San Diego Rock n Roll Marathon Recap Part 1

To spare you one looooong post, I've decided to break up my San Diego Rock n' Roll Marathon weekend into 2 posts.

The Mutiny

The weekend of my EVENT finally arrived and after much overpacking, the BF and I headed out in The Mutiny (our RV) destined for San Diego, home of the Rock n' Roll Marathon.  

Working Facebooking in traffic...cool.

Although my participation with Team in Training included airfare (for me only) to and from San Diego, we could not pass up the opportunity for a ROAD TRIP!  Both my BF and I LOVE to travel and try to take advantage as often as possible.  For the trip down, we decided to try hanging out by the coast and randomly selected Morro Bay as our midway stop over on Thursday night.

We were not disappointed with this selection!  We have come to terms with the fact that many RV parks are basically huge parking lots and not at all like "real" camping which was the case with Morro Dunes RV Park.  However, the views and location were spectacular.  Morro Rock was in view and within walking distance of the RV park.  The beach was right across the street and the ocean waves were close enough to lull us to sleep.  After a quick stroll down the beach to get some close ups of the "Gibraltar of the Pacific", we found a walking/bike path that conveniently took us down to the Embarcadero (which was where we were headed for dinner any way...no need for a cab!!).

Morro Rock

Cute garden knick-knacks.

Who doesn't love a smiling frog?

 After browsing around some of the cute shops we happened upon a restaurant and bar aptly called the Embarcadero Grill.  The service was awesome, as were the Bloody Marys (hello vitamin C) and the food was pretty good.  It had been quite a while since we had eaten last so we stuffed ourselves like it was the last meal.  Luckily, the BF actually didn't mind walking back to the RV park rather then taking a cab back (great for the digestion).  What a cool guy!

Great Bloody Marys!

Day 2 of the trip wasn't quite as spectacular since it involved L.A. traffic.  Ughhh...I don't know how people deal with that every day!  I'll take my small town living over traffic delays and road rage any day!

Traffic sucks!

After a long, long, long second day of travel we arrived in Mission Bay to our weekend home away from home.  Our site backed up to the bay and offered not only a beautiful sunset, but fireworks from Seaworld every night! 

One of the reasons I picked San Diego as my marathon event is because my BF's daughter and her girlfriend live there...so it was a 2 for 1 weekend!  They drove us all over the city and kept the BF company when I went for my run Sunday morning.  We had an awesome breakfast at this place:

And then we checked out the race Expo.  It was an amazing expo with so much going on the it was almost overwhelming.  It was hard to not try every sample that was laid out from energy bars to Gu's to wine and beer.  I was determined to try to stick to my plan of not trying or doing anything new the day before the race.  I did, however, buy a new pair of sunglasses for the race....shhhhhhh.

Oh yea!

Packet pickup...16 hours til the start of the race!

Always keep this in mind!

The Brooks Running Circus.

That evening I actually stayed in the same hotel as the rest of my Team in Training team.  Our meeting time was 4:15 a.m. and I didn't want to take any chances on being late or arranging transportation.  Saturday night we had our Inspiration Dinner for TNT participants, honorees and families.  And although I normally wouldn't have eaten large quantities of pasta (too much gluten) it was a fun evening.

John "The Penguin" Bingham

The Penguin was our MC and let me tell you, this guy is hilarious!  Check out his blog when you get a chance (like now...but remember to come back here to comment).  But the most inspiring story came from Barry Costa, a TNT participant for the past 12 years, who lost his daughter, Kimberly Joy Costa, to blood cancer when she was 19 years old. Her story was very touching and there was not a dry eye in the room of 1000+ people.  

Barry Costa

Kimberly Joy Costa

After getting back to the hotel after 10pm, I set out my running gear, pinned on my race bib, set out my breakfast, set my alarm for 330am, and tried to drift off for a few hours of sleep.  

To be continued...

Mid-year footprint...

One of my goals for this year (and all future years) is to decrease my carbon footprint.   I started this year by digging out my Gaiam reusable water bottles and eliminating the need for countless plastic one-time-use bottle waters (I drink a LOT of water).  I already own a Pur Pitcher water filter system and our city water actually tests pretty decent.  Also, on top of being environmentally friendly, I am saving money to boot!

High quality, low cost, environmentally friendly!

During a recent grocery shopping escapade, I realized that I had a trunk full of plastic shopping bags.  I had previously been justifying using them because having 2 cats I was recycling these bags whenever I scooped the litter boxes.  BUT, the ends don't always justify the means...and having a huge stash of them in my trunk wasn't doing me, or the planet, any favors.

Source

I took ALL of my plastic bags to the grocery store and recycled them and then proceeded to use my miss-matched collection of reusable grocery bags at both Target and Safeway.  Even though some of my bags held competitor's names, they not only used my bags but I also got a 5 cent credit per bag!  Score!

