and I may be out of the blog scene from time to time and unless I can muster up some sort of decent post (in my soon to be sleep deprived state), you may not see me until winter break. I hope it does not come to this! I love reading your blogs and posting comments and letting you know I’m still here. So don’t lose faith in me! I am still here. Just a little less, until school is out.

Okay, here you go. The Muddy Buddy 2010 Race Recap!!!

The photos were taken with a disposal camera and then scanned. So they aren't the best quality!

Joann (my sister), her husband Josh, his little brother Nick and I headed out to the McDowell Mountain park at around 6:30 am. It was pretty much freezing (to an Arizonian). We walked down to the start to pick up our packets and I got a first glance of the mud pit. It was quiet and still...for now.

We walked back to the car and got our gear ready. Bikes, helmets, and a waist pack (to hold my camera and chap stick). It warmed up to the point that I was able to take off my jacket.

Muddy Buddies!

We headed down to the start and watched the costume contest. There were some pretty great ideas! We are thinking about doing it next year. I think it'd be fun to get muddy in a costume. :)

Joann and Josh....Looking like they're ready for some mud

After the costume contest, we headed over to the start where we got into our wave groups. We were in the second wave. The bikes were separated from the runners, and they got to go first. Nick was off! and then I waited in the runner group, a little cold, and then I was off!

Running made me colder for about the first mile. Wind doesn't help when your body in not warmed up. But then I warmed up and I felt pretty good. I passed a few people (who started out way too fast. See, that's what you get...) and kept a pretty decent pace. The McDowell mountain park is very pretty...for Phoenix. No offence to my Phoenix peeps, I just love my Tucson home. :)

About 10 minutes after this photo, I got to the first obstacle. It was basically some nets we had to crawl under. Not too exciting. I finished it pretty quickly and went to look for the bike.

At the first obstacle...looking for bikes

As soon as I got on my bike, I knew I got stuck with the WORST part of the course. As were all the other runners who were stuck with this part of the course on the bike. What a dirty little trick Muddy Buddy race directors. Or WHOEVER decided a WASH would be a good place to ride a bike. WTH!?!

NOT A GOOD PLACE TO RIDE A BIKE

Looks easy...in this photo. But no. Most of time people were walking their bikes. Or trying to ride...and failing. I just walked it through most of the wash. At the end of it there was a nice dirt trail. Thank god.
The next obstacle we came up on was a small rock wall and a net on the other side. It was a little more challenging considering it required more balance. I met Nick at this one, right before we set off again. I told him how much a pain in the ass that last ride was. And he said...Yeah, we thought we shouldn't tell you about that. Wow. Where's the family love?? You know, watching out for each other and what not...

And we were off again!

The next obstacle was walking across balancing beams. This seemed very hard...to everyone else. This was by far definitely the easiest! (Yay for gymnastics classes!!)

I grabbed the bike and took a few seconds for a photo op. :)

This was my second (and last) time on the bike, and it definitely scary. I don't do a whole of mountain biking, so the downhills pretty much scared the crap out of me! Plus, having cholla on the trail didn't help much either.

Finally, I got to the last obstacle before the mud pit. The inflatable slide!

This one was tricky. There was too many people on it at once and it kept moving from side to side=not helpful. But I got over it and down the other side!

I grabbed some water and I off to run the last leg! As some point, Nick passed me. He was slowing down a little (this part was really hilly...which means hard!) so we chatted for a few seconds. He kept peddling and he was gone. I was alone for a little while, no one seemed to be anywhere around me. It was kinda peaceful, except for the fact that I was pretty much dying! I was so tired at this point and just wanted to walk. I ended up doing that a few times, but I kept remembering Nick had to wait for me before we crossed the mud pit. And then I saw all the white tents and heard the music and knew I was close!

The last hill before the finish!

Finally, I made it to the end of the running portion! Up next: The famous mud pit!

Right before we head into the mud pit!

The mud was so cold!! I crawled in and remembered the how gravel-y (a word now) it was. Glad my pants were long enough to cover my knees!

The official finishing photo:

Our finishing time- 1:11:34

Joann and Josh in the mud pit!

Finally, we saw Joann and Josh come in. I tried to wave them into the lane closest to us so I could get a good photo, but I guess they didn't get it.

And that was my last photo. :(

I'm sad I didn't get a photo of us all at the end, all muddy, or a photo of the hose showers or everything else! Maybe I'll use my photos more wisely next time. :)

I had a great time at this race!! It was so much fun! I really don't think I can wait until next year to do it again.

And I may not have to.

My friend Maggie clued me in on a race in April called Warrior Dash.
I may be jumping ahead....but I don't think so. :)
Planning for races is waaaay too much fun. And a little addicting.
More on this Warrior Dash later....and my run tonight. This post is a little lengthy already...

Two Words

2010-11-09T18:25:00.000-08:00

Muddy Buddy.

This weekend in Phoenix! And I'm really excited!!

Here's what it's all about: (from the website)
Two people (buddies!) will traverse a 6-7 mile off-road course and 5 obstacles.

At the start of the race, one team member will run and one will ride the bike. At the 1st obstacle, the rider will drop the bike, complete the obstacle, and begin running. The runner will arrive, complete the obstacle, find their bike and begin riding. Teams will continue leapfrogging each other through the entire course.

At the end of the race, racers crawl through the infamous Mud Pit crossing the finish line together as official “Muddy Buddies”!

Sorry, it's a little too big for my format, but way cool...so watch it and be jealous! ;p

Will any other bloggers be out there this weekend?

New Month, More Goals

2010-11-02T12:01:00.000-07:00

it's already November! time is flying by so quickly. it's almost 2011!!

so, i figured now is a great time to re-evaluate my goals before the year is over. I never made a list of goals specifically for the year 2010, but I did have a few goals in mind this year. next year, everything will be different. I will have a list specifically for 2011 and I will stick to it. I already feel that 2011 will be way more organized. :) The list below is somewhat vague, but it's a good start and something for me to work off of for next year.

my goals for 2010 and how they have worked out thus far:

drink more water (this summer and this semester I've brought my huge water bottle to work and i make myself drink at least one a day. Sometimes i get up to two. so i did pretty well on this goal!)
stretch (this is one goal I never got to. i don't know why, but i either forget about it or i'm too tired. lame excuses, i know.)
stick to a training schedule (i had a great schedule printed out and on my fridge (thanks Joann!) for my RNR marathon in January, however, my race situation changed and i had to forgo my schedule.currently, i do not have a schedule and i'm basically making myself run at least 10-15 miles week, whenever i find the time. )
run a few small races this year and plan for a big one (this one i focused on completely! I ran a few small races: race for the cure 5k, meet me downtown 5k, sabino canyon classic 4.5 miles. i have another race in 2 weeks (more on that soon) and a half marathon in january.)

so, those are my very vague goals for most of 2010. like i said before, 2011 will have way more specific goals.

but for now, i'll come up with some goals for this month, just to keep me on track for my upcoming races:

my goals for november 2010:

come up with a schedule for the remaining weeks of training before the RNR half on january 16th
come up with a plan for stretching (before, during and after my runs)
continue drinking lots of water
balance running, homework and life (this one is going to be tough)
make a list of races to run for the upcoming year

and i think that's about it...for now. for a post at the end of november, i'll update you with my results. :)