One of the things that has bothered me regarding waste has been bagging my produce.  I have often resorted to putting loose produce in my cart, rather then adding to my bag collection, but it's kind of a pain in the a$$, especially when they are rolling all over the conveyor belt or off of the scale much to the cashier's chagrin.  Then I received an email notification from Care 2 Daily Deals...38% off of Reusable Recycled Produce Bags from Bag the Habit.  (Unfortunately, the sale is over but these are still a great deal...or just Google 'reusable produce bags' to find other brands.)

While this may not seem like a major movement, every small step in the right direction counts.  If we all made small moves to reduce our own carbon footprint it would certainly add up to something major.  There really is very little inconvenience in using your own canvas bags while grocery shopping and it will make you feel good to do it!!

National Running Day and My Dedication...

On May 30, 1975, Steve Prefontaine, running legend and International track star, was killed in an automobile accident.  He was only 24 years old.

In honor of National Running Day, I wanted to honor Steve Prefontaine as my #1 motivator and inspiration.

Pre, who hailed from Coos Bay, Oregon, held American records in 7 distance track events.  It was his story, as told in the movie Prefontaine, that lit the fire under my butt to keep on running.  It is one of those stories that I can watch over and over again whenever I feel the motivation slipping away.

Even though Pre was a middle distance champion, racing at speeds I have and will NEVER see, it was his love of running and his unconventional approach that keeps me connected with his story.  

At the Pre's Rock, a memorial stone set at the site of Pre's death reads:

"For your dedication and loyalty

To your principles and beliefs...

For your love, warmth, and friendship

For your family and friends...

You are missed by so many

And you will never be forgotten..."

As sharp as a butter knife...

T-minus 6 days!

So, I may not be the sharpest tack in the box as I was reminded out Saturday afternoon.  It was my last long run before the upcoming marathon as well as our "send off party" for those of us in Team in Training who will be headed to San Diego this weekend for our event.  Being Memorial Day Weekend, there was a large parade going on downtown...right between where I live and where I needed to be for training.  I decided to go the back way (country roads) and to stop by the grocery store in the next town over to get some fruit salad for the pot-luck party immediately following our run.

My addiction.

Well, since I was at the store anyway I decided to pick up some Vibranz Kombucha (who could pass those up??) and some energy bars which were so nicely displayed in the Heath Food section.  Now, I have made my own energy bars based off of the Thrive book and they've been very tasty, but they require more time then I had at the moment.  So, I figured I would just grab a few prepackaged bars and rush off to the park for training.

My race singlet!

After training (8 miles) and a great send off picnic I was home putting away my running gear when I finally took a good look at my new bars.  Every single one of them lists honey as the sweetener and while I usually wouldn't have a problem with that, I did just post on here that I wanted to clean up my eating and get back to a more Vegan eating plan.  And honey doesn't cut it when eating vegan.

Who invited these guys to the picnic?

I was so disappointed since I was thinking about photographing my new bars and doing my own version of a taste test/review post.  Well, I didn't take a picture of them because I honestly don't think I will buy them again anyway.  I can't say that I won't eat them...after all, it's not likely my BF will (he's more of a cookie/donut fan) but I did go grocery shopping yesterday and picked up the ingredient to make those Thrive bars today.

I did take a picture of some of my racing fuel I WILL be using.  Admittedly, the Honey Stinger brand energy chews and waffles have been much better on my system as a fuel source during long runs than those Gu's and Gels so I may just have to accept that honey will be a part of my life, at least for the next week.

My non-vegan stash.

I know that this isn't a huge deal for most people, and I am trying to just take it all in stride because, really, my goal is to be healthy, fit, happy, and full of energy.  And while I may not fit into any 'slot' (vegan, vegetarian, flexitarian, pescatarian, etc.) I won't let that put a damper on achieving my goals.  For my next {and last} marathon in October, I do plan on sticking with Vegan 'fuels' {for a sampling of Vegan fueling recipes I invite you to visit the No Meat Athlete blog}.  Maybe then I can do a comparison blog afterwards!

Tapering

Without being too graphic, I had a blister underneath the callous that has been building up on the ball of my right foot.  I know because I relieved the pressure (popped it) last night.  Gross, yes but also necessary.  It is a delicate balance at this point, keeping healthy and eating properly while tapering down the mileage 2 weeks before the big event.

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It's been impossible to ignore any little aches and pains going on, using the foam roller for stretching, running a snail's easy pace, taking extra Vitamin C, and scheduling chiropractic appointments.  I get up in the morning thinking about how my knees feel, and wondering if my feet are sore from that last 6 mile run or from wearing heels to work the day before.  Then I wonder if I should be wearing my Earth Shoes (not very trendy but at least they make my BF laugh hysterically) so I don't do anything stupid like twist my ankle or cause unnecessary foot pains.   It's not like I'm naturally clumsy...I can't remember a time I actually sprained my ankle walking in heels.  So, perhaps I am just being ridiculous about this whole thing.

Ohhhh, feels so good on the IT Band.

But, this is what I am good at...worrying about things that haven't happened, and most likely, won't happen. I suppose it allows me to move the focus off of other important things I should be doing...like cleaning, doing laundry, getting ready for our huge yard sale, researching future travel plans, and planning for our upcoming early semi-retirement (more on that later).   You see, this whole tapering thing basically equates to purposely being lazy...and this laziness has spilled over into 'real' life.  Only 10 more days...I think the dust can wait.

Cleaning up

I am going to be posting more about the foods I eat as well as the products I use when I train.  I think it will help me keep track of what is working for me and maybe even expose some people to a few of my favorite items (including vegan alternatives).  I am a big fan of Brendan Brazier, founder of Vega and author of Thrive The Vegan Nutrition Guide to Optimal Performance in Sports and Life, as well as Thrive Fitness, and have used his recipes to make my own sports drinks, energy (pre-workout) puddings, recovery puddings, and even gels to consume during my long runs, all with great results.

My Hero!

I have teetered back and forth between being vegetarian, vegan, and gulp...a plain old fish eating heathen.  I am not a big fan of labeling myself but it does come in handy when booking a flight or going to a business meeting to be able to check the "Vegan" box to ensure I won't be served a nice steaming veal cutlet {insert retching sounds here}.  But it's hard to claim the vegan status when I sometimes don't care if there is a little bit of feta in my salad or I inhale a Honey Stinger Waffle {yum} at mile 14 of a 20 mile long run when my calves are spasming. 

So delicious...especially their 'waffles'.

Yes, lack of planning and lack of commitment leave me in quite a predicament...a fake vegan and I don't think "It's the thought that counts" really counts here.  What I really need to do is buckle down.  I KNOW how much better I feel when I eat clean...meaning a plant-based diet.  Eating fish makes me feel guilty later and eating dairy products usually leaves me feeling bloated and tired.

Not refreshing =(

My immediate goals will include cleaning up my eating, which currently means cutting out the Baked Lays {tear-drop}, saltine crackers, and any other processed foods (I don't each much of these).  I'll be getting back to the recipes I love from the books Thrive and The Engine 2 Diet.  A favorite blog for recipes is Peas and Thank You and I hope to add more as I try out new ones.  My only requirement is that the recipes be fairly quick and easy since I want to be able to share with friends how easy it can be to eat a plant-based diet.

Oh, and thanks to Twitter-dome (which I am still trying to figure out), I came across a great blog (Vegan and Raw) called Balance is Beauty.  I invite you to check out Kristin's wonderful blog and also to enter her giveaway featuring some great Vega samples AND Peggy Kotsopoulos's new book: Must Have Been Something I Ate.  Peggy is part of the Vega Team and I look forward to reading her book soon.   

My Running Future...

Source

Although I haven't yet completed my very first marathon, I have been doing some research on various training plans since I am now obligated to run my second marathon this October (I entered the lottery for the Nike Women's Marathon several weeks ago...back when my long run mileage was still "fun" and pretty much pain-free and got selected).  I've been able to rely on Team in Training for a weekly calendar which basically allows me to focus more on running and less on thinking.  However, I will not be with TNT after June 5, 2011 and I will be on my own for training.

A few of my friends will also be running the Nike Women's Marathon with me so the plan is to try to get together for runs through out the week.  I'm really hoping to have a partner for the dreaded much needed LONG runs since it can get pretty boring lonely when you're out there for 3-4 hours.


These last 2 weeks I have been struggling, both mentally and physically, and have allowed some doubt to creep in.  I think that's why I've been trying to come up with a "better" training plan, one that will suit my mentality.  This is not to say that the TNT plan isn't good, believe me, it has worked to get me from 5 mile runs to 20 mile runs in 4 short months.  I can't knock it, that's for sure.  But because I know me, I want to tailor my plan to my current mental handicap, the one that says I can't do this and I suck.

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Currently, I am leaning towards the Hansons Brooks Distance Project which seems very similar to that of Coaches Jon Sinclair and Kent Oglesby (whose mentor was Arthur Lydiard).  Both plans focus on building a solid foundation by running 6+ days per week and over 100 miles collectively.  Now, you may ask yourself why in the world I would want to run MORE days then I do now, but after reading some of the articles it appears that this may be the best way to get my body to adapt to the marathon distance (without feeling like I am going to quit every time I face a long run over 12 miles) and it may help get my body used to running on fat rather then muscle.

You see, as I go into week 17, with overall mileage tapering down, I can't help but notice the loss of muscle tone (mainly in my abdomen...which I just shared on my last post as being my least liked body part) and an increase in body fat.  It seems ridiculous that I can run so many miles, burning over 2400 calories per long run, eat clean, and see this happening to my body.  But it's not that odd of a phenomena as I have discovered.  After some research I have found others having this very same issue (including personal trainers).  One of the things that will help me through the Nike marathon will be to carry less weight (this will also help for the Tough Mudder in September) so it only makes sense to apply a training method that will teach my body to utilize it's fat stores rather then hoard them.


The hard part right now will be to hold off on applying any new techniques until after the San Diego Marathon on June 5.  Right now I need to focus on a clean diet, proper hydration and staying healthy until the big day!!  This post, by Jason at Cook Train Eat Race regarding tapering helped put these next 2 weeks into perspective